#no idea how to do gio’s hair from this angle

[starry-blue-echoes]

coconut mall giorno w g6 perhaps

Sad boi hours

[nicolinocolino]

Marti x Nico fic rec list

Inspired by: 1) the ask I got requesting nicotino fic recs 2) the lack of fic rec posts in this fandom and 3) my own procrastination

my personal favorites are marked with a ★

explicit fics are marked (E)

and incomplete chaptered fics are marked with ✐

canon-compliant/divergent & post-canon & slice of life

Martinese by ginnyred ★ summary: Nico has always been fairly good at languages.

Londra A/R by ginnyred ★ summary: i miss you already. Or, Marti leaves on a four-day school trip to London.

tre giorni by akmongs ★ summary: "I think this summer is going to be good." Snippets of Marti and Nico's life over three days.

maybe... by Princess_sized summary: Hi! I didn’t like the idea of Marti being so upset after the fundraiser and not seeing any kind of resolution for him so... here ya go! Ele’s POV because it’s her season, of course.

Matched by ginnyred summary: When Marti told him the five-a-side football tournament began in two weeks, Nico smiled gently and said: “That's great. Is Chinese okay for dinner?” With hindsight, he might have underestimated the whole thing a little bit.

tell me what you need by crucios (E) summary: There's something a little off-kilter tonight that Marti can't pinpoint. Nico's smile doesn't quite reach his eyes and there's a strained and anxious sort of energy thrumming through him. Like it's just under the surface of his skin but hasn't quite broken through.

quicken the heart by crucios summary: The words come spilling out a bit like a cup clumsily overflowing. Marti can feel his cheeks heat up a little. It's not even that he's embarrassed. Not really. It's Nico. He can tell Nico anything. It's just... a strange thing to hear himself say. Before Nico he had never properly imagined that he would ever be this intimate with someone—intimate enough to be able to have conversations like this.

clean breaks by ladyballs_and_manboobs summary: Mamma Rametta angst or Nicotino angst? Why not both!

let me face hurricanes by ladyballs_and_manboobs summary: Martino's courage is tested.

he ain't heavy by ladyballs_and_manboobs summary: Chapter 1: Gio reflects on Marti's confession (Episode 6) Chapter 2: Gio becomes the Love Magician (Episode 7) Chapter 3: Gio gets to know Marti's boyfriend better (Episode 8) Chapter 4: Gio takes care of his boys after the fight (S3)

Old Flames by claudinedelyon summary: Through sheer bad luck, Martino never receives Nico's post-its or the antidote. The next time they see each other, ten years have passed and they are back in very familiar territory.

don't know where you start, and where i begin by akmongs (E) summary: Marti thinks another reason why they have anticipated this trip so much is this. Having a hotel room to themselves for five nights. No one else's schedule dictating how much time they have. No one interrupting them. No biting his hand to keep quiet when Nico slips a hand in his boxers while his mom is sleeping next door. Just the two of them, alone in a room with a double bed and what feels like endless hours to spend wrapped in each other.

Forget The World Outside by givemesumaurgravy summary: “Stay with me,” Niccolò says, and it’s not so much a question as a request, one that Martino could never deny him. Martino would stay forever if Niccolò let him. Or, what happens after the pool kiss scene.

Buttons by Princess_sized summary: “I know it sounds crazy, but I never meant to hurt you.” Or, Marti starts wearing his shirts buttoned all the way up sometime between the end of their 3rd year and the start of 4th. This is why.

pda (private displays of affection) by lamourestout summary: s3 ep2 missing scene (except not really since it's not marti's season anymore) but after nico whispered to marti and they left while ele and eva were talking aka making out in edoardo incanti's guest bedroom because they're very in love with each other

Unforgivable by ginnyred summary: There is a moment, it lasts maybe a couple of seconds, in which Marti wonders if Nico has been listening to him at all. But then Nico looks at him. Really, really looks at him and Marti knows he knows. “What is it that you're ashamed of?” Nico asks, kind but resolute. He kisses his forehead and holds Marti's face in his hands. “Betraying your friend's trust? Or the feelings you had for him?” Marti tells Gio, but first he tells Nico.

alternate universe:

Nico the fitness trainer AU by ladyballs_and_manboobs ★ ✐ summary: Martino has to take pilates classes with the girls after losing a bet to Elia. It doesn't turn out as bad as he feared.

For art's sake by ginnyred ★ summary: Being an art critic, Marti thought he knew what posh artists were like. Not bothering to show up at one's own art opening has got to be a new low, though.

focal point by GiuliaMed ★ summary: Finding new friends is Niccolò's priority after changing schools, but somewhere along the line, one of the four boys he meets becomes more important. Snapshots of Nico slowly falling in love.

Mezzo Forte by silver_etoile summary: Martino knows falling for a straight guy is bad news, but his heart just doesn't seem to listen.

but nothing ever stops you leaving by akmongs (E) summary: Nico moves to Milan after university. Marti doesn't cope as well as he thought he would. Over a month since they last saw each other, he decides to book a train and surprise him.

Threading the Needle by claudinedelyon summary: Anybody who has so much as met Martino could probably tell fashion is not his biggest passion in life. But he has rent and bills to pay so he will happily take the position offered by Brava, a small but growing clothing company. The fact that the job turns out not as crappy as he feared and that the people working there welcome him with open arms, those are all perks that just make his life easier. And the presence of one dark-haired designer who seems to draw great amusement from his lack of knowledge or interest in the company's line of business, well, it's something else entirely.

