#like his clan has been here for a HOT sec

[god-help-me-pls]

jsonntod

[http-tokki]

ʚ⁺˖ ↠ blue

ᰔ pairings: dabi/touya todoroki x fem!reader ᰔ content/tags: mha spoilers, childhood pov, abusive childhoods, childhood crush, blood, allusions to self harm/suicide, explicit language, smut, kinda not really, its smutty talk, angst, allusions to s/a, power dynamics, time jump to when touya is like 26, creative liberties have been taken with the original story, set in the century 2400 ᰔ wc: 10.5k ᰔ a/n: so there is a bit of a weird timeline with this one. instead of touya dying at 13, I've made it he dies at 16 and the subsequent events are a lil delayed, in the manga he is 24 atm but here i have him as 26, please suspend your disbelief for a sec cause the amount of work ive put into this so it makes sense, i almost went crazy

March 10th 2460 Touya: aged nine You: aged eight (and three-quarters)

Breakfast is at five, lunch at twelve, and dinner at seven.

The clock hands tick over the first five graduations and onto the sixth, meaning it is six minutes past seven and dinner is late.

Lateness is not tolerated by the Todoroki clan.

No reason, whether it be big or small, would be accepted nor understood by the head of the family, and punishment for being tardy ranged from groundings to lectures and in the most severe cases, a beating. However, those parameters do not extend to said head, who you think to be more akin to that of a prison warden than a father.

You watch the housekeeper slide the last of the food onto the table and take another look at the clock.

7:08.

The table had been set, food diligently prepared and presented, plates piled high with greens and dripping meat, three different kinds of fish, an array of soups, and other liquid foods. Mrs Todoroki often had trouble eating, so instead opted for warm broths and hot teas, and they were all going cold while you waited for Mr Todoroki to come in from Touya’s nightly training. Saliva coats your tongue as you breathe in the heavenly scents wafting from the mountains of food, your stomach growling in protest at not being filled with the delicious smells.

Ten minutes pass and just before the eleventh has a chance to be observed, the sliding doors to the dining room whoosh open. With the ease and casualness of someone who is above the law of the household, Enji Todoroki strolls in followed closely behind by the eldest sibling.

Touya trails behind his father, movements sluggish and slow, his frail body slumped in exhaustion and what you would only later realise as terror. You can almost see the muck that weighs on his body, dripping off sharp bones in big flat globs of swamp green mud, seeping into the reeds of the tatami mats below. Fresh wounds litter his arms, blooms of dark red blood pock the sterile bandages that were hastily wrapped around his limbs. The stark white began at his wrists and climbed up and up his arms until they disappeared beneath the sleeve of his t-shirt. You follow Touya, eyes lingering on his wounds as he sits down opposite you.

“Fuyumi. Is he-“ Your question is hushed, spoken from the corner of your mouth to avoid raising suspicion of the subject.

“He’s okay, we don’t talk about it.” Her answer comes in a rush, eyes darting towards her father like a prey animal watching their stalker.  “Just eat.” 

Fuyumi’s mouth pulls into a frown for a quick second before her attention moves to the food before her.

You nod, attention shifting from the boy across the table to the plate that had been prepared just for you. A small helping of meat and fish paired with a big serving of rice and vegetables, the nanny even going as far as to put it into a divider plate as though you were a toddler, but you thanked her regardless, smiling up at the haggard-looking woman as she nodded politely and moved onto tending to baby Shouto. The food only holds your attention for so long before you glance back up at Touya, watching as he cuts into his steak with the precision of a man far beyond his years. Each move slow and calculated; every shift of his arms or turn of his head deliberate and purposeful, small actions to avoid raising awareness of his person. Come to think of it, all the children, save for Shouto, moved like that. As if they were in constant apologetic states just for breathing, existing, and with their father you understand why, but it doesn’t stop you from staring at the boy before you.

"Stop looking. He doesn't like it when you stare." Fuyumi whispers, smacking her knee against yours.

"But it looks like it hurts." You whisper back, unable to look away from the red splotches on the white bandages.

You want to ask if he is okay. If he needs a doctor and who did that to him? Was it a bully at school? How was the school not getting involved if he was being bullied this bad?

"Fuyumi," Touya sneers from across the table. "Tell your friend to stop staring at me."

Unabashed hatred simmers in his blue eyes as his glare falls on you. Heat rises to your cheeks, stumbling out an apology, and vowing to never look at him again.

No one had ever looked at you like that. With such hatred and malice, you didn’t even know existed.

"He plays rough, always falling over at school," Mr. Todoroki’s voice booms throughout the room, so loud and sudden it is like a thunderclap on a clear day. "You've got to be more careful, Touya. What would people think if they saw you like this!"

The lack of care for his son’s well-being gives you pause mid-bite. The vegetables fall from your fork as goosebumps skitter along your skin.

What would people think if they saw you like this?

What would they think other than he had been in an accident? Is Touya’s broken body a regular occurrence that people would be so used to seeing that it would start to raise suspicion? Had he been hurt on purpose? Why would Mr. Todoroki say that? Did Mr. Todoroki do that to Touya?

Your attention is pulled outwardly as Natsuo starts to talk about his day, telling his mom and the housekeepers all about the latest games and toys at school, the newest edition of a card game you like captivates you and your thoughts are swept away from the strange boy across from you. 

Dinner ended as it always did.

Mr. Todoroki called the housekeeper over to deal with the mess and children as he retired to his office and Mrs Todoroki took her evening walk around the grounds of the estate. You can’t stay the night despite it being a Friday, you’re never allowed to stay the night. Fuyumi had stayed at yours plenty of times, your parents never saying no to another friend but never you at hers. You thanked both her parents and waved bye to her brother before the youngest housekeeper walked you home. That’s how every Friday night ended.

That routine had become a staple in your life, going on two years, before there was a change to the way of things.

------

July 1st 2362 Touya: aged eleven You: aged ten

The shift was subtle and gradual, like the way a house is warmed by a fire on a winter’s eve. Slow and steady, seeping into all corners of the once-frozen house until all you know is warmth and you can’t remember how the cold felt. That’s how you would describe Touya’s presence in your life. From the arctic interactions each Friday night at the dinner table to someone you would call a friend.

The first thaw of the ice wall that had formed around your friend’s brother, was an accident.

Knee deep in the heat of summer, you had rushed over after summer school, swimmers in your backpack and a dream of jumping into the fresh cold heaven that was the local pool. You had come looking for Fuyumi, hell-bent on getting your poor friend out of the stuffy old house and somewhere she could have fun without the risk of her dad making her or her siblings cry.

You had come to hate Mr Todoroki.

He hadn’t done anything to you personally to deserve the contempt you held towards your friend's dad but you had heard enough from Fuyumi. She had told you all the times he made her mom cry. How there would be arguing and then the sounds of breaking plates followed by her mom’s cries. Mrs. Todoroki never said anything was wrong, never alluded to anything other than a mild argument but there had to be something more, right? Adults didn’t cry over nothing!

“ ‘Yumi, let's go to the pool!” you call down the hall. “I’ll buy ice cream this time.”

The housekeeper had let you in, instructing that your friend was in her room finishing up some school work but after you checked her room and found no sign of her, you went looking.

That is how you found Touya.

Walking into the bathroom under the assumption you would find Feyumi, you are greeted with a situation you are not old enough to understand the severity of.

Touya slouched on the bathroom floor, surrounded by bloodied towels, unspooled bandages, and uncapped ointment tubes. A piece of gauze caught between his teeth as he attempts to bandage his bleeding hand.

He shouts at you to leave, his command broken as he hiccups around the sobs falling from him. Scorched skin covering the majority of his arms, fingers red and blistering as they shake.

That image sears into your brain. Imprinting itself onto your eyelids so that each time you fall asleep, you see Touya; broken and bloody.

There isn’t much you remember from that afternoon, only flashes and stills that live in the recesses of your mind.

The feel of the cold tiles on your exposed legs as you knelt before the once terrifying older boy who had never had a single nice thing to say to you.

The smell of salt and metal of his fresh blood.

The sound of Touya’s cries as you peeled incorrectly placed bandages off raw and exposed skin.

The acidic taste of bile in the back of your throat upon first laying eyes on the scene before you.

It had been too much for little you to comprehend so you just forgot most of it. Thrown it into a locked drawer in your mind and lost the key.

That was the beginning of the thaw, a gruesome and bloody beginning to a friendship that spanned years and ended just as horribly.

------

September 23rd 2463 Touya: aged twelve You: aged eleven

“So it's this really old movie that my mum used to watch” you explain as you click on the familiar title screen. “It’s about a girl who gets transported to this weird world and she has to solve some weird riddle to get out.”

Touya looks at you like you had grown a second head but accepts your weird movie recommendation. You sit down next to him, popcorn bucket jiggling as the couch sinks under your frame.

The beginning animation of Spirited Away starts and the familiar tune wraps around you like a warm hug. This was the movie you liked to watch whenever you felt sad, and you noticed Touya was a little sadder than normal these days so you offered to have a movie night. His siblings had all said yes but upon discovering that the movie was one from decades ago, backed out. So with just the two of you left, you sit in silence and watch as the beautiful world comes to life.

It’s a nice moment between the two of you, sharing something so personal with someone you would have never considered a friend and here the two of you were, watching a movie. Like friends!

“I’m gonna call you Chihiro cause all she does is cry and that’s all you do too,” Touya announces as the credits begin to roll.

“I do not!” you retort, slapping his arm lightly. “I cry a normal amount for a girl my age!”

Touya rolls his eyes. “Whatever, Chihiro.”

------

February 14th 2464 Touya: aged thirteen You: aged twelve

Spring is only a month away yet it feels as if it were the middle of December.

The cold of winter had sunk its claws deep into the city and it seemed as if it did not have plans to let go of it anytime soon. Everyone in Tokyo bundled up against the frost that coated the wind but it wasn’t the cold that had your hands trembling as you gripped a single rose.

It was Valentine's Day and you were about to ask Touya to be yours.

The nerves that had built in your stomach had taken over your extremities. It was as if your entire body was a live wire that every so often touched an exposed pipe and jolted.

In the two years since the bathroom incident, you had grown closer to the oldest Todoroki, sparking a friendship that consisted of more than smiles and shy hellos across the dinner table. Phone calls and text messages were the daily, walking to school and home together was the new norm, all things that one would consider friendly but there was a part within your heart that was growing to like Touya a little more than a friend. You knew it was a crush, you weren’t a little kid anymore, but you also knew that he was unattainable for many reasons. One was that he was a sibling of a close friend and the other being that he was not someone who thought about life that way. There was no room for crushes in Touya’s world. There was only hero work. How to become a hero and then how to become the number one hero.

You had heard this speech a million times. His plans to surpass his father in the rank of heroes and become the ultimate symbol of peace. Heroes had no time for girlfriends, only villains.

But you had no plans of becoming a hero so there was no real reason you shouldn’t try, right? Your mom had bought you the flower this morning, picking up on the crush that you had developed on your friend and very excitedly pushed you to give Touya a gift.  

“What do I do with this?” Touya asks, confused as he takes the flower from your hands.

You had stopped halfway through the walk home and turned to your friend, eyes wide with fear, and shoved the bloom into his hands. Originally the plan was to hand it to him as you said goodbye for the afternoon but you were swiftly running out of ways to regulate your breathing to counteract the anxiety wreaking havoc in your stomach.

“It's for you” you answer, eyes trained on your shoes. 

“Me?” 

“Yes.”

“Are you asking me to be your valentine?” There is a pause. “Do you like me?”

Yes.

“No!” you lie, shouting the word even though you didn’t mean to. “I felt bad that you hadn’t gotten anything, so I got you something and there you go, it doesn’t mean I like you.”  

You hear footsteps, watching Touya’s shoes move closer to yours. “Just admit, you like me.” He teases. 

“I do not!” balling your fists, you stomp your foot. “I already told you why I got them now shut up before I take them back!” 

Another pause. 

“Thank you,” Touya says gently. “Even if it's just cause you felt bad for me” 

Spring had come early for Touya Todoroki.

------

June 28th 2466 Touya: aged fifteen You: aged fourteen

Romance had blossomed between the two of you, then wilted, then blossomed again, then wilted again.

Teenage hormones had been unleashing havoc on your friendship for the past year. One day you were fine and the next, barely speaking but it wasn’t anyone’s fault.

“You two just need some time apart and then you can talk about it, you guys will sort it out.” Your mother had cooed, stroking your hair back as you cried one afternoon after you and Touya had had a ruthless argument.

The topic of fighting was always the same. His insane need to overtake his father and prove him wrong. The need within him had turned insatiable. Morphing from a dream that would one day be achieved with dedication and hard work into something that was turning your best friend into a ravenous beast.

“You’re not listening to me. I need you to listen to me.” Touya shouts as you walk home together.

“I am. You’re just not making sense.” You roll your eyes at your friend, turning your attention away from the raving lunatic walking beside you.

“Why would your dad have it out for you? He’s your dad?”

Touya huffs and stops, hand wrapping around your wrist to pull you back.

“My dad isn’t like your dad. He doesn’t love me or any of us. He just wants us to be better than All Might.” His words are slow as if explaining something to a toddler. “He knows that I am more powerful than him and now he’s scared that I might beat him so he wants me to stop training.”

You groan out his name, annoyed at the constant conversation topic. “Your dad wants you to stop training because you keep hurting yourself. He has told you that a million times, he’s just trying to keep you safe.”

“If he wanted to keep me safe, he wouldn’t have let me train like this. This isn’t about me being safe, this is about me outranking my dad.”

“Touya-“

He continues his tirade. “Enji has realised that I am better than him and Shoto but he doesn’t want his loser son who can only use fire to become the number one hero. I don’t know why you’re on his side. Why can’t you be on my side for once?”

“I am on your side!” you shout, yanking your arm away from his grasp. “I’m always on your side, why do you always make it seem like everyone is against you!”

Touya’s mouth snaps shut at your sudden outburst.

“I can’t keep having this argument with you. I feel like you don’t even want to be my friend so you come up with this stupid stuff to push me away and if you want that, fine. Just tell me so I don’t have to listen to you anymore.” You huff and turn around, starting on your way home without your friend.

You don’t hear his footsteps follow you.

His apology comes in a text later that night.

I'm sorry, Chihiro. Can we still be friends?

------

October 19th 2466 Touya: aged fifteen You: aged fourteen “Can you promise me something?”  Touya’s words become mist in the mid-autumn night.

“Depends.”

You turn to face your friend, feeling the dew-soaked grass squish beneath your shoulders. Hidden behind the garden wall, lost within the shrubbery the two of you hid from the housekeepers who had been tasked with wrangling the children in for dinner. Touya had run first, taking off down the hall the second he heard the call of his name and you followed, unaware as to what you were running from but you followed him everywhere so why wouldn’t you now?

“Please don’t forget me.”

“Forget you?” your brows crinkle in confusion. “Why would I forget you? Are you going somewhere?”

Touya is still on his back, attention rapt on the stars twinkling above him.

“Just when we get older and go to different schools and things change, you know.” He sighs. “Just don’t forget me.”

You sit up, concern overtaking your confusion. Why was he talking about this stuff now? Your friend turns to look at you, mouth pulled down in a frown as tears line his cerulean eyes.

“I won't.” You shake your head, scooting closer across the grass and grab his cold hand, interlocking your fingers together, you squeeze and swear an oath. “I promise, I won’t ever forget you.”

November 24th 2367 Touya: aged sixteen You: aged fifteen

Nights come quicker in winter.

Which means less time spent with Touya.

But at least there is a little extra time when he walks you home on an evening.

It is a little awkward. Walking so close together but not actually touching aside from the occasional brush of fingers that sent your heart into a sprint. There is something unspoken between the two of you, something that teeters on the edge of romance but not something that you are both ready to dive into. It’s not like you are kids anymore, if you are going to date, it will be different than if you just liked each other. You will have to act like a girlfriend and not his friend and you didn’t know how to be a girlfriend. Was it any different than how you acted now? Plus, kissing and hand-holding. God, you want to kiss him.

You both stop at the gate of your house. The lights in the living room are on which means your parents are up waiting for you.

Touya drops your backpack at your feet.

There is a beat of stillness between the two of you, the tension rising with every second. You had not spoken a single word to each other the entire walk home and you don’t think you will even say goodbye. Touya offers you a tight smile and steps back, confirming your suspicions of a silent goodbye.

"Hey, I need to tell you something." You blurt out the words, not wanting him to leave just yet.

"Yeah?"

"I…umm," you stammer, slipping your hands into your jacket pockets. "I know it's your birthday in a few weeks, so I wanted to know what you want as a present."

"That's a question, Chihiro” Touya's mouth lifts at the corners. “You said you needed to tell me something."

“I got mixed up." You amend.

"You sure? There isn't anything you need to tell me?" Touya pushes, taking a step to close the gap.

"I'm sure. I just got confused" You nod, affirming your choice of words. “What do you want as a gift?”

"Hmm,” He pauses and takes a few more steps closer, lips pursed as if deep in thought. “Well, I want some of those cookies your mom makes." 

Touya stops a few feet from you, close enough for a hug but not close enough that it was weird. 

You laugh. "Really? That's it? You don't want a proper present?"

He nods. "Wrap it up, and it'll be a proper present.”

“Okay, cookies it is” You mirror his nod and smile. Your palms start to sweat, cheeks and ears begin to burn as you look up at your best friend.

“Any more questions?” 

You shake your head. “Nope, that’s all.” 

“Okay, well I’m gonna go 'cause I should have been home ten minutes ago but you are such a slow walker” he teases, bouncing up on his toes. 

“I-Um,” you stutter, unable to come up with a snappy comeback due to his proximity. “Go home before you get into trouble.” 

“I’m gonna.”

He makes no move to go.

Silence fills the gap.

“Ahh, well I’m going to go since-“

You’re interrupted by a soft kiss against your cheek. 

You still, unable to move at the realisation that Touya had just kissed you. 

“Okay, I’m going.” He announces and takes a step back. “I’ll see you on Monday?” 

You nod, raising a hand in goodbye as he starts back down the street.

“I hope you like me too, 'cause that kiss made me late and my dad’s gonna kill me!” he shouts back, already halfway down the street. 

“I do…like you…back” you shout awkwardly, feeling every inch of blood your body had flood into your cheeks. “Good luck. Hope your dad doesn't kill you!” 

------

November 30th 2467 Touya: aged sixteen You: aged fifteen

You speak at Touya’s funeral. 

The third speaker of the ceremony, having been urged on by Fuyumi and Natsuo despite your protests, and the one to close off the day before his ashes were taken home. You tried not to cry, bottom lip wobbling all day and you would have made it had you not been shoved on stage, microphone held to your face as you unfolded the crumpled sheet you had stuffed into the pocket of your coat.

The rest of the day was a blur as was the week,  then the month and only after six full months of grieving daily, crying god only knows how much, did you finally start to see the light at the top of the hole you had buried yourself in but unlike the times you and Touya would play together, his warm hand wasn’t there to help you back up.

------

January 4th 2477 Touya: aged sixteen You: aged twenty-five

You think about Touya Todoroki often.

How your best friend had been killed in some freak accident. How despite his father rushing into the flames to save his son, had come out unscathed yet all that was found was Touya’s jaw bone. It didn’t make sense and you had driven yourself crazy with theories surrounding his death. It was an accident, they had all said. Even if it was an accident, Enji Todoroki was not innocent.

You think about the kind of man Touya could have been if he had lived, what kind of hero he would have become. How he would save the day then turn and smile at his adoring fans, blue eyes blazing bright with pride. You often think about his eyes, remembering how they softened whenever he would smile at you, brighten as you offered half of whatever snack bar you had that day. You think about him enough that you think you’re going crazy when you look up into the eyes of a stranger and see Touya staring back at you.

"Touya?" you whisper as you stare at the strange man.

You had walked headfirst into their chest while crossing the dark street, ducking under awnings to avoid the winter rain. Hoping to cut ten minutes from your usual walk home, desperate to beat your roommate home and into the warm embrace of your apartment’s limited hot water, you took the risk of walking down the alley; what you weren’t hoping for was to bump into your best friend’s dead brother. There was no way it was him, maybe he was a distant Todoroki. Enji did seem like the type to spread it around so maybe a few illegitimate children were running around with the eyes of Endeavour.

His hand reaches out to grab your arm, nails digging into your exposed flesh. You want to wince, to cringe away from him but something within you is telling you to hold your ground. The stranger pulls you closer, all false bravado leaving you as you realise what’s about to happen. Your body tenses, hands uselessly curling into fists at your side.

"Who the fuck are you?" a harsh whisper cuts through the quiet patter of rain.

The hand your arm tightens when you take too long to respond. 

“I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else.” Your answer whooshes from you, all air leaving your body in a single sentence.

The stranger ducks his head to get closer to yours and you turn your face away, afraid to look into the face of the man who had the eyes of a long-lost love. This had to be some sort of joke, right? You were not about to be assaulted by a guy who had Touya’s eyes, there was no way the universe was that cruel.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to I’m sorry, please.” Hot tears roll over your cheeks, your bottom lip quivering as you fight the frown wanting to form. You were not above begging despite knowing it wouldn’t do any good, if there was some way to get out of this situation alive and unscathed, you were going to try it. 

“Hey,” the stranger calls to you, shaking you gently. “Hey, I’m not gonna hurt you.” 

Great, he’s playing mind games now. You’ve seen enough true crime to know that there are no good people left in the world, especially the ones who lurk in alleyways.

A cold hand reaches out and grips your chin, lifting your face to his. The gesture is intimate, gentle and familiar.

“I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean anything by it. I'm sorry, I-“You’re sobbing now. 

“Look at me” he interrupts, fingers tightening on your cheeks.

He repeats his order when your gaze doesn’t move.

You sniffle, blink back tears that refuse to stop coming, and focus your attention on the man before you.

“I’m not going to hurt you so stop crying,” his voice is soft.

The hand that was on your arm now cups your cheek, thumb brushing away the tears that coat your cheeks. His skin is rough and warm, but there is a bite of something cold on his palm. He holds you with such tenderness you feel a tug at your heart not for any feelings towards the stranger but because you had never been held like this before. That a complete stranger who was probably a crazy psycho villain was holding you with the care you hold a baby animal with.

“I need you to stop crying and answer me, can you do that?” he asks, nodding as his thumb continues to brush over your cheek. 

You nod, taking in a shaky breath. 

“Good girl.” Heat floods your cheeks. “Now, why is a pretty girl like you walking alone at night?” he asks softly.

You blink up at him, surprised at the switch in demeanour. 

“I just finished work and this is shortcut.” you don’t have time to come up with an elaborate lie. “I’m really sorry about the whole name thing, you just look like a friend who died and I thought that maybe he wasn’t actually- I’m sorry” You feel the tears welling up again. 

“Well, he’s not me.” He sighs, removing his hands from your face. You kind of miss the warmth they had. “I’m sorry you lost someone, but I don’t think accusing strangers of being dead people is a good idea.”

You nod wordlessly, too stunned at his shift in tone to formulate a response. The man reaches up for the hood of your raincoat, pulling it over your head tight to shield you from the rain. 

“I need one more thing from you okay?” he asks, ducking his head to look into your eyes. “You gonna listen to me again?” 

“Okay.” Your voice shakes. 

“Don’t mention that name to anyone else, alright?” 

He waits for your nod and then releases your hood. “You’re such a good listener” The fact he is praising you has your heart spinning. Wasn’t he ready to attack you a few minutes ago?

“Now go home” he nods his head to the exit of the alleyway. You follow his nod and look back at the light-filled street. “And don’t walk down backstreets anymore, you could get hurt.” 

By the time you turn back to face him, he is already halfway down the alleyway arms raised in a farewell. You watch as he turns the corner and only when he is gone do you let yourself breathe. ------

March 6th 2477 Touya: aged sixteen You: aged twenty-five

"Let it go, dude," Natsuo sighs for the umpteenth time as he packs his books away. "You're lucky you didn't get hurt. He could have been a complete psycho."

Your friend is right and has been every other time you have brought up the strange man from the alley and you can tell by the way he shoves the textbooks into his backpack that his patience is running thin. Over the years, you had grown closer to Natsuo, looking at him like a little brother who you could force to hang out with and do things Fuyumi didn't want to. Unfortunately for him, he was the first person you called upon meeting the stranger (Knowing Fuyumi would have had a heart attack upon hearing about your encounter). Initially, Natsuo was concerned, terrified for your physical and mental wellbeing even going so far as to suggest letting his father know about the incident to launch a formal investigation but you were quick to shut that down. You hadn’t been hurt and the man didn’t seem to be skulking in alleyways to assault anyone so there is no reason you should get heroes involved.

"Dude, he looked so familiar! I know him," you press on, hands splayed on the library table as you lean in as if you were about to reveal a secret. "I think he was a childhood friend."

You had purposefully omitted the fact the stranger bore a striking resemblance to his dead brother or how his entire aura radiated familiarity and warmth something you only really felt from said brother.

Natsuo laughs and zips his bag closed. " 'Yumi was your only childhood friend."

"Fine, a neighbour, maybe I don't know, but I know him."

"Should I schedule you with my family psych, or will this fade by next month?" You frown at Natsu, sigh, and then give in to his pronounced lack of interest.

"I don't need to see anyone because I know I'm right," you start to pack up your things. "But, just for you, I won't mention it again."

------

May 17th 2477 Touya: aged sixteen You: aged twenty-five

You feel stupid.

Really fucking stupid.

So monumentally stupid with every single decision that has led you to this moment. Led you to stand before a thick metal door, the sliding peephole pulled back to allow the man guarding the entry a view as to who knocked like some girl scout. The box of cookies in your hands does nothing to evade that image.

“I have a meeting with…Dabi?” you look down at your phone, squinting at the blurry name on your screen then back to the man guarding whatever was in that building. “I think.”

You have no idea if you’re being set up. If the person you had been corresponding with was the infamous villain or just some poser but what you have deduced from your months long investigation is that you had in fact met Dabi in that alleyway so whether it was him or not you were about to meet, he is your only lead into finally figuring out what exactly happened to Touya

“You think?” You hear the smirk in his voice at the uncertainty in yours. “I think you might have the wrong door, sweetheart.”

It is the right door. The creepy encrypted message you received gave you this very location with the exact time to arrive. This was a giant risk on your behalf. Trusting strangers on the internet to give you accurate information as opposed to being lured into a trap for human trafficking but the need to know more about the mysterious man you had met weeks ago was gnawing at your insides so much that you were more need than person. The hunt had begun with a very broad search into Touya’s death and the records surrounding the tragedy before very quickly veering into villain records and archives. There was a small lead with a hospital admittance for an unidentified burn victim in a hospital a prefecture over from Tokyo but that went cold when the body of the patient was identified two weeks post mortem through dental records. You had all but given up when a weird email in your spam box caught your eye. It was from an unknown sender, hence the immediate spam allocation, and had nothing but a link to a chat site. There is no amount in the universe to quantify the stupidity in your subsequent actions from clicking the link to chatting with the stranger on the other side of the screen but they had the information you wanted and so you followed their instructions to a bookstore, then a bar and then finally an internet café where you logged into the already open discord chat that had the location of the final meeting point. You quickly snapped a picture of the chat before it disappeared and three days later, here you stand in a deserted alleyway surrounded by boarded-up doors and graffitied walls.

“This is the address I was given.” You explain, holding up the phone so the guy can get a look at the message. “I promise I'm not with the police or anything, I just have some questions for Dabi and I know that makes me sound like I’m a police officer but I’m not and I’ve been looking for him for weeks so please, let me in.”

Your mouth sets in a frown and despite wanting to look intimidating and rough, you know you look like a child pouting in an attempt to get more cake. “Please, I’ll give you some cookies if you want.” A shitty bribe but a bribe nonetheless.

The man snorts. “You really have cookies in that box?”

“Yes. Fresh and homemade made and some of them can be yours if you let me in” You wiggle the box.

There is a beat of silence then the sliding peephole slams shut.

Fuck.

You close your eyes, disappointed in the fact you had come so far only to be shut down by some guy behind a door. Maybe this was the universe stepping in and preventing you from getting killed or trafficked. Maybe you should let this whole thing go.

Just as the last of your hope leaves you, you hear the click of a lock and then the door is sliding open. The man who you had been speaking to not ten seconds ago stands before you, muscular tattooed arms crossed over his equally muscular chest.

“Choc chip?” he asks, eyes trained on the box in your hand.

You nod.

“Fine, come in” The man tilts his head in a gesture to welcome you in. “Leave some on the counter.”  

You nod again, your pace quick as you enter the building beyond the door.

The hallway is dim and damp, filled with cardboard and wooden crates stacked along the walls. The ceilings are high with exposed piping and hanging fluorescent bars that would have once lit up the entire walkway. Light bleeds beneath the many doors that line the hall, muted sounds following the flashes of colour that leak from the closed-off rooms. The smell is unpleasant, with mildew and mould growing along every available surface but what did you expect a dirty unoccupied building to smell like?

“Where’s the?” you turn to ask about the counter, but the man has disappeared. The door slides shut caging you in from the outside world, from an escape if need be. “Hello?” you call out and take a step back, dried leaves crunching beneath your feet.

Fuck. Fuck.

You turn on your heels, heading for the door you had stepped through a few seconds ago but are stopped by a familiar voice.

“Did you really bring me cookies?”

You whirl, fingers tightening on the box between them. “Yes, but if you don’t want them, it’s okay. I just thought that I might-“

You watch as the man you had met weeks before steps into the dim light. Breath catches in your throat as you are met with the face of the villain that has filled your screen for weeks now.

Dabi.

He is taller than you remember. Towering a full foot over you, his intimidating figure looms in the dim light. Your eyes follow the line of his scarred skin over his cheeks, down his neck, over exposed collarbones before disappearing beneath the neck of his shirt. Heat fills your face at your wandering gaze and you’re thankful for the lack of lighting.

“Who says I don’t want cookies?” Dabi smirks, taking a step out of the shadows.

“No one.” your answer is a broken stammer, earning a bemused snicker from your companion.

You take in a breath and square your shoulders. “I just don’t want to accuse you of anything.” A better delivery.

The villain hums and takes another step closer. “So, it is you then.”

Another foot closer, and when you don’t back away, one more. His steps are careful; small and reserved as if trying not to frighten you anymore than you already are. The routine is repeated, a hesitant dance of pushing proximity limits until he is less than a foot away. Blue eyes narrowed on you, brows furrowed in intrigue. Same blue as before. Same blue eyes as Touya.

His apprehension and fascination leave as quickly as it came, and you're left staring at a man who looks as if he wants nothing more to do with you.

“So, pretty girl, what can I do for you?” tone casual, pet name rolling off his tongue effortlessly. “You’ve gone through all this trouble to what?”

The thought of lying did cross your mind on your way over but you had already jumped through enough loops to get this meeting, you aren’t in the mood to play games and risk his irritation.

“I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Dabi tilts his head to the side the way an animal does to hear better. There is something so unsettling about the he moves, something not entirely human.

“Talk about what, angel?” his eyes blaze blue as he notices the twitch in your lips at the byname. “About the league? About you? Me?”

“About you.”

Heat pools in your stomach at his affectionate pet name, embarrassment following suit. You should not be letting him get to you the way he is, but it could also be a good bargaining chip. If you couldn’t afford his services monetarily, physical payment would not be entirely painful.

“We can talk about me but first, I want to ask you something.”

“Sure.” The false confidence you had summoned before has not left you yet.

The insincerity of your act is palpable, but Dabi lets you go, lets you take this small win.

“How long did it take you to find me?” his question is genuine, interested in just how exclusive access to him is.

An exhausted sigh leaves your body at the mention of the time that you had put into locating him and his lips quirk at the gesture.

“Four months and 2 weeks, I think.”

An irrationally long time but there are questions that demanding answers.

“So, you’ve spent almost five months thinking about me?” he taunts.

Me. The emphasis on the pronoun doesn’t evade you but you don’t have time to dwell on his excitement.

“Yes. And now I’ve answered two of your questions, can I ask one?”

Dabi shrugs and reaches for the box in your hands. Rough fingers brush against the back of your hands, goosebumps skittering over your skin at the contact. He takes his time opening the small white box, bottom lip pulled between his teeth in contemplation at the contents before him and after a full minute of silent deliberation, does he pick one. Slender unscarred fingers dig into the box, fishing out the biggest and most chocolate filled treat.

“Did you make these?” Dabi holds up the choc chip cookie, inspecting the biscuit in the low light.

“That’s three questions now.” you announce as the unofficial score keeper. “and yes, I made them this morning.”

The making of the desserts had been a coping mechanism on your part. Too nervous to sit still but not so overstimulated you were willing to exercise to shake off the extra energy, you turned to an activity you hadn’t touched since university. The recipe was one you know by heart, having it gifted to you by your mother on your eighteenth birthday, you were free to think as your body worked through the motions. However, the purpose behind you baking said sweets was not entirely self-soothing.

Dabi nods and bites into the biscuit.

“I know you already said you don’t know the guy I mentioned when I first met you and I haven’t mentioned him to anyone again just like you asked me, and I figured with you being a villain, you might have connections that I don’t have and you can access more information as to what happened to him and I promise that I can pay. I’ll pay whatever you want but I don’t really have that much but I’ll pay in food, and that’s kinda why I brought some cookies to show that I can bake but that will only be a small amount because I’m good for a couple thousand-“ you reach into your back pocket to fish out your wallet. “I promise, I won't ever mention this to anyone, but I just really need your help, Dabi.” The juxtaposition of your pastel purple Kuromi wallet holding thousands of dollars as payment for a villain’s services almost makes you chuckle but the lack of recognition from your companion causes you to pocket the purse.

Dabi’s stare is unamused as he chews.

“Why is this guy so important to you?” he asks around a mouthful of chocolate. “You’re willing to blow thousands on some dead guy, not to mention you’ve risked your life coming here, so why is he so special?”

Your fingers curl into a fist, nails digging into your palm before you relax and answer.

“Because he died in a really weird way, and I need to know if there was anything I could have done to prevent it.”

“That’s a stupid reason.” Dabi spits out.

A frown tugs at your mouth.

“He’s dead. Who cares how he died and whether you could stop it or not.” He continues, rolling his eyes as your pout forms. “What’s the real reason you’re looking for answers? There’s something else.”

“It’s stupid.” You mutter, suddenly embarrassed at the reasoning for your investigation.

“Ohh, it can’t be that stupid if you’ve put all this effort in.” Dabi croons. “Come on, angel. You’ve gotta tell me why if I’m gonna do all this work looking for him.”

You take in a deep breath in hopes of smothering the tears that are threatening to spill but the lump sticking in your throat has other plans.

“Because he was my best friend and I loved him and I never got to say goodbye.” You sniff, nose starting to run as the tears build. “Please.”

Dabi stares at you.

“You made these?” the question comes out of left field.

You blink at the villain, unaware as to where he is taking the conversation but answer him nonetheless.

“Yes, I did. It’s stupid I know, bringing cookies as a bargaining chip but I-“

“Your mom’s cookies are better.”  Dabi interrupts.

My what? My mom?

“What?”

He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “I’m sorry but her cookies will always be the best.”

Your jaw slackens as you stare at the man before you.

“My mother?”

“Yes. Your mom made better cookies, and it’s not for lack of trying. Yours are really good, but they’ll never beat your mom's.”

Is he fucking with you? Is this some elaborate psychological warfare that he enacted on all his victims? Are you about to die? How does he know about your mother’s cookies?

“Aww, don’t get upset Chihiro. I'm just being honest.”

The nickname rattles your soul.

Touya.

Before you can even register that you are moving, you have crossed the space between your bodies and swung at the villain.

Your clenched fist collides with his jaw, surprising him out of his teasing. Arms wrap around your waist as you collapse against the villain. Your knees break the fall, bones scream out in pain as they slam into the concrete, and you brace for further impact but it never comes. There is a moment when you truly believe you are going to be killed, incinerated into nothing but ash for your assault but nothing happens and so you are left with no other choice but to get answers from the man under you. There is no clear choice as to why you chose violence, some primal part within you acting out of instinct. There isn’t enough time for you brain to catch up or even process that information that had been thrown at you. . In most high-pressure situations, you would retreat inwards and carefully unpack each and every detail of the occurrence like you were a kid under a Christmas tree; not a package left untouched, but you don’t have that luxury in the current moment.

Hot fat tears stream down your face as you grip Dabi’s cheeks in your hand, his skin rough beneath your fingers.

“You’ve been alive this whole time?” you cry, fingers digging into the gaunt flesh and when no answer comes you ask again, the palm of your hand connecting with his cheek in a sharp slap. “You left me to think you were dead, but you’ve been alive?”

Below you, the villain stares up in disbelief. Eyes wide at the mad woman above him, screeching like a banshee let loose. His thin shirt is scrunched tightly between your fingers, pulling the material taunt against his body. You have no control over your actions, feral and bowing to your emotions. You watch as your hand slips to his neck, pushing at the base of his throat.

Finger wraps around your wrist, pulling your weight off his windpipe and then the world shifts.

You are flipped over as easily as a leaf in the wind. Now on your back, the dust that had been kicked up from the floor sticks in your lungs and you cough as you cry.

Dabi hovers above you. Legs on either side of your hips, hands pinning yours above your head preventing you from causing any more harm to him. You try to kick, to wrench your hands from his grasp, throw him off you with your hips but nothing. You fight back against your opponent, teeth gnashing as you desperately try to find purchase on skin but he has done this too many times before to leave anything to chance. All points of access to an injury on his behalf are sealed up, held high above you and there is nothing you can do to reach.

Your cries are loud and deep and aching. Air leaves you with each heaving sob and you fear you may never breathe again. Spit and tears mix in a hot mess across your cheeks and you would wipe away the mess if not for your hands held above.

“I hate you so much.” You seethe, teeth clenched as you breathe in. “I fucking hate you.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” You hear Dabi apologising over and over again.

A hand brushes over your forehead, then your cheeks, then your jaw.

“You left me.” You wail. “You left me there, all alone.”

Your chest heaves, air being gulped down as if you had been held underwater to the point of drowning and it felt like you had been. You had been held under for so many years and now you were getting a moment of air, and your brain could not process it. 

You take a few more breaths, calming the blood roaring in your ears and pounding heart and finally when your breathing returns to a semi-acceptable rhythm, do you finally acknowledge the man above you.

Dabi glides his palm along your jaw, thumb brushing over your cheekbone before resting his fingers along the side of your neck.

“I’m so sorry.”

A frown pulls at the corners of his mouth.

There is no longer a villain before you. Dabi does not exist. The boy above you is Touya. Your Touya.

You knew it. You knew it was him all along.

“Is it really you?” your voice is hoarse from crying.

“If I answer, you need to promise to keep it a secret,” he whispers, free hand curling in the ends of your hair that lay splayed out beneath you.

“Promise.” You nod and hold out your pinkie the way you did so many times as children.

Touya interlocks his pinkie with yours.

Fresh tears prick at your eyes.

“Hi, Touya,” you whisper.

“Hi.” He whispers back, hand pulling away from yours to glide over your jaw and slot into the hair at the nape of your neck. “I missed you.”

You wrap your arms around his waist and pull his body against yours in a bone-crushing hug. A laugh leaves your friend as he loops his arm around the back of your neck, holding you close. You pull back, face now centimetres from him and wait for him to make the next move. Your body follows his breaths, following his lead just the way you would follow him all those years ago. A lump forms in your throat and you know you look insane; hair mused, cheeks flushed and soaked in tears, eyes still red and crying.

Touya closes the distance, mouth hovering above yours and you think he is going to kiss you but nothing comes.

“Did you really love me?”

A sob leaves you involuntarily.

“I loved you so much, you have no idea.” The truth spills from you. “I love you so much.”

At the confession, Touya kisses you.

His mouth is soft on yours in the gentlest of kisses, almost as if he was afraid that you would fall apart if he pushed any harder. You part your lips to test the waters and when Touya follows your lead opening his mouth against yours, you grip onto the shirt bunched up around his waist. He lets you lead, lets you take control and set the pace for the first few minutes. Following your moves and pressure against your body to not push you any more than you already had been but as you whimper beneath him, his demeanour shifts.

Fingers tighten in your hair and the hand that had been holding himself up comes to rest on your waist, slipping beneath your body to pull you closer to him. Your mouth opens wider beneath his and you feel his tongue trace your bottom lip before flicking into your mouth. Menthol and chocolate fill your senses and you scramble for more, hands gripping his face as you desperately try to get your fill of him; of Touya. The steel of the staples bites into your palm but you don’t care, don’t care what form you have him in, you have your Touya back.

You’re being lifted off the floor, hoisted to sit on his lap, feeling the entirety of his body against yours.

You pull away to stare at him, not believing this is happening and that at any moment you are going to wake up or snap out of your delusion.

“Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” Touya asks, eyes frantically searching for the reason you aren’t kissing him anymore.

Your chest constricts at his concern. The same sweet and caring boy you fell in love with all those years ago.

“I’m okay, I just-“You stroke his cheeks and he leans into your touch, inhaling a shaky breath. “I missed you so much. There was so much we didn’t get to do.”

He frowns and nuzzles further into your palm. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I don’t want you to apologise, I just want..” You can’t form the words. Can’t articulate the need within you for him. All these years you’ve held a torch for your deceased best friend. All these years you could have had him with you and now that you do, you aren’t letting go. “I just want you.”

Touya’s frown deepens. “Even now?”  His thumbs stroke circles along your clothed skin.

You know he is referring to his crimes. All the bad he has done and probably will do. You do not care. You had long ago abandoned your hope in the heroes of society, having been granted a look into the past of the now top hero. There is nothing for you in that world, nothing on offer that could sway your feelings for the man below you.

“Even now, and tomorrow and the day after that and yesterday and the day before and the month before that” You smile, knowing you weren’t making sense but none of this made sense. “I never forgot about you.”

Touya’s eyebrows knit together in an expression you don’t know and for a moment you panic; worried you had crossed a line that you didn’t know existed. You want to apologise, take back the words that had so carelessly tumbled out but his grip on your body stops you.

“I never stopped thinking about you,” he sighs, hands sliding up to press into the small of your back.

“Really?” you beam, unable to stifle the excitement that grows in you at his confession.

You are no longer an adult woman sitting in a dirty and dusty warehouse; you are fifteen and hearing your crush confess words you had been so desperately wishing to be spoken.

Your best friend’s fingers trailing over your spine pull you back to the present.

“Never for a single second,” he tests the waters and slips one hand under the hem of your shirt. “I never wanted to forget you.”

When no protest on your behalf comes, Touya slips his other hand beneath the material and begins to trace shapes into your skin.

“What did you think about?” your question is breathless, head beginning to swim as you feel heat bloom in your stomach.

