#look he's just an actual gem and i hope he gets nothing but praise from new fans

[balmacedapascal]

I know I'm mostly a Pedro Pascal girly but like I need there to be more Jeffrey Pierce love and appreciation. This man is such an incredibly talented actor and also just an absolutely delightful human being. He's been such a wonderful person to have involved with this franchise for the past decade and I feel like he just doesn't get enough attention. The way he portrayed Tommy, especially in the second game left me so emotional and made me love the character so much. He's also a fantastic writer - he's published three novels so far in a series where the dead coming back to life during WWI - and has always been warm and happy to interact with fans that reach out to him. Trust me, I've been one of them. I truly hope that him being on screen this season introduces more people to him and brings more people to his works.

[cobaltperun]

Genius (11) - I Love You

Cairo Sweet x female (G!P) Reader

Summary: It was such a cliché, a reunion she didn’t expect to ever happen, let alone six years after she last saw you. It was supposed to mean nothing, a bit of nostalgia, maybe a brief catching up while waiting for class, it was supposed to be a small wave of nostalgia, not a tsunami that disrupted her entire life. You were her opposite, and as hard as she tried she couldn’t resist your pull.

Story masterlist / First part / Previous Part / Next Part (Finale)

Word count: 3.2k

-Please say you love me too, these three words, they could change our lives forever-

This isn’t censorship, this is just a dose of reality you needed to get a long time ago. That was what Miller told her, those were the last words he said to her before he demanded the essay, that was his rejection of her writing. Deep down she knew she shouldn’t let it affect her, that she latched onto a few lines of his writing, reaching into the depths that may have never existed to begin with, and that at the end of the day his writing overall wasn’t special or outstanding.

She was tricked by the few gems in an otherwise mediocre work, but she still admired him. He was the only writer she met, and he rejected her writing. She thought he saw her, she thought he understood her, sure, her initial intentions weren’t innocent, but she hoped for a better outcome than this. A thought came to her mind, a one much darker than the ones she considered on the surface.

Did he plan this?

Did he see her admiration or his writing, her own passion for writing, and used that? Cairo hugged herself, trembling and squeezing her body as hard as she could. The occasional touches, the gradual way he got closer to her, his invitations to spend time alone. She decided to pursue him, but was that decision entirely hers or did he make her feel seen so he could…? She bit her lower lip, feeling the cold seeping into her bones as the doors of her room opened and she turned to look at you, her eyes wide.

“Cairo?” you rushed to her side, pulled her into your arms and she felt a bit warmer. “Talk to me, what’s going through your mind?” you asked her as you gently brushed her lower lip with your thumb to make her let go of it before she could make it bleed.

But she didn’t say anything. Two questions kept repeating in her mind. Did he praise her writing because it was actually good, or did he praise it because he wanted to use her? Was his decision to fail her a professional assessment of her skills, the reality she apparently needed to face now that she wouldn’t let him fuck her, or was it just his anger?

“Y/N?” she whispered, clinging to you, craving your warmth as her doubts clouded her judgment. “I’m not sure I can write anymore,” she barely realized she was crying, the only reason she noticed was because your shirt was getting wet right in front of her eyes.

“What are you talking about?” you asked frantically, yet your voice felt distant as she grasped at your shirt, dug her nails into your back, clawed, fearing you were about to slip out of her hold especially as she felt it getting weaker. “Cairo?!” your yell sounded muffled as her vision narrowed and she felt like all she could hear was the buzzing in her head. “Cairo!” she let go of you and lost consciousness.

~X~

You sat by her bed, your foot on the chair and forehead resting on your raised knee as you waited for Cairo to wake up. From the corner of your eye, you saw a spider on the ceiling, unmoving despite a fly struggling in its web. You kept watching, wondering what would happen and the fly kept struggling, again and again flapping its wings until it fell off the web, all because the spider didn’t move from its spot.

You felt anger coursing through your veins, you wished you could have punched the bastard again, not that it would fix anything. Cairo would still be in this state, unconscious, under so much stress and with nothing you could do for her right now. Even now, unconscious, she didn’t look at peace.

You clenched your fists as you became consumed by the feeling of helplessness. She didn’t deserve any of this, she was eighteen, just barely eighteen and she was hurt by someone who was supposed to be her mentor and now she… Cairo of all people doubted her ability to write?!

The doors to Cairo’s room opened slowly as Winnie came in. She’s been with the two of you since you called her. “She’s still not waking up?” she asked as she sat down on the chair next to yours.

You just shook your head, you didn’t even glance at Winnie, as you kept your entire attention on Cairo. “Has this happened before?” you had to ask.

Winnie remained silent for a couple of minutes, but you didn’t push her to answer you. “Never like this, but she did have a tendency to lose consciousness every now and then after her parents made it clear they didn’t give a fuck about her,” she revealed and you nodded, taking that information and locking it away for later. “Maybe you could read to her? Something important to both of you?” she suggested, and it wasn’t that it didn’t cross your mind, you just didn’t want to disturb Cairo.

“I’ll give it a shot,” you figured it was worth a shot, books always were Cairo’s escape, and if telling her a story could help her even a little bit, you’d gladly do it. So, you began telling her ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’ from page one.

~X~

She woke up disoriented, and though she could recognize her own room she somehow felt like it was unfamiliar to her as her brain caught up to her being awake. She felt an arm around her waist and relaxed, remembering the feeling and weight of your arm before she remembered her own room. And indeed, when she looked to the side she saw you sleeping next to her. You looked tired, as if you just recently fell asleep and Cairo remembered the last moments before she lost consciousness.

She remembered you calling, yelling, her name, the worry in your voice. And she was sorry she put you through this. When was the last time you ate? Cairo knew you, knew it was entirely possible that you were so worried you couldn’t eat, and she could only hope Winnie made you eat something. So, as her head began clearing from all the confusion and cacophony of different thoughts she turned to her side and moved closer to you.

You gasped, your eyes widening the moment you felt she was awake and Cairo felt guilty for that. “Are you okay?” you immediately asked her and she was sure you would have sat up if she didn’t quickly put an arm around you.

“I am now,” she assured you, the heat of your body as she pressed up against you helped, chased the doubts and horrible thoughts away and she took a deep breath when you hugged her, your hold on her tight and firm. For a quick moment she thought that this was what she craved her entire life. Someone holding her like this, holding her so that she doesn’t turn into a ghost, holding her so that she would feel like she had something worth staying for, and you gave that to her. “Just hold me like this and I’ll be fine,” she whispered, certain that just this much would help her get through most of her doubts.

And you nodded, kissing the top of her head. “I’ll hold you for the rest of my life if you’ll let me,” her heart drummed even faster against her chest at those words, and she allowed herself a smile.

“I’ll hold you to it,” she snuggled even closer to you. “And I swear I’ll be yours for the rest of my life as well,” she promised you, at the moment uncertain of many things, but not of that one. Until the rest of her life she would be yours.

~X~

But while your touch and support, and especially your love, helped her immensely. While it snapped her out of the stupor she was in and she managed to move on, to take everything happening in school and maintain her score, the was one thing that she couldn’t fix. For weeks now she couldn’t write a single word and she just barely managed to hand in the assignments that required any creative writing whatsoever.

She kept staring at the blank page, willing her fingers to move and type, but she kept going back to her essay, to those comments, and she felt it ruining her, tearing apart one bit of her identity she created herself, without anyone else influencing it. She was a writer, it defined her, unlike many other things she tried or did, and it was broken. Shattered into millions of pieces and no matter how many times she told herself he had no right to break her like that. That he was mediocre, unable to reach the heights of success, that she misjudged him, it still affected her.

She tried to type, she tried to write in a notebook, hoping that maybe a physical pen and paper would get her to write something, anything. Even when something would spark her motivation to write she just, plain and simple, no longer felt like it was good enough to put on the page.

You inspired her, way back when you drove past her house that night you arrived, and now she felt as if she was too arrogant when she thought she could capture that moment in a remotely acceptable way, let alone write anything worth reading.

You came into her room, carrying a cup of coffee in one hand and a bowl with sliced fruits in another. She has been neglecting proper nutrition lately, and she felt her mouth watering as you set the fruit and the coffee on her nightstand. You bent over her chair and kissed her on the cheek. “Take a break for me?” you asked, kissing lower as Cairo leaned her head back, sighing softly as your kisses trailed a path to her neck.

You still loved her, even as she felt like she was a sinking ship, unable to pull herself fully together. And Cairo felt her heart soaring at that, at the way you stood by her side unconditionally. How many times did you have to skip class to pull Cairo out of her despair-induced thoughts and take her away from this damn place? Way too many, it wasn’t fair that you had to pull the pieces of her back together, yet you still stayed. “Y/N,” she moaned, her eyes closed as you hugged her from behind, your lips latched onto her neck. And all the tension in her body faded away as she relaxed.

“Come on,” you whispered in her ear and pulled her to her feet, and she got up, curious.

Especially when she saw an envelope on her bed. “What is this?” she asked as she picked it up.

“Your award, you won a writing contest,” you said as you got comfortable on the right side of the bed, where you usually ended up sleeping whenever you slept next to her.

“What?” she didn’t compete in any writing contest, not recently, not ever in her life. She looked at you, now more puzzled than ever, but you just patted the spot on the bed next to you.

You cleared your throat and scratched your cheek a bit, refusing to meet her eyes. “I sent your most recent essay, you left your laptop on and I felt like I had to do something. And I knew you wouldn’t let me if I told you,” you explained, finally looking at Cairo as she sat down next to you. “I’m sorry for going behind your back, I just couldn’t sit back and do nothing, and my words weren’t reaching you.”

Cairo remained silent, indeed, she won the first place, and the judges were well-known, recognized writers, and they deemed her writing to be the best essay that was sent in. You were right about your words not reaching her. As hard as her heart tried to believe you, her brain kept repeating that writing, just plain and simple, wasn’t something you knew all that much about. She reasoned that it was support born out of love, not out of reasonable, critical judgment of her word.

And now you did this and Cairo felt tears filling up her eyes. “What if everyone else just wrote something atrociously bad and this was the only relatively mediocre thing?” her doubt still spoke, making you hug her. For a bit all Cairo could hear was the chirping of the birds near her window, and that frightened her as much as the combination of your scent and the fruit from the bowl calmed her nerves down.

“If it was just this village, I might be able to believe that, but not when it’s a contest anyone in this entire country below the age of twenty could enter. Take a win, Cairo. People that succeeded where he failed recognized your writing,” you told her eventually and she desperately wanted it to be true, she was starting to believe it.

“You really believe that?” Cairo asked, feeling her doubts still clouding her judgment.

“You were unfortunate, not allowed to thrive, with no one there to nurture your talents, yet you got this far,” she remembered the wild roses and the old trees, constantly falling on top of them, crushing them, breaking them. She ended up being such a rose, in more ways than one, and you, much like you saved her that day in the rain, kept shielding her through the storms.

With you she could weather any storm, she was sure of that.

“I wasn’t unfortunate. I got to meet you, to fall in love with you,” she argued, turning to kiss you on the lips. She’d leave this place, start a new, better life, she would get over this hurdle, and with you by her side she would be truly happy.

“I love you,” somehow you both said it at the same time, and Cairo laughed at how ridiculous that was. You just grinned, before her laughter infected you as well and you both shared a laugh. And maybe, just maybe, that was an adult, someone capable of pushing through obstacles, someone whose will couldn’t be as easily broken by an unfulfilled failed writer that temporarily had power over them.

Or maybe it was marked by finding someone who would stay by you, that would keep you standing even when you doubt yourself, and providing that in return when they need you. Maybe she still didn’t know what was an adult, but what you had certainly felt like love between adults, and not teenagers

It felt stronger, it felt deeper, it was already tested as Cairo hit her lowest and was slowly rising from it once again. And she thought that maybe individually the two of you weren’t yet as mature as adults, but that together you made up for each other’s weaknesses, making a whole that was better than just the sum of your parts.

“I love you, Y/N,” she said once more, looking into your eyes and finding that same love reflecting back at her.

It wasn’t madman’s love. It wasn’t desperate, it was just passionate. A madman’s love would eventually fade, give into time because one thing or person couldn’t maintain its attention for years to come. Eventually something would come along and take that mad love away. No, your love for her, and her love for you, neither one was madman’s love. Though she thought that was what she desired.

It was something different, something she still couldn’t properly describe. Maybe she would never be able to give it a definition, but she knew there were no ruins, there was no romanticized decay of either of you as you got burnt by the madman’s love. It wasn’t a fall, but a rise of an empire you were creating together.

~X~

You joined Cairo in her backyard as she watered the wild roses, she looked much better now, happier, satisfied once more. She even wrote this morning, as evidenced by the open word file that wasn’t empty, by the way, that she left on her laptop in the bedroom. She turned to you when she heard you approaching through the soft grass and fallen leaves.

“Hey,” she said softly lowering the garden hose to the ground and meeting you halfway between her house and the roses.

“Good morning,” you smiled at her and let her pull you down into a kiss. It was soft, much different than the hungry kisses you got used to at the start of the relationship, and it felt perfect for the morning kiss.

Cairo pulled away first, but she quickly pecked your lips once more, her arms were still wrapped around your neck and you found yourself hugging her and pulling her close to you. “Just a bit more and we’ll graduate high school,” she buried her face in the crook of your neck. “I still don’t know what to do for my Yale essay, what did I even achieve?” she asked you.

You’ve given it a lot of thought actually. This was important to Cairo, this was her goal, the one thing she was looking forward to even as she cursed her mundane, mediocre life in this village. At the same time you knew she was still shaken by what happened, as she was you feared she wouldn’t be able to make the most out of it, that she would fall behind simply because of how much what Miller said and did affected her. And you only thought of one solution that might work in these circumstances. “Take a year off,” you told her as you pulled her along to sit on the grass where it wasn’t wet.

“What?” Cairo was genuinely, and reasonably, confused by your suggestion.

“Let’s travel the world. Experience it all, the different cultures, different lifestyles, see for yourself the world outside of this village, and then decide what your greatest achievement is. Measure yourself against the world, and take what it has to offer you,” you said as you held her hand, hoping she would see the logic in your suggestion and accept.

You’ve long since decided that you’d go with Cairo wherever she goes, if it was straight to university, you’d go with her, pursuing your own career in music, if she chose to stay here, you’d do so as well, and try to build a career from here, and if she chose to travel the world, you’d be with her.

“And you’ll go with me? We’ll do it together?” she asked, her eyes bright and filling with life and you knew right then and there that she loved the idea.

“We’ll do it together,” you assured her and laughed as Cairo lunged at you, kissing you in that deep, hungry way you were so used to as the two of you fell down to the grass. Not that being on the grass bothered Cairo as she kept kissing you, her tongue already deep inside your mouth as you sucked it gently.

“I love you,” she said, stopping the kissing just enough to take a deep breath and say that, and then, before you could even respond she once again kissing you.

A/N: And that is the long-awaited chapter 11. Chapter 11.5, Biker Girl is set a few weeks after this chapter.

Story masterlist / First part / Previous Part / Next Part (Finale)

Taglist: @deimaisgail @bee-keeping @marvelous-disaster @jmwetterlund @tekanparadiae

@alexkolax @ioveyouyouloveme @aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh @autorasexy @lifeforsimp13

@puta1 @minnyyminny

[hlficlibrary]

✤ Co-Workers Fics ✤

A series of posts with the top five fics of each category by kudos plus five more hidden gems from that category! Remember to leave kudos and a comment on the fics you enjoyed to show your appreciation! You can find our other recs here.

- Top 5 H/L Fics -

1️⃣ You Drive Me Round The Bend by TheCellarDoor / @donotdialnine {M, 77k}

In which Louis is a spoilt rich kid who’s always on the phone while he drives and Harry is a struggling musician making his way down the mountain. It’s just a matter of time before they crash and burn.

2️⃣ Have Love, Will Travel by @kingsofeverything {E, 97k}

Rather than spend the summer working at their desks, Louis and Harry are given the opportunity to crisscross the country together in a tiny camper, filming their adventures for a YouTube series.

It soon becomes obvious to their viewers that there’s something more than friendship between them. Eventually, they figure it out.

3️⃣ Looking Through You by @allwaswell16 {E, 41k}

Just as Louis and Liam were starting out in the music industry, writing and producing for up and coming artists, a fateful meeting with new pop singer Harry Styles changes everything. Four years later, just as Harry is set to embark on his next world tour, a drunken confession causes a rift between once inseparable friends. As Harry tries to make sense of his feelings for Louis, he begins writing his next album to express them as it may be the only way to break through the walls that Louis has built between them.

4️⃣ After Hours by thilia {E, 99k}

Liam is bored with his job at the law firm. Nothing exciting ever happens. That changes drastically when he agrees to mentor the boss’s sixteen year old son, who turns heads wherever he goes. Especially Liam’s colleague Louis seems unable to resist the boy’s charms. Liam never thought he’d get to see this much of both of them, or that mentoring would turn into an R-rated event or that it would suddenly make his own love life a whole lot more interesting…

5️⃣ Take Me Higher Than I've Ever Been by crimsontheory / @ireallysawanangel {E, 51k}

Harry is pretty simple. He goes to work everyday, comes home, then watches Netflix with his cat. And if he happens to have a tiny little crush on his coworker, then that’s just his own business.

[Or the one where Harry and Louis work together and Louis starts to notice Harry back. Featuring a wedding, a sassy cat, and first times.]

HIDDEN GEMS:

💎 you are my destiny (you are the reason that i still believe) by @alwaysxlarrie {M, 98k}

Being a new employee at a company means that you have to learn to brush off the shitty bosses, shitty coworkers, and not getting the credit you actually deserve for things. At least, that's been Harry Styles' experience. Coworkers who steal his ideas in pursuit of getting praise and a raise, and a boss who's indifferent at best and condescending at worst. Harry has learned to expect this reality for the foreseeable future. He's accepted it.

What he hadn't expected was for Louis Tomlinson to waltz into their company, and his life, and change around everything he thought he knew about fate. A Cinderella AU.

💎 You Ain’t Gotta Feel Fear Just Mingle by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup {T, 32k}

Harry has been at his dream job for less than three months, and he knows two things for sure; first, his project manager doesn't know what he's doing, and second, someone in the office is apparently pure evil, and no one will tell Harry who it is.

Oh, and the guy who works in conservation at the other end of the building is the most beautiful man Harry's ever seen, even when wielding a hot iron as a weapon.

💎 what's left of my halo's black by LiveLaughLoveLarry / @loveislarryislove {E, 22k}

As Harry sucks lovebites into Louis’ neck, Louis hopes that one day those marks will cover the way he can still feel Alex’s handprints burned into his flesh.

As Harry’s nails drag scratches along Louis’ back, Louis hopes that one day the scabs on his heart will heal and drop away just like the scabs on his skin.

As Harry fucks him down into the mattress, the bed shaking with every thrust, Louis hopes that one day his mouth will forget the shape of Alex’s name, won’t trace it over and over as the heat builds inside him, won’t want to scream it when he comes. Maybe one day he’ll open his eyes, as he slowly floats down from his post-orgasm haze, and won’t expect to see Alex’s face smiling back at him.

But today is not that day.

A year after a devastating breakup, Louis is still trying to put himself back together - but getting over a breakup is hard when you work as a wedding planner. Thankfully, his coworker Harry is the most supportive friend Louis could ask for. But Harry has some secrets of his own, and they send Louis' world spinning off its axis all over again.

💎 You Tilted My Hand by @taggiecb {G, 12k}

Harry Styles arrives in Avonlea, Prince Edward Island for his first day of a coveted and prestigious summer internship at the Avonlea Chronicle. He's quick to realise that he's out of place in the little band of journalists as he's an art major and they didn't choose Harry to be part of the team!

Thankfully his new boss, Niall, wants to give him a chance. Unfortunately that will mean trying to keep up not only with the stress of the job, but PEI's golden boy Louis Tomlinson, who has a perpetual smile on his lips, and mischief in his eyes.

💎 Blame It On Christmas by Kikiberoski16 / @larrysballetslippers {E, 7k}

Life was good until a new coworker showed up. It’s a little insane but not even a little bit funny how much Harry instantly despised the new guy. He’s always late, but always shows up with the most charming smile so nobody can get mad. His desk is a mess and he doesn’t seem to have ever learned the words ‘thanks’ or ‘sorry.’ And as if a bad employee isn’t bad enough, this particular bad employee is none other than the CEO's nephew, Louis fucking Tomlinson.

Or, Harry is the six-time winner of the yearly Christmas sweater competition, but it all changes when a new coworker shakes up his whole world.

[venuss-heart]

May I humbly request,, some headcanons for dating Mack? Bonus points if he's a bit of a protective type 🥺 ty! love your work <3

Mack General Dating Headcanons

He's not one for PDA since he's very professional and extremely reserved when it comes to relationships when it comes to work but after longs shifts, he often finds himself sleepily going over to your shared room in hopes to be held by you. It's hard to be head engineer and ever since he became co-captain responsibilities have only accumulated.

He used to sleep in his own cabin before but now during emergencies, crew members have accidentally found you two holding eachother asleep in the same cabin. Which wasn't planned since you two wanted to keep it private but you're both the captains so you're actually allowed to date, since your positions give you more liberties between eachother(that's the lie you two came up with)

He's obsessed with doing things for you just to receive compliments, he's blushy everytime you congratulate and reward him for doing something for you. His love language is doing acts of service and he loves your praise more than power itself and let's be honest this man craves power quite heavily.

Sometimes he argues with crew members when they haven't done a good enough job in his eyes, he just wants everything to be perfect for the colonists and you, mostly you though. Mack is a perfectionist who often times can end up overworking himself, which is why you had to teach him to lay back and relax. He's still learning that not everything needs to be perfect

He hates it that everyone on the ship is interested in some kind of way in you, the majority having crushes on you cause even after they found out about your relationship nothing changed. Only that they'd be a bit more secretive about their towards you in front of him, but he has overheard people immediately going back to gushing over you when he was out of sight.

Which is why he's now more open with his affections with you, if someone is too in love with you he'd immediately tell them that they have no chance with you. Most of the time he'd give them a punishment like having to work for a longer time that day. Or even purposefully kiss you on the cheek cause he's petty but way to shy to make out right then and there.

Whenever you land on different planets to get the necessary products for the crew and colonists, he'd often try and get you to not leave the ship offering to form a group and join them himself as their leader to make sure things are in control. He's just afraid that there might end being dangerous situations or individuals in the planets.

He hates it when CC tries hard to impress you and make him look bad in front of you, she often blames him for the mistakes this other crew member named mark was his name...I think makes. She's obviously jealous of what you two have since she's been pining over you even before you arrived, having read articles about you and the invincible I so she acts like he stole you away from her.

He enjoys watching the stars from the windows saying how it always amazes him, how even in space they still seem so out of reach and small, shining like the most beautiful gems that haven't been found quite just yet. He'd spend hours talking to you about space and how he's always had a love for it, the constellations were his friends and the stars called out to him in his dreams every night when he was a kid.

His eyes would shine not just from the dim lights in the ship during sleeping time but from the excitement and passion he has for the topics he talks about, also from now having found somebody to share them with unlike with people back on earth or even the crew on the ship. You were different from them and Mack knew it, you were beautiful/handsome sure but that wasn't what made you special.

It was in the way that you talked, walked, expressed yourself, passionately ranted about your passions, and how even with all the headaches he gave you at first you never gave up on him. You still tried to connect with him, to prove to him that you were a good captain and how patient you were when he treated you like you were worthless. At first he did hate you and envied you for your position, but it came from a deep longing for respect and attention after having never found it in his childhood.

Maybe that's why he fell so deeply for you the first time smiled at him, like he was more than anyone ever made him out to be. More than just a nuisance, more than nothing, more than good enough for you. And that's all he has ever wanted from anyone

[dorypaxx]

[Optimus Prime x Reader] Love you to the Cybertron and back

Warning: Prohibited substances, addictive substances, readers are old enough to be aware of their behavior

+++++++

Hi, this is my second time writing fanfic about Optimus. Big daddy makes me feel like there are never enough stories about him. Hope you enjoy this story

+++++++

What is defiance?

In my opinion, that's when you know both of you can't be together but still want to try to get to the other person. Whether it's a 0.000001% chance, or when you know for sure that your future will be nothing but pain and separation, but you still run towards that person like a cow, just to have can see their smiles.

It is often said that one-sided love is the feeling of pissing yourself in the foot. Outsiders see you as stupid, but you feel so warm. And I must have been a real idiot when I fell into an unrequited love affair with a giant alien robot.

But I mean who can NOT love that perfect bot ? Look into those blue eyes that sparkle more than any gem in the world, as deep as the ocean and brighter than the sky on a sunny day; listen to the quiet but serious sound, sometimes too gentle when interested in you; and his thoughtful look when thinking and worrying about everyone. God, it's HARD not to fall in love with such a perfect Optimus Prime !

I secretly thought so while doing my homework on my laptop. The words in the content of the exercise gradually deviate to "I love Optimus so much, why are you so handsome when you walk or sleep or sit, oh my lord, a gift from the Creator, perfect gentleman, destroyer of women hearts...". Suddenly Miko appeared behind me, the mischievous little girl curiously looked at her laptop and asked:

- Hey, what are you doing ?

Startled, I quickly folded the machine in but it was too late. Miko gave me a sly smile that made my face heat up, it felt like I was just caught watching gay porn tagged a man with a pink nipple in a public place, no more human rights. She nudged me on the shoulder with a know-it-all smile and then ran off to tell Bulkhead and Wheeljack..

Now the whole base, even Agent Fowler, knows I have a crush on Optimus. Fowler's eyes were looking at me like he saw me dressed up as a bush, holding an AK and saying "I'm going to fuck your mother"...

But the gods had mercy on me, so the only person who didn't know I had a crush on Optimus was that lovely Prime.

+++++++++++++++++

My guardian is Optimus.

The reason? Ratchet is too busy with data, supercomputers or whatever and always says "I needed that!", Bumblebee, Arcee and Bulkhead all already have someone else. I'm twenty years old, older than all of them, and don't go to the same school as the kids. Although Optimus is too busy to be a nanny, he still tries to make time to pick me up every day. He even thoughtfully cares for me when I'm in a bad mood by rubbing my head with his giant fingers - something no one has ever done to me. Normally, people around me tend to ignore my negative emotions but He is different, He is willing to listen to me when I am sad, praise me when I achieve something and obviously I it was not wrong to fall in love with him at first sight.

I won't confess that I struggled by rolling around on the ground just to have Optimus as my personal guardian instead of any other bot. Surprisingly, instead of trampling me, he actually agreed.

