#oh mace my beloved i am so sorry but it’s so funny putting you in Situations

[izzystizzys]

There is a scratch mark on the floor of the Council chambers that Mace has never noticed before. Not a deep one, mind, quite shallow. This matters because it’s making the white-hot pulse of agony stabbing through his eyeballs ebb momentarily. Then, he chances a glance upwards at the fidgeting Knight in front of them, and it returns in full force.

Huh, he’s never seen Oppo Rancisis’ face turn that colour before.

“Hmm”, Master Yoda hums, deep and scratchy. His expression is unreadable even to Mace beyond a baseline gremlinness, and the force with which he grips the edges of his seat is making his bones creak. Master of the Order you should become, they said. Follow the calling of the Force, you should. A fulfilling purpose, it will be. Mace is going to hunt the little goblin for sport when this is all over, and he’s going to laugh the whole time.

“Show us the livestream again, could you, Knight Parvo?” Yoda asks. Mace bursts a capillary, he’s pretty sure, and so does poor Knight Parvo, whose orange Mon Cala skin tips all the way into blood red with stress. “Most unusual, this is.”

“Absolutely not!”, Ki Adi intervenes before Mace has to, thank the Force for little mercies. Plo Koon’s tusks tremble slightly with either suppressed laughter or abject horror, maybe both, and Stass Allie has her head in her hands. “The holo stills should be enough”, Ki Adi proceeds to add, and Mace has to reconsider all feelings of grace he just felt towards his fellow Councillor.

He never wants to watch Yoda zoom in on someone’s abs again. Or Depa raise her eyebrows at the curve of thighs bent over the dripping front of a speeder.

“Speeder Wash For Our Troops”, his former padawan reads out loud from a still of what has to be hundreds of the things gathered in the public senate parking lot. “Fund Our Boys And Get A Wet Seeing-To!” The series of images features dozens of Coruscant Guard troopers in various stages of unkitted, gleaming and shining with soap suds and water. The fact that the whole thing is also massive shatterpoint after massive shatterpoint is, quite frankly, insulting.

“Well hello- oh dear”, Obi-Wan’s blue form crackles to life in his chair, followed by several sounds of choking that are definitely not him. Good, Mace thinks acidly. If he has to deal with this, then so does kriffing Skywalker. “I’m sorry, why am I looking at Commander Thorn using a washrag like a lasso on top of a speeder?”

“Oh, the Guard’s little fundraising project”, Bail Organa says, as he steps into the Council chambers. Normally, Mace likes the man well enough. Now, he just smiles and adds on, “I’ve already donated, in mine and Breha’s name. Remotely, of course.”

“The Guard’s fundraising speeder wash?”, Obi-Wan repeats, edges of his holo form flickering with what Mace suspects is Skywalker very unsubtly trying to edge in. Force, but the man really is horrible at any and all stealth, like kissing his secret wife in an open arena in front of his Master. “And they are fundraising for…?”

“GAR budget allocations have to come from somewhere”, Organa shrugs. “And with the tide of public opinion turning, they’ve been tending towards cuts. The Guard feels them more keenly than any other sector - they’ve been reduced from half to quarter rations, and medical supplies have not made more than a token appearance in the last draft. The Chancellor has cancelled three consecutive meetings on the matter, and thus it was agreed that a more hands-on approach was needed. Any surplus will go into the Army fund.”

“Surely it can’t be that dire”, Oppo protests, a slightly less concerning shade of purple now. Senator Organa shrugs again, jostling the smattering of cracks slowly building around his person in a way that makes Mace wince quietly. “It’s all publicly available data, Masters.”

It really can be that dire, as it turns out. And quarter rations is only scratching the surface of how dire, considering the Guard has apparently never had access to bacta in all their posting, and also includes requisitioning forms available to the Senate for reconditionings and decommissionings, two words Mace has only heard Ponds whispers amidst shuddering in the early days of the war before Shaak Ti went off and just about tore some throats out over it.