Touya hums in thought, fingers beginning to climb your ribs. “Good things. Great things actually.” hands splay over the band of your bra. “some bad things but that isn’t important.”

Your thighs slip further apart at the implication; weight now fully resting atop his hips. There is no doubt that he can feel the heat from between your legs, the warmth that had begun to pool in the seam of your panties.

“Bad things?” you ask the question without knowing what kind of answer you would get. “I was nothing but nice to you, what bad things could you be thinking of?”

You feel his cock twitch at your innocence. Perfect.

Your answer comes in the form of an action. Touya leans forward and captures your mouth in a searing kiss. All teeth and tongue as his fingers pressed hard into your spine, holding you against his body as if you are a buoy and he is lost at sea. Your own hands begin to wander, sliding from where they came to rest on his neck, into the hair at the nape of his neck and as he digs his teeth into your bottom, you pull at the strands between your digits.

Touya pulls away, breathless.

“I always kept an eye on you, you know.” he pants, pushing your body away only enough to ogle you freely. “And I’ve gotta say you grew up so well.”

There are two thoughts that cross your mind in that spilt second. One: to bring up the fact he has kept you within his sighs for years, has been in the shadows of you life and how there is a part of you, not that big but enough to plant a seed of betrayal, that you can’t forgive him for that. Two: to throw caution to the wind and give into the part of you that aches for him.

The latter wins out.

“I did always think that Dabi was really handsome” you admit, an air of nonchalance in your words.

“Oh yeah? Even with all the new mods?”

“New mods?” you laugh. “Why do you make it sound like you’ve upgraded a game or something?”

Touya laughs with you.

“I’m serious,” vulnerability swims in his eyes as he looks up at you waiting for praise. “Do you really think that I’m still handsome?”

You nod and duck your head closer to his. “I still think you’re so handsome and you will always be handsome, which is really unfair.”

His lips are pressed against yours in a soft kiss. It's gentle and sweet, with no hint of the darkness lurking just below.

“Even after all these years how do you manage to make me so weak?” Touya pulls away to admire you.”You, my pretty girl, are my weakness.”

He tucks your hair behind your ears, holding your cheeks in his cupped hands and pulls you back in for a kiss and you melt into his touch at the possessive compliment.

“All these years, I never thought I’d get to talk to you again let alone touch you.” His mouth moves to your neck, pressing sloppy open-mouthed kisses against your skin. “but, fuck, have I thought about it.”

Your skin flushes at his confession.

His teeth sink into your neck, hard enough to leave a mark but not enough to break the skin.

“Thought about kissing you like this” his words are slurred.

Slick begins to pool in your panties, the seam of your jeans dampening.

“Thought about having you in my lap, just the way you are and how good you’d feel on my cock.”

Your head swims at his words.

“When I saw you again for the first time a few years ago, it took everything in me to not walk up to you and kiss you right there and then.” He bites lower, nipping at your collarbone.

Rough hands make their way under your shirt, exploring the expanse of your back.

“Thought about holding you and kissing you and taking you home.” he bites again. “God, the amount of time I’ve spent imagining you under me or spread out just for me.” Breathing becomes hard. “All for me, just for me.” He chants your name as if it were a prayer.

You grind your hips over his, feeling his cock hard and aching beneath you. Touya groans against your throat, fingers digging into your skin. Hands begin to wander downwards until they find purchase on the buttons of his pants, stopping at the metal for approval from the man beneath you and when it comes in a rushed yes, please you flick open the clasp. Your movements are awkward and nervous, having never thought this would happen and you can tell Touya is just as jittery. His fingers dip under the waistband of your pants, toying with the soft elastic of the band. Your hands follow his and pull at the material, trying to pull it down but stop at the realisation there is no way you could do this and still look seductive.

“I’m trying really hard to make this hot, but I don’t think it’s gonna work.” You admit, giggling at the absurdity.

Touya shakes his head, removing his hands from your hips to hold your face again. “I don’t want to fuck you here.” He presses a kiss to your nose.

Before you can ask, he is answering.

“I’m not gonna have the first time I fuck you be on a dirty floor in a random building.” A kiss on your right cheek.

“But what if I want that?” you retort, hand reaching down between the two of you.

His breath catches as your fingers brush against his clothed cock.

“I know you want that,” he pulls your hand away and entwines your fingers. “and you know I do too,” A kiss to your left cheek. “But I had a plan back when we were younger,” he brings your hand to his lips. “and I’ve already had so much taken from us that I’m not letting our first time be taken too.”

Your heart squeezes. He really is the same boy you fell in love with.

“So as much as we both want it, please let me do this, okay?”

You pout, a habit you had formed long ago that usually got you what you wanted from him.

“Please, baby.” The pet name is a gut punch.

 You nod and hold up your pinkie.

“You promise?”

Touya grins wider than you had ever seen and entwines his finger with yours.

“I promise.”

May 17th 2477 Touya: aged twenty-six You: aged twenty-five

-------

ᰔ a/n: NOT PROOFREAD! ohmygosh, this was a long haul. I wrote it and then rewrote it and then rewrote it and so on and so forth till I got here. tiny TINY smut cause i didn’t wanna write a whole ass thing so I might do a one shot of it later. this exhausted me holy- also shout out to billie eilish lmao her entire new album helped me write this mainly chihiro, the greatest and blue but also harry styles' as it was and madds buckley's brother

[needs-to-stop-looking-at-yigas]

AAAAA YOUR LATEST WRITING WAS SO GOOD!!!! But now it has me wondering if we could perhaps see some Sooga being a rough service top at Kohga’s command? Like- Kohga is still in charge, but he’s ordering Sooga to rough him up and fuck him and stuff like that!

Definitely??? Been WAITING for this ask.

Kohga had a tough time coming to terms with stuff lately. Stuff like no longer having a god to worship, getting along with royals, and if that wasn’t enough, he was in love with his second command. He knew Sooga was different than any other man he had been with, but Kohga had come to realize just how bad it was. Kohga was in love with him. Not having HEAVY feelings for him, but thinking real long term stuff here. Kohga never knew what he’d be like if he was in love. It was weird. He wanted to fling himself at Sooga, demanding he wed his ass immediately. But he knew life wasn’t like a fairy tale. Marrying his second in command would change a lot. It’s why Kohga had to really be sure. Had to test Sooga. Kohga looked up from his magazine (sometimes a guy just had to look at nude dudes), and sighed. Something new. Something he NEVER trusted anyone to do.

“Sooga!”

Sooga popped his head into the door, like a trained puppy.

“Yes Master Kohga?”

“Come in here for a sec. I need you.”

Sooga walked in, shutting the door behind him. He got onto one knee in front of Kohga, bowing his head. Ever ready to serve.

“Yes, My Master Kohga. Your wish is my command.”

“I’m bored, and I’m horny. Unless you have objections, I wanna play with you for a while, Sooga.”

“Yes, Master Kohga. Shall I-”

Sooga made the motion to take off his clothes, before Kohga held his hand up, halting him.

“We’re doing something...different. I trust you now way more than I did at the start of all of this. So, I’m….I’m gonna do what YOU tell me to do.”

They were both clearly uncomfortable. Kohga hated being bossed around, and Sooga was ever eager to obey Kohga’s commands. Sooga looked around, as if he was waiting for someone to tell him this was a joke. The only joke here was just how bad of an idea this was.

“Master Kohga? Are you...feeling well? Do you need a hot tea? Perhaps let me rub your feet?”

“That actually sounds really-okay no, wait, stop distracting me here.”

“Yes, Master Kohga.”

“No no no, don’t-”

Kohga sighed as he put his face into his palm. God dammit. This was bombing already.

“Look. Look. Just. Okay. I’m going to let you take the lead, okay? Whatever you wanted to do with me, let’s do it. If I’m uncomfortable, I’ll make you stop. But that’s what I want. What YOU want.”

“But...I want what you want?”

“Dear god just cut off my balls, Sooga-”

Sooga was too obedient, too soft. He needed a BIT of a nudge. Kohga sighed, forced himself to breathe.

“Sooga, listen. There has to be SOMETHING you wanted me to do for you, something we haven’t done. So, let’s do it. Really, it’s okay. If anyone’s going to do it, it’s gonna be you. Just, do what you feel like. I’m here, I’m ready, let’s go.”

Neither moved, neither spoke. It was weird, it was bizarre, and Kohga’s reasoning for it was just as odd. Sooga gave a soft nod.

“Okay, first thing I want. Your honesty. Is this something you want, or is this something you’re telling yourself you want?”

“I signed up to blow my load, not get a load off my chest.”

But it WAS what Sooga asked for. Kohga grumbled as he rubbed the back of his head.

“Alright. Honestly? Both. This is weird, out of my comfort zone, but I trust you enough to try this with you. So, I...your call, I guess.”

Sooga put his hand on top of Kohga’s, squeezing.

“I’m honored to be trusted with you. To be able to have so much responsibility. If it suits you, we may take things very slow, very careful. Nothing too much so soon.”

“....You ever done something like this before?”

“When I was a younger man, before I even knew of the clan, I had something to do with the son of a stable hand. It’s nowhere near something this serious, but I feel as though I can do enough to satisfy you regardless.”

Okay, so Sooga wasn’t a TOTAL virgin, that was good at least. Sooga helped himself up to his bed, and hesitated. Where was one to start with such a momentous task? Kohga was about to flip shit, ready to call this whole thing off, when Sooga lifted him, right onto his lap. His mask thunked against his own, and he could tell he was smiling.

“Apologies for my hesitation. You make it quite difficult to think, given your endless studliness.”

“You’re literally trying to charm the pants off of me. I can’t believe you, Sooga.”

Kohga knew he was letting Sooga take over, but he couldn’t help himself as he held onto his chin, lightly stroking his chin. Just how Sooga liked it, his pretty boy. Sooga accepted it for a moment, before he recalled that HE was supposed to make Kohga feel flustered. Kohga quickly found himself underneath Sooga, who was keeping his body over Kohga (what with those big, strong arms of his), as he slowly started to grind himself into Kohga’s crotch. Someone was already at half mast, and Kohga could feel every inch of it.

“Master Kohga, may I kiss you?”

“Let’s change that a bit, Sooga. Instead of saying may I, say ‘I want’. Try it out.”

“I...want to kiss you.”

“Not bad. Only next time,”

Kohga grinned, pushing his mask up a bit, just to reveal his smirking lips.

“Say it like you REALLY want it.”

Sooga couldn’t help himself. He clumsily pushed aside his mask (revealing a bit more of his face than he intended), and pressed his lips against Kohga’s. His lips were eager, excited, ever firm against his own. Sooga’s grinding turned firmer, quicker, clearly motivated by the idea that he could REALLY get what he wanted. 

And Sooga was a greedy, GREEDY boy.

“I want to stuff my cock in your mouth.”

“Wow, look at you, not a single stutter. Someone’s getting better~”

Sooga adjusted himself, taking his cock out of his clothes, and pressing it right against Kohga’s face. Kohga kept opening his mouth, ready to accept it, before it was clear that Sooga was messing with him. He was just smearing his girth against his face, hand holding the top of his head.

“But first, I want to put your hair down. I want something to pull on.”

Oh poor Kohga was swooning. He was still a top, but goddamn Sooga was earning his right to man the helm. Kohga un did his hair tie, letting his big, curly mane flow freely. Sooga was pleased, given how he grabbed a fistful of it, and nearly yanked him onto his dick. Kohga would normally be offended by such crass behavior, but he was a bit distracted. Kohga had taken quite a few dicks before, but Sooga was a big, big boy, and the length of his cock not only stretched his cheeks, but hit right at the back of his throat. Pair that with the fact that Sooga had a good, firm grip on his hair, and Kohga’s head was too full of lust to scold Sooga properly.

“You’re VERY good at this, Master Kohga. Very, very good at this.”

Even his dirty talking was getting better. Sooga sat on top of him, pulling his head back and forth on his cock. And Kohga, like the champ cock sucker he was, kept his eyes right on him the entire time. Kohga could sit here all night honestly, showing Sooga just how good he was at taking a cock, when he slowly peeled him away. Sooga was really throbbing now, and it took a lot of restraint to not command that he be given more.

“I want you to open your mouth again.”

Didn't take a genius to figure out that Sooga meant he wanted his balls sucked on. Kohga gave the tip of his dick a quick smooch, before obeying, softly suckling on one of his balls, before moving to the other. He repeated it, over and over, nice and slow, just how Sooga liked it. In fact, he was doing SUCH a good job, Sooga’s hand had held onto the wall, and the grip to his hair had loosened. Steam was practically coming out of his ears, and his body was fighting the urge to shake all over. Kohga was just too good. Sooga pulled him away yet again, making Kohga pout. Though, he couldn’t fault the guy, Kohga’s mouth had brought strong men to their knees plenty of times.

“I...apologize, Master Kohga. Just one moment.”

“You were about to bust, huh? Why, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re saving that load. My my, Sooga, and here I thought you’d be at a total loss of what to do with me~”

Kohga gave his balls a quick peck, not at all minding the smears that stained his mask. Sooga was such a fun boy to play with, Kohga could stay down here forever. But he just had to push his poor Sooga.

“Having said that, what’s the next plan, big boy?”

Sooga finally found his breath, looking down at Kohga. He wasted no time coming out with his next thought, driven by lust and curiosity.

“I want to be inside of you. I want you to cum around me as I do nothing but please you.”

Translation? ‘I would love to just fuck your ass’. And Kohga DEFINITELY didn’t have any objections. 

“You definitely wouldn’t be the first to say that. Alright, let’s see how well that third sword of yours does~”

“....I have two swords, master Kohga.”

“God you’re lucky you’re pretty.”

Kohga loved Sooga, really he did, but holy shit did he miss the plot sometimes. He decided that getting RAILED was more important than explaining himself, so he just let Sooga flip him on his belly, enjoying how Sooga’s hands on his ass felt. They were big, firm, just how he always pictured they’d feel.

“Is this comfortable enough for you?”

“Plenty. But then again, I’m always comfortable with you.”

Kohga pushed his butt right against the throbbing gerth, and he nearly swooned. Oh, this was going to be FUN. The second Sooga recalled that HE was supposed to be in charge.

“M-master Kohga, should’nt I prepare you?”

“Sooga, my ass has handled plenty, literally. Besides, I can’t wait for you.”

He lifted his hand up to pat Sooga’s cheek.

“Not when I’ve thought about this before.”

“I...pardon?”

Kohga turned his head, meeting Sooga’s gaze.

“I’ve thought about you fucking me. Thought about you pulling my hair, and fucking me right into the sheets. I thought of your cock LOTS of times. Just once, I want you to take me, Sooga. I’m at your mercy.”

Sooga stared at him for a moment, as if he was puzzled. Then, something clicked in his little samurai. Sooga yanked at his lower clothes, not taking the time to properly take them off, before he put his weight on Kohga’s back, and shoved his dick, right inside his ass. Sooga cupped his face in his hand, and started to buck into his Master. His voice was lustful, his grip was TIGHT, and it was driving Kohga all types of mad.

"If that is something you wish, then it is something you shall receive. I'll fuck you. I'll fuck you until you can only think of me, and me alone."

Kohga opened his mouth, greedily accepting his big, firm fingers. He muttered against them, only smearing more drool against his nice, rough palm.

"S-shit Sooga! Didn't know you had it in you!"

"You have quite a bit in YOU, Master Kohga."

Kohga wanted to laugh, but Sooga seemed fueled by his own words. Not only did he start to fuck his ass harder, but his teeth clamped right onto his neck. Shit that hurt. And it hurt GOOD.

"F-fucking SHIT Sooga, that's it, bite me, nice and hard!"

He got just what he wanted. Sooga’s teeth roamed from his neck, to his shoulder, and each bite punctured his chin, drawing just a bit of blood.

"Am I pleasing you, Master Kohga?"

"Almost. Wrap your legs around me, you can fuck me nice and fast."

Sooga obeyed, and before Kohga knew it, he was getting jack hammered right in the ass, nice and fucking fast. Sooga's tongue grazed alongside his cheek, and Sooga nearly growled his next order.

"Say you love me. Say it."

Kohga giggled. He turned into SUCH a cock hungry bimbo when he was getting it good.

"I LOVE my Sooga. My big, handsome Sooga, who's gonna cum right in my ass. Isn't he? Isn't he gonna stuff my asshole full of that creamy cum?"

Sooga maybe ACTING the top, but they both knew who was really pulling the strings. And that's why they worked so perfectly together. Kohga chuckled as he pumped his own cock.

"You're balls are SO full of cum for me. I tasted it. You're SO ready to unload into me. Fuck my ass like a goddamn toy, and cum. Inside. Of me."

His voice made it sound like an order, and like any order, Sooga obeyed it. He came, and he came hard, swearing right into Kohga's ear. Kohga touched himself eagerly as he felt the cum being forced inside of him, pulse after pulse bringing more waves of cum. And Kohga LOVED it.

"Oh….shit. You're still going. Oh FUCK you're still cumming, you dirty boy!"

Sooga grabbed two handfuls of his plump ass, digging his fingers into his flesh.

"Cum for me. Tighten around me."

It didn't take long for Kohga to do just that, muttering as he furiously milked his dick for all the cum it was worth. Kohga collapsed on the sheets, sighing in relief. He was laying in a puddle of thick cum, Sooga's cock not quite done unloading into him. They sat there, panting, stiff with exhaustion. Then Sooga finally became Sooga again.

"M-Master Kogha! I-i hurt you! Your skin is bruised-!"

"Down boy, down. I like it this way. I liked it, really. Now, whenever I look in the mirror, I'll be reminded of just this moment. Of the moment you ravaged me like an animal, and pumped me full of your cum."

Sooga seemed freaked out over that too, stammering.

"I-i didn't pull out of-oh. Oh I came right inside of you. It's spilling right out of you-"

Kohga chuckled, toying with his far too sensitive cock.

"Go on, I'm listening. Tell me how I'm lookin~"

"You...you aren't repulsed?"

"Sooga, no. I love you, and people who love each other, sometimes stuff cum in each other's asses. I liked this, I liked it with you. You did REALLY good for your first try. Not perfect, but good."

Of course that got his attention. Sooga ALWAYS wanted to know how he could improve himself.

"Did I say something wrong? Move too fast?"

"No, I liked the dirty talk, really. And trust me, you CAN'T go too fast for me. I mean you should smack me around more. Open my mouth with your fingers, maybe spank me, nice and-ahh!~"

Sooga suddenly brought his hand down, open palm smacking across his ass. 

"Better?"

"Shit yes….though, practice makes perfect, Sooga."

"Of course, Master."

Another slap. Another. Another. Each more swift and more hard than the last. It was then that Kohga realized; Sooga passed the test with absolutely flying colors.

[laceymorganwrites]

The Story of the sad chapter 15

Word Count: 2,367

Pairing: Ban x reader

Warnings: cursing

Summary: The Rescue Mission continues

Taglist; @lysawayne​

“Okay, lovely reunions aside, we gotta go save the princess now” you hated to be the one who destroyed this precious moment, but someone had to do it.

It wouldn´t be good if you stayed here any longer than you needed to.

“You should´ve said that at the beginning, dear” Merlin smirked and forced Elizabeth´s location out of Vivian.

As soon as she uttered the words, Merlin teleported you in front of the king´s room, something was holding her back though, it was the perfect cube, a demonic barrier.

Not that that was a problem for Merlin, who immediately canceled the magic, making you able to enter the room.

Elizabeth headed straight for Meliodas to hug him, it was bittersweet. She didn´t remember him yet and still her feelings were prevalent.

You wondered if you would ever be able to harbor such a strong love for another person and if they would for you.

Before you could sink into your thoughts any more, Dreyfus entered the room and had all of you on guard.

However instead of fighting you, he broke down on the floor in shame, admitting to the crime of killing his own brother, the very reason you had to flee in the first place. Before you wasn´t a holy knight, he was merely a broken man eaten alive by his guilt now.

He also informed you that Hendrickson´s plan was to bring forth another holy war.

After hearing that his son was alive, he obliged and obediently walked himself into the dungeon to await his trial.

Merlin took a look at the king´s health and stated that he needed to be treated immediately, however this would only be possible in Camelot where she had all of her supplies.

“I´m coming with you!” you said.

Merlin only raised an eyebrow but then chuckled.

“I suppose you would, after all it´s where your weapon lies… however it got there, I cannot remember” she smirked.

She teleported you, Arthur and the king to Camelot´s castle where she treated him.

“Arthur, show (Y/N) where her sword is” she smiled mischievously.

“You mean the one you told me to guard?” he asked and you cocked an eyebrow, why would he have to guard your sword? It´s not like it would wither and nobody was able to steal it.

He showed you around the castle and then stepped through a secret hallway leading into a big room plastered with all kinds of weapons and armor of the goddess clan.

It felt like a twisted version of home.

“What the hell...where did she get all of this? Well, I suppose if anyone would be able to, it´d be Merlin. But still...” you looked around the room in wonder, subconsciously remembering your old days as a soldier, as the head of the holy army.

It was sick but it filled you with pride, you were good at it, very much so and even better at strategy.

But still, there had to be a reason why you remembered so much of your past recently.

“Merlin said you could take anything you want, she also told me to tell you to view this room as your personal closet” he awkwardly smiled at you.

You had to chuckle, that was so typical of her.

“Well, thanks a bunch for all of this, but I have to go back now” you said as you went back to say goodbye to Merlin, sword in hand.

“If you ever need anything else, just give me a call” Merlin smiled at you before she teleported you back to the capital.

You landed right amidst the action, it seemed.

“Holy shit, what the fuck is going on?” you asked, looking around you saw only ruins of the castle, two holy knights wincing in pain and your friends, boyfriend and another holy knight.

“Hell if I know, whatever it is we have to make it stop” Diane said.

“Babe!” Ban came up to you and hugged you tight, kissing your cheek.

“I missed you...” he nuzzled your neck.

Warmth spread through your body as you let yourself fall into his touch for an instance, this, whatever this was, whether it was true or not, it felt right.

Yes, Gowther did spread some doubt in your mind about the reason you got into this relationship, but you wouldn´t let that hinder you.

You were always better at fighting when you had something to protect, even if that something was immortal and handsome.

“(Y/N)! You got your sword back!” Elaine exclaimed, clapping her hands and cheering for you.

“Finally joined the party, eh?” Meliodas joined you, teasing you.

But before any more casual conversation could be held, Jericho transformed into the same monster that Meliodas, Ban and King fought a while ago.

Apparently it was a malfunction on holy knights who have been given demon blood.

The thought that Hendrickson did that still made you sick to your stomach.

He suddenly appeared in front of you, clad in a demonic aura as the new generation of holy knights all transformed into beasts.

“Okay so, how the fuck do we go about this? Mel, you told me that those beasts could only be defeated once you killed the person inside, right? There has to be another way!” you called out to him.

There was too much chaos to get a clear head or overview, everything happened too quickly.

Meliodas and Gilthunder tried to take on Hendrickson, however he ordered Vivian to take Margaret and Elizabeth as hostages, making the men startle for a second.

A second he used to slice them down.

Elizabeth did something very brave and stupid at that moment, she offered to go with Hendrickson in return for Meliodas´ and Gilthunder´s life.

She always thought about others before herself, which made her so strong.

“Mel, I know what you´re thinking, but we need to think this through. We need a rescue Elizabeth team and one that deals with those fuckers” you pointed at the beasts that were once holy knights.

All he gave you was a pained expression.

“I´ll heal your wounds, give me a sec” you knelt down at his side and applied your magic.

“Okay, we need to contain those monsters before we know what to do with them that doesn´t kill the person inside. I can´t afford them to wreak any more havoc. Somebody needs to get the citizens into a safe space. So that´ll be two teams. And then the last one is the rescue team. King, Diane, Gil and Howzer, you go defeat the beasts. Gowther, Hawk and Elaine, get the people to safety. Ban, Mel and I will rescue the princess.” you knew it wasn´t your place but someone had to put order and clear instructions into the heads of the scared, otherwise nothing could be done.

Nothing could be achieved by being frozen in fear.

Meliodas nodded, getting back up on his feet.

You ran into the direction where Hendrickson´s magic was coming from, apparently Dreyfus fought him as of right now.

Dreyfus was on your side, but even if you arrived in time to save the princess you doubted that the four of you could take Hendrickson on.

You might have been able to if you had had the opportunity to train with your sword longer, it should come to you easily, but maybe ten years was just too long. Not to mention Meliodas was exhausted, even though you healed his wounds.

And while Ban couldn´t take any longterm damage from Hendrickson, you doubted he could deliver any to him.

It was hopeless. And yet you couldn´t just stand around and continued moving forward.

When you arrived you saw only the remains of Dreyfus´ armor and a bleeding Elizabeth.

You hoped Ban and Meliodas would be able to distract Hendrickson long enough for you to heal her and get her to safety.

Without thinking you flew past him, grabbed Elizabeth and healed her in the process of leaving her in the care of Elaine and Hawk who alongside Diane and the others came into your direction to help.

You told Elaine and Hawk to get to safety before you joined the fight again.

“Mel, if we´re lucky he won´t be able to take the demonic magic any longer, so let´s hit him with everything we got. Make it count” you husked, a determined look in your eyes as you swung your sword as the first attack against Hendrickson.

Ban watched in awe as your blade stroke his skin, making him wince in pain. It´s been while since he´s seen you go all out on someone and damn were you a sight to behold.

So graceful, so elegant, so utterly beautiful. He had to watch out not to get distracted too much by you.

“Yes babe! Get him!” he cheered for you and the others followed your example, fiercefully attacking Hendrickson.

As the battle commenced it was revealed that Hendrickson hid a red demon corpse in a hidden cave which he claimed to be the source of it all.

It enraged you beyond belief, how he said that without any remorse, without any tone change in his voice, he even sounded proud of it, of himself.

“You disgust me...” you balled your fists, shaking as tears streamed down your face.

“How the fuck could you make them drink that?! Aren´t you ashamed of yourself, you piece of shit? I´m gonna fucking obliterate you and you bet your ass I´m gonna make it hurt” you lashed out at him, your wings subconsciously raised you higher as you started an attack from above, slashing at his shoulder with all force.

“Ashamed? Why should I? Just look at all the success I´ve had with this… I´m invincible” he sardonically smirked.

“If only Mael didn´t steal my place as one of the four archangels and I had his sword, I would´ve killed you back when we first found out about you, but now this´ll have to do!” you kicked him in the guts and held him down, about to give him the final stab when he grabbed onto your wings and broke them.

You saw red as the pain emitted into your body like hot lava, almost making it burst. Your wings hung loosely down your back and you couldn´t move them, they were now a mere burden to you.

“You fucking bastard!” Ban rushed to your side and got you out of harm´s way, only refusing to hit Hendrickson when Meliodas actively held him back.

“Ban.” Elaine stated coldly, there was so much anger inside of her small body she couldn´t contain it, she would have her revenge.

“Let´s end this. Once and for all, we did it once, we can do it again. It´s time for vengeance, for the forest, for (Y/N), for all the misery this thing caused” she grit her teeth, collecting all of her magic in the palm of her hands and pointing it at Hendrickson, making him fall down the hole that was created when the demon was revealed.

“Fucking hell, this hurts like a bitch...” you twisted your arms behind your back to reach your wings to heal them, but it seemed like you had exhausted your healing magic for the day.

“Don´t force yourself, (Y/N). We´re gonna take him down, no matter what” Meliodas told you, carrying you to the side of the battlefield with a dark look in his eyes.

“Diane, you stay back with (Y/N). Watch that nothing happens” Meliodas ordered as the rest went down the hole into the cave.

“We´ll be right back, darling...” Ban held your face in his hands, caressing your cheek.  “Just stay put, okay? Diane, make sure she´s not into too much pain. Please watch out for her for me” he pleaded with a worried look on his face before he kissed your forehead one last time and joined the others.

“You can count on me!” Diane nodded determined and sat down beside you.

“Poor (Y/N)...is there anything I can do to help?” she hated being tall, especially in moments like this she felt useless. A dear friend was hurting and she couldn´t do anything but sit by and watch.

“No...I´ll have to wait until my magic is restored, I think with enough stretching I can heal myself. But it hurts like a bitch...” you forced a smile.

“Maybe we can talk to distract you from the pain? Hey, let´s talk about Ban! That´s sure to brighten up your mood” she smiled at you.

“Yeah, it sure is...” you returned the smile.

“I don´t know what I did to deserve him, but I feel like if I question it too much all the happiness will just go away and I don´t want that. But if I don´t question it then I´ll never be sure...” you rested your chin on your legs.

“Sure of what?” Diane tilted her head.

“Whether I truly love him...whether I´d be able to recognize the feeling even if it hit me in the face or if I´m even capable of such a wonderful thing...” you shared your thoughts with her, watching her frown.

“Well, with your past it´s only natural that you´d feel this way. I can´t tell you how to feel but I can tell you the things I noticed that changed about you when you and Ban got together. You´re happier, it shows, you´re so free and light all the time, it´s contagious, it´s like your smile and happiness washes over to the rest of us. And you´re much more relaxed too, it´s like a burden has been lifted off you. I like seeing you happy like this, I never liked it when you were so depressed over things long past and unchangeable… and (Y/N)? I can see the same changes in him too. He´s so soft and gentle around you, I´m envious of what you have, it´s just so beautiful” she played with her fingers.

“You think so? I didn´t notice any of that...” you felt silly, how could you not even recognize your own happiness let alone the one of others anymore? It was pathetic.

“It´s because you´re always in your head” Diane giggled.

[piiratelovesyouyou]

My opinion on 7x07 - I know no one asked but whatever lmao

First of all let me start off by saying CONGRATS TO LINDSEY! so cool I really hope she gets the opportunity to direct more stuff in the future. She did an amazing job

THIS was a good episode and I’m surprised because I was looking at live tweets like at 2am and really thought this wasn’t gonna be good

I felt majority of the episode was more about the characters and the last 5 secs was focused on the plot lmao

Madi and Jackson’s therapy session was just pure. Madi has really gone through so much and I just need her to be happy now. Ok can Jackson give therapy sessions to everyone because they 100% need it!

Gabriel ...I’m sorry but I STILL believe he has a end game here like he MUST! I really don’t wanna believe he’s doing all this to solve a life long puzzle. I love his character too much, I really wish he was apart of earlier seasons along with Diyoza and hope and the rest of these incredible actors

I LIVED like LIVED for sheidheda and Murphy’s scenes like them playing chess and going back and forth...genius. They are both amazing actors! We got a lexa mention!!!!!! I wonder if we will actually see her this season I mean I hope so as well as other characters we have lost along the way!

JR Plays sheidheda so well

Lmao when Murphy and sheidheda were arguing about who united the clans, I was like NO Octavia united them bitches. I kinda wish Luna got a mention too

I was genuinely SCARED for both emori and Murphy this episode. I really thought emori was gonna die, I really enjoyed her scenes this ep. I think emori is so underrated! However apart of me thinks she’s enjoying being a prime a bit too much and I want her to snap out of it.

Also who does Nikki thinks she is?! Emori can be a savage please don’t underestimate her.

Did I care when Nelson killed his dad? No. I’m sorry but what kind of fucking father is that?! These prime believers piss me off so much. Nelson don’t become a doormat to Nikki

Ofcourse when Indra leaves everything goes to shit

HOPE AND DIYOZA MAN! Diyoza is the best mother this show has ever had and that is saying ALOT lmao. It must be so heartbreaking for Diyoza to have seen her daughter has spent 15 years without her and she’s only spent like a week away from her. Madness

When hope was like to Diyoza ‘I don’t wanna hurt you’ LMAO HOPE YOU DONT WANT THAT SMOKE!!! in all seriousness tho that scene hurt my feelings

OMFDAYYS BEARDLESS BELLAMY SHIT MAN! Bob is HOT with a beard but I swear he is the 1% that look even better without it

I didn’t mind the becho scene all that much coz it is what it is at this point. I did like when echo said ‘your sister is your strength’ and then Bellamy told her that ‘her loyalty is her weakness’ I really just want echo to thrive and not be so attached to someone else whether it’s roan or bellamy. I loved when echo was also like ‘this isn’t real’ yh it ain’t lmao

I love echo and Octavia being on the same side like let me clear by saying I’m all here for Octavia trying to comfort echo BUT how can she say ‘you’re my family too’ if the writers had worked on that relationship more then I would’ve been like ‘awww cute’ BUT they haven’t and that felt like a wtf moment! I felt like maybe she said it because that’s what Bellamy would’ve wanted idk It also bugs me that Octavia isn’t really mourning for Bellamy and this is why I feel like she doesn’t think he’s dead

Ok I did not think they would become soldiers

What is it with these characters putting blood on their faces man?

No levitt today?

CLARKE AND THE GUYS ARE IN BARDO FUCK YES! Did anyone else tear up when Clarke found out about Bellamy omg

If I hear Clarke is the 🔑 one more time and I don’t get told why IMMA FUCKING SCREAM

HOLY SHIT BILL CADAGON! YES YES YES! What war and against who?

Looks like next ep we might just find out

Also if Bill is the Shepherd then are these disciples fucking sheep lmao?

BECCA in the next episode man omg

We are already half way through the season and I wouldn’t say I’m blown away but the second half has A LOT of potential if they keep focus on ALL the characters and give us a good fucking plot then it’s gone be LIT

I just wanna end this crazy long post by saying - BELLAMY IS NOT FUCKING DEAD and he’s definitely with Gaia!

[seekingthestars]

sarah watches the untamed: liveblogging adventures, part thirty two fatal journey

(aka: tiny baby huaisang is adorable! but also ouchie)

well hi! it’s been a hot minute since we’ve found ourselves here, huh? let’s see if i remember how to liveblog ^^;;;;; but i’ve got The Buns and special movie snack (kettle corn, v delicious) so we are READY TO GOOOO gimmie all the tiny Huaisang!!!!!

i’m actually really excited about this but also somehow nervous HAHAHA i’ve been good and avoided spoilers so idk what to expect :O

this intro sequence is neat, all the cave drawings or whatnot

oh these two people are gonna die aren’t they

DUMB MOVE, BOYS

the swords are all so pretty though

okay the sudden cut and the black eyes and the weird mumble definitely made me jump for realsies fjeiwaofaw

oh yuckie, severed limbs

i was right, they’re gone

Mingjue!!!

oh hey zzj! 

HUAISANG!!!! his art piece is so prettyyyy *o* also the way he jumps up and winds his sleeves around his arms and pretends to be training omg i love him fewaoijfawe XD

NOOOO his painting got messed up ;AAAA;

the way he just said “da-ge???” is SO CUTE

Y’ALL, HE CUTE

omg huaisang did you lose your sword lol (also side note, his robes/outfit are so pretty i love it)

mingjue broke his paint brush :(((

“i just have a very ominous hunch” ME TOO HUAISANG  

huaisang’s little travel vest/robe thing!!! cute!!!!! i like his clothes so much. i love how he’s the only one who wears these brighter cream colors in a sea of medium-to-dark grays ahhhh

guangyao smirk OMINOUS HUNCH BECOMES STRONGER

OH SHOOT WHAT WAS THAT

huaisang slowly reaching over and taking the sword from zonghui fejwaoif i love him

mingjue!!!! :OO

omg the flute, oh no, have bad feeling just bc guangyao

oh dang mingue!!

hate the creepy vine, reminds me too much of snakes, i have had way too much of snakes today and they terrify me ;n; 

i just noticed huaisang grabbed a new brush to carry with him :’)

“watch out for the walls” would normally sound silly but it’s such an ominous thing to say in this context fjeiwoa

HUAISANG YOU SMART COOKIE! :D <333

also “It’s just that everyone has different things they’re good at.” i like zonghui, i hope he doesn’t die or turn out to be evil

things are not going great in mingjue’s tomb uh oh uh ohhhh

oh no one of the nie clan guys got killed trying to hold the door up for huaisang oh no huaisang’s face ;AAAAA;

oh dang argument between brothers is intense ;;;;;;;

also mingjue seeing his clan members as puppets for a sec got me Worried

OH SHIT HUAISANG

“Da-ge, it’s all my fault. I got you into trouble.” “It’s okay. When I’m here, there won’t be any problem.” ;AAAAAAAAAAA; that line’s gonna mess me up more later, i can feel it

MINGJUEEEE ;AAA;

omg tiny nie bros!!!!!!!!!

tiny huaisang is so cute omg

“Huaisang, as long as I’m alive, no matter what you wish to do, I will protect you.” YUP CRYIN’

huaisang just leaping off the edge of that cliff with no hesitation ;AAAA; drowns in nie bros feelings

mingjue where are you ;;

huaisang leaned back against the wall and the wall moved and i jumped and covered my face with my hands, somehow i feel like i should have seen that coming and yet I DIDN’T

brothers ;~~~~~~~~~~;

huaisang is such a SMART COOKIE

okay them hitting the diagram and the yin/yang symbol showing up and them being in the light/dark clothes to match UGH I LOVE IT, THANK YOU FATAL JOURNEY

i am mild to moderately worried about the fates of all these other clan members right now, i know they said they wouldn’t let anyone else die BUT i am in fact more Worried bc they said that

WAS RIGHT TO BE WORRIED

UH OH ZONGHUI D:

this cannot end well

fight sequence is v cool though

good boy huaisang woke up in time to play the music except it’s tainted and he doesn’t know it and oh god then the gold sparkles turned red and i just had to pause this entirely, i don’t like i don’t like, i don’t want zonghui to die like this :(

ouchie this hurts i’m sad :((((((((((((((((((

huaisang lying to mingjue about how they died ;;;;;; and look i know he was a side character and had like six lines but i liked zonghui i’m SAD :(

okay boop there is a bunch of text and it didn’t get translations so we put that through a translator and though said translation is ROUGH as all get out, from what i can tell we’re time skipping ahead to after mingjue dies

HUAISANG T_____T

huaisang sitting alone and clinging to the books/brush and crying just makes my heart hurt so much ;;;;

LIL DUCK PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER

OHHHHH GUANGYAO HE IS FREAKING COMING FOR YOU 

for how much they used zzj in promotions for this movie, i thought he’d be in more than like five minutes of it lol but also he kinda was bc his dang nefarious ways done ruiNED EVERYTHING

Guangyao misplaying the Song of Clarity was already bad enough, but knowing he taught it to Huaisang and used HUAISANG to play it and help cause Mingjue’s downfall.......his real-life true brother....oh that HURTS SO MUCH :( meng yao of the EVIL EVIL EVIL DIMPLES :((((((

but i liked it so much!! gives ALL the nie brothers feels, pokes more insight into what drove Huaisang to set his plot in motion, also getting to see more of Huaisang being the SMARTEST COOKIE which i love love love

THIS WAS A GOOD (if moderately painful) TIME

[queenofbaws]

UD: Who ya gonna call? - 8

Chapter: 8/? Chapter title: Seeing things Fic rating: T - Language, blood, general spookiness, cigarettes??? Summary: Sam isn’t getting paid nearly enough for this shit. Or at all, for that matter. (Reminder: This can be found on AO3, if you prefer!) Previous | Next ---

“Not to be too forward or anything, but are you…Sammy, you feelin’ this?”

Hoo boy. Smooth as silk. She rolled her eyes at Josh, looking up at him dully. “What is it that I’m supposed to be feeling, exactly?”

There was no embarrassment, no shame, in his expression as he met her flat stare. Honestly, she was coming to wonder whether he was immune to that shit altogether—it always seemed to roll off of him like water from a duck.

Fucking psych majors.

“This,” he reiterated, one hand gesturing back and forth between the two of them. “This scorching sexual tension we’ve been trying to ignore for the past month or so.”

“Oh, is that what that is?” Sam tsk’ed softly and shook her head. “Well that’s a relief. All this time, I’d been thinking maybe it was the beginning of food poisoning.”

And still, no shame! No, at that, Josh actually laughed. Oh, he was really turning out to be trouble. Capital-T Trouble.

“She does jokes, too! Be still my heart.” He clapped a hand over his chest for emphasis. “Has anyone ever suggested to you, Samantha, that you may very well be the whole package?”

“Just in general? Or in terms of a ghost hunting cohost?” She felt her lips quirk upward, and aw shit. Aw damn. Crap. She was falling for it. She felt herself falling for it.

“Let’s say the former.”

“Oh, then all the time.”

“Modest, too! A truly modern woman in all respects. How about the latter?”

“Mhm.”

That seemed to give him pause…but even so, his grin never flickered. “Wha—wait, who?”

Pretending to check her phone, Sam shrugged noncommittally. “You, for one. Just now, actually.”

“Keep pulling shit like that, and I’m gonna fall in love with you,” he warned, assuming a jokingly grave expression. “And consider that for a sec, okay? ‘Ghosts’ isn’t a great answer to give people when they ask you the big ‘So how did you two meet’ question at dinner parties.” He bent down to the cooler, rummaging around before finding what he was looking for; glass bottles clinked and clanked, and when he stood again, it was with enough for all four of them. “Don’t get me wrong—it’s a perfectly acceptable answer in the social circles my family runs in, but I have this nagging suspicion that maybe, just maybe, the Giddings clan might raise their eyebrows. Take one of these, wouldya?”

“I like how seriously you’re taking this hypothetical.” Sam grabbed two of the bottles, shooting a tight smile at one of the other partygoers before skirting out of the way, hustling out of the overcrowded kitchen with Josh hot on her heels.

The party had been his idea in the first place—Lord knew she hadn’t recognized any of the names he’d rattled off, much less any of the faces around them now—but to be fair, most things they ended up doing as a group were Josh’s idea. He was the idea guy in the same way Chris was the joke guy, or Ash was the planner, or she, herself, was the voice of reason. It was just how things had shaken out. Funny how that shit happened, huh?

So that was what had brought them back to the townhouses, surrounded by other students blowing off post-midterm steam and pre-Thanksgiving break (read: family time) panic, the music too loud, nothing but streaks of grease left in the pizza boxes on the stove, the booze plentiful but lukewarm. Every time they popped inside for drinks, Sam nervously took to checking faces from the corner of her eye, wondering what she’d say if they bumped into Emily or Jessica, or worse, both.

“Hypothetical? What’s hypothetical here? We’re young, we’re hot, we’ve got this fantastic banter thing going on…”

“Oh please. What banter?”

“‘What banter?’” He teased, pitching his voice up into a piss-poor imitation of her own. “As if you don’t know…”

“Can’t say I do.”

“Uh huh. Okay, Sammy.” She watched him flick a casual wave to someone she didn’t recognize, then his gaze was back on her. “Gotta hand it to you, though—when you joined up, I knew the whole All-American girl-next-door thing was gonna do wonders for the show, but this will-we-won’t-we shtick?” He raised his free hand to his mouth, loudly kissing the tips of his fingers like a chef might. “Bee-you-tiful. Couldn’t have planned it better myself.”