Do you Feel a Comma in your Heart? by claudinedelyon summary: Martino is a professional, somewhat experienced, translator. He's worked with all kinds of proofers before, and it's mostly gone well. And then, he's introduced to the new proofer who is working with him on his latest project and has got green eyes, an infectious smile and opinions on the proper use of commas.

Io non ci credo, alle giraffe by Akira14 ✐ summary: Once upon a time, there was a boy who couldn’t sleep. This is the story of his quest for a cure, for the song of a wounded soul and the tears of a mythical creature. And what if he finds love, along the way? Love... Everybody seems so obsessed with that, but Martino had seen with his own eyes how dangerous, how painful, it was to fall for someone and he would rather avoid it. Will he?

Bewitched by ginnyred summary: Marti looks down at himself. Long, lean pianist fingers that are not his at all. He's swimming in his blue t-shirt, suddenly a lot slimmer. He puts his hands in his hair and it's weird because the feeling is familiar, but the angle is wrong. He touches his face, the long line of his nose, his jaw and prominent cheekbones. “What the fuck?” he whispers, looking up again, and his own voice startles him with how deep it is. “I'm you!”

———

PLEASE ADD TO THIS WITH ITALIAN FICS I BEG OF Y’ALL

[wexregolden]

crazy colours in the grey, our love

His world was grey.

Whenever Marti thought back to the past, the way his life has been only a year ago from now, he couldn´t get rid of the feeling of loneliness, being lost, everything felt dark and hopeless. Grey.

Being in the closet, not being his true self, playing a role, wearing a mask all the time. It felt fake all those years.

His father just leaving, not having the best relationship with his mom.

Just feeling out of place, different, not normal.

All of it being in the past by now.

And he didn´t want his life to be fake anymore.

The sun was burning in his eyes and he tried to blink it away.

He was, no, they were in a parc. His friends, Gio, Elia and Luca, Nico´s parents and, the most important one, Niccolò, his boyfriend, celebrating his graduation. He did it. Nico really fucking did it. Despite all the ups and downs in his last year of school, the fights with himself Marti knew he had to fight inside of his head – he did it. And Marti couldn´t be prouder of him.

Elia and Luca were somewhere a bit more far away, kicking a football between them. Nico and Gio stood under a tree in the shadow, talking about something and laughing a lot. And Marti was sitting on the picknick blanket they brought, together with Nico´s parents, helping them unpack the food.

There was a lot of it. Too much, too much food. Marisol insisted on making all those different dishes and cakes, packing them carefully in boxes.

And now they were unpacking everything, the sound of other people in the parc, kids playing and birds singing surrounding them.

-----

As everything was done, he turned around a little and saw that Luchi and Elia had stopped fooling around and playing with the football and that they had joined Nico and Gio in the shadow of the tree. And Marti couldn´t help but had to smile at that sight. His best friends and his boyfriend, getting along wonderfully. It warmed his heart. Marti really was a lucky guy, huh?

“Marti, get your ass over here!” Gio suddenly shouted and raised an eyebrow at his best friend. Marti went red in his face and hoped that Niccolò´s parents hadn´t head Giovanni. As he turned around to them he saw Anna grinning already.

“I haven´t heard anything,” she said, raising her arms in defence, “come, go to them Martino, we can do it alone anyway,” Anna said before she looked over to her husband who struggled with getting a piece of cake out of a box. As he saw his wife and Marti looking at him, he just nodded before he turned his attention back to the cake again. Marti smiled at them before he stood up, going over to his friends. And his boyfriend, who already stood there, an irresistible smile on his face that made his eyes shine even more, opening his arms to greet Marti with a hug. He felt Nico´s arms around him as soon as he reached him and felt a kiss pressed to his cheek.

“Hey,” he whispered, looking Marti into the eyes.

“Hey,” Martino simply greeted back, smiling at him. Just looking Nico in the eyes, appreciating the smile on his boyfriend´s face. That smile that could make his heart melt.

“Hey,” Nico said quietly again before he leaned in and kissed Marti. He immediately smiled into the kiss and kissed Nico back.

Marti never gets tired of this, will never get tired of this. Kissing Nico, being close to him, just being with him. Loving him.

“Fuck it, you are really that couple, huh?!” Elia suddenly said, groaning annoyed.

“Come on, let´s leave them some space,” Marti heard Gio said and footsteps, indicating that their friends left them for now.

He smiled even harder, placing his hand on Nico´s cheek and angling his face to kiss him deeper, feeling Nico´s tongue nudging his lips.

As they broke apart after a while, Nico´s hands still wrapped around Marti´s middle, they still couldn´t stop smiling, looking at each other.

“How are you?” Marti asked and placed his hands on Niccolò´s hips.

“Fine I guess. Maybe still a bit overwhelmed but in a good kinda way. I just still can´t believe everything that happened over the last year.”

Marti got the feeling, he really did, but kept it to himself. It´s not about him now.

“I graduated. Can you believe, Marti? I graduated!” Nico continued, with a kinda puzzled look on his face, “and I found the boys. And you. I found you.”

Martino felt his heart beating a little faster at his boyfriend´s words.

“You did, you found me. And I found you. Guess you won´t get rid of me that fast again.”

“I won´t?”