Excellent !!

Gradually, we shared a lot of things with each other. I am an extrovert, active and creative, and always have no shortage of stories to share. Optimus Prime, Autobot leader, part time introvert, loves to listen to my story and then, can talk to me about Cybertron's history, its golden age and I'll share it with him about my home country, which suffered from invasion and division by hostile forces but united to fight for independence, freedom and happiness for our people despite suffering many losses and pain. At those times, Optimus often listens with a contemplative face, and he praises people of my country, at that time I saw a little sadness in his eyes, mixed with longing. Perhaps, He also longs for peace will return to the land of Cybertron.

I know that Optimus is responsible for the fate of his entire planet, so I don't want him to be bothered by my little love. Just being with him, I'm satisfied, I don't want to ask for anything more and always tell my heart to remember that. I just need to see Optimus every day, hear him speak, touch him, be cared for by him and I will be happy and happy. But sometimes, I will also be selfish and greedy. I could pretend to be weak and stupid just to be with him a little longer, to feel the soft, cold touches of metal as he pats my head, inhaling his scent. If the sun, the sky and the stars smelled, it would be Optimus

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Our lives are not always peaceful. Decepticons, MECH, battles that almost took my love away from myself so many times. Remembering that time when I saw the blue color in His eyes gradually fade away, I felt like I had died according to that light.

My heart constricted violently, I felt suffocated, my eyes blurred, engulfed in an endless despair. If my human heart could be used to save Him, I would pull it out myself just to see that clear blue light one more time. I realized that I loved Optimus so much that I didn't even know it, and I prayed to the gods to take me away in His stead, if He could rise again, I wouldn't hesitate to show my love off. Show my love to Him regardless of the outcome.

Maybe it was luck, maybe it was because the gods heard my prayer, the team found a way to revive Optimus. The moment I saw His Spark light up, I burst with happiness. It was only when Optimus raised his giant arm to lightly touch my face that I realized it was already wet with tears. Tears of uncontrollable happiness rolled down her cheeks, falling one after another. I hugged those giant fingers tightly, laughing in a choked sob :

- Welcome back, Optimus.

He replied to me with a warm smile:

- I'm back.

No need for fancy or fancy words. I love Him through such simple words.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

After Optimus returned from the dead, he seemed… more strange? I'm not sure if my hunch is correct as he and I have been glaring at each other for more than thirty minutes. Strangely speaking, because normally only I look at Optimus, slim waist, long legs, big butt, handsome, who doesn't like it? But it's very strange for Optimus to look back at me, it's like being reciprocated by a crush, most of which is due to high drugs that give rise to hallucinations.

While I was wondering if the 8 funky balls that I had hidden from Optimus to use on New Year's Eve had any effect on my nerves, he approached me. The speaker, while I pricked my ears to hear what else these 8 funkey balls could make me hallucinate.

- The moon is beautiful today, isn't it?

If it's so illusory, it's definitely a drug...

As a natural reaction, everyone raised their heads to look. Oh, it's the base roof of metal bars and rocks. Then everyone turned their gazes to me. I gulped, chuckling.

- Yes, it's beautiful.

Ratchet looks at me like crazy while Jack and Miko come over and touch my forehead. Jack frowned :

- Strange, no fever at all.

Miko continued:

- Tell me the truth, who sold you drugs?

My forehead had blue veins, picked up these two demons' ears, and whispered in a loud enough volume for them to hear:

-If you two are still babbling, I'll tell Arcee and Bulkhead about how you two tried to buy marijuana and use it. And believe me, Ratchet will let you both listen to lectures 24/7.

Miko pursed her lips, while Jack nodded vigorously. The secret we secretly played with banned substances was something that we swore to live with, carry with us when we died, even if Megatron put a gun to the head, we couldn't tell it out. Suddenly, Miko seemed to think of something, she leaned into my ear and said :

- What Optimus said seems to be quite common in my country. It is a kind of confession where one person says "The moon is beautiful tonight", then if the other responds "The wind is also very gentle", it means yes.

-So Optimus is secretly confessing to her?

- Exactly, Jackie!

The two of them didn't make an appointment, but they both smiled at me. I blushed, my mind still echoing Miko's words. But what if this is just a coincidence? Or just a fleeting illusion of a hopeless unrequited love?

A voice in my head : What if it is true ? What if Optimus loves you the same way you love Him? You deserve this hope of love. Go ahead girl, conquer that perfect bot !

Sink Or Swim . It's not the first time I've been rejected anyway...

- Optimus !! - I shouted - The wind is very gentle today too!!

Fuckfuckfuck I'm going to die !!!!!

Now it's not just Ratchet, but Arcee, Bumblebee, Raf and Bulkhead all looking at me like I'm crazy. Miko and Jack covered their mouths with laughter. I was like a balloon that had been deflated, and my whole body was limp. Embarrassment, shyness, ... mixed emotions in me, but my eyes were still fixed on that red and blue bot.

And He smiled

Striking giant strides toward me, Optimus knelt down, holding out his hand. I jumped up, clinging to His big fingers while Optimus led us both out of the center of the base, to a deserted place just the two of us. Whisperer:

- Can you say it again?

- Say what again? - I laughed and asked in return - Saying the wind is also very gentle, or do I also love you very much?

For a moment, I heard the rumble of an engine. Optimus's metallic skin, which was once cold, was now unusually hot. I looked him straight in the eye, and my heart fluttered with strange joys  :

- I've loved you since we first met and always will. So, venerable Optimus, can you assume that you feel the same way about me ? Do you feel like me?

- I have always loved you, but I am afraid, afraid that my enemies will try to harm you when they know this. But after coming back from the dead, seeing you cry, I understand that I can't lie to myself anymore. I swear on the honor of Primus and my Spark, I love you.

I tiptoed slightly, placing a kiss on Optimus' lips. Needless to say, I'm already satisfied. I know that our love will have to go through many obstacles, but what do we do when we have already fallen in love with each other...

Let's put the worries away for now, and enjoy this sweet moment a little more...

Love you to the Cybertron and back

[timotheechlamett]

INNOCENCE LOST

Request: Going to a slytherin party ending w smutty smut everything in detail! I love you writing so much!

3.1K WORDS - to my anon, don’t ask me to drag some shit out cause I will. EASILY 😌

WARNINGS: graphic smut, loss of virginity, Regulus Black x Fem OC, soft/ mean dom!Regulus Black, praise, degradation, angst.

if i missed anything pls let me know, also did not proofread whatsoever. Requests are always open, I’ll write just about anything.

my entire inspiration goes to this gem + the ask

________________________________

“AND REGULUS BLACK CAPTURES THE GOLDEN SNITCH!”

Every house showed up to witness the brutal beating of the Slytherin v. Gryffindor game, and for the first time in years— Slytherin beat Gryffindor.

Quidditch matches were the least interesting thing to me, but I came to support to my brother.

A roar from across the stadium deafening all those around. I couldn’t help the proud smile that spread across my face. Eventually everyone made their way down the stands and back to the castle.

Me, Dani, and Val make our way to the Slytherin locker rooms waiting outside the doors for Evan.

“He’s gonna be so excited! I can’t wait to see his beautiful face.” Val gushes as she clutches her hands together, “Ew, please refrain from brother talk.” I scrunch my face at her comment, “I still can’t believe you actually find the vermin attractive.”

“Oh you’re just jealous you haven’t found someone yet.” She looks back with a devious grin, Dani snickering at the comment.

“That’s not true! I-I have someone in mind..” I trail off.

“Dreams don’t count Y/N, you have to actually pursue them.” Dani and Val look at me once again.

I furrow my eyebrows in a half-angry, half-embarrassed manner, “You’ll never get him if you don’t tell him.” Val points out, I turn the opposite way hyper focusing on the wall.

It was a never ending game of cat and mouse with him. We would both flirt to no end, even a couple over-friendly touches here and there, but nothing more than that. Hell, I hadn’t even been fingered until last year.

It was horrible.

Just as quickly as I turn my back Evan ventures to the hall, followed by Demeter, Lucius, and Regulus. Val and Dani give their congratulations to each as they drone on about the game.

Speak to him.

Say something!

I look up and my eyes meet Regulus’,’ eyes, “How does it feel to singlehandedly claim victory?” I smirk towards him, the corners of his lips pull into a similar smirk.

“Absolutely brilliant.” He bares his perfect smile, “Are you coming to the party?” He leans against the wall bringing himself closer to me.

“Oh you guys have to! We even invited all the Gryffindors.” Evan exclaims, we both turn our heads, “I know you aren’t much of a party person-“, He looks towards me then to Dani and Val, “I’’m hoping you two can drag her out for a night.”

They exchange a look, “We’ll be there.” they say in unison.

“I guess I’ll be there.” I let out a breathy chuckle, he pushes off the wall handing me the winning snitch, taking a quill from his bag and writing on a ripped piece of parchment. I feel the heat rise to my cheeks from the slight contact.

“I guess I’ll see you later then, little Rosier.” He hands me the scrap and walks towards the group of boys in the distance.

But the snitch-“

“Keep it!” He yells down the corridor.

When they were at a safe distance, “What does it say!” Val snatches it from me.

Dani shakes her head and snatches it back handing it to me, “We need to get ready now if we want to go,” She turns her gaze to me, “Especially considering this one,” She looks me up and down, “Needs work.”

“Why do I need work?” I put on my best pout, slipping the paper into my pocket.

“Come on!” Val pulls us towards my dorm.

——

Our shoes are loud against the concrete of the dungeon, I let them convince me to wear a daring outfit that Evan would absolutely disapprove of. My makeup done naturally with a little edge.

The vibration of the music seeping into my bones from a good distance. It was a miracle McGonagall hadn’t come by. I follow closely behind my friends as we reach the Slytherin common room.

“Password?” A voice calls.

We all share a look of confusion, almost panicked.

The note.

I step up to the painting, pulling the paper out, ‘Ad sepulchrumtum.”

“To the grave.” Val smiles to Dani, “That’s Slytherin for you.” Dani giggles out.

“I guess what happens tonight stays down here, right?” Val looks to both of us as the painting opens.

The music thumps through my ears as we make our way inside, flashing green strobes, smoke, and the smell of alcohol fills my senses as we venture deeper into the room.

“There’s Evan!” Val yells to us.

We follow her in a line, but not before stopping to get a drink on the way. Once we reach the corner they occupy, I tend to my drink gulping almost half down before bringing my eyes to meet the ones staring us down.

Evan envelops me in a hug pulling me off my feet, “Little sister! You finally came to party with the big dogs!” He twirls me before setting me down, “I make it my mission to get you absolutely plastered.”

I laugh crossing one ankle over the other to prevent my clothing riding up.

Why did Val insist I wear such a short skirt?

——

Evan brings shots over for everyone, I down mine quickly survey the room. Demeter making a fool of himself on the dance floor, Evan doubling back for more shots, Lucius animatedly explaining the quidditch match to some 5th years, finally my eyes cross Regulus.

Far too close to a 7th year, his top three buttons undone, onyx necklace hanging between the two sides of his collar. He takes a long pull from his drink before he looks up from her, sending me a wink.

Prick.

I couldn’t help the jealousy burning in my throat like bile.

I even spot Sirius Black and Remus Lupin in the midst of the snakes— Not that he’d turn down a party to begin with. James Potter and Lily Evans dancing nearby like their life depends on it.

I drag my eyes back to Sirius. His chocolate curls falling a bit longer than Regulus, he was slightly shorter than the younger heir, his eyes just as hazel, almost grey. They didn’t look all that different, but Sirius was a pompous ass, Regulus was more reserved.

Sirius’ eyes meet mine then flicker towards his brother, as Evan brings over the next ounce or two of Firewhsikey.

I tilt my head to the side and grin at the boy, throwing back the small vial of alcohol. If I couldn’t get Regulus’ attention one way, there was always another. Right?

Sirius weaves his way through the crowd stopping before me, the gaggle of snakes cursing him mentally as I pick up my original cup.

This is wrong.

Of course it’s wrong.

“You look quiet ravishing.” Sirius purrs.

“I could say the same.” I take another sip.

He glances at Evan, who’s unsurprisingly sending daggers, “Do you want to dance?” I turn his face towards me.

It’s too late.

“Absolutely.” He lets out coolly.

‘Cigarettes and tiny little bottles’

The music blasts above as I grip his hand from behind me, the alcohol drawing out my confidence.

Liquid courage the muggles say.

‘Just what you’d expect inside a new Balenciaga’

I turn to wrap my arm around his neck, swaying my hips to the music letting loose for once. I close my eyes before turning around and lacing my fingers through his.

I could feel his head faced towards where Remus was, who was wearing a scowl— Was he jealous? No. Why would he be jealous?

Out of the corner of my eye I see Regulus removes the girl off his lap, he pushes bystanders out of the way desperately trying to get to us.

“Well darling, it looks like we both got our way.” Sirius says in my ear with a smirk, we break apart and he goes to Remus. I decide its time for another drink.

Before Regulus can reach me I’m already halfway to the table full of alcohol. My fingers run over the various bottles, stopping on a bottle of Beetle Berry. I quickly pour 2 fingers for myself in a glass.

“A bit out of character, don’t you think?” I feel his presence behind me, goosebumps rising on my skin.

I turn to Regulus, “Says the boy with a blonde.” I deadpan, “You and Sirius though? Very odd couple if I say so myself.” He spits.

A smirk plays on my face, “Regulus Black, are you jealous?” I muse, taking a sip from my cup I turn to face him.

There wasn’t a hint of playfulness in his expression, if I was smart I would’ve been worried, but the alcohol I’d consumed gave me a copious amount of confidence.

“I don’t belong to you, Regulus, I don’t owe you anything”

“No?” He furrows his eyebrows, “No! You’re such a hypocrite! If I want to flirt with your-“, I feel his hand wrap around my neck, “Say another word and I’ll shut you up myself.” He warns.

I shut my mouth feeling the arousal course through my core, slipping through my folds, like fire consuming paper. He releases me and I look up innocently to meet his cold stare.

“Then why don’t you?”

He clenches his jaw, rolling his shoulders slightly, standing to his full height before taking my wrist in his grip and dragging me through the crowd. Before I can blink we’re in his dorm room.

“Get the fuck out.” Regulus sends a glare to the couple occupying the room. I hide my face by looking to the opposite of them, “Don’t get shy now, you were so bold.” His grip on my wrist goes to the back of my hair making me look up at him.

That same pulsing need bursts throughout me, I almost regret my actions.

“Undress. Now.”, I remove my shoes, top and skirt revealing my white lace undergarments, “Ironic considering you’re no saint-,” He pushes me to sit on the bed, his arms coming down to either side of me. He leans in centimeters away from my face, “I.said.undress.”

Hesitantly I bring my arms back to undo my bra tossing it to the side, afterwards sliding my panties off leaving them at my feet. I can basically feel my own slick running down my thighs at the experience.

Slowly he pushes me onto the mattress setting himself between my thighs throbbing cunt.

His hand comes up to drag a finger across my soaking folds, “Do you want him? Sirius?” He questions pulling a whimper from my throat, repeating the action.

I meet his eyes, “Why would I want Sirius when his brother looks better.” I almost whisper earning a sinister smile from Regulus, “Such a little whore.” He plunges a finger inside my hole.

“I-“ A choked moan leaves me as he curl his finger, adding another leaving me breathless.

“Regulus, t-this is new, I haven’t-“ I choke out and he stops completely, “I’m sorry.”

His expression drastically changes. His face softens, “This is your first time?” He inquires pushing himself to hover above me.

I feel the heat rush to my face, I avoid his eye contact as my eyes water from the uncomfortableness.

“Hey, hey, you don’t need to be embarrassed,” He cups my cheek, “You never need to be embarrassed with me.” He turns my head so my eyes meet his, maybe it was the alcohol wearing off or maybe it was true humiliation of my inexperience, fresh tears spill from the sides of my eyes.

“But I want you and I’m scared.” I say barely audible.

He strokes my cheek with his thumb, “You look so pretty when you cry.” He whispers bringing his lips to mine, softer than I thought possible. Pulling away he moves stray hairs from my face, “Do you truly want this?” He continues petting me, I nod my head too shy to say anything, “I need words, dove.”

“I-I want it to be you.” I say as his hand entertwines with mine, “I don’t want anyone else.” I whisper.

He lets out a deep sigh burying his face in my neck, breathing out a soft moan. He brings his face back up kissing me once more, softly, gentle, tenderly.

He travels down to my jaw, then my neck softly suckling, more carefully than before, down my chest and stopping at my breast. He takes my erect bud into his mouth swirling his tongue around, sucking lightly while his hand twists my free nipple gently.

I can’t help the moan that leaves me, bucking my hips up on instinct, he brings his hand down to my wet folds once more rubbing my clit in circles before entering a finger, still using his thumb still on my sensitive bud. He adds another digit going slower, his mouth returns to my nipple sucking a bit harder than before.

“Reg-“ I choke out.

He looks up, “Is this okay?” My soft whimpers almost drowning out the question, “Merlin, yes.” I breathe out.

He curls his two middle fingers up hitting my g-spot repeatedly, his eyes watching my every expression. Her moves his fingers faster inside me as loud wet noises fill the air above the distant music.

My moans uncontainable at this point, I can barely get out, “F-fuck that feels s-so good-“, my legs coil up into my body unintentionally, my head digs into the mattress as well as my nails. A brand new feeling emerging.

“Y’gonna cum for me?” He muses, I bite my lip to muffle my moans, closing my eyes in the process, “Look at me,” He brings his face closer to mine, “Look at me when you cum.”

Of all the descriptions, nothing could prepare me for the feeling of my very first orgasm. It was so close I could taste the sweetness, see the stars in my vision, feel my body turn to static. With one last thrust of his fingers I couldn’t help but grip his wrist, digging my nails deep into it as I came undone under his sight.

“Regulus-“ I moaned out like a spell, over and over, I could feel my wetness splash onto my thighs and the soaked sounds getting heavier as he continued to fuck his fingers into me. I could feel his member twitching in the confines of his pants.

After I came down he pulled his fingers out, my eyes closed before I could witness him licking my arousal off his fingers.

“Tastes so fucking good. So fucking good.” I pry my eyes open to watch the rest of the action, feeling myself get wet all over again.

He stands up removing his shirt, his toned body prominent, unbuckling his belt and pulling his pants down, leaving him in his underwear. I watch closely as he pulls the band down leaving him just as bare as me.

His size alone sparks fear in me again.

How would he ever fit?

Could he fit??

In the same breath my mouth waters at the sight of him. His tip glistening with precum, a dark shade of pink and almost throbbing.

“See something you like?” He teases settling back between my legs, I can only bring my head up and down in a nod.

“So sweet-“ He coos gripping my chin, “Are you sure you want to?”

“Yes.” I reassure meeting his eyes.

He hovers over me once more before bringing his lips to mine, using a hand to stroke and line himself up with my opening.

His lips don’t leave mine when he begins to push into my soaked core. Thee stretch is uncomfortable, a different type of pain courses through me as he pushes deeper inside me. Thick and long from what I could feel.

I wince slightly when he reaches halfway, “I know, just a little more.” He coils his fingers between mine again, his face hovering above my own.

“Gotta relax baby, you’re okay.” He strokes my hand with his thumb before bring his other to rub my clit.

He continues to bottom out as I focus on the new sensations, the feeling of him filling me to the brim by pure size, the euphoria of him paying attention to my clit, “Okay?” He asks.

“You can move.”

He slowly pulls out and thrusts back in, repeating the motion, it feels better with each thrust eventually leading me to grip the back of his head pulling him closer.

“Y’so beautiful, little dove. So perfect.” He kisses my neck again keeping his thumb in motion. I moan an erotic sound.

“Tell me-“, He groans, “Let it out, pretty little moans.” He sets his forehead against mine.

“F-feels so-so fucking goood.” I whine feeling my pussy clench around his cock, “So fucking good Regulus-“ Tears form in my eyes. The feeling of release building up.

He picks up his pace thrusting into me gently, but deep. Heavy sighs escaping his lips followed by a few involuntary moans.

“Taking me so well, such a good girl.” He plants a kiss to my lips, “Such a good fucking girl.”

At his words I feel the coil in my stomach tightening ready to burst.

“Fuck- Harder, please, fuck me.” I whimper gripping his hand tighter.

His strokes harder and deeper but more sloppy, his breath ragged and more audible, “Fuck- M’gonna cum, fuck-“

He thrusts even deeper hitting that glorious spot again and again, I cant help but cry out, incoherent babbles leaving my throat, “I- Feels so- Ah, fuck-“ I whine.

“Fuck I’m gonna cum-“ He moans.

“Regulus, Regulus, Reg- I-“ The coil wound so tightly it finally snaps, every single muscle spasming against my will, my hands travel to his back dragging red marks with my nails, I can only leave my mouth agape with the overpowering orgasm.

“Fuck you feel so good, so beautiful.” He whimpers.

With one last thrust I feel him twitch inside me, filling me so much I can feel his seed spill out from the sides of my destroyed pussy, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

He bucks his hips twice before stilling, riding out both of our climaxes, our breath heavy and short.

He keeps himself sheathed within me, peppering kisses across my face, neck, and chest. His hands come to caress me.

“I love you.”

[glacialltz]

Zhongli, Venti, Xiao with a S/O who is very can literally find any kind of gemstone or Precious material easy cuz is their in their nature because they feed on them

summary: zhongli, venti, xiao + a dragon s/o who feeds on gemstones

warnings: none

word count: 1.2k

author's note: don't worry, anon! your request wasn't a bother at all! this request is actually super interesting, so i hope i was able to do it justice! you have immaculate taste in boys, btw.

✧.* ✎ if the nintendo direct tonight does not announce a fire emblem remake and/or phoenix wright or nagito komaeda in smash the Baker will become violent

How... curious. Someone like you, Zhongli should have met you long, long ago. Something about you stood out to him immediately, alerting him to the fact you weren't completely human.

Sometimes you would bring him small gemstones as a gift, even before the two of you started dating. Sometimes, he had no idea where they were from, as the gems you presented weren't native to the area or sold at the stores nearby. No, he knew every stone in Liyue, and this was not one of them.

The god of Geo was amused, to say the least. You were interesting and your habit of pulling gems out of seemingly nowhere was the first he had ever seen. He originally decided to simply sit back and watch, observing you quietly as you went about your business.

Eventually, Zhongli watched you feast upon a precious gemstone, his eyebrow rising in intrigue. Finally, with a soft and curious expression, he sat down across from you, a pot a tea set between, and asked you what exactly you were capable of.

And so you told him. You told him about your abilities, the dragon form and the human one, and the gems that sustained you. He was quiet, his hand pressed against the tip of his chin as he listened intently. He said nothing, only occasionally humming and nodding to show he was still listening.

Zhongli's eyes twinkled like molten gold as he gazed at you, delight evident across his handsome features. He was right in thinking you were an interesting being, but his curiosity was far from satiated.

What did your dragon form look like, he wondered, asking you with genuine interest. He wanted to see it, to praise your abilities and form to the fullest of his ability. When you did show him, he smiled widely and humbly, nodding and calling out how interesting you truly were.

You were a gorgeous creature, really, and your form suited you well.

His next question was about the gemstones you ate. It made sense to him now how you were capable of locating them so easily, but he wanted to know more. When you told him they sustained you, did you mean like food sustained a human, or did it prolong your life to the point where you would be on par with an adepti?

When you changed to your dragon form, Zhongli enjoyed sitting beside you quietly. The wind felt nice with his beloved by his side, and he felt joy in knowing you allowed him to see you in both forms of your truest self. Perhaps, if you didn't already know the truth about him, he would show you his form as well.

Yes, there was nothing that sounded nicer to him than flying through the orange-tinted sky at sunset with you, celebrating your love with the beauty that was the truth behind the both of you.

Oh, pretty gem! That was his first thought, honestly. He wasn't overly concerned with where it came from or how you got it, he just thought it was pretty and wanted to tell you. Well, for a moment at least.

When his mouth finally caught up with him, it was nonstop questions. Where'd you get it? D'you have more? Could he maybe pawn one off to try to get some cash for the tavern?...

Venti wasn't overly concerned with it, but he could tell you aren't completely human. He didn't know what you were, but it certainly wasn't human. Well, as long as you keep spending your time with him, it didn't matter to him what you are.

Doesn't mean he didn't have his suspicions, however. He knew he'd hit the nail on the head when he asked you if you could fly and you stiffened up slightly. He laughed gleefully, yelling out a loud, happy, "Gotchu!"

There was no escaping it now, you had to tell him. But his attention was fully on you, listening to every bit of information you had for him.

You really could fly? How fun! The two of you had to do it together sometime, he wasn't taking no for an answer. Whether he was simply gliding along by your side or floating on the wind, he enjoyed looking down at the world around him with you. Honestly, it was one of his favorite ways to spend the day, even more so than napping under the tree at Windrise.

He thought it was pretty cool that you ate gems, honestly. Sometimes, when he brought out an apple to snack on, his face would light up with mirth as he pulled out a snack for you too. Don't be fooled, however, as he sometimes would try to trick you into taking a bite out of a regular old pebble instead.

As flighty as he seemed, however, your secret was safe with him. You knew about him, after all, so if you didn't want anyone but him to know, they wouldn't. He could promise you that.

He knew. There was no escaping his diligent, sharp eyes, no truth he wouldn't be able to scour from you. Despite not being one himself, he knew mortals, and you were no regular mortal.

You were different, but it wasn't really his concern. When you did finally tell him about it, he simply hit you with a basic "I know". It shocked you, honestly. How did he know?

When you told him about what sustained you, he didn't react. Why would it matter to him what you ate? Every creature had something they needed to sustain himself, and he was no different. It wasn't any of his business.

He didn't mean it when he said he didn't care, not really. When out walking, he'd keep his eyes out for something to bring back to you. Would cor lapis suffice, he wondered, deciding to pick some up to bring you. He was sheepish, claiming he only did it because he wanted to thank you for spending your time with him, but you could tell what the real reason was. And you were touched he would go to such great lengths to get something so precious for you that you could easily get for yourself.

The first time you showed him your dragon form, he was really and truly touched. The idea that you would show him something so deeply personal and special struck a chord with him, making his heart feel light and fluttery. When doing so, he reached out to touch your face softly, his eyes gentle as he looked at you in all of your glory. A silent thank you for your trust and an unspoken "I love you."

If you were small enough and not worried about the locals seeing you, he enjoyed the idea of sitting atop Wangshu Inn with you, the sunlight warming your faces. The two of you were both considerably special creatures, not fitting in with the world around you. He took comfort in that, as he took comfort in you.