At that, she had to roll her eyes. “There’s no will-we-won’t-we shtick.” She raised her eyebrows in a silent dare…then stopped. Oh shit. Fuck! This was the banter he was talking about, wasn’t it? Goddammit.

Her realization wasn’t lost on him; Josh snickered, leaning his shoulder against the jamb of the sliding glass door, angling himself more fully towards her. “Methinks the lady doth protest too much…”

“Yeah? Well methinks the gentleman doth think too highly of himself.”

“Ow? Ow. This is how you treat your onscreen love interest? Remind me to never let you sign up for any community theater productions—Juliet’s not supposed to call Romeo a fuckboy. Not to his face, anyway.”

“To be fair, I’m pretttty sure I didn’t call you a fuckboy.”

“To be fair, I’m pretttty sure you implied it.”

Sam couldn’t hold back anymore. She snorted a laugh, doing her best to ignore the self-satisfied look it put on Josh’s face.

He was right…that was the worst part. He was right.

True enough, she hadn’t been totally privy to their old numbers—which was really just a nice way of saying she didn’t give a shit—but according to a mystified Chris, their little ghost hunting venture had seen serious improvement since she’d joined. Maybe they had just needed some new blood, an interviewer who didn’t talk with Josh’s low, ominous tones, or a feminine face that didn’t stare into space with dark-rimmed raccoon eyes as often as Ash did…then again, she’d broken the number one rule of the internet and checked the comments once…or twice…

So she knew that Josh had a point. Ghosts were fun and all, but ghosts being tracked down by charming, funny, attractive friends with (an admittedly considerable amount of) chemistry? Apparently that was the secret ingredient. Now, they still hadn’t reached viral status, and honestly Sam doubted they ever would, but…

But, but, but.

If she was silent for too long, he’d start gloating, and she couldn’t have that. “Y’know, if that’s all this is about, you really don’t need me.”

“Hmm?”

“If you’re saying that like, sexual tension is what the CREEPs need to be the next big thing, I’m sort of irrelevant.”

Josh gave her a look that she had long-since become acquainted with: He suspected she had something locked and loaded and ready to go. Something good. “Oh?”

“Mhm, you guys don’t need me for that.”

“Do we not?”

“Nah…you already have Chris and Ash.”

His face fell then, something in his eyes going flat as old soda. “Sam,” he said slowly, almost plaintively. “I need you to just…look at them…” He turned her around, guiding her until she was directly in view of the other two, both of whom were still obliviously going about their conversation at the flimsy table on the deck outside, far from the rest of the party, lit only by the shoddy string of lights hanging between the gutters and a nearby tree. There was a foreign weight on her shoulder, and when she turned, she could see in her periphery that Josh had set his chin on it from behind. “Look at them,” he said again, waving a hand just as Chris leaned a bit too far back in his chair.

Sam could see what was about to happen in her mind’s eye, but there was no stopping it. The event had already been set into motion.

“Now, you explain to me what it is about those dweebs that somehow reads ‘sexual tension’ to you.”

“I—”

Bang!

Even through the sliding door, the sound was…jarring. They watched Ashley try and help Chris up from the ground. It wasn’t exactly an easy rescue, by the looks of it. Whatever answer she’d been planning flew out the window as she watched them scramble. “Well. Uh…hmm.”

“Yeah.”

“When you put it that way…”

“Uh huh.”

“I guess it’s a slightly more persuasive argument than I originally gave it credit for.”

“You don’t say.”

She laughed to herself, trying to crane her neck in such a way that she could meet Josh’s gaze. “So maybe you have a point. Maybe we should keep—” In much the same way he had, she gestured between the two of them, “—this up.”

“Makes for good tv. You just gotta promise you’re not gonna fall in love with me. This is a business arrangement, after all.”

“Yeah. Don’t worry. That’s not gonna be a problem.”

He groaned loudly, acting as though she’d asked him to do something unspeakable. “That’s exactly what people say before they fall madly in love, Sammy! You’re tempting the fates! Dangerous. Very dangerous!”

Sam rolled her eyes, maneuvering the sliding door with the hand not holding their drinks. “I’ll take my chances…” she said in a chipper singsong.

Outside, the night sky was dimly lit with the threat of snow, the air not quite cold enough to make that threat believable. Chris had gotten himself back into his chair, it seemed, and Ashley’s expression was still one of tired acceptance as they paused mid-conversation, turning to welcome them back.

“What, you guys get lost or something?” Chris took one of the bottles Sam held out, cracking it open with one practiced twist. “Fall into a wormhole along the way?”

“Actually yeah, it was super weird…” Sam slid into her seat again, setting the other bottle (and her phone) onto the table. “It took us to this dimension where—and follow me on this one, I know it’s gonna sound farfetched—your dumbass forgot how gravity works, and you took a real tumble.”

He blinked, then groaned when realization hit, averting his gaze as he tipped the bottle to his mouth. When Ashley giggled, his eyes slid to hers, betrayal at once obvious and wordless. She just laughed harder.

“Uh oh, someone’s got your number, Cochise.” A screech as Josh pulled his chair back from the table, shoving one of the bottles across the glass to Ashley. “Someone remind me what we were talking about? Something about uh…” he patted one side of his jacket, then the other, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and tapping one out, “…the history of…something or another?”

Sam watched with silent, palpable interest as Ashley held her hand out in a clear ‘gimme’ gesture, only for Chris to reach over and lower her hand with his own. She saw Ash scrunch her face in irritation, but looked away just in time to catch Chris’s eyes, fixing him with a knowing sort of half-smirk. There was some kind of joke there, something about how her own personal game of ‘Guess the Major’ was a hundred times easier if you broke out a pack of smokes…eh, she wasn’t the joke guy, though, so she let it pass.

Josh lit his cigarette, face squinched with something like amusement as he looked between the three of them. “Can’t tell you guys how absolutely tickled I am that now there are three of you mooks around to do the…” he gestured broadly, “…secret nonverbal conversation crap. Seriously. Love it. Love it! Can’t get enough.”

“Psychologist’s dream, huh?” Sam joked.

“What is it with you and my people, Sammy? Let’s get to the root of those feelings.”

“Yeah, no thanks. I’ll pass.”

Ashley cleared her throat after having a sip of her drink. “Please, God, no. We were talking about—” Though the yard of the townhouse was almost perfectly silent, there was a moment where the gauzy, distant quality of the music and voices intensified from indoors, growing louder and clearer before fading out again. Her eyes shot up over Josh’s shoulder at the sound of a crisp click from the direction of the sliding door, and Sam saw her expression change. “—Conrad.”

“Uh…that’s definitely not what we were talking about. Trust me, I’d remember if we—” Chris’s snickering trailed off a second later. His glasses gleamed for a moment, the string of overhead lights catching on the lenses. “Well, well, well! Look what the cat coughed up.”

Even before he turned around, Josh was rolling his eyes, plastering on a performative scowl. “Bishop,” he drawled, speaking loudly and clearly enough to be heard all the way across the yard. “You better have my fifty bucks, you sunovabitch.”

“You’re not getting jackshit from me, man, I dunno how many times I have to tell you that.” The grass, dead and brown, crunched tellingly, tattling the newcomer’s exact position as he made his way to their table. “I’d rather upend my wallet into my aunt’s koi pond than have to lie awake at night thinking about you spending my money.” He dropped himself into the only open chair left, filling the space between Chris and Josh.

Ah. So this was the illustrious Conrad. He was about what she’d expected, honestly. Sam guessed he could be called handsome…in the way frat boys could be handsome, at least, with bright eyes and a smarmy grin, his well-kept hair hinting that, were he to let it get any longer, it would curl. From her position, she could just barely see that, yup, uh huh, oh yeah…he was wearing shorts even though it was only about forty-some degrees out.

One of those guys.

He stretched out in his seat, positively radiating the impenetrable confidence of someone who believed themselves the most interesting person in the room. It almost gave off heat. “‘Sup, creepazoids? Guess they just invite anyone to these shindigs nowadays.” There was a moment where he stopped, posture shifting minutely, and Sam realized he was only then noticing her. “New girl!” Conrad gave her a friendly nod and a gentlemanly tip of his bottle. “Hey, level with me—“ he set his arms onto the table, slouching over them and narrowing his eyes, “—how much did these dweebs have to pay you to get you to join the Scooby Doo act? I hope to Christ they’re at least offering you dental benefits.”

She clucked her tongue, shoulders popping up into a shrug. “Well, it’s funny you’d ask…I haven’t been paid anything yet…but I was promised, oh what was it…fifty dollars?” Sam looked to Josh as though asking for confirmation. He snickered, ashing his cigarette with a proud little flourish; she turned back to Conrad, smiling sweetly. “They keep telling me it’ll be any day now, though, so fingers crossed.”

“Oh Jesus,” Conrad groaned, sliding a hand down the side of his face. “Glad you’ve found another one of your kind.” Seemingly pleased with his entrance, he finally acknowledged the other two, grinning fetchingly across the table. “Ash.”

“Hi Connie,” she sighed, sounding more exasperated than downright putout. It was the tone of the girl who always found herself stuck sitting next to the class clown, no matter how many times she got up and changed her seat. Considering there were now three clowns crowded around the table, Sam thought it fit a smidge too well.

“Chris.”

In a mocking mimicry of how Ashley had said it, Chris parroted, “Hi Connie.”

“Dude. C’mon.”

“What? Suddenly I’m not on nickname terms? Rude, bro, très rude.”

Conrad shook his head and spread his hands like he was about to give a lecture. “How’d you feel if I started going around calling you Cochise?”

There was a beat…and then Chris grimaced. “Eugh. Okay. Point taken. Comment retracted.”

“Uh huh.”

Scooting closer to Josh, Sam lowered her voice to ask, “Is, uh, this how it always goes?”

“You got no fuckin’ idea.” He let out a loud breath, pivoting towards Conrad again. “Y’know, I don’t remember inviting you to sit with us.”

He feigned a hurt frown even as he glanced down, plucking at his shirt from under the unzipped flaps of his jacket. “Shit, is it Wednesday already? And look at me, not wearing pink. My b, man, super gauche of me, I know.”

“Ohoho! Can’t pay his debts, but he can crack wise! Is that what they teach you at the country club?”

Sam looked away from the guys, letting their bickering turn to gibberish in her ears.

Ashley caught her eyes, the corners of her mouth tucking inwards. “Constant,” she said, doing nothing to lower or mask her voice, instead taking a drink and allowing her attention to drift towards Conrad and Josh. Their obliviousness didn’t seem to surprise her. “It’s like they rehearse it. Sometimes I think they really do.”

With a couple tiny hops, Sam moved her chair closer to Ash’s, dragging her phone with her a moment later. “So are they like, actually friends, or…?”

Chris laughed into his bottle, joining them by moving his chair as well. Unbeknownst to the other two, they’d subtly formed their own group on that side of the table; it couldn’t have been more obvious if they’d drawn a literal line across the table, and still, they were so caught up in their back-and-forth that they went perfectly unaware. “Unfortunately for everyone involved, yeah, they’re definitely buds. Two chaotic neutral dumbasses.”

“Unfortunately,” Ashley repeated with a curt nod.

Sam waved towards them. “Then why…?”

“My theory? It’s some kind of like, elaborate mating ritual. They need to just make out and get it over with, already. Move past the tension.”

“Their kids would be so ugly.” Setting his bottle onto the table, Chris leaned towards her. “Nah, it’s just this stupid game they play when other people are watching. You get used to it.”

Of course.

She could tell he wanted her to ask, wanted her to frown, wanted her to beg for clarification…and since she knew resisting was futile, Sam folded her arms and held back a laugh. “Okay, okay, I’ll bite. What game would this be, exactly?”

As she watched, Chris pantomimed reaching up and pulling something down from over his head, cupping his left hand in front of his face as though covering a cough. He clicked his tongue twice, and then, in a ridiculously muffled impression of a sporting event announcer (or a pilot trying to talk to their passengers…Sam really couldn’t tell which), he crooned out, “Laaadies and gentlemen! It’s time for another round of America’s faaavorite pastime…Rich! Kids! Fiiiiighting!”

Laughing, Sam dropped her chin into her hands. “Hey, do me a favor? Say something like ‘Please keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times.’”

He ignored her. “In this corner…he likes piña coladas and getting caught in the rain! His daddy’s an investment banker accused of insider trading, his mama’s a real estate phenom with no fewer than four—count ‘em, four—billboards in town…ladies, grab your Plan B, because he’s the one in the Hawaiian shirt and cargo shorts...Conraaaaad Bishop!” Chris turned away from his imaginary mic long enough to cheer before going right back.

There was a hand on her knee, and when Sam turned, she saw Ashley shaking her head. “Don’t laugh. It only encourages him.”

It didn’t seem like Chris needed encouragement, in all honesty.

“And in this corner…the man of a thousand impressions that all sort of sound the same! He’s heir apparent to Hollywood’s bloodiest horror empire! The Prince of Panic, the Prodigal Son of Spookiness, the smooth-talking serial bullshit artist…you know him, you love him, you really wish he’d stop talking about NBC’s Hannibal and the shit he learned in Intro Psych…Joshuaaaaa Washington!”

At the sound of his name, Josh finally looked over to them, confusion crossing his features when he realized how far away they’d all crept. “This a mutiny?”

“We were just trying to get a better view of the pissing match.” Sam smirked, pulling her legs up onto the chair to make herself more comfortable.

“Wanted to get out of the Splash Zone, more like…” Chuckling, Chris nudged Ashley with his elbow, waggling his eyebrows in an attempt to get her to laugh with him. She just shot him a long-suffering grimace and sighed through her nose.

“It occurs to me…” There was a soft but familiar sound from under the table, and Sam spotted Conrad bouncing his leg energetically, “This really isn’t the kinda first impression I wanted to make on the new girl, creep squad. I’m getting the vibe that you’re trying to make me look like a tool.”

Ashley muttered something so quietly that Sam only barely heard it: “You think we’re trying?”

She had to chomp down on the inside of her cheek o stop herself from laughing out loud; Ashley’s eyes zipped to hers, and they shared a secretive grin. “You don’t have to worry about that. I’ve already heard all about you.” Sam let her voice trail off ominously, quirking a brow. Then she smiled, twiddling her fingers. “I’m Sam, just FYI. New Girl’s only my stage name.”

“Oh shit, you’re quick!” Smirking, he leered at Josh, “Watch out, buddy-boy, this one’s gonna sniff through your bullshit in about point-five seconds. Gonna run you out of town. Good luck with that.”

“Eat me, dude.”

“Appreciate the offer, but you’re so not my type.”

“Not to be ‘that guy,’” Ashley began, raising her voice to be heard over them. “But we were kinda talking about important stuff before you came sauntering over—”

One side of his mouth pulled tighter, his lopsided smirk boasting a very endearing, very dangerous, dimple. “Sauntering? Not strutting?”

She flapped her hand like a sock puppet, the gesture getting him to stop talking, though doing nothing to staunch his chuckling. “So if we could get back to that, well that would just be great.”

Conrad nodded sagely, swirling the contents of his bottle. Sam saw his face change, becoming saccharine, innocent. She preemptively prepared herself for—what else—something stupid. “Important stuff, you said?”

“Yeah.”

“Like…super important stuff?”

“Extremely.”

“Business-type stuff, I’d imagine?”

“Yes, Conrad, business-type stuff.”

“Sooo…ghosts.” He glanced up from the table, spurred on by Ashley’s silence. “Ah. Well hey! It’s your lucky day, creepy crawlies! Because that’s exactly why I’m here! See, I spotted you guys out here, just absolutely haunting this yard like a bunch of socially stunted gargoyles, and as soon as I saw you, I thought to myself ‘What luck!’ It’s serendipitous, really, shit like this doesn’t line up every da—”

Josh went limp in his seat, head lolling so far back on his shoulders that he nearly took on the appearance of a contortionist. Or a pretzel. “Oh my God, get on with it!”

“So here’s the thing…” Conrad leaned into the center of their little group, tipping his beer towards Josh in a way that somehow managed to feel both conspiratorial and mocking. “Mom’s got this sick property a couple counties over. Can’t move it.” He let that tidbit dangle, eyebrows slanting upwards. When no one immediately took his bait, he raised the bottle to his mouth, murmuring, “Ask me why,” before taking a drink that looked way too casual to actually be casual.

Still, no one said anything.

Sam glanced to the others and had to laugh when she saw them all wearing the same suspicious expression. She got the feeling that this wasn’t the first (or second…or tenth…) time they’d had this kind of conversation.

She dropped her hands onto her lap, shaking her head as she turned to Conrad. “Fine,” she sighed, “Why can’t she sell it?”

The rest of them groaned in eerie unison. Now, she never would’ve said it to their faces, but in that moment they had managed to sound spookier than anything they’d ever uploaded to YouTube.

“Uh huh. Shut it. You guys are gonna be singing my praises to the very heavens themselves when you hear this shit.” He hunkered down again, dimples deepening with each word. “Get this…the land used to be a fucking gallows in the old days, right? Where people were executed and shit…”

“And now it’s a house,” Ashley said flatly with her hand against her cheek. “Really.”

“Really. You know how it goes, the place got razed, they started putting in all these huge-ass houses for the rich SOBs who didn’t care about the loss of human life, blah blah blah…” Conrad flapped his fingers dismissively. “But no, see, according to Mom’s people, back in like, the 60’s, a new family moved in, went to renovate the basement, and they found this bricked-over room down in the old wine cellar—”

Ashley rolled her eyes so hard it was audible. “Let me guess. And then they found a body. Totally mummified. Probably because there wasn’t any airflow through the bricks.”

He stopped abruptly, mouth open in a comical shape that couldn’t quite decide whether it was a grin or a grimace. “I—shit, what? You’ve already heard about—”

“You’re describing The Cask of Amontillado, oh my God.”

The dimples disappeared. “No I’m not! This is real!”

Across from him, Josh let out of a bark of laughter so intense that Sam was worried he might’ve dislodged one of his lungs. “Christ, man, are you fucking—”

“This place has had like twenty different owners in the past fifty years! No one wants to be there because weird shit keeps happening!” All at once the charming salesman was gone, replaced by a petulant kid; his and Josh’s relationship made sudden, perfect sense. Conrad turned back to Sam, probably because she was the only one of the four who wasn’t actively laughing in his face. Yet. “It’s totally legit! The stories, I mean. Not the like…” he wiggled his fingers and widened his eyes, scoffing as he said, “…ghoulies coming out to play hopscotch with the kids or whatever.”

“There’s no way that’s a real story.” It was the most Sam had heard Ashley say to anyone who wasn’t one of their ragtag team. Again, she had that same feeling—these guys had had this conversation before. A few times. “People don’t just find mummies in their basements.”

“Sure they do!”

“Connie.”

“There’s a reason people hate basements and attics, Ash, and that reason is sometimes you find bodies in them.”

There were not words enough in the English language to describe Ashley’s sigh.

“Here’s what I’m saying.” Conrad certainly wasn’t the storyteller Josh was, but as he mounted his second approach, it was very clear how deadly he would be as a pitchman.

God help them all the day he and Josh decided to put their differences aside and team up to use their powers for evil.

“I can get you the keys to a purportedly crazy-haunted mansion. That no one can sell. That’s been through a stupid number of owners. Where there’s at least a legend of a crawlspace mummy. And, as long as you don’t go listing off the address or straightup name-drop my mom’s agency, I can guaran-goddamn-fucking-tee you get all the time, space, and B-roll you could ever ask for.” Wisely, he’d positioned himself more towards Josh as he began listing shit off on his fingers. “You want full access? All floors? Done. You want to scope the property itself? Poke through the dirt for…I don’t know, bone shards or whatever? Done. You want to do an overnight without worrying about the cops getting called? Done. All of this…” he spread his arms out wide, a magnanimous king to his supplicants, “I will give to you. Free of charge.”

Sam didn’t need to look at the others to know they weren’t terribly impressed—she, herself, could hear something in his voice she didn’t totally like. Something bright but sticky, waving just over their heads like an anglerfish’s lure. His self-assured grin did not help matters.

Josh took a long, thoughtful pull off his cigarette, keeping his eyes on Conrad even as he turned his head to exhale. “But…” he said after a beat, ever the businessman.

“But nothing. I’m simply extending an offer to you, my friends, to help in your burgeoning paranormal busin—”

“But…” Josh said again.

And then they were in an old-timey standoff: Conrad leaning forward expectantly, Josh leaning back patiently, both with their eyebrows raised and mouths set in neutral slashes. One of Josh’s feet tapped in time with the muted beat of the music coming from inside; Conrad’s fingers drummed against the neck of his beer bottle. No one would’ve been shocked if, in that moment, a tumbleweed blew across their table.

The cheap plastic of Chris’s chair squeaked when he bent himself towards Ash, whispering “Rich! Kids! Fighting!” loudly enough for Sam to hear…at least until Ashley pressed a finger to his mouth to shut him up.

It was hard to say what did it, but the staring contest broke. Conrad let out a defeated groan, head rolling down onto his chest for a moment. “But…” he ceded, lifting his head in time to watch Josh take another drag, that time through a pointed smirk, “I have two itty bitty conditions.”

“Shock of shocks.” Josh chuckled. His eyes flicked to Sam’s. “Rule numero uno when it comes to dealing with the Conman, over here? Check that fine print right upfront.” He twiddled his fingers to urge him on. “Out with it, ya goddamn goon…”

He didn’t lodge any protest, instead sticking his index finger up. “One. I need your assistance spooking a certain someone. At a later date, of course. No rush on that one.”

Josh’s shoulders rose and fell once.

Conrad put up a second finger. “Two.” His eyes narrowed. “I want in.”

“No.”

“I—”

“No.”

He sat straighter in his seat, bringing his arms up in something that pretended to be defeat, “Fine! Cool! If you don’t want this sick, creepy-ass mansion full of dusty old paintings and moldy bed sheets…just…chock-full of bad juju and opportunities to get clicks, then by all means…”

Josh watched him silently. Then, heaving a sigh, he stamped his cigarette out on the table’s ashtray. “Team meeting. Plug your ears and hum or something, Connie.”

“Oh, of course, of course! I know how it goes…”

With the exception of Conrad, they all turned around in their seats (after a moment of confusion on Sam’s part—for the first time ever, it occurred to her that she was an actual part of the team, not just the newbie looking in from the outside). Chris took it upon himself to hop out of his chair, half-bending, half-squatting on the lawn to turn their impromptu meeting into a huddle.

“So?” Josh asked.

Ashley was the first to speak up. “We do need more locations…and I mean…” She bit down on her lower lip, shaking her head in resignation; she didn’t look particularly happy to say whatever it was. “If you still wanna do the Canada thing—”

“I do.”

Sam frowned, hissing “What Canada thing?” to Chris, who merely waved her off.

“—then this could be a good lead-up to it. An old mansion with a past?” Ashley shrugged, “It’s gonna be a lot of research, I’m sure, because Conrad never knows what he’s talking about—”

There was a not-so-distant “Hey!” followed by Josh loudly stating, “I don’t hear you humming, Bishop!”

“—and I’m positive I’ll actually have to write some kind of narrative line for us to follow, which also sucks, but…I dunno.” Shrugging, she looked to the rest of them. “I said my piece, what do you guys think?”

She leaned in closer to them, raising her voice just slightly. “What Canada thing?”

“It’s not important,” Josh said, waving her off in much the same way Chris had.

Great. She turned to Ashley, eyes plaintive. “Canada thing?”

Above them, one, two, three of the lights strung up popped and went out, showering the whole table with warm shards of glass.

“Fuck!”

“Holy shit!”

The five of them shielded their eyes, looking up to the string of lights, brushing the pieces of glass out of their hair, and just generally freaking out.

“Jesus please-us,” Ashley muttered, tentatively brushing her fingers through her hair. “What was that?” And then, answering her own question, she mumbled, “Must be too cold out here or something…sheesh!”

As though in response, there was another pop! They all jumped again, but it hadn’t been one of the bulbs right over them, so the only thing that followed was the delicate tinkling of glass hitting the hard ground.

Conrad pointed upwards while he had their attention, assuming a blank expression (though there was an obvious shit-eating grin glimmering in those big, blue eyes of his). “Hey, I dunno about you guys, but that sure feels like paranormal activity to me!”

“Shut up, man.”

“The spirits have spoken! They want you to take me up on this sweet, sweet offer…”

They turned back into their huddle, still occasionally picking tiny pieces of glass from themselves.

“If his idea of ‘getting in on this’ is interviews,” Chris began, clearly still shaken, if the way his eyes kept flicking upwards was anything to go by, “And you know it is, then we’re gonna have to blur his face and mod his voice so no one places the house. You get that, right? If he’s really worried about people putting two and two together and figuring out his mom’s the one selling it, then that’s just how it’s gonna have to be.” He looked to the three of them and rolled his eyes when they seemed unmoved. “That’s so much work! For me! Personally! Doesn’t that count for anything?”

“Couldn’t we just give him a fake name or something? The fuck do we care if it fucks with Mommy’s sales commission? If he signs the waivers and shit…”

Oh it was weird realizing her opinion mattered here. Sam crossed her arms and leaned in closer to the others. “I’d like to point out that you guys have no problem waltzing through places where people have been murdered, but when it comes to spending time with other living human beings, you need to weigh the pros and cons.”

“Think you meant the ‘pros and Con…rads.’”

“No I didn’t, Chris, and you know I didn’t.”

Josh let out another grumble before kneading at one of his temples. “Mk. Final verdicts, go.”

“I say yes,” Ashley said. “But he needs to get me all the info he has like…ASAP.”

“I also say yes.” Sam turned her eyes towards the stars, doing very little to hide her laughter. The situation was so dumb. Just like all situations she seemed to find herself getting into when the CREEPs were involved. “I also also want to go on the record as saying you guys are idiots and this so did not require a meeting…”

Chris released an unnecessarily mournful breath. “If I don’t have to blur him, then sure. Fine. Whatever. Why not. But I’m absolutely not rigging him with any blood packs, so—”

“All right, all right…” Swiveling around in his seat again, Josh looked to Conrad, keeping his face as expressionless as he could, as though reminding him who held the cards. “We have stipulations.”

“I’m sure you do. You always do.”

They held each other’s gaze for another second and then Josh reached over the table, holding his fist out. “This better be good as shit, Connie.”

Grinning that exuberantly boyish grin again, Conrad knocked his knuckles against Josh’s. “Have I ever let you down before, J-man? Please. I’ll have my people call your people and we can get this all squared away! Trust me…you’re gonna love this.”

[amitds]

Heroes Part II:

Summary: Kabuto and Manda are gone and now a new, greater threat has filled that void within Leaf City, one that even Sasuke (Kagatsuchi) and Sakura (Haruno),now partnered with Naruto (Kurama), find themselves falling against. To make matters worse, a dark cloud looms menacingly over Uchiha Corp. and Sasuke must deal with both while things between him and Sakura heat up, perhaps much too fast for either one of them to handle. 

Notes: I was in bed the other night, still trying to think up new stuff for my Witch and Vampire au, and I was like hmm how about I continue the Heroes AU? Then I started going off track and brain storming ideas for this instead of the witch/vampire project. Once again, this is supposed to be SS but I want to include Team 7 as a trio of heroes/teammates and through my work do what Kishi couldn’t with them so you’ll see stuff with Naruto and the enemies in the city as opposed to SS just being together. I also tried to write sex, which I still feel odd about though I’ve read a few books with sex scenes so there’s that... Oh yeah Naruto and Sakura’s designs are Kishi’s from the last the only difference being Sakura’s hair being a bit longer while Sasuke’s is from Sasuke Shinden which is from the same blank period. 

Read Heroes Part I here

 The Uchiha were never to be underestimated. This is what Sasuke had always known and this is what his brother had drilled into him since childhood. The mightiest of superheroes rose from this clan. The greatest of pioneers thrived under the Uchiha name. The most affluent were birthed within this family and reigned with the strength of the Uchiha. However, the Uchiha’s greatest, most coveted strength was always and will always be love. No family treasured love like the Uchiha and with love comes sacrifice. This is what Itachi said. 

Never in a million years, however, had Sasuke ever thought that this was actually a curse. How were you supposed to love and treasure love when those most precious to you have already died? How could you go through losing your loved ones again? How could you live knowing that your weakness killed those most precious to you?

Loving Sakura was dangerous. Of this Sasuke was most certain. It weakened him and exposed him to the bitterness of loss once more. More importantly, him loving Sakura put her life at stake. 

 After all, the Uchiha are cursed. 

Sasuke was running late. Again.

In his defense, he would have been on time had that cashier not held him back. 

His meetings were finished for the day and he, to his credit, was out of his office in time. Sasuke knew he had to keep an eye on that mysterious ‘Sirocco Development’ company that was aiming to snatch his firm’s tenders around Leaf City. But even then, with his extra strategy sessions, he was not held back.

 Tch. 

As if the company run by Sasuke Uchiha could be outmaneuvered. 

Yet, even with meetings about this threat screwing with his schedule, Sasuke was on time. Even his driver was prompt; awaiting him when he left Uchiha Tower so there wasn’t any hold up there either. 

 Alas his real hold up, the reason he still managed to run late, was at that damned store. That cashier just couldn’t help herself could she?

 It’s always like that though. Much to Sasuke’s chagrin, women are drawn to him for some reason. He never really paid any attention to their advances since he knew what he wanted and didn’t want in life; he knew what he was willing to give and himself was not one of those things. Though now, especially, it felt totally wrong.

In the five months following Kabuto’s defeat, Sasuke and Sakura had partnered up. However their bond superseded that of mere colleagues. From their partnership, a friendship was kindled and with their initial attraction roaring underneath, within months they were partners on a whole other level. They were lovers. 

 Sasuke had zero experience when it came to dating but he knew that this was right and that they were good.

They spent almost every night together: patrolling, watching movies, having dinner, snuggling...making out. 

So as far as Sasuke was concerned, he was Sakura’s.

They’ve never fought or argued, which was something Sasuke assumed he’d have to brace himself for. Indeed, the fact that he lived in such sweetness with her at present made his fear of his inevitable revelation all the more intimidating. 

He just couldn’t do it. As much as he knew he was bad for her and this would end in tragedy, Sasuke couldn’t pump the brakes on this affair. At least not yet.

He couldn’t control himself enough to leave and the constant gnawing of his conscience day and night wouldn’t let him rest. He was going to have to end this. That was the right thing to do. Part of him knew that, but if that was right then why was he feeling like this? 

Why did it feel like a tragedy in itself? 

Ugh. 

Suppressing his dark thoughts, Sasuke refocused on where he was at and remembered his night so far. He didn’t have to deal with that dilemma right now, he had bigger fish to fry and really, he needed to be with Sakura longer.

Taking all that time looking for that store, then that cashier... that’s what got him. When that cashier, Karen or Karin, or whatever the hell it was on that name tag she pushed forth while she stuck out her chest and tossed her hair tried to make small talk he knew it was time to go. When she tried to caress his hands as she handed him his bags, that’s when he knew for sure he needed to get the hell out of there A.S.A.P. and that’s when he left.

She wasn’t an unattractive woman but Sasuke didn’t know her and if he was honest with himself he had no interest in having small talk with her let alone bedding her. Not tonight. Not ever. It didn’t matter how much she or anyone else pushed. Sasuke was not interested. 

He would have sent Jugo, his driver and personal assistant, but Sasuke was resolute to do the shopping himself. After all, this was personal. This was for Sakura. 

“Are you satisfied with what you bought, Mr. Uchiha?” Jugo asked his eyes never veering from the road, at the exact moment Sasuke thought of him.

 “Is everything to your liking?” 

Jugo had a knack for knowing what was on Sasuke’s mind and showing up when thought about. Sasuke even wondered if he perhaps had a mind reading blessing or something at one time. Though, this is exactly why he was his right hand, in business and at home. 

He was efficient. 

“No I have everything I need,”  Sasuke replied, a simple smile warming his face as he held his bags. At this point, the driver could have been asking him if he wanted to eat his own eyeballs, and he’d smile subtly and agree all the same. Sasuke was lost in his thoughts.

 I mean this was Sakura he was meeting after all. 

Twenty minutes later, due to in no small part, Jugo and his lead feet breaking a few traffic laws, Sasuke was at the curb in front of Sakura’s. Sasuke’s sleek Mercedes-AMG C 43 4MATIC, however, was long gone, dashing and camouflaging into the blackness of night. There was no doubt in Sasuke’s mind that with Jugo behind the wheel that he’d already be parking the damned thing. 

Dressed in his all black ensemble:a black short sleeved buttoned down shirt, black slacks and black Gucci loafers with a titan black Rolex on his right arm, Sasuke made his way to Sakura’s two story rental. He was ready for his ‘date’. Luckily Jugo had brought him his change of clothes. That man really thought of everything. 

Naturally, they were just meeting to discuss the new case they’ve been dealing with for the past month, but when it came to Sasuke and Sakura, this was romance. This was a date. Bliss through the odd simplicity of their lives as super heroes was their norm and Sasuke wouldn’t trade that for anything: any romantic getaway or five star restaurant in the world. 

“What the..?”

When Sasuke rang her doorbell and Sakura didn’t open up or call out, panic flared within him. After a minutes, which felt like an hour, he was about ready to blow through the windows and dial Naruto. Fortunately, this was adverted when his phone vibrated in his pocket. 

Sakura had texted him. 

“Sorry just got out of the shower. I’m almost done so I’ll be down in a second. You know the code but... the titanium padlock’s inside... can you please hold a sec? Love you! 

:) <3 <3 <3″

“Ah.” Relief flooded through his mind as he read those words. That lock and titanium second door was his idea after all. 

He knew it was Sakura texting for sure because well... leave it to Sakura to text in complete, grammatically correct sentences while simultaneously leaving behind hearts and smiles.

 She always raged and ranted about the importance of proper grammar and the erosion of language in today’s society and even though Sasuke usually found it amusing when she was lit aflame with her passion and anger, he had to admit she was right. Fortunately, Sasuke Uchiha was dating a nerd. 

A hot nerd. 

It was trivial, well at least he thought it should be, but Sasuke’s mood always lit up when he got those hearts and smiles from Sakura. Those and the little plush animals and notes hidden in the lunches and pastry boxes she sent. 

Of course none of that could compare to the over the top kisses and hugs she lapped on him. God and when she ran her fingers through his hair and played with it...

 Sakura told him his spiky, black hair was cute and so help him he wasn’t cutting it for anything in the world. 

He’d never let her know how much those affected him though, since part of him wanted to remain mysterious and badass for his girl but Sasuke felt that she already knew and simply let him keep up his facade as her duty as his girlfriend. Fine by him. 

The thought of never receiving any of those again...

Shit. Not tonight, Sasuke. Focus!

This was a nightmare. 

To ease his mind, Sasuke re-read Sakura’s text and slowly, a sweetness and warmth enveloped him and chased away his worries.

  They still had time. Didn’t they? 

Reading her text and recollecting their relationship thus far Sasuke found himself grinning like an idiot all alone. Even in front of her house in the midst of all the cold and chill.

 Love really was something wasn’t it? He couldn’t imagine that this was his life and that such mushy, cliche crap was what he apparently craved and needed and from Sakura. He really did come a long way since Itachi’s death and the loneliness that followed. He’d always be grateful for this, even though it would not have been permanent. 

Waiting for Sakura, he decided to scope out the place as he usually does. One can never be too careful and as Kagutsuchi, Leaf City’s greatest hero, it was second nature to survey his surroundings at all times. No one was coming in here uninvited.

 Not as long as he was around. 

Sasuke never doubted that his girl could handle herself. After all she was just as much a hero as he was but he had to do this. It didn’t matter who it was. Sasuke was a protector and he was not losing anyone precious to him ever again. This wasn’t some cliche alpha male lover bullshit but rather, his way of doing things. His will of fire so to speak. 

Sasuke Uchiha looked out for those dear to him. Even if it meant insulting Sakura and having her pissed off, he was going to at least help protect her in her home. 

This was nonnegotiable. 

Upon inspection he noticed that Sakura’s two story Victorian was the same as it had been for the past few months. With its pearl- white coloring coupled with gray accents and its perfectly manicured lawn with vibrant hues of flowers scattered about, the place looked like it was plucked straight out of a magazine. Naturally.

Sakura was an adult and her dad was abroad but that didn’t stop him. He made sure to take care of his daughter. Apparently there was money to be made as a stand-up comedian, given this massive spread the man rented for his one and only daughter.

At first Sakura complained, most of the time to Sasuke, about her dad paying her rent for her for an entire house but clearly that ‘fire’ ran in their blood and her father was even more stubborn than she was since he won out in the end.  Sasuke didn’t know all the details about what went down between them but here she was three months later.

Of course Sasuke had to pretend to share her outrage but deep down he respected Kizashi Haruno and preferred Sakura in a large house instead of some scummy, cardboard box of an apartment. Sakura made it abundantly clear that she wasn’t staying in any of the condos or apartment complexes Sasuke offered so he had to take his victories where he could find them.

The night’s full moon only enhanced the scene, caressing everything with its milky radiance: beds of flowers, the walls of Sakura’s house and even the tall oaks she kept on the far left side. Everything was touched by moonlight which only made Sasuke’s job all the more simple.  

“Hn.”

In a flash, Sasuke took off.

Swiftly surveying the premises, Sasuke was in his element in the darkness and moonlight. Running, climbing and maneuvering about, Sasuke combed through Sakura’s property at a blinding pace. Every move was strategic, elegant and without sound like that of a trained dancer as Sasuke made his way around and between every corner.

It took Sasuke a mere seven minutes before he completed his scan, his scope out yielding nothing of consequence: the neighbour’s teen daughter, Moegi, sneaking out to meet some boy through her window; some punks gambling on a street corner and a middle aged guy walking a dog higher up the road. The dog looked like it wanted to take a bathroom break but as long as it didn’t wander onto Sakura’s lawn, not his problem.

 His last spot was a dilapidated tree house in the back, probably a remnant from the past owners’ family. When even that yielded nothing of suspicion Sasuke decided to head back before Sakura noticed. 

“What?!”

Sasuke froze. 

“Don’t trust me to stay safe?” 

 A voice chuckled as Sasuke calmed himself and extinguished his now lit fireball before being totally and completely blindsided. He was close to the porch when he was caught red handed, literally (hello fireball).

Sakura had caught him. Again. 

“Oof!” Sasuke felt the breath leave his body before he could reply.

 Sakura had charged into him. 

“You smell great. New cologne?” Sakura murmured while she snuggled into his chest with her arms laced around his back. She did that a lot when they met up, as if seeing him makes her day and Sasuke had no problems with that.

The last thing Sasuke Uchiha needed as the city’s number one hero and a billionaire C.E.O. with movie star good looks was an ego boost but this certainly was not his fault now was it? 

“Ah. Sakura. Yeah. Aramis.” Sasuke let out closing his arms around Sakura, who stood still snuggled into his chest. She was warm as usual and her hair, God her hair smelt amazing. Still damp from her shower, the sweet scent that lifted itself to him was that of rich vanilla. Sakura was apparently trying out a new shampoo again and Sasuke approved. 

Standing there holding on to her one thought kept ringing and ringing in his head. 

How could he ever leave her? 

Sasuke couldn’t help but close his eyes and savor this embrace. Sakura fit perfectly in his arms and even after all these months, he loved meeting her, holding her, touching her.

“Sasuke, what weeere you doing?” Sakura drawled as she looked up from his chest, her body still pressed into his own. 

She knew already but she loved drawing it out of him and when she did it with a smirk like she was doing now Sasuke had to fight off the urge to kiss her hard. 

With tongue. 

“ I was surveying the surroundings,”  Sasuke stated nonchalantly. “You never know where the enemy lurks and when, Sakura.”

Sakura’s apple-green eyes still stared deeply into his own of obsidian as he spoke. He could feel every breath she took as she listened and looked up at him.  When they connected like this Sasuke felt like he could just stay in this state of bliss forever.

“Ah. I see.” 

“Look. I trust you to take care of yourself, Sakura...”

“Relax Sasuke. I get it.” Sakura laughed. 

“So you came down and saw me again I presume?”

Sasuke had to admit he liked getting caught by Sakura. By now it was tradition. 

“Nope. Actually strangely enough, I heard some leaves and then when I checked I didn’t see you at the door so I looked around. To be honest I am surprised you made that much noise.” 

Sasuke moved as he usually moved on missions, in complete stealth so Sakura saying that she heard him came as a complete shock. Was he really that noisy? Distracted? Sloppy? 

What was wrong with him today? 

Whatever, it was he had more important duties tonight than his own inner turmoil and so he decided to brush it off. 

“Hn. It was just an extra patrol.”

“Hn.” Sakura repeated. She was teasing him now and he knew she loved how red he got when she did it. But before Sasuke could interrupt she went on. 

“Thank you for looking out for me, for us.”

As the words left her mouth she grabbed Sasuke’s face and brought him down for a full on kiss. When her lips brushed against his and her tongue entered his mouth, Sasuke gasped into her and let out a guttural moan that only nudged Sakura to press closer into him. 

The warmth, moisture and softness of Sakura’s kiss while her body rubbed against him was more than enough to make him hard as stone. He wanted her. God how he wanted her. 

Sasuke had to ration all of his strength to snap back into his senses to twist and hide his massive erection from pressing into Sakura. They hadn’t had sex yet and he didn’t want to ruin the moment with his hard on. He didn’t think that she was ready for it and he most certainly was not regardless of what his ‘little Sasuke’ was aching for down there. 

Following a few seconds of Sakura hungrily kissing him like she’d never see him again, she finally let up and they broke apart. They were both left gasping and breathing heavily as they tried to cool off from the intensity of the kiss.

It was only then that Sasuke managed to truly take in the sight of her. Dressed in a tight white t-shirt and shorts that were extremely short and tight, not that Sasuke was complaining, she was radiant. With no makeup, only her bindi-mark upon her face and her rose -coloured hair messily cascading around her shoulders, Sakura was the most sublime creature on the planet to Sasuke in that moment.

And she was all his. 

It was precisely because she was in her most comfortable and simple state, that Sasuke couldn’t look away.  

“Let’s go inside. I gathered some more data and I have something for you, Sakura.”  Sasuke instructed in his typical, stoic manner. He couldn’t very well keep staring at her like some kind of freak now could he? And they did have work to do. They were heroes first and everything else afterwards. 

Or so he told himself. 

“You have something for me?” Sakura squeaked as she gently brushed his lips with her own once more, this time in a sweet and brief kiss before grabbing his hand and leading him inside. 

“Hn.” 

Sasuke let her lead him and smiled with lidded eyes and he looked at the superhuman beauty in front of him. Sakura was just so bubbly, so affective... so cute. 

Sasuke found himself constantly relishing and living in these moments these days. Maybe, he thought, just maybe he really could carve out a space in his life for romance with her even with his company and crime fighting. 

Yeah, she was worth it. They were worth it. Weren’t they?