“No, you won´t,” Marti said grinning and pecked Nico on the lips really quickly.

“Well, good that I won´t to get rid of you either,” Nico responded, the corners of his lips drawing up into a grin.

They just stood there for a while, looking each other into the eyes, touching each other softly.

“You know what I want to do now?” Nico broke the silence and asked Marti with a challenging gaze.

“What? We should probably go back there,” Marti said, pointing back to the picknick blanket where the boys have joined Niccolò´s parents by now.

“No no, that´s boring, Marti,” Nico responded quickly before he turned around and grabbed Marti behind his knees, “wrap your arms around my neck!”

“What?” Marti asked confused but didn´t had time to think about it more as Nico already lifted him on his back, carrying him piggyback.

“I wanna carry you around a bit and enjoy time with you. Yes, that´s what I wanna do,” Nico said and turned his head back as far as possible so that Marti could see the grin on his face.

“Nico I´m ta--,” Marti started a sentence but got interrupted by his boyfriend.

“You´re taller than me? Oh believe me, I know that. You tell me often enough, Marti!” which got a laugh out of Martino, “but your size doesn´t mean that I can´t carry you.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, look!” Nico said before he started running around with Marti on his back, having his arms wrapped around closely around Nico.

The whole thing lasted for a few seconds, Marti could already feel it, but Nico suddenly started to tremble and lost his balance. Both of them fell to the ground.

A mess of limbs, giggles and laughs.

They untangled from each other but faced each other immediately again.

“I´m proud of you, you know?” Marti asked his boyfriend as he caressed his cheek softly, a smile on his face.

Nico couldn´t help but had to smile too.

“And I love, you know?” he said with a grin which turned into a soft smile again as Marti responded.

“I love you too, Nico, so much.”

And then they started kissing.

It felt like heaven on earth to Marti. Being able to be free, being with someone who loves him back, just being able to be playful with his boyfriend, Nico. Just being himself.

“Nico? Can you quickly come over, please?” Anna shouted, Marti leaning back a bit and interrupting the kiss.

“Wait for me here,” Nico said as he stroked Marti´s hair softly and placed another quick kiss before he got up.

“I will,” Marti responded with a smile before Nico went away.

He turned to his back and looked up to the sky.

The sun was burning in his eyes but he didn´t try to blink it away.

He could have never imagined that his life could look like that one day. Him being happy. In love. Having the best boyfriend he could wish for.

He could never have, not after everything that happened in his life before. And he will never stop being grateful for what happened in the last year, will never stop being grateful for Nico.

He really is living his best life.

Marti sat up again and looked over to his boyfriend who was already looking at him, a smile on his face. And he couldn´t help but had to mirror it.

His world is colourful now.

-----

Don´t ask me why, but I have this headcanon of them having a picknick and Nico carrying Marti on his back for some time now. As I said, don´t ask me why. But well, I tried it to pack it into a little oneshot, hehe :D I was listening to "Tiny Love" by Mika (where the title of this one is from) as I got the idea for the beginning and ending of that Oneshot here, so thanks to Mika I guess, haha :D

I really hope ypu enjoyed reading that little thingy here, it was so much fun writing it. I´d love to hear what you think of it in the comments or my ask box, that would be great. <3

[jojo-lity]

Can I get some merman/siren Gio with a surfer S/o?? (scenario or hc, which ever is easiest tbh)

fascinating idea!! i blame the number of words below on 2 things: hype for part 5, and a childhood obsession with the little mermaid. enjoy?

ao3 link

Painfully bright colours lurched back and forth, refusing to stay in a single place long enough to make any sense. For the unfortunate individual laid out in the hollow base of a seaside cliff, even raising a hand was an impossible abstract, let alone remembering how they had gotten there.

Had they been in a state to differentiate between the two, they might have picked a voice from the swirling landscape. As it was, all they could do was breathe, and even that took some effort.

Even before the idea of passing out occurred to them, they accepted it. Unconsciousness was quiet, even, and above all, painless. The only thing it wasn’t was permanent. The next time their eyes opened, they could see, and move, but an awful pain that they had been oblivious to was clawing at their chest and throat. 

“Wh…. where…” That was as far as they got before doubling over, a stream of water forcing itself from their mouth. All they could do was let it happen, spitting and coughing once it was over. “Ugh…”

“I’m sorry, that didn’t look pleasant… but I’m glad you’re alive.” The gentle voice came from below, where a boy looked up at him with concern. Though only his head, shoulders, and arms were visible, he seemed made for the water, sharp and streamlined in a way that let him float effortlessly. Even his eyes were the colour of the sea, shimmering at the dimmest hints of light. “I thought it might have been too late.”

“I’m fine.” They waved a hand. “But where am I?” No matter how far they looked, they couldn’t find a single sign of the beach. It was starting to come back to them- the search for the perfect wave, paddling further and further out while insisting it was perfectly safe. Afterwards, it was a blur, but the sharp taste of salt and the low rumble right behind them were enough of a clue. An accident, that could have happened to anyone, but could have easily killed them if they hadn’t been found.

“It’s not too far. It was just the nearest safe place I could think of.” He reached out with one hand, almost patting their shoulder. “Just one question… can you keep a secret?”

“Huh? Sure, no problem. I won’t tell anyone about this place.” They shrugged.

“No, no. Not that. A bigger secret.”