The moments he spent with you, in dragon form or human form, meant everything to him, and he appreciated the deep level of trust you put forth, enough to bring tears to his eyes... when you weren't there, of course.

Perhaps it was true that the two of you were not like the world around you. One creature who ate dreams and another who eats gemstones. Truly, there was no place designed meant for you. But that was... comforting. The two of you were able to find such a place in each other, and really, that was all that matters.

ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀꜰᴇ ɪꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴄᴜʀʀᴇɴᴛʟʏ ᴏᴘᴇɴ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴋᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰᴏʀ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛᴇꜱ ᴀɴʏ ꜱᴜᴘᴘᴏʀᴛ

[katsukikitten]

Just some general warnings and disclaimers, this is an aged up Victorian era AU that I did a sort of collab with @bakugotrashpanda, so please check out BTP’s work as well. We had so much fun discussing this idea and breathing life into it, we would love to hear how these stories made you feel. Please also note that the woman in the banner is NOT the set skin tone for reader so please feel free to have that match your own skin tone! Also this is one of my bigger works coming in at a little over 14,000 words! (maybe a part two idk) but enjoy~

The room ebbs in the low light of flickering candles, people gather in clusters like lost geese as they honk their gossip at one another causing you to sigh. It would be another long night of mental games as your cold eyes fail to warm from the eccentric sights. Silk dresses, long gloves, shimmering gems, and endless drink and food. 

Yet you hated how little power you had over your choice of being here or not. 

Countless eyes rake over your long dress, always choosing a color so deep in hue it is often mistaken for black. They often murmur curiosities as they ponder over what exactly you are mourning.

Little do they know it is your freedom. 

Tonight you are in blood red with matching gloves to your elbows, diamonds, garnets and rubies drip from your throat and ears. A sight to be seen in your bold dark colors that are often frowned upon during the bright season of spring and summer. 

A bold male approaches and yet the closer he gets to your stunning form the more meek he becomes. He nods his head and reaches for your hand, pressing his lips to your gloved knuckles. 

"May I have your first dance?" He peers up at you as you stare down with an icy glare. Removing your hand with deadly precision from a man you know of but could not care less about. 

"You may not." You say simply and all he can do is stew in his rejection, affirming your wishes with a small nod. Another male in a smooth storm grey suit approaches. His large hand grasping onto your fingers, bringing your knuckles to his lips. 

"You look exquisite my dear. Would you honor me with your first dance?" 

"I shall not." Another subtle yet swift removal of your hand from his, wishing you had worn two pairs of gloves for this sniveling little asshole. Not everyone knew his secret love for abusing women but you did. He would never get the pleasure of dancing with you and in the two years since your introduction into the market you've made sure he had no one to wed. Using the power and respect people had towards your Father's name, towards you for guidance, ultimately steering them away from this pathetic sack of bones. 

And with your power you were dubbed the icy hot debutante of Alryne, fierce as a flame so hot, it felt cold. 

You wear a neutral face, but you do not smile, making yourself a touch unapproachable. This already weeds out the weak men who want nothing more than to suck the blood and money from your father's estate. 

But it wasn't as if the neutral face was easy to achieve, oftentimes you had to fight a scowl. For two years you've hated every second of every ball, party, or soiree since the Queen smiled in your favor during your first debut. She often praised, as did your mother, your cold precision, quick wit, and intelligent political decisions that were so well disguised that men just thought you modest. 

When in actuality you were playing the game, and since you were being forced to play by your father then by Hell's flames you would win it all. 

The first half of the ball drags in stupor of tedious repetition as you idly chat with women of various titles to gather any information you could without revealing your own hand. 

Besides all of the pestering gnats, everyone knows that your first dance is always reserved for important males, to never approach until after the two of your six stamps have already been taken. Even then there was a high chance of rejection, as there were no men of value to be seen. 

At least not yet. For as long as you could remember the higher ranked males arrived a touch late, "fashionably late" they claim. Abhorrently annoying is what you call it.  

Fashionably late men such as Lord Bakugou, son to the Duke of Summer or his distant cousin Lord Kirishima, son to the Duke of Spring. 

Bakugou arrives first, his grin wolfish as he scans the crowd, women flock to his arrogance in troves, although he ignores them. He has one woman in his sights yet it is not the woman he stands before. You give a small courtesy as you speak. 

"My Lord." Offering your hand gently. 

"My Starlight." He presses his lips to your silky glove for a long moment unable to keep his cocky smirk off of his face, "May I take your first dance?" 

Fighting to keep the delighted smile off of your face you offer a flutter of your lashes. He kisses your knuckles once more as if you needed convincing but the two of you know what you are doing. 

"You may." And with that his wolfish grin returns as he sweeps you onto the dance floor, showcasing your abilities as he shows off his own. Not to mention the dance floor is a great place to talk in private. His hand lingers just above your lower back, firm in his grip as his other hand holds yours almost delicately. 

"We match tonight, my Starlight. A brilliant touch." He guides you along the floor with ease, his eyes gesturing towards his vest and tie. 

"I only took an educated guess as to what you would wear, my Lord." 

"Do not sell yourself short. I know how sharp that mind is." Another wolfish grin, his eyes never leaving yours while feeling the court gaze upon the two of you. You give him a knowing smile before asking. 

"Any luck with her majesty, the prized diamond?" You ask, eyes blazing with curiosity. He smirks again, only his eyes revealing his true scoff as he twirls you in your jeweled slippers. 

"I did as you instructed and went with my father to that dreaded stay at the countryside Manor, how did you know her Majesty and Princess Amila would be close by." 

"I took an educated guess." A blatant lie that has him grinning from ear to ear. He leans closer, pulling the attention of the ladies especially as his ember eyes burn into you. 

"Far more than an educated guess." He spins you again and you fight the tightness in your gut. Enjoying the dance as he parades you around the room as if to say look at what I have that you could never. 

Even if the two of you agreed you would never be his. The two of you having struck up an arrangement of sorts on your first dance. He was forced by his Grace to ask at least one woman to dance and he had only chosen you with hopes that you would say no. 

But you loved the honest, irritated look that lingered in his eyes and on his lips. So of course you said yes as misery loves company. It was then he told you not to fall for him as he had his eyes set on the Crown, you laughed loudly and said "As if I would ever fall for an arrogant pig such as yourself, my Lord." His smile was wild as he enjoyed your insult, it was then you told him you would help him with the Crown, only if he made you his first and last dance of the evening at every event. 

Back then he had hesitantly agreed, now he can see how far your scheming mind went. Saw the numerous callers and suitors who loitered in your parlor, the extravagant flowers that they sent in excess. The rings they bestowed to you as they dropped to one knee, bold enough to peacock the large diamonds in front of other callers. 

And all after Bakugou had done as you asked for only three parties. He got a front row seat to rejection every single time, which in turn started the talk, the gossip, that this city loved.  You were desired because of how you painted yourself and in turn made Lord Bakugou desired as well. Talked about, all because he was the only male who had your approval. 

He loved your scheming mind so much he could kiss you, but alas you did not wear a crown. Although you often had a braid of jewels atop your head, sadly you were not kin to royalty, only a Baron's daughter after all. 

Bakugou wonders what you could have done as a queen. He would think you an empress.

"Is that all the detail I get? Just a confirmation that I was correct about their holiday?" He spins the two of you in step, hand guiding you although you did not need it. Having memorized every step to every dance there was since before your debut. 

"She saw me." 

"And?!" You can hardly keep up the façade of calm collection as you wait. 

"And she flushed. Her cheeks were as red as any rose, Starlight, she was a rare red diamond sparkling by the lake. She must already be in love with me."  You snort, unable to stop the smile on your lips. 

"I've never heard you so poetic before. Normally you leave that to Lord Kirishima. How many times did you run into her? Not more than three I hope."

"Oi, I am a well versed student and I listened to my teacher. I made her wait for the fourth and denied it. Left her in wonder and hope as you said." He rolls his eyes, fingers sliding up to your dress line touching your bare skin with his beneath your guise of hair. The sensation of his warm fingers against your cool skin does not go unnoticed. 

"Are you practicing for your dance with the 'rare red diamond' now?" You taunt, earning that chest tightening wolf grin. 

"I'm only doing as my teacher has instructed." 

"Well the Princess will fall for you the moment you kiss her hand." 

"One can only hope. Her official debut is less than a month away. I want it to be perfect." His eyes shimmer with plotting mischief as does yours. 

"So it shall." 

The music flows and ebbs to the end of the song as Bakugou deposits you right back where he got you. Bringing your hand to his lips, kissing your knuckles as he holds your gaze once more. 

"My Starlight." When he straightens you curtsy.

"My Grace." With that he leaves, heading towards the table of sweets and beverages, you were sure he would be ordering bourbon. Your mother clears her throat from her chair, the out of season silk blanket over her thick skirts pulls at your heart. She sits on that plush chair as if it were her throne. 

"You dance with Lord Bakugou often." An observation. 

"Indeed." A dry retort. 

"I am sure Lord Kirishima will be your next dance, correct?" 

"One can only hope." 

"So you have an eye for a Duke's son?" 

"I am happy to dance with those deserving, Mother." Your mother keeps her eyes on the turning bodies on the hardwood floor, Kirishima makes his way through the crowd once he spies you. Your mother turns to face you as she says 

"Is the Duke of Winter's son deserving?" 

"Hmm, he has three sons, mother." You keep your eyes away from her until she finally looks back into the crowd. 

"Ah yes but only one is ever at these events." You follow your mother's gaze and they fall upon the Lord, he is the third son, he opted to chase after the world of medicine rather than women. Earning his doctorate much faster than his peers, he only just returned to conduct his practice in Alryne. 

Pity he returned at all. 

He catches your eye and you make a point to turn your cheek, unable to stomach his heterochromatic, condensing gaze. Your turned cheek was as close to fuck you as you could ever say to the high and mighty Lord. Still the words burned on your tongue as if you swallowed acid. 

"It is not as if he ever dances mother. Therefore, how can I give him my attention? As you taught me a woman must wait to be asked as it is every woman's dream to be wed to a handsome, skilled dancer." Out of the corner of your eye you can feel her displeased look before she straightens. 

"At least do not string along Lord Kirishima, that boy is not as zealous as his cousin." She says just as the large man slips through the last throng of the crowd. 

"My shining gem." He smiles with sharp teeth before he places a chaste kiss atop your hand. 

"My Lord." A curtsy before he asks. 

"May I have this dance?" His smile is plastered on his face as he knows your answer. 

"You may." Kirishima sweeps you across the floor in a different manner than Bakugou. Lord Kirishima is more flirtatious in the way that he guides you. Always choosing more of the upbeat dances as opposed to his cousin's serious selection. You do not hesitate to go in for the kill. 

"So when do you plan to ask Lady Mina for her hand?" He blushes at your words. Biting the inside of his lip subtly, a habit you could only notice from being up close. 

"Have you even attempted to court her? What fear plagues you, Lord?" Confusion dots your features as a sad smile paints his soft lips. 

"I am not sure she would- That we would be an ideal fit." Kirishima admits, turning you gracefully, pulling you close to his body. Scandalous some would say had the two of you been an inch closer. 

"Well my Lord, I believe, had you actually talked to her while the two of you danced, as I suggested, then you would come to find out that she is lovely. Pure hearted as she is honest in this game seeking love. Most women here are making attempts to move up in position, my Lord. As a Duke's first son the title of Grace is yours to master. She is a delight and air is not the only thing between her ears as some of these…"You survey the room as everyone watches with greedy eyes, "Vultures." 

He laughs never used to your own unwavering honesty. He knows you are not participating by your own free will, he knows because you are helping himself and his cousin when he was sure you could have had anyone in this room.

If the Majesty's nephew, Prince of the Yarrow were to attend even one ball this season, Kirishima was sure you would have his attention too.  

He twirls your body away from his and brings you back to the safety of his sturdy form. Your eyes are molten determination as you all but hiss 

"Ask her to dance next. You know the host prefers the set to be serious, flirtatious, and then a slow dance. It will be the perfect time to talk." 

Lord Kirishima sighs, squeezing your hand as he guides the two of you closer to your mother so he can leave you in her company. 

"You could turn any dull man into something more. Whoever wins your hand is getting a precious gem indeed." He kisses your hand as the music begins to change into something slower as you had predicted. 

"One shall only hope." You curtsy as he takes his flushed neck towards a certain Countess. Your mother gives you a knowing look and you offer her a cat smirk. She shakes her head but even she cannot hide her own satisfied smile.

A blonde male approaches, as he does every third ball after he ensures your first two dances have been taken. The flamboyant male has not once asked for a dance first, trying to be just as calculating as you. Although he is much more obvious. 

You suppose it was not half bad for a male. 

"My lady." He bends lower than he should for his station in life, but he is obviously copying the cousins before him having seen how it makes you smile. 

Lavender eyes shine up at you as the Viscount brings his lips to your gloved hand. You debate if you should say yes tonight. Having left him in the dark as your desire to dance with him solely depended on your mood. 

"May I show the room the grace in which steals the breath from my lungs?" Your eyes smirk as your lips form a small smile. It seems flattery would earn him a dance tonight. 

"You may." 

The Viscount smiles with delight as he gently takes you to the dance floor, holding you to him as he takes you across the hardwood. The candle lights play along your features as Monoma's face grows soft. Had he been anyone else his gaze might have brought a flush about you. The two of you shared a few dances before, he has sat in your parlor in the time he has attempted to court you and the flowers he sends are always the most expensive. 

He has even brought you chocolate from a month's long trip. Even you had to admit that was thoughtful, not too many people knew of your Achilles heel. A small part of you thought that if no one else would do, at least this man would bring you luxurious chocolates. 

"No trips this season?" You smile politely, he blinks as he seems to come to. 

"Only if I can take you with me." He smiles, a hint. You pretend yourself modest and look away to fight the roll of your eyes. 

Maybe chocolate would not be enough to sate you. 

His eyes flicker to your mother as a question forms on his lips. 

"Neither your brothers nor the Baron attended tonight?" 

"Ah unfortunately no. My mother is my chaperone tonight." You say tilting your head, he turns so you can face her, stepping slowly as the song lulls on. 

"I am elated she is well enough to attend." He smiles, you cannot tell if it reaches his eyes so instead you offer 

"As am I." 

The rest of the night is filled with rejection tumbling from your rouged lips as champagne flutes seem to find their way into your hand. 

"Not too much of that dear or you will not be able to enjoy the company of your suitors." 

"Truly a pity." You say taking another from a passing waiter. Eyes trained on Lord Iida and the lovely dancer in his hands, a blue dress sweeping across the floor and a white carnation nestled in her hair. 

A beautiful touch and it pays homage to their first dance before they were even wed. 

The love that embraced the couple could turn anyone in the room green with envy. 

You down your flute as you reach for another. 

Night brightens into morning much too soon as curtains are ripped open in your room. 

"My lady callers will be here soon." Rose, your handmaiden says softly, "I have a bath waiting for you."

You groan in response having not had enough sleep after pouring over your drafts for your book until your candle snuffed itself out. 

"Turn them all away Rose." You growl turning away from the irritating light, could it not have rained this morning to delay the suitors as it always did in this forsaken town?

"She will do no such thing." Your mother says as she walks into your room with her cane, her hand gripping onto the golden beak of a bird. 

"Mother, why not marry off Hendrix or  Hideki?" 

"Hendrix must apprentice under your Father for a period of time while Hideki can do as he pleases for now. He is only 20, besides he makes an excellent chaperone does he not? He isn't too nosy nor does he neglect his duties to intimidate pushy men." She pushes some of your hair back as she sighs, "Although I doubt you need help in that manor." 

"I deserve a strong bloodline, so I will do what I must to ensure that. Even if my face has to be scary at times." You and your mother share a laugh before she adds. 

"Your face is far from scary my dear." She touches your cheek softly rising from the bed to allow you to get ready, "The suitors shall arrive within the hour. Make haste." 

"Yes mother." You half groan rising to wash. Enjoying the warm water that Rose has so kindly added aromatic flora and citrus to. Once you enter your bedroom Rose has a dress picked out for you, waiting for your final approval. You nod allowing Rose to assist you with your corset and strings of your dress before you pick out jewelry to match your silver finery. You choose a silver bracelet with little diamonds as stars that Lord Bakugou had given you for your birthday this past year, smiling down at the small thing before assessing yourself in the mirror. 

"What do you think Rose, should I add some rouge to my lips?" She gives you a smile of delight. 

"And your cheeks too, my Lady." 

Breakfast is served in the parlor as it consists mostly of fruits and finger pastries that will be served to the other guests. Hideki comes down in a fine and deep sapphire suit. 

“Sister.” He gives a smirk to which you nod.

“Brother.”

“And what trouble will you get into today?” He stage whispers, causing you to cut him a glare as your father comes around to loom in the arch way of the parlor. 

“Remember, you need to pick a husband this season or I will pick for you. It is disgraceful to have gone through two seasons at your age.”

“I am only twenty four, dearest Father..”

“That just proves my point. You have a month before I extend an offer to the Duke's-.” He takes in a sharp breath to chide you further only for his Grace to swoop in and save the day.

“Baron.” Bakugou says, his eyes challenging as your father bows his head. As Bakugou makes his way towards the delicate foods. Father cuts you a knowing glare. As if to say I know your games child.

You offer a sweet smile as you make your way towards your small writing desk, fighting off the urge to groan outwardly. You just wanted to work on your manuscript or read for that matter. Instead you would have to entertain men who cared not what you thought only what your pretty mouth would not say. They would swarm you, demanding attention as you waved them off gently, half you had never even spoken too.  Bakugou gives you a wicked smile from beside you as if he could read your thoughts. At least he always sat closest to you, saving you in a way although you never instructed him to sit close. 

He just always had. 

"Do you not want to play the piano today, my shining Gem?" Kirishima asks from the door. 

"Ah I am not sure I am in the mood for it, my Lord." 

"Easier to avoid people as the bench is only meant for one." Bakugou gives a devilish smirk, Kirishima almost pouts, his sullen expression does not go unnoticed by his cousin. 

"It has been an eon since you last played for us." Bakugou adds. 

"Am I to be your song bird today?" You cut a glare at him. 

"Yes, Starlight I believe you are." It seems it had no effect. Sighing you stand, collecting your skirts as your wrist twinkles in the morning sun. Garnet eyes bore into the delicate wristlet. Your fingers pluck a key here or there until you begin to play. Losing yourself in the music as you sing ballads from ages ago, melding them into songs you've written until it all sounds like a cohesive piece. Each old song is lost in transition to the new one, time ticks on but you do not notice the string of men who come and go from your parlor. Resting your voice for the time being as your fingers fly across the keys to something you composed while thinking of your father and his ever pushing hand towards a Duke's son you had great distaste for. The notes are sharp, almost jarring at times yet still the piece is stunning.  In that time you had not noticed the lavender eyed man who sat closest to you, right in front of the piano in the corner of the couch. The finger cramping song ends on a somber, harsh note. 

"What a beautifully charged song." Monoma says breathlessly. 

“Well I was thinking of my enemies when I composed it.” You smile at the sunshine blonde with a devilish grin, he feels unsettled by it but says nothing nonetheless. His lavender eyes glance over to the wolves at the back of your den. Hideki gives him a small nod, Kirishima a soft smile but Bakugou gives him a glare that feels like Monoma is gripping needles. 

He swallows thickly, adjusting himself on the plushed silk of the couch before your small piano. 

“Ah before I forget.” He smiles pulling out a box setting it atop the polished wood. Gifts were a natural part of courtship or so your mother said. You offer a smile, grabbing for the box with poised eagerness and yet not overly so. 

Not that you were excited but you had to pretend to be. You unbox the obvious jewelry and fight back the distaste as you stare down at a gaudy, overly large necklace. The colors are a soft green and yellow, colors you avoid for many reasons. 

“Thank you.” You think to add a chord or two to your unnamed song in honor of Monoma. Bakugou laughs loudly from the back of the room, feeling how much you hate the gift, you look over your shoulder to send him a glare that he can only smile at. 

After hours of trepid and boring conversation Monoma takes his leave. 

“Another evening my Lady.” He smiles softly and you return it half heartedly.

“Another evening.” Lavender looks over your shoulder before Monoma clears his throat

“Your Grace and your Grace.” He bows his head, the ash blonde and redhead nod in unison. 

"Shall we go and drink my high friends?" Hideki asks, hoping for an excuse to leave the stuff house. He was more than over bearing witness to  gag worthy stares and compliments some of these men gave you. 

"An excellent idea!" Kirishima exclaims, standing before stopping by you. He takes your gloveless hand with a sharp, flirtatious smile. 

"My shining gem." He presses his lips to your skin and you return his smile. 

"My Lord." He nods and takes his leave, Hideki at his heels as Bakugou approaches. He does an exaggerated sigh unable to hide his smirk. 

"Little songbird how will I ever get through the night without my Starlight?" He holds your hand, lowering his upper half as did his cousin before him. 

"I suppose you will fumble in the dark."

"If only I had the pleasure." He purrs as he presses his lips to your bare skin. Suddenly his fingers are too warm as he holds your gaze, he looks as if he could devour you. 

Lest he forget he is staring down a panther himself. 

"Have fun fumbling in the dark by yourself, my Lord." You remove your hand and look out of the corner of your eye at him. He backs towards the door of the room. 

"I should hope to have thoughts of Starlight." He calls before he disappears into the hall. You tap a key as your mind wanders before you rise, famished and ready for dinner before you would take a long night of writing. 

A month passes by faster than you'd like and you find yourself outside of the ballroom in the grand hall of the castle. Soft music filters in through the doors as your Father insisted the family be a bit late this evening. 

For he wanted to make a statement and one at your expense. 

"If Duke Enji's son asks you for a dance you will oblige." Your father hisses, his large hand curling around your bicep. You bare your teeth, stepping out of his grip as you collect yourself. 

"He has three." Acid drips from your tongue as sure as morning dew. 

"The doctor. Not the failure first born and not the inadequate second. The third. Shoto. Think of your ailing mother...would you abandon her for such vile, pointless ambitions?"

"I think you will not weaponize her. So do as I please and decline." You hold his burning glare as you add, "If the Duke's family is as bad off as you make it seem." 

"Oh I think you shall accept his dance. Or so help me God I will burn every book your ill, grief stricken mother ever shoved into your scrubby little hands." He leans closer, a nasty smile forming as his lips, "And if that is not enough I will throw your manuscript into the fire for fodder." 

Your eyes blaze with a rage that ignites beneath your skin, burning your blood as your eyes make unspoken promises. When I am through with you 

You part your lips to retort but your eye catches Hendrix and Hideki, their eyes filled with pity before your mother slowly approaches. 

Father chose his battleground well, knowing you would be unable to react as you pleased and with Bakugou already at the party there was no other male to save you. You bite your tongue until you taste blood. 

"Is everything alright?" Mother asks tentatively, fussing with your hair, "Darling you must mind your face, my love." 

You swat her away, breathing through your nose as if you were a dragon. Heat still dancing in your veins as you allow your feet to move on their own. 

"Announce me. Only me. And do not announce another soul until I am beyond the last step." You hiss to the harbinger whose eyes grow wide before he nods. His voice booms over the murmurers of the crowd and once eyes begin to land on you they are silenced. 

Your eyes are set hard and as cold as stone as you look over the crowd, slowly descending the steps in your deep ombre gown. Starless night black from the bodice before it lightens gradually into a charcoal grey, glittering crystals sewn into the material shine in the candle light like miniature stars. Your gloves followed the same gradual pattern except it seemed as if each finger was dipped in glittering silver and atop your wrist was your favorite piece, diamonds winking in the low light set into silver pointed stars. Woven in your hair were diamonds and pale citrine alike forming a crown in its own nature. 

Had Her Royal Highness not have already been announced and seated it would be easy to mistake you for the Crown. Considering how you commanded attention and held yourself, eyes looking at no one but seeing all. 

The envy, the awe, the lust. 

A pivotal moment was coming, the last three stairs is where a woman would normally hold out their hand, expecting their favorite suitor to take action but you did not hold out your hand. Keeping one firmly on the dark wood of the banister while the other was eloquently posed beside you. Even if you had held out your hand the men in the room were too stunned to step up to help you. This allowed a soft, devilish smile to form on your painted lips as they performed exactly as you had planned. Finally your gem encrusted slipper touched the hardwood, parting the crowd before the spell was broken by the announcement of the rest of your family. The room let out a collective breath and instantly erupted in hot gossip. All of it falling on deaf ears as you grabbed onto a flute of trusted champaign. 

From across the room you felt burning garnet eyes on you, you met them briefly before sipping at your bubbly beverage. He begins to cross the sea of bodies when a large man steps into your view. 

His eyes are cold as they bore into you, a shining sapphire paired with a smokey quartz. Distaste curdles your stomach as you fight to keep your face neutral and your eyes trained on him. Fans block painted lips as they spread more gossip about the man before you. 

"Is she ensnaring another Duke's son?" 

"She is becoming too haughty for a Baron's daughter." 

"Do you think she insulted the Crown with her entrance?" 

"Would you allow me your first dance?" His deep voice cuts through the vultures' cries pulling you back to him. He has your glittering left hand in his. Brining the dazzling glove to his lips in greeting, there is no joy in his gemstone gaze. 

The hot rage bears its teeth again as it surges through your blood like liquid fire, burning so hot it felt cold as it licked at your bones. Your lip barely twitches, No poised on your tongue as your father's grating voice echoes in your head. 

"Think of your ailing mother...would you abandon her for such vile, pointless ambitions?" 

And so your mouth finally forms the words. 

"You may."  He looks surprised, surrounding faces mirror his own before he fully takes your hand. Guiding you to the floor during one of your favorite songs that you always sat out as no dance partner ever dared the secret, advanced steps. You were steeling yourself for disappointment 

Shoto's grip on your body is tight but not uncomfortable as he sweeps you across the dance floor, twirling you, guiding you as he holds your gaze. His stare is heavy and intense in a different manner from Bakugou's with a hint of something that could be mistaken as flirtatious. But you saw it for what it was, discontent. 

As the song pushed on the discontent seemed to change into something new entirely as he showcased your skill while hiding his own. Allowing you to twirl away from him in several rotations that would make even the most skillful dancer fearful of misstep and yet you breathed in the music as if it were precious air. Neither of you notice how the other dancers give you room, allowing for more twirls and advanced steps as the two of you are becoming lost to the music. His fingers brush your bare skin as he pulls you back to him for  guided, sharp steps as the music heightens. His skin brushes yours again, electricity thrums beneath the pads of his fingers before he sends you into another dizzying rotation but to you it was nothing. Briefly you wonder if this were a test until you see the soft smile on his lips when you return to his arms safely for the final set of guided steps before the music were to abruptly end, just as the dance was intended. His eyes were glued to yours the entirety of the dance, softening with each step. 