When Sakura heard the crackling of leaves from her bedroom and didn’t see Sasuke on the porch when she raced downstairs, she knew exactly what was up. ‘Sasuke recon’ which is what was to be expected when your boyfriend was the greatest hero in the city and a genius. 

This was fifth time she caught him in something like this, yeah she was keeping count, and though she didn’t like someone constantly protecting her since she wasn’t too shabby a hero herself, she had to admit it felt wonderful to have her boyfriend look out for her. She does the same for him and having a boyfriend who is so protective is a plus in her book so it was all good. 

Also, Sakura thought it was cute to catch him sneaking around with that stone like expression on his face and his furrowed brows tightening as he moved about. With his chiseled jaw clenched in focus, his spiky hair that seemed to be woven from the night sky itself and his jet black eyes darting around, Sakura thought Sasuke looked incredibly sexy. Apparently her boyfriend being a bad ass hero with ninja-like reflexes and a hot bod just made her want him more. 

Who would have thought?

Honestly, Sasuke Uchiha was hot as hell and moved like a jungle cat in the night. What girl wouldn’t marvel at something like that? And it’s not like he was serious. After all he was noisy enough for her to hear him stomping about all the way from bedroom upstairs this annoyingly large mansion.

 So Sasuke clearly liked the game and Sakura was all to happy to play. 

Five months ago they met by chance when Sakura was investigating a kidnapping operation at Katsuyu Gardens. Kabuto, the man who killed Sasuke’s brother just so happen to be the mastermind behind the operation and by drugging dissatisfied rich kids who turned to him for purpose and drugs, he was well equipped for sustaining his mutant brother’s life. 

What other plans he could have had involving all those kids’ blood, well Sakura was glad that he was stopped before she could have found out. Thank God they beat him before he could have gone off on some other kick. 

Sakura and Sasuke took him down together and partnered up after that night. They both worried that he’d sell out Sasuke’s identity as Kagatsuchi. However, according to the police he kept laughing about Kagutsuchi’s secret being safe with him while in custody and not wanting to spoil the fun.

 After a few weeks of him not saying anything to the authorities, the duo realised he was probably keeping his promise for his own sick amusement. Sakura thought he wanted to keep them guessing and worrying about it, driving them mad. Though in the grand scheme of things it didn’t matter. 

He was dead. 

Kabuto had died in jail a few months back. Apparent suicide. 

Despite it all, even after all he did, Sakura still found herself pitying him. She however, comforted herself in knowing that he wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone anymore and such an evil soul was put to rest. And from his defeat their story began.

The attraction between Sasuke and Sakura was there from the start. From that battle a bond was formed. The attraction was plain to see but when Sakura confessed weeks later Sasuke, much to her bewilderment, poked her forehead, smiled and said he’d give her an answer later. At first she thought he was overwhelmed or didn’t feel the same but within minutes, while she sulked, Sasuke grabbed her and kissed her, making her see stars. 

“I feel the same...” 

She had a feeling that Sasuke liked her but she didn’t think that he’d ever make a move. At times like this she really appreciated not being one hundred percent right about everything all the time. There were some things her book smarts couldn’t predict. Thank God for that. It made life much more enjoyable.

Reminiscing over that moment, the moment they finally became a couple, still warmed Sakura’s heart. The giddiness she still felt whenever she thought of him, of them; the lovely sting of young love, it was exactly what she always dreamed of when she thought about falling in love. It was delightfully sweet.

 Despite her doubts.

Yeah she had doubts. So far their relationship was fine. They weren’t perfect by any means but Sakura loved him and whatever flaws Sasuke possessed, she was okay with it. She would handle it. And what flaws did he have really? Sakura couldn’t really list anything. 

They never argued. Yeah, he was extremely protective but so what? That just shows he cares and nothing was wrong with Sasuke being protective. 

What could possibly be wrong with that? Sakura hated to be split about it but after repeating these musings to herself like prayer every night she couldn’t ignore the unease that chilled her, especially in her moments of solitude. It wasn’t just Sasuke being protective of her all the time and she meant all the time.

On missions, as opposed to their battle against Kabuto and their early missions as a duo, and later a trio with Naruto A.K.A. Kurama, Sasuke in recent times seemed to push himself harder for them, Sakura specifically. He didn’t think she noticed but she did. Pushing himself in front of her, suggesting she take easier tasks, secretly watching her even while fighting enemies, Sasuke seemed perturbed. 

Sakura loved feeling loved and protected by her boyfriend and would have appreciated these gestures as secretive as they were but she knew better. She could read him in a way no one else could and she could safely say the same when it came to Sasuke understanding her. These actions were not spurred from love but from fear and if this continued someone was going to pay the ultimate price mid battle. 

 As much as Sakura loved him and she knew without a doubt that he loved her back, something was missing. And slowly but certainly a void was forming within her, within them both. 

She knew it. This wasn’t enough for a relationship to prosper. Sasuke was holding himself back around her while burdening himself with her safety. He kept a secret and it was one she intended to unearth even if it meant the end of them as partners and lovers. 

“Uh...”

“Oh Sasuke! Oh sorry for the mess!” Sakura exclaimed as she witnessed Sasuke’s apparent shock at her stacks of files, loose papers and photos. Upon entering, Sasuke stood motionless in the center of her living room and this sharply jolted Sakura back from her musings.

Her tidy and organized living room was now overrun, only the roaring fire of her fireplace free of debris. Even her newly varnished, antique rocker was unusable  due to the weight of her mountains of paper work forced onto it.

“Sakura...”

“No. Just give me some time. I’ll fix it,” Sakura apologised as she hustled about clearing a seat for her guest. Flustered and mildly embarrassed, she was in her own world trying to tidy up.

“I only came home from work half and hour ago so I didn’t tidy and I had to shower before...”

“Sakura it’s fine,” Sasuke sighed with his eyes closed and a faint smile decorating his face.

“This is work. I’m glad it’s all out. I was hoping we worked through the night.”

“Oh thank God.” Sakura was chuckling nervously with her left hand rubbing the back of her head. “Cause I was going to ask you if just dinner during our break would be okay, though I know you’re more dedicated to work than I am so it was a given.”

“I wouldn’t say more dedicated.” Sasuke moved closer to Sakura as he spoke.

“You’re busy with your internship at Konoha General but I can arrange my meetings to suit so... Sakura the fact that you are a doctor and still manage to patrol and research in your spare time it’s remarkable.”

“I don’t feel ‘remarkable’....”

Sakura knew that she was dampening the mood with her negativity but she couldn’t hold back. The pressure of her life as a doctor/super hero was getting to her and she was never one to hold back how she felt. This was especially true when in the presence of Sasuke. Not that she could really hide anything from him anyway. 

He just always knew.

“Sakura...”

Sasuke’s voice was still as the moonlight that shone tonight and Sakura knew he was waiting, analyzing and planning through those slightly worried eyes of his. Those commanding eyes, blackened like a starless night. He knew what was wrong but he dared not jump ahead of her. That was his way. He let her express herself before he involved himself.

“More overdoses.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah. That’s why I’m so adamant on this...” Sakura gestured with her arms to the mess around her. as she spoke.

“Sasuke, I feel like we’re not doing enough. The drug epidemic these guys are fueling.... Sasuke I can’t look at another user suffer. I can’t see another one die. We have to get them.”

“Hn. We will.”

When Sasuke held her face in his palm and stared deeply into her eyes, Sakura felt like some of her stress and worry melt away and for that she was terribly grateful.

“I mean it Sakura. Don’t worry.”

“Yeah...”

Just as briskly as he held her, he let go to Sakura’s mild disappointment.

“That idiot Naruto went out on a patrol tonight.” Sasuke continued. It was obvious that he was trying to assure, not only Sakura but himself, and work up a distraction.

What is your secret, Sasuke Uchiha?

“ He said he wanted to patrol after his youth programme and he’d meet us here afterwards.”

Sakura’s dilemma evaporated from her mind when Sasuke spoke. Naruto out alone? Sure, they were each independent heroes before teaming up in these recent months but the fact that they were a team meant that none of them pulled shit like this. Especially without properly informing the rest. Sakura would pummel that idiot when she got her hands on him.

Alone Naruto usually patrols his neighbourhood but with the recent spike in crime: gun violence and drug dealing, Sakura didn’t want to take that chance. He should still have taken at least one of them with him. Leaf City was devolving and they needed to work as a team to save it. That was for sure. 

Honestly, as much as she loved him, Naruto could really make her worry. He was like a brother to her and even though she knew he had feelings for her, Sakura loved the bond they actually shared. He never forced anything and accepted that her and Sasuke were together.

He was her close friend and, more importantly, right now he was a powerful super hero and a legend in the city every bit as illustrious and adept as Sasuke was. Before teaming up he was her idol as a rookie heroine, just as Sasuke was so in times like these she had to believe that this was enough, that those boys’ greatness was enough.

Although admittedly, in the back of her mind, Sakura sometimes wondered if they were too great even for her.  

“Sasuke, isn’t that dangerous? You shouldn’t have let him go alone. It’s not the same as it was months ago. What if...” 

Before she could finish, Sasuke interrupted her.

“Relax. He just texted me in the car saying everything was normal so he’s fine... and if there’s one thing I know about that idiot is that he’s as durable and annoying as a roach. Nothing can kill him and he’s the most reliable man I know. He’ll be fine.”

Say what you will about Sasuke and Naruto but as much as they fought, they loved ten times more. Of course Sakura would never point it out to either one of them. Seeing Sasuke express his confidence in Naruto cheered her up. 

Not surprisingly, both of them were hesitant to team up, apparently they didn’t get along the few times they managed to cross paths. Although, when the three of them met up and a bank robbery interrupted the boys’ blathering, history was made and it was all set in motion.

Despite all of their grand standing, Kurama and Kagutsuchi worked together amazingly and were extremely powerful, especially as a team. With their success, the reticence when it came to their partnering up with one another and Haruno, melted away and with that their three man cell was born.

They still bicker like crazy but those boys, her boys, were brothers and Sakura was grateful for having them both in her life. She also knew they felt the same way.

She still wondered, however, why Naruto didn’t think it right to text her. 

“So you said you had some more info, Sasuke?” Sakura asked. 

No time to dwell.

 They were both seated on her now cleared, dixie sofa, with her sterling silver, glass paneled coffee table before them. Moving some of her files to the side, Sakura beckoned Sasuke to add what he had.

“Ah. I managed to hack into the police database...”

“Sasuke oh my God!” Sakura giggled.

“It had to be done. Anyway I got these.” He laid out a stack of manila files onto the table and as Sakura read through the first he continued.

“As you can see, officers have been killed in the line of duty in five major areas around Leaf City at an alarming rate.”

“What the hell? Twenty-one officers in three weeks?!” Sakura was almost shouting now. “I thought it was nine dead?! Why don’t we know anything?!”

“Inspector Hatake is in Sand City. Death in his family. And without him, my links are all but non existent.... and even then I don’t know if he can divulge anything to me.”

“Wow is it really that confidential? Is that why this wasn’t reported?”

“They were Anbu.” Sasuke’s tone was as as controlled as ever as he spoke.

“Anbu?” Sakura inquired never taking her eyes off of Sasuke. His tone and the way his eyes dropped slightly both told her that this was a secret. 

One apparently he knew while she didn’t.

“Elite secret soldiers under the Leaf Council themselves.” Sasuke finally blurted out. He now met Sakura straight in her eyes.

“ No one is supposed to know about them...” he paused and Sakura knew he was absorbing the shock and awe that now stamped her features. There was still so much she didn’t know as a rookie and instead of advancing as part of this team she felt like it just made things worse.

As if sensing her unease Sasuke carried on.

“My family....The Uchiha have been around for centuries. That’s how I know about them.”

“You never told me.” Her tone was even yet lit with disappointment and her eyes descended to her lush, cream carpet while she spoke. 

Sakura didn’t intend to sound offended and whiny, and she could of sworn she didn’t, however the look Sasuke gave her said otherwise. Really, she’d be lying if she said that this didn’t irk her, if at least slightly.

“Does Naruto know?” Scratch the ‘slightly’. Really, who cares if she was sounding petty? She needed to know if she was at a disadvantage on this team.

“He’s the mayor’s son so he might.”

“Great.” Sakura’s sigh was pronounced as she spoke and she knew Sasuke probably picked up on it. Really, she wasn’t mad at him or even disappointed in him. It had nothing to do with him and she hoped he knew it.

 This was all about her.

It’s just, she already felt intimidated matching those two in this context: a rookie in a new city and the first hero from her family, so she didn’t need the fact that she was in the dark while Sasuke and Naruto, legendary heroes from wealthy founding families, knew more than she did. She couldn’t control how she felt and at least she acknowledged that she had an insecurity. 

That was a good thing, wasn’t it? First step to recovery and all that?

“... It’s a secret and they don’t meddle with anything concerning us. I don’t even know anything about them apart from the fact that they exist. The Uchiha were not part of the council for decades and if it weren’t for Itachi’s surveillance...”

Sasuke’s voice trailed off and for just a split second Sakura caught the splinter of pain that cut across his face, before he sealed it back under his signature, stoic expression.

Itachi’s death still haunted him. This was obvious and despite him saying he was alright and his improvement from when they first met, Sakura knew it was still weighing on him. You never get over the death of a loved one, especially a death of such a tragic nature.

“Sasuke, it’s okay.” Sakura moved in close and placed her palm over his. “I’m okay and I’m here if you want to...”

“They, the Anbu can pass as regular police, but they aren’t part of the official force. Sometimes they plant themselves into police stations and work.”

Yeah Sasuke definitely wasn’t going to talk about Itachi more than he needed to, Sakura realized. His slight grimace and downward stare while he interrupted her and changed the topic, they weren’t exactly vague indicators of where he was at.

With a sigh she let it go. What else could she do? And this case was more important, at least in this moment.

Focusing on the issue at hand, she continued.

“Isn’t that wrong? To have a secret army?”

Sakura knew she probably came across as naive but she didn’t care. She was a hero from a civilian family in another city. Clearly, Leaf City wasn’t a run of the mill Western metropolis as it appeared.

 Certain traditions from the city’s founding by the Senju of the East were apparently still rooted in the city’s culture and operating behind the scenes. Sakura wondered what other secrets lay underneath the underneath of Leaf City. What else didn’t she know?

This night really wasn’t what she expected it to be.

“No. At least legally it’s not. The Anbu existed from the time of the city’s founding, when the Senju started their settlement.”

Sasuke was responding to her and at the sound of his voice, once more, she tried to focus on the issue at hand and stifle her internal whining.

“I see. Well it is an ingenious way to secure power. A secret army controlling law enforcement... so Anbu huh?” 

 Sakura knew she was barely fooling Sasuke with her sudden interest in the council’s strategy. She was a nerd but she was an emotional nerd and her weakness is and always was her ability to feel. 

It was her strength too. At least she once believed it was. 

“Killing Anbu isn’t easy, Sakura. They are supposed to be highly trained assassins and guardians and even though blessings are rare in Leaf City there are supposedly a few blessed ones in their ranks.”

“So who could take them down?” Sakura’s index finger was bent at her chin now, that large brain of hers storming through possibilities. “That would be easy especially with suitable weaponry I suppose or...”

She paused. 

The idea that more blessed ones like Kabuto were running wild through the streets made her stomach turn. Blessed ones were so rare after all with most of them being heroes or laying low.

 Please not that. 

Was Sasuke wondering about the threat of more blessed ones too? Sakura couldn’t tell. Concrete proof was needed of course. Though, following Kabuto killing Itachi and then him facing off against them, Sakura knew that they should take no chances. They had to expect the worst. 

“Or blessed ones.”

“Or blessed ones.”

They said it simultaneously and hearing this from Sasuke, aloud and knowing that he thought the same made it real to Sakura. Hearing someone else confirm her fears: super villains. Again. 

“God it’s just so much! These overdoses and now this? Sasuke, this isn’t right. As if I wasn’t feeling like crap before.”

“Sakura, we’ll get them. Blessing or no blessing. We’ll find them and defeat them. I swear on the Uchiha.” Sasuke’s eyes were locked on hers as he spoke to Sakura. 

“Hm. Yeah.” Sakura just had to agree. He made it so easy to believe, to hope.

Sakura smiled as she stared back at those commanding black eyes aimed at her. That fire in Sasuke’s eyes...He was proud and resolute and in that moment Sakura found herself supported by Sasuke, by his strength. They were going to crack this case and take out whoever it was. That was certain and given how stubborn the three of them were, Sakura thought their chances were looking good. 

Steeling herself, Sakura continued. 

“We need to find out where these dealers are and we need to find the blessed one helping them, assuming there is a blessed one at all.” 

“The answer must be in the murders.” Sasuke suggested, his brow furrowed in deep concentration. This was his element. Sakura knew it by now. This was where he truly shone, as a hero and a detective.

“Sasuke you don’t think?...”

“Hn. The files. Cause of death. No blessing was mentioned but if we can analyse the data.”

“Shannaro! I’m on it. It shouldn’t be hard to tell who was killed by a blessing, no matter how odd it is.”

“Here’s half. Anything odd we pull out that case.”

“Yeah!”

There it was. Sakura’s determination. In the twenty minutes or so that followed Sasuke caught himself sneaking glances at Sakura as she worked. He saw her doing the same from time to time but didn’t let her know. 

This easiness, this comfort when he worked with Sakura, who was just a dependable as he was, was a sensation he didn’t think he’d ever get accustomed to. Sure he worked with Itachi but Itachi was the leader. Here with Sakura and Naruto, Sasuke truly felt that he was dependable and could depend on his comrades as well. 

He was an equal. 

He was part of a team.

So far most of the deaths he’d been reading through haven’t struck him as odd. Fatal gunshot wounds, stab wounds, strangulation, the usual. The oddest of his set were a couple of apparent poisonings so he put those aside. 

Sakura had a few separated as well and from the way she pursed her lips and wriggled her nose Sasuke knew she was examining every single detail, every word,as she read. Her analytical ability was the best on their team and that intelligence and resolve were what he loved about her. 

As he finished his last file and set aside his, now five, poisoned cases he was alerted to the sound of Sakura closing her files as well. 

“Done. I got seven strange deaths over here. Coroner ruled it as a poisoning.” Sakura informed as she held her folders in her hands. They flapped wildly as she gestured. “What did you find, Sasuke?”

“Shit. Five poisonings over here too. The rest were stabbings and shootings.” They were on the cusp of something. Sasuke could sense it. “Could be a poison weapon though. Bombs...”

“Not so sure. Can I see your files, Sasuke?”

“Uh. Hn.” 

“Just as I thought.” 

“What did you find, Sakura?”

“There are no needle marks, no traces of anything in their lungs, nasal passages or mouths. Blood work came back negative as well. The only indication that there was some sort of poison isn’t even really an indication at all. See?”

Sakura moved in closer and showed Sasuke the sections she apparently highlighted as she read. 

“There is no trace of any known poison in these bodies. Poisons such as bufalin, oleandrin, digoxin, ouabain.... They act on the contractile force of the cardiac muscle, effectively disrupting the pumping action of the heart. Myocardial contractility, the heart’s contraction, was forced to a halt the same way for sure but it’s impossible that there was poison used here.”

“So you’re telling me that someone simply stopped their hearts?”

“No poisons and no wounds like the other murders so yeah, whoever got these guys had to have been using some sort of blessing that mimics poisoning or affects muscles in some way.”

“Hn.” Sasuke smirked. Partly because he was glad that they finally made a headway in this case and partly because he couldn’t figure it out while Dr. Sakura Nakamura just did. “Now we just have to find the user.”

“But before that, the analysis of the drug sample you gave me came back”

“And?”

“Not good. These drugs are not typical, especially for Leaf City... This type of coke is on a whole different level. We can’t peg some of the chemicals and it seems to be more potent than the usual.”

“ These aren’t typical drug dealers. Some big shot kingpin... if it were just random punks distributing we’d have caught a few.”

“You’re right and here’s the thing... Concocting this requires extensive pharmaceutical capabilities and capital, Sasuke. I don’t know the process involved and based on the Anbu murders and the blessed one I’d say that these dealers are this person’s army.”

“Highly trained, highly staffed and a blessed one backing them. Shit. We need to find them. Finding that blessed one should do it.... Wait is that a map you have out?”

“Oh yeah. Hold on I have it on my laptop. Here.” As Sakura spoke she grabbed her laptop and pulled up a map of Leaf City with points circled. 

“These are all the areas where the addicts who overdosed were picked up. They’re all over. I thought we could have gotten something if I plotted the points but...”

“Hn. I think I know how we find this blessed one.” 

Sasuke was so close, he knew it. Why didn’t he think of this before? 

“Shannaro! Sasuke you’re a genius!” 

At her exclamation Sakura’s grip on Sasuke’s hand tightened and sent an intoxicating, heady spark racing through his body. At Sakura’s touch, Sasuke felt a fire roar within him. Her hands were silken, her touch soothing and her grip firm and tethering. Sasuke felt the exhilaration of her touch winding its way through him and for a few seconds, his mind vacated his conversation and was thrust into fantasy. 

Sasuke could imagine those creamy, tender hands of Sakura’s touching him, playing with his hard length as she teased; smoothing over his bare back as he rode her and pumped into her; gripping and grabbing his ass as they both climaxed together in a throe of passion and lust.   

In their months of dating they hadn’t had sex but Sasuke could feel his body losing itself more frequently as time went by. Sakura carved herself a place within his heart and now his body itself acted on its own around her. The yearning to have her under him and over him, touching him and being touched by him; kissing him and having him drink from her was all consuming and Sasuke knew he would have her anyway she let him. 

“... so basically we compare the OD’d scenes with the ‘poison deaths’ and we’d find the blessed one’s territory, right Sasuke? Sasuke?”

“Ah.” 

Luckily for Sasuke, Sakura caught on to his plan so he didn’t have to listen to what she said to correct her. Him zoning out for a few seconds was embarrassing and so unlike himself and judging from her expression, he was out for more than a few seconds. 

“We should pin point the general area where this guys moves about. Assuming he isn’t all over the place, we should isolate his location.”

Minutes later, Sasuke finished entering the locations of the strange murders Sakura called out for him and had his answer. “Here.”

What was presented before them, in a cluster of red and blue circles (indicating the overdoses and deaths respectively) shocked Sasuke and he could tell that Sakura felt the same way.

 The assailant indeed had been operating in one area where all twelve of the Anbu murders took place.  

“He’s there. Sasuke that’s where that blessed one is. East Jonin District.”

“Yeah. The blessed one. He has to be crucial enough to lead us to the source. Sakura I think we should get Naruto over here A.S.A.P.”

“Hm. I already texted him.” 

“Now we wait.”

When Sakura got her hands on Naruto she was going to pummel him into a coma for sure. When she texted, he immediately replied that he’d be there as soon as possible so she didn’t need to call. 

The problem? 

That was half an hour ago. If not for his last quick text to Sasuke ten minutes ago, saying he was on his way, she would have thought that something happened to him.

Trust them and stop worrying like a rookie Sakura! They know better than you.

God she was a mess.

On the bright side, Sasuke and her had taken a leap ahead when it came to this drug syndicate tonight and had time for dinner while they waited for their teammate, so it wasn’t a total loss. She always enjoyed spending time with Sasuke alone anyway so maybe this was a blessing in disguise.

Dinner was great...well as great as ordering pizza could be. In her defense, Sakura was a working woman and super heroine with a tight schedule. Part of her regretted not being able to provide a home cooked meal for her boyfriend but the other part of her knew that Sasuke didn’t care. Despite all his wealth, Sasuke was a simple man and found beauty in simplicity, just like Sakura did. 

In that sense, they were a perfect match.

The couple took their time eating while they waited for Naruto. Sasuke especially, Sakura noted. In all these months of dining with Sasuke, Sakura still found herself marveling at his table manners. Unlike her, Sasuke didn’t take his slices and shovel them into his mouth. Nope not Sasuke Uchiha.

At dinner Sasuke was a model gentleman with exemplary table manners. Even with pizza Sasuke carefully wielded his knife and fork, as adeptly as he did his katana, making precise cuts in his slices before daintily lifting them with his fork. After every bite he subtly dabbed his mouth with his napkin before resuming. As always, he exuded an air of sophistication and class.

Sakura’s mind wandered once again and now mischievous thoughts penetrated her mind. She was curious about what else Sasuke could do so carefully, skillfully and efficiently with those hands of his. 

As if him being a modern day Adonis wasn’t enough to get her going.

“Is something wrong, Sakura?” Sasuke stopped and abruptly asked Sakura, his eyes focused on her now. “Sakura?”

“Nope nothing. I...” Sakura squeaked as she waved her hands dismissively. She was such a dork.

  Sakura you idiot.

“You’re looking at me, is something wrong?”

“Sorry it’s just... I’ve never seen anyone eat pizza with a knife and fork before. Ah...You’re table manners are remarkable.” 

God she felt like such a weirdo. That’s it. Sakura was a stalker. A stalker, fangirl, who couldn’t stop staring at her boyfriend while he ate. She should be dumped. 

“Hn.” Surprisingly, Sasuke was beaming, that characteristic Uchiha sideways smirk now adorning his perfectly chiseled face. “No need to apologize. I’m glad you think so highly of me... and that your eyes are on me.” 

With that he winked at her and Sakura almost fell off her chair on the high that gave her. A blush of deep pink bloomed across her features and Sakura never resembled her namesake to such an extent before. 

Without warning Sakura found herself bursting out into a fit of giggles. “Oh Sasuke you never fail to surprise me.” 

She needed this, needed him. Her internship was hell so far and this crime wave was really eating away at her resolve and confidence. Recently, spending time with Sasuke seemed to be the only good thing in her life and the closer they became, the greater her yearning to make this last. 

“Hn.” Sasuke smiled as he cleared finished his meal and carried both his and Sakura’s wares to the sink. 

“You don’t have to...”

“Sakura. Yes I do. Thank you for the meal.”

“But I didn’t cook anything...”

“And?”

When Sakura just fell silent, without being asked he turned around and did the dishes. He really was a catch, Sakura thought. She was hopelessly in love with the perfect man. God and it was heaven.

“I got us dessert.” Sasuke said as he rinsed the last plate and toweled it off. “I put in in the fridge.”

“Oh Sasuke you didn’t have to.... Wow! Anmitsu!  You got anmitsu!” 

“I ah... I remembered you liked it and...” 

Before Sasuke could get his sentence out Sakura grabbed his arm and led him to her couch.  In her other hand she already had their two spoons, ready for dessert. 

Now Sasuke was the one blushing and Sakura loved that she was the one who caused it.

“Put the dishrag down and let’s have this in the living room.”

“So where did you get it?” Sakura asked, minues later, as she took her first spoonful of syrupy, candied goodness. Huddling close together, they were both seated on the couch and Sakura was on top of the world. Sasuke was next to her, sharing her favorite dessert 

She missed having anmitsu and eating this now made her think of her mother. Sasuke actually remembered that this was her favourite dessert. She didn’t think that he would, after all she just mentioned it casually months before.

 “I’ve been looking for a good Eastern dessert place forever.” 

“Yeah. Jugo found out about this place in the Southern district so I thought I’d get it for tonight.” 

Putting her spoon down, Sakura leaned in and softly kissed Sasuke on his cheek. “Well. Thank you. You’re really sweet for doing this... Pun intended.”

“Ah yeah... Sakura...you’re welcome.” With half lidded eyes Sasuke dreamily looked at her as he responded. 

Sakura could feel his adoration as he looked at her. He loved her and it showed and even though he never stated it, she knew it to be absolutely true. In this moment they were happy despite whatever hang ups they had as individuals and as a couple.

Minutes flew by and even though Sakura enjoyed snuggling against Sasuke, she was getting impatient and so too was Sasuke.

“Where the hell is that idiot?!” Sasuke barked as he put aside his bowl. 

Sakura had already vacuumed up hers, naturally, and was enjoying leaning on him. 

“I’ll call him. He’s really worrying me. He texted twenty minutes ago saying he would be here soon right?” Sakura sighed with her phone already in her hand.

 “I hope he’s okay.”

“Tch. Knowing that baka, he probably got lost.” 

“Sasuke you...” Before she could finish, her phone connected. “Oh Naruto hi. Where are you? You’re on speaker by the way.”

 “Hi Sakura! I know I am running late. Some assholes were trying to rob a jewelry store earlier so I got held back. I am almost done with my patrol. Just a little longer.”

“Hn. Robbers took too much out of you, Naruto?”  Sasuke was smirking as he jabbed Naruto which was the norm between them. 

“Sasuke you!” And as usual Sasuke hit a nerve. 

Sakura sighed. She wasn’t sure if she should laugh or be mad at this point. She was sure though that they needed to get back on track.

“Guys! Naruto, Sasuke and I found out that there’s a blessed one among them and he seems to be in the East Jonin District so we need a plan. Even though you’re in the West in you still be careful. Don’t rush into any of these dealers especially in crowds. No telling where that blessed one is.”

“Um Sakura?

“Yes?” 

“I am in the East tonight.”

“What? Since when do you go off alone so far on mentor ship night?!” Sakura barked, sounding like the grumpy older sister she sometimes felt like when dealing with him. 

God please.

“Sakura listen...”

“And you just now thought to tell us this, Naruto?” Sasuke cut in. From his tone, Sakura could tell that he was pissed off. Even Sasuke was worried. 

Sakura could tell he was angry and she couldn’t blame him. Screw the hero crap. Super villains were deadly and if anything were to happen...

“Guys. Trust me. I am fine. Sakura I’ll be careful but...wow! These guys.... anyway as I was saying before that duck butt bastard jumped in...so far no sign of anything tonight but I got a lead myself on this drug problem. I’ll update you guys when we meet..”

“Duck butt?! You...”

“Okaybesafewe’rewaitingbye!” 

Sakura interrupted and speedily ended the call before Sasuke could grab the phone. 

“Tch. That idiot...” 

Sasuke was fuming at this point but Sakura couldn’t resist and before she knew it she burst out into a fit of giggles. 

Thank God they’re both fine. 

“Sakura!” Sasuke was glaring at her now. “Are you laughing?!”

“Aha oh sorry Sasuke...it’s just...”

“What?” Sasuke asked, clearly trying to ignore her incessant giggling. 

“It’s just... you two.... and...” 

“I can’t believe you agree and are taking his side!”

“Sasuke, there’s no sides.” Sakura finally calmed down and pulled Sasuke into a hug. “Come here.” 

He was unwilling but relented as she drew him in. He was pouting and Sakura loved it. Sakura sat upright and coaxed him to spread out on the couch, his head resting in her lap. 

Gently, before he could resume his ranting, Sakura did what she knew would get him. What always got to him. 

She ran her fingers through his hair, playing with his strands of jet black hair and massaging his scalp as she did so. 

“I love your hair.” Sakura whispered as she continued combing through Sasuke’s hair softly. “It’s one of my favorite things about you, so spiky and cute.”

“Hn.” Sasuke breathed out. His eyes were closed now as he relaxed in her lap. “Cute?”

“Yes, Sasuke,” Sakura bent down as she spoke. “Cute.” 

Then, she kissed him.

The kiss started off as Sakura gently brushing his lips but when that connection was made, Sakura found herself yearning for more. What started off gently transformed into a wildfire soon she found herself slipping her tongue between his lips. 

Sasuke seemed to feel the same way. He kissed her back just as passionately and powerfully and brought her closer, pressing her lips tighter onto his with his right arm. Having him kiss her like that, with his tongue entering her as he groaned into her, him teasingly biting her lower lip and tongue, set her ablaze.

Suddenly, she found herself wanting more, that warmth in her inner thigh demanding so much more than a kiss. 

Sasuke was the one to break off the kiss. Again Sakura could sense a hesitation reigning him in and stopping him from giving himself to her fully. It wasn’t even about the prospect of sex. Just kissing and hugging seemed to get too much for him at times and for the umpteenth time tonight, she found herself wondering about him and what secrets he was hiding from her. 

He’ll tell you in time, Sakura. Act normal. Don’t force anything. 

The little voice that chimed in her mind was right, Sakura concluded. Sasuke was special and he deserved her complete understanding. As much as she wanted to start this conversation she couldn’t afford to do so now, before Naruto got here and while in the midst of such a crisis. Holding back was logical. It was right as they were, after all heroes. Though part of her knew that this was bullshit. Part of her secretly dreaded finding out. 

“So uh... better, Sasuke?” Sakura put on her brightest smile when she spoke. “Or do you still have doubts.”

“Ah... yeah.” Sasuke blushed, his complexion reddening. As he sat up Sakura saw faint reddening of his lips from all the kissing and nibbling she did and was pretty sure hers matched. 

“Ugh. Rain!” Sakura exclaimed. Now, icy bucketfuls pressed down and began nailing her roof, unleashing a bitter chill on the couple. “Sasuke do you mind, my fire’s almost...”

“Ah.” Before she could finish asking, Sasuke extended his index finger and launched a fireball into her fireplace, reigniting her the fire to ward off the cold.

“Thank you.”  Sakura groaned. She was pulling her wool blanket over them both before snuggling against Sasuke. “Much better.”

Sakura, true to her namesake, despised the cold, luckily though, between Sasuke’s flames and his warm and comforting body, Sakura was warm. As they lay before the fire waiting forever for Naruto, Sakura felt safe.

She felt protected. 

All in all, Sakura was relieved to have something to talk about outside of their cases with Sasuke. While they waited for Naruto, bundled up in Sakura’s living room, Sakura found herself enjoying Sasuke’s company. Real quality time as a couple. 

This is what she craved.

Chatting, Sakura told him about the new surgeon, Dr. Chiyo, giving all of the interns a hard time and laughed when Sasuke asked her if she was reporting her. Sakura didn’t feel it was that serious, the bullying, but thought that Sasuke’s outrage was adorable. What did she ever do to get a boyfriend like him? 

Though, under all of the warmth they shared tonight, Sakura still felt a chill, a strong sense of foreboding. The issue? She didn’t know if this was about their case or their relationship. 

Sasuke talked about his day, new projects he was working on and how his estate was fairing. Sakura recently helped him redecorate and made Jugo switch to her brand of fabric softener, and even though she questioned if she was being too pushy a girlfriend, she took comfort in the happiness plastered on Sasuke’s face every time she butted in.

Loneliness crippled him, this she knew but would never say it aloud to him, so whatever she could do; whenever she could care for him she’d give it her all. After all, this man was hers. He had her heart. 

He seemed okay on the surface but Sakura knew better. He couldn’t hide much from her. Earlier she noticed it as well, when she hugged him and later when she grabbed his hands suddenly. He even broke of their kiss minutes ago and Sakura swore she saw a slash of panic flicker on his face. It’s like he just zoned out. He didn’t seem angry though, just distracted, scared even.  

“There’s also this new company trying to compete with us, grab our tenders for themselves... Sirocco Development. Tch. Well they’re trying to compete with us.” 

Sasuke was smirking as he spoke and a powerful fire seemed to blaze in his eyes. Needless to say, Sakura found it insanely sexy. Sasuke, the cut throat businessman talking about crushing his competition and donning that almost sinister expression on his face... So hot. 

“Wow. Never heard of them but then again, this is all so alien to me,” Sakura remarked still snug against her boyfriend as Sasuke’s roaring, titian, flame flickered in her fireplace.  

“It’s a new company but there seems to be old money in the family.” Sasuke reported, his chin resting on top of Sakura’s head. “Don’t worry though. I am more than well equipped to stave off  Sirocco and their young, hotshot C.E.O.” 

“I know you are,” Sakura offered with her sunny smile now looking up and facing Sasuke. “You’re the best at what you do after all. You’re a blessing to your family, Sasuke.”

“Sakura...” Sasuke whispered looking down at Sakura. Their eyes met and his emotions were clear to Sakura in that moment. 

Sasuke’s pained expression is what did it. Sakura could see how torn he was. It was is if he was holding himself back for some reason. Every time they shared a moment or he himself seemed happy something seemed to freeze him and prod him into being upset and distant again. 

She had no intention of bringing up what she’d noticed but nestled in Sasuke’s arms, feeling his warmth and seeing how desperately he tried to enjoy the moment, it was too much. She had to say something. She had to help him.

“Sasuke, I know something is bothering you...”

At this Sasuke shot to attention with a brief expression of surprise flashing across his face before he composed himself in true Sasuke fashion. Now staring into Sakura’s eyes with furrowed brows and slightly parted lips, the young Uchiha seemed at a loss for words while he focused only on Sakura.

“Sakura I...”

 “I’m not forcing you to open up to me but I can see that you’re upset. Just know that I am here and can help.  Whatever you need I’m right here, okay?” 

Sure she couldn’t force it out of him but Sakura hoped that at least letting him know that she knew he was upset and was ready to lend an ear to listen and help him would ease him into revealing his secret. It’s the best she could do at the moment. She just hoped that it was enough. 

Sasuke simply gazed at her with an expression of bewilderment and awe painted across his perfect features. This proceeded for a few seconds and finally, when silence was beginning to seem unbearable, Sakura decided to speak again.

“I...” 

And that was when he kissed her. 

Sasuke’s kiss was urgent and Sakura melted in his arms at the feel of his soft lips meeting hers. He kissed her hungrily and instantly, a dizzying lightness washed over her. Sakura could feel the softness and warmth of Sasuke’s mouth as he took control and slipped his tongue in. He was hungry for her and she felt it. 

Indeed, she felt it in so many ways. 

As he flipped her over on the couch and rested on top of her, never breaking their kiss, Sakura felt his rock hard erection brush against her stomach. He was aroused and now so was she as a warmth pooled in her inner thigh in eager anticipation of what was to come. 

In the sweetness and passion of the moment Sakura disregarded their conversation and gave into to her lust and desire. It was wrong and she knew it but God, she couldn’t stop. 

She didn’t want to stop. 

Sasuke wasn’t thinking. It was as if his body moved on its own. All night he’d been fighting his urges, his desires when it came to Sakura. If he was being honest with himself he really was fighting this way before tonight. Even he couldn’t stay strong any longer. 

Despite him pulling away, shifting away and trying and failing to separate himself from her, as he didn’t outright leave her presence, he was still weak. So fucking weak.

 That’s why when she called him out on his distance, his zoning out and offered her support in such a caring and selfless manner, Sasuke caved. She was too damned loving and Sasuke just had to have her. 

 When he moved in and kissed Sakura, all he could feel was utter adoration, reverence and lust. God he wanted her so bad. He needed her: her warmth, her love, everything. Sasuke wanted her heated, sweaty and gasping under him while they made love. 

He yearned to finally consummate this love and shower her with all the worship and pleasure she more than deserved. He wanted her wet, liquid and he’d give anything to taste her, her honey- like sweetness upon his desperate lips. All he could think about was making love to her tonight, to finally be inside her while he pumped into her until they both came and marked each other was their own. 

Sakura was in love with him. This is what she wanted and damn it this is what he wanted too. Living in the now. This is what he decided earlier. 

After all, his ‘curse’ or whatever the hell it was wasn’t a surety was it? He’d already lost Itachi and his parents yeah but that wouldn’t happen to Sakura or Naruto would it? Regardless, in this moment and in this place none of that registered for long. Only him and Sakura were present and was she ever present right now. 

Who the hell cared about his hang ups? He promised himself and Itachi that he’d enjoy life and that what he was going to do now. Fuck whatever curse or paranoia that was holding him back.

It was all in his head anyway wasn’t it?

Sakura kissed him as ravenously and desperately as he had kissed her, slipping her tongue between his lips and exploring him herself. In a flash Sasuke felt his shirt rip open as he himself pulled off her shorts and tossed them. Her t shirt was soon to follow and when he saw her in her white lace he almost came right there.

Moving downward his tongue kissed and sucked at her neck, her collarbone and then her shoulders while she grabbed onto his hair. 

He then freed her breasts. 

“Fuck... Sakura... Let me....” 

Sakura was divine. Sasuke couldn’t fathom what he was doing, saying. When he saw the creamy swells of her breasts all he could do was rip off her bra to reveal her tight, pink nipples. He had to touch them, taste them. 

And so he did.

“Sasuke!”

In an instant Sasuke took them into his mouth and suckled, one by one, making sure to work the other with his fingers as he lapped at her breasts. He flicked his tongue playfully over her nipples as she moaned, shuddered and gripped his shoulders forcefully.

 He loved it.

Still tasting her breast, his fingers soon took a different route. Downwards. Rubbing against the delicate lace of her panties Sasuke felt her heat and moisture soaking through. She was drenched. He had to taste her.

“Sasukeeeh... please... touch me...” Sakura, as if reading his mind, moaned as she threw her head back over the sofa’s arm in her drunken pleasure. 

At this Sasuke felt his erection double in size threatening to burst out of his pants. He had to hurry before he came too early. Sakura could do that to him, he was sure. She was driving him mad.

“You’re so fucking beautiful...” He whispered then slid one, finger beneath her panties, probing her most sensitive area. 

“Open your legs more... yeah...”

“Aaaah...”

 “Sakura you’re so warm....”

“Sasukeeeh...” She whispered and gasped while Sasuke touched her, her nails digging into his shoulders. He was near the edge of orgasm himself. Before long her orgasm kicked and Sasuke basked in her beauty. 

“Ah!”

“Fuck Sakura...”

Abruptly he stopped and gazed into her eyes. Beads of sweat stippled her flushed complexion and as she dreamily stared back, Sasuke brought his glistening fingers to his mouth sucked her remnants, the ambrosia from his fingers. He sealed his eyes and swallowed as he did so. 

“You taste...amazing.” 

Did she ever. Like honey.

“Sasuke!” Sakura moaned before she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a kiss. Soon after, as they kissed Sasuke felt her gripping his buckle. “I want you inside me.” 

“Sakura...” Sasuke groaned out, now undoing his pants himself as he loomed over her. He was ready. They were going to make love tonight. Finally. 

“Sasuke... I love you.” Sakura was dazed and smiled at him with dreamy eyes as she spoke and fuschia strands spilling over the couch. 

I love you.

I love you.

I love you.

“Shit!” In a flash Sasuke, drew back from between her legs and off of the couch. His pants were still on. 

“Sasuke what’s wrong?!” Sakura exclaimed. She was sitting up now looking at Sasuke with worry and fear lighting her eyes. 

Sasuke looked at her and felt a pang of self hatred ring within him. He didn’t mean to take things so far. He didn’t mean to hurt her. 

Fuck.

“I... I can’t do this, Sakura.” His eyes never left hers as he spoke. Sasuke hopped he didn’t break before her gaze. “I shouldn’t have done that.” 

“Sasuke. Please talk to me. What’s the matter? You look terrified.” Sakura’s voice was gentle as always and somehow that just made this whole situation worse. That and the fact that she was coming closer and reaching for him. “Come sit.”