“Alright”, he concedes, rubbing at his temples. “Fair enough, we have failed to tackle a massive blind spot in the Guard’s well being. There is no Jedi assigned to Coruscant, and that’s an oversight on our behalf. But how in the everloving kriff did this get past the Chancellor and Commander Fox?!”

Who have both signed, black on white. Bail Organa smiles cryptically. “Well, if you scroll a bit past that one image, up to the industrial speeder in the back - Commander Fox is currently having credits stuffed into his codpiece in the back, I believe.”

“HE’S WHAT IN THE WHAT NOW”, Commander Cody screeches through the speaker of Obi-Wan’s holo image, and Mace has to summon every bit of Jedi-serenity he possesses in his body to keep from dropkicking a cackling Yoda through the chamber windows.

[shuturquibble]

Reunion Rhapsody

Fandom: Hibike! Euphonium Pairings: AsuKumi (Asuka/Kumiko) Words: 1659 Summary:  In which Kumiko meets up with someone after a long time, and they catch up - in more ways than one. Links: FF is here! AO3 is here!

“Ah, there you are. I was thinking you weren’t going to show up.”

“…I’m late by literally two minutes.”

“Punctuality is a virtue, Oumae-chan.”

“Quit talking out of your ass.”

“My, my, someone’s gotten feisty since our last meeting.”

“Things can change over the course of two years.”

“So it seems. But I guess your height isn't one of them. Oh, come on, don’t give me that look! How about you sit? The bench isn’t that cold—see, I even wiped off all the snow just for you!”

“Wow, how considerate.”

“Sarcasm hurts, Oumae-chan. Mm? Why’re you staring? Is there something on my face?”

“Ah, no. It’s just…you haven’t changed much, is all.”

“Is that so? I’ll have you know that I did trim my hair a couple of days ago, though. And I got a new prescription.”

“Your hairstyle’s still the same. And so are your frames.”

“Minor details.”

“Why’d you call me out here?”

“To catch up, of course! It’s been two years—you’re graduating soon, right?”

“In a week.”

“My, how time flies! It feels like only yesterday you wandered into the band room with Katou-chan and Sapphire-chan like lost little lambs.”

“That’s hardly close to the truth.”

“Minor details. Ah, your nose and cheeks are all red. Are you cold?”

“I’m freezing, Asuka-senpai.”

“I don’t see why. You look like a walking marshmallow, with all those layers on.”

“We’re sitting in the cold, next to a frozen river, and it’s starting to snow.”

“And?”

“And I’m cold.”

“Fine, fine. Here, I’ll wrap my arm around you to keep you warm.”

“…Fine.”

“Tell me, how’s the band doing?”

“Better. We’ve grown a lot since you graduated.”

“I saw when they broadcasted the Kansai Regionals last year on TV. A good amount of lows joined, surprisingly. Usually only one or two joins.”

“You’ll be surprised how many we have now. We have so many euphs that Taki-sensei made us our own section.”

“Don’t exaggerate—”

“We have seven.”

“Plus you?”

“Eight.”

“Wow.”

“The size of the band practically doubled since you graduated, too. Reina’s having a hard time keeping them together, but she manages to get it done.”

“Oh? Yuuko nominated her for president?”

“They get along surprisingly well.”

“Interesting…. Who’s the vice president, then?”

“Me.”

“Oh, Oumae-chan! I’m so flattered! Have you stepped up to the plate to honor your beloved senpai’s name?”

“I…would be lying if I said that wasn’t part of the reason I accepted the nomination.”

“…Seriously?”

“Stop smiling, please.”

“What? Am I not allowed to convey to my precious junior how touched I am? Next thing you know you’ll be telling me that Nozomi nominated you for taking her place as drum major!”

“She chose Shuuichi for that.”

“Tsukamoto-kun? The trombonist?”

“Mhm.”