Both of you stop in beat with the last soaring note panting as the movement seems to catch up with the two of you. Neither of you realize how quiet the room is until clapping comes from the royal dais high above the room, the rest of the crowd follows suit. Shock melts into a smile as your eyes return to his. A sharp pain rings out in his chest. 

"Not bad for a Baron's daughter." Disgust settles on your face faster than you can stop it spewing from your lips. 

"Not bad for a recluse of a Duke's son." You tilt your head up, fighting the snarl of your lip as his face becomes so mind numbingly neutral while his eyes darken. Shoto drops you off by your mother only for Bakugou to approach, swiftly bringing you to the floor for a slow song. 

"Starlight. How did I not know you could dance like that?" He is astonished by your skill, "I've never seen you so happy. Maybe the Duke of Winter's third son will do you justice yet." 

You scoff but all Bakugou can do is offer you a deadly smile. 

"Enough about my dead end dancing." Your eyes glance towards the dias, the Princess cannot look away from the two of you, "This should be enough for the Princess to want to dance soon." 

It is Bakugou's turn to scoff. 

"Are you sure she is even going to have the opportunity to dance? No one is even allowed on the stairs to their enclave." 

"Ah but this is her debut. The Queen will allow it, besides the princess cannot keep her gaze off of a certain ash blonde." 

"How could she ever?" Your laugh rings out, it warms even the coldest hearts as Bakugou pulls you closer to him. Heat radiates from his body in a calming manner, your fingers squeeze his. 

"Arrogant as ever." You smile, thinking how you will miss dancing with him or even having him at the back of your parlor to laugh with over sad attempts at your hand, "Remember once you take her one dance for the night, she must be your first and last dance of the night in the future, if not your only." 

Bakugou cannot hide the dejection in his eyes even as he feigns cockiness. 

"I am a well versed student, remember?" His fingers brush over your skin, his middle finger tracing a small circle. 

"The best student I could ask for." The music comes to a close on more than just the song as Bakugou returns you to your family. He presses a long kiss to your glittering glove. 

"Until we meet again, my Starlight." He holds your stare. 

"Until then my Grace." With that the night sets into motion as you turn down dances left and right. Eyeing a ruby haired man who twirls a certain countess in his hands. As the music ends the Queen stands earning a hushed crowd. 

"My daughter, the Royal Princess shall take the dance floor, she will only allow one dance on the night of her debut." It is not a shock that she is allowed so little but there is no worry on Bakugou's face. The princess straightens at the top of the stairs, trying to exude the same commanding energy you did. She falls short in power but outshines you in other wordly innocence and grace. As if she were a lily that only bloomed for the moon, her beauty unmatched in her pale pink dress. Carefully she guides the layers of it down the steps as diamonds and pearls drip from her hair and throat. She tries to keep her eyes from sticking to a broad shouldered man and yet at the same time from wandering, as she stares at the back wall of the room. 

As she nears the third step Bakugou struts towards his prize with the ease of a relaxed swagger, glaring at men as he passes before he reaches the bottom of the steps. Extending his hand to the Princess just as she hits the third step from the bottom. She cannot keep the smile off of her face as her gloved hand claps onto his bare fingers. He bows deeply, raising her hand above him to look from beneath long lashes before he brings his lips to the silk. 

"Your Royal Highness, my shining diamond. You are truly the envy of the night." A flush gives the Princess' lack of experience away, "May I have this dance?" 

"You may." It is a breathy answer before Bakugou sweeps her off of her feet. Charming her with each calculated step and  arrogant quip. The princess smiles wide and almost pouts once the music begins to ebb. Bakugou returns her to the stairs, supporting her hand as long as he can before she rises out of reach.

But to Bakugou she never was and never will be unattainable. 

Before the night is over an envelope is pressed into your hands with the Crown's seal pressed into the wax. You quirk your brow, tucking it away to be read at home. 

"I am so elated you came." Her voice is like honey as the butler opens the doors to a parlor so large it could hold your entire home. She guides you towards a small table and fights with the layers of her silk dress before sitting.

"How could I reject a personal invitation from her majesty?" You sit across from her, eyes going over the deck of cards and a set of tea. 

"Well, believe it or not, I do not have the pleasure of friends, so please call me Amila." 

"Everyone would desire to be a friend of the Crown, your Royal Highness." You counter, quickly she points her fan towards you, tapping your side of the small ornate card table. 

"Ah but you do not have the desire to befriend the Crown, so I have high hopes that you will befriend me for me." She smiles, a certain gleam to her eye before she says, "Now let's talk about handsome Bakugou and how well you played me." 

Your face gives nothing away as you look up from the cards you've been dealt. Your mind rushes down all possible avenues but you know to avoid the one of playing dumb. It is obvious that the Princess has a keen eye. 

"Surely you'll reveal to me what gave us away." 

"After that dance Bakugou had with me, had I been anyone else he would have returned to you. He either has his only dance with you or his last dance with you. I figured him or Lord Kirishima to be heavily interested in you. You are a sparkling gem amongst the coal down there so I know you have many callers and suitors. But the last to leave are always Lord Bakugou and Lord Kirishima. That is what has thrown me off the scent."  You laugh at her honesty of the knowledge she has obviously collected about you or was tactful enough to guess. 

"This is what we do, your Royal Highness." Your gloved hand gestures to the table, "I take them for all that they are worth." An honest giggle leaves Amilia's lips.

"For that I am grateful and some would dare say I am in your debt." 

"A brazen statement." Your eyes return to your cards, "I would not state it as a debt although I am happy to receive your gratitude. Especially since it is in the form of cards and cake." 

A laugh falls from her lips as a smile settles on yours. The round of cards continues. You win the first few rounds and then Amelia has a lucky hand. Winning the last white tea macaron. 

"Did you allow me to best you?" 

"Lady Luck just happened to take favor of the Crown." 

"Or maybe she took pity. " She smiles, fingers fidgeting nervously, "Would you care to admire the art? Mother allows me to have this as my own personal parlor so I decorate it as I wish." 

"I would love to admire some of these lovely paintings. Starting with the one behind you." You stand, heading to the large piece you had been eyeing for some time during the games. You could tell by the stroke of the brush that the artist was newer to painting but they were quite talented, the strokes almost went unnoticed even by your sharp eye. 

Most importantly were the emotions the work of art evoked from the viewer. 

Silently the two of you drank in the large oil painting. The canvas colored in deep pinks, reds and oranges as the sun laid to rest to allow its lover the full scope of the sky. Shadows stretched far and towards the viewer and if one paid close attention they would notice the black cat in the corner with two large moon eyes. 

You especially liked this painting, the ease it made you feel even earning a small smile. 

"I can already tell this one is by far my favorite, your Royal Highness you have a fine eye for art." She blushes at your compliment, twisting some of her low hanging hair. You keep your amusement of her flustering to yourself, eyes trained on the swirling colors of the rippling blue mirror of the sky, looking for a signature. 

Odd, there isn't a looping set of initials in the corner like most have. As if reading it on your face she speaks. 

"I- I am the artist…" It is shy and soft, unlike the Princess and you realize the weight of the truth. That she had not heard one genuine compliment of anything that she had ever done. 

All she would ever receive is flattery and only for the hopes of kindness from the Crown. Finally time swallows up her sudden meekness as she blurts out.  

"Are you sure Lord Bakugou is not in love with you? I know you fancy Lord Todoroki, Doctor Shoto." 

"I do not fancy the Doctor, he simply is the most logical option I have currently, he would make a fine partner and husband. The seasons have not brought anyone new and my days of spring are limited." You idly move to the next painting as you speak, "As far as Lord Bakugou, he and I are too much alike. Too ambitious for our own good, we'd either explode or implode I'm afraid. Like some tragic star in the vast galaxy." 

"You would not marry for love?"  

"It is best to marry for a strong partnership, love is a possible byproduct, however it proves to be a rarity. Love comes with time, your Royal  Highness, a luxury us women do not have." You glance her way, "Not even a Princess is immune to this unfortunate condition from which all women suffer." 

"But he looks at you with intense burning, with...love." 

A quiet moment passes between the two of you before you offer your honesty. 

"He would learn to look at you that way, more than he would see the Crown. Especially with your mind and artistic skill. He would be a fool not to fall for you." Her eyes water at your response, "Come, let me teach you how to best Bakugou at his favorite card game, Amelia."  

When you return home later that afternoon Bakugou is fidgeting outside of the manor causing your brow to furrow. Then it dawns on you that one of your brother's has a big mouth and told his Grace where you would be. 

"My Lord." 

"Starlight." He offers you a strong arm and you take it as he guides you up the stairs and into the parlor just off the foyer. 

"Are you here to gossip?" You trust Bakugou enough to go without a chaperone, besides the doors to the parlor are wide open. You sink into your writing chair as he takes his normal seat by your side. The plush cushions do not ease his twitching fingers before you give him a playful shove. 

"Out with it then!" You giggle, the sound pulls a devilish smirk from the blonde seemingly easing whatever troubled his mind. He leans back into the cushions. 

"So, how much did her Highness speak of me? Endless compliments no doubt." His teeth flash white as you roll your eyes. 

"And here I thought you had a pressing matter." You move to turn away from him to focus on writing but he grabs onto your knee. Giving it a gentle squeeze as his face gives him away. The tips of his ears burn before he clears his throat. 

"I have to show you something and I need your honest opinion." Silence is his answer as you patiently wait for him to produce the mystery item. Slowly he reaches into his pocket, a black velvet box is in his hands. A smile blooms on your lips as you anticipate the ring he must have picked for the princess. He opens the box and your heart free falls into your stomach. 

It is a pear shaped black diamond flanked by silvery diamonds that wink in the afternoon sun. At the top of the circle of diamonds was a deep red garnet that looked like a drop of blood. The ring felt powerful if it could make one feel such a thing. You fist your skirts as you collect yourself.  He watches your face contort as you look over the ring, his jaw ticking with worry as you assess what is essentially both his ego and pride. 

But the ring is breathtaking, perfect really. 

"Katsuki, it is a gorgeous ring…" Your voice trails as you admire it, "But I believe the princess to have less...moody tastes. She does not normally wear dark colors." 

A small silence stretches between the two of you, almost as if he expects something else, quickly he snaps the box shut. 

"This is why I ask you things, my stunning Starlight." He pulls out a red velvet box popping it open. This ring is beautiful as well but does not have your heart as much as the first. 

It is a stunning and giant marquise cut white diamond. Blinding in the light with a halo of pale pink diamonds. It is vibrant, radiant like the princess. Katsuki always did pick out the perfect jewelry to match a woman's tastes. Bakugou watches your face carefully, the sad smile that pulls your lips upward causes a deep ache in his chest. His jaw ticks again but you answer before he can even think to lash out. 

"Your Grace, this will surely win her heart." He looks you in your eyes, a flash of an emotion you cannot quite catch before his arrogance returns. 

"Indeed it shall. We can discuss the best date to ask another time." He closes the box and tucks them both away, he grabs your left hand, fingers ghosting over the bracelet he gave you, "You seem tired, you should get some rest." 

"I believe that to be a grand idea." You say softly as he kisses each knuckle. He squeezes your fingers. 

"My life would be dark without you my Starlight." You fight to keep the bitterness out of your voice as you reply. 

"Soon you will have a shining diamond to light up your life." 

"Only thanks to you." With that he takes his leave. 

With burning eyes you add to your manuscript, foolishly writing a love story as your other novels have been completed. The candle dwindles as the hours pass before your hunched shoulders ache from the poor posture and lack of movement. You stretch, yawning as you do before you decide to head to bed. 

Expecting an empty foyer you are surprised to see your father looming in the hall, your mother standing solemn by his side. Her fingers clutch at her pearls as your eyes catch sight of bags at their feet. It is not unusual for them to leave in the middle of the night in order to keep the severity of your mother's health from the limelight. 

"Is there troubling news?" Anxiety twitches in your fingers as you clasp them together. Although your father's next words make your fingers want to wrap around his thick neck. 

"We have been invited for an extended stay at Duke Enji's manner in the countryside in hopes the two of you will court one another." 

"Father that is scandalous in itself." 

"Not if an engagement comes of it. Which one will, whether you fall for him or not, young lady. The matter has been decided among the men." His words sting like a slap in the face. Where most would cry you lash out. 

"Oh, I get it. Per usual the men can think with nothing more than what hangs between their legs, fearful that theirs is not long enough. So the men do all that they can to control everything but their own fragility." You step towards your father and he takes a step back, "Or is it more gruesome than that? One blackmailing the other? I just cannot imagine the ambitious Duke wanting a Baron's daughter for his son. Unless his family is so far in decline he must place the weight on his new heir and bride." 

His eyes widen unnaturally before he is frothing at the mouth. 

"YOU WILL NOT SPEAK OUT OF TURN. YOU WILL LEARN YOUR DAMN PLACE. " He slaps you, causing a hush to fall over your family. Your eyes are wide with animalistic rage as you lunge only for Hendrix and Hideki to hold you back. Both strong men begin dragging you away.

"Forgive her, Father." Hendrix starts before Hideki finishes, "You know how the heat gives women a touch of hysteria."

"We will help her pack her bags." 

All the while your mother looks at her husband in horror.  The sight falls beneath the stairs before you are shoved onto your bed. 

"Sister!" Hendrix roars while the youngest brother looks flustered, worried, "What were you thinking? You know how closed minded father is." 

Hideki cuts the eldest a look before he adds. 

"We are just worried. Normally you keep your wrath at bay." 

"As much as it may come as a surprise. I am only human." You rise from the bed asking Rose to prepare you a trunk. To pack anything, that you did not care as you sat at your desk furiously writing. Your bothers watch you with curious eyes as the tension seems to subside before they take their leave.

Minutes tick by before you're standing in the foyer. Father and mother were already sitting in the carriage that waited outside under the cover of misty rain. Hendrix and Hideki stand awkwardly by the round table in the middle of the foyer. Pretending to fuss over lavish flowers Lord Bakugou had sent that morning. A beautiful arrangement of roses and hydrangeas, two of your favorites, the Lord knew of them through observation alone. You wait patiently until one brother makes eye contact with you. Hideki breaks first, guilt shining in his eyes as it threatens to spill over. It is obvious he does not want you to leave the house, his normally crooked smile falters. You cup his cheek, smiling up at your sentimental younger brother, he acts as if you will never come back. 

Maybe there is some truth in that. 

"Cry not, for I have an iron will while father's is but made of glass." You swipe the tear, before pressing two letters into his chest, "Besides I have an important task for you." 

"Is it your scheming?" Hendrix chides and you laugh in answer before continuing. 

"These are for Lord Bakugou and Lord Kirishima, it is imperative you deliver these letters." The paper contained important instructions for not only a successful proposal but a marriage as well. 

You'd be damned if all three of you would turn out miserable. 

"I'll put them in the post." 

"No hand deliver them." Your eyes turn icy causing both brothers to go rigid, "And should I find out the seal has been broken before their arrival I shall take the family jewels from between your legs."

"Is that any way for a lady to talk, my dearest sister?" A jest in an attempt to lighten your souring mood. 

"Yes, it is."

"They will be in their hands by this evening. We are wagering on a fight tonight. Enjoy your stay." Hideki leans in close with a tease but his voice almost cracks, "Make sure the rock is huge." 

"Indeed." Hendrix agrees with an almost sad look in his eye, leaving you to wonder what it is that they know and you do not. 

Well, you do know why they have such long faces, you just do not care to admit. You wave to them and their eyes catch on the silvery reflection of diamonds on your wrist. 

The manner is stifling to say the least. The large, grand thing is as your trunk is set in your room that overlooks a small garden and the long sweeping hill that leads home. You pace your room before a knock comes at your door. 

Hoping to ignore it, having not the desire to speak to a soul, your feet quiet. You listen for them to retreat but instead a louder knock sounds out. Before his grating voice floats from beneath the door and through the keyhole. 

"I know you are in there, my lady." 

Ugh, that stupid doctor stood on the other side of the door. Still you ignore him. 

"It is rude to ignore your host."  It ignites something in your stomach before you rip the door open. Eyes ablaze as Todoroki stands perfectly still in his onyx black suit sans jacket. White sleeves rolled up showcasing his strong forearms. 

"Surely, a good host would not force his guests to his estate?" 

"A good host would not mention how unwanted their guest is." His smile is sickeningly polite, eyes as cold as yours. It is hard to keep your composure as you breathe in deeply through your nose, eyes widening before you slam the door in his face. 

Only once you hear his footfalls retreat and the moon shines long on your floor boards do you finally make your way towards the door. A woman on a mission as you yank the door open, uncaring that you were not in much but a thick white nightgown that could be mistaken for a dress.  You rush for the stairs and through the door just off their back parlor, having memorized it from the long winded tour both your father and his Grace Enji insisted the small party take of the grounds. 

A cool summer breeze whips your hair this way and that as it dries the sweat that sits at your nape. Normally people would describe this feeling as miserable, that even the breeze had a bit of heat to it, but you. 

You lived for it. Twirling in the moonlight you allow yourself a moment for vulnerability you often cannot afford before you go deeper on the grounds, closer to the woods that lie just beyond the manor. 

Once you are at the edge you give the grand home a glare with your back towards the woods. The creatures of the night sing their symphonies well into the late hour. A twig snaps behind you cause you to turn about face, your eyes meet with lavender framed beneath light lashes. 

Ice runs through your blood as you faintly recall him speaking of these trees by his own countryside manor. He often went to these grounds to hunt. 

So why was he standing on the Todoroki grounds? 

"So it is true?" Monoma chokes out an ugly sound. It is between defeat and a snarl. He takes a step closer, "Whisked away in the night. Did Todoroki steal your maiden head from me?" 

Your eyes widen at his scandalous accusation and it is then you see how truly disheveled he is. Hair plastered to his forehead, his canary suit stained green from foliage. The fabric even darkening beneath his armpits and at his collar, it sends a sort of frantic look to his eye. He steps forward and for once in your life you yield, stepping back. 

"That is a damning accusation." You fight to keep the cracking rage from your voice, the small fear that blooms in your belly like poison nightshade. Swallowing thickly he steps forward. 

"He, he can't take what's mine. I- I was going to propose today. But that damn Bakugou is always lingering around like toxic gas. Poisoning your mind with his….ambitions." It is then you see red. 

How dare anyone thing you were so fucking fragile and innocent some young blonde could corrupt you. Your palm strikes his cheek with enough force that he is facing away from you. You strike again and then as you rear up your fist he pulls you to him. Pressing his whisky soaked lips to yours as he swallows you whole. Mouth extended over your lips, sloppily engulfing you as he makes sounds that make you want to retch. His tongue slides past your lips and you bite.

Not enough that he loses it, although you wish you could afford to do such a thing. But you still lived in a society where a man's word was far more valuable than that of a "whore." Shaking you pull back, so much rage that you do not see the flash of light until it is too late. 

"Fucking bitch!" He slashes at your nightgown, cutting the fabric away as you think you've doged, he goes to slash again, "God damn whore!" 

His voice echoes through the trees and that scares you more than the knife in his hand, his sloppy demnor creates an opening as you kick him so hard between his legs he falls to the ground, puking up his belly full of liquor onto the moss floor. 

Suddenly the summer night is too hot, the frogs and crickets too loud as an owl calls deep within the wood. Thunder roars overhead before the clouds become too heavy. Panic slicks your skin before the pounding rain as you turn to run, hopping you kicked hard enough to rupture something in this cowardly man. 

If you lived in any other world, you would have tried your best to seize that knife and plunge it into his chest. 

But you didn't, so you ran. Vision blurring as the pain finally catches up to you. Hand instinctively flying to your stomach only to come up wet. 

"It's the rain, it's just the rain." You gasp out rushing into the house and shutting the glass paned door as quickly and quietly as you can. Fumbling for a lock before you give up all together, arms outstretched in the dim room looking for a candle or a mirror. Shaking fingers find a match that you light using the wallpaper, uncaring of the risks as you frantically look for a stick of wax. Lighting the wick once you've found one and taking it to the mirror above a small runner table. You set the wax down, close to the glass, thunder shakes the windows and the house as you pull the fabric from your torso. It reveals an angry red slash that weeps crimson, a choked gasp leaves your lips as lightning flashes illuminating the whole room. Still you do not see the reflection of the man in the mirror. 

"What happened?" It sounds animalistic as it comes from the corner. Your whirl to face him, pulling the cloth back down to cover your decency. A lie falls from your lips as easy as breath. 

"Nothing." Your rasp, feigning embarrassment, "My-my courses have come early. Your Grace this is not something you should witness." 

"Do you take me for a fool?" He steps closer, eyes burning in the candle light, "I may not be an expert of female anatomy but I know the basics." 

You swallow thickly, trying to jest. 

"Then my Lord you are far more experienced than myself. I am bashful to be in the presence of a skilled womanizer. This truly is nothing." He closes the distance, wrapping his deadly hand around your small wrist. Pulling it away from your body.

"That laceration does not look like 'nothing'." He mocks, "I will not ask again." 

Silence engulfs you as the storm rages on, it competes with the roaring in your head. Your knees slowly buckle as Shoto keeps you up right. His winter's night by the hearth scent floods your senses. 

"I feel a bit faint." Your voice sounds so small, so far away that it stirs something in Todoroki. In the year that he has watched you, he has not once seen your falter or become meek. He makes way to scoop you into your arms and is a mixed of relieved and agitated as you swat him away. 

"I-I can walk." You straighten your back, smoothing the reddening fabric over your bodess and for once you're thankful the blasted nightgown is so thick. He gently guides you to your room. 

Once there he prepares a basin as you try to sit on the plush bed. 

"Aht!" He whispers harshly, "Change." 

You relax into the foot of the bed anyway, unable to hold yourself up right any longer. He sucks his teeth, bringing the supplies to the bedside table before searching through your trunk. 

"A Lady's things should not just be rummaged through." 

"Hmm is that so?" He finds another night gown before he hovers over you, face pinched as he asks, "Can you undress yourself, truthfully?"

Moments pass before you admit that you are not sure that you can with a shake of your head. Slowly he eases you out of the damp fabric, dabbing at your wet skin with a towel. He avoids looking at your breasts and as much as he would love to stare a weeping wound commands his attention. He places the gown just enough to hide your breasts before he lies you down on your back. 

"From beginning to end, tell me what happened." When you do not answer he forces your chin to face him, "Tell me, now." 

And your name slips off his lips like poisoned honey, a truth serum you swallow whole. You retell the quick exchange, including the damning kiss as you watch rage blister across Shoto's handsome features as he silently begins to work. 

"We must  prosecute him."

"We must not!" You exclaim as he dabs antiseptic at your wound. He gives your an exasperated

"What would have happened if he had nicked an internal organ?"

"I suppose I would be free of this wretched world." A nonchalant shrug as best as you can manage.a glare cuts your way as his roar turns soft.   

"Why would you say such a thing? Do you think no one would mourn the loss of you? Do you think he would not weep at your service?" Shoto touches the bracelet of dancing stars and you pull your wrist back. Tears burning your eyes, you do not allow them to fall. 

"He is not up for discussion!" It's a loud whisper before you grip Shoto's jaw with enough force it grinds, "I am more than capable of taking care of myself, Lord. You can take your leave as I do not need a soul."

He melts as he watches the pain flutter in your eyes, a long sigh escapes him as he melts into your touch. His fingers feathering over your forearm.

"Pride is a deadly sin. Allow me to help. I will be quick." Slowly you drop your arm away from him. He digs around in his bag before you change your mind. He disinfects the sutures before he sends the needle through tender flesh, your tears dry as you allow your mind to retreat. Shoto takes quick notice. 

"You do that a lot…" He comments softly, pulling the suture through your skin, you glance his way, "You seem to disassociate." 

"Well, feelings hurt so it is better to not feel at all." You grind your teeth as he pulls the widest part of your wound together. 

"Is that why you push him away so often?" He holds your gaze before returning to his work.

"Did I not tell you that he is not up for discussion. No matter, I do not have feelings for Lord Bakugou." He scoffs at your lie. 

"Ah so then it was not you who suggested the Princess in the form of flattery? Lord Bakugou is a smart man but you played into his blind spot, stroking his ego and enticing his ambition." Your gritted teeth say it all. 

"And how pray tell would you even guess at such grandor things when you are not in attendance at even half of these events?"

"I am privy to this knowledge because I too keep everyone and everything at arm's length. It is much easier to see the moves when one is far enough away from the board." He dabs at your abdomen, "And you my Lady are by far the best player." 

"Flattery does not go far with me." You sigh softly,  fingers idly playing with the wrinkles in the sheets,  "Father wants me to set a final round."

"Mine wishes for me to begin and end in the same turn." He slowly places your nightgown down, "Which is why we should make an effort to at least get to know one another. With your wound I suggest staying an extra week or two to ensure it closes properly. I can convince our Wardens that the extension is for an attempt to win your hand."

He leans back in his chair, sweat on his brow from fusing with your wound, from worry as it furrows. Your chest tightens and suddenly the urge to be in control sinks its teeth into your skin. Quickly you unclasp the birthday present Lord Katsuki had given you, setting it on the nightstand beside Shoto with dramatic flare. His eyes widen as he reads between the lines, the silent vow of "I will make an effort...for now". The promise seems to pierce his heart. 

"Fine. I enjoy picnics, I suggest we do that on the grounds so that we may be chaperoned from afar and yet have privacy. My expectation is unbashful honesty from both parties." You turn over to give him your back as you pull the fine blankets to your shoulders, "Furthermore you must come up with some sort  of endearment for me. Anyone who has ever tried to seriously court me has. I have come quite fond of them as titles bore me. Something lovely so give it thought."

Shoto is stunned into silence for a moment before he lets out a dark laugh. 

"I see, this is still your game"

"Precisely." You say, he stands, lingering in the doorway before shutting the heavy oak. 

It was difficult to sleep to say the least. Still you were grateful to have risen before Rose. Dressing yourself before she could see your wound. More grateful still when Rose set down some tea claiming Lord Shoto sent it.  

You downed the scalding liquid in three swallows, surprising Rose, before she passes you a folded note. 

Meet me in the back garden for lunch. 

-Shoto 

A muscle ticks in your jaw as pain blooms across your stomach as you stare at his lovely script. 