“No!” Sasuke shouted, stepping back and pulling his arm away from her reach. He didn’t mean to raise his voice and he really wasn’t yelling at her. No, he was shouting at himself, at this whole damn situation. 

Sakura jerked back in reaction and he hated himself even more for putting that expression of pain and shock on her face. He upset her. Her was ruining her. Quickly, he moved in closer in an attempt to remedy this. 

“Sakura, I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you. It’s not you.”

“Hm.” Sakura smiled bitingly as she faced him. Now she was the one moving back. “Sasuke if you don’t want this relations...”

“What?” Sasuke couldn’t believe it. Seeing Sakura smile as she said it froze him in place. What was she getting at? Of course he had feelings for her. Was she doubting him. Had she been doubting them? 

“I’ve known something was off. Sasuke it’s okay. I don’t doubt you have feelings for me. You just can’t give yourself to me fully. You have issues. I get it.” 

She hurriedly started gathering her clothes and re-dressed herself. She tossed Sasuke his shirt as well. 

“Sakura... Don’t...” Sasuke knew he had to do something to at least ease her some way. “Listen. It’s not you...”

“Stop.” Sakura held her palm out at him, halting him in place and shutting him up.

 That was unlike her. 

“Sakura listen to...”

“Oh God. Naruto!” 

This was the most humiliating moment of her life. How could she have been so stupid? 

When Sasuke kissed her, all of her resolve and strength of mind dissipated. His soft lips, his firm yet gentle hold and his good looks messed with her mind. She was in love and from the spark he started tonight, a wildfire erupted. One she did nothing to extinguish. 

Did she really let Sasuke touch her like that? It was magical and sent her into a frenzy, sure. But it should not have happened.

Sakura knew fully well that Sasuke wasn’t ready. Heck she wasn’t even sure if she was ready herself but despite this, she allowed her emotions and lust to run wild. 

Did she love him? Of course she did. Did she want to have sex right now? Yes. As confusing as it was, as unsure as she was, when she really, truly thought about it, losing her virginity now to Sasuke was something she wanted. She would welcome it wholeheartedly. 

The very thought of being able to give herself fully to him, to connect with him on such a level and to reach him in a way no one else could, well, it set her heart a flutter. As cliche and teen-like it sounded, it was the truth. This was Sakura’s truth. 

Her problem? Even if Sasuke did follow through, it would have been wrong. Empty sex. The love between them would mean nothing if Sasuke had even a sliver of doubt swirling around in his mind. And though Sakura wouldn’t consider it her taking advantage of him since he initiated it, she would blame herself for not stopping him and giving in herself. 

Sasuke was not ready and worse yet, this incident just turned on a lamp, so to speak, and confirmed what she feared. This relationship was not stable. It was not complete. And without a foundation nothing can stand. 

Indeed, until Sasuke dealt with his own demons, until he opened up to her and accepted her and his own desires and feelings completely and without diffidence, this relationship was empty. 

She didn’t have time to dwell on their relationship issues however. As Sasuke tried to explain himself following his outburst which, Sakura couldn’t lie, shocked her, a more pressing crisis loomed. 

She had no idea how Sasuke couldn’t hear it. Maybe because of his state or the fact that he was talking but as he spoke Sakura heard uneven breaths and chaotic footsteps at her door. Naruto was injured. 

Soon after she exclaimed a thundering crash echoed while Sakura, with Sasuke close behind, were already racing to the porch.

“No. Naruto....” Sakura felt the breath leave her body when she opened her front door. She’d slipped on her clothes while running and from the corner of her eye she could see Sasuke already buttoned up too.

“Shit. Naruto.” Sasuke was peering over her in the frame at Naruto’s splayed body on the ground. 

Composing herself, she let her doctor side take control and briskly rushed towards Naruto. 

“Hi...Sakura...” Naruto whimpered. He was barely audible. 

“Shush. Let me check it out.” Sakura commanded as she carefully inspected him.  His wounds were serious but Sakura surmised that they were not life threatening, for now.

A gun shot wound clean through his shoulder caught Sakura’s eye first and from what she could tell he had broken his left foot severely. It twisted at an unnatural angle and stuck there even when he fidgeted. He seemed to have broken his right wrist as well but Sakura determined that this was the least of his worries at the moment. His shoulder wound bled profusely. 

“Okay. Sasuke we can move him. He’s losing blood but I’ll apply pressure till inside.”

“Yeah.”

With that Sakura and Sasuke carried him gently to her couch. Naruto’s situation seemed to melt away the coldness that was setting in between them minutes prior. For now it was pushed to the side. 

“Ah! It freaking hurts.”

“Shush. I told you. It’ll be fine.” 

“Sasuke hold him down. I need to reset these bones before I heal him.”  If I use my powers before the bones might heal and stay warped like that. If it were to extract a bullet or the like Sakura wagered that she could manage the extraction with the little control of the green flame she had, no tools or prodding necessary. But resetting bones? She wouldn’t dare take the chance.

“Hn.” Sasuke responded while pressing down on Naruto’s uninjured shoulder and pressing down on his wound.

“One. Two. Three.”

“Aaaaaaaah! Shit!”

Naruto was wailing now. His voice temporarily returning, bursting through due to his pain. Sakura had twisted his foot back into place and was grasping his wrist. 

“Shhhhhhhit!” 

His wrist was next. 

“Man up Naruto.”

“You...”

“Naruto. Shush!” Sakura yelled. “I need to concentrate. That delay already screwed us a lot.” 

In an instant she tore open Naruto’s jacket, removed his Kevlar vest and gently caressed his wound with both hands, now lit aflame with a vibrant, green power. From her forehead mark intricate ribbons of violet sprung forth and weaved and wrapped around her arms, face and legs. 

This was Sakura’s second power: the power to heal others through sharing her own regenerative abilities. With the release of her mark, Sakura, in exchange for being confined to where she stood, overflowed with power. This was more power than she usually controlled and a power that she could apparently share with others she touched in the form of her green flame of healing. The result was her own super human healing being shared and transferred to her patient and now it was Naruto’s turn.

“Their aim, they shot you exactly where you weren’t protected with your Kevlar...” Sakura’s words were but a whisper as she focussed with hawk like accuracy on her patient. 

“Sakuraaa...” Naruto moaned. His eyes were shut and his grimace was now morphing into a more peaceful expression. “Thank yoooou...”

The energy coating Sakura’s palms was taking effect. Gradually his wound was sealing up and other bruises on his body. 

Seconds later, she was finished.

“Phew.” Sakura exhaled as she collapsed on the ground at the side of the couch. “Good as new!”

“Sakura. You’re okay right?” 

 Sasuke was standing over her. He always showed concerned when she healed them. Sakura assumed it had something to do with her exerting herself healing him on the night they fought Kabuto and, despite her assuring him that her state was due to her being weakened from the fight, he still looked worried whenever she released her bindi to heal.

She felt the warmth of his palm brace her back as she leaned into the coffee table. Despite their problems before, Sasuke still cared. Of course they’d get over this. 

She was sure of it. 

“Ah. Yes. Thank you Sasuke.”  Sakura shot a glance back and saw worry coupled with frustration reflected from Sasuke’s features. She hurriedly dropped her eyes and turned back in an instant to face Naruto. 

Too soon.

“Naruto!” 

As she turned to face him, she was relieved to see his blond head shoot up from the couch. Naruto was back. 

“Wow Sakura chan. I feel as good as new! Thanks again!” Naruto’s voice was peppered with cheer and light as usual and even amongst this chilly night and the tension in the room between Sasuke and Sakura, his warmth thrived.

“I was able to restore you one hundred percent. Regen and blood building too. Ah..basically It’s as if you never got hurt tonight,” Sakura explained. She was carefully rising up to take up a seat next to Naruto on the couch.

“Oh I see. You’re amazing, Sakura chan!”  

Naruto’s outburst was refreshing and welcomed and Sakura loved him for it. He really was the light in their little trio. So helpful and cheery. 

“What the hell happened to you, Naruto?” Sasuke demanded. He remained standing. 

He was focusing on the issue at hand and Sakura knew she had to do the same. 

“Yeah, Naruto what exactly did happen to you? Was this the thieves’ doing?” 

“It’s a long story.”

“We’ve got time. Start talking.” Sasuke’s stared narrowed.

He may have come across as outraged and impatient but Sakura knew better and she was pretty sure Naruto saw through it as well. Beneath his flaming rage (pun intended) Sakura could see that he was terrified. Sasuke almost lost Naruto, in his mind, and he needed answers. He wanted, no, he needed to find whoever did this to his friend. 

It was a sentiment she understood for Sakura felt the same. 

“Konohamaru, one of the kids I mentor, well we had a session at night at the center. I was packing up when I heard him and his friends talking about getting high just once...East Jonin”

“Hn. So that’s why you were patrolling there, Naruto without telling us.” 

“I didn’t think it was a big deal. I was just going to spy. I interrupted that heist while following those kids actually but I found them.”

“You could of told us Naruto. Why didn’t you tell Sasuke and I anything?”

“I... I didn’t think it would be an issue. I was just tailing them.”

“Honestly! You are so much trouble sometimes.”

“Ah Sakura chan.... anyway I didn’t see anyone in any event.”

“ I don’t doubt your strength but we need more info on the blessed one and you tonight... this!” Sakura was facing Naruto and squeezing her throw pillow against her chest. She couldn’t even put together the words to express how dire this situation was. 

“She’s right. You jumped in like an idiot and got beat up, didn’t you?” Sasuke’s brows furrowed. 

“You...”

“Okay Naruto. Continue your story.” Sakura’s voice was calm and soft once more. She need to calm down and not be such a rookie. 

“Go on.” 

“The thing is I didn’t confront any group. Konohamaru and his friends went to some White Sun fortune telling place and popped in then popped out. It’s near those clubs in the Sarutobi Precinct in the East. They didn’t hit any club or meet anyone in the street.”

“The drugs?” Sakura already had samples but one could never be too careful. She welcomed as many drug samples as she could get.

“Oh yeah I caught them, called their parents and grabbed it for us. I didn’t give the cops anything. I would have done it sooner had that damn robbery not sidetracked me.”

Naruto dug into his pocket and pulled out a minute plastic resealable bag then placed it gently in Sakura’s palms.

 “Here, Sakura.”

“Thank you.”

As Naruto continued to relate what went had happened Sakura felt the bile in her stomach rise. The reality of what happened hammered into her as her friend spoke. This was a crisis.

Following the kids he saw a robbery in progress and was sidetracked for a while but apparently he still caught them when they entered the store thanks to a tracker her planted on Konohamaru.

 He waited until they left and walked a bit before catching them and when they didn’t tell him anything more than some guy sold it to them in the store, Naruto decided to investigate it himself. 

After sending off those teens, he sneaked into the fortune telling store but found no one there. Sakura wondered if someone saw him deal with Konohamaru and took off but from what Naruto said, no one was around. There was no way anyone could have seen him that far off. The whole thing was strange. 

But before Sakura could ponder on that she was alarmed at what Naruto said next. This was when he spoke of his injuries and how the strongest hero in the city, apart from Sasuke, was taken out. 

“The place was clean so I headed behind to the alley to see if I found anyone there.”

“Did you?” Sasuke’s eyebrows raised in anticipation. Sakura could sense his anxiety. He wanted answers. He wanted to hunt. “Is that where they cornered you?”

“No one cornered me! That’s the thing. No one was there. I mean yeah the rain started to pour down but I checked everything. Nothing was there, well I saw nothing.”

“So then how did you get hurt Naruto?” Sakura felt like she could rip her pillow now. This wasn’t right. 

“It was when I was leaving. I started up to the roof when suddenly I felt a tingle, something brushed my back. Like vapor rub but more intense.... The next thing I knew I lost my balance and felt weak. I nearly fainted. For a second I couldn’t move. And that’s when it happened. I was shot....”

“Oh no.”

“Hn.”

“Thank God for all that rain. With all that water I was able to block off the alley and surf my ass out of there as soon as I got up from the fall. It’s also how I managed to get here as fast as I did.”

“And you’re telling me you still didn’t see anyone? After all that? What the hell Naruto!” Sasuke was seething and moved towards the both of them as he spoke. “How the hell could you...”

“I told you I didn’t see anything, bastard! Are you saying I was goofing off?”

“Guys stop it!” Sakura was screaming at this point as she stood up. Her pillow was tossed on the floor. 

“Sasuke leave him alone. Naruto you calm down.” With a sigh her tone softened. 

“Listen I know how frustrated we all are...” Sakura was looking at Sasuke as she spoke. 

“But the last thing we need is fighting. Don’t worry Sasuke, we’ll get them. Naruto is safe and that’s all that matters.”

“Sakura... tch. Whatever. We just need to stop them.”

“And we will. From what Naruto described, the paralysis and weakness... I have no doubt that this is our blessed one.”

“Sakura...” Now Naruto was standing too. “Now what should we do, guys? How do I get these bastards back?!” 

“Hn. I think you mean how do we get them. We’ve seen what happens when you’re left on your own.”

“You...”

“Anyway boys, we need to decide what we’re doing and when. Tomorrow night?”

“Sounds good to me!”

“Hn. We meet here at six thirty tomorrow night. Problems, Naruto?”

“No boss.” Naruto mocked. He stuck out his tongue for added effect. “No problem at all.”

Sasuke ignored him and Sakura thought she knew why. He was staring at her. One problem was solved so now their own personal issue was rearing it’s head again. Great. 

 Shannaro! Why me?

“I’m leaving.” Sasuke announced nonchalantly to no one in particular. Then he simply walked off.

“Naruto it’s late. You can spend the night here. I’ll fill you in on everything. Um.. I’ll be back!” Sakura ran towards the door following Sasuke right then.

“Oh thanks Sa...”

Sakura didn’t hear the rest. She was already out the room and rushing to the door.

Sasuke was leaving like nothing happened. Apart from Naruto’s incident they had their own issue tonight. Sure it was trivial comparing your boyfriend almost accidentally and unwillingly eating you out to almost being killed but whatever. Against all better judgement and her own promise to give the guy space and understanding Sakura needed to see him off. She needed for him to say something. Anything.

“Sasuke wait!” 

Sakura caught him as he opened her front door. 

“Sakura?” Sasuke didn’t expect her. She could tell from his brief expression of surprise. Maybe he thought she was too embarrassed? “What are you...”

“Sasuke listen.”

“I have nothing to say. Sorry for all the trouble. I have to go now. Jugo will be here soon.”

“I know it’s just...”

“I said leave it, Sakura,” Sasuke scoffed pointedly. 

His words were ice cold and cut bitterly into Sakura’s very being. The pain she felt was not from any anger but rather from the apparent pain, exhaustion and confusion that spiked each word.

His expression, one of regret and submission to whatever plagued him, covered his usually handsome and alluring features. His usually mischievous smirk that Sakura dreamed about was erased, only to be replaced with a scowl. And his eyes... Sasuke’s eyes were no longer velvety black like a moonless night, mysterious and bewitching , no, with furrowed brows his eyes were now clouded yet empty, blackened yet weak. 

He was in turmoil and Sakura helped put him there didn’t she?

That’s what did it. Sakura didn’t know what came over her. She lost herself, lost her resolve in that moment. Sasuke’s cold expression and the pain in his eyes piercing through with his chilling tone of voice...It haunted her.

 She had to say something. She didn’t care that she was now staring into his eyes with tears pooling in her own. She didn’t care if she was being emotional or ‘feminine’ or whatever the hell women are told they shouldn’t be. She had to be true to herself and say what was on her mind or else.

That’s when she blurted it out without restraint or regret. 

“You never say it do you? You never say ‘I love you’... You don’t want this, us and I’m sorry I did this to you.”

“Sakura what... You...No...” 

He was clearly at a loss for words. In an instant a myriad of expressions passed over him, cracking his cold facade. His brows raised and Sakura could see a kindle of emotion, real passionate, fiery emotion twinkle in his eyes. Pursing his lips, Sasuke seemed thrown off, so unlike his usual aspect. 

Sakura had broken open a path into something. Her issue, however, was that she had no idea where this now led. 

“I’m leaving.” Sasuke breathed then turned around. He struggled to regain his demeanor, this was apparent to Sakura but that failed to hamper him. He never looked back, not even a quiver of movement on his part. 

The door was then shut.

“I’m sorry Sasuke but we cannot move forward unless you are ready.”  Sakura, now alone, whispered to herself. She was on the verge of stuttering. 

“I am so so sorry.”

The following day slipped by, for the most part, uneventful. After leaving Sakura’s totally ashamed and even more frustrated than before, Sasuke stayed up all night. By the time he finally dozed off it was three in the morning. Sasuke has to wake up at six. 

Nothing really noteworthy occurred during his day. Work was fine and Uchiha Inc. was functioning as usual i.e. at optimum efficiency. Sasuke’s meetings were manageable, the reports were favorable and they even managed to secure quite a lucrative tender from the city: The Yamanaka Botanical Gardens. 

Clearly, even with the high level of competition, The Uchiha remained on top. Though Sasuke still looked carefully at Sirocco Development Company. Word had reached Sasuke that their C.E.O. was engaging in some ‘less than noble’ activities to secure tenders. No telling what kind of tricks they’d resort to. 

Indeed, his work life was running smoothly and with their planned stakeout scheduled for tonight, Sasuke was confident of success in that facet of his life too. His only real problem, it seemed, remained to be Sakura. 

He was such an idiot. Sasuke couldn’t believe that he lost control of himself and let things spiral out of control like that. How could he, Sasuke Uchiha, act with such carelessness and disregard for the consequences? Kissing wasn’t new to him but what happened after was the real problem. He was this close to... 

Shit.

Not that he didn’t want to. Though it’s precisely because he wanted her so bad that this was an issue. What would happen after the had sex? They were already inseparable now much less for when they would take their relationship to another level. 

The image of Sakura’s sadness and worry haunted him all day and he knew to himself that even when handling his affairs, Sakura was with him, her pain, her concern, her words. 

“You never say it. You never say ‘I love you’...”

Those verdant green eyes, moist with tears cut like shards of glass into his very soul as she spoke those words to him. All he could do was leave abruptly.

In an instant, his guilt transformed into anger and in his blind rage Sasuke sharply threw out his hands, knocking his files clean off his desk while he scowled. His breathing was heavy and chaotic and sweat began to form on his brow.  

 Of course he loved her. How could she ever doubt it? Sakura was precious to him and he’d do anything to protect her. Protecting her was how he showed his love... and it’s not like he never told her how talented she was; how skilled how beautiful; how much he loved spending time with her or how he would always be there for her. 

Yeah but you never told her, ‘I love you’, idiot. You never let her feel, truly feel loved. 

“Fuck.”

Without even noticing, he’d set the contents of his waste paper basket on fire. Cutting his thoughts short, Sasuke quickly negated the fire. No need for the smoke alarm and sprinklers to go off. 

Breathing in deeply, Sasuke calmed himself. He had to control his emotions, especially in the office. He would not dishonor his family and their legacy. When his vibrant scarlet irises dimmed and returned to their natural, velvety black, Sasuke left his spot: peering into the top floor’s windows at his own, pitiful reflection and returned to his desk. 

What? Sakura?

While he was freaking out, Sakura had apparently texted him. She probably didn’t feel comfortable calling or facetiming as she usually would. 

Great job, Sasuke. Tch.

Sakura’s message struck him stupid. Sasuke was awestruck as he read her it:

Sasuke, how are you? Have you eaten? 

Listen, I know you might need some space but know that I am here for you and I am not upset. I would never want to force you to do anything you don’t want to and please don’t feel guilty. 

 I know with all my heart that you do love me even if you have trouble dealing with all this. I trust you and you must know that I am in love with you. I don’t have to have sex anytime soon and you don’t have to make some grand confession. You have me, Sasuke Uchiha, you don’t have to prove anything to me. 

Even apart you have me in your corner.

I love you with all my heart and that’s precisely why I support you and always will regardless of what.

 Love is about supporting and caring and loving is wanting what’s best and I want what’s best for you. Just know that I am here. Can’t wait to meet you tonight for the mission. Take care until then. 

<3 <3 <3 

“Hn.” In the privacy of his office Sasuke found himself smiling tenderly as he read and re-read her message. Sakura and her damned complete sentences. His smile wasn’t one of happiness however. 

Sakura was right. 

To love is to want what’s best, and that’s precisely why he needed to end this. After this mission he was going to break up with her. 

All day she’d been dreading this. Despite her text, Sakura really wasn’t all that sure or secure. Facing Sasuke, even with a life threatening mission commencing, still unsettled her. She really was a rookie wasn’t she?

At this point, looking back at her day: dealing with Dr. Chiyo’s bitchiness, working through lunch because of that bus accident and then having to deal with Ino’s tantrums, Sakura felt that it truly wasn’t all that bad after all. Scratch that, her new supermodel friend’s ranting and raving about some Shikamaru guy and how tough her glamorous life was, still sucked. 

Sasuke was quiet when he arrived with Naruto at her house, which she realized was chosen as their meeting spot because it didn’t stand out and was closest to the East. However the awkardness still remained. 

As the vibrant lights that stippled the landscape of the city, now alive at night, streaked by, Sakura found herself sitting silently in the Humvee’s back seat. Her jaw was propped on her right hand which was braced against the window. As she peered at the outside world, the world they fought to protect, Sakura’s mind wandered.

  How lucky they are, she thought to herself as images of other, normal people reveling and carrying about normal and healthy lives flashed before her. For a few minutes Sakura realised that she actually felt a pang of envy for those citizens, who’d never have to deal with balancing personal issues, a job and life as a full time hero or in this case, heroine. 

Her only other form of distraction from her turmoil, at this moment, was her attempt at reflecting on her day and Ino and her drama while they sped through the streets of Leaf City. She definitely was not going to think about their mission against someone who could do that to Naruto, anymore than she needed to. Their plan was solid and worrying decreases success rate so that was a no. 

I wonder what Ino would think if she knew I used to dress like her as a civilian just a few months ago?

Since Haruno’s debut, the heroine garnered a huge fan following, especially from girls so it wasn’t a surprise to Sakura that short, pink hair became Leaf City’s hottest fashion trend. It was still so strange to her but hey, at least she could wear her natural look all the time now, well mostly natural, if you exclude the oil based concealer still covering her bindi -birthmark. 

Who’s the fashion icon now, Ino?!

“That okay, Sakura?” 

“Uh what!” Sakura squeaked, her tone a clear give away of her shock and lack of focus.

It was Naruto who asked something from the front passenger seat and was now staring at her with a confused expression.

“Um are you okay?”

“Oh yeah fine. Fine. Sorry I zoned out for a bit.” Sakura apologised, avoiding looking at Sasuke in the mirror. She could feel him staring at her from his mirror. “Long day.”

“Phew. Must be tough being a doctor and a superhero. Anyway, I was asking if we should park a few blocks away and try to scope out the area,” Naruto explained. His cerulean eyes were now hard and focused as they always were on a mission. “Someone was watching me from a distance. I’m sure of it!” 

Get your own head in the game, Sakura. Or you’ll be chasing their backs forever.

“I think that’s a good idea. Sasuke?” Her voice was meek but this time she made contact with him via the rear view mirror. His met hers and Sakura could see his regret reflected on those eyes. He was trying. Trying so hard to act normal and regain what they lost. That was evident. 

“I told him that made sense... which was a surprise.” Sasuke teased, with a small smirk, his signature. He really was beginning to act more like his old self apparently and Sakura was so grateful for that.

“Bastard!”

She’d never been so happy to hear them argue before. 

Thank you.

“You guys we’re just past the line of clubs. We should be there in five.”

“Oh yeah.You’re right Sakura. This area is dead this late but we should still keep our eyes peeled.”

“Hn. It’s smart when you think about it. All this time everyone searched nightclubs and the other usual places but these dealers have been operating from a fortune telling shop of all places.”

“I agree. Close enough to the nightclub scene for customers but far away enough and inconspicuous enough to avoid detection. Shannaro! It’s ingenious! If it weren’t for Naruto knowing all those teens we’d never have guessed.” 

God, discussing the case like this, matching wits with him... this was normal, this was safe and Sakura’s mood lightened. 

“Something is off...” Sasuke suddenly asserted. “Why ‘White Sun’ and why a fortune telling shop? We still need more info.” Sasuke’s expression; his clenched jaw gave away his deep concentration. 

“Eh those guys must be freaks. Up their own asses. What say you Sakura?”

“Well I wouldn’t put it like that, Naruto.” Sakura laughed nervously. “But...hm... You might be on to something...it could be linked to their M.O. These people are obviously not typical criminals or super villains as the case may be. This could be reflecting how they view themselves. Self -aggrandisement: maybe they think they are imparters of wisdom, shedding light or something for others to come to them.”

“Wow Sakura I didn’t know you dabbled in psychology.”

“Heh heh. I just did a few compulsory courses in university but um... this was just me babbling cause I watch a lot of crime dramas when I get home from missions.”

“What? Ahahahaha!” Naruto roared. Naruto’s loud and cheery laughter echoed throughout the Humvee and Sakura found herself grinning along with him.

Even Sasuke seemed to crack a smile up front which her all the more happy. This was her new family and she knew Sasuke cherished both her and Naruto in the same way. This was good for him. For them. 

She couldn’t believe, despite this being a mission, that such tragedy would later befall them. Fate truly was unpredictable for minutes later, their trials for the night had officially begun. 

What’s that sound? 

“Guys are you hearing a buzz...”

“Fuck! Sasuke watch out!”

“Sasuke!”

“Brace!...” 

If Sasuke could rewind time he’d much prefer to stay at Sakura’s house and endure that troublesome tension between them; the deafening silence and forced conversation, he hoped Naruto didn’t pick up on. 

Sure he put on his best face and tried to act normally around her but all he could summon was talk about the mission and directions. Yup normal couple talk. 

Tch.

Despite his disciplined upbringing and his resolve to act normally: get in, get out then break up with her after, he still flaked. Sasuke still allowed a sliver of discomfort, a thread of emotional baggage to weave its way into his mind and heart tonight. Yet still, it was more favorable than this dilemma. 

And Sakura, she seemed as uncomfortable and hesitant as he did. Way to go Sasuke. In spite of her texts, which he knew were genuine, she still was hurt and couldn’t bring herself to act normally in person.  

 It really was just a mere appetizer for the shit that was to follow this night. Now everything before entering the SUV all seemed inconsequential. 

After all that wasn’t just a random blessed one’s power. No. Even with Naruto’s power and his reflexes Sasuke could tell that this enemy was not to be taken lightly. That beam, or whatever it was, was potent. It reminded him of Kabuto’s sonic wave, his ability that knocked them around a few months back and that was hardly a good sign.

Is that was got Naruto and killed those Anbu? No what hit Naruto was just a caress, a portion of that power. 

Shit. 

Sasuke thought he had to thank that baka when he got the chance. The last thing he remembered before that strange blast of blue light collided with his Humvee, was Sakura saying she was hearing a strange sound and then blinding streaks of blue light blasting into them. 

Luckily for them, Sasuke veered the Hummer and Naruto’s ‘water wall’ managed to mitigate the lessen the force of whatever the hell that was. However that’s where their luck ran out. 

Now, eating an airbag as his Hummer was halfway into a department store, all Sasuke could think about was his team. 

“Sakura! Naruto!”

“Relax, we’re fine.” Naruto said in a semi-groan. “Right Sakura?” 

When Sasuke faced him, he saw Naruto struggling against his own airbag to choke out his words. Typical.

“Don’t worry boys. I’m fine.” Sakura assured, her voice as clear and powerful as ever. That’s what super human healing did for a person, Sasuke supposed and for that he was grateful. 

He could not and would not lose her. 

She was not dying too.

In a brisk movement, Sasuke saw her arms reach forward. “Pop!” With that his airbags were now cloth in her hands. 

“Ah. Thanks.”

“Hm hm. Come on guys get your masks on. I think we’ve got company. I think I hear someone clattering towards us. Enemies.”

“Tch. We make a dash for it on three. All on the left side.”

“I’ve been waiting for this!” Naruto boomed, his face wore and expression of excitement married with rage as he spoke. He was cracking his knuckles before slipping on his mask. 

“Three.”

On his signal the trio swiftly exited the Hummer. The Yamanaka Flower and Gift Shop was utterly wrecked. Everywhere, shards of glass, mounds of rubble and scattered flowers, leaves and petals in varying hues could be seen dotting the store’s interior. The Yamanaka Flower and Gift Shop was due a sizable, anonymous donation, that was for sure. 

Three masked super heroes standing together around a destroyed flower shop. This night was really a mess. As his companions gathered near the gaping hole in the wall, Sasuke still checked them out to ensure that they truly were unharmed. He had to make sure.

Sakura seemed uninjured and calm. As usual for her missions, she wore her blood red sleeveless qipao dress with her black gloves and her grey elbow and knee protectors. Her face, though, was now covered, hidden behind a white mask resembling a cat’s with pink stripes and a wide grin. Months ago, after teaming up with him and Naruto, she had decided to shed her civilian look (a blonde wig and blue contacts) and now, joining the two masked heroes, she wore a mask to conceal her appearance. She also said that it made them look like a real team. 

“I still hear footsteps,” Sakura announced while peering outside. “But I can’t see anyone in front.”

As she spoke she looked at him with one eyebrow raised. She knew that he was checking on her, he was sure of it. 

“Sasuke...”

“I don’t see anyone either. Anyway let’s meet those bastards outside!” Naruto howled.

Over his loud orange pants and sandals, Naruto donned a pitch black uniform jacket with an orange zipper and buttons on his waist and sleeves. His concise, pointy blond hair was held behind a black ribbon, which itself, was sealed by his mask: a white mask resembling a fox’s head with red stripes that noticeably lacked a mouth. 

“Hn. It’s a trap for sure,” Sasuke informed them. He hated being cornered like this. Securing his mask, a traditional dragon headed mask, white with cobalt stripes, Sasuke cloaked in all black with white bandages over his limbs, made his decision. 

 “We need to spring it to make any headway.”  Sasuke announced. As much as he hated risks like this, it was the only way. Sakura had her healing power and Naruto’s water barriers were sturdy enough.

“What the hell?!” Naruto complained. The trio were now outside the ruined shop andeven with his mask on Sasuke could tell that Naruto was disappointed and angry, more so than he’d ever seen him. “Where are those assholes?!” 

Who could blame him? Even Sasuke found himself at a loss for words. Before them, amongst the darkness of downtown East Jonin, nothing but huge stores and skyscrapers could be seen. No traffic and definitely no super villains.

No one was there. 

“I don’t get it I heard them!” Sakura explained, with a index finger bent at the chin of her mask, indicating she was analyzing the situation they faced. “Another blessing?”

“Wrong.” A voice snickered from above and in an instant another barrage of light was launched at them from behind.

“Ice Blue Flame protect!” Sasuke, thundered in an instant, responding to the threat. In the face of the lasers of blue light Sasuke’s ability, dominion over his flame’s heat and density, took effect. 

With arms outstretched Kagutsuchi erected wall of fire the color of lapiz lazuli, shielding the heroes from the onslaught of the enemy’s mystery power. Beginning as a wall, Sasuke bent his flames in such a manner that they soon cloaked his team, cocooning both Sakura and Naruto in it’s warmth and protection, before willing his fire to propel them several metres back.

“Sasuke, thank you.” Sakura breathed. 

“Yeah, Shit I couldn’t form my water barrier in time.” Naruto lamented though his body was poised for attack as they now faced the direction of their enemies. 

“Hn. You owe me.” Sasuke teased in response to Kurama, his characteristic smirk proudly adorning his face under his mask. He couldn’t say more, though, for even his enemies were adamant. 

“What the hell?!” 

Sakura couldn’t believe what she was witnessing. Suddenly, the orb of Sasuke’s blue fire that covered them, protecting them from that odd laser, was gone. Roaring cerulean flames that lit the night were now vanishing, dissolving into petal like embers before her. 

Sasuke’s power was defeated.

“What the hell?!” Sasuke growled as his flames died. 

“Look over there!” Naruto yelled while pointing to a peculiar light in the distance. 

There, descending from the roof the flower shop, were three figures. Their enemies, wrapped in revolutions of sky blue light in the form of a sphere, were now floating down to street level. 

“The same wind from before, no doubt.” Sakura observed. 

How versatile was that power? 

“So she can defend and attack? Be careful. Naruto. Sakura.”

“Why do all the villains have the awesome powers?”

As the group landed, the energy vanished from around them and it was then that Sakura finally caught a look at their assailants. Outfitted in what looked like black leathers from head to toe, were three, hooded individuals. Judging from the smaller, yet curvaceous frames of two of them, Sakura guessed that they were women while the larger, muscular figure in the middle was male. Their identities however, were hidden behind charcoal masks covering the lower half of their faces. 

Only their bright, lavender eyes, eyes that seemed to shift from plain white to the hue of violet tourmaline were clearly visible like resplendent jewels.

 From their eyes, Sakura could tell that these villains were extraordinarily strong and disciplined. Their eyes radiated power and purpose; a fatal beauty. They were not just drug dealers. 

No, they were so much more. 

Blessed ones... 

“They nullified my flames. Be on your guard.” 

Sasuke was clearly surprised but nonetheless,Sakura could tell he was already readying himself for battle. So was Naruto and she had to do the same. Blessed ones or not they had to win. 

“We’ll kick their asses regardless!” Naruto proclaimed. Through the eye holes in his mask Sakura noticed the spark of blue power lighting his irises, the total opposite of Sasuke’s which were of deep scarlet. 

His hands were coated, lit with wisps of sea-blue energy. Naruto had activated his blessing, Suiton, Water release, and in an instant launched an attack towards the trio. 

“Hold on, Naruto!” Sasuke yelled, he was proceeding with caution Sakura realized. Though his urging was to no avail. Naruto had already made his move.

“Suiton: Water Dragon!” Naruto, as Kurama, bellowed while a massive torrent of clean, clear water tinged in a light blue light sprung forth from the energy at his palms and blasted into their enemies. Mid way, Sakura noticed that Naruto’s attacked formed itself into the head of a fierce Eastern dragon as it dove into the villains.

His attack, however, was for naught.

“Pathetic. Air Palm: Vacuum Wall!” 

In response to Naruto’s assault, one of the smaller villains, a woman, let loose her own attack, the ‘laser’ from before.

Shit.

The darkness of the night was then set ablaze and enlivened by the luminous sparks of power and thunderous roaring of their blessings clashing. Now that Sakura could properly observe the blessing in action she realized that it wasn’t a laser or beam at all. Instead, Naruto’s deluge was met by lustrous streaks of light, dancing and piercing through the night’s darkness like a violent whirlwind. 

What amazed Sakura more was its effects. While initially clashing evenly with Kurama’s power, once contact was made for a while, the girl’s whirlwind seemingly erased Naruto’s attack and arrowed through towards the group. 

“What the fuck?!” Naruto screamed in anguish as the gust of blue energy sought to crash into them.

Even Sasuke’s blast of fire, his Inferno Espada, which he had shot out in the last minute was reduced to embers dancing in the night breeze when up against the whirlwind. 

“Move!” Sakura shouted while invoking her Strength of One Hundred power to lift and toss Kurama and Kagutsuchi aside while she herself evaded the stream of light. “Shannaro!”

Instead of hitting them, Sakura realized that the attack made contact with a streetlight adjacent to them, one now flickered weakly before shutting off.

She scatters energy.

“Sakura!” Sasuke shouted. Both him and Naruto speedily met her at her side from where she tossed them. 

“Are you alright?” Naruto questioned, ensuring to keep his gaze fixed on the three enemies before them. Enemies who now were walking towards them slowly and casually. 

“What?”

Before her team could launch another attack, surprisingly, one of them, the man, halted and raised his palm to signal the others to do the same. 

“So this is the Leaf’s finest?” he mocked. His voice was laced with condescension and scorn. “Pathetic.” 

“Who the fuck are you?!” Naruto shot back. He was angry, pissed off completely, judging from his voice. From the corner of her eye Sakura could see his palms glowing once more. 

But she didn’t have time to observe Naruto as something else caught her attention. 

The woman who attacked them was now leaning against a wall near with the other in front of her.

Is she weak from using that power so much?

“We’re going to kill you so I guess it doesn’t matter anyway.” The stranger had resumed speaking, obviously enjoying taunting Naruto and bragging. “We are the Hyuga Clan. One of the original clans of Leaf City from the East, now back to reclaim our city.”

“The Hyuga?” Sasuke had finally joined the conversation. Sakura had no doubt that he noticed the woman as well but it seems that the man’s comment jarred him some how. “Impossible. The Hyuga are gone. They were slavers exiled and later defeated when this city was just a settlement in the New World.”

“Yet here we are. You know quite a bit about the clans. Let me guess? Senju, Uchiha? Maybe you’re an Uzumaki? Not that it matters. You shall die. Hanabi, Hinata!” 

At his command the women behind hims rushed forward. Sakura thought for a brief moment that the whole three versus three situation was so comic book cliche and convenient, maybe too convenient. She didn’t have time to dwell on that however for their enemies were closing in on them. 

“I’ll take the girl who attacked”, Sakura said. “She’s long ranged so I can probably get her.”

“Hn. I’ll go for the leader.” Sasuke added.

“That leaves me with the other girl. No problem guys!” 

“Good luck boys. Switching to our mask communicators now.”

“Yup.”

“Hn.”

Kurama, Kagutsuchi and Haruno then broke off each in separate directions. Usually Sakura would have urged them to stay together and bombard the enemy but that girl’s power along with the fact that the others’ powers were unknown posed some major problems. Her self healing and regeneration coupled with her speed/strength would be the best bet. Sakura had a feeling that power had taken out Naruto and killed the Anbu so she was the best choice. 

Running towards the smaller girl, Sakura could see that she was still shaky and her movements weren’t as polished as the rest. A side effect of her using that ability three times in such a short span of time, no doubt.

I’ll finish this quickly. 

Naruto sent forth another water dragon at the other girl while Sasuke had let loose scorching fireballs, his signature move, towards the man. 

Based on what was said over their communication channel and what she peaked from the corner of her eye, Sakura gathered that her attack was going to land first. 

All according to plan. 

That would give her time to reunite and help the boys in the event that things get sticky. Mitigating risks was of course her main priority.

The really were not run of the mill criminals or super villains for that matter. 

We have to end this fast! 

 Sakura had channeled her superior strength into her feet and kicked off half way there, maximizing her speed in an attempt to catch the girl off guard and evade whatever whirlwind she’d have prepared for her initially. The other two were evading Naruto and Sasuke’s first strikes it seemed. No matter. 

Just a little longer.

 With her fist balled up the heroine measured her strength and was poised to knock the woman out.

The girl, however, seemed taken aback by Haruno’s last minute increase in speed for her slashes of cerulean energy that cut through the night failed to hit Haruno. Instead, one vein of power barely brushed the top of Sakura’s hair as she adeptly evaded and closed into her target.

Shannaro! Almost there... Yes!

“Eight Trigrams Palms: Revolving Heaven!”

“Aah!” Sakura wailed as she was sent flying several metres back. She had failed.

Seconds before making contact with her opponent, Sakura was utterly repelled by what seemed to be an orbiting of cyan colored energy akin to the whirlwind and the shield from before.

 However Sakura’s opponent wasn’t the source of this power like she had previously thought.  She expected a dome but from the wrong person. When her girl missed her initial attack she thought she was in the clear. She was wrong.

Shit.

The user of this power was the other woman from the start. The woman whose hands were now covered in flames of the same hue. She had protected not only, Sakura’s opponent but her entire team.

Along with Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke were also tossed back and their blasts of water and fire bounced off of the dome of revolving blue energy, energy that protected all three of their enemies. 

Luckily, both boys braces themselves with icy blue fire and massive bubbles of water. Only Sakura hit concrete when she summer-salted and wobbled a bit on her landing. Such was the force of her own strength, even restrained, sent back at her. 

“Sakura are you okay?” Naruto shouted. He was in front of her with Sasuke who was eyeing his enemies like a hawk, standing with his katana drawn.

“You’re healing?” Sasuke asked without turning away from his enemies who were now dashing towards them, no longer sheltered behind their shield.

“I’m fine. Healed already.” 

“Hn. Two powers revealed. Shielding and that energy sapping wind.” Sasuke’s voice was optimistic as he spoke and Sakura could tell he was trying to motivate them, her especially. 

“One more Shannaro!” Sakura yelled while cracking her gloved knuckles.

 Sasuke knew how to raise her spirits, sometimes even better than Naruto. The more data the better and despite her failed plan, they were closer to winning. At least she hoped so.

“Suiton: Water Clones!” Naruto boomed with clasped hands into the night. From the blue aura whirling around his hands sparks of azure spilled onto the ground and from this energy six miniature geysers of water sprung forth. In seconds these geysers moulded themselves into translucent copies of Naruto himself: Water Clones.

 Sakura had witnessed this technique before yet still found herself marveling at his prowess. Naruto’s dominion of water was absolute. 

“Sasuke, Sakura. I’ll take on the barrier user. My clones and waves should beat her down.”

“ I’ll take the leader.” Sasuke instructed. His eyes, through his mask were lit scarlet and focused on the their approaching enemies. “This should slow them down. Fire Style:Phoenix Flower!” 

On his command as he swung he slashed his katana, a volley of bright, amber miniature fireballs launched in a flurry towards the three Hyuga. From all directions they were attacked. 

“Sasuke, I should handle him. That girl knows about my plan now and your amaterasu...”

“I said I’ll take the leader. Sakura, Naruto let’s go!” Sasuke barked. He was adamant. 

Meanwhile the three Hyuga were once more covered by their barrier avoiding every fireball and even a few of Naruto’s water clones he’d sent out to keep them back. 

“We don’t have time Sakura. I’ll do it.” Sasuke continued. He was not budging and Sakura was puzzled by his sudden stubbornness and uncharacteristic panic.

He was right though. Their enemies were closing in and they had no time to be dawdling arguing but Sakura felt that something was wrong. She wasn’t being a naive rookie, in fact she was seeing everything clearly. Repeating the same strategy would not work.

 Why wasn’t he getting it? Why was he so fixed on fighting the leader? If those girls were that strong then...!

That’s when it dawned on her. Sasuke wanted to fight him himself because he was the strongest. Possibly the most deadly. Naruto and his clones, Sakura and her healing Sasuke knew they’d be safer against the weaker members.

 One used a shield and the other was evaded a few times but that man was unknown. Sasuke wanted to face the biggest threat. He was protecting them. Again. Against all logic. 

No. I won’t let him.

“Sasuke listen to me. I am fighting that man. You don’t have to protect me from everything.”

“Sakura...”

“Guys what the hell?!”

That’s as far as they got though for as soon as Naruto had yelled at them, emerging from the dying barrier were the Hyuga. As the barrier faded they swiftly switched into the offensive with a massive gust of wind-like energy being palmed out towards the trio. 