“I’m surprised he would accept the nomination. He doesn’t seem like the type of person to be a leader.”

“I know. But he told me the only reason he accepted was because he didn’t want to march around with a trombone.”

“Ah, smart man. Brass instruments get heavy after a while. But, then again, so does a mace….”

“How’s college life?”

“Oh, what’s the sudden interest in my life, Oumae-chwan?”

“I’m just tired of talking about myself. And never call me that again, please.”

“You are hurting me!”

“Minor details. And don’t move around too much—it’s a little uncomfortable, especially since your arm is still around me.”

“Fine, fine, sorry.”

“…So?”

“So what?”

“So are you going to tell me about your college life?”

“I’m not sure, Oumae-chan, there’s quite a lot to go over….”

“I suddenly regret showing up in the first place.”

“I’m joking, I’m joking. It’s going well.”

“You’re studying at a conservatory, right?”

“Indeed!”

“Are you going to become a professional euphonist like your dad?”

“Somewhere around those lines. Although, I am considering majoring in either composition or instrumental conducting.”

“Can’t imagine your mother being okay with that.”

“I assure you she wasn’t. She even kicked me out of the house.”

“It’s…kind of unsettling how you can say that with a smile.”

“It’s fine. It became a minor detail. I share an apartment with Kaori and Haruka now.”

“You still keep in touch with those two?”

“I owe those two quite a lot.”

“Sounds like it.”

“Can’t believe you’re a senior now.”

“Me neither.”

“Feeling like a grandma yet?”

“If I’m a grandma, then you must be a dinosaur.”

“Ouch! That hurt, Oumae-chan.”

“…Senpai?”

“Mm? What is it?”

“Did…you have any regrets when you graduated?”

“My, someone’s gotten serious all of a sudden.”

“Answer the question, please.”

“Mm…not necessarily. Although, most of it is because you helped prevent that from happening. I don’t think I ever thanked you properly for it. So, thank you.”

“Ah. It’s…no problem.”

“But there is one thing that has been bugging me since I graduated.”

“What is it?”

“Ooh, someone’s sounding eager. All the more reason not to tell you.”

“Why are you like this.”

“Do you regret something, Oumae-chan? You’re suddenly quiet—did I hit a nerve?”

“I have a few.”

“Oh?”

“One of them is not getting gold during my second-year at Nationals.”

“Silver is a step up from Bronze, though.”

“Yeah. But we didn’t keep your promise. You wanted gold, and we failed to do that.”

“I admit, I was a bit disappointed when I found out about it. But I heard the recording of you guys playing. And I heard your solo. And, suddenly, I didn’t feel disappointed at all. I felt so proud of you. Even now, I feel proud of you.”

“T-thank you….”

“Hm? Is my precious Oumae-chan going to start crying?”

“I-if you keep this up, p-probably.”

“Sorry, sorry. If it makes you feel better, I was exceptionally proud when I heard you guys got gold this year at Nationals.”

“It was basically a dud gold.”

“Dud gold is still gold in my book.”

“I don’t remember you being this lax when it came to achievements, Asuka-senpai.”

“And I don’t remember you being this strict, Oumae-chan.”

“Say, what’s your regret?”

“Hm? Back to me so suddenly?”

“I said one of my own. I think you should return the favor.”

“Such a dirty trick you’ve played on me! How will I ever find it in me to forgive you?”

“Just get on with it, please.”

“Fine, fine. My regret is not being able to properly tell you how much you mean to me.”

“…Is it?”

“Mhm. I’ve been thinking about it since I graduated. I keep thinking back to that time you confronted me in front of the old school building. How you said ‘I love you!’ despite the fact you said you wanted relationship advice. How much of a mess you looked, red-faced with tear-stained cheeks as you stood there shivering in the cold. I wanted to say something back, but I too much of a coward to do it. That’s why I gave you my father’s notebook. It was a wordless attempt to convey to you my feelings because I wasn’t able to say what I wanted to say. Even now, I don’t think I can say it properly without getting emotional. But I don’t think I can forgive myself if I never say it.”