Shoto hates to admit that the first thing he looks for is that bracelet on your wrist, when he does not see it he lets out his held breath. Drinking in your deep, sapphire dress. It sparkles as if covered in stardust, his heart clenches. He looks towards your stomach, worry etched on his features. 

"How are your stitches? No corset right?" He asks, gently guiding you to the plush pillows on the ground. Maybe he should have asked the butler to bring out chairs instead. 

"I feel naked without it." You admit, he sees a bit of nervousness you have normally schooled away. 

"You look lovely." His eyes are gentle, lips formed in a soft, genuine smile. Your heart tried to skip a beat. It's the heat you tell yourself. 

"Flattery will not get you far remember?"

"I'm only being honest, my sweet petunia." You give him a puzzled look, was this going to be his nickname for you? You were not a delicate thing. 

"A flower?" You give him a look but his smile does not falter. 

"Ah would you rather I say my dew kissed rose? My begonia?"

You both laugh at his last suggestion. 

"My sunflower." Your heart stutters, you glance away for just a moment and he takes notice. 

"Ah so you approve," He collects a strand of your hair between his fingertips, "Sunflower?" 

Heat rushes your cheeks as you fight the smile on your lips. You lose as he kisses your hair. Maybe you could be a delicate thing. 

"Did you know sunflowers can remediate soil? It is why they are planted after tobacco is harvested in hopes to use the fields once more." He is quiet as he waits for your admission. 

"It is my favorite flower, it is in season now. Alas not one suitor has sent them. Roses and hydrangeas are my favorites too but nothing quite says summer like a sunflower." You sigh, looking over the manicured bushes and flowers in the garden. 

"Is that your favorite season?" He is perceptive, you take  a moment to breathe in the sweltering breeze with closed eyes. Humming your answer. 

"Indeed." You kick off your shoes and place your feet into the grass, leaning back to allow your face in the sun. Not many women would be so open to sitting on only a blanket and with no umbrella or covering. And yet here you were soaking up the sun like a lazy cat. Heat rushes Shoto's cheeks as he realizes just how perfect his name for you is. 

"Have you ever had intercourse with a woman?" You ask, eyes still closed as Shoto flushes further. His cheeks are as red as part of his hair. 

"Sunflower." He gasps but you giggle. 

"Unbashful honesty, remember?" He lets small silence stretch between the two of you before he answers. 

"I have. My brother convinced me it was a good idea." His eyes look sad, it makes your gut clench as you look away for a moment. Question burning on your tongue. 

"What if I were to say my maiden head was taken?" 

"Who am I to judge after I have slept with another. Sadly I know some are stolen." He answers without hesitation. 

"This is true. Mine is still intact, I am grateful Monoma had only stolen a kiss." You sigh.

"You'd never kissed anyone?" His tone is curious although his eyes are dark with anger for you. 

"I tried to be a proper lady. More so because I do not like to touch people or feel their skin. Touching them makes them real, you know? And when someone is real they can have power over your heart." Shoto mulls over your words and realizes how much he relates. He places his hands near your fingers but does not touch them. You notice the gesture and scoff without the pretension you skillfully lace his fingers with his. Delighted to see the burning blush on his cheeks. 

Maybe life with Shoto would not be half bad, if only he gave you more moments like this. 

Moments like this last over the two weeks that drag into three. Days are spent  beneath the summer sun with exchanged and often heated, intellectual debates. Both of you feeling mentally stimulated for the first time as each of you allowed a few walls to come down, pulling each other closer than arm's length. While a few hours of the night are spent beneath the moon. His gem stone eyes raking over your abdomen in worry but nothing more than his checking on your wound as he was ever the gentlemen.

On Monday of the second week Shoto has come fond of his summer sunflower, so much so he brings a large black box to the next picnic, tucked away in his pocket is a matching, much smaller box. He presents to you the medium sized box as you giggle in delight. 

"My Lord, my shining Shoto. What could this be?" Your cheeks hurt from the width of your smile as he opens the box for you to see. Your face flutters into shock before joy returns as you hold out your wrist. Shoto takes the delicate golden bracelet that has several round onyx surrounded by citrine in the shape of petals. Sunflowers dance on your wrist as you twist it this way and that, unable to school your features into your normal distaste for guadry gifts from suitors. But this gift was far from gaudy, only one man before Shoto had earned this reaction. You bring your parasol to hide your face and his from the prying eyes of the manor as you gently press your lips to Shoto's cheeks. 

"I love it." You admit. It gives him enough courage to commit to ask you on Friday, the bigger question. 

Having you walk for "therapy" through the grounds, pointing over your shoulder to point out phantom ducks on the lake as he nervously sinks to one knee. 

"Shoto, love I do not see-" You turn to face him and see his loving eyes, wavering smile and shaking fingers holding open the box that reveals a giant oval ruby surrounded by diamonds.  He clears his throat. 

"My sunflower," You fling your arms around him, making him fall off balance as you land on top of him. Peppering his face with uncharacteristic kisses as excitement, for once, rushes through your veins like a second blood. He laughs lifting you by your ribs, careful of your slowly closing wound as he spins you before setting you on your feet. He fumbles for the momentarily forgotten ring before he slips it onto your ring finger. He presses a kiss to your cheek, smiling warmly. It reaches his eyes in such a way your gut clenches. 

And for a moment you forgot you were ever anyone's starlight. 

For one returning to the manor seems almost dreadful and not because of waiting suitors but because you would be without your own. He insisted the two of you be seperate as your mother and his, prepared to arrange the wedding, as you demanded the ceremony to be small. Despite your desire for to keep the engagement quiet for just a week or so, your mother and father took it upon themselves to spread word back home before you could even arrive. 

You exit the carriage as the house looks quiet, earning a soft smile. Your ring catches your eye and you remind yourself that this truly was the best possible outcome. 

The foyer is covered in flowers, from congratulations to a giant trove of sunflowers on the center table. 

You smile at the flowers Shoto must have sent this morning, they sit in a glass globe of a vase, their usually tall stems cut short. Their flower heads are large and vibrant even in the ambient candle light. You finger a petal as you reminisce over the past few weeks, your stomach hardly protesting as you stand on tip toe to look at them all. Relishing the moment of silence before you realize you are most likely home alone. Your brothers lost in some fighting match while your parents took their leave from the Todoroki manor to busy themselves with venues. You figured a change of clothes would do you nicely before you settled down over your much neglected work. 

A black nightgown and almost sheer robe clung to your frame as you stepped down the grand staircase, smiling once more at the flowers before slipping into your parlor. Lighting only one other candle by the door before taking yours to your desk. With deft hands you pull out one of your manuscripts and tap along the top with a manicured nail. A sigh leaves your lips, you finger with your bracelet, with the ring on your finger before a fresh page is found on your desk. You write furiously. 

About something as trivial as love. 

Still the quil seems to move on its own as if enchanted as words dot the parchment in ink. Suddenly your work is disturbed by someone entering your parlor. You assume it is a brother who has come home, glancing up you see locks of ash blonde causing you to grip at your robe to close it tighter. The moment you realize it is just Bakugou your grip on the fabric loosens.

"I wasn't expecting you at this hour." Fear of needing a chaperone barely crosses your mind since it was Lord Bakugou who was your company. You relax into your seat as he crosses the room to sit in his normal seat, on the corner of the couch, closest to you. His posture is poor as he leans his forearms on thick thighs, garnet eyes cast downward, he grips at his own hands as his knuckles turn white. You wonder if he did not heed your letter. 

"How did the proposal go with Princess Amelia?" Your voice sounds out over the silence of the room, still he remains quiet. It is unnerving how solemn and silent the normally wolfish man is. Something pulls at the strings of your heart. His eyes seem misty. He keeps them to the ground or so you think, as they rake over the ring on your finger, on the bracelet on your wrist. The onyx and citrine dance in the low light of your burning candle. Bakugou feels a sheen of sweat coat his hands, bile rising in his throat that he has to swallow down. 

You think the worst, you think the Princess rejected him but that didn't make sense either. She was so obviously in love with the ambitious man, you heard while away that she even turned down a dance with a forgein prince. 

"What's wrong, Katsuki?" The way your voice forms around his name, the way your eyes look with unbiased worry causes Katsuki's limbs to act on their own. In one swift motion he cups your face in his broad hands, bringing his lips to yours so softly. Once the plush of your lips touch his he cannot stop as his hunger for you comes to the forefront. He kisses you with a fervor unmatched as his lips move yours, his hand moves to the back of your neck. Tilting your head so he may deepen the kiss, tongue sliding over yours as the world falls from beneath your feet.  

But as quickly as it fell it returns, pushing him away while turning to face away from him. You keep your head held high as he pants on the couch beside you. He grabs your thigh, desperate for touch, for anything but rejection. 

"Starlight." His voice is deep, rough from what might be disuse as it cracks on the second syllable. A question runs rampid in your mind.  How long had he felt like this? 

"Please, my starlight." He squeezes your smooth thigh and you look towards him. Watch his force contort with pain, as if you held his beating heart in his hands and crushed it.  

Really it is what he had done to you, as you look down at him with hot tears. 

He is the first and only soul to see you cry in decades. It seemingly tears him about but he brought this among himself. 

The kiss is answer enough as to why he is here. 

It should not be this tempting to throw it all away. 

"Get. Out." You seethe, fat droplets catching on your sheer robe, falling down your cheeks as if you were an actress going through a tragic scene. He does not move, does not breathe as he hopes your temper will cool. 

Instead it heats. 

"Get out, Get OUT. GET OUT GET OUT!!" More composure lost with each increase of volume before you completely lose it, "FUCKING GET OUT!" 

He hardly moves and the ruckus calls alarm for your brothers who were home, who let Bakugou in at such a late hour. They come from the office across the hall in hurried steps, expecting to see an assailant, hoping that Bakugou could fight them off. 

They silently determine what they see is far worse. Bakugou gripping at your thighs with this pleading look while your face is now firmly buried in your hands. A sob racks through your body setting your brothers ablaze. 

Hendrix speaks first. 

"What did you do?!" His eyes are flaming as he sets them on Bakugou, who ignores the two men. Hideki begins to close the distance and his eldest brother follows suit. 

"What have you done to make my lovely sister cry?" Hideki's voice is full of hurt, disappointment and when they receive no answer they decide it is time to remove your true assailant. 

Both grab at Bakugou, pulling him away from the couch as you wet your palms with years worth of tears. 

Everything in your life, no matter how hard you tried to conduct it, was truly wrong wasn't it? 

The fresh swirling ink on the pages answered you enough, the love story you did not know you needed with a protagonist with soft ash blonde hair. 

"Please. Do not make me BEG!" He yells as your brothers' sad attempt at forcing him from the room topples furniture and the like. 

Still you weep your self pity away. 

His next words are deafening  as your heart finally cleaves apart, the pieces falling to the floor before shattering like glass at your feet. He brandishes the black velvet box with the black diamond ring tucked inside as you finally look up to him. 

"IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN YOU, STARLIGHT!"

[violetueur-archive]

Continued from: HERE With: @fallesto​​

To say that she was shocked by his reaction would be an understatement. Although his words were exactly the kind of too-honest nonsense she had come to expect from him when making such comments — always so oblivious and forthright, lacking any ulterior motives — it was the first time he’d ever actually given her the appropriate visual response. Embarrassment. It was the one feeling that she’d been convinced he didn’t know how to have. Kyojuro never got embarrassed about anything due to being so goddamn sincere about everything, and he never really seemed to notice when he’d made other people feel it, either. Hell, she still couldn’t help but get a little shy whenever he got too close or praised her too much. He just seemed to think she was being modest or insecure, which might’ve been true in the past, but she had long moved past those feelings and onto different ones.

It felt like a long sought after victory, to see the color flushing his cheeks, his usual self-assured smile all but gone. It made her think back to when they first met. She’d made a similar joke when he’d talked about showing her scars, and he’d merely offered to show his instead without missing a beat. She couldn’t help but explode with laughter, a hand moving to cover her mouth, gazing at with with mischievous eyes.

❝ Oh, is that all? Senjuro said I looked PRETTY, you know? Do you think so too? ❞ She was teasing him now, but she couldn’t help herself. She knew his appreciation for her uniform was strictly professional, but Nicolette, vain as she was, hadn't just wanted to look practical. Beautiful, as well as deadly, that’s what she wanted, whether it was unnecessary or not. Senjuro, although he was young and didn’t understand her fixation on looks, had been gracious enough to take her opinions into account when making her uniform. It had to be a skirt, she’d said, long enough to reach below her knees, but also needed to allow full lower mobility, so she’d insisted on the two slits going up the legs. And she’d said no to sleeves, as they just hindered the movements of her arms. Her breathing style, while refined like a cut gem by Kyojuro’s expert training, was still rather scrappy. She used more than just her sword to fight. After all, what were fists and legs for if not to punch and kick? In the end, Nicolette was confident that she’d found the right balance of practicality and visual appeal. But it had been foolish to hope he might think so too.

❝ Nothing at all, huh? Wow, you sure know how to make a girl blush! ❞ She chuckled, leaning in closer to press a finger against his cheek, lips pulling into a smirk as she tried very hard not to laugh at him again. ❝ Your face is pretty red, you feeling okay, Kyojuro? ❞

[solalunar-eclipse]

A Gift To Remember

Summary: Shadow receives a gift for his birthday that causes a series of very interesting (and often cute) events.

Word count: about 7500 words

Author’s Note: I didn’t realize today was Shadow’s birthday! At the moment I’m more than a little confused because the release dates for SA2 say everything from the 18th to the 23rd, but this seems to be the one, so here this is!

Also, to that one anon whose question about this fic I never quite managed to answer- sorry about that and I do hope you’re still here to read this!

...

The main room of Team Dark’s home was, on a normal day, at least somewhat clean- which was in and of itself surprising, considering the fact that three teenagers lived there. (It was, of course, slightly less surprising when it was noted that one of these teenagers was a giant robot, one was already a businesswoman, and one had grown up in an incredibly clean environment.)

At the moment, however, said room was currently rather less clean, instead covered in various colorful signs, streamers, balloons, and other such decorations. After all, today was a very special day.

When Shadow and Rouge had discovered they shared a birthday (or creation day for Shadow, technically), they both became infinitely more determined to celebrate it for the other’s sake. This had actually, interestingly enough, also ended up making them enjoy their own festivities more than they had in quite some time.

Omega, meanwhile, had officially decided that this was his favorite day of the year.

Over the past few days, Rouge had already received a few presents from various people she knew in the line of clothes, makeup, or jewelry- but as much as she loved gems, her favorites so far were definitely the ones Omega and Shadow had gotten for her: a laser cutter that could slice through anything and a pair of (stylish) infrared goggles, respectively.

Shadow had just opened his present from Omega, which happened to be a sword that looked very cool...but was also longer than his actual body. This wasn’t actually as big of a problem for him as might be expected, as he’d gotten used to handling weapons several times his size during the alien invasion a little while back. 

He had, however, been told rather quickly by Rouge to put it away ‘before you slice the wall in half, this place does cost money, you know!’.

Next, Rouge placed her present in his hands, but at first all Shadow could do was just stare at it. This was likely because the gift wasn’t actually wrapped, but instead consisted of a box made of wood slats and filled, oddly enough, with paper shavings. There were quite a few ribbons on it, though, in an attempt to make up for the lack of other decorations.

“I couldn’t wrap it, or else the present wouldn’t have worked.” she explained, sitting back down to watch him open it.

After prying off the top and shifting aside some of the paper pieces, the hedgehog froze.

Inside, there sat a single white chao egg.

Carefully lifting the egg out of the box, Shadow held it gingerly, as though he were afraid it might try to bite him if he wasn’t gentle enough.

“Rouge…” he began nervously. “Don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate this, but...are you sure I’m the best person to be taking care of a chao?”

“Of course, hon!” she said. “You’ve taken care of them before, haven’t you?”

“Yes, but…” Shadow protested, “...are you sure I’ll be able to do as well at home? The garden is their natural habitat…”

Omega folded his arms. “YOU ARE THE ULTIMATE LIFEFORM. OF COURSE YOU CAN RAISE A CHAO.”

“That’s right!” Rouge added. “The chao are always happy when you take care of them- this time isn’t going to be any different.”

“…I suppose so.” Shadow conceded, taking a deep breath. He began to rock the egg slowly from side to side. “Here we go-”

A crack appeared across the pristine white surface. The split spread rapidly while Shadow sat and watched, making sure not to move the egg about much. Chao had to hatch their eggs on their own- it was the way they first began to strengthen themselves. 

Rouge laughed. “See? You know exactly what you’re doing!”

Shadow studiously ignored her and continued to focus on the egg. Then, suddenly, a chirp came from inside and the whole top half came flying off.

The hybrid looked at his newborn chao...and his heart (though he’d never admit it) immediately melted. Soft, big eyes gazed up at him, an overjoyed smile on the creature’s face. It cooed happily upon seeing him give a small smile back, and he reached out and began to gently pat its head.

The chao broke into an even wider smile as its eyes closed blissfully, the little sphere above its head popping into a heart. Shadow continued to pet it, offering gentle words of praise, and might have continued like that for the next ten minutes had a camera noise from Omega not made him look up in alarm.

“ADDING IMAGE TO FILE: SHADOW BEING SOFT.” he declared, while Rouge looked on with a giant grin.

“You will do nothing of the sort-” Shadow growled, jumping to his feet, before a soft whimper from his chao stopped him. Its eyes were watery, wide and distressed, and the hybrid immediately scooped it up in his arms, holding it close. It relaxed quickly, snuggling into his chest fluff, and he shot Omega one last semi-serious glower before turning his attention back to the newborn.

Omega promptly took another picture.

…

Later that day, at the party that all of their friends had thrown for them, the chao and Shadow were nearly inseparable. It tended to rest in his lap when he was sitting or rode in between his ears whenever he stood up to get something. Eventually, though, the excitement of a new environment overwhelmed its initial nervousness, which unfortunately led to Shadow returning from the dining room with his hands full of plates of food to discover his chao crawling along the precarious edge of a bookshelf.

Suddenly, the chao’s footing slipped, and Shadow froze, unable to move or do anything- but then Sonic of all people noticed and was already there, leaping up and catching the chao before resting it snugly in his arms. “Looks like someone’s already progressed to the giving-their-owner-a-heart-attack stage, hm?” he asked, smirking at the little creature.

“Thank you.” Shadow said as his chao was returned to him, trying very hard to ignore the way his hands and Sonic’s brushed in the process.

(He’d been nursing a bit of a crush on the hero for a while now, but had decided to ignore it until it wore off. Sonic had admirers from all across the globe vying for his attention- it was absurd to think that anything could happen between them.)

…

Over the coming weeks, all three members of Team Dark made sure to rework their schedules so that someone was always home to watch over the chao- no more climbing on bookcases for the little one now. Shadow did most of the caretaking, feeding, training, cleaning, and providing Chaos Drives (mostly green) to the chao. Rouge did, however, occasionally claim she could ‘handle the extra work’ to give him some spare time and Omega even took it upon himself to watch it every so often.

Sometimes, Shadow and his chao would even cook together in the kitchen (a hobby he’d discovered he enjoyed after finding out that Rouge tended to eat takeout all the time- “You can’t live off that day in and day out- you’re not me, Rouge!”). The sight of a tiny pale blue creature determinedly lifting a bag of flour and flying it across the room was awfully cute- especially after Shadow bought it a tiny apron in what he unconvincingly claimed was an accidental purchase. 

Shadow never made accidental purchases.

As much as the hybrid took care of it, though, the chao also seemed to be helping him. He smiled more, glowered less, and generally seemed more tolerant of mistakes than he had been in the past. Nowadays, errors that would once have caused him to go off on a rant or huff about were now met with a calmer ‘it’s okay’ or an offer for help fixing it.

He often laid a hand on it in his sleep or curled around it protectively, and could easily be seen patting its head, carrying it around, or even- when he thought he was alone- nuzzling it gently. The amount of time and care he put into making sure that his chao was happy would have been astonishing to anyone who hadn’t already seen how much he cared about his friends.

It was no surprise then that, before long, Rouge and Omega woke up one morning to find the chao inside a cocoon (and also a very stressed-out Shadow).

The hedgehog promptly called in sick for the entire week- an incredible occurrence for him. He’d originally sworn that since he couldn’t get ill, he’d give his sick days to others when they needed it, but now that was all out the window. He wanted nothing more than to stay home and essentially sit and stare at the cocoon until it hatched.

While the two other members of Team Dark managed to convince him to eat, sleep, and do chores on regular intervals, whenever Shadow had a spare moment he’d stay in his room, watching and waiting. Their friends got so worried that Rouge and Omega had used everything in their power to coax him out of the house twice over those five days, but he refused to do any more. Even then his outings had to come with the promise that they’d both stay home, check it every five minutes, and call him the absolute moment something happened.

On the sixth day of waiting, the cocoon began to hatch while Shadow was attempting to discreetly read out loud to the chao from one of his favorite books. The moment he saw the split, he dropped the novel, jumped up, and shouted louder than he had in months- “Rouge! Omega! It’s HAPPENING!”

He hovered so closely around the cocoon that Omega had to physically pull him back as Rouge reminded him to give the chao more space. Within moments, the split had widened enough for a single black paw to poke out, feeling around carefully for some sort of purchase to pull itself the rest of the way outside. Soon enough, it had succeeded, earning- impressively enough- widened eyes from Omega and a gasp from both Shadow and Rouge.

Frowning light blue eyes were set in an equally grumpy (albeit adorable) face, with two little black ears and three tiny quills on the chao’s head. The ears and quills both had red stripes, as did the arms, legs, and even its tail. A red crescent shape sat on its chest, and two tiny purple bat wings flapped slowly behind it.

In short, it looked a lot like a tiny Shadow.

The hedgehog in question reached out carefully and began to pet his chao, offering some quiet words of praise, but before long it flew up and settled in its favorite spot in between his ears. When Shadow turned around to face his friends, they were met with the sight of a little glowering creature settled on top of his head…which really did look far too similar to the hybrid himself when he was irritated. 

Rouge covered a smile with both of her hands. “Shadow...hon…”

He frowned at her, only serving to make the resemblance more obvious. “What?”

“It looks exactly like you!”

“Not really- it has blue eyes and...bat wings…” He looked up at her suddenly. “Rouge...how much time have you been spending with Spark again?”

“Oh, just a little- wait, Spark?” she said quickly, redirecting his attention.

Shadow flushed a bright green at that. “I might’ve already picked out a name...does it sound alright?” he asked, studiously looking anywhere but at his friends.

The chao chirped at the name and snuggled a little further into the fur on his head, seemingly pleased with the title. 

He began to smile at that. “You like that name, do you?” he asked teasingly.

“It sure looks like it! I think it’s a lovely name, hon.” Rouge added.

The chao cooed, cementing its name with all of the team (whether Omega would admit it or not).

Now, if anything, Shadow and his chao were even more close than before. Rouge even bought it a tiny leather jacket to match his style, which was quickly deemed by everyone (especially their friends, to whom she’d sent about fifty photos) the most adorable thing ever. 

...

One day, Shadow came home from lunch out with Silver and Blaze only to discover a quite unexpected scene- though he really should have seen it coming, considering what he’d noticed after his chao had hatched. Rouge was kneeling next to the sofa, scratching Spark behind the ears and saying in what could only be described as a baby voice, “Who’s your favorite momma? Me, that’s right. That’s right, isn’t it?”

“Uh….” he interrupted, feeling more than a little uncertain as to how to respond to this. He was torn between “I didn’t know you had a baby voice” and “I’m glad to see you and Spark getting along” and wasn’t entirely sure which one to go with here.

The bat, on the other hand, jumped a good three feet in the air at the sound before glaring at Shadow furiously. “Don’t startle me like that!” she shouted, more than a little tense...and also a bit worried?

The hybrid didn’t react, instead saying “It’s nice to see you spending time with Spark too, Rouge.” with a smile. 

She relaxed a little at that, and Shadow sighed. “Rouge, I wouldn’t make fun of you- I do the same kind of thing, don’t I?”

“You’re right, you’re right.” the bat admitted. “I just had to! It looks like me- it even has my wings! How could I not?”

Shadow moved to sit down on the sofa at that, reaching out to pat the chao as well. Rouge smiled at him gratefully, and then they both looked down at the cute creature in between them, who was promptly staring up at both with a confused look on its face. After a moment, though, it seemed to realize that everything was alright and nuzzled both Mobians before curling up on the couch happily.

…

Another time, the entire team was out grocery shopping at their favorite store when Spark’s eye was caught by the soft, warm cinnamon buns sitting behind a glass case. After a minute or two of desperate pulling at the seams- to no avail- it flew over to Shadow and began to poke at his shoulder until he turned to look at it.

“Yes? What is it?” he asked, giving the chao a little scratch under the chin.

The chao pointed excitedly at the sweet treats, but its expression melted into one of dismay upon hearing him say “No, Spark, that’s not very good for you- and it’s too big for you to finish all by yourself, too.”

It mimed a clock insistently- they didn’t go to the store that often, after all- its frown deepening all the while. Shadow felt a little uncertain- he enjoyed giving the chao treats, but was now really the best time to feed it so much sugar? It could end up flying all over the place, and he really didn’t feel like getting banned from yet another grocery store. (The last one had been because Omega got a little too excited while messing around with the shopping cart and had melted it and twisted it into a knot...somehow. They were rapidly escorted out after that.)

Suddenly, though, the chao shuffled forward, took one of his fingers in between its tiny paws, and stared up at him with the softest, most pleading look it could possibly manage, its eyes wide and mouth quivering. “No...no, come on…” Shadow protested weakly, but already his resistance was melting away. It practically seemed to be saying haven’t I been good all week? Can’t I please just have this one treat? and the hybrid was in no condition to fight back.

Within moments, Spark was holding a cinnamon roll and dug into it with glee, only pausing once to nuzzle Shadow happily and offer him a quick bite as thanks. He accepted the gesture of appreciation easily (even though now his face had sugar on it after the chao’s affectionate thank-you) and was more than happy to see his chao smiling broadly with the treat in its hands.

…

The chao was, of course, still a great help to Shadow as well. One night in particular, it woke up to the sounds of quiet whimpering and began to look around, startled. For a moment, it turned to its caretaker for help- and then discovered that he was the one in trouble.

Shadow was curled up on his side, his brow creased in distress and his whole body shaking terribly. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut and occasionally the most terribly saddening sounds would escape his mouth. Once or twice, a tear escaped and trickled down his face.