All Sakura and the boys could do was scatter and separate once more. Naruto and Sasuke to the left and Sakura to the right. Exactly where the man had apparently rushed too. 

“I wanted to take you out, kunoichi,” the man made known. He stood mere feet away from Sakura on one side of the road away from the other four. “Can your punches measure up to me?”

“Hm. I wanted to get to you too.” Sakura shot back with a smirk. “You’ll pay for dealing in our city.” 

“We shall see.” 

Those were his only words before he dashed towards Sakura, palms outstretched. 

“Shannaro!”

Automatically, Sakura sprang into action. Focusing her herculean strength into her right fist, she quickly struck the pavement beneath them, pulverizing it. Her Cherry Blossom Impact move was invoked and now upended their footing while forming an explosion; sending a shock wave towards the Hyuga. 

“No...”

“Weak.” 

That’s what Sasuke heard the woman he’d been fighting say while she easily dispatched his Great Fire Ball technique with her power. Even his favorutie move was nothing before her streaks of power.

He didn’t plan on fighting her, though he had to admit she was troublesome. No, Sasuke’s target was that man. The leader from that group. He couldn’t put his finger on it but, apart from common sense dictating that the leader is the most powerful, the way he spoke, his tone and his presence, it all spelled trouble. He was their greatest threat and he was now facing Sakura.

Fuck.

Naruto was bombarding the shield user with water clones and a few whirlpools, his specialty, so he seemed okay. Sasuke, however,wasn’t faring as well and him worrying about Sakura and that man didn’t help his situation any. 

She saw right through him. Naturally. That brain of hers could be so annoying sometimes. Yeah he realized the girl would have figured out her plan but what else could he have done? Sakura and Naruto were better off fighting those women. At least then they’d support one another with healing and clones. One seemed strictly defensive and the other was offensive. They’d have handled it. It was the best he could hope for apart from pulling them out of the battle, Sakura especially.

Sure he didn’t doubt her power or skill but it was still too much. After what happened last night, after his paranoia of losing her gnawing at him all these months, he had had it. He couldn’t go through that loss, that pain again. He could control his feelings for her but he could protect her.

Alas, it was meaningless now. From the corner of his eye he saw the Hyuga male charging at her but with the girl watching him like a hawk and sending out her annoying gusts of energy, he was useless. His last attack towards the man to help Sakura failing miserably, made that abundantly clear. 

So all he could hope for was either him or Naruto kicking these girls’ asses in time to help Sakura. He had a bad feeling about that man. He was trouble. 

“Inferno Espada!” Sasuke shouted into the night as twin streaks of roaring, orange-yellow flames raced across the asphalt leaving scorch marks in their wake. The target? The woman once more. 

Against her next air palm, however, his flames died while her power raged on, speeding towards Sasuke. One touch and he was sure he’d be out.

“Ugh!”

With outstanding agility, Sasuke jumped out of the way and while in motion, rolling on the ground spat out three, swift balls of fire towards the woman. 

Once more he attacked and once more he failed, leading to him dodging again. He then blasted a flamethrower-like attack at the girl before bracing himself for her retaliation. A simple rinse and repeat. All according to plan. 

“What the hell are you doing, Sasuke?!” Naruto screamed, his rage seeping from his voice. “Why the fuck are you wasting your power?” 

“Tch. Focus on your opponent and don’t mind my business.” Sasuke shot back. It was hypocritical of him since he’d been doing the same thing to both Naruto and Sakura but whatever. Sasuke didn’t care about being right or a good sport. 

Kurama had about a dozen clones pummeling a sphere, shaped barrier around the other woman before he launched at tidal wave at the orb so obviously he was having difficulty himself. Yet he felt the need to lecture Sasuke. How typical.

He was right though. Sasuke was wasting power. The pay out? He was forcing the opponent to do the same. With every attack he’d notice that she was weakening, slowing and running out of strength. Consecutive gusts of power were fainter and fainter as they dissipated his flames into nothingness, simple embers carried off by the frigid, night breeze.

This was devolving to a battle of stamina, that was for sure and Sasuke knew that this was a battle he had to, was going to win. 

Naruto was safe. That baka had more stamina than most and even his opponent was trapped, unable to do anything but defend against his unrelenting bombardment. Naruto was focusing in one spot at her barrier’s front, Sasuke noticed.

 Smart. 

Sasuke even saw her shield be nudged back from time to time as he glimpsed his teammate. He even caught on to Naruto’s other plan as he took in their battle unbeknownst to him. With a smile to himself he thought that they really weren’t that different after all.

Thus clearly, Sakura’s fight was going to be the toughest. 

“Shannaro!” Sakura bellowed and instantly Sasuke turned, after sending a couple of fireballs out at his opponent. She notably evaded this time as opposed to using her blessing on the balls of flame, both now speeding off in the distance. 

“Hn.” Sasuke smirked.

A resounding explosion followed Sakura’s battle cry telling Sasuke what was happening. Erecting several fire walls in front of his opponent, he shot a glance at Sakura.  He knew that cry anywhere and as he looked in her direction he expected to see her awesome strength in action.

Cherry Blossom Impact huh?

Once more his characteristic smirk gleamed across his face, still hidden beneath his dragon mask.

What he saw later, though, wiped off the smirk that was forming on his face. Sakura’s attack was halted. Literally.

Before her power, with palms outstretched the man was safe while the rubble, dust and force of Sakura’s shock wave froze, remaining stationery at his palms, seeemingly floating in the air. Around him however, the explosion progressed as usual on both sides, dust and rubble spewing about naturally. 

His blessing was revealed at last and it was truly the most deadly of the three. This is what Sasuke had now realised.

 He was the one. 

Sakura!

Don’t let him touch you, Sakura. Left, right, sweep the feet, jump! 

Sakura had no time to lament over her failed attack and that Hyuga guy literally stopping her attack with his palms. Her main concern now was evading his blows. 

His taijutsu was impeccable and Sakura could only guess how many years he’d spent honing his hand to hand skills. Without slowing he transitioned from halting her shockwave to leaping up in a black arc and thrusting his palm out at her. 

Thank God she was able to respond in time. 

“Guys, I’m fine!” She barked into her mask’s speaker. She’d seen Sasuke’s failed attempt as assistance before when that girl nullified his fireball in the man’s direction and more recently, turning towards her after her cherry blossom impact failed in between lunging and dodging his own enemy’s power.  

“Not bad, girl.” The man teased as powerful thrusts of his palms nearly grazed her face. “Before my Gentle Fist however you cannot win.” 

They’d been at this for minutes since he froze her explosion mid air. 

“Ugh!” Sakura groaned as she pulled off a back flip in an attempt to avoid him sweeping the ground and tripping her with his legs. She didn’t know how long she could keep this up and despite her strength, she wasn’t willing to take the chance of trying to hit him. 

If he managed to hit her instead she’d lose. He already grazed her once and her forearm was numb in one spot. Despite her usual recklessness she couldn’t risk that again. Apparently her healing wasn’t viable in this situation. Perfect.

Widening the distance between them was her best bet, she realised, hence her retreating a few meters back. 

Her attempt was futile though, for the man was on her tail, his palms ever outstretched.

 “What the... haah!” 

Another cherry blossom impact hammered the asphalt producing yet another wave of rock and rubble and thrusting it towards the man. In spite its force however, before his powers, her move had once more failed. 

“You never learn do you?” 

“Shut it!” Sakura barked, now kicking a parked car she had passed in his direction. As if being driven, the minivan shot out, rapidly flying towards the Hyuga. Sakura leaned against a light pole as her projectile sought to make contact.

“Pathetic. Eight Trigrams Gentle Fist!”

Instantaneously, as his palms grazed the car crashing into him, all motion had ceased. The car was fixed where it stood, barely brushing against his opened palm. 

“Everything stops. Everything slows before me!” The man hollered from behind the immobile minivan. “I am Neji of the Hyuga clan and you will die by my hands, wom... ugh!”

“Shut the hell up! Shannaro!” Sakura raged as she swatted him and the minivan with a light pole she was now handling like a baseball bat. He was going to feel that in the morning that was for damn sure.

 Or maybe not.

Fuck.

 She thought she felt resistance for second as she beat the van and pole into him and now that he revealed himself at her anterior she realised what it was. He’d temporarily halted her move with his blessing long enough to move away. That’s why she found herself pouring more strength to power through the motion. 

“Nice try, girl.” The man snickered through his mask. “I stop everything, remember?” 

What the hell are these Hyuga?  

Get your head in the game, Sakura!

Regardless of her set back Sakura knew she had to get her shit together. Her attack still struck him as a surprise. That was a pro. It didn’t matter to her that the man had managed to evade it in time all she had to do was keep bashing away. 

Steeling herself, Sakura continued her onslaught.

 “Shannaro!” she yelled as she swung, jabbed and swept her light pole in his direction, nearly bashing him countless times. Sometimes he paused her swing to move away in a split second, others he simply evaded so Sakura knew she was making some headway. 

He’s fast but at least now he’s the one dodging. Come on!

 She didn’t know how long she could keep this up but it was of no consequence. As she patted her pouch at her waist, fingering through the pocket with her free hand, Sakura readied step two of her plan. 

Her real surprise. 

“Planning on using that scalpel dipped in poison after you catch me with your pole?” Neji laughed. He’d just side stepped Sakura’s lunge of the steel light pole when he spoke. 

Sakura, briefly tripped up as she heard those chilling words. Words that she realised could would spell complete and utter defeat. How the hell did he know that? All of that? She felt her stomach turn and a heat at the back of her spine. Sakura, suddenly felt her confidence falter while she desperately tried to focus on batting him away and keeping him at a distance. 

It was if the darkness and chill of the night had seeped into her skin, her mind, her very soul. 

Over the communicator she heard Naruto and Sasuke’s own struggles intensify. She could hardly peep to see it for herself though. Such was her predicament. Naruto was bawling about the shield girl seeing through his surprise attack and Sasuke was dodging more gusts of air palm after his own surprise moves from behind had failed. 

What the hell is going on?

Suddenly, she realised that her best plans were useless and they would lose. She had always said that knowledge grants victory and that still held true tonight. 

The issue? Their enemies had all the knowledge. Her team was outclassed. 

It was in this moment, as she struggled to keep Neji at bay, while worrying about her team and pathetically trying to come up with some new tactic that Sakura made her final error. She didn’t move in time to avoid the massive whirlwind of power that eventually slammed into her with great power, knocking her several meters back. All of the air had left her lungs and more importantly, every ounce of power, mobility and strength from her body.

The last thing she remembered before the flash thundering in her mind, was Neji looming over her and a voice mixed with static saying “kill her,” before he struck.

“Good bye, Haruno!”

Even Sasuke couldn’t have seen this coming. 

Kagutsuchi, Kurama and Haruno were losing. 

His plan, though effective for some time, was now useless. How the hell could that girl have anticipated his fireballs returning minutes later to attack her from behind was beyond him. He’d made sure that they were soundless and poured all of his strength into his flamethrowers from the front. 

Regardless of how she knew, she knew, and in an instant turned around dispatched his flames before her partner jumped in front of her with a shield already up. 

“Kagutsuchi!” Naruto yelled. He was holding his ribs as he staggered towards Sasuke. “My plan didn’t work. She saw through my rear assault and ran into me with a shiel.. ugh!”

Naruto had collapsed near his feet before he could finish. He was conscious but seemed to be more comfortable kneeling instead of standing upright. 

“The White Sun sees all.” The smaller girl chuckled, her tone one of triumph and ridicule. “Hinata oneesama, now let’s kill them!”

“Ah... Hanabi...” The taller girl stuttered out. I was glaringly obvious that she was conflicted and the weaker of the two in terms of her resolve.

“Now! He told us to!” The smaller girl, Hanabi, screamed. It was clear that their teamwork wasn’t as seamless as Sasuke believed prior and with Sakura keeping the leader at bay Sasuke saw the perfect chance.

“Hmph ok..” Hinata whimpered as she readied her blessing. Light blue flames were now flickering brilliantly as they coated her, black-gloved hands.With that she sped off, desperately trying to make up for her reticence before. 

 It was however too late for Sasuke had already taken his opening. As expected she opted for the offense like she did with Naruto. Clearly they wanted this ended quickly.

Perfect.

“Great Fire Ball!” Sasuke boomed with clasped hands as he belched out a dazzling, sun-like sphere of flame and heat. He was running as he readied his attack, creating a distance between him and Naruto. He was now in the middle of his comrades, seemingly abandoning Naruto as Hinata rushed him. 

Naruto, picking up on his strategy even before he relayed it via their communication channel joined in.

“Suiton: Aqua Pulse!” Kurama shouted. Even kneeling and injured he was adept at wielding his blessing. Sasuke expected no less from his rival.

 Now, joining Sasuke’s great fireball was a mass of glowing, cerulean water of equal size and power.  However the paths of their attacks differed greatly. 

As Hinata was being pushed back by Naruto’s pulsing, blast of water with Hanabi behind her, palms aglow. Sasuke, facing Hanabi steered his fireball into the man’s direction at the very last minute. Just as Sakura was keeping him distracted.

 It was all a bluff. 

Less than a second before Hanabi would have summoned her power to nullify his signature move, Sasuke used all his strength and will power to arch it while he rolled aside. He expected her to send her power his way thus leaving his fireball free to injure the leader. And with her hands alight with power before his feint kicked in, he was sure he had distracted her. 

 He couldn’t see if it hit but he knew it would have helped Sakura. 

Good.

Naruto, still pushing against Hinata’s power with his own, both of them weakening cheered and yelled as he fought. “Go!” 

What Sasuke saw next totally shocked him. 

“I told you we see everything.” Hanabi calmly repeated. Her power was invoked but it was all wrong.  

“Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!” 

By the time Sasuke was upright it was too late. A violent whirlwind of veined, streaked, azure energy was smashing into Sakura. A clean hit was made. 

Hanabi had anticipated his move. The Hyuga had won.

“Sakura!” Naruto screamed. He had just summoned a few clones to batter Hinata’s shield and was limping, desperately and forcefully towards Sasuke. 

“Attack Hanabi! Suiton Infinite Clone Assault!” Naruto commanded as dozens more clones jumped the lone girl. “Go Sasuke!”

Naruto was spent. All of his power was being used up in one last ditch attempt. He had never managed that many clones before and from the corner of his eyes Sasuke could see him panting, lying on the ground and intently looking at his now, two, opponents. 

“No!” Sasuke cried, his voice blazing through the otherwise still night. His greatest fear was realised. As he dashed off, forgetting Hanabi and ignoring Naruto’s cry thoughts of loneliness and despair seeped into his fragile mind. It was happening again. It was just like when his parents died. Just like when Itachi died. 

No! No! No! No! No! No! No!

The man was drawing closer, looming over Sakura. He was going to kill her at this point. Sasuke knew he had to hurry. 

“Fire Style: Phoenix Flower!” He roared and immediately bolts of vermilion flames launched into the man. Sasuke had summoned his attack mid-dash and was closing in on the leader.

 I can make it. I’ll make it.

The fire would slow him down it had to. Naruto was assuring him that the girls were distracted and low on power. He himself groaned out his words over the communication channels but Sasuke trusted his friend and he only needed a few seconds. His plan was going to work. Sasuke Uchiha would not fail. He would protect those precious to him. 

I can make it. Almost. 

“Yes!” Sasuke whispered to himself. Neji was focused on Sakura. He’d get hit for sure.  

“Didn’t you learn anything tonight?” Neji asked smugly. He was still bending towards Sakura, facing her when he spoke. Sasuke was now within ear shot and picked up on his words. 

“Gentle fist.”

What had happened next would be remembered as one of the darkest moments of Sasuke’s life. He had vaguely remembered Neji keeping his stance and bending to Sakura with his left arm outstretched while his right arm extended and his palm met Sasuke’s attack, freezing it mid air.

 He had not turned at all. 

As he rendered Sasuke’s power useless his free palm had made contact with Sakura’s chest. 

He killed her.

“No!”

Sasuke had lost her, just like Itachi. 

No.

This was when his memory got choppy. 

 “Sakura!”

“Sakura!”

Both him and Naruto wailed. They were however too late. 

Sasuke could feel the despair stabbing, prodding, overwhelming his mind, his very soul as he collapsed. 

Failure.

You lost another.

Failure.

You don’t deserve her.

You don’t deserve anyone. 

It was unbearable and in that instant, with tears staining his covered face, Sasuke felt a darkness rage within him. A fire, a new power taking hold and easing his suffering. His Amaterasu’s Black God Flames, which he still had problems controlling, had been invoked on its own. 

As he lay on the ground, the inky stain of his power manifested. Flames seemingly woven from shadow leaked out of his frame and stained the road with its power. The cold night air was violently blown away as the intensity of the flame’s heat, of Sasuke’s rage and despair, took hold. 

From a ring of obsidian fire, like black spider webs his power branched out, clawing through the surroundings as it spread into a sea of pure, black, power. In the back of his mind he could hear the girls screaming for Neji, the leader he realised, but he didn’t care.

Naruto was yelling his name, his real name as opposed to his codename. He was rushing to him with a limp but again Sasuke didn’t care. All he cared about was gone. 

“Aaaah!” He exploded. With scarlet irises he held total dominion over his fire and now his only order was “destroy.” Destroy the road. Destroy the buildings. Destroy his enemies. 

All of the pain of loss that was returning to him, the regret, not only for what happened tonight but for how he treated Sakura before, not loving her as she deserved.

I’m sorry Sakura. 

Sakura I love you...

 Everything was poured into Sasuke’s blackened flames, flames that now stretched up like crooked fingers, clawing at the night as he stoked and empowered them with his despair and hate. 

“You!” Sasuke scowled. His voice was ice cold and his eyes locked on to Neji. The Hyuga was struggling to freeze black flames around him in place. He had now backed away from Sakura and seemed to be inching to his comrades. 

Without warning Sasuke’s arms branched out and several tendrils of thick flames the color of black licorice, bloomed from the sea of fire at his feet. Each vein of black fire, twisted and whirled as they raced towards the man.

 All Sasuke wanted to do was kill him. 

Die. 

You hurt her.

 Die!

“Die!”

“Sasuke stop it!” Naruto screamed while grabbing on to Sasuke from behind. He had somehow made his way to Sasuke without getting consumed by fire. His arms were now locked around Sasuke’s neck. 

“Ugh! Stop it! Sasuke stop!”

“No! Get off!” Sasuke was shrieking now, writhing in Naruto’s arms as they both struggled on the ground. “I have to kill him Naruto! I have to...oof!”

The punch came out of nowhere and it took Sasuke a few moments to realise that Naruto had socked him into the asphalt. “Fucking...!”

“I said stop!” Naruto yelled. He was face to face with Sasuke now with pools of tears shimmering in his ocean-blue eyes. “Now who’s rushing in like an idiot?”

“We have to get Sakura! Do you want to burn her body!” 

His words hit Sasuke even more violently than his blows. 

 Sakura. Her body.

“Neji nii san!” Hinata called moments later, but Sasuke didn’t care. Racing towards Sakura he called forth all of his remaining strength and tried as hard as he could to calm himself and control his emotions and with it, his power. 

The girls had managed to get to Neji and were now floating up in an orb of light: Hinata’s power. Despite his initial anger, Sasuke failed to stop them. His first priority was now Sakura, after all.

“Sakura!”

Sakura. My love...

And that was when he collapsed. His only memory was someone, Naruto he guessed, grabbing him and speaking to him.

“Please. Please stop.”

[kur0kvmi]

The Menacing Mind of Felix Lombardi-Act 2

I peek through the door glass one more time, to make sure I’m not hallucinating. Yep. Ami Fujinami in the mother, fucking flesh. 

“Felix? I know you’re in there, open up” Ami said, in between repeatedly knocking

“Yea I’ll open it up in a minute” I said as I frantically searched for a clean pair of sweatpants to wear.

Ami and I have known each other for the entirety of the 2 years I’ve been living at this apartment. She and her Grandma have taken pretty good care of me seeing as I’m not exactly the best at it. 

“Hi Ami, what brings you here?” I asked, trying to push out the conversation with my brother from my mind

“Well, a strange man in a dark blue suit was here yesterday and he gave me 2 tickets to Mysticon” 

And then it call comes rushing back

“Wow that’s weird, well have fun” I said as I tried to close the door on her, only for her to stop the door from shutting.

“He said he was your brother, and that I should ask you to go with me” Ami said, slowly edging towards me like she was trying to get a good look at the reflection in my eyeballs.

“Well, I have no idea who you’re talking about. I don’t have a brothe-”

“Hello? Mr. Lombardi? He said exactly what you said he’d say. Mhmm That he doesn't have a brother. Should I hand him the phone? Ok. Ok. I’ll tell him.” 

Oh fuck.

“He says if you don’t go to Mysticon with me, I should tell Obaa-san to lock you out of the wifi for a month” Ami said, in the most perfunctory tone imaginable.

“First of all, you can’t do tha-”

“Yes. Yes I can. And to be honest, I don’t care if Mr. Lombardi is your real brother or not, I want to go to Mysticon, and I don’t care who with. So you’re going with me Felix.” Despite the fact that Ami was more or less extorting a date out of me, she did so with the gusto and demeanor of a middle schooler who just won a spelling bee. 

“Why couldn’t you just go by yourself?”

“The deal is, I take you, and I get a free ticket. Mr. Lombardi was very clear about this” 

“So I have no choice”

“None at all”

“Alright. Come knock on my door on saturday”

“It is Saturday, you bum”

“Why aren’t we using your car?” Ami moaned as we exited the building. 

“The train is faster” I said, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of my jacket.

“Mysticon is in Hells Kitchen right?” Ami asked, whilst reaching into her backpack

“Yup, and it’s...3pm, traffic will be annoying, and I don’t wanna worry about driving back if I buy weed.” I said, pulling out my lighter

“What have I told you about smoking when you’re next to me.” Ami said, pulling out a batton, then flicking it to extend it’s length. 

I put the cig back in the pack, whilst prompting her to sheathe her weapon. Throughout the journey my mind is racing. Ami and I hanging out again? It’s not that I like her or anything, it’s just that I kind of missed her. Hey I’m allowed to have feelings aren’t I? I’m sure you’re wondering “but Felix, if you missed hanging out with her, why did you stop talking to her?” Why yes fair reader, that’s a very adequate question, however the nature of our relationship isn’t that simple. Ami is kind of an all around nerd aficionado, she cosplays, she writes fanfics, she draws, she sings anime openings on youtube, it’s kind of scary how much she does all over the place. Recently she’s started to get really famous online, she’s started to devote a lot more time to it, and She started ghosting. Being distant... And you know me, I ain’t exactly a butterfly myself, so we just drifted apart. She should be making money on youtube, couldn’t she just get her own tickets?

“Obaa San wouldn’t let me” Ami said as we reached the station. “She’s against anime conventions on principle”. 

“Is this about a ‘Japan is more than anime’ thing?” I asked, shifting over to the right as I stepped on the escalator so I could walk down past the standers.

“No that’s more my parents. Baa san is a reeeeaaally old school Otaku.”

“Then what’s her beef with anime conventions?”

“She thinks they’re ‘commodified caricatures of otaku culture’ or something along those lines” Ami said as we hopped on the train.

Granny Fujinami isn’t wrong in the slightest.

“So she won’t be mad at you for going?” 

“She’s only letting me go because I’m going with you. It’s aaalways about you with her.”

“Not my fault i’m the grandson she never had” I said while making a mocking face at Ami.

“She only loves you cuz you’re a broken mess she can nurture. You’re like my dad. Ugh, you’re like all men really.”

Ouch.

“Ouch.” 

“Suck it up loser.” Ami said, shifting her direction away from me. 

“You’re so cute when you go all Tsun” I said, pulling out my phone.

“That would imply me having any ‘dere’ for you.” Ami snapped back.

So hot.

[At the Convention]

What’s going on what’s going on going on. Everyone’s looking at us. Well I guess I am walking next to Amura. Yes that’s Ami’s social media name, you try coming up with something better at 12. Mine’s [REDACTED]. This is not what I signed up for. Louis Othello Lombardi you fucking bastard. You knew this would happen. You did your homework on Ami and figured out she’d be a lightning rod for attention. Keep me around her, and I’m bound to be assaulted by nothing. But. Fucking. People.

“OH MY GOD IT’S AMURA!” Two young girls screamed. “But I heard you weren't coming? You said so on twitter :(.“ I swear to almighty Haruhi Suzumiya, if there was such a thing as a frowny face emoji in real life, whatever that girl did was damn close. 

“Well change of plans ^_^” Oh my god, Ami can speak emoji too!

“So what panels are you going to? I heard Gail has a panel about anime piracy” Said one of the fangirls, angling towards it on the con directory. 

“Gail from Crunchyroll?” 

“Sounds fun! Felix, ikimasu!” Whoever this version of Ami was, I wanted NO PARTS. 

“Sounds lame. I’m going to the arcade.” I was putting my foot down

“Ok cool. Hand me your pass then. You can pay on your own.” 

“You can’t do tha-”

“Yes. Yes I can. You want this pass?.” Ami pulled out the 3 day convention pass out of her purse and dangled it in front of me. Obviously I tried snatching at it, only for Ami to move it out of the way. Damn japanese reflexes.

“Gotta be quicker than that. We’re going to the panel. Follow me.” Ami said, tossing me the pass.

“If you sneak off, I’m calling Obaa chan.” she said, in that her perfunctory yet declaratory way.  

“...So what you end up having is an environment where it’s harder and harder for us to justify hosting servers for anime distribution, because they don’t wanna pa- *ahem* because piracy.” Or something to that effect I’m not really listening to this Gail lady.

Anime piracy is a dumb thing to have a panel about anyway, it’s not like anybody in this room even knows how to torrent off wonwons, let alone\ how find the right codec for shows with bad compression. These are a bunch of crunchycores. The kinds of anime fans so hopped up on seasonal hype that the mere thought of an anime older than 12 months makes their tongues run dry, and their eyes wire shut.

“Are there any questions?”

“You got anything to ask?” chuckled Ami. 

“Why are we here. We both know Kissanime is in your bookmarks” I jeered.

“Networking dummy. I talk to Gail after the panel, and smooth out something over at Crunchyroll” For some reason Ami’s eyes did the dollars signs when she said “crunchyroll”

“In San Francisco? You’d hate it there.”

“I’d make it there. That’s the important part. I’d really make it. I’d be in.” 

“In what?” I said with a look of befuddlement. 

“You wouldn’t understand. You’re basically guaranteed a job after graduation” 

“Hey, don’t make it like tha-”

“Don’t make it like what Felix?” Ami snapped, but less with anger, and more a tired expression.

The Panel was beginning to wind down, and folks were getting up to leave. Ami bounced out of her seat and darted towards the stage. 

“Gaaaaaiiiil! Hiii, I follow you on twitter!” Ami screamed, like a schoolgirl seeing a classmate

“Amura! I follow you too! I love your singing” Gail responded in a surprisingly similar manner.

“Thanks so much, ugh. That means alot l love you and Sailor Bee’s podcast ^_^” This whole display was just. The worst. 

I backed off from the discussion, but I knew I wasn’t gonna be able to make it far without incurring that good old Fujinami wrath. Jeez they’re taking forever. Is this a meet and greet? Or a job interview. 

“Felix? Oh shit, how you been bruh?” This voice, I recognized it. 

I turned around, and yup, it was Tyler. 

“Who let riff raff like  you in here?” I said as we shook hands

“Is that any way to treat your one black friend:” He responded dryly. 

“I have plenty of black friends. Unlike you, most of my friends are girls.” I shot back. 

“Yea right, if you ever left your yuppie ass play pad I’d believe you.”

“You’d be surprised how many of em recognize me from Ami’s streams.”

“The streams she stopped inviting you to?” 

“Low blow T.” 

Tyler is a friend from Highschool who runs in the same online circles that I do. We keep in touch through discord and trade merchandise on message boards. He’s been trying to break into the FGC since middle school and recently struck a deal with a team based out of Brooklyn, The Mash Masters. He’s pretty good, quick reflexes, consistent muscle memory, but he lacks patience, and his neutral game needs work. 

“Where you headed to after this? Tryna hit up the arcade?” Asked Tyler as he picked up his backpack getting ready to leave. 

“I’m here with Ami, I gotta check and see where she’s headed to” 

“Whooptish” Tyler said, while making a whipping motion. 

“You know it’s not like that bro.” I shot back

“For her it isn’t, for you it is.” he retorted. 

I told him to wait up for a sec as I went over to Ami & Gail. They were still chopping it up like they’d known each other since band camp. 

“Shoot me a DM on twitter whenever you get the chance, I’d love to get you acquainted with the rest of my team. Maybe even talk bringing you to some other cons around the east coast ;)” Naruhodo, it seems this Gail is also of the emoji Clan. 

“Sure thing! Don’t forget to tweet out the channel link with the picture, and tell Vicky I said hi!” Ami said gleefully. 

“I definitely will, but uhh, she hates being called Vicky. Victoria or Sailorbee are just fine.” Gail responded, with a tinge of trepidation.

“Yea, I made that mistake on twitter once, it wasn’t pretty” I said with a chuckle.

“Oh hello, and who might you be?” Asked Gail.

“This is my friend Felix I was telling you about.” Ami said. Wait, telling her about what?

“Ah yes, the animator. Ami showed me your fan animation of Diebuster. Very interesting to see a Gainax show done with heavy Yutapon vibes” This lady knows her stuff.

“This lady knows her stuff” I said to Ami. 

“Of course I do silly, I work in the anime industry” The smile Gail shot me as she said this wouldn’t be out of place in a Shaft anime.  

“You definitely have some real skills. We’re looking for someone to do a sakuga heavy promo for our new youtube ad. If you’re interested, Ami has my contact info. It was so very nice meeting the both of you, don’t forget to keep in touch.” Gail said in a warm, professional tone as she got up to leave. 

“Well she seems nice” I said to Ami. 

“You’re welcome Felix.” Said Ami, in her usual biting tone. 

“I didn’t ask you for that. If I wanted a job at Crunchyroll I’d have one already.”

“‘Thanks Ami, I really appreciate you showing my work to someone really influential who can open doors in my chosen profession, would you like headpats?’” Ami said, in a mocking imitation of my sultry ciciillian speech pattern. 

“First of all, fine, thank you, that was a very nice thing to do, and I was pleasantly surprised. Secondly, do you seriously want headpats?”

“Don’t flatter yourself, you weirdo” And there’s the Tsun again. 

“I ran into Tyler, he says he’s going to the Arcade, and I was looking to go with. You in?”

“Tyler’s here? Yea sure, let’s go” 

Ami & I leave the stage and head over to where Tyler is sitting when I get a text on my phone. 

[11:58. Text from Lou]: Having fun?

[11:58. You]: Yea

He’s just like mom. 

“Oh my god it’s Amura! Could you sign my Fightstick?” Tyler sniggered, his fightstick outstretched. He’s such an asshole I love it. 

“Knock it off, I’d actually sign it if I didn’t know you’d just flip it on Ebay” Ami sneered, arms folded and head angrily tossed to the side. 

“Aww don’t be like that, I really did want your autograph. You’d be surprised how many Blazblue players would pay good cash for one” Tyler said, packing his fightstick back in his backpack. 

“If anyone’s gonna make money off the Amura brand it’s gonna be ME!” Ami retorted viciously.

“Now that’s just anti-black business” I said, chuckling as Tyler dapped me up. 

Ami rolled her eyes as heavy as she could roll them and stomped out of the conference room, and we sheepishly trailed after her.

By this point in the day I’d grown used to Ami being a lightning rod for attention. My camera skills must have leveled up big time from all those pics I had to take, of her with fans. Just getting to the Arcade area of the convention was a whole 20 minutes of photo after photo with weeb after arrested developed weeb, and to be honest I was practicing some big time restraint to not just walk out of the center and catch an Uber home. But surely enough, through fire by force, we found ourselves at the-

Boy was this the kind of place I wanted to be. The whole area was what you’d expect from a high profile convention in a big city. What seemed to be at least 30 TVs all hooked up with consoles spanning an entire auditorium. This wasn’t an arcade, it felt more like a Bazaar crossed with a colosseum. You have your old reliables for the boomers like Street Fighter, MK, ok that’s neat, there’s Melee, 64, Ultimate, Smash 4, oh even Brawl, full house, that’s impressive. As we moved through, you could imagine that there were furrowed brows due to the smell, but in all honesty it wasn’t as bad as most invitationals I’ve been to. We couldn’t find the game we were here for though; Blazblue. Tyler directed us to the kiosk so we could get directions. 

“Nigga where the Blazblue at?” Tyler said to one of the convention attendees, 

All the way at the back, by the Under Night” The Attendee responded.

I was just about ready to dart over there when Tyler said: 

“Nah hol’ up real quick bro, I got a question I gotta ask you” uh oh, I hear the Brooklyn leaking out. 

“Yea? Is there something wrong?” the attendee said, with a befuddled expression.

“Y’all always hide the anime fighters, what's up with that?” Tyler said blankly, almost with no life at all. 

“It’s not my decision where the games are set up-”

“That’s not what I asked bro. I’ve done conventions fam, I sat where you sat. NYCC 2017, bigger con than this, and from what I know about my time there, y’all have a meeting to coordinate where the games are set up. Correct?” Oh my god, Tyler what are you doing. 

“Yes correct” The attendee responded. 

“So you were in the room when the decision was made, correct?” This is so wacky

“Yea, but like, I didn’t have a choi-”

“Nobody’s asking about a choice, I’m asking you, what was the reasoning behind the decision?” Should I stop this? Or?...

“They didn’t want the anime stuff turning folks away” Oh no, here we go

“There it is” Tyler said triumphantly as he began to walk off. 

“Hey, I think it’s bullshit too ma-” t

“Yet you said nothing. You and all your boys said nothing. Aight, I see you fam. Haruhi’s watching you” Tyler said, his back already turned and walking away.  “Let’s go guys”

“Did you have to make such a big hoopla you maniac?” Ami said laughing her ass off. 

“Because I have Principles Fujinami, you should try em some time” Tyler snapped back. 

“That was the FUNNIEST shit I’ve seen all day, I’m so happy I knew to record that” Ami said, still cackling. 

“Wait you recorded that?” Tyler said, shocked

“I uploaded it. Enjoy being a meme” Ami said blankly.

“Not again…” Tyler sighed.

We finally make it to the Blazblue section, and it’s about as serviceable as you’d expect. Two TVs both hooked up to PS4s playing Central Fiction. There wasn’t much of a crowd, about 5 or 6 people, all looked to be around college age, couple on the boomer side though. All guys. 

“This game is so hyperactive…” Ami said, in a tone betwixt judgement and bewilderment. 

“Not every game gotta be Street Fighter” Said Tyler. “Ey yo, who got next?” Tyler asked a portly asian fellow playing Taokaka. 

“Uhh, I dunno, anybody got next?” the Taokaka player asked. The crowd shook their heads. “I guess it’s on you bro after this.” 

Nobody else noticed, But Tyler’s killing intent began to spike. I get you’re excited kiddo, but you haven’t even chewed the scenery yet. 

The game was pretty hype. There it was Taokaka vs Valkenhayn. Both characters with adequate rushdown capabilities and heavy damage. The Valkenhayn was an even match, but the Tao was just catching clutch reversals at every corner. It felt like seeing a tiger beat a lion by leaving a bigger gash every time they left the scuffle. Tyler, ever the professional, was quiet as a mouse. A mouthy prick like him? Quiet? I know right? But he gets like this when it’s Blazblue. The data collection phase. See if Street Fighter is Chess, then Blazblue is Mahjong. The same level of depth, but a wider variety of dealing with situational disadvantages and advantages. Tyler sees what I’m seeing and he’s analyzing, putting his pieces together, he’s not here for fun. This is off the job training. 

“FINISH” 6 red letters on the television screen. Read em & Weep. 

“My turn now right?” Tyler asked the Taokaka player. 

“Yup. What’s your name?” said the Tao player

“Tyro, and you?” oh yea I forgot that was his FGC name, everywhere else he’s Tyrilla. He sucks at names yes I know.

“I’m Yiao, nice to meet you.” Yiao said, pushing his glasses up.

The character selection screen pops up and… Wait don’t tell me he…Oh boy, Tyler’s picking his middle school main. Hazama. Yiao on the other hand started mousing over Tao then over to Litchi. Come on pick a character already. After more mousing, his cursor finally landed on Mai... From rushdown to range spam. Just all around bloodthirst.

Both of them sat in silence as the loading screen started up, until Yiao broke that silence.

“I’ve heard of you, Mash Master Tyro. To be honest I was hoping we’d meet. I have this Mai prepared just for you.” said Yiao. Yawn. This happens all the time. Tyler’s probably got him scoped already too.

“Yiao, third runner up at Anifight Staten Island. Three. Years. Running.” Yup, knew it. Tyler lives for this shit.

“You wanna know why HowRite was able to beat you 3 to nothing last year?” Tyler said, deadpan staring at the screen.

“THE WHEEL OF FATE IS TURNING” oh shit the round is starting.

“Cuz he knew if he lost, he’d never get to face my mentor in the finals”

“But wait. Ulysses isn’t on your team?” Yiao said confused, the backstory here is really weird, I’d be confused as well to be honest. 

“REBEL 1” 

“Ulysses is my stepdad.” 

“ACTION”

Told you. 

End of Act 2. 

[lokilickedme]

Okay so I promised a bunch of pics from ScotFest 2018, and I’ve been stuck posting from my phone for the last two days so - sorry for the delay, but here we go with the good stuff.  It’s long, but stay with me, you’re gonna enjoy this mad trip.

First, let me say this.

FUUUUUCCCCCCCKK.  I knew I was gonna be having McClary flashbacks the whole time but it started out ridiculous and just got worse as the day went on.

The moment we pulled up the first thing that stepped into view was a dude in an anarchy tee shirt with a kilt and Docs and long black hair strutting down the sidewalk.  If Chem!Tom was Scottish...oh wait a sec, didn’t he say at some point that he was a bit, on his mother’s side?  Works for me.  So anyway, we arrive at ScotFest and walk the long way to the shuttle bus pick-up with a bunch of kilted guys and an elderly couple dressed in ancient clan clothing (they looked awesome).  And before we even get off the bus at the festival grounds, we’re blasted with bagpipe music as a full regalia marching pipe band parades past the entrance.  Something smells REALLY.GOOD. and off to the left of the entrance is a field where two Mol-pups are chasing sheep around while their shepherd whistles commands loud enough to split your head open.  Yep, McClary flashbacks, right off the bat.  And big Scottish athletes are throwing things that don’t look like they were meant to be thrown, though the biggest and most impressive athletes on the field are the females who are using pitchforks to hurl big bags of sand backwards over their shoulders over a bar that’s about 20 feet above their heads.  Big is looking at me like “What the hell, mom??” so I tell him the ancient Scots were farmers and they made games and competitions out of their farm chores.  He’s like “No, I mean why are you breathing so hard?”

No comment.  Did I mention that the females were really impressive?  Good start to the day.

So we move on past the games into the main festival area and everywhere are man-knees.  I’ve never really paid much attention to man-knees before, but to be honest they’re kinda...hot.  I don’t even know why.  And there were so many of them...hundreds and hundreds of man-knees on open display, it’s almost like I shouldn’t be looking but they’re RIGHT THERE all over the damn place and I feel like a pervert scamming peeks.  And calves.  Man calves.  Not normally a fan, but there were some good ones on display.

The first thing we did was hit the tribal music tent and it was over for me before it even got good and started...because on the stage inside the tribal music tent was THIS Scottish god:

Don’t worry, the picture quality will get better.  So we settle in to enjoy the music and this guy is eating up the stage and spanking the shit out of that drum, and then he starts blowing on a flippin’ didgeridoo (yeah, a nine foot long Australian horn, don’t ask me why but omg that man’s lung power was making the ground rumble under our feet and all I could think was how that skill might carry over, if you know what I mean).

Suddenly I’m really interested in nine foot horns.

A really cool thing about hitting the afternoon shows was the fact that you could go right up to the side of the stage and nobody cared.  So I did.

Physically painful, let me tell ya.  I could just almost look up his skirt.

That horn is vibrating the ground where I’m standing and I’m actually relieved when he switches back to the drum because all that vibration has shifted my panties about two inches to the left and it’s getting uncomfortable.  The drum isn’t much better though, and neither is the view from where I’m standing - he’s a big stout bull and I’m three feet away from him while he beats that drum to a whimpering death.  I could reach out and tickle his bare knee if I felt like getting divorced.

So I go back and sit with my guys again and he starts doing this:

KNEES.  I mentioned man-knees before, didn’t I?  Well here, have a pair.  I’ll post a video later of what he did to this poor little drum, and to his own thick neck - because I can’t even describe it, and you know words are my thing.  He played his freaking adam’s apple or something, I don’t even know.

There were actually two other musicians on the stage with him, but I sort of forgot they were there.

There were also lots of adorable father/son kilted combos present - and yep, a bagpiper rounds out the onstage trio.  But again...man knees.  The ones on the left specifically.

So the show ends after a lot of insane drumming, war cries, didgeridoo blowing, bagpiping, and a really nasty little ditty about a girl who’s been touched so much she’s smooth as a stairway bannister (followed by an anthem to an unhealthy relationship that proclaimed “I’d rather be drunk a thousand years than be sober one minute with you”).  Nice, guys.

As soon as their set is over we leave the tent to go wander around, but most everyone else stays because it is as hot as the freaking surface of the sun on this day and the tent is like an oasis on Mars - which means when the band comes out to let the next band hit the stage, we’re pretty much alone outside with the bull and his two stagemates (sorry backup drummer and bagpiper, you guys were awesome and I loved you but didgeridoo guy vibrated my panties two inches to the left, you know how it is).

Anyway, we’re outside at the merch tent and Husband is buying something and I look up and nearly slam bodily into this:

Drummer/didgeridoo guy.  I vaguely recall yelling to Husband during the deafening noise of the show that he looked like Aquaman, and when I end up face to face with him it’s confirmed.  I think it’s the cranky eyebrow.

I also get to ogle the piper’s bagpipes up close and personal, which was hard to do as didgeridoo guy - whose name is CJ - is standing right behind me while I ooh and ahh over this weird thing, and he’s laughing at me for reasons unknown:

Maybe it was the stupid comment I made about squeezing the bag?

And then the three of them pose for a pic:

Goobers.  At this point Little walks up to them and they all sort of huddle around him and start laughing (Little has light-blindness and has to wear special shades outside so he was half blind and I think he rammed right into the guy with the hat), so I hand my phone to Husband and go to get him.  When I get close, didgeridoo guy puts an arm the size of a tree trunk around me and hugs me up next to him while the other two are tickling Little.  Husband starts snapping pics with my phone, but no, I’m not sharing them because 1) my face, 2) Little’s face, 3) shellshock at being touched by this stud ox without having initiated it myself, and 4) the look on my face clearly says MY PANTIES ARE CROOKED AND HIS SWEAT IS SOAKING THROUGH MY SHIRT AND PHEROMONES PEOPLE OMG PHEROMONES I’M IN PAIN HELP I MAY BE PREGNANT

Yeah, he was drenched in sweat from jumping all over that damn stage schlepping a drum that probably weighed more than me.  My hand was on his back and it came away soaked.  You can consider that a euphemism if you want, it works both ways.