“I… guess?” It wasn’t as if they knew him, but something about him seemed trustworthy. Agreeing with him was easy, and when he smiled, the warmth inside them felt like a good decision.

“Good. Then I can bring you back myself.” He leaned forward a little, and a delicate, curling fin broke the surface behind him. It was followed by another, directly attached to the base of the first, and where the two met, rows of shining scales spanned the unbroken length of his lower body. They cut off neatly at the waist, joining an upper half that was human with a lower half that was decidedly not. And yet he was a complete picture, as natural and perfectly shaped as the sun itself.

At their shocked silence, his tail dropped a little, and his smile faded. “Or I could leave, if that’s what you prefer. Fishing boats pass by here every day, one of them will pick you up.”

“No, no.” Despite the pain, they reached with both arms, seemingly trying to prevent him from leaving even if they couldn’t actually manage to get anywhere near him. “I was just surprised.” Surprised that someone so beautiful had any right to exist, but they couldn’t say that. Though they had never witnessed a merman with their own eyes, spending all their free time on the beach meant hearing plenty of stories, ranging from the obviously fabricated to the surprisingly convincing. Sometimes they were cruel and vicious, but usually kind, or at least not actively hostile. Even when they caught a few glimpses of sharp teeth in his returned smile, it was hard to feel like there was anything to fear.

“Then get on.” He tapped at his back, where skin met scales. “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt. I’m pretty strong.”

With some help, they carefully slid themself off the rocks, sitting on his back as lightly as they possibly could. “Is this right?” They couldn’t shake the fear of hurting him, no matter how much he insisted it wouldn’t happen.

“Hmm, this would be better.” If he noticed their sharp, quickly cut-off stammering when he grabbed their hands, he didn’t take it as a sign of protest, pulling them forward to securely meet across his neck. “I wouldn’t want you to fall off.” With a flick of his tail, he turned back to the wider sea, skimming through the waves with all the grace and confidence of someone who owned them.

The view was beautiful, and it was a chance to see it in an entirely new way, but it just couldn’t hold their attention. In the position the merman had moved them into, they were much closer, heads almost bumping together whenever they took a sharp turn. Though his hair was perpetually wet, it cradled their face in silky softness every time.

It was over too soon. The scenery became increasingly familiar, until they approached the beach they had come from. The corner they were gently deposited on was virtually abandoned, but the merman still kept his tail below water, just in case.

“It was nice to meet you.” Without the echo of the cliffside, his voice was much quieter. “The ocean’s a big place. If it’s fate, then maybe we’ll meet again… but probably not.”

“Wait, don’t leave yet.” He hadn’t been in the process of leaving, but he still looked directly up at them, signalling where his attention was. “Can I at least know your name?”

“Of course.” A few droplets fell from his hair when he nodded. “Giorno Giovanna. And you?” Once their names were exchanged, he did start sinking back into the sea, but slowly, savouring one last look at the world above.

It was getting late, and the sun didn’t have long left in the sky, but for a long time afterward, they stood and watched the endlessly rolling waves. “Goodnight, Giorno…” As soon as they said it, a gentle gust of wind seemed to steal it from the air, leaving silence.

—

After Giorno’s insistence that only an accident of fate could bring them back together, they hadn’t really expected to see him the very next day. And yet there he was, seeming to think that they hadn’t noticed him watching from further out. They had hoped to get in a bit more surfing practice throughout the day, especially to make up for yesterday being cut short, but they didn’t hesitate to put the board aside and swim out.

“Hey!” They raised an arm mid-stroke. “You’re still here?”

He was still a little far away to hear, but his mouth opened in a way that suggested a small, surprised cry. Though he didn’t come any closer, he also didn’t move away, allowing them to approach. “Yes, I am. I thought I was going to be busy for a while… but something else seems to have come up.”

“Well, then.” They wondered what else to say. Giorno wasn’t giving away any hints about whether his previous responsibility was a good or bad thing, so they couldn’t congratulate or sympathise with him. “So you have new plans now?”

“You could say that.” He seemed to interrupt himself in the middle of a slow smile. “So how do you do that, with the board? I’ve seen other people doing it, but it doesn’t exactly come naturally.”

“Surfing? It takes some practice, but it’s not too hard once you’ve learned. Here, I’ll go get it and show you…”

Keeping his tail hidden enough to pass as a human swimmer, Giorno could enjoy watching his new friend ride wave after wave to shore. They even showed off a few tricks, making him clap with excitement. They were so talented! Of course, they did eventually get tired, and the two of them spent the rest of the day talking. It was only when darkness fell that they realised how much time had passed.

The pattern continued, day after day, though occasionally one or both of them had somewhere else to be.  It got to the point where Giorno must have seen every trick they were capable of three times, but still insisted on seeing them again, happily floating in the shallow bay while watching them.

It had taken some time for them to admit, but they had been charmed by him from the moment they met. And not only was he beautiful, but his quiet exterior concealed an unwavering kindness and love of life. Though his thoughtfulness and restraint were admirable, it did make it almost impossible to tell how he really felt about them. Of course, being his friend was enjoyable enough that it was only a mild frustration.

“Look at this.” One day, when they first caught sight of Giorno, he was apparently so dedicated to showing them something that he practically swam onto shore. Clutched in his hand was a huge pearl, flawless and shining.

“Wow, did you find that?” They leaned down to get a closer look, face dipping quite close to Giorno’s. If that affected him in any way, he didn’t show it.