Spark crawled up to his face gently, licking away the tear and nuzzling his cheek. Shadow shuddered briefly, but seemed to relax almost infinitesimally when the dark chao pressed itself against his chest for a moment. Eventually, the creature managed to get him to roll onto his back, at which point it crawled onto his chest, hoping that this would help him begin to relax.

It really did work- within moments, the small, warm weight on his chest made Shadow’s breathing even out and his shivers ease as the nightmare that was plaguing him began to fade.

Spark curled up, pleased with itself, and fell back asleep not long after.

…

There was just one problem amongst all this newly-discovered happiness that came with the chao. Ever since it had evolved out of its cocoon, Omega seemed as though he were hardly willing to interact with it.

Rouge or Shadow would hand it over to him, only to get it back less than a minute later. He spent the least amount of time with it out of the three, but when he was asked if he didn’t like the chao, he never said as much. 

Omega didn’t tend to lie...but then why wouldn’t he do anything with it?

Once or twice, they’d caught him merely staring at Spark as the little creature sat on the couch, his optics clicking but otherwise utterly silent. The two Mobians hardly knew what to make of it- he’d never acted like this before.

They finally had the opportunity to discover why he was behaving strangely several days later, though, entirely due to an accident on Shadow’s part. Rouge and Omega had been answering a distress call regarding some rogue G.U.N. robots and needed to call in the hybrid to help. He’d driven his motorbike directly to the scene and leapt straight into battle…

...and hadn’t noticed Spark peeking out of the bag he’d left on his bike.

The chao- while fast, to be sure- was in no way prepared for a full-on battle. While at first it had hoped to help its little family, flying about uncertainly in hopes of doing something, it quickly discovered that the only thing it could really do was to hide behind an upended concrete slab and hope it wasn’t noticed.

That, unfortunately, didn’t quite work out.

It didn’t take long before one of the rogue drones spotted a fourth heat signature aside from the three it was fighting and began to stalk towards it, charging its laser cannon in the process. Shadow, confused at first, felt his stomach drop in horror upon seeing his tiny chao shaking in fear as the machine advanced on its hiding spot. He hadn’t thought to bring a Chaos Emerald, believing this would be an easy battle- and Rouge was busy in the air.

The laser cannon on the drone was almost fully charged, and Shadow fired up his skates in a futile attempt to somehow reach Spark before-

A white hot blast lit up the area.

Shadow couldn’t have stopped the strangled cry that came from his mouth if he had wanted to. The smoke began to clear, and he almost couldn’t look…

Something stirred within the haze, and as it cleared away, Shadow felt his whole body sag with relief upon seeing Omega shifting to an upright position from where he’d shielded the chao with the back of his chassis, blocking the full force of the laser. He let out a sigh as he caught a glimpse of Spark held safely in Omega’s hand as the other one retracted to reveal a flamethrower.

“MY TURN.”

Within moments, the drone was just so much melted slag on the floor and the battle’s tide was turned. Shadow and Rouge dispatched the other robots and then rushed to Omega, who had held onto the chao this entire time.

“Omega...thank you.” Shadow said, taking Spark from his friend and holding it tightly.

“IT WAS- zzzt- NOTHING.” Omega said, a sudden staticky buzz splitting his sentence in two.

“Omega?” Rouge asked, her eyes narrowing. “What happened to you?”

“NOTHING.” he said hurriedly, his voice still glitching. “WAIT- DON’T YOU D-DARE-”

The three had already begun looking to see what had happened...but then froze when they saw the damage his back panel had taken while shielding Spark from the blast. A giant, smoking hole of warped and fused metal was burned into his chassis, revealing a bunch of melted and sparking wiring that definitely needed urgent attention.

“Omega…” Shadow looked horrified.

Rouge frowned, confused. “Why would you do this to yourself? I know how much you hate having to go get repairs.”

The robot let out a burst of static that sounded almost like a resigned sigh. Turning around, he muttered, “IT’S LI-LITERALLY YOU. AND ROUGE. BUT TINY. THAT APPEARS TO HAVE… STRANGE EFFECTS- zzzt- ON MY BEHAVIOR.”

“Do you...not like those effects?” Rouge asked, now clearly shifting into ‘I’m figuring things out’ mode. “Is that why you’ve been avoiding it so often?”

“I AM A ROBOT OF MASS DESTRUCTION. I AM NOT SUPPOSED TO CARE FOR TINY CREATURES SUCH AS THIS ONE. I SHOULD NOT FEEL ANY ‘WORRY’ ABOUT IT- AND YET-” Omega cut off there with a frustrated crackle.

Shadow still didn’t understand. “You’ve always been a robot of mass destruction, but you never thought it was weird to worry about us before.”

“THAT WAS DIFFERENT!” Omega insisted. “YOU BOTH ARE POWERFUL. IT IS NATURAL THAT RESPECT AND CONSEQUENTLY OTHER THINGS SHOULD COME FROM THAT. BUT THIS-! IT HAS NO DESTRUCTIVE QUALITIES! BUT STILL I...YOU KNOW...”

“It’s official, Omega.” Rouge said at that, a smirk growing on her face. “You’re becoming more and more like us...organics are always weak for cute things.”

“IT IS SHAMEFUL THAT I SHOULD COME TO THIS.” he grumbled.

“It’s not so bad, really.” Shadow said, placing a hand on his arm.

“And that’s coming from the guy who never used to admit he cares about people!” Rouge insisted. “Omega, you know you don’t have to be embarrassed about that kind of thing here- you’d never make fun of Shadow for not being tough all the time, would you?”

“I GUESS NOT…” he said, still seeming irritated.

At this point, Spark flew up to sit in Omega’s hand, looking up at the robot with its little frowning face, before reaching out and patting a single finger solemnly with its paw.

“OH NO.”

“Oh yes.” Rouge answered, grinning. “Let’s get you to Tails now though, okay? Then once you’re fixed up you can come home and pet the chao.”

Omega turned his head away and refused to dignify that with a response.

(He did, however, pet the chao when he got home. Nobody teased him about it, for which- while he’d never say it- he was rather grateful.)

…

It was inevitable, eventually, that Team Dark’s schedule wouldn’t be perfect and that they’d all have to be out and busy at some point. This, of course, meant that Spark would have to be dropped off at the chao daycare. 

Shadow had managed to force himself to reconcile with that fact, but the chao wasn’t nearly as good at that sort of thing.

On the day of, it was sobbing desperately, clinging to Shadow’s jacket with a tight grip as though it’d been handed a horrible punishment instead of a day spent at the warm, welcoming building in front of it. “It’s going to be alright. You’ll be okay, it’s just for a day. See, the Mobians who run it are very nice- won’t you look?” the hybrid whispered in a soothing voice, gently rubbing Spark’s head.

Omega stepped forward. “DON’T YOU...WANT TO SHOW HOW BRAVE YOU CAN BE?” he said awkwardly. Talking to the chao was still taking some getting used to for him, but he was definitely trying his best.

Rouge smiled warmly at that. “Of course! We’ll all be so proud of you, don’t you know that?”

“We can make a cake especially for you when you get home too, alright?” Shadow said, and that was the final thing the chao needed to hear. Wiping its eyes with a final few sniffles, it flew over to the little walkway towards the entrance and stood up tall, its body shaking slightly with leftover stress and its attempts not to cry.

“We love you!” Rouge called, blowing it a quick kiss.

“See you soon.” Shadow said gently, waving with a smile.

“YOU’LL BE THE BEST ONE THERE.” Omega added, shuffling in place a little.

The chao whimpered briefly, but then turned away and bounded into the daycare before it could lose its nerve. 

Throughout the morning, it remained relatively antisocial- a bit like the hedgehog whose appearance it had taken- during the music and karate lessons. The other chao all babbled and played together, being mostly neutral and hero-types, and the few dark chao that were there wanted to cause an awful lot more trouble than Spark was in the mood for.

One thing that it noticed very clearly, though, was the extraordinarily frustrating presence of a royal blue hero and speed-type chao.

This chao didn’t seem to think even once (let alone twice) about anything it did. It banged on the drums until Spark’s ears were sore during music class and then somehow managed to smack it in the face during karate lessons twice, and all the while it chatted away with about five other chao all around it.

Needless to say, by midday, when it was playtime, Spark had just about had enough.

When the blue chao rushed directly through the little sand city that it had been carefully building, swiping everything away with a single dash, Spark growled, picked up the plastic shovel it had been playing with, and threw it so hard it whacked the other creature in the arm.

Snarling, it began to stomp off when it felt a hand on its shoulder. The blue chao darted away and began hurriedly to try and rebuild the city, occasionally glancing up at Spark with an apologetic expression in its eyes.

It...looked awfully sad, actually.

Suddenly, the dark chao remembered how it had quickly stopped banging on the drums when the teacher had told it to, and how it had looked rather guilty when it had smacked Spark in the face, and how excited it was when talking with the other chao…

Maybe it was just a little clumsy sometimes.

Spark sighed a little. The other meant well, it decided, as its anger began to fade. It appreciated the apology...but now the sculptures were gone and it couldn’t get them back. Then, though, its gaze fell upon a pair of toy cars sitting nearby. 

Pulling the blue chao over to a strip of flat, packed earth nearby, it gave one car to its surprised companion and then set its own down at a line that could work quite well as the start of a race.

Soon enough, the other creature worked out the idea and began to cheer with delight, and before long they were racing cars like they’d been friends since the start. Eventually, they even switched to running races themselves, over and over again until they were all worn out and collapsed on the cool grass in a heap. Before long, though, they were up and at it again, only this time they started with a building game, and then had a little fun with the musical instruments, and soon enough Spark couldn’t help but wonder how they had ever fought in the first place.

Eventually, they decided that their next activity would be a race to the top of the jungle gym they noticed nearby. Spark was determined not to lose as it scrambled up the bars. It pulled itself paw over paw up the structure, getting closer and closer to the top, until-

Suddenly, a bar that it had been sure existed in front of it only a moment ago was now clearly just a little too far away, and the mistake caused it to reel forward, desperately clinging to the slippery bar it sat on. It twisted head over heels until it slid and fell all the way back to the ground, the wind slammed forcefully out of its little lungs.

Spark gasped soundlessly, trying and failing to pull air back into itself. After several agonizing seconds, it finally caught its breath- and then nearly got it knocked back out again by the impact of its new friend.

Regaining focus, the dark chao realized with a start that its friend was practically wailing into its chest, the soft blue creature shaking with desperate, panicked sobs. It looked up quickly, its eyes swollen and teary, and then reached out with its paws and hurriedly patted Spark’s body down, as though to reassure itself that the dark chao was still there. 

The creature in question sat up and pulled its friend into a tight hug, feeling nothing less than awful as the blue chao sniffled and whimpered worriedly in its arms. Eventually, it managed to calm down enough to amble over to a small nest made of blankets especially for tired chao and lay down there next to Spark. The two chao curled up together, nuzzling gently as the shaky breaths of the blue one finally evened out.

Spark felt the little ball over its head pop into a heart shape, and noticed briefly that its friend had done the same. They remained curled up like that for the last half-hour or so of their time in the daycare, alternately simply cuddling or talking about their respective owners.

Spark hoped they’d get to spend more time with this friend of theirs soon.

…

Shadow pulled up to the daycare on his motorcycle at closing time, doing his best to smooth out his frazzled quills. It wouldn’t be very good to let his chao know that he’d been nearly as worried about it as it had felt itself. 

He sighed, making his way towards the entrance of the building- and instantly felt the last wisps of his composure vanish upon seeing Sonic standing just inside. Before he could panic and flee the area at top speed, his legs (which didn’t seem to have received the message just yet) carried him through the door and inside.

Almost immediately, the blue hedgehog turned to face him with a bright smile. “Oh! Hey, Shadow!” Sonic said happily. “I didn’t know you brought your chao here, too! I’ve gotta say hi to the little guy again sometime!”

“This is my first time bringing it here. If it’s alright with that…I suppose you may.” the hybrid said, trying his best to sound coherent and cool (but actually just seeming stiff and awkward).

They talked for a little while as they waited for their chao to come out, chatting about their lives and friends. More than once, Shadow had to pinch himself in order to stay focused. His mind kept threatening to wander off into dreamland when he was around the hero, ready to admire his many great qualities (and wonderful appearance) at the drop of a hat.

Eventually, though, he became a bit worried by the fact that chao after chao were wandering out through the playroom door, being collected, and leaving…but neither Spark nor Sonic’s chao had even showed up. Soon enough, the two decided to walk into the room and find their tiny charges themselves.

“Uh, hi, mixter!” Sonic greeted the leopard who ran the daycare. “Didja see my lil’ buddy somewhere around here?”

“Oh, hello Sonic!” they said brightly- clearly the hero had been to this place quite a few times before. “Yes, your chao is over there in that nest there, sorry. I just hated to disturb those two…”

Shadow frowned. Those two?

His question was promptly answered when Sonic whisked aside the blanket covering the nest, only for both of them to stare at the sight inside.

Two purring chao, one clearly Sonic’s and the other obviously Shadow’s, were snuggled up together with big hearts floating over their heads. Even the hybrid’s dark chao, notorious for its ever-present frown, looked completely at peace with a small smile on its face.

He tried his best not to freak out.

“Erm…” Shadow began eloquently.

“Uh…” Sonic replied.

The two chao perked up at this, looking happily at their owners before nuzzling gently together in a manner that made Shadow’s stomach leap into his throat and then crash straight through the floor. In a further twist (both in events and in the striped hedgehog’s internal organs), Sonic’s chao then leapt happily into his arms, leaving Shadow to stare at the tiny version of his crush cuddling into his chest fur.

He sincerely hoped there was a convenient couch nearby for him to sit down on.

“Blu- come on-” Sonic began, looking oddly panicked for some reason, but then Spark sprang eagerly onto his shoulder and the hero rapidly fell silent as the dark chao nudged his cheek.

The two hedgehogs stared at each other for a long time. Shadow tried to move or do something other than just stand there, but it was awfully difficult when the hero was looking at him with those wide, soft green eyes….

“Er…Sonic?” Shadow finally choked out, in an odd, strained sort of tone.

“Yeah?”

“I think I’d like my chao back now.”

“Yeah.”

They each handed over their respective creatures, though Shadow felt rather reluctant to let such a tiny version of Sonic out of his arms. And for a moment he could almost have sworn that the hero held Spark a little longer than necessary, too…

…

Once he got home, the hybrid collapsed onto the couch and covered his eyes briefly with a hand. Spark, who had at first rushed into the kitchen (not having forgotten the promise of cake), came back and began to tug on his arm briefly before realizing that maybe Shadow wasn’t quite up to doing much of anything at the moment.

Rouge and Omega walked in just a moment later, their work having ended a little after Shadow’s. Upon seeing him slumped on the furniture, though, their greetings were cut short and instead replaced by worried questions.

Shadow sighed. “Spark...just spent a bunch of time cuddling with Sonic’s chao. And he noticed.”

“And that’s a good thing, hon.” Rouge shot back, having resisted a facepalm the moment she realized what all this was about.

“It is not!” the hedgehog cried out, before realizing that Spark was more than a little stressed by his tone of voice. “I’m not mad at you, don’t worry, it’s just...I already make enough of a fool of myself around him on my own. He’ll figure it out soon enough if we keep this up.”

“SO LET HIM.” Omega said. “EITHER HE STARTS DATING YOU OR HE’S AN IDIOT.”

Shadow blushed furiously. “It doesn’t work like that!”

“EXCEPT WHEN IT DOES.”

“Why don’t you tell him, hon?” Rouge asked. “I mean…” and here she developed a devious smile, “...didn’t his chao technically also act all affectionate with yours?”

The hybrid’s ears were bright green by now. “He’s nice to everyone, Rouge.”

At this point, Spark- who had left temporarily to get a pencil and paper- held up a drawing it had made of the scene at the jungle gym earlier. Shadow, of course, immediately began fussing over his chao, checking for any bruises or scrapes, but the bat in particular saw something entirely different.

“Kinda...reminds me of what happened on Space Colony ARK.” she mused. 

Shadow’s head shot up at that. “What?”

Rouge smirked, but it was bittersweet this time. “Your fall...it really hurt him too, y’know? He didn’t go out in public for a long time after that.”

“He...he never mentioned that to me…”

“He wouldn’t have!” she said. “Sonic isn’t the type to ‘bother’ others with his feelings.” Rouge explained, doing air quotes at one point.

“HE ALSO STARES AT YOU WHEN YOU ARE NOT LOOKING.”

“He what?!” By now Shadow had been reduced to just looking back and forth between his two friends. 

Spark flew in front of Shadow’s face and began to mime something. First pointing at Shadow, then a heart, then talking, then a hedgehog with all its quills pointed down…

“No! I can’t just tell him!”

“We’re hanging out with his team next week at the park- you should do it then.” Rouge replied, ignoring the last thing he’d just said.

“Did you not hear me, I can’t-”

“YOU WILL NEED SOMETHING NICE TO WEAR.” Omega said loudly over the rest of his sentence.

Spark cheered approvingly.

“So...you three have just decided for me whether or not I’m going to confess to Sonic.” Shadow sighed, beginning to resign himself to the fact.

“Absolutely, hon!” Rouge said brightly, slipping an arm around his shoulders.

He glowered at all three of them, but it lacked any real malice. “Alright, I’ll play along...for now.” he grumbled.

“EXCELLENT. LET THE PLANNING COMMENCE.”

…

One week later, Shadow was standing in the middle of a patch of grass, feeling like his knees were about to buckle as sweat trickled through his quills. He was no longer resigned to telling Sonic about his feelings and was in fact considering jumping into the nearby lake and hiding there for the duration of the hangout. His stomach- along with whatever scraps of resolve he may have had- were currently all the way back at their house.

On top of all that, he was frankly surprised he didn’t just spontaneously burst into flames when the other three Mobians showed up, Sonic in the lead.

“Hey guys!” he said excitedly. “Long time no see!”

Rouge snickered a bit at his catchphrase (it was one of many) but Shadow just felt his ears burn. He was just so cute and cheesy and already the hybrid’s mind was devolving into a mushy mess.

“Rouge, Omega.” he greeted them each, but he seemed to pause for a second on the last name. “...Shadow.”

The hedgehog in question thankfully managed a reply, and then the fun began in earnest. Knuckles and Shadow competed in several arm-wrestling matches with narration from Tails (“...aaaand Knuckles looks like he’s in the lead!”) and commentary from Omega (“YOU’RE LUCKY I DON’T ARM-WRESTLE OR ELSE BOTH OF YOUR ARMS WOULD BE BROKEN.”). Rouge and Sonic were busy pranking other innocent people, though once in a while the latter would look over at the competition, distracted.

Eventually, Tails and Omega got bored- which of course meant Knuckles and Shadow had to play the role of caretaker (“No, you can’t blow up trees. No, not even for ‘science’.”) for a little while.

At one point, though, Rouge got bored with the pranks and had dragged the echidna off to a park bench and was now flirting with him enough to turn his face as red as his spines. Tails had promised to behave- which now meant that he was halfheartedly attempting to convince Omega not to modify his cannon to launch ducks from the nearby pond- leaving Sonic and Shadow to themselves. Blu and Spark had been playing in the grass all this time (since both of them had brought their chao without really realizing that the other would do the same), and Shadow had very definitely not been thinking about how lucky his chao was that emotions were easy for it.

He remembered the talk his friends had given him before this outing then and wondered if maybe, just maybe, it could be that easy. Before he could stop himself, he’d already spoken.

“...Sonic?”

“Yeah?” the hero asked, turning to face Shadow.

“I...wanted to talk to you about something.” he said, regretting everything already because look how stupid he was about to seem...yet Shadow Robotnik the Hedgehog had never been one to do things by halves.

“Oh, really?” Sonic said, and now he almost looked relieved, for some reason. “I, uh, was actually hoping to do the same. That’s cool, what is it?”

“No, no, you go first.” Shadow urged him, hoping that he’d take the offer.

Unfortunately, today was not his lucky day. “No, man, you asked first! Go ahead, what was it?”

“Really- it’s fine.”

“No, you had something you wanted to say!” Sonic insisted.

“It’s okay, I swear-”

“Well, I guess-”

“I mean, if you want-”

“Okay-”

“You see-”

“I like you!”

Both hedgehogs shouted the words at the exact same time, before freezing and staring at each other.

“Wait…” Shadow began.

Sonic’s eyes were wide. “You like me back?!?” he gasped, hands flying up to his mouth.

“...yes.” he admitted, looking off to the side in embarrassment. Then it hit him. “Wait. You like me back?”

“Of course! How could I not?” Sonic asked incredulously. “You’re smart, funny, nice-” He’d begun listing off attributes while counting on his fingers, but cut himself off upon noticing Shadow’s confusion.

“Yes, but you’re a hero. The world’s hero.” Shadow began to frown, staring at the grass. “Why would you settle for someone like-”

“No.” Sonic growled, and the hybrid looked up suddenly to see his face twisted in anger. “Don’t ever say that.”

“But everyone thinks it…” Shadow protested weakly.

“Yeah, well, ‘everyone’ isn’t part of my love life.” Sonic assumed a slightly less aggressive stance, placing a hand on his hip. “Whoever’s been telling you that can either leave you alone or get their face introduced to my sneakers.”

Shadow blushed. “Nobody needed to. I just assumed...but perhaps I shouldn’t have.” he added quickly, seeing the hero begin to glower again. 

“That’s right!” he said, zipping over to stand directly in front of Shadow. “No assumptions here- talk to me from now on if something’s worryin’ you, ‘kay?”

Then, he seemed to notice the sudden stiffness in the hybrid’s posture, as well as the green flush slowly creeping up his ears. Sonic leaned forward with a smirk, resting his forearm on Shadow’s shoulder. “Thinkin’ about something?”

Shadow gulped.

For once, he decided that he could do what he wanted. So, he slowly reached up a hand and touched the peach fur on Sonic’s arm gently, like it was the most delicate thing in the world. 

Rather more quickly, Sonic turned a shade of bright red to rival Omega’s paint job.

“So, uh…” he began, his voice shaky. “Erm...do ya feel like sitting under that tree? Together?”

Shadow agreed, and the two walked over to the shady patch, sitting down and resting against each other. Soon enough, though, Sonic turned to face Shadow, a little nervous. “Do we, like, need to talk about this? Figure out...what to do about…us?” He started turning pink again.

“Maybe later. We have a lot of time, after all.” Shadow said, trying to contain the soaring feeling inside when Sonic said ‘us’- until he realized that he didn’t have to any longer.

“What’re you smiling about?”

“You. And me. Together.” Shadow said simply, making Sonic laugh and snuggle up against him, resting his head on a black-furred shoulder.

“Wow. That’s, uh….that’s new. I really like it though.”

Then, the hero looked up at him. “I really like you, too.”

At this point, a loud whistle could be heard from Rouge, who was standing not too far off and had likely heard a lot of what they’d said. Sonic just giggled, while Shadow shot her a death glare. She just winked and mouthed I’ll keep them occupied, at which point the hybrid tried not to show how very much he appreciated that and failed miserably.

And Sonic was purring now. Which of course meant that every single brain cell in Shadow’s head was promptly dead for the next five minutes.

After he’d recovered from that, Shadow wrapped his arms tightly around his...boyfriend? Maybe? He thought for a moment. “Hey, Sonic?”

“Yeah?”

“How do you feel about being my-” Shadow paused briefly to cough, trying to get the words out- “-boyfriend?”

“I think I like that a lot.”

Shadow smiled warmly, feeling the beginnings of a purr rise up in his own chest.

“I like that a lot, too. Almost as much as I like you.”

[kanonsarchivedblog]

SHINO NSFW!!please I love him and the world needs more shino aburame🙏

Your wish is my command! Truth be told, I haven’t ever had the chance to really work with Shino, so this is a fun way to get into his character! The Aburame clan is a hidden gem and I love them (and I headcanon that they have a butterfly house but that’s for a separate post). Dropping this under a cut since it is purely NSFW headcanons. Please note that these headcanons take place after the two-year gap, around the timeframe of The Last. I hope you enjoy! <3

→Shino is a quiet man, we all know this. When he speaks, it grabs your attention almost immediately due to how soft his voice is, how deep it sounds- a complete shock compared to what you had imagined for him to sound like at first. →That being said, in the bedroom, he’s a touch more vocal! He gives such sweet praise- telling you how good you’re doing for him! How good you feel around him. He’s more likely to give soft gasps than to actually moan, but every now and then, one slips free, low and rumbling deep in his chest. →After the War, Shino grows more comfortable in himself- he holds himself with more confidence and no longer wears the large coat that he used to hide behind. Instead, he swaps it out for a fitted turtleneck that does absolutely nothing to hide the muscles that he’d built up over the years. Just because his main method of fighting is with his insects doesn’t mean he never trained. He was on a team with Kiba and Hinata- he’s built up lean muscle over the years. →Shino can be a gentle lover. He’s a surprisingly big fan of body worship- settling his lover down onto their bed and spending his time smoothing his hands over their curves, gripping at their hips before dragging blunt nails across the sensitive skin of their inner thighs before soothing the area with his lips and tongue. His partner won’t be leaving that bed until he’s made it clear that regardless of how they view themself, he believes them to be a deity trapped in mortal skin. →That being said, he isn’t afraid to be rough. He’s a VERY big fan of shibari- both in the sexual and nonsexual sense. To have someone trust him enough to allow him to rig them up and leave them suspended mid-air is riveting- or to allow him to tie them up and leave them with a toy inside while he leaves the room for a good half hour, leaving them to whine and moan and complain before he returns to see what sort of mess they’d made. →Big, big, big fan of hitting it from the back. Any position that allows him to grip their hips and pull them back onto his cock gets five stars from him. Even reverse cowgirl works well for him. But let him hit it from the back- when you look over your shoulder, you’ll find that he has a hand wrapped around his own throat as he’s fucking into you as if his life depends on it. →He’s more of a fan of choking HIMSELF than his partner choking him. It takes a lot for him to trust someone enough to let them wrap their hands around his throat. That conversation is an important one to have- what hard stops they both have, what they’re alright with, what they would be willing to try. →He’s a little too interested in wax play. As in, he already has candles specifically for wax play. If his partner shows genuine interest in it, he’s more than willing to give them a taste- Or to let them try it on himself. →Oh, right- man’s hung. He’s no monster, but he has a decent length of 7.3 inches! But the kicker is how thick it is- we’re talking coke can thickness. He’s got a girth that makes you shudder just thinking about how full you’ll feel when he finally fucks you. He’s self aware- he knows how big he is! →Which is why he’ll settle between his partner’s thighs and bring them to completion twice with his fingers or mouth before he even considers making love to them. But there’s also another reason for this- →Shino is a service switch. He finds great pleasure in making his partner feel good, and could (and has) cum from making them cum. It doesn’t happen often, but every once and a while, he falls into these moods where he cannot get enough of you, and spends hours with his face between your thighs, bringing you to completion over and over.