Also - red boots.  Urgh.  And then he goes like this:

Boy was solid as a whiskey barrel, let me tell you.  We came back later to listen to another band and he was out there again, and the girls from the face painting tent had lured him over and braided his hair.  He looked flippin cute.  And by cute I mean Jesus Wept.

So before this turns into an exclusive didgeridoo guy fest (too late, yeah I know) let’s move along to this fine specimen that I found at the blacksmith tent:

Ladies and gentlemen, meet King McClary’s work kilt.

Dude was nice from the front too:

Definitely an Auchinleck, for those of you familiar with The McClary Chronicles.  Check out the tattoo.  And he was making maille battle armor, which I got to touch.  It didn’t shift my panties quite as hard as the drums did, but there was definitely a quiver.

This guy was at the tent next door to the armor tent, making I dunno, bong pipes or something and he was hilarious:

And then there was this guy, listening to ballads in the historical folk music tent and looking all angsty and authentic, like his love just died of a fever and his crop failed so he joined a ships’ crew to find his fortune in a faraway land but the damn boat sank fifteen feet from shore and now he’s just fucking stuck in Scotland and contemplating becoming a villain:

And he was glaring at my child, I don’t know why.  Prissy prick.  I was hoping to see his dick but he was so anal he tucked his kilt under his ass from the front.  Definitely a villain.

After a couple of teary ballads about wailing winds and failed crops or whatever, I dunno, I wasn’t listening because I was too involved in trying to see Prissy Prick’s ballsack, we wander over to the Highland Dance competition and walk in on this:

We’re in there for all of about twelve seconds before Big starts giggling, then Little starts giggling, then I start giggling.  We promptly leave the Highland Dance competition tent, because these girls really worked hard and I don’t want to get arrested for being a dick.

We go watch the Mol-pups chase the sheep around, because nobody cares if you disrupt the proceedings in the middle of a field full of sheep.

And then we watch some more of the Highland Games, in which guys threw stuff while making the best faces I’ve seen since that time Husband wanted to try setting the mirror next to the bed:

Yeah, we giggled.

After that we went back to listen to some more music, because damn.  Scottish rock is da bomb.  Heard a punk band that Husband immediately fell in love with, so I guess we’re evensies on the lusting after Scottish musicians thing now:

Dude on the bagpipes grinned like that through the whole set, I think he was puffing something out of one of those tubes.

And then we walked out into the big freaking middle of about four billion of these:

Noisy effers.  And they don’t stop for anybody - we literally had to jump out of the way because when they paused in front of us, they went into this formation thing and backed up right into where we were standing.  Had to grab Little and yank him up off the ground before he was trampled by some dude wearing a dress and giving an octopus a blow job.

Turned to look at a woman sitting next to us a little later and watched her pull a dagger out of her sock and shine it on her kilt like she was getting ready to go assassinate someone in the crowd.  We left soon after, so I didn’t get to see it go down.  I hope it wasn’t the didgeridoo player, he was cute AF.

All in all it was an 11/12 day, marred only by the outrageous heat and the fact that I’ve been off my supplements and medications for a week in prep for surgery on Tuesday, so I was exhausted and my blood’s gone back to being water again.  We didn’t stay as long as we would have otherwise, but we had fun and experienced a lot of weirdness - I ate haggis on accident, Husband sat down with a plate and I thought it was meatloaf (it was good and I didn’t die, so bonus) - and I got to spend the day surrounded by all the clans that tried to assassinate Thomas The Fucking Marauder.

We’ll be going again next year.  Husband is a descendant of one of the border clans, so he’s heavy into this...and of course you all know what my connection is to it :)

Let me leave you with a picture of a guy about to bullrush a scarecrow.  I don’t know why, I didn’t ask.  Scotland’s weird, ya’ll.

[classywastelandbread-blog]

Honored Spirits - Bathtime

Not as much noodleage and certainly not as funny as the other chapters, but still something silly. 

Once more told more from McCree’s point of view so you don’t really hear the cat-noodles. 

It was a long...well, after the third month McCree had lost track. He thought it could have been four or maybe five months, but certainly less than a full year.

Well, however long it had been, it had been lo-o-o-o-ong. It was difficult work weeding out the underground but it was certainly worth it to see the look on Hanzo’s face (and Genji’s, but Genji’s was certainly less...appealing to McCree than his brother’s) when he was able to walk unchallenged into his ancestral home.

It was a good look for him, but McCree had always thought that anything on Hanzo was a good look for him.

Except sadness. Sadness didn’t but...well...it was certainly a good thing that Hanzo couldn’t hear his thoughts like he could his dragons.

Once they had taken back the Shimada Castle (or Estate...or Shrine...or Temple...whatever it was called) they had celebrated, albeit with extreme caution. Just because everything seemed quiet didn’t mean that it was, after all. But still, Hanzo had shown the team something they could all get behind: the onsen.

It was such a cliche that the enormous space had one and yet...there it was. In the past when McCree had visited Japan he had very briefly visited one but unfortunately that had been more for business than pleasure. Now was the first time he had actually been able to go and in all honesty, he was quite excited. Except of course, for one issue.

Nudity.

In a traditional onsen the guests were completely naked - there were no towels or swim clothes for modesty. And the Shimada Clan had been nothing but traditionalists...McCree could almost say that with a straight face, even.

Though clearly reluctant, the brothers grudgingly allowed them their clothes in the onsen, though McCree could see how much it pained them - the fixture was, after all, ancient. After a very in-depth discussion of What Must Not Be Done, the team was able to enjoy themselves. With swim clothes on, there was no need to separate by gender and so they all lounged comfortably in the largest pool, together as a not-quite-family.

Still, there was something left to be desired. McCree felt dirty walking into the mineral-rich water in his swim trunks and not in the good way.

That was what led him to the onsen late at night when no one else would be there. He didn’t want to deprive anyone of their relaxation, after all. Not that he was...ashamed of his body, but at the same time he wasn’t sure he wanted to subject anyone to that.

Except maybe Hanzo.

If he was willing, of course.

(God Almighty did he hope he was.)

To his surprise, the onsen was lit by strings of paper lanterns and little glass lamps lining the stone path. A little disappointing was the realization that the bathhouse was lit - someone was there.

Just in case he loosened Peacekeeper in her holster and crept along. One could never be too careful, after all. It was the gentle bluish glow from one of the trees that made him relax. Seeing his hand lift from Peacekeeper, Soba glided over and twisted around him in midair.

“Hey bud,” he said, lifting his hand to brush along its cool turquoise scales. The spirit doubled back and rubbed its face against his wrist like a cat requesting attention. Obligingly he rubbed his knuckles under the hard scales of its jaw the way it liked and let its long tail coil around his shoulders. “Where’s your friend?”

Soba tossed its head and drifted away toward the gate he had been aiming for. Ah. And where Soba and Udon were...most likely Hanzo was as well. When he hesitated, Soba drifted back toward him and nudged him with its nose.

“Alright,” he said with a laugh. “I jus’ don’t wanna impose if Han’s wanting peace and quiet.”

“Impose away,” Hanzo’s voice said dryly from the other side of the gate. “I wouldn’t object to company. It’s a lovely evening for a bath.”

Hoping that the unreliable lighting hid his blush, McCree chuckled and stepped toward the gate. His mouth immediately went dry when he caught sight of Hanzo - dressed not in the plain black swim trunks he had worn the times he had soaked in the onsen with the team, but only in a plain white towel from the bathhouse.

“It seems like we had the same idea,” McCree said with a breathless laugh. Hanzo’s face was unreadable as Soba twisted and twined around his legs. Udon was nowhere to be seen, though Hanzo’s tattoo was matte and faded - it was “out” but seemingly not nearby.

Hanzo cracked a slightly smile, looking away first. “It felt wrong to bathe with clothes on,�� he explained almost shyly. “Not when I have many good memories of spending time with my brother here.” He stiffened slightly, his face turning bright red. “Not…not like...that!”

Surprised, McCree couldn’t help but laugh. It felt like he hadn’t laughed like that in ages - strain from the extended mission that hadn’t been soothed away by the hot waters of the onsen. “Didn’t think so,” he said when he had calmed himself. Hanzo was still blushing bright red and shifted on his feet. “Ah,” he said awkwardly. “I’ll just...um..” he gestured vaguely toward the bathhouse and Hanzo nodded.

They separated - Soba followed McCree for a while, flirting with the cool evening breezes. It split off and doubled back toward Hanzo at the door to the bathhouse, tossing its head with what could very loosely be called a smile. Smiling, McCree made a finger-gun at it and with a silent sound that McCree thought was a chirp it twisted as if dodging the bullet. It tossed its head at him again, playfully baring its fangs and talons before twisting away once more.

Laughing to himself, McCree slipped into the bathhouse. He found the cubbies near the shower stalls and began stripping quickly, folding his clothes neatly when he was done. His chestplate he leaned against the wall with his boots, both unable to fit into the small box, and carefully undid the mechanisms of his prosthetic arm. It could withstand a good soaking, but this was a chance to actually relax.

He ignored the little voice inside him that cautioned against it - what would Hanzo think?

The showers were cold and he bit back a yelp. Giving himself a moment to steel himself, he dipped back under the water with gritted teeth. He made sure to wash thoroughly from head to toe. Just because he could, he stole some of Hana’s pink strawberry shampoo and body wash.

As he was rinsing off, he heard Soba come back. “Hey bud,” Jesse said over his shoulders as he dumped water over his hair. “I’ll be just a sec, okay?��

There was no noise to show that the dragon had heard, but it was foolish to think he was being completely ignored. McCree smiled as he turned around and found the spirit very carefully holding a large towel in its jaws.

Careful not to flash the creature, McCree took the towel with a smile. “Thanks.”

Soba bobbed its head excitedly and pranced in place like a puppy waiting to someone to play with it. Its ears flipped toward McCree’s missing arm but after a split second of a glance, it was peering up at McCree’s face with its sky-blue eyes.

“Alright,” McCree said with a hearty laugh. “I think I’m ready.” It was difficult to wrap the towel around his waist with one arm so he settled for holding it in front of his junk as he walked.

Hanzo glanced at him when he exited, already submerged in the water. “Usually, you leave the towel in the bathhouse, cowboy,” Hanzo teased as he reclined in the warm water. The bluish water obscured the features of his body save for what lay above the water; he had tied his hair up into a neat topknot to keep it out of the way. “And you typically tie your hair up.”

Smiling crookedly, McCree wiggled his truncated arm. “Well, I’m missing one so you’ll have to forgive me.” He grunted as he sat down at the edge, dipping his feet into the water. “As for the towel, you can thank your noodle there that you aren’t watching my junk flapping around.”

McCree flinched; what a dumb thing to say. Still, he tried to recover by shifting the towel aside and slipping into the water with a relieved sigh. He watched Soba walk across the rippling surface as surely as if it were solid ground.

“They do that,” Hanzo said dryly. “And don’t say what religious figure it may remind you of; need I remind you of the Santa Claus incident?”

“You can’t blame me for that,” McCree said with an embarrassed chuckle.

Hanzo’s smirk was deadly. “I can and I will,” he said as haughtily as the lord he had been before shit went down. He leaned back, showing off the lines of his muscles, highlighted by the glow of the paper lanterns and the water from the baths. It was a shame that his tattoo was nearly invisible without the presence of his dragon spirits.

Carefully, McCree tried to emulate Hanzo’s posture and stretch out to relax. Soba was bobbing its head emphatically where it had perched on a nearby rock. “What’s it saying?”

“Soba is commenting on your hair,” Hanzo said after a brief pause. “It’s suggesting that I help you pin it up so no one has to swim with strands of hair floating around.”

Chuckling, McCree pushed himself into a sitting position. “Have at it,” McCree said. “I can’t do it myself so if you’re not….bothered…”

The water around them sloshed as Hanzo moved closer. McCree tried not to whimper at the feel of Hanzo’s strong, calloused hands brushing up his neck. Just an assassin putting up my hair, McCree thought hysterically to himself. He hoped that Hanzo wasn’t aware of how...interested his body was in his proximity.

Beneath the water, Hanzo’s legs brushed his hips and McCree tipped his head back slightly to give the archer easier access to his hair. All too soon it was over and McCree smiled at Hanzo over his shoulder. “Thanks, partner.”

It was probably just a trick of the light or the heat of the onsen but Hanzo almost seemed to be blushing. McCree bit back a comment about how adorable he looked.

They were still so close and Hanzo showed no indication that he was ready to move away. That was fine, of course, with McCree. He was perfectly fine with Hanzo’s presence. As if they weren’t both naked in the same bath, they sat as close as they typically would during their drinking nights.

“This is nice,” McCree said awkwardly, leaning his arms over the lip of the onsen. His truncated arm lay behind Hanzo but that could simply be chalked up as coincidence if the archer decided he was opposed to the idea.

It seemed that he wasn’t - even, he leaned closer, as close as he would when he shared McCree’s serape, as close as he would while bracing against the brisk sea air of the base.

Now, though, it was different. Now it was flesh beneath McCree’s arm. Now they were both naked.

He hoped that the water was murky enough that Hanzo wouldn’t notice McCree’s...interest in the situation. Turning his head to ask more about Soba’s smug head-bobbing, he found that Hanzo’s face was also tipped toward him. They were so close, just a few inches separating them.

If anything, Hanzo seemed surprised by the proximity but he didn’t recoil. His eyes flicked back and forth between McCree’s and his lips. A blush rose to his cheeks - well, a darker one because they were both flushed by the lovely heat of the onsen.

The water sloshed as Hanzo shifted, twisting his torso so that he was more facing McCree. Hesitantly, Hanzo lifted his arm and brushed it against McCree’s cheek. Leaning into the caress, McCree slowly leaned closer -

Suddenly, the water around them exploded and the two of them would deny their terrified shrieks until their dying days. It was certainly lucky that the Shimada spirits weren’t truly creatures of the earth otherwise Udon would be very much dead.

(The strangest thing was that he almost thought he could hear a voice like a distant echo in a cave saying, look, I am pretending to be a crocodile!)

McCree still got a sharp bite for his troubles. It didn’t break the skin but damn, did it hurt. Hanzo swore under his breath at the dragons - Soba seemed agitated, baring its teeth at Udon who was tossing and turning in the churning waters beneath the other spirit’s perch. At a sharp motion, the two of them disappeared into glittering blue mist and the tattoos that bound them to Hanzo returned to his body.

For a long moment the both of them stared at each other with wide eyes, panting at the sudden spike of adrenaline. “I need a cold shower,” McCree muttered.

Hanzo nodded wordlessly. “I...will join you.”

The two of them climbed out of the onsen on shaky legs and leaning on each other - perhaps a little too closely - stumbled into the bathhouse.

Where they found the rest of the team, who had come running at their screams.

It was Genji’s turn to scream.

[lotus0kid]

OUaT: Red on White

((Who’d’ve thought pure spite would make me finally write 4,000+ words of Emma/Ruby fic?  Warning: something happens to Hook, and it’s real bad.

#EmmaSwanDeservesBetter))

The wedding ceremony takes place in the forest.  Family and close friends are seated within a ring of red and white bunting.  Since it is technically a royal wedding, nearly the entire remaining population of Storybrooke looks on curiously from outside.

One bride walks down the aisle with her father.  Emma wears a brilliant scarlet gown, and there is a white ribbon laced through her blonde braid.  Despite the hundreds of eyes on her, she shines with happiness.  After she’s taken her place, the other bride comes, arm-in-arm with her grandmother.  Ruby wears an ivory gown, and a silk ribbon matching the red streaks in her brunette braid. She also radiates ecstatic joy. At the altar, both brides pass bouquets of white and red-striped roses to Belle and Mary Margaret, their respective matrons of honor.

 Archie clasps his hands together, exchanges bright glances with the brides, and announces, “Dearly beloved, we’re gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Emma Swan and Ruby Lucas...”

 Afterwards, the people within the ring of bunting retire to a private reception.  The brides change into simpler dresses, though still in their chosen colors.  There’s good food, and sentimental toasts, and awful dancing.  Everyone is happy, but for a scattering of significant glances darting across the room as the evening wears on.  It’s fine, it really is.  No one was left out of the decision-making process.  They all got to say their peace, and it’s fine now.  They’ll get used to it.

 Ruby leans in to kiss her grandmother on the cheek before turning to go.  Granny catches her hand and fixes her with a steady gaze.  “Come home safe now.”

 “That’s the plan.”

 Their hands part and Ruby vanishes into the shadows.  Within seconds, Emma looks up from the Electric Slide lesson she’s attempting to give Henry, smile fading as she scans the room and doesn’t see her new wife. She catches Granny’s eye and receives a steady gaze of her own.  She throws a nod and returns her attention to Henry.

 Emma leaves with the last of the wedding guests.  She goes to her car and pulls out a leather jacket, thick socks, sturdy boots, and a flashlight.  Once she’s dressed with the flashlight in hand, she walks into the black forest.  She soon hears a wolf’s howl on the wind.

 ^^^

 THREE MONTHS EARLIER

 “Hey, babe, you’re home early,” Ruby calls as she enters her and Emma’s apartment, “Was it- oh!”

 There’s a wolf in the living room. Small, by her standards.  With a pale coat, almost... blonde.

 Ruby sniffs at the air with a furrowed brow.  “... Emma?”

 The wolf looks at her with bright amber eyes and a lolling tongue.  Then, she hunches in on herself and a shiver of magic rolls over her.  The wolf is replaced by Emma kneeling on the carpet.  “Hey,” she says with a smile.

 “Hey.  Uh, explain please?”

 She shrugs, “I was taking four legs out for a spin.  How’d I look? Like a werewolf?  I wasn’t working from one of Gold’s books or anything. Just kind of going with what felt right.”

 Ruby squints, “Eh, you looked more like a big husky-golden mix, if I’m honest.”

 She wags her head.  “Yeah, well, you don’t learn to drive in a Formula One car, right?”

 “True... Wait, what?”

 Now anxiety breaks the surface of Emma’s good humor.  She climbs to her feet while saying, “I could use some hot cocoa.  Do you feel like hot cocoa?”

 “Oh great, we’re having a hot cocoa discussion,” Ruby says flatly.  She waves a hand, “Yeah, might as well.  I’ll probably need it before we’re through.”

 “Come on, it’s nothing bad,” Emma cajoles her from the kitchen, “At least, I don’t think so.  I hope you won’t.  But, y’know, that’s why we’re talking.  With cocoa.”

 Ruby’s guts are in a cold knot by the time she and Emma sit on the sofa with steaming mugs.

 “The wedding’s coming up soon,” Emma says, “Still excited?”

 A smile creeps onto Ruby’s face despite her current dread.  “Yeah, still excited.”

 “I’ve been thinking maybe... that would be a good time to do more than tie the knot, you know?”

 Ruby suspects she does, but at the slimmest chance she’s wrong, she replies, “I don’t know.  What are you saying, Emma?”

 She blows out a noisy breath. “I think... you should bite me.”

 Ruby gapes at Emma’s cautiously hopeful face until she has to look away.  “I... wow, um...  Emma...”

 A hand curls into the crook of Ruby’s arm, drawing her to focus on Emma again.  “Look, just think about it for a sec, okay?  You know I’m not afraid of you.  And I’m not afraid of being like you.  Do you know what I’m really afraid of?”

 Ruby’s voice is tiny as she asks, “What?”

 “That something will happen one day and the choice will be taken from us.  And we won’t be ready, and you’ll feel guilty, and it’ll just be the worst.  But if we do this on our own terms, we’ll be ready, and you won’t have anything to feel guilty about, and we won’t have to be scared anymore.  Doesn’t that sound nice?”

 It does sound nice.  Almost as nice as the idea of having another wolf in Storybrooke, aside from Granny.  It’s never as fun to run alone.  And if she had to choose, she wouldn’t want to run with anyone but Emma.  She shuts her eyes and shakes her head to dispel the beautiful dream.  “No- I mean, yes, but...  This isn’t like getting matching tattoos, okay?  You wouldn’t be human anymore.”

 Emma nods, face turning somber. “Yeah, I know.  But...  Well, it’s not like I feel all that human now, with this light magic, child of True Love stuff.  Normal humans don’t have to deal with prophecies and curses and world-ending catastrophes, you know that.  I might as well pile on some more weird stuff.  At least I’d get to share this with you.”

 Emma sets aside her mug and her other hand comes to Ruby’s arm.  The ring on her finger glints in the afternoon sun.

 “I know you’d help me.  Bet you’d be a way better teacher than Gold. I wouldn’t get out of control.  I wouldn’t...”

 “Eat someone?” Ruby spits out.  A torrent of bloody memories flow through her head, the most recent from not long ago at all.  Emma knows how brutal she can be.  And yet, a soft cheek comes to rest on her shoulder.

 “I know it still hurts, what happened.  But I’m still grateful.  Nothing will change that.”

 It felt like barely half a day after the curse broke that the first adversary came roaring into the harbor, teams of chained mermaids carrying his warships across worlds.  A town still struggling with their newly regained identities was suddenly confronted with cannonballs blasting holes in the cannery.  Davy Jones had come to Storybrooke, and he wasn’t leaving until he got what he was after- a little trinket in Gold’s shop that was in fact a magic doubloon that allowed its owner to control the seas.  No one liked the thought of the maniac Jones wreaking havoc from the Pacific to the Atlantic, and so battle commenced.

 Emma’s powers were burgeoning almost too fast for her to handle.  Gold did his best to help, but he was somewhat distracted by Belle coming back into his life.  Ruby was certainly happy for them- if only so she and Emma wouldn’t have to hide an amnesiac fugitive from Regina anymore.  Her ex-Majesty still has a hell of a lot to answer for, in Ruby’s humble opinion.  In any case, they were running out of ideas to defeat Davy Jones when one of his greasy crew snuck into town and swore he was defecting, that Jones had cursed him into servitude, but he’d do anything to be a free man.  He spoke of a flaw in the shielding spells that protected Jones’ ships that only the most powerful light magic could exploit.

 Emma saw through the lie immediately, but she went with the smirking pirate anyway, just to see if she could exploit him instead.  However, he was more devious than they thought.  Ruby doesn’t really want to know the details, but he somehow got Emma trapped in an enchanted rack that suppressed her magic and held her prisoner. At nightfall when she hadn’t returned, Ruby followed her scent to a warehouse on the docks.  The rest... she wishes the memory was blurrier than it is. But she didn’t lose control, not entirely.  That’s the worst part.  She could’ve stopped, if she wanted to.  But she didn’t.  She didn’t stop until there was nothing left but bloody chunks and scraps of leather and scalp.  And a shiny silver hook.

 Emma could only watch.  She was scared.  Ruby smelled it coming off her in waves as she padded closer.  The rage had subsided at this point, now that it was so well fed.  She pressed her sticky, dripping head against Emma’s hip, and listened to the music of her heartbeat.  Eventually, she had to get Gold to break the rack’s locks and free Emma.  By then, guilt and self-disgust swarmed in her like flies and she ran as deep into the forest as she could.  Granny managed to get her back into town, but nothing made her feel better until Emma showed up at the inn with movies and snacks.  They talked all night, about big things and little things and nothing at all.  And it ended with a soft, sweet kiss.

 Throughout all the crap that’s been thrown at them since, swan princesses and goblin warlords and talking lions that one time, Ruby’s never used her fangs on another living thing.  It makes her gums itch to think of Emma being next, even at her own request.  But still, she’s not wrong about the fear of an accident that’s always hanging over them. Ruby well knows that choice is a luxury that can be stolen in an instant.

 “I think...”  She draws in and releases a breath.  “I think you need to talk to your family about this.”

 “They won’t understand,” Emma mutters, head ducked.

 “Exactly.  If you can get them on board... then we’ll see.  But we’re definitely not doing this on our own. It’ll affect everyone.  They deserve to have a say, because they care about us.  That’s what it means to be a family.”

 Emma’s gaze doesn’t rise from her lap, but she still replies, “Yeah.  You’re right.”

 ^^^

 PRESENT

 After the incident with the manticore clan, Emma did an intensive study on tracking large, four-legged predators through heavy forest.  Perhaps in the back of her mind, she was also anticipating something like this.  She prefers not to imagine what could happen that would be bad enough for Ruby to literally turn tail and run into the forest again, but it always pays to be prepared.  She feels a small burst of joy and something like relief for the far happier circumstances that have brought her here tonight.

 Another howl comes to her from the east.  She smiles, and wishes she could howl back.  Soon she will.

 ^^^

 TWO MONTHS EARLIER

 When Emma can work up the nerve, she goes to her parents, and they have a talk.  A long talk where she presses her points again and again, and even comes up with new ones she didn’t think of at first.  

 In the end, Mary Margaret clasps David’s hand and says, “We just don’t want to lose you.”

 “You won’t,” Emma replies earnestly, “I know you were there when Red found out what she was, what the wolf had done.  This isn’t gonna be anything like that.  She’ll be there to help me.  Just like Gold did.”

 “Well, we’ll help too,” David says with a firm nod, “If you choose to do this, you’ll have our support. Whatever you need.”

 “Yes,” Mary Margaret says with a nod of her own.

 Emma’s heart swells as she looks at the two people she never expected to find, who she loves beyond words. It gives her the strength later on to make a phone call to the Gold residence in Manhattan.

 Davy Jones’ fatal mistake was enslaving Triton’s daughters to tow his boats.  Once Emma freed the mermaids, they swiftly summoned their powerful father to dispatch the pirates.  In the calm that followed, after Gold had taught Emma what she needed to know to control her magic, he revealed his plan to find his long-lost son.  Emma was happy to help, up until the moment she discovered his son and Henry’s father were the same man.  Everything turned on its head then.  When the dust settled, it was decided that Gold and Belle would go to New York, where he and his son could get reacquainted.  It was also decided that Henry would go with them. As much as it pained them both, Emma and Regina had to admit Storybrooke was far too volatile for a ten-year-old. While they needed to stay and clean up the mess, Henry needed safety and structure, and to get to know his father.

 “I can’t say for sure how your magic will react to the wolf curse,” Gold tells her, “I’ve never known a child of True Love who took it on.  That said, I doubt you’ll end up an unstoppable killing machine.  In fact, it might not take at all.  True Love breaks curses, as we know.”

 “Yeah, but, I mean- who decided it was a curse anyway?  It was a curse for Red because it was hidden from her, and that made her scared and confused and out of control.  But she told me what it was like in her mother’s pack.  They weren’t cursed.  They understood and accepted themselves.  It was part of them.  Does that sound like a curse?”

 There’s a pensive silence.  “I’m the wrong person to ask.”

 Emma’s sure he’s right. Belle’s mentioned his frequent phone sessions with Archie, processing three centuries of the Dark One’s trauma. “Okay, so, if it doesn’t work, then that’s fine too.  At least we’ll know, either way.  Which is what I want.”

 “Well I certainly know better than to stand between you and something you want, Miss Swan,” he quips, “Shall I get Henry now?”

 Emma swallows, “Yeah.”

 The kid takes it in stride of course, because he’s accepted his life is really only going to get weirder. They end up mostly talking about his friends at school and his trip with Neal to Central Park last Saturday.

 Perhaps the most uncomfortable conversation is the one she has with Neal, where she mumbles out her plan and he’s mostly just glad she’s figuring things out ahead of time and not leaping in blindly. “I’m calling your mom and dad, though. If they say you’re rampaging through the streets, y’know, don’t expect to see Henry at winter break.”

 “Understood,” she replies with a tiny grin.

 “Okay.  Guess I’ll see you at the wedding then.”

 “Yeah, see you.”

 ^^^

 PRESENT

 The forest has been silent for a while.  Emma’s been following paw prints in a muddy river bank which now veer back into the underbrush.  She holds in a sigh.  She didn’t think Ruby would make this easy, nor did she want her to, but she didn’t expect to work quite this hard.

 It doesn’t matter.  She’ll keep going.  This is for their future.

 ^^^

 ONE MONTH EARLIER

 “You know you’re just supposed to take a walk on the wild side.  Not live in a cave there.”

 Emma valiantly refrains from rolling her eyes at Regina.  Still she can’t help retorting, “You must’ve been hanging onto that line for a while, considering we’re already engaged.”  She can see the wall of petulant anger rising, and so tries to soften up.  “Look, Regina, I’m talking to you because this affects our whole family, which means you have a say in it too.  So, lay it on me, I’m listening.”

 Regina draws herself up to her full height and gives Emma the full-throttle slit-eyed imperious stare. Then she says, “I want you to talk to Dr. Hopper about this.”

 Emma’s eyebrows jump.  “You want me to see Archie?  You think I’ve lost my mind?”

 “No, I don’t, and you’re welcome for that.  But the cricket is... fairly good at making you think things through.  You need an objective opinion.  Once you get it, if you decide to go ahead, you won’t hear a peep out of me.”

 Like Gold, Regina is regularly squeezed into Archie’s very busy schedule.  Emma wouldn’t have guessed the former Evil Queen had made this much progress already.  All she can do is nod.  “That’s... a good idea.  You’re right. I’ll do it.”

 “Fine.  If there’s anything else...”

 “No.  See you around.”

 Regina nods, and glides away.

 It takes almost a week, but Archie finds time for a sit-down with Emma.  He gives her a warm smile from his armchair and says, “So I assume wedding prep is in full swing.  Are you feeling any jitters you’d like to work out?”

 “Uh, no, there’s... there’s something else.”

 “I’m all ears.”

 His smile dims as she talks, rolling out her by now rote points one after another.  He doesn’t interrupt, and it feels like hours have passed by the time Emma says, “And that’s about it.  Do I sound nuts?”

 “Nobody’s ‘nuts,’ Emma,” he chides her gently, “And I certainly can’t judge you for choosing to turn into an animal.  It sounds like you’ve given this some deep consideration.  You’ve identified as many potential consequences as you can.  Do you think the good outweighs the bad?”

 “I think so.  I mean... I love Ruby, I want to be with her, but this possibility is always there.  It’s this loaded gun we never talk about.  I don’t want to start our married life with it still there.  I want us to be comfortable, and... together, I don’t know how else to say it.  I want to be...”

 “A wolf?”

 Emma lets out a soft, helpless laugh and throws up her hands.  “Yeah! I want to be... a werewolf, oh god...” Her flash of joy fades as the absurdity of her life rushes back.  She lays a hand over her eyes and murmurs, “And I thought marrying a woman would be complicated.”

 “It’s a- rare relationship issue,” Archie concedes, “But both of you are strong.  And stronger together.”

 “Thanks.”

 Emma leaves soon after, going home and starting on dinner for her and Ruby, who returns from work at the Storybrooke Mirror a little later.  When their relationship started, they decided Ruby should stop working at the police station to avoid conflicts of interest. She’s fit in very well at the Mirror.  Curse-memories of sniffing out the latest gossip in the diner have given her a nose for news, and she likes being able to keep her fellow citizens informed of impending doom.

 “Hey, how’d it go with Archie?” she inquires, leaning over to give Emma a one-armed hug and a kiss on the temple while she stirs noodles at the stove.

 “Good.  He really is a pretty great listener, that cricket.”

 “And?” she asks softly.

 “And... I still want to do this, if you do.”  Emma forces herself to look up from the pot and meet Ruby’s gaze.

 “Okay.  You know I’ve been thinking about it too.  Talking with Granny a lot.  And, so, I had this idea, do you want to hear it?”

 Emma turns to her, leaning a hip against the stove.  “Of course I do.”

 Ruby heaves a breath, and says, “If you’re really, totally sure, then we can do it.  After the wedding, I’ll leave the reception, and go into the forest.  And... you have to come find me.  If you find me, then it’s done.”

 “Oh.  Uh, okay, if that’s how...  Sure.”  Emma hasn’t let herself imagine the actual step-by-step logistics of what they’re going to do, but somehow this feels right.

 ^^^

 PRESENT

 The full moon is high by the time Emma emerges from the forest onto the shore of a lake.  It’s been a while since she heard a howl, but all the signs have been leading her this way.  The water shimmers silver in the moonlight, allowing Emma to see more easily than in the near pitch darkness of the forest.  She scans the area and her breath catches when she spots Ruby, standing several steps away, wearing her white dress and red cloak.

 Ruby walks forward, pale eyes focused on Emma.  When she reaches her, she cups Emma’s cheek and presses a kiss to her lips- firm, warm, searching, apologizing, loving.  Emma’s head feels light when they part, pulse thrumming in her veins.

 “Sit down,” Ruby says.

 Emma lowers herself onto the sandy shore, her gaze staying locked with Ruby’s.

 Ruby kneels beside her and takes off her cloak in a long sweep.  By the time it settles, the wolf has taken her place.  Emma now locks gazes with the wolf’s glowing yellow eyes as she inches forward, nostrils flaring to sniff at her.  The wolf’s head trails down along her body until she reaches Emma’s lower left leg.  The massive jaws part, and Emma grips the cuffs of her jacket just before they close again, fangs sinking into her flesh.

 “Ah, god!” she gasps as burning pain shoots up from her leg.  The wolf holds her, one eye staring, for three seconds.  Then she lets go and steps away.  Emma trembles as she gapes at the rows of punctures in her calf and shin that ooze streams of blood.

 The wolf grabs the cloak in her jaws and throws it over her back.  An instant later, Ruby is up and running for some nearby bushes.  She returns with a duffel bag she rips open, revealing medical supplies and a bundle of cream-colored velvet.  She disinfects Emma’s wounds, tapes gauze pads over them, and wraps her leg in a bandage.  Only when it’s done does she sit back on her heels and take a breath.  “How do you feel?” she asks, face filled with worry.

 “My fucking leg hurts,” Emma replies honestly.

 Ruby’s eyes gain a wet shine, even as she rolls them and grins.  “You’ll get over it... Mrs. Swan-Lucas.”

 That’s more than enough to make Emma smile as well.  She nods at the last of the duffel bag’s contents, “What’s that?”

 “Rumpelstiltskin’s wedding present.”  Ruby takes it out and unfurls a white cloak with a swirling design that echoes her own. “With this, you’ll always have a choice,” she says as she drapes it over Emma’s shoulders.

 Emma can feel its magic settling on her, making the cloak a bit heavier than it should be.  She pulls it close around her.

 “You’ll keep it on tonight,” Ruby says, “And next month... we’ll see what happens.”

 “Okay.”

 “Do you wanna go home?  I can turn again and you can ride on my back.”

 “Let’s wait a minute.  It’s nice out here.”  She turns her gaze to the moon.  Does it look different than before?  Brighter and wider and more beautiful than it’s ever been?  It just might.

 Ruby settles against Emma’s side and wraps an arm around her, head resting against hers.  “I love you, Emma.”

 “I love you too, Red.”

 ^^^

 ONE MONTH LATER

 A wolf runs in the forest. Her black coat makes her nearly invisible, just a hint of movement racing through the gloom.  She darts over streams, jumps logs, ducks under branches. On and on, never slowing, never pausing. The moon is rising and it calls to her, commands her to run, to rejoice in the strength and speed and grace it’s given her.

 There’s a sharp bark up ahead, and Ruby sets aside her reverie to put on more speed and pick up the trail of that most precious scent.  In a clearing she spots a flash of gray-streaked white between the trees. She leaps through the foliage to land heavily in the grass.

 Emma’s head jerks up from the stump she was sniffing.  She lets out a yip and bursts into motion, barreling into Ruby like a battering ram. They tumble together in a nipping, growling storm of fur.  Ruby pins Emma down quickly and rests her head on Emma’s chest, where her heart thumps strong and true.

 At a whine from Emma, Ruby rolls off of her.  Emma butts her head against Ruby in an affectionate nuzzle, pausing as she looks into the sky to see the moon riding over the tree tops.  She sits up straight, casts her head back, and howls, her voice a sweet, pure note of freedom.  Ruby howls with her in a deeper tone.  Their harmony rings through the forest.

[ecfandom]

In case that Nylah/Clarke but Clexa endgame cannon divergent fic was too angsty for you or just not your flavor of angst, here’s another canon divergent fic I’ve been tinkering with in my head for a while now:

So this divergence picks up right after Lextra, with her freaking glitter and nightgown slip up to her eyeballs walks out of Clarke’s room, her chest pounding heavy and fluttering light at the same time. It’s after the fight with Roan and instead of killing Nia she lets her live, instead killing Ontari, the closest thing Nia had to love. Maybe it wasn’t a perfect fit for Costia, for jus drein jus daun, but of course Nia didn’t have it in her cold heart to ever feel love for anyone. Let alone romantic love. SO the twisted mother-daughter connection she had with Ontari would have to do.

So anyways, those are the big changes which drive the entire divergence. You’ll see why in a sec.

So anyways back to lexa and her gay ass fluttering heart as she walks back to her room almost in a daze, her mind working a million different directions. Her hand still tingling from where Clarke had held it and replace her bandages. Her throat aches slightly from where she’d held back her emotions at hearing Clarke’s “I was just doing what was right for my people,” but more importantly her hand still tingles from where Clarke had held it.

Okay. So. We have our world and our opening. Clexa has gotten as far as a few charged encounters and heated glances we all know this well, but instead of the Lexa walking out and that being that, we follow her back to her room. We follow her to bed where she struggles between thoughts of Clarke and thoughts of the turmoil plaguing her people and land.

She’s half meditating half working through plans in her head, no idea that hours have past well into the night when she’s hears a commotion down the hall that rouses her immediately. She nearly collides with a guard who is coming to her as she is leaving, but the guard pushes her back into the room and bars the door. “I’m sorry, head, but there are traitors in the tower. You must stay here for your safety.”

And Lexa essentially growls at him and tells him she mustn’t do shit, she’s the commander she can do whatever she wants and she demands an explanation. But when she gets it she almost wishes she hadn’t because it’s like Costia all over again and god dammit, maybe Titus was right and maybe love is truly weakness because when the guard tells her that Nia and her delegation has stolen Clarke in the night and taken her back to Azgeda territory, weak is all Lexa feels. Weak knees, weak pulse, weak breathing.

So basically all hell breaks loose and Lexa has to bite her tongue before she orders the armies of the 13 clans to raise hell on azgeda. no, instead she decides to do something probably a little reckless and she rides through the night to arkadia with two guards in tow. She bears a white flag behind her and walks her horse up to the gates with her hand risen, and miraculously the arkadia fence guards manage not to shoot her.

Luckily in this world, Hakeldama never happened, Pike and Bellamy never lost their shit and violence against grounders doesn’t go unchecked. Of course Skaikru is still real sour about what happened at mount weather, lincoln still got his head bashed in, but unlike in the 100, Bellamy and Pike have yet to do anything totally irreparable.

So Lexa shows up with her guards and they don’t let her in but Abby and Kane and Raven and Bellamy and Pike and whoever else wants to come along, mostly people with guns, file out to meet her, and Lexa, all powerful, just slides off her horse and straight up to Abby. “We need to talk.”

And Bellamy doesn’t like the idea of Abby alone with the commander but Kane talks him down and then Lexa and Abby go somwhere quiet and it turns out to be Abby’s quarters which have picture of Clarke and drawings from toddler Clarke on the wall and for a moment Lexa feels that weekness again and she needs a second before she can talk.

But when she finally finds her voice again she’s all business. She doesn’t even give Abby time to fear the news of Clarke’s disappearance because Lexa immediately follows it up with requests and commands. Lexa needs Pike and Arkadia under control if she is to leave to retrieve Clarke. She needs to know that Skakru will not wage a war in her absence and Abby promises to handle things here so long as Lexa promises to bring Clarke back alive.

And she does. It is surprisingly not hard as Lexa is well acquainted with the way Nia’s mind works and she finds Clarke, beaten but not broken, within a week of searching for her. The only problem is, winter has come early up north and and Nia finds out fairly quickly that Clarke is gone and practically sends the entirety of the Azgeda after them. See, with Ontari dead, Lexa is the key to the throne and she knew that she couldn’t kill her while in Polis so she took the only thing that would draw Lexa into Azgeda territory. Only problem is, Lexa managed to both rescue Clarke and evade death. So now Nia is shit out of luck unless she recaptures them. Especially now that word will spread that Nia blatantly betrayed the commander and the coalition.

So Clarke and Lexa are on the run, in the dead of winter, with few supplies. Not to mention Clarke is still adamantly pretending she hates Lexa’s guts so she’s not the most willing rescuee on the planet. But Lexa isn’t concerned with Clarke’s attitude. She’ll take all of the venom Clarke has to spew because at least it means she’s alive.

Problem for Clarke is that Lexa is sweet and protective and apologetic and she shields Clarke from the harsh winds with her body and when they have to stop for the night and find an alcove to sleep in, Lexa builds them a fire and shirks off her red sash for Clarke to wrap up in. And Clarke can’t help but notice that she likes the way it smells. And she can’t help but notice that when she wakes up cold in the middle of the night because the fire has gone out, Lexa is a few feet away shaking like a leaf and she can’t help but notice that the sight of Lexa’s discomfort makes her stomach turn. So for the night, just for the night, Clarke puts away her barbs and lets herself scoot closer to lexa. Lets herself drape the sash over both of them. She tries to ingnore the way it’s important for her to stay awake just a little longer to watch Lexa’s shivers die down.

In the morning Lexa is awake before her with a fire already started and she’s offering her some meat that’s hot and drips down her fingers when she takes it from the commander. And Lexa looks so pleased at Clarkes acceptance, Clarke tries to ignore the way Lexa’s small smile feels in her chest.

And the days pass like this, the occasional run in with some of Nia’s warriors. Lexa fending them off like child’s play and Clarke trying not to notice the way Lexa makes her feel safe for the first time since her feet had hit the ground. She tries not to notice the pitch of her stomach or the hammer to her chest when she wakes up on occasion to find lexa gone. Tries to ignore the way relief floods into her when Lexa returns and murmurs, “I was looking for food. I’m sorry I frightened you, Clarke.” And Clarke has to pretend that she was frightned at the prospect of having to travel alone not at the prospect of having lost Lexa. Because that would be too personal. That would mean she cares. Which she doesn’t.

Oh but she does. She does. And she just can’t ignore it any more when, on their travels one day, Lexa gets hit with an arrow seemingly from nowhere and hits the ground with a sickening crunch. She can’t ignore the way panic swells in her chest at the sight of Lexa’s black blood. Can’t ignore the urgency she feels to protect Lexa the way Lexa had protected her. She can’t help but think about all of the time she’d spit absolutely hating on Lexa for her betrayal when all Lexa had done for the past month was make up for it many times over.