“You could say that.” Was there a shifty look in his eyes? No, they must have imagined it, and any evidence of it was completely gone by the time he offered the jewel to them. His fingers brushed over their palm when he handed it over, damp and cool but bringing out a warm blush.

“For me?” They brought it to their face to get a closer look, admiring its flawlessness from every angle. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

“Of course.” He had been watching them carefully, but when their eyes met, he looked back down to the water. It wasn’t easy to tell, but it almost seemed like something was troubling him.

If there was, they couldn’t just let him suffer alone. “Is everything okay?” They stayed close to him, trying to meet his eyes.

He sighed, shoulders stiffening. “I haven’t been honest with you. About myself.”

“Huh?” That came as a surprise. Giorno didn’t exactly share much about himself in the first place, what could he have been lying about? Was he not really a merman? If that was the case, he made a convincing enough fake that they could only be impressed. “Hey, you can tell me. I promise I won’t be mad.”

“I don’t know about that.” He smiled, but there was no happiness in his eyes. “But you deserve the truth. I’m not a merman… but I’m not a human either, before you say anything.”

“Then what are you?” No matter what he was, he was Giorno.

“Ah…” He tilted his head. “I guess you would call me a siren, or something like that? Honestly, there’s only one big difference.”

“Your voice.” Growing up the way they did, it would have been almost impossible not to hear the stories. Sirens might have looked just like their more benign cousins, but their singing voices held a powerful charm, capable of luring anyone into death. “Right?” But maybe it was just a rumour, and Giorno was perfectly harmless-

“Yes, that’s right. Oh, wait, one more.” For the first time, he flashed them a full grin, letting them see just how needle-sharp his teeth were. “Our diet’s a little different.” Wide as his smile was, he didn’t seem able to keep it up for long. “I understand if that makes you uncomfortable around me.”

“No, no, not at all!” It was a lot to take in, and maybe it hadn’t fully registered yet, but they felt no fear. If Giorno had really wanted to eat them, he could have done it from the very beginning- they had trusted him the whole time. “So… do you sing very often?”

He shook his head. “Never. People should be free to follow their own path in life.”

“Then…” Slipping the pearl into a pocket, they took a gentle hold of his shoulders to draw him closer. “I want to follow the path that brought me to you.” They had braced themself for a strange taste on his lips, but besides the salt of the sea, nothing felt any different from kissing a human. He was slow to respond, only pulling them to hold against his chest when they were about to break contact.

“Thank you,” he whispered, maintaining the hug despite its awkward position. “I just need you to know one more thing, okay?”

“Anything.”

“Well… if anyone asks about that pearl, you’ve never heard of me, okay?”

“Huh? Giorno, what did you-“ His smile said it all. “Did you steal this from someone?”

“I had no choice. It was the only one that was good enough for you.” He had been sneaking backward for the past few moments, ducking below water when he was deep enough. Before they could yell again, he had vanished into the glittering sea.

[scriberat]

Happy Magi New Year!

I was given @gio-zzz as my secret giftee, and wrote them a fan fiction based around Kougyoku and the Kou Empire! It’s almost 4,000 words (more than I originally intended before giving a realistic estimate) so I’ve put it under the cut.

Flower Crowns

Kougyoku wandered through the palace, Ka Koubun at her side. Ever since returning from Sindria, her older brother, Koumei, had been asking her questions about the country and its King.

I should’ve known that his support of me going to marry Sinbad was to bring Sindra into the Empire. Her hairloops drooped at the thought. Worse than her brother angling her like a pawn was Hakuryuu’s refusal to answer any questions or help out at all meant that Kougyoku was the only person who could say anything satisfactory.

“Princess, what’s the matter?” Koubun asked.

“My older brothers are planning out how they’re going to attack Sindria, even though I don’t want them to. Even Kouha is interested in it. He said he was all for an attack after they take Magnostadt.”

“Cheer up, Princess. I’m sure everything will be alright,” Koubun said, though he wasn’t sure how it could be alright. Kougyoku was about to lose her first love to her brothers’ conquest of the entire world --- though Lord Kouen would probably keep Sinbad alive, for one reason or another. Then, Ka Koubun saw the palace gardens, and more specifically, flowers.

Flowers with long stems that help with making flower crowns.

“Uh, Princess! You learned how to make flower crowns in Sindria, right? Why don’t you show me how to make them? From what I’ve heard and seen, you’re very good at it,” he said, hoping that his plan would work. At this moment, distracting the princess was what he needed to do. Making her happy was imperative. So, despite not really being interested in flower crowns, or learning the art of making one, Koubun maneuvered Kougyoku toward the gardens, getting his key to power out of her funk.

“Hm? Sure,” Kougyoku said. The two of them walked along the garden path, Kougyoku selecting flowers carefully from bushes, testing their stems for springiness and length. Once she had enough, she sat down on the grass and handed half of them to Koubun.

“Alright, you need to take two flowers, and twist them like this, then add another, and twist some more… yeah, just like that!” she said happily. Koubun breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’m glad this is making you feel better, Princess Kougyoku,” he said. Kougyoku smiled.