[obsessedwvampbois]

𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐋 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬

Oh boy so this is gonna make people really mad. I have listened to a total of 52 songs from the Diabolik Lovers franchise (that I could find) and ranked them for the hell of it. For this ranking I will be including all character songs, openings (both anime and game) along with the remixes. I will not be counting solo versions of songs (eg. Gin no bara), soundtrack bgm or the endings themes.

My ranking is based on these things:

how well does the song fit the character/s or game, both in lyrics and aesthetic

the overall production and performance of the song

is the song a bop? would I willingly listen to it again?

Couple of disclaimers: I do not speak Japanese so I will be crediting the translations of each song as I go through them along with any think pieces / essays that I come across. If there is any song I missed, please let me know and I’ll slot it into the rankings, its hard to find one source that has all the songs recorded. Finally, just a reminder because I know I'm gonna make someone mad, this is my list! If you don't like it make your own or ignore mine, I'm only one person and my opinion is not final!

With that in mind, my rankings are below the cut

*Least Best*

These are the songs I will probably never listen to again. I have a few gripes with them that I'll talk about in my explanation.

52. 誓いのカンパネラ (Chikai no Campanella)

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation~

This song is just super underwhelming overall. The guitar is my favourite thing about the song but that's it. There is so much build up for a boring chorus. The lyrics don't have much for me either.

51. 血戦のDies irae (Kessen no Dies irae)

Tsukinami Brothers

~translation~

On the opposite end, this song is so overwhelming. There are so many elements to follow and its hard to keep up. This is the first time I'll bring it up but the volume of the voices is so quiet compared to the backing track, its frustrating. The lyrics is what brings it up a notch as it talks about the day of wrath (dies irae) as the day the founders take over. I was also low key hoping to hear some version of the dies irae song hidden in the background but I couldn't hear any.

50. S.O.S-ΑtoΩ-

Tsukinami Brothers

~translation~

This song just feels so forgettable, I just feel like there isn't much to comment on. There are some interesting lyrics sprinkled out like comparing literal self mutilation to abstinence. Also the actual delivery of 'S ah O ah S ah', I can't take it seriously.

49. Dystopia

Kino

~translation~

This had an interesting start because I hadn't heard anything similar for DL but then after a few lines the tone change was just a nope for me. Again, Kino's voice is super quiet and the constant barrage of all these instruments that don't really gel together its confusing. Overall, it didn't leave much of an impression and I couldn't really visualised DL in the song.

48. 吸愛ラビリンス (Kyūai Labyrinth)

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation~

Praise for the saxophone! Props to that because it shines here and is really the only memorable thing besides that final line of the chorus. The song does give the vibe of the Vandead Carnival with its more playful energy though. The lyrics feel really typical, like there are so many times I read lyrics about drinking blood before I get bored.

47. 極限(UNLIMITED) BLOOD -Remix ver.-

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation w/ original ver.~

I don't think I really need to hear EDM/dubstep and Diabolik Lovers again thanks. It feels super dated and the vocoded singing is a little much for my taste. Good source material and the stripped back vocals at some points is quite nice.

46. 愛しきPain (Itoshiki Pein)

Subaru

~translation~

First off please never let me see Subaru near a fedora again thanks. Overall I felt bored with this song, like its nice, but that it. There are similar sounding songs that just hit home similar themes a lot stronger later on. The best part of this song is the spoken word but it feels weird for Subaru to be singing such a slow song.

45. Luv Apple Juice

Ruki & Azusa

~translation~

Yes, I am counting Ruki's spoken word, its my list. Lyrics are a must read with references to Adam, Eve and Eden throughout. Again, the voices are super quiet and with how fast paced the instrumentals are its annoying. The tempo also backfires because these are two of the more 'chill' characters. The last complaint is that the speed of Ruki's speaking compared to Azusa's singing just isn't right.

44. DIE IS CAST

Kou & Yuma

~translation~

This has to be my least favourite opening to a song, the staccato is just really grating to me. The way I'd describe the chorus is loud, the same note over and over again isn't appealing. The lyrics are an interesting read but nothing feels super important. The highlight of the song is the pre-chorus, thanks production!

43. カレイドナイト (Kaleido Night)

Kanato & Subaru

~translation~

This song is just generic, like overall. The sound, the lyrics, the production. There just wasn't must for me to listen to without zoning out.

*Average*

These songs don't leave too much of a lasting impression on me, but I still enjoy them.

42. 苺の罪 (Ichigo no Tsumi) (strawberry sin)

Reiji

~translation~

First of the generic rock songs! I couldn't really find much in the lyrics of note I think the actual performance of the song is my favourite element here.

41. 真夜中の饗宴( MIDNIGHT PLEASURE) -Remix ver.

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation w/ original~

One the best part of the original is that opening section with the steps, it creates some nice anticipation for the coming song. The chorus this time round feels a little low energy after the hype of the pre-chorus. After watching the actual opening with the remix, I kind of wish they had the voice over, the song is so chill the last chorus could have it to make it feel more grandiose.

40. ZERO

Subaru

~translation~

Second generic rock song, this time it actually suits Subaru's brand! The lyrics do have some hints to Subaru as a character which is better. My sustaining thought is that this sounds like an off brand Arcadia.

39. Bloody★Mayim★Mayim

Sakamaki Brothers

~translation~

This has to have one of the strongest hooks for DL. For how many people sing in the song, it's easy to keep track of and the chemistry between them all is in sync. The main issue is that it feels like its missing some element to make it shine, the lyrics aren't in-depth too which brings it down another peg. The bridge/interlude is the best part though as I can visualise some mini story within the song here.

38. ADDICTED (2) PHANTOM

Ayato

~translation~

This song would be so much higher if I felt like it was more memorable cuz the lyrics here really shine. My interpretation is that this is Ayato questioning where his love stops and his sadistic nature to satiate his desires begin, can he separate the two? He both loves and despises the idea of draining his s/o dry. Another gripe with the song is that its not quite Ayato's aesthetic sonically.

37. Kindan no 666 (Three Six)

Kou & Azusa

~translation~

What puts this song so low is the majority of the instrumental, it takes a backseat here when I feel there could be more added. Props to percussion, drums are great though. After watching the MB opening so many times its hard to not see DL. Lyrics match with this one line here describing Kou in a nutshell:

"Sin spread from mouth to mouth, saying 'I’ll be gentle' pulls the trigger on a casual disaster!"

36. Iolite (アイオライト )

Shu

~translation~

I don't know why the producers associate electro-pop with Shu, I can't really see it much. I think they should have gone full glitch-pop instead considering how the song does a deep dive into his mind and thought process. Again, I think the voice is also quiet here but the instrumentals have some great moments, especially the strings.

35. 常夜KNOW UNDERSKIN

Sakamaki

~translation~

Well this gives Sakamaki vibes, nice guitar! Again, I like how it isn't overwhelming despite the amount of people involved. Lyrics aren't super impactful but super catchy.

34. 冷たい血 (Tsumetai Chi)

Ruki

~translation~

You have to read the lyrics while reading this, please! Its surprisingly wholesome and emotional overall. Again, there is the issue of the voice being way to quiet as the instrumentals swallow him whole after the second clock tick. The delivery is really well timed and production does a great job adding elements that works with the lyrics. There is a subtle echo to the voice that feels super enchanting as he comes to terms with the fact that he has fallen in love. Biggest drawback obviously is that this is just spoken word.

33. KISS♥MARK

Shu

~translation~

This song delves into the more perverse side of Shu, but we haven't really reached the level of Laito (we'll get there). The phone feels a little out of character but it suits that narrative. The straight cut out of music for the intermission was a bit abrasive but the transition back to music makes me forget about that with how slick it is. At least its better than a generic rock song.

32. カモフラージュ (Camouflage)

Shu & Laito

~translation~

What a great match up for subject matter, my interpretation is a denial and inability to accept oneself, ultimately using a mask to hide. So please look up the lyrics for some gems. However, after the 'against the blood' nothing really hit that same point sonically, furthermore its not the most aesthetically fitting for the two characters.

*Great*

These songs I actively enjoy, think about and do listen to occasionally and would recommend you check it out too.

31. >REDRUM<-

Ayato & Subaru

~translation~

This song is full of anagrams in the lyrics, I mean look at the song title. Its super catchy and is hard to forget about. The bridge is the weakest part of this song but it is made up by the distortion of vocals after the final chorus.

30. Fanatic of Night

Sakamaki Brothers

~translation~

Well time to party, talk about a bop and a half! Its just so fun, even though its to exactly DL to me, but that's Lunatic Parade for you. Shout out to the guitarist and percussion once again.

29. Bad Howling

Shu, Ayato & Kou

~translation~

This is super catchy, its nice to hear Kou in the opening song this time round, it spices things up. Theres some really nice elements played with the vocals as they sing over one another that is really well balanced. The biggest peg down is that I don't get super DL vibes and the lyrics aren't the deepest.

28. I.M.I.T.A.T.I.O.N. G.A.M.E

Kino

~translation~

Overall this song is a little generic and doesn't sound like DL but! There is a lot to love here too. Starting off with the performance, I really like the vibrato in his voice and the decent of notes at the end of the chorus is just, yes. It a nice hook and the lyrics are pretty good too. My only other complaint is that the drums mask some smaller elements in the background of the song which would have been nice to hear more in the forefront.

27. 極限(UNLIMITED) BLOOD

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation~

This is where the rankings get pretty hard cuz I wish this was higher but oh well. the dramatic shift from the opening piano to the song is so abrupt but it gets you pumped. The intermission does a good job of changing things up without cutting tension. The lyrics themselves seem to be from the view of the Adam project during more blood and the unquenchable thirst they get in the story.

26. アルカディア (Arcadia)

Ayato

~translation~

Immediately I get Ayato vibes from this song and the rapping does help too with a nice flow that isn't too jarring from the rest of the song. These lyrics are basically Addicted2Phantom on steroids, I can't see anyone else other than Ayato in them.

25. Kekkyoku Night

Ayato

~translation~

Don't know why but the guitar melody just seems like I had heard it before but I can't put my finger on it. The bass is super slick here and I really enjoy it. The vocal distortion at the start of the verse sets a scene for him to hunt down this person and its a narrative choice. The main issue is that I wish there was a little more pizzaz to the chorus.

24. Kaikan DEATH-TRUCTION

Kanato

~translation~

Spoilers but I have placed both a Kanato's songs pretty high up so this was a little bit of a let down after the other two. The main issues here is that I don't really get too much of Kanato in the song and the yelling before the chorus is a little much. This, to me, is a self reflection from Kanato which is a good switch up from his last two songs. Overall, the song is abrasive in a good way that isn't overwhelming and the 8-bit section is my fave.

23. 血濡れた密会 (BLOODY SABBATH)

Laito

~translation~

Oh boy, look these lyrics up for a good time. This song is about his hook up with a women with the song getting progressively darker as it goes on. Nice psycho reference but I don't know if it does much in the end. Really catchy hook and the escalation of the final chorus is just so good. Also I'm just going to leave this line from the song here:

“You wend all out with the rodeo girl play? So then, let’s grind!!!”

22. 幻日理論-Parhelion Logic

Ayato

~translation~

This song is meant to be kind of an open letter to Cordelia and my word these lyrics are haunting. It fits the vibe of Haunted Dark Bridal so well, super strong overall. I just wish there was a stronger performance vocally.

21. 暴言シンドローム (Seiron Syndrome)

Yuma

~translation~

Yuma, to me has some pretty good observation skills and its really highlighted here. The first line just hits the nail on the head in terms of how rough he is both in and out of the bedroom. This song is the best of the 'generic rock' with production being really smooth despite the high energy, it matches him really well. First line:

The pain of your sprained neck won’t subside

20. 蠱惑のParade (Kowaku no Parade)

Reiji & Kanato

~translation~

We got another catchy banger here! This song just screams 'the two of us are here to hunt you down and we won't stop till we get a taste.' I mean this song is super pleasing aesthetically and great lyrics to boot!

19. KILLYOU,AGAIN

Azusa

~translation~

The strings are an immediate attention grabber and its hold it throughout the whole song. Super catchy, and these lyrics are Azusa, especially this chorus. Id be interested to hear what people think about the second verse in particular cuz there's a lot to read into:

"In a worn out state of mind, no matter how many nights we question it... We’ve idealised too much."

18. SQueeze…

Subaru

~translation~

Okay before anything else, the squeeze at the start is goofy, I can't take it seriously. Anyway, I can't help but tap my foot to this song. Third times the charm, finally hitting Subaru's aesthetic to a T. The voice is a little quiet on the track but what takes over just sounds so good. The contrast of the bell and the guitar is just, yes thank you. The pre-chorus is a nice mix up to the status quo and these lyrics are great too.

17. 愛の檻 (Ai no Ori)

Ayato & Laito

~translation~

The opening is a nice tone setter for a haunting head bopper. These voices work together so well, just like how the sirens work with the strings. The singular violin during the bridge is great, praise to anyone who can do that my god. The string motif climaxes at the final chorus and it creates an awesome song!

16. 月蝕(Eclipse)

Kou, Yuma & Azusa

~translation~

Well we have a nice build up ballad here. The opening is a little out of place but I forget about it as it builds to this final chorus with the tempo getting faster and faster. The stripped back production also ends up aiding the song in the end with its punches and message. Speaking of which; I get the idea this is about watching some either currently or in retrospective how their personality changes after turning into a vampire; a loss of innocence. How fitting for the Mukami's.

“Despising the sunlight that filters through the blinds is only inevitable, I suppose”

*Faves*

This is what I think the best of the best is. It reflects the themes, ideas and characters of Diabolik Lovers in the best way possible. When people ask me what music from the franchise to listen to, I point to these songs.

15. Count off

Kino

~translation~

There is so much to talk about here, this is a mix of singing and spoken piece and it works so well for me. The delivery over this contagious beat I can't help but get hints of a k-pop vibe here. The movement to singing then vocoded voice are interesting and fun. The bridge switch up too is great, my only wish is that the choir hand a little more presence in the final chorus cuz its fun the first times round, it would be a nice call back.

14. A Certain Prophet's Fate [とある預言者の、運命 Toaru Yogensha no Unmei]

Reiji

~translation~

I can visualise a Nutella Kookie moodboard with this opening alone. To me, this is Reiji explain his views on women with allusions to Faust too, not the Ikemen version relax. there are some cool allusions to his mother in the lyrics too. The bass is so cool to listen out for and the guitar nodding to the chorus at the end is a nice way to end. I was just hoping for a little continuation to the opening like Reiji finding this person escaping on horseback.

13. CHAOS☆PARTY

Laito

~translation~

Aaaaaand another innuendo song from Laito, what a surprise! The jazzy, circus-pop vibes are super fun and catchy, I love it. It's like an upgraded version of Bloody Sabbath to me. The distortion on the guitar is also great to listen out for.

"Don’t decide where’s the critical point, grind as you feel it,

Till the moon oh, mockingly"

12. Mr.ButterflyMask

Reiji

~translation~

The opening may be cliche but it works so well, this is such a deep dive into Reiji's psyche; his mother, inferiority complex and village burning to name a few. The actual song is easy to remember which makes it even better here, the descending notes at the end of the chorus is a highlight.

"Burnt black, that awful land mark"

11. 真夜中の饗宴 (MIDNIGHT PLEASURE)

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation~

The song to start it all, thank god it's such a highlight. I get so hyped from hearing the opening footsteps; mirroring the prologue with You stepping into the mansion for the first time. I feel so nostalgic for this and I'm hyped to play the game every time I hear this. The spoken section is the high point in terms of the HDB aesthetic but these lyrics maaaannn:

"With a scream that shatters the moon itself I’ll give you this extraordinary pain called “love”!"

10. Guilty×Guilty!!!

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation~

I'm gonna get crucified for putting this above midnight pleasure but my list and this is my fave game op. The only peg down is the lyrics but it makes up so much for the actual sound variation. The unnerving energy from this scifi-y noise, it screams danger with the Tsunami arrival. The variation between the two verses in robs what places it high and the bridge is excellent to boot.

9. Farewell Song

Shu

~translation~

If I had to make one song recommendation outside of DL with this list it is this song here. The lyrics and melody match up the same way and both are strong in their own right. Onto the song, these lyrics really shine wrangling with ideas and the thought process of depression; something that hits close to home for me. With the inclusion of the destructive nature vampires its truely impactful. The sound of the song aids these lyrics too while all sounding like Shu.

Without pause, the drops of a drizzle had begun to weep...

...Comforting the screams of the things you’ve touched"

8. Mr.SADISTIC NIGHT

Shu, Ayato & Subaru

~translation~

This is my favourite opening of all the games and anime and it is the most on theme with the DL franchise, not just the one game. The guitar rifts at the start are just sooooo iconic. The actual line "Mr Sadistic Night" is delivered so well too. I mean the song speaks for itself. I will make the observation though that this song is the epitome of kids unknowingly singing a song with dirty lyrics.

"If I’m so aroused by the snare of your enticing blood

Tonight, as I thrust deep into you, a lust for death awakens from within you!"

7. 悪魔的（Devil's）Spire!!!!

Kou

~translation~

This song is just Kou at his best, I can imagine him singing this at a concert as a debut single. It has all the elements of a catchy pop song with some sinister elements that just reflects his personality. Production has my praise here too. The song seems to be a friends with benefits situation Kou has as he recounts the tale. Also, more innuendos:

"In the deep red velvet sheets, Do you want to taste my forbidden syrup?"

6. Operation X

Tsukinami Brothers

~translation~

Haven't seen these guys in a while! You can tell production had fun adding all these medical sounds in the back like the sirens and heart monitor. The song itself is super catchy too, that bass just hits you at the core! The lyrics look like the Tsukinami's observation of You as she has become entangled with all these vampires and the situation just seems to spiral even more out of control.

"The risk spreads further the deeper you get involved...

...The more you give up, the more that guy mocks you"

5. GRATEFUL★DEAD★MARCH

Kanato

~translation~

Production had fun again, you can tell. It's more upbeat there is still a sinister vibe here. The constant switch ups within the song all flow so well. I feel genuine despair listening to this chorus, like Kanato is mocking or toying with me before going in for the kill. My only complaint is that the slowing down at the end is a bit of a mood killer.

4. 切断★舞踏会 (KIRISAKI CARNIVAL)

Kanato

~translation~

In terms of character aesthetic, this is sheer perfection. There is a narrative within this song that you need to look at the lyrics for the best experience. The sound effects act as a good way to heighten the story as they match the lyrics. One moment to note it both the chorus and pre-chorus as they act as the extreme ends on Kanato's personality and it creates a great dichotomy when placed together.

3. Q.E.D.

laito

~translation~

My favourite solo song, and the one I constantly visit the most. Laito is a complex character and this song does a self reflection in the best way possible.I would also recommend reading this great analysis by everything laito because I can't do a proper analysis justice. For the song itself, the piano is a great mood setter as it acts as if we are approaching Laito as he plays the piano about to go into one of his many monologues to himself. The intercut from the piano to the guitar is abrupt but it works so well as if there are crack in his facade showing through. The change back to the piano is great too and isn't distracting in any way. I also think this is such an emotional performance, like I can feel the sadness and despair along with almost a self deprecating humour to the delivery. Top notch stuff

2. 罠-If You’re Diablo- (Wana -If You’re Diablo-)

Mukami Brothers

~translation~

I want mention first off that the spoken word from Ruki is such an aid here, the pace is slower, more haunting and despair-inducing in tone. The speaking adds a nice break to the vocals. The chorus in particular packs such a punch its kind of nice to lie on the ground and just let the song envelop you. The lyrics give the impression that there is a mutually destructive relationship here with the Mukami's mentioning of betrayal yet they suck the blood of this person. There is also a feeling of hopelessness that the Mukami's know they can never achieve their goal of becoming Adam.

"I'd been resigned to become Adam since who-knows-when...

I continue to hate this fate, my prayers in zero"

1. Gin no Bara

Sakamaki Brothers

~translation~

And we're finally at the end! This song encapsulates everything that Diabolik Lovers is. Vocally, it's really catchy with such a somber vibe, because that's what DL is. It's a dark series but you can see that darkness with each backstory, the actions these characters take and just the overall hopelessness in this one song. The Sakamaki's all singing together packs such a punch too. There are so many gems in these lyrics, to literally acknowledging the pain and suffering their mothers' caused and coming to terms with the actions they have committed as they fall in love.

"The proof remains on your neck while you sleep quietly Even if an eternal curse awaits me beyond those overflowing tears

I now hold this love and pain in my chest"

*SHOUTOUTS*

I want to give a huge shout out to the following people. They have helped immensely with translation and just overall accessibility to the songs because they would be 1000 times more harder to find without them.

Silvermoon249 (Live Journal)

Asyqin98 Creator (YouTube)

S I s o v o l i (Youtube)

DIABOLIK LOVERS (YouTube)

Dialovers otaka (Tumblr)

Starlight voices (Tumblr)

Cannonette (Tumblr) @canonette

The Precious Sugar Chan (Tumblr)

One final note, I would recommend listening to these with headphones because the audio sometimes does that thing where it jumps from ear to ear and it creates the best effect to be more involved in the atmosphere.

[g-on-ef]

Prompt; Blitzø not being used to being complimented and being treated respectfully and realizing just how much Striker cares about him

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Anonymous 2: This doesn’t have to be a prompt but just imagine Striker realizing how little respect and praise Blitz gets, that every time he compliments him Blitz instinctively doubts it and actually has to think about it before realizing it’s genuine, which makes Striker heartbroken and absolutely pissed

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A/N: so I decided to combine both of these since they are basically the same ^^ but I hope you guys like what comes out ^^

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Striker doesn't get angry easily, being an assassin had trained him to control his emotions so that they aren't used against him; he's always meditate, reflected on his mistakes so that they won't happen again, and always found therapeutical ways to release his stress so that his emotions never got the best of him.

No, in the past Striker knew how to stay calm and never show anger. Being with Blitz however has changed that.

Seeing Blitz not believe him whenever he compliments him, always giving him a minute or two to decide whether or not Striker means what he's saying always feels like a dagger to his heart.

Whenever they are out on the job Striker ask him what's the plan and he watches with anger and sadness how Blitz stumble over his words and tries to lead them but than clams up and gives Striker the lead.

What brakes his heart even more {and made him want to punch Goiesha or kill him one or the other}

Is whenever he asks Blitz to do something and Blitz hesitates before saying no and than looks afraid that he even had the nerve to say no, Striker would always shrug it off and say okay before leaving.

He'll never forget the first time Blitz said no and Striker shrugged it off.

Blitz looked so shocked and Striker looked at him like he turned into a human.

"What?"

"That's-that's it?"

"That's it what?"

"You're just gonna let it go?"

"Let it go?"

"You're not gonna," he looked at Striker who had a look of patience in his face waiting for Blitz to find his words and tell him what he was feeling.

It shocked Blitz since he's not use to seeing someone wait for him to speak, usually they would interrupt him or toss his feeling aside and talk down on him but here was Striker looking at him, waiting for him to form his thoughts and voice them out loud.

"You're not gonna keep asking till I say yes? Or,"

"Or what?" Striker asked trying to keep the anger outta of his voice.

"Or call me a punk ass bitch for it?"

The two imps stare at one another, one in fear the other in an indifferent stare.

Striker could feel his blood boiling at the thought of Blitz and the mistreatment he faced. With the way he was raised Striker was beginning to wonder if he even had someone who genuinely cared for him.

"Blitz you said no, if you don't want to come with me to the Harvest Moon Festival that's fine your allow to say no if you don't feel comfortable with doing something okay?" He said with patience and reassurance. He didn't want to force Blitz to do something he didn't want to and wanted to show him he genuinely meant it when he said he respected his choice.

Blitz started at him before nodding his head. Blitz also looked like he wanted to say something else.

"Something wrong?"

"Umm...well..."

He mumbles something under his breath.

"What was that amor?"

Hearing the endearment that always made his heart race Blitz spoke again,

"Instead of going to the hillbilly festival would you be willing to stay home with me and Loona and you know...just stay here and spend time as a...family,"

He saw Blitz close his eyes and curl in himself as if waiting for Striker to say no or be mad at the thought of Blitz asking for something.

Striker reminded himself of all his meditation techniques and told himself he was gonna have to read a ton of books to calm the rage that was storming inside him.

"Sure Blitz, I don't mind spending time with you and Loona,"

He smiled and looked relieved before going back to his pompous self

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Strikers biggest challenge was reminding Blitz what an amazing IMP he was.

Seriously he was always impressed with Blitz fighting skills as well as him being able to shot a target from a distance.

And it sucked that Blitz always doubted himself and his skills.

Whenever the two spar or did target practice Striker always praised him and reminded him what a good job he was doing.

It hurt him that his gem of a murderer didn't see what a bad ass he was and Striker had no problem reminding him.

"Nice shooting B,"

Blitz looked at Striker. He was starting to get use to Striker and his compliments. His praises on the other hand...where another thing.

"Umm...thanks..."

Striker just walk over to him he watched as Blitz lifted his gun and shot a little missing the target by a smidge.

"Fuck!"

He looked toward striker who just smiled at him.

He tried again and got the target.

"Not bad,"

"You can say I sucked Striker,"

"Why would I do that, you missed realized your mistake and than corrected it. I think that's admirable for leader. Seeing his mistake and correcting it so it doesn't happen again,"

"You think I'm a good leader?"

"One of the bests."

The two looked at another before Blitz looked away

"This is getting to mushy for me,"

Striker chuckled and watched as Blitz continue his shooting practice and if Blitz had a blush and was looking to impress Striker some more well that was no one's business but his own.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"You look beautiful doll,"

Blitz jumped as he turned to look at Striker who was leaning against the door frame.

"Umm...what?"

Striker chuckled and said,

"You look beautiful doll,"

Blitz looked at him before he turned to face the mirror he was wearing a cow printed skirt with a white sleeveless crop top and a cute pink cowgirl hat resting on his head.

He didn't know what he was thinking when he bought this outfit other than thinking he'd look good in it.

When he saw himself he thought he looked ridiculous Striker on the other hand thought he looked beautiful.

"I don't know Strikes I feel like a cow just barf all over me," he said trying to shrug off the compliment.