She can’t shove any of this from her mind as she picks off the archers with her gun and struggles to drag Lexa’s body across the ground to a nearby village. She can’t shove it back to where she wants it as she watches healers work on Lexa’s wound, one eyes on them, one eye on an exit plan should they need it.

But these Azgeda, far removed from the queen and their capital, have no qualms with the commander. In fact the love her and the shield her from prying eyes and minds when a group of warriors pass through looking for hideaways.

And then when Lexa is finally, finally better and Clarke feels herself breathe again, they set off with a little more food and a little more supplies, but more than anything Clarke feels weighted down with the realization that she doesn’t hate Lexa at all.

And it’s only after a long day of running from warriors on their heels, with Clarke exhausted and teary and scared, when lexa has them high up in the trees, tied to a giant branch (Katniss style) that night to keep them away from the warriors so that Clarke can finally sleep , that Clarke can’t hold it in anymore.  She let’s the weight of everything consume her and she cries, hard, muffled tears so as not to alert anyone of their presence, her back shaking against Lexa’s front. And when Lexa soothes her with quiet hushes and gentle pets to her hair (and maybe even a gentle kiss to the back of her head that she thinks she feels), Clarke can’t keep from turning around and gazing at Lexa’s face, pale in the moonlight, her big green eyes wide and reverential and shiny.

And Clarke finally lets it all go. She shakes with the fierce sigh she lets out as she pushes forward and kisses Lexa. It makes her let out a whimper she doesn’t even feel…but that’s because it wasn’t actually her whimper. When she pulls away, Lexa’s lip trembles and a tear dots her pretty face and Clarke thinks Lexa might be the most devastatingly beautiful creature she’s ever seen.

The rope keeps her from being able to turn as much as she’d like so she settles for gripping onto Lexa’s hand as she returns to her lips, both of them struggling to keep their sound down as they release breathy little sighs and watery gasps and overwhelmed hiccups.

And eventually when their lips are numb and Lexa’s shoulders are shaking with her every breath, they finally pull apart. But Clarke, as if like a light switch, Clarke can’t bear any space between them anymore and so she cups Lexa’s cheek and runs her thumb over her beautiful, pink cheekbone, wondering how she’d kept herself away from such love for so long.

For the first time since they’ve been on the run, Clarke actually gets some sleep with her back pressed against Lexa’s front, Lexa’s strong thighs surround her own. Lexa’s arms encircling her waist and running a gentle, soothing hand up her stomach overtime Clarke jumps at the sound of something stirring below in the dark.

And in the morning when Lexa looks at her with hesitancy and apprehension, clearly worried that sleep might have changed Clarke’s mind, Clarke unties herself and carefully maneuvers into Lexa’s lap so that she’s facing her. And she grasps Lexa’s face in her hands with intention. And then she does her best to kiss away all of Lexa’s fears, nuzzling against her forehead and nose, putting as much love and tenderness into it as possible.

And Lexa almost can’t believe. She’s so dazed by Clarke’s loving touch and her sweet words, she could have very nearly fallen out of that tree if she weren’t still tied down.

Eventually they have to return to the ground and their run for their lives, but everything is a little easier now with their feelings out in the open. Things aren’t quite so scary, aren’t quite so formidable with the lover of their lives by their side. And the nights aren’t nearly as cold or as dangerous now that Clarke and crawl over to Lexa and curl up into her, nestled between Lexa’s solid body and the fire Lexa had slowly, over time, taught her how to make.

And it’s not long after that that they finally wander into territory that Clarke recognizes.

But that’s when Lexa hits her with a nail to the heart. Telling her that the Azgeda are still tracking them, Lexa pushes Clarke to finish the rest of the trip alone the next day so that Lexa can lead them away from Arkadia. Clarke of course refuses, but she wakes up that night cold and that’s when she realizes Lexa has left her in the middle of the night. And it’s nothing like Mt. Weather. It’s quite the opposite really, with Lexa sacrificing herself to keep Clarke’s people safe, but in her fear and her anger the betrayal rings familiar and it’s her fury (and that fear) that gives her the strength to make it back to Arkadia.

Miraculously Abby has manages to keep Skaikru and the coalition at peace, and even Pike seems to be more at ease around the grounders thanks to an incident in which a member of trikru saves his ass when he wanders into a group of Azgeda warriors scouting the area.

Arcadia welcomes Clarke back, but Clarke can’t stop thinking about Lexa. Clarke can’t help but wait up for her every night, standing outside the gate long after the sun goes down, much to her mother’s constant worry. But two weeks pass and Lexa doesn’t show and there’s no word from Polis and Clarke can feel her world crumbling around her as the Azgeda get closer and meaner and fiercer everyday and the love of her life is still yet to show.

She’s in the medical bay, helping her mother in an attempt to keep her mind busy when there’s an outcry at the gates. When she runs out to see what all the commotion is, her heart stops as she sees Bellamy helping a limping commander into the fence, her face pale and eyes wide. “Close the gates! Close the gates!” she’s panting and when Clarke looks out she sees why. Just visible in the tree line stands a small group of Azgeda warriors. Clarke’s about to yell at the fence guards to use their sniper rifles to take them out when there’s a distant war cry and Trikru converge on the Azgeda from either side, demolishing them with little trouble.

Clarke watches all of this for maybe a second before she’s dipping in front of Lexa and hauling her body into hers both for a hug and to help support her. Lexa is muttering something over and over again in Trig, but it’s panted and garbled and laced with pain so Clarke understands none of it.

It’s not until lexa is in the medical bay with her leg wound stitched up that Clarke finally realizes that Lexa is muttering apologies. Apologies for leaving her. Apologies for leading Azgeda to Arkadia despite her efforts.

“I was trying to protect you,” Lexa finally pants and Clarke is overwhelmed with anger and love and forgiveness all at once.

“You left me,” she says and Lexa nods, tears in her eyes.

“I was trying to protect you. Clarke. I’m sorry. I just wanted to keep you and your people, our people, safe.”

And Clarke is glad that Lexa is alive, god she’s so glad she could scream, but she’s still angry (it’s that fear again) and so she is distant and cold with Lexa. Not terribly so, but enough for the commander to feel it. Enough for Lexa to feel her absence. More than anything, though, Clarke realizes she’s punishing herself when she lies awake aching for Lexa’s presence. But dammit she wants to make Lexa work for it. She wants Lexa to prove to her that she’s going to stop this nonsense of leaving Clarke.

And Lexa does. She does, she does, she does, and it’s only a week later that Clarke shows up at Lexa’s door. And they don’t go beyond kissing because Lexa’s leg still bothers her but they there together, their shirts off, their warm skin pressed together in the dark. And they sleep, finally, peacefully.

Long story short, because I gotta leave SOMETHING for the fic, the war rages on and battles are fought and Azgeda is defeated and the coalition once again rises with Lexa back in charge. And skaikru pledges it’s allegiance to the coalition (again) and Pike and Bellamy find their chill and Lincoln and Aden (and lexa obvi) don’t die.

And it’s not all peace and butterflies because the ground is a hard place to live, but it’s also beautiful and Clarke splits her time between Arkadia and Polis (lets be real she spends about a month at Arkadia total each year her baby is in Polis she can’t leave for more than a week at a time at the most) and Skaikru intermingle and marry and eventually it’s almost as if they’d been grounders all along. And they have the most wonderful, lively parties with games and torches that cast warm light and drinking and best of all Clarke gets to sleep next to the love of her life every night and all of the happy ending tropes you can imagine happen. And yeah. That’s the head cannon. Thoughts? Questions? Concerns?

[wednesdays-in-paris-at-cafes]

MICHEL: I figure if I stay alive long enough, these scientists, they will be able to cure anything including death, therefore ensuring my indefinite existence.

DEAN: So what’s the movie for tonight? LORELAI: Oh my god, a classic. RORY: The Joan and Melissa Rivers Story, starring… LORELAI: Joan and Melissa Rivers. A mother and daughter torn apart by tragedy. RORY: Suicide. LORELAI: Not getting The Tonight Show. RORY: Mean boyfriends. LORELAI: Identical noses. RORY: You’ll laugh, you’ll cry. LORELAI: Because you’re laughing so hard. RORY: It’ll be an evening to remember. LORELAI: And in the pivotal scene where a very distraught Joan gets locked out of High Holiday Services because she’s late, I will be forced to rewind it and play it over and over about four thousand times. RORY: You’ll never be the same. 

LORELAI: You are the great white hope of the Gilmore clan. You are their angel sent from up above. You are the daughter they didn’t have. RORY: Mom. LORELAI: No, it’s not a ‘feel sorry for me’ thing. It’s just the truth. I mean, you’re gonna go to college. Hell, you’re gonna graduate from high school. They’re gonna get to watch you walk down the aisle wearing your cap and gown and get your diploma and go to Harvard and be a Phi Beta Bimbo and graduate with honors and just set the world on fire. And that is the plan, looks like it’s gonna happen.

RORY: Let’s go. LORELAI: Where? RORY: Wedding dress shopping. LORELAI: Uhhh, you’re reading. RORY: I’m done. LORELAI: Uh, you need to see Dean. RORY: He’s playing softball. LORELAI: Your cure for cancer’s almost finished.

RORY: Time? LORELAI: 8:30. RORY: I’m late. LORELAI: Hold on, coffee! RORY: Thanks. I’ll see you tonight. LORELAI: Wait, one sec. RORY: Mom, I have to be there in twenty minutes. LORELAI: I know, but I made you something really cool. RORY: Can’t it wait 'til tonight? LORELAI: It won’t be cool tonight. RORY: What do you mean it won’t be cool tonight? What loses its cool factor in twelve hours? LORELAI: This. [holds up a hammer decorated in pink] RORY: What is that? LORELAI: A hammer. RORY: It has feathers on it. LORELAI: Yes. RORY: Why? LORELAI: So the rhinestones and bows won’t feel lonely. RORY: What do you want me to do it? LORELAI: Build a really pretty house. RORY: How long is it gonna take me to talk you out of giving that to me? LORELAI: Forty minutes, an hour, tops. RORY: Hand it over.

DEAN: Hey. RORY: Hi. DEAN: Where you going? RORY: I have to build a house. DEAN: Okay, so where you going? RORY: I’m serious. DEAN: You’re going to build a house? RORY: It’s for charity and I’m late, and why don’t you go on inside and you and my mother can continue the 'Rory’s building a house’ routine and when that gets boring you can move on over to 'Who’s on First?’ DEAN: Well, how long are you gonna be gone? RORY: I don’t know, why? DEAN: I just thought we could hang today. Maybe see a movie, get something to eat. We could go to a bookstore, I’ll watch you browse for six or seven hours. RORY: I would love to but I have to do this thing today. DEAN: Blow it off. RORY: I can’t. DEAN: Did I mention the bookstore for six or seven hours?

MAN: Okay, where you from? RORY: Chilton. My name… MAN: Come on Chilton. RORY: No, it’s Rory. Chilton’s my school. MAN: You got a hammer? RORY: Oh, yes, sir. MAN: Where is it? [Rory takes out the decorated hammer and shows him] RORY: It’s a real hammer underneath. MAN: That’s a hammer? RORY: Well, it’s just dressed up a little. MAN: You dressed up a hammer? RORY: No, my mother did. She does that. She, um, she takes thinks that aren’t pretty and makes them pretty, like a hammer, you know. One time she made individual outfits for my liquid paper bottles. A clown, a cowboy, a newscaster. She’s not insane, she just sounds it.

LORELAI: This is incredible. This is really really incredible. My God, is there any pink icing left on the planet? SOOKIE: The whole town is in on it actually. It’s gonna be quite the affair. I think you’ll be sufficiently impressed with the amount of people that wanna celebrate this with you. LORELAI: Michel? SOOKIE: No. LORELAI: Right. 

LORELAI: “We have buried the putrid corpse of liberty.” Perfect! RORY: Mussolini it is. Um, can I ask you an ethical question? LORELAI: Mmm. RORY: Is it right to be sampling wedding cakes when Sookie’s making ours for free? LORELAI: What is right anyway, you know? Who defines right? And if eating cake is wrong, I don’t want to be right. FRAN: [calls] I’m bringing out a mocha crunch cream. LORELAI: So, ethics? RORY: Highly subjective and completely overrated. LORELAI: That’s my girl.

MAX: Ugh, I can barely walk. LORELAI: Bad shoes? MAX: I ate a cow. LORELAI: You had a steak. MAX: Plus the sides. Four people, six baked potatoes. LORELAI: Uh, you always exaggerate. MAX: Am I exaggerating? DEAN: Nope. RORY: Ooh, ice cream! [runs off] LORELAI: Ooh, I’m right behind you! [runs off] MAX: How can they possibly eat more? DEAN: Kind of surprised. MAX: I know. They’re bottomless pits. DEAN: I mean at you. You’ve known them long enough not to be so confused. [They both sit on a bench.] MAX: Oh, I’m not confused. I’m just … what do you mean? DEAN: Their eating habits are just the start of what you’re gonna have to get used to. There’s tons of stuff you should be aware of. MAX: Really? DEAN: Oh yeah. Like, don’t ever use the last of the parmesan cheese. And never get into a heavy discussion late at night 'cause that’s when they’re at their crankiest. Oh, and uh, go with their bits. MAX: Their bits? DEAN: Yeah, like, if you’re eating pizza with them and Lorelai decides that the pepperoni is angry at the mushrooms because the mushrooms have an attitude and then she holds up a pepperoni and the pepperoni asks for your opinion…don’t just laugh. Answer the pepperoni. MAX: Answer the pepperoni. DEAN: And don’t let them near puppies 'cause they’ll want to take home every one. MAX: Oh, that one I knew. DEAN: Oh, and uh, here’s a big one. If you ever think that they’re doing something crazy, they’re not. You see, after a while, their thinking becomes clear, but by the time it’s clear, they’ve already done two other totally crazy things that you can’t figure out. So there’s no catching up. MAX: You have much knowledge. DEAN: You got that from Rory. MAX: Right. DEAN: Oh, and hey, does Lorelai know what kind of ice cream you like? MAX: Yeah, chocolate chip. But I already told her that I… LORELAI: Hey, chocolate chip. [hands him an ice cream cone] MAX: Thanks. LORELAI: You’re welcome. CUT TO LORELAI’S FRONT PORCH [Lorelai, Rory, Max, and Dean walk up to Lorelai’s house.] LORELAI: Ugh, I’m so full. Why’d you let me eat so much? DEAN: Yeah, they’ll blame you.

LORELAI: Pack! RORY: What? LORELAI: Pack. RORY: What’s going on? LORELAI: We are hitting the road. RORY: What? LORELAI: Pack everything. Traveling light is for girls. RORY: What’s going on here? Why are we hitting the road? LORELAI: We haven’t taken a road trip in forever and the weather is perfect. RORY: We can’t take a road trip. You’re getting married this weekend. LORELAI: Do you have my blue swimsuit? RORY: What about Max? LORELAI: Sunscreen, we need sunscreen. RORY: Mom, stop. LORELAI: What? RORY: Are you and Max getting married? LORELAI: No. RORY: Why? [Lorelai starts crying] LORELAI: Because I didn’t want to try on my wedding dress every night. RORY: Where are we going? LORELAI: We don’t have to. RORY: Hot, cold, rocky, sandy, mountain, valley? LORELAI: I didn’t really have a particular spot. RORY: Packing for all contingencies. Got it. Light layers. LORELAI: Yeah, light layers. RORY: Do you need a book? LORELAI: Um, that Colette biography. RORY: I lost your place in it. LORELAI: That’s okay. I have to start over anyway. RORY: You got it. LORELAI: And hurry. RORY: Are we going tonight? LORELAI: First thing in the morning. RORY: Seven-ish? LORELAI: Five-ish. RORY: Wow. LORELAI: It’ll be more like six-ish. RORY: Let’s shoot for five-ish. LORELAI: You are crazy, and I love it. CUT TO LORELAI’S JEEP [Early the next morning, Lorelai and Rory are in Lorelai’s jeep driving through Stars Hollow.] RORY: Wow, totally deserted. LORELAI: We’re the last ones left. RORY: So are we almost there? LORELAI: We’re almost there and nowhere near it. All that matters is we’re going. RORY: We’re practically gone already. LORELAI: Look out world.

RORY: [turns off radio] We have to figure out where we’re going. LORELAI: No we don’t. RORY: Mom. LORELAI: The point of this is to be spontaneous. To drive and land someplace we’ve never been and never expected to be. RORY: Sounds risky. LORELAI: Sounds exciting. RORY: Serendipity has never been kind to us. LORELAI: Ah, yes, but I talked to serendipity on the phone last night. She feels bad about how she’s treated us in the past. We had a nice chat. It’s all gonna be different now. RORY: What did that sign say? It said “Don’t” or “Death” on it. LORELAI: Relax. RORY: We’re doomed! LORELAI: Wrong. We’re being guided by fate. RORY: I think we’re lost. LORELAI: We can’t be lost. We don’t know where we’re going. RORY: You’re going to stop before we drive into the Atlantic Ocean. LORELAI: I’ll try. RORY: At least we’ll know where we are. LORELAI: Unless it’s the Pacific. [turns on radio]

RORY: What’s with the face? LORELAI: Hmm, they’re taller. RORY: Not this again. LORELAI: There’s more of them. RORY: Mom, the flowers on the wallpaper are not growing or reproducing. LORELAI: Hm. RORY: Wait a minute. You weren’t writing in this thing, were you? LORELAI: Maybe some random thoughts. RORY: [reading guestbook] 'Satanic forces are at work here.’ Mom. LORELAI: What? RORY: What? What? We cannot write that in here. [changes it] Here. 'Sat and forever am at work here.’ LORELAI: That doesn’t make any sense.

LORELAI: Wow! Harvard is over 300 years old. RORY: Founded in 1636. LORELAI: That means that almost everyone who ever went to Harvard is dead now. Are you sure you still want to go here? RORY: Yes, I’m sure. LORELAI: They developed the pacemaker here. Also, discovered how electromagnetism and radioactivity are two manifestations of the same force and postulated existence of a charmed quark. I was wondering who did that. RORY: The smarties at Harvard. LORELAI: Holy smokes. They get an average of 18,000 applicants every year and only 2,000 get in. Those are not good odds. RORY: Mom. LORELAI: No no no, you’re different. Past graduates. Henry James…isn’t that a beer? RORY: And a novelist. Go on. LORELAI: John Adams. That’s a beer! RORY: Our second president. He’s very in right now. LORELAI: W.E.B. Du Bois, Yo-Yo Ma. Oh cool! Fred Gwynn. RORY: Who? LORELAI: Herman Munster. Now I’m impressed.

RORY: Oh my. LORELAI: What’s this? RORY: It’s the library. LORELAI: Oh. RORY: The biggest library I’ve ever seen. LORELAI: Uh oh. Brace yourself. RORY: What? LORELAI: This is just one of the libraries. RORY: One of the libraries? LORELAI: This building is one component of a thirteen million volume collection housed in more than ninety different libraries. It’s the oldest library in the United States and the largest academic library in the world. Breathe, breathe. RORY: I’m a failure. LORELAI: What? RORY: I am stupid. LORELAI: Oh stop. RORY: I am uninformed and ignorant and… I can’t even think of a second synonym for uninformed. I suck. LORELAI: Honey. RORY: Thirteen million volumes? I’ve read like, what, three hundred books in my entire life and I’m already sixteen? Do you know how long it would take me to read thirteen million books? LORELAI: But honey, you don’t have to read every one of them. “Tuesday’s with Morrie?” Skip that. “Who Moved My Cheese?” Just stuff you already know. RORY: Okay, but every kid coming to Harvard is inevitably reading books, and different books, and I want to be able to converse intelligently with each of them and I can’t do that unless I read books, at least a few from every genre and sub-genre. LORELAI: Okay, come on. I’m getting you out of here. RORY: I sleep too much. LORELAI: No you don’t. RORY: I’ve been frittering away my whole life. LORELAI: You don’t fritter. RORY: Did I mention I suck? LORELAI: Yes. RORY: Well I do. LORELAI: No.

LUKE: So where’d you guys go? LORELAI: Well, we drove around a little, we hit a B&B, and we took a tour of Harvard. LUKE: Harvard… interesting. LORELAI: It was amazing. Seeing Rory there, in a dorm room, in a classroom. She fit. LUKE: Yeah, I can see her fitting there. LORELAI: She was right at home. LUKE: So, how you taking that? LORELAI: Taking what? LUKE: Seeing her fit? LORELAI: I loved it…and I hated it. LUKE: That seems about right. LORELAI: Man, these past few days… just so many thoughts about my life then, my life now, what I missed. Thoughts about what I’ll never have, and what I want to have.

[dextronoms]

Supports between Yasuo (@random-delights ) and Emmelia (me!)

@fatesonasupports​

C Support

Emmelia: OK, so, handed out a lot of the supplies on this list already. Now I just have a few more people left!

Emmelia: Let’s see… Yasuo’s next. I think I know who that is? *looks around* Oh, there he is! (I hope I’m not wrong, better ask first...)

Emmelia: Hey, you’re Yasuo right?

Yasuo: Halt, Nohrian. Do not come any closer if you wish to keep this a peaceful relationship for Lady/Lord Corrin’s sake.

Emmelia: *pauses and raises an eyebrow* See, you didn’t answer my question and I really need to know if I got your name right.

Yasuo: I just want to make sure you understand my comfort. And yes, I am Yasuo. What do you need from me? *expression is calm yet cautious*

Emmelia: *sighs a little in relief before smiling* Great! I have something for you, something you requested from requisitions? One sec… *steps closer to him as she digs through the bag around her shoulder*

Emmelia:: It was a whetstone, if I remember correct. Ah ha! *is much closer to him at this point and pulls out the item* Here you go! A fancy new stone, just for you. *holds it out*

Yasuo: *quickly takes a step back, his hand on the hilt of his sword* Stand back-! *he pauses*

Yasuo: Oh…*straightens his posture* Thank you…*takes the item* Is this a trick? Your kindness and helpfulness won’t blind me!

Emmelia: A trick? *chuckles* Nah, not a trick. I just volunteered to go around and give people what they asked for from the requisitions officer.

Emmelia: Was there anything else you needed? Want to make sure I remembered everything correctly.

Yasuo: So you volunteered, huh? How odd.

Yasuo: Hmph! I don’t need anything else from you Nohrians! You think I don’t know how you are trying to kidnap back Lady/Lord Corrin under our noses?

Emmelia: Odd? I mean, no one else wanted to do it and I don’t mind walking around camp handing out things so…

Emmelia: Kidnap her/him? Wouldn’t that be kind of fruitless at this point? Not like I’d be in on any grand kidnapping scheme, honestly. I’m just some country guard from the middle of nowhere…

Yasuo: Enough of this..*he growls* I will not waste my time with someone from the same nation who murdered our beloved King. *he leaves*

Emmelia: Huh. *shrugs and then calls after him* If you change your mind about needing anything, don’t hesitate to ask the requisitions officer! *she goes to finish her deliveries*

B Support

Yasuo: *sitting down at mess hall with a small bottle of wine* Mm, such good wine to accompany my break from duties.

Emmelia: Man, hope there is leftover something from lunch… (please please ple--)

Emmelia: Oh, that’s Yasuo. He’s probably taking a break too. *chuckles* He definitely doesn’t want anything to do with me so I should probably avoid *notices the wine* him… ohhh that bottle is pretty.

Emmelia: *approaches him where he can see her* Afternoon, Yasuo. What a beautiful bottle you have there… is it wine?

Yasuo: *sighs* You again…

Yasuo: It is Plum wine…*surprised*...you want some?

Emmelia: Plum wine? It sounds lovely… *perks up happily* If you don’t mind? It’s probably much better than the poor man’s wine I’ve had before.

Emmelia: *goes to sit next to him, but remembers he might not like that* Oops, sorry… *sits across from him at the table instead*

Yasuo: *notices, he pours a small glass and moves it closer to her* Maybe depending on your reaction, I will allow you to sit closer. *he jokes, smirking*

Emmelia: Thank you. *blinks at the joke, but then chuckles* Here’s hoping then, hm? *takes a sip*

Emmelia:: Oh, that’s wonderful. And it’s made from plums? *takes another sip*

Yasuo: *nods* Yes. You do not have this drink in Nohr? How do you survive then? *he chuckles*

Emmelia: *chuckles a bit* We could have it, but the nobles probably hoard the stuff. Us regular people have moonshine and gods awful ale.

Emmelia: The moonshine could be good if made with the right fruits but I will never like ale.

Emmelia: This wine though… it’s so light! Never thought something alcoholic could be like this.

Yasuo: …

Yasuo: *pushes the bottle closer to her* You can have this. *smiles* I have more for myself, so enjoy it all yourself.

Emmelia: Woah, are you sure?

Emmelia: … Well, since we are both on break, we could share it together? I was always taught not to drink alone if I could avoid it.

Emmelia: *chuckles* If you don’t mind drinking with a Nohrian, that is.

Yasuo: You’ve been taught well then! *he chuckles* Not at all...let’s finish the bottle before anyone else comes...hehe…

Emmelia: *giggles* Sounds fantastic to me! *pours him some more wine*

Yasuo: Say, Emmelia...why do you fight on Nohr’s side?

Emmelia: *pauses* Honestly? I was asked to. My village is small and in the middle of nowhere. I’m a member of our small guard, just making sure no one tries anything stupid. I took care of drunks making a mess, bandits that thought we’d be easy, and the rare time a faceless got away from their handler.

Emmelia: But when this all started, the whole thing with Corrin and their fight to stop the war, it even reached us. Everyone got together in our village and asked me to go and offer to help. They wanted someone they knew, someone they trusted, to fight with everyone.

Emmelia: I guess I fight on Nohr’s side only because it just happens to be the country my town is in. I fight for them and for my comrades. Not really for Nohr itself, honestly.

Emmelia: *chuckles* Probably not why you fight for Hoshido, right? Something more… important I bet.

Yasuo: Fight for them and you comrades, huh? *deep in thought* *pauses at Emmelia’s question* I do fight for Hoshido! But now that you talked about your reason, it makes me rethink my own.

Yasuo: I was recruited into the army after being spotted by a soldier at the dojo I lived in. After that, I swore to protect our people, the villages, anything that was attacked by Nohrians and those faceless…

Yasuo: I think I fought to protect Sumeragi…*tenses up* But I didn’t do much of a job. I should have gone with him. He wouldn’t have been murdered in cold blood-and Lady/Lord Corrin! They wouldn’t have been kidnapped!

Emmelia: … a lot of soldiers fight in this war because of regret it seems.

Emmelia: I know that you’ve probably heard this all before and possibly you just don’t want to hear it from someone that wasn’t there, but I’m sorry about what happened.

Emmelia:: It sounds like you lost more than just your King that day… were you friends?

Yasuo: Yes. Perhaps this is too cheesy, but he was like a father. A very well one. Even though he already had children, he treated me like I was one of them. *he smiles*

Emmelia: *nods lightly* He sounds wonderful. It’s always sad to lose family.

Emmelia: But, at least now you have Lord/Lady Corrin back in your life. Plus all of King Sumeragi’s other children.

Emmelia: *chuckles* You don’t hear many good stories about Nohrian nobles, really. It’s nice to see that not every country is swimming with jerks in power.

Yasuo: *chuckles* I suppose Hoshido doesn’t have it’s greatest moments either, what with the ninja clans. *sighs* Why can’t we deal with decent people, hm, Emm?

Yasuo: Perhaps we need more wine. Yes. More wine. *pulls a bottle out from his sleeve and puts a finger to his lips* Do not tell anyone though, aha. Or else Yukiyuki will scold me again for my habits.

Emmelia: Who knows? Luckily I am of little importance politically, so I don’t have to deal with our nobles often.

Emmelia: Ohhh, is that why Hoshidan sleeves are so big? To hide little secrets and bottles of wine? *chuckles* I would not say no to some more wine, but we should probably go someplace else? A place where we can’t get caught… I have a hiding spot, of sorts, where I go to write.

Emmelia: We can try there?

Yasuo: Oho~ I like how you think, Nohrian. *pulls out some Hoshidan sweets* Yes. I have sweets, whiskey, sake, onigiri...basically a picnic in one sleeve. *grins*

Emmelia: Holy cow, doesn't that get heavy? *chuckles* Well, let me grab something and I’ll lead the way. I have some fudge I made that I'd be happy to share.

Yasuo: Fudge? I don’t know what that is, but it sounds amazing.

Yasuo: And thank you Emmelia. For putting up with my arrogance.

Emmelia: I hope your first introduction to it will be good then!! It's chocolate and very good! Well, it is my grandmother's recipe so I hope you like it.

Emmelia: Hey, it's no problem. Though if you continued to be a bit of a jerk, I probably would have just ignored you. *chuckles*

Yasuo: But I’d be a jerk with wine, how can you turn that down? *chuckles* Let’s go then~! Do you think we can bring peace with fudge and wine? Haha~

Emmelia: Ha, one can hope! Only boring people could say no to either.

Yasuo: Perhaps we are more alike than I thought…who could imagine. A Nohrian and a Hoshidan sitting down for a good drink.

Yasuo: Say...is it true that no light reaches Nohr?

Emmelia: Hm, in most parts, yeah. We have our sunny days but they are rare. Especially where I lived… *sighs* I can only imagine what it’s like to have the sun be out all the time. I didn’t leave my village much. Or, at all, really.

Yasuo: A place without sun...it truly sounds like a horrible tale. You cannot enjoy the warmth, the plants will not enjoy their food from the sun...what about beaches? A nice hot, warm day with the cooling water.

Yasuo: Sounds impossible anyone can live in those conditions!

Emmelia: Beaches? I think Nohrian ones are mostly rocks and rough water. Not like I’d know from first hand experience. *chuckles* But if that’s what Hoshidan beaches look like, it must be lovely.

Emmelia: Anyway, let's go drink before people catch us taking a longer break than usual.

Yasuo: Pleasant…*he looks at Emmelia for awhile before nodding* Yes. Let us go ravish the supplies~

Support A

Yasuo: Emmelia? You around, dear?

Emmelia: *looks up from cleaning her bow* Yasuo! Hello! What can I do you for?

Yasuo: Oh no, it isn’t what you can do for me...but what I can do for you! Here! *hands her some lighter clothes and grins*

Emmelia: *tilts her head to the side, but takes the clothes* Oh, these are lovely! But, I couldn’t accept these… what’s the occasion, anyway?

Yasuo: Follow me, and you will see, my dear! *he chuckles and walks off in a hurry, not waiting for Emmelia*

Emmelia: W-What? Hey, wait up!! *tries to keep up with him*

//fade to black //fade back

Yasuo: Okay okay, open your eyes! But judging by the sound and heat you can already tell where we are...hehe.

Emmelia: Oof, I’m glad you made me change into those clothes… I’d be boiling in my usual outfit… *opens eyes*

Emmelia: … oh… oh wow… *looks around in awe* Is… this is a beach, right? *chuckles* Sorry, yes, of course it is. *takes a deep breath and then giggles* The air is salty!

Yasuo: Salt, fresh and good! *he pushes her into the waves* And nice and cool~

Emmelia: Wha-!! *gasps at how cold it is, but then laughs* Yasuo! You jerk! *keeps giggling while splashing him* You could have warned me!

Yasuo: *chuckles* And give you no surprise? What is the fun in that?

Yasuo: *smiles* Well? Now do you like the idea of what beaches are?

Emmelia: I like the idea of these beaches! The water is so… so clear! And the sun! I was not even sure it could be this bright! *her eyes sparkle* Do you think we could see fish? I hear that ocean fish are so colorful!

Yasuo: Aha, of course! Here..how about you keep a present first? *he scoops up the sea water in a clear bottle and hands it to her* For you to keep as a good memory piece.

Emmelia: Oh… *she holds the bottle close to her* This will be perfect. The only time I’ll get to see the beach, but I’ll remember it forever. *smiles brightly* Thank you so much.

Emmelia: *something catches her eye* Yasuo! Look! *she leans down and picks up a smooth piece of glass* This glass! And see? It’s the same color as your eyes! *holds it up to compare* So pretty!!

Yasuo: O-Oh..*blushes* My eyes? *chuckles* Aha! I suppose it does...t-thank you…

Emmelia: Yasuo! You might be getting a sunburn already! Your cheeks are pink! *smiles and holds the glass close like she does the bottle* I think I’ll keep this one too. *carefully put them in her pocket*

Emmelia: Sorry I’m acting like a little kid, but this is just!! So wonderful! Thank you… so so much.

Emmelia: But, why bring me here?

Yasuo: No..it is a wonderful sight, I assure you.

Yasuo: *smiles* Because the way you described beaches sounded nothing like one! I wanted you to experience an actual beach!

Emmelia: Well, while we’re here, I want to experience everything about it! Let’s go! *gently grabs his hand and pulls him along to explore the beach* If this will be the only time I can see a real beach, I want to make the most of my time!

Emmelia: Especially with my friend here with me. *smiles at Yasuo*

Yasuo: *chuckles* Oh my Emmelia...you’re sweeter than a fresh peach. Aha!

Support S

Emmelia: Hm, where is he… ah ha! There!

Emmelia: Yasuo! There you are! *waves and approaches* I’ve been looking for you!

Yasuo: Ah...Emmelia...so you have found me. Is there any important news I must know?

Emmelia: No, not really! All the recent battles have made us keep our time together short, so I was wondering how you’ve been!

Emmelia: And from the few time we have been able to get together, you’ve seemed different. Less perky than usual. Is everything alright?

Yasuo: O-Oh really? I...I must apologize then for my rude behaviour.

Yasuo: Emmelia.I...there is something that needs to be discussed between the two of us.

Emmelia: … D-Discuss? OK… *nervously bites lip* I’m always here for you to talk to!

Emmelia: But, I hope! I hope I didn’t do something stupid without realizing it? Because I know I tend to say things without thinking about them sometimes…

Emmelia: Last thing I want is our friendship to end because I’m foolish.

Yasuo: *surprised* Emmelia...Emmelia stop! *chuckles* You are talking too fast, aha. You didn’t do anything wrong, my dear.

Yasuo: If anything.

Yasuo: *blushes* You did all the right things. I did not want to discuss bad things with you, unless you think otherwise, but...well...how should I simply put this? *places fingers on chin*

Yasuo: How would you like to always go to the beach together?

Emmelia: Oh s-sorry… *sighs in relief* But thank Gods, the last thing I could ever want is to upset you.

Emmelia: *blushes a bit* Really? I mean, I’d love to go to the beach more with you! Though with the war, it would be tough to go often. Not to mention when the war is over, I’d… it would be difficult to travel from my town.

Yasuo: What if...you didn’t have to travel from your town? You stay in Hoshido...after the war...with me?

Emmelia: W-Wait, move to Hoshido with you? Do you… does that mean w-what I think it means?

Emmelia: I… I never thought you could ever… *chuckles lightly* You do remember that I’m Nohrian, right?

Yasuo: *chuckles and blushes* I know you are...but you are also you. The woman who I want to have by my side for the rest of my life.

Yasuo: A-Ah...this is so embarrassing...aha…

Emmelia: Ahh, it is a little embarrassing, isn’t it? B-But, I am… so happy. I will happily live in Hoshido with you, Yasuo.

Emmelia: It’ll be nice, living in such a sunny place with the man I love. *giggles softly, putting a hand on his cheek* You’ll be back to your happy, perky self though, right? Quiet and reserved doesn’t fit you at all, Love.

Yasuo: *blushes* You love m-me? I...aha..I would have never thought it would happen.

Yasuo: *kisses her hand* I promise to be myself and nothing else with you for the rest of my life. I love you, Emmelia.

Emmelia: And I love you.

Emmelia: *giggles* I look forward to all the sunburns I’ll get from all our beach visits.

Yasuo: *chuckles* Aha! My dear, I will not let the sun scorch my beloved! I will fight it until it surrenders! *raises a hand as if carrying a sword*

Emmelia: Pft, now that would be a sight! *giggles* I can’t wait.

[thegeminisage]

zeldablogging! i actually quit playing hours ago but i didn’t have time to post it until now

firstly my bro came over and let me use all his amiibos and i got epona and some SWEET gear, but it's like, a random chance to get one of the three piece fo each one, so he has to COME BACK so can get everything

i got one of link's iconic hats haha im Sad

also i went to the wasteland tower and i can see the divine beast from there!! i think with the flying island bird thing i've now seen them all

altho if that ship thing really is the beast and i can see if from that far away...holy Fuck. they are so Big

my brother wanted me to go north to the woods at the top of the map to get the master sword, but im just not Ready yet. i wanna see more plot. he also told me that there was no special quest for it which like :/ weak?? im disappointed tbh

the interactive map shows a stable along the road so i guess i will start there!

i'm a little intimidated by the big desert tbh

god everything here is so tall and vast...i'm pretty sure bits of this are from one of the cool parts of the trailer

omg there's a talus on this hill

dont feel like fighting it now tho lol

KASS IS HERE <3

omg four dudes lost in the gerudo region...now THIS sounds familiar

ahaha :')

actually, i think i'm gonna go ahead and head to gerudo town first before exploring everywhere...which is the opposite of what i SAID i wanted to do after death mountain but this desert is big and vast and it'll be easier to keep track of what i've done, and tbh i'm afraid of running into the divine beast while i explore LMAO

plus: i wanna see plot!

i like that horses follow the roads, i can kinda see the sights and scope it out a little before Deep Exploration

wait can i not

oh god can i not ride my horse out here....?

oh jesus

ohhh my god what a long walk.......haha i've become spoiled

oh well here we go

lol i put on the link hat and got like. overwhelmed, emotionall.y too much. so much. to see him in green rn. altho lowkey disappointed he hasn't been in green for most of the game thats just His Color

omg it gets Cold in the desert at night!!

i bet in the daytime it gets hot hahaha

ooh i got a gerudo shield and scimitar from this lizalfos! nice!

WOW ANOTHER GERUDO HI HELLO IM GAY

uh

why......doesn't my map work rn

what the fuck??

i opened it and?? static??

please tell me it's the divine beast and not an area thing i can't LIVE without my map

wow the air got all green and windy here when i walked towards a shrine...dnw dnw 

see this is why i worried about exploring but it's Right There if igured it'd be no trouble

thats what i get for thinkin

omg a SAND SEAL?? they are so weird lookin haha and it scared me for a sec moving thru the gloom like that. thought it was a monster

uh

it strikes me with no minimap i can't fast travel and everything looks just the same out here...what if i get lost?

oh there's the shrine thank god

omg my map works inside the shrine ;w;

tbh i dont feel like doing it rn i'd fast travel out of this green shit if that didn't mean having to start the whole walk over

i guess i can just fast travel to the shrine itself at least now i know the direction i need to walk to get out

yep and here goes the temp climbing. jesus

luckily i prepped for this when i stop to cook i like to make a bit of everything and i knew i was coming somewhere hot, so

LMFAO out of sheer curiosity i took all my armor off and that worked too.

ohhh amn this no-map green-sand no-visibility thing is WIGGING ME OUT dude i pray it's a divine beast thing bc i can't explore like this AND i couldn't really see the whole beast bc of the sand. so. fingers crossed

please let me find the road please let me find the road please let me find the road

put all my armor back on bc i spotted an enemy and thats super weird even without special food the sun isn't killing me anymore...maybe it's a noontimeish thing? but no, it was sunrise before and 10am now.......mysterious. i don't like it. i do not like the desert. i Do Not like the desert.

I JUST HEARD THE BEAST ROAR

oh my god and there it is...what even IS that jesus christ

it's so big im scared and crying

and the lightning!!! it's so powerful!!!!

like, my brother said the dungeons were too easy but the FEEL of these things...they truly are fucking divine

oh thank fuck i see fire. help me please

MY MAP'S BACK YES

thank GOD

and i'm at gerudo town i think!! somehow

but i missed the oasis and i know there was a memory there painter dude told me ):

wait, no...this IS the oasis! yes!!!!!! i made it to the road in the perfect spot!!!!!!

wait they;re saying here "voe" aren't allowed in gerdo town...oh my god are they being serious rn

I HATE THE DESERT LMAO

but frankly i can't blame them. tbh if i had a society of all females i wouldn't let any men in either.

there's. so many pretty women in here. they're so tall. i'm so gay

omg there's a rito and a goron here!

oooh the highlands tower sandstorm apparently dies down for a few hours every day!! good to know x_x

god if it IS a regional thing im totally fucked.

oop the temp kicked up again once i left the oasis

WAIT i almost forgot the memory jesus christ!

ok ok

WHOAAA HOLY FCK

zelda was running from the yiga clan and link stepped in and saved her at the last second AND THE MAIN THEME PLAYED A LITTLE

altho i kinda hate this helpless damsel zelda stuff...i guess it's mostly par for the course, tho - very few games have had her able to fight and even the ones that did got her captured at the very end

there's a rock outcropping here and i can SEE the sandstorms, jesus

i hope they're less frequent after i free the beast

maybe the one near the shrine/tower broke up for a sec and that's why the temp kicked up? everyone says it does once a day...but my map didn't change lol so idk

lol got to tell a gerudo she was my dream girl

haha so they travel and leave to find husbands and have kids? she mentioned "training"... great potential for trans characters here but alas that's WAY beyond nintendo rn

i like that they speak another language, it makes the world feel bigger and more real (and they even teach you some!!)

omg you can RIDE the sand seals?!

i...need a shield...to sand seal SURF

that sounds. like the coolest thing ive ever heard in my whole life

apparently there's a guy who slips in every night that i could follow!! i wish i could just sneak in myself, tho

all right nothing doing so i loked it up and APPARENTLY YOU HAVE TO CROSSDRESS LOL i love it

like i've seen that outfit in guides and i thought it looked a bit nonfunctional

altho i hope this plotline doesn't make crossdressers the butt of a joke!!

aw you can tell the person on the rock "you're a man" but im gonna pretend she's trans and not be a jerk

AAAH I LOOK PRETTY

ok, i absolutely gotta dye these pink

AWWW LINK LOOKS BASHFUL WHEN TOLD HE IS A GOOD-LOOKIN GAL

MY SWEET SON

yes i am fast traveling this instant to dye these

i know this game is probably being gross about this but frankly i love the idea of agender link

and these are my favorite clothes i wanna wear them and ride my pink horse all the time

aaah and now i am pink!! tbh i'd love to sneak in now but i have a stream to get ready for ))):

maybe i will just look around really quick i still have a few minutes

im usually a little late starting anyways lol

ooh the music in the day here is rly cool!

OMG A LIL BABY GERUDO GIRL SHE'S SO CUTE im crying

LOL THERE'S A GORON HERE

why did they let him in! i thought there were no girl gorons

lmao even he doesn't know......omg

omg an OLD gerudo too finally!!!

gaaaah i wanna look around more but my time is up for tonight!!