His first flower crown didn’t come out so great, but Koubun refused to be bested by some measly flowers. He made a second crown, correcting the mistakes from the first one. Kougyoku, meanwhile, decided to make some crowns for her brothers. Kouen’s was made of red, yellow, and orange flowers, like the fire of his djinn, and the fire he lit in the hearts of his people. He really is an amazing leader, Kougyoku thought. She wove wine-red roses together, making sure their leaves poked out, and set it down for Koumei. He was a fairly bland person, and not very attractive, so she made sure she found beautiful flowers for him. Since Kouha was around, preparing for a diplomatic mission to Magnostadt, she made him a crown, too. It was made from white flowers, with little pink ones woven in between.

Kougyoku smiled at her handiwork, then looked at the flower crown Ka Koubun made. His was made of soft yellows and pinks alternating with each other.

“Here, Princess. This one is for you,” he said, holding the crown out to her. She bowed her head instead, and Koubun placed the crown atop her head.

“Kougyoku! En-nii-san just arrived,” Kouha called, coming out to the garden. “Where are you?”

This was perfect timing. Kougyoku smiled widely, picking up the flower crown she had made for him. She rose from where she had been sitting. Koubun moved quickly to grab the other two flower crowns.

“That’s good to hear. It’s been quite awhile since I’ve seen him. Here,” Kougyoku said, holding the flower crown out so Kouha could look at it. “I made this for you.” With an appraising eye, Kouha examined the crown, then he smiled.

“It’s good craftsmanship. Put it on for me?”

“Of course!” Kouha removed his hat, fluffing his hair when he did so, and handed it to Junjun. Kougyoku had a brief moment of pride when she remembered which of Kouha’s trio was which. Kouha bowed his head slightly, and Kougyoku placed the crown on his head.

“It’s perfect!” she cried, clapping her hands together. It worked well with his outfit. Kouha smiled, then turned to his attendants.

“What do you think?” he asked them.

“It looks amazing,” said Junjun.

“Magnificent!” Jinjin clapped.

“I want a flower crown, too,” Rinrin said.

“I’ll see if I can get flower crowns for all three of you,” Kouha said, preempting Junjun’s chastising of Rinrin’s whiny selfishness. The three of them cheered as Kouha turned to Kougyoku with a questioning look.

“I can teach you how to make them,” she said.

“That’s a good idea. It’ll be a better gift for your service if I make it myself. Right, we’d better get going to En-nii-san and Mei-nii-san.” The group headed toward Kouen’s personal study, where Kouha said their brothers were waiting. Kougyoku held their flower crowns, one in each hand, as carefully as possible. Neither was crushed in transit.

At least her princess training had taught her how to handle delicate objects.

Kouen’s study was directly attached to his bedroom, though it had its own door to the hallway outside, so a servant --- or a pair of siblings --- could come in without invading his privacy more than necessary. It was spacious, to say the least. The walls were completely covered by bookshelves, and the bookshelves were sagging a bit under the sheer number of scrolls and bound books they supported. At the center of the room was a large map of the entire world. In front of that was a desk, which had papers and scrolls strewn across it. Sitting in a chair behind it was Kouen. Standing next to him was Koumei, eyes open. At least he was awake… maybe.

Or maybe he had learned how to sleep with his eyes open, now? No, that wasn’t happening. He was talking with Kouen, chatting idly. Kougyoku suddenly felt very nervous. She was so young and inexperienced next to them, so utterly out of her element in comparison. She wasn’t even sure how to approach them, let alone give them the flower crowns she had managed not to forget.

“I found Kougyoku. She was out in the garden, making us some flower crowns,” Kouha said, pointing to his own. Kougyoku thanked him silently, walking toward the desk and holding the flower crowns up at the same time. Koumei raised an eyebrow, as did Kouen.

Despite being utterly intimidating, to the point that there was more than one instance where Kougyoku had merely nodded to him in the hall because her voice crapped out on her, Kouen smiled at the flower crown. He bowed his head, inviting its placement. Kougyoku gestured for Ka Koubun, handing Koumei’s to him so she could crown Kouen unimpeded. It looked good on his head, even if it was totally clashing with the rest of his outfit.

She doubted there were enough colors in the universe to match with the disaster he wore regularly.

Koumei proved to be more of a challenge. Kougyoku had to grab his ponytail --- so greasy --- and thread it through the crown first before it would set right on his head. Once it was on, she admired how the deep red matched with his dark magenta hair and eyes.

“This is too beautiful for me,” he muttered.

“Nonsense! You just need to take better care of yourself,” Kougyoku said. She didn’t dare touch his face. At all.

“Kougyoku,” Kouen said, capturing her attention immediately and bringing her back to the conversation having to do with her that they were about to have.

“Yes, brother?” She was motioned to sit, and did so promptly. Kouen smiled that wicked wolf smile he got when things were about to get interesting for the Empire in a good way.

It was better than the smile he had for “challenges,” as he called them.

“We’ve decided that you should take a position in the army.” That was a shock.

“R-really? What would I be doing?”

“You’ll be acting as General in the Western Subjugation Army,” Koumei said, his pretty flower crown barely piercing his constant gloom. “As we’ll be moving troops from the other armies to this one, in order to maintain the manpower necessary to conquer a new continent, we need more generals. You are one of them, but, since you’re new and have little experience, your contingency will be small, and essentially a reserve.”

“Don’t feel as though you’ll have nothing to do, however,” Kouen said. “Men fall all the time, and we’ll need fresh waves to keep the enemy from succeeding. You will be leading the charge later in the battle, bringing in the reserves to combat the tired enemy.”