Striker smiled gently, walking over to his partner he wrapped his hands around him and place a soft kiss on his scared face. Something Blitz came to realize that Striker loved doing kissing every scar on his body.

"Well if a cow did puke on you he definitely made you gorgeous,"

Blitz blushed as he elbowed Strikers chest making the cowboy back off a little.

"Your compliments could use a little work,"

He felt Striker take him by his shoulders before turning him around.

"Alright how's this, you look fucking hot and it's taking everything not to bend you over and fuck you,"

Blitz blushed before Striker place a soft kiss on his lips.

The albino IMP pulled back and stroke Blitz's cheek.

"Your beautiful Blitz, even if others don't see it i do and I love everything about you."

Blitz nodded his head before he took Strikers hand and led him to the bed where Blitz put his cowgirl skills to the test.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Blitz wasn't use to compliments nor was he use to someone respecting his wishes.

Whenever Striker complimented him he always waited for the back hand comments or for Striker to bring him down after he got a reaction out of him.

Not only that but Blitz always assumed that Striker complimented him because he wanted something in return. But no, he never ask for more than what Blitz was willing to give and was always respectful of Blitz and his boundaries.

He couldn't believe someone like Striker existed someone who wasn't afraid of being affection towards Blitz but also respected his boundaries when he said no.

Still three years being together made Blitz see that what he and Striker had was genuine, that whenever Striker called him all those cute pet names, told him what an amazing leader he was, and always mentioned what a beautiful and deadly assassin he was he meant it.

There was no ultarnattive motive, no backhand comment, no making him at the butt of the joke. No Striker meant every word of and it just made Blitz fall more in love with him.

"Hey beautiful,"

Blitz jumped a little as he watched Striker approach him.

That's another thing he had to get use to Striker calling him beautiful every time he saw him.

"Hey you," okay now he sounded like Loona whenever she tries talking to Vortex.

Striker chuckled.

"What are you doing cooped up in your office?"

"Nothing just umm...nothing,"

Striker hummed before grabbing Blitz by the hand and pulling him off the chair.

"Well hermoso, why don't you and I go grab a bite to eat and spend this hellish day together?"

Blitz smiled as he squeezed Strikers hand,

"Sure why not," the cowboy smiled before he lean forward and place a soft kiss on his forehead.

"Let's go than,"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A/N: hope you guys like this one ^^ it's definitely one of my faves ^^ also reminder I'm still taking Striker x Blitz prompts so if y'all have any send them my way ^^

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

[maximumjinx]

Steven Universe Gravity Falls AU

~Yknow what they say, if you run out of content, ya gotta make it yourself. This is a ? shot (I might continue or not who knows not me) please don’t ask for more I have 18 unfinished fanfics on this site.~

California was nice, Steven had to admit. The people were nice, the food was fantastic, and the weather was splendid. It reminded him a lot of Beach City. Though there were just so many people, and traveling north, Steven was beginning to long for something small and simple again.

Oregon was the perfect place for that, right?

“Ronaldo wants pictures of Bigfoot, and if anyone can find him, its you Steven.” Petey’s voice was faint on Steven’s phone speaker, tossed into the passenger seat as Steven blindly picked a highway exit.

“Sure Petey, but couldn’t Ronaldo just go to a circus?”

“Not big feet Steven,” Petey emphasized, “Bigfoot.”

“Saying it twice isn’t helping buddy.” Steven was half paying attention. He was focusing on the winding roads and the looming trees surrounding him. Deep, in the pit of Steven’s stomach, he felt something start to tug him toward one direction farther away from the highway. He wasn’t quite sure if it was a good or bad feeling yet.

“Forget it, I’m going to take a blurry photo of that mean Gem in the woods and say its Bigfoot.”

“Just don’t let Jasper catch you, she’s no joke when she’s angry.”

“I saw her ripping grass out of the ground I think I’ll be fine. Later dude.”

Steven heard a small click and smiled to himself. He’s happy to see how far the people of Beach City have come and how they’ve taken to the gems. He remembers when the Crystal Gems were once the outcasts of town that locals warned you to stay away from.

He looked up to see a welcome sign.

“Gravity falls. Well, that’s a funny name.”

—

Steven wanted small and simple but he feels he may have overshot it.

This small town had exactly three attractions. A town museum that mentioned marrying woodpeckers (Steven couldn’t figure out if that was a normal human thing, like taxes and velcro), a small diner, and as one local described it ‘some tourist trap’ deep in the woods. It was a sticky summer day and the former two attractions didn’t have airconditioning. Steven gambled on the last stop in hopes of stretching his legs and maybe finding a source to the strange feeling in his gut. It had become much stronger since he entered this small town. Alluring, but nothing related to Gems as far as Steven could tell.

He parked in the nearly empty lot and stepped out. Jacket wrapped loosely around his hips, Steven made his way inside.

A girl that looked about 13 was petting a pig on the front porch. She was incredibly reflective, and depsite the heat wore a knitted bedazzled sweater that made her glow like a disco ball in the sun.

She looked Steven up and down as he approached, a wide smile taking up her face and Steven saw bright braces with colored bands.

“Hi!” She launched upwards, startling the pig away, “I’m Mabel, but you can call me anytime.” The girl winked and stuck out her hand, palm facing the floor.

Steven blinked.

“Mabel, stop scaring away the customers!” A gruff voice yelled through the screen door, and soon an older man stepped out in a suit, wearing a fez and eyepatch.

Immediately the old man squinted at Steven, sizing him up.

Stanley Pines knew this teen wasn’t local, but he wasn’t sure if he had any money. For all he knew he was another boy trying to hit on his giftshop cashier, Wendy.

Oh well, a customer is a customer.

“Come in, come in, and see our mystical and magical wonders!”

“Magical?” This could be it, Steven could figure out why this town has felt off. Maybe it was gem related after all.

Quickly this older man who had introduced himself as Mr. Mystery gave Steven a tour of what looked like failed taxidermy projects. Now Steven may have a lived a sheltered childhood, but he felt pretty confident there was no such thing as a Sashcrotch. And so far, nothing had felt magical or mysterious.

“That concludes our tour! Here is our mistifying giftshop and it’s purchasable wonders!”

“Right...” Well, at the very least he was able to spend some time in airconditioning.

There was a girl behind the desk in plaid that looked about Steven’s age, and just a half inch shorter than him. She looked bored, flipping through a magazine as a young boy that looked a lot like Mabel made googly eyes as he swept by the door.

Steven guessed there was no harm in asking around.

“Hi, I’m Steven.” He smiled easily, walking up to the register.

“No refunds, even if an exhibit bit you.” She sighed, peeking up before turning back to her magazine.

“Oh no, nothing bit me, I just wanted to know something.”

She looked up to get a better look at Steven and gave a small smirk.

“Sure, but only because I like your shirt. Mr. Universe merch, now that’s a deep cut.”

Unbeknownst to Steven, Dipper Pines would had been watching the exchange felt a twinge of uneasiness as this out of towner talked with Wendy.

“Have you ever seen anything strange or weird actually happen in this town?”

Wendy’s smile dropped.

“Why do you ask?” Her eyes flickered to Dipper, just for a moment, and that was all he needed to rush over.

“Excuse me sir, please buy something or exit the store.” Dipper spoke in the deepest voice he could muster.

Steven looked over with a questioning expression.

“Oh sure uh-“ He blindly reached for the wad of bills that his dad had given to him before he left. Steven pulled out a hundred dollar bill and put it on the counter. Wendy looked up baffled as Steven stuffed the other cash back in his wallet.

“Boy was I wrong about you kid!” Mr. Mystery, seemingly materializing out of nowhere, now bounded over. He had loosened his tie and lost the eyepatch which turned out he never needed.

“Whaddya wanna know? I’ll tell you everything. There’s gnomes in the woods you know-“

“Grunkle Stan!” Dipper protested loudly, dragging his Stan away and harshly whispering at him.

“Did you steal that money?” Wendy asked as Steven watched the pair whisper fight in the corner. He turned back to the girl and gave a sheepish smile.

“Uh no, my dad gave it to me before this roadtrip. He’s actually Mr. Universe.”

Wendy lit up.

“No freaking way! Your dad is Mr. Universe? I only got into him since he managed Sadie Killer and the Suspects and they always perform covers of his songs on tour, I can’t believe he’s your dad!” She rambled, stars in her eyes. Steven beamed, he loved when people praised his dad’s music. Greg really deserved it.

Steven learned Wendy’s name and they swapped stories back and forth, only interrupted as the girl from outside slowly rose from the behind the counter beaming.

“A cute musician that loves weird stuff, take me now.” She swooned. Steven blushed profusely, not used to the attention.

“Sorry, my girlfriend Connie probably wouldn’t like that very much.” He said gently. Mabel looked him up and down and pouted.

“I can wait, but not forever.” She warned, and winked, bounding to break apart her grunkle and Dipper, who are now whisper screaming with arms flailing.

“I wasn’t going to mention that Dorito shaped jerk! Just the normal stuff!”

“It’s dangerous! He could be a spy, or government, or another stack of gnomes!”

Steven raised an eyebrow and looked at Wendy. She chuckled and shrugged. Steven carefully approached them.

“He can hear everything you’re saying anyways so might as well tell him!” Mabel interrupted, nodding towards Steven as he came up.

“If it makes you feel any better, I’m definitely not government.” Steven technically didn’t exist at all. He never had a social security card and didn’t have a birth certificate.

Dipper only glared. Rich strangers with an interest in the paranormal didn’t come through gravity falls without some kind of agenda.

Steven hated the conflict he was starting. No information was worth this family fighting.

“Okay,” he surrendered, hands up, “I’ll just go. I’ll stick around town until tomorrow if you change your minds”

“Wait Steven-”

“Let him go Wendy,” Dipper glared as the boy in pink walked out, “We can’t trust him.”

“But I was going to ask for Sadie tickets...” Wendy groaned, defeated.

“There’s something weird about him.”

“Great!” Mabel beamed, “He’ll fit right in.”

~.~

Steven wasn’t crazy about sleeping in his car, but was seriously considering it after seeing the state of his motel room. It looked like it hadn’t been used in decades, a thin line of dust covering every surface. He was also pretty sure they didn’t even have free ice. 

“Wish Pearl were here..” He mumbled, exhausted. He curled up on top of the covers, fully clothed, and let sleep take him.

Being Steven Universe however, meant rest was sure to allude the half alien. 

Steven found himself in a dark space, fog all around him. Before a word could come out of his mouth he heard a fast, repetitive muttering. 

“Stranger...Wendy looked pretty today..Can’t trust...Tell no one...Ford isn’t here..”

“What, the-” Steven quietly walked toward the source of dialogue, and saw the faded silhouette of the boy from the Mystery Shack. His back was turned to him, but Steven recognized the blue vest and mosquito bitten legs. 

“I thought I was over the dream hopping.” Steven spoke a tad too loudly, starting the young boy - Dipper.

“What-” Dipper’s eyes grew wide in panic, and the boy fell back harshly.

“No, no, you can’t be in my head!” 

“Wait, I’m not-” Steven tried to reassure him, stepping carefully towards the boy but Dipper let out a screech of terror, sweat gathering around his temples.

“Bill sent you didn’t he?! He’s not really gone- he’s going to hurt Mable again-” Dipper began to hyperventilate. 

“Dipper please,” Steven took a step back, arms in the air in surrender. 

“I-”

“I’m not going to hurt you I swear on the gems.” He placed a hand over his heart. “This is a total invasion of privacy but it’s something that happens when someone’s emotions are out of control-”

“How are you here?” Dipper demanded, scrambling to his feet. “Tell me what you are and what you want.”

“I’m just passing through!” Steven insisted, then lowered his tone to calm the younger boy. “I’m kinda of magnet for weird stuff. I just wanted to help in case anything was going on.”

“We deal with things just fine around here.” Dipper spat, then watched as Steven deflated. He seemed tired, like he hasn't slept well in a while. 

“So what are you anyways? How can you be here?”

Steven winced, and laughed nervously. “It’s kind of a long story..”

Dipper raised and eyebrow and swept his arm around the void dramatically. 

“You have until dawn.”

~

“I thought that was a conspiracy theory, it wasn’t even covered by major news outlets.” Dipper look exhausted, cross legged on the unseen floor as he ran his hands through his hair. 

“I think Garnet is pretty persuasive when it comes to government and reporters. They all kinda fall in love with her.”

“She’s the one that’s really two aliens?” 

Steven shook his head with a small smile. “It’s hard to explain but yes, I guess that comes close.”

“That’s actually insane. I’m insane, aren’t I?” Dipper stood up, leaving Steven on sitting next to an empty space. “It’s been too quiet around here and now I’m so desperate for weird, that I’m making it all up in my head.”

“I get that feeling.” Steven smiled without humor, “but no, this is real. I’ll prove it when you wake up.” Steven felt a shift, the fog in the void getting denser. 

“Sooner than I thought, you’re an early riser huh?”

Dipper looked back at Steven, panicked. “You’ll come to the Shack again right? In just a bit?”

Steven smiled. “Promise.”

~

Dipper woke up to his sister braiding his hair. Mabel still had her pjs on, and a make up kit next to the bed. Dipper frowned, tasting strawberry shortcake. 

“Stop testing party looks on me, Mabel.”

“Stop having my face structure and maybe I will.” She grinned, covered in blue glitter. 

Dipper quickly washed up and got dressed for the day, feeling like he was anxiously waiting for something but not quite remembering what. 

He felt like he had a strange dream last night...

He quickly remembered, choking on cereal as Steven walked into the shack right as it opened. Hair slightly frizzy from the heat and eyes strangely tired. Maybe dream hopping took energy that he anticipated. 

“Steven!”

“Meal ticket!” 

“Grunkle Stan.” Mabel chastised as Dipper rushed over to the older boy. 

“Good morning everyone.” 

Dipper stopped short, slightly hoping that everything he experienced wasn’t just his imagination. That everything exciting and weird and interesting wasn’t always trying to kill him, ruin his life, or steal his candy. 

Steven looked tired, like he had been doing this much longer than Dipper, but he had still come out with enough energy to smile. 

“Not insane?” Dipper asked hopefully, quietly. Steven snapped his attention from his Grunkle and Mable bickering down to the Dipper. He gave a reassuring smile, eyes quite serious. 

“Not insane.”

[mcmusing]

Mermaid Musings:

Melody is about tied with Belle as my favorite Disney princesses. Funny enough, they share the commonality of feeling like detached anamolies in their environments. They also use escapism to cope- books for Belle and swimming for Melody.

The Little Mermaid as a film is mostly very well done. The soundtrack is iconic, Ursula is a terrific antagonist, Eric is the first Disney Prince to be fleshed out with a personality and life all his own when we first meet him, and the supporting characters- Sebastian, King Triton, Flounder, Max, Scuttle, and Grimsby- are all gems. Then, there's the titular mermaid herself.....

Look, I know a lot of young girls found Ariel's naive, short-sighted behavior very relatable. However, she isn't awkward while trying to do her best like Mulan. When it comes down to it, Ariel isn't only irresponsible but too reckless, defiant, and selfish. The worst part is the same idiotic problem with Raven Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr. She is never held accountable nor does she face real consequences.

Right from the go, Ariel ihas a bad first impression. The concert Sebastian and her sisters worked so hard on somehow slipped her mind. When King Triton, rightfully, reprimands her for ruining the show and going up to the surface, she plays wounded by crying and swimming off in a huff. No matter what anyone says, her father did the best he could with a child so difficult. He told his children tne very real truth about how dangerous the surface is for them. He questions his own parenting and hates having to be so firm. Surprisingly, Triton ia thrilled with the idea of Ariel being in love- so long as it's within their own species.

Part of Your World is an amazing song that becomes very baffling when given to someone whose life doesn't fit it at all. Ariel is NOT some out-of-place underdog. She's the cherished youngest child of a loving family and an entire kingdom that literally sings her praises. On top of having such a loyal best friend like Flower. She's probably completely unaffected by having a deceased mother. She has more than enough older sisters to fill that void.

No, as difficult as the sequence was to watch, destroying Ariel's treasures did not make Triton a monster. He was at his wit's end after finding out she got too close to humans. He certainly didn't enjoy hurting her. Parents have to be harsh sometimes. Deal with it.

Knowing full well about Ursula's infamy, Ariel was still stupidly self-centered enough to make a deal with her. She knew it meant abandoning her family and felt guilty about that for all of four seconds. She was just that obsessed with a guy she watched for roughly ten minutes. No, she didn't 'earn' Eric by saving him. She's a mermaid! Swimming an unconscious person to shore isn't exactly high-risk.

Towards the end, Ariel endangered all of her loved ones for her own selfish desires. The only thing that kept Atlantica from being enslaved to Ursula was Eric's valiant intervention. And still, Ariel gets her way and learns absolutely nothing from the experience. With all of the unfair criticism against girls like Cinderella and Snow White, Ariel has too many defenders. Probably because most girls resemble Ariel instead of Belle.

Then, we have Melody, who is the mermaid kingdom's equivalent of A New Hope. While she is forbidden from going out to the sea, Melody can't help being drawn to it. The little girl has a ballroom full of party guests at home, but she only feels comfortable in the water with Sebastian and the aquatic crew. Unlike Ariel, Melody actually was ostracized and considered a freak by the other children in the kingdom. It was her own birthday party and Melody looked seconds away from a panic attack.

Similar to how I reason Blade to be an allegory for mistreated children conceived in rape, Melody's story really resembles the mixed kid experience. Not all of them are aware of the full details of their parentage. Some could talk or like vastly different things from the norms of their communities for reasons even they don't understand. The wall dividing the human kingdom and the mer-kingdom could symbolize the one-drop rule. The kids at her party mock Melody's love of being around fish the same way a mixed child might be ridiculed for liking certain movies and music. Think about her overjoyed reaction to some mer-kids asking her to hang out with them. It was a short moment, but she looked ready to cry for being accepted so easily, possibly for the first time in her life.

Ursula's sister Morgana had a drastically different approach to luring someone in. Her lair was inviting and bright with no tiny terrified creatures urging Melody not to go in. Instead of being obviously creepy, Morgana acted more like an energetic cool aunt. She even offered food to Melody and related to her about having a mother who doesn't understand her. Since Melody's parents never gave her the real story as to why the sea was so dangerous, she had no reason not to trust Morgana. She made Melody a mermaid without asking for anything in return as well.

It's hard to hear Melody sing For a Moment without tearing up. It's simply beautiful to see this warm, sweet, spirited girl who felt so lonely and unwanted by her peers declare, "For a moment, just a moment, I belong!" How could she possibly talk to Ariel about anything? They are completely different with opposite social experiences.

When Melody realized Morgana to be no fairy godmother, she is devastated by what she's done. No, not that a spell ended before she could get what she desired, but because she felt like she ruined everything. For a moment, she got to be truly happy and comfortable in an environment. Then just like that, she was left feeling like she really is nothing more than the princess of disaster no one likes. However, instead of sitting back while everyone else risks themselves, Melody makes an effort to right her own wrongs. While she succeeded, she almost died in the process. Still, she's apologetic towards her parents.

It's really telling when, once the danger is over, Triton has not one negative word for Melody's actions. Even though Ariel and Eric are right there, he lets Melody alone make the decision to live as a human or as a mermaid in Atlantica with Grandpa. This might sound like Triton is undermining the parents, but please. At newly 12, Melody has more courage, wisdom, capability, and humility than her mother does now, let alone when Ariel was 16. In an awesome move, Melody opts to tear down the wall so the two kingdoms can unite. Also, Triton's A-OK giving the kid the trident to do so. Dissolving that wall might have been more euphoric for her than growing fins. Meanwhile, Airhead Ariel couldn't even go for a swim around the block without a chaperone. And Melody's crowning achievement in the field of awesome comes when she invites the kids who mocked her to come play in the water.

It's such a shame that a protagonist so wonderful ended up as part of a direct-to-video sequel. If the Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea got a big budget and theater release like that awful third mermaid movie, Melody would be much bettered remembered. Regardless, I wouldn't trade her for any of Ariel's undeserved hype.

🏖💛👸

[aurabird]

Guidance for Guilt

How does one deal with the guilt and regret they feel when they see the way people look at them? You seek out another that has been in the same situation before.

Also on Ao3

Despite the title, this doesn’t actually have angst in it.

-----------

Sausage went by horseback as he left Mythland, too afraid to even touch the corrupted elytra he once wore for longer than a few seconds let alone wear it again.

The ride through the desert was slow despite the well-worn paths from trade routes, the unrelenting heat miserable for both him and his stead and briefly he debated turning back and borrowing an elytra from someone.

Night fell as the moon took the place of the sun. It was a respite from the heat sure, but out here, night brought a chilling cold. The Mythland king would never understand why anyone would want to live in the desert, and yet one of the largest and most powerful empires was nestled at the heart the said biome.

The Vigil of Pixandria shone like a beacon in the night as if to lead those weary and lost among the dunes to shelter from the elements. Sausage grimaced briefly at the fact that the last time he was there, he’d built a fake embassy and trapped it, the aim to kill the empire’s king. He had been struggling to fight off the corruption then and even though he had the self-awareness to know what he was doing was wrong, he did it anyway.

To be fair, his mind argued, Pix HAD issued a challenge to all that wished to prank him to make sure their attempts were more than a pathetic pitfall trap... so was it really Sausage’s fault if the oracle had asked for something so explosive in the first place?

Sand began to transition granite and brick as Sausage entered the oasis of an empire. The streets weren’t empty, but the citizens of Pixandria that were around spoke in hushed whispers of intrigue at him. They didn’t know who he was, he’d worn his assassins guild attire strictly so that he could hide his face.

After all, he was still technically enemy number one in pretty much every single empire. If the Pixandrians had known who had entered their city, then their reactions probably wouldn’t have been the most welcoming.

He found an inn in the center of this residential area and paid the stable boy the money required to leave his horse there before continuing to the capitol of the empire.

As he entered the familiar area he found it mostly empty, understandably so given how late it was, and took time to look at the Vigil; the colorful candles and lanterns that decorated the are around it just as stunning as the last time he’d been here.

Pix had told him once that the Vigil was for the twelve empires alone since in Pixandrian beleif they all had to exist regardless of what terms they were all on lest the balance of the universe be upset. He shuddered at the realization that if his journey in the spirit realm had ended in failure that he could have caused something far more catastrophic than whatever Xornoth would bring to occur.

Then came sadness at the thought of how many of the recorded deaths were by his own hand? He’d been told of the arena fight, how he’d gone on a murder spree when the corruption took control over him entirely...

"I had a feeling you’d show up eventually.” Came a familiar voice, snapping him out of his thoughts. Sausage turned to face the speaker and found the Copper King himself casually leaning against the wall of a building that looked like a shop of sorts.

Sausage wasn’t surprised that he’d been expected, Pix was a unique individual in the fact that he was an oracle not only with the ability to see deaths seconds before they happened, but he would sometimes get prophetic visions every now and again. He was a wise and kind ruler, albeit with a streak of mischief at times as well. The man no doubt had questions about Sausage’s recent death by Gem’s hand and his delayed respawn, but that’s not why the Mythland king had come to see him.

After the death of the enderdragon, the Copper King had exiled himself in his guilt and regret, heading into the harshness of the desert with almost nothing but the clothes on his back. Signs of his struggle could be seen in the form of scars and burns. This, is why Sausage had come.

“I’m...probably not at the top of your list of people to see right now...but I...I need guidance, Pix. I don’t know how to cope with what I’m feeling.”

Pix gave him a gentle smile, “Come, we’ll discuss it inside.”

The interior of Pix’s abode was something Sausage had only seen once and, at the time, he’d not been in complete control of his body and actions. Now that the haze in his mind was gone, the place was stunning. Sandstone and striped birch made up walls accented with copper. The sandstone and glazed terracotta floor accented with dried honeycomb, desert plants filling pots nestled into corners and on shelves. It was a humble place as opposed to the massive castles and towers of the other empires.

He sat down at an oak table while Pix went off to grab something, returning with a glass of water which Sausage graciously accepted. Pix then sat down opposite of him and spoke "So, since you sit here now, I assume your trip to the spirit realm was successful?“

Of course Pix would know about that, “I think so? I don’t feel corrupted anymore and the haze that used to cloud my mind is gone so...maybe? I...still don’t understand how going there cured me.”

“In Pixandrian beleif, those with damaged souls go there to heal or pass on. Xornoth corrupted yours entirely and when Gem killed you, that’s where you ended up. You were dead to the world for a week, Sausage; the only sign that you were going to come back was because that spirit tether of yours was glowing.”

Sausage pulled the strange object he’d been given by Sir Carlos out and looked at it, “That’s what this thing is called?”

Pix nodded in response, “Most souls that end up in the spirit realm pass on while others get lost and eventually fade away over time. A spirit tether ensures that a soul will find its way back to its body. They are extremely rare so I was surprised to find you had one.”

“A friend gave it to me...I guess I quite literally owe him my life. But my spiritual journey is not why I came here; I see the way everyone looks at me, to them I’m still the servant of evil, Xornoth’s corrupted Champion. I have nightmares of what I’ve done and who I’ve hurt, I have permanent scars to remind me of my mistakes...there’s so much guilt and regret, Pix...I don’t know what to do.”

"Guilt and regret are hard wounds to heal; even now, I still cannot forgive myself for what I did to the enderdragon and, honestly, I don’t think I ever will. Speak with those you wronged, even if they don’t believe you at first. It will take time and effort to fix what has been broken and there will be scarring that remains once the wound heals, but I know you, Sausage, and you’re pretty hard to stay mad at for very long.”

A pained smile crossed Sausage’s mouth at those words, “Even though I’ve caused so much greif and pain?”

"I don’t speak for the others, but the way I see it, if we’re going to stop Xornoth, we need to be united. The sooner we put our quarrels aside, the sooner we can deal with him.”

“Joey is still drunk with power and praise and I’m pretty sure that crown of his is messing with his mind somehow. We need to save him first, Pix, before he’s too far gone for us to do anything.”

Pix nodded, “Agreed. But, for now, you’ve traveled a long way to get here. Why don’t you stay in Pixandria for the night and head off to Mythland to make amends with the others in the morning?”

As if in agreement Sausage yawned, “Alright, thank you Pix, for everything. And...I’m sorry for the embassy trap but you did kinda ask for us to do better pranks.”

A laugh escaped the Copper King at the comment, his brown eyes glinting with mischief, "I did, didn’t I? Well, you know me, my retaliation will be tenfold so I hope you’re ready, Sausage.”

Sausage let out a chuckle and a sly smirk, “Bring it on, Copper King.”