“So why don’t you?”

“Why don’t I what?”

“Say it.”

“I’m…not all that good with words, Oumae-chan.”

“But at least you said it.”

“Well, you certainly have a point there.”

“You can start anytime you want.”

“I…always felt alone. Not in the sense that I had nobody to talk to—I had many people, actually. I had Kaori, Haruka, the entire band, teachers, even my mother. But I never had anyone to talk to. Mainly because I felt that all of them didn’t quite understand me. The band thought of me as their savior and pillar of support. Teachers thought of me as their best student. My mother thought of me as a pawn she could control to gain success. No one ever really approached me to just talk, you know? Sure, Kaori and Haruka and other people had tried, but I always knew that there was an ulterior motive. And that made me feel very, very alone.

“The only way I could really show my true self was through my euphonium. There’s something special about it that’s comforting. It’s mellow and gentle, and can easily become overwhelmed in a concert band. But it also supports the band, forming the foundation that gives the band its power. I like to think of the euphonium as my support whenever I play it.”

“That…kind of explains it.”

“Hm? Explains what?”

“Why you sound so sad when you play sometimes.”

“I only show that side when I’m playing for you.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because I love the euphonium. And you’re a euph-ish kid.”

“Are…you trying to tell me something?”

“Hm? Does it sound like I’m trying to tell you something?”

“Kind of.”

“In what way?”

“It feels as if you’re confessing to me in a very Asuka-senpai-like way.”

“Oh? How so?”

“Because you’re not telling me outright that you love me. What? What’s so funny?”

“N-nothing. It’s just amazing how well you can read people like an open book.”

“People are more expressive than they think.”

“So it seems, Kumiko.”

“That’s…a first.”

“Hm? What is?”

“You calling me by my first name.”

“Does it sound weird?”

“No. It…actually sounds nice.”

“Then I’ll call you that from now on.”

“…Asuka.”

“Hm?”

“O-oh. Nothing. I…wanted to try calling out just your name.”

“You’re surprisingly childish.”

“Sh-shut up! D-don’t laugh!”

“Sorry, sorry, can’t help it. Hearing you after such a long time makes me super happy, you know?”

“If…if you keep smiling that, I don’t think I can handle it….”

“Right, right. Sorry, Kumiko.”

“It’s fine…even though you’re still smiling.

“Oh? Is it really?”

“It is. Because I love you, Asuka.”

“I love you, too, Kumiko—my precious, euph-ish kid.”

the following is an AN i put in the beginning of the story when i posted it on FF and AO3. sorry if it sounds weird - i just copy-pasted it and it was initially supposed to be in the beginning, not in the end. i only put it in the end on tumblr because i didn’t want people to see a big ol note in the beginning lmao.

whoa, what's this? an asukumi story? what? is that even possible? why, yes, yes it is. it's been a while since hibigay ended (it actually ended on my bday, i was quite pleased to wake up in the morning to watch it, aga), and i'm actually quite satisfied with the ending. i feel like with the way kyoani was going with the series (aka demolishing reina's character ty kyoani), it was the best possible ending. asukumi was something that grew on me. many see them as a sister/sister relationship. i even saw them as that. but looking back on it, i feel like asukumi made a sort of sense - two loners coming together as a way to comfort one another, only to have their feelings bloom into something much more is the trope i see them as. and that trope makes my heart hurt. i hope my story managed to capture that.

but, of course, that doesn't mean i hate kumirei or asuharu or my third-year ot3 - asukumi is just another ship to add to the list. :) im actually quite hesitant to post this story, mainly because i know asukumi isn't a popular ship and i'm not sure on what kind of reception this will get. and mainly because i wanted to tell this story through dialogue only. just something new to keep me entertained and help improve on dialogue.

there i go with my ramblings. i better stop before i make this note longer than the actual story, aha.