“I see,” Kougyoku said, uncertain that she would be able to lead well. After all, this particular job required good timing. She had to be able to read the battle well enough to know when to charge in, didn’t she?

“You also don’t need to worry about when to move. That will be left to Kouen, or else another higher ranking officer. Your job is to lead the troops into battle, rally their morale, and charge the enemy with all the force you can muster,” Koumei said.

“It’s really not so hard. You’ll get used to it, soon,” Kouha said, patting Kougyoku on the back.

“We have confidence in you, Kougyoku. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be promoting you like this,” Kouen said. Kougyoku grinned with glee, then controlled her face and nodded.

“I promise, I won’t let you down.”

Ka Koubun smiled as they left the room behind her brothers. Sure, he could do things to lift her mood, but his powers were limited. Her siblings, particularly Kouen, had a special relationship with her. Their presence and words were always helpful to her sour moods.

Kouen entered the war room, striding confidently to his usual place at the head of the table. Present before him were other generals of the Western Subjugation Army, who had returned with him for some well-deserved rest before shipping off again.

They were staring.

Looks of confusion and glances between themselves tipped Kouen off to something distracting them. He tried to figure out what it could be, as he, Koumei, Kouha, and now Kougyoku, took their places at the table before them. Kougyoku sat nervously next to Kouha on Kouen’s left side. Koumei was seated on his right, looking rather bored. With the stalwart refusal that had gotten Kouen this far, he started the meeting.

“Generals of the Western Subjugation Army, this,” he gestured to Kougyoku, who tried her best to look regal and menacing at the same time like her brother, “is the Eighth Princess Kougyoku. She will be serving as a general from this day forth. I expect that you will respect her as an equal and teach her well.” All of the generals present nodded, less distracted now that Koun was directly commanding their attention.

Then it struck him.

The flower crown was still on his head. Their flower crowns were still on all of their heads. He shrugged mentally. Too late to change this now.

“How can we be sure she will lead well? She may be a part of the Ren family, but she’s hardly more than a child. Can she handle so many men?” one general asked.

“I am certain she will do exceptionally well. She, too, is a Dungeon Capturer, and a King’s Candidate. Leading people is a natural-born talent for her,” Kouen said.

“More than that, she showed both restraint and resilience during the Balbadd uprising. The new opening we were given as a result allowed us to bring Balbadd into the Empire without needing to depose their King,” Koumei added. Had Kougyoku not known him as well as she did, she would have missed the brief flash of disgust that flitted across his face. Or maybe she was just projecting her own feelings toward… that King.

Shuffling and muttering went around the table amidst muttering, griping, and further questions. Finally, however, one of the generals raised his hand.

“Speak,” Kouen said. The table went silent.

“I will put my trust in you, Princess Kougyoku. And, if I may be so bold as to pose a question, Lord Kouen...”

“Yes?”

“What is on your head?” Kougyoku had been in the room when her sisters were on the verge of a fight, but she had never felt tension fill a room so quickly.

“This is a flower crown. Kougyoku made them for us,” Kouen said, waving his hand at the flower crowns on the Ren siblings’ heads.

“I… I see. Well, if she can lead an army half as well as she can make a crown, I think we’ll be in good hands,” the general said. Kougyoku liked him. The tension left the room, and with the support of the other generals, the meeting was adjourned.

There is a question that some of the palace servants ask, which is when does Koumei sleep? There is a different question which those who know him ask instead: when doesn’t he sleep?

Chu’un could swear he’d once seen the Second Prince nod off in a war meeting, but he couldn’t be sure. Koumei had kept up with the conversation, somehow. Now, he was watching over his master, who was definitely asleep this time, to make sure no one disturbed him, at least until sunset. He hadn’t slept for the past forty-eight hours, after all.

Marveling at the rose crown on his head, Chu’un stooped down, abandoning his watch temporarily to stroke a flower petal, and then a crown. It was rare for anyone to get this close to the Second Prince when he was asleep. He was a light sleeper, unless he let his guard down.

Someone was coming along toward the two of them, in a dusty corner of the palace’s first library. Chu’un strode to the entrance of the corner, of which there was only one --- Koumei had had this section reorganized a long time ago for the express purpose of having his own space. As the intruder came by, he shook his head at their entrance to this place, and they hurried along.

It surprised him that Koumei could be so comfortable with the roses on his head. In Chu’un’s experience, roses had pointy thorns. How were they not digging in? Upon closer examination, Chu’un could see that they had been removed. He nodded. It was a smart move, and one he could appreciate. He made a mental note to thank Kougyoku later for making the crown safe to wear.

Later that night, as Koumei wandered the palace in search of… something… the flower crown was largely forgotten. Some daughter of a noble or other walked past, and smiled at him.

“You have a lovely headpiece on tonight, Koumei. Tell me, have you decided to wear this for a particular reason?” she asked, swinging her body from side to side like she was innocent or something. Koumei stopped to look at her, a bit confused that she was addressing him at all. He had barely even noticed she was there.

“No, there’s no particular reason.”

“So… you don’t have anyone you’re meeting with?” Oh, wait. She was flirting, wasn’t she?

No, thanks.

“I do, actually. I’m meeting with a representative of a King from a recently added country. We’re going to be discussing my marriage to his daughter,” Koumei lied. Thank the gods for his years of practice.

“Oh,” the woman said, visibly deflating. “Well, I hope it goes well.”

“I hope so, as well.” Koumei hurried off, trying to figure out what it was he had been feeling the need for before she confused him. Maybe he was hungry. When was the last time he ate?

He went to the kitchen, keeping the smile off his face. That was the first time in years a woman had approached him without hiding their disgust at his general appearance.

It was a fine day for a stroll through town, thought Kouen, walking leisurely along and looking at everyone bustling about their lives. There were women who were getting food for that night’s dinner with the money they and their husbands had earned. Children were playing merrily in the streets. Men were bringing crates and boxes from the transport center to the places they needed to go.

Altogether, it was an excellent day, and one which would be talked about for some time, as it was the day that the Crown Prince Kouen came strolling along wearing a flower crown. Many people stopped and stared for some time. For the second time since having it on his head, Kouen forgot that he was wearing a flower crown at all and kept walking, assuming the staring was because the royals always traveled by palanquin or horse, instead of by foot.

His household vessels followed dutifully behind, Shou En the dragon carrying a sack of gold, and not one of them sure why they were in town, or where they were even going. Kouen had simply said he was going out, and they had come along. Through the streets they went, the answer becoming more and more clear as they reached the artisan district. Seishuu stared at the flower crown on Kouen’s head, wondering what his plans were, but knowing that they probably had to do with the gift his dear little sister had made for him.

Sure enough, they made it to a jeweler who was known for making finely crafted items. While jewelry was a secondary need in society, it was necessary to keep the cash flow moving. People liked shiny things, and the women in this place tended to like shiny jewelry.

“Excuse me, sir,” Kouen said, entering the shop. Seishuu could see that the shopkeeper was, in fact, a woman. He stifled a laugh as she got indignant from where they couldn’t see, and bent down to mention her gender so Kouen could correct himself.

“Ah, forgive me, Madam. I didn’t see you properly,” Kouen said, as she came around the corner. She looked him up and down, raised an eyebrow at the flower crown, which Kouen promptly removed. “I was wondering if you would be willing to gild the edges in gold.”

“Gold? Do you think I have enough for all of these petals?” she asked, taking the flower crown in hand. It was bigger than the usual crown, with three layers piled on top of each other. While each was predominantly red, orange, or yellow in ascending order, there were flowers that were interspersed between each to make it come alive with vibrancy. She nodded at the handiwork.

“I do.” He gestured for Shou En to bring the gold in, and showed it to the shopkeeper.

“That’ll be enough. I’ll get to work on this right away, after we discuss cost, of course.” Kouen pulled out a few wads of cash, handing them over to be counted.

“This will be more than enough.” The shopkeeper nodded. Between provision of materials, and the fact that there was over a hundred thousand Fan in her hand, she couldn’t help but agree. Seishuu said nothing, but he was questioning the relative sanity of his master.

He wouldn’t be saying anything about that, either.

With the flower crown safely with the jeweler, and set to be completed quickly, Kouen and his Household members left the shop and went back to the palace.

“Was it really worth that much?” Seishuu asked, once they were back in the walls.

“Of course. That’s the first gift Kougyoku has ever made me. It’s important that I keep it safe and sound.”

It was later in the evening, and Kouha was walking home from the gardens. Well, home was a relative phrase for the place he was going. Anywhere in the palace was home, but there was only one place that was really home home for him: his and his mother’s wing.

In his hands, Kouha held a flower crown in his hand. While his own had started to wilt, this one was perfectly fresh, a good inverse of his own, mostly pink with little white flowers peeking out between each one.

He approached his mother’s room, knocking on the door.

“Mother? May I come in?” There was some shuffling on the other side, then the door opened a bit. Kouha knew the invitation for what it was, and walked inside. Even if his father never visited, he did often enough to know his mother’s mannerisms, strange as they might seem from the outside. It came with growing up with them during his younger years.

Inside was a mess. There were clothes everywhere, the bed was unmade, and, assuming the desk had managed to stay inside the room this time, half the furniture was stacked against the door’s wall.

So his mother was keeping people out again. Kouha nodded, then looked at the woman, and smiled lovingly. She was still beautiful, after all she’d been through.

“Hey, mom? Can we take a bath together?” He was still her parent, sometimes. Other times, thanks to his own insistence in being himself, she saw him as Kouha, her little boy. Rarely, in those moments, she saw him as someone who could take care of himself.

“Of course, Little Ha. Come on, let’s go take a bath.” They went to the bath room, where his mother drew the water herself. She preferred to do things herself, refusing to let others help her, or take control. Kouha set the flower crown on fresh clothes he grabbed from her wardrobe, gathering the rest of the clothing that was flung about and setting them in a basket outside the door. He could make the bed later for her.

Once the bath was ready, they hopped in, and washed each other, like they had for years. Kouha had always wanted to be more of a help to his mom, and, despite her protesting that she should be caring for him, Kouha had eventually won because he wasn’t a little kid anymore (at age ten.)

With his mother clean for the first time since her most recent anti-social spell --- at least, that was what he was figuring --- Kouha dressed himself in clean clothes, helped her with her waist sash, and presented the flower crown, putting his own on his head.

“Here, mom. I made this for you.” She grinned.

“Put it on, put it on, put it on!” Kouha obliged, getting the crown onto her head, then laughed as she danced around the room.

“I’m a queen! I’m a queen, I’m a queen!”

She was happy.

That night, as Kougyoku went to sleep, she hoped her brothers liked their crowns.