#oh no am i going to end up on another research jag

[red-talisman]

So I like became obsessed with ur guardian lion JC and gotta ask if u have anymore hc or ideas about it? Bc im like imagining the moment that LXC realizes how overprotected Lotus Pier is and kinda loving it? Or when someone else (NMJ) how protected Lotus Pier is and them being impressed without knowing that those are like only the first part of the defenses?

Do u know what occurred to me when I was thinking of ur Guardian Lion AU? A massive teletransportation array that just the sect leader can activate and that takes literally everyone with the Yummeng Jiang bells (or robes or whatever) away in case of an emergency like the Wen’s attack bc there’s

So I send that asks accidentally before I could finish it but the end was like there’s no better defense that not being there or better to survive to fight another day :p sorry for sending so many asks but I’m in love with ur AU and I couldn’t help myself

You’re apologizing but my ADHD brain over here is like YES ENGAGEMENT?? SHARED THOUGHTS??? DOPAMINE BOOST????? :D :D :D

imagining the moment that LXC realizes how overprotected Lotus Pier is and kinda loving it 

Okay so I’m not subtle At All about shipping Xicheng but I think that, especially post-canon, there is so much juicy emotional potential in the ways that JC and LXC could work. JC a decade ago (imo) is still too sharp in the edges of his trauma to be a healthy partner for LXC, and I think that LXC would still be too...forgiving? Soft? Distant, even?...that such a sharp JC - for whom love has always been complicated and conditional - wouldn’t feel able to trust his sincerity. I think that from a place of desperation rather than intentional malice, JC would push too far, just to get an authentic reaction, and LXC’s boundaries at that time honestly seem too poor to navigate that kind of interaction in a productive way. (Again, just imo and not at all personal projection.) Basically I think we’d most likely get something akin to Madam Yu and Jiang Fengmian’s dynamic all over again.

But a post-canon scenario in which JC has mellowed a little, has found some measure of stability and coping, and an LXC dealing with the aftermath of being emotionally exploited so deeply? Lotus Pier is a place which is fortified to the teeth and guarded by a man so loyal it’s been a source of torture for him, who shares some degree of Nie Mingjue’s sense of righteousness but tempered with the capacity to recognize that humans are flawed and often mistaken and sometimes terrible, and after so many years with Jin Guangyao, JC is reassuringly straightforward, easy to read, and predictable in his agendas. And if anyone could understand the complexity of emotional abuse and betrayal and feeling complicit/guilty without also judging or victim-blaming LXC, I think it’d be a post-canon JC.

Or when someone else (NMJ) how protected Lotus Pier is and them being impressed without knowing that those are like only the first part of the defenses? 

Dramatic reveals of unexpected BAMFery is a guilty pleasure. 😏

A massive teletransportation array 

That would be SUPER HANDY??? My only question is how something large enough to safely transport so many people would function according to CQL’s inconsistent Laws of Sorcery. However, CQL does have teleportation talismans, iirc (I think Su She used one as the masked intruder?) so perhaps all disciples and staff (because of course all the staff are trained, too) have such a talisman in their qiankun bag for Emergency Use Only.

I’m reminded of something my elder once told me about hearthkeepers in the spiritual sense. If you look at ‘the hearth’ as the metaphorical center of a community in which the community’s shared identity, history, ancestors, beliefs, and practices are held, then that’s...a lot of power. People tend to shit on ‘hearthkeeping’ both secular and spiritual because of reasons around gendered labor, but they forget that hearthkeepers are also responsible for cutting out those things which risk the well-being of a community. And when it comes to defense...when the warriors fall and the bounds of the home are breached, the last line of defense is, well, the hearthkeeper burning down the house itself because that is, pragmatically speaking, one way to protect your people from the enemy.

I share all that because although JC doesn’t quite fit the way I understand ‘hearthkeeper’ in the spiritual sense (which admittedly can look any number of ways and be shared among people rather than held by a single person), and anyway it doesn’t address differences in cultural context, the idea of the absolute last resort feels relevant somehow: better to die and join the ancestors than be alive and subjected to the enemy. And if he’s internalized that idea, for better or for worse, especially after his torture by the Wens, how might that influence the magical protections and practical policies of his sect?

[hpalways]

Radiating || Albedo

SNOW was very pretty, light to the touch and made of a color so pure that it was almost unbelievable. However, it was a double edge sword, for its beauty came with a price. It was dangerous. As an aspect of nature, a touch of it could freeze a human to death if there was no heat source available, or the slip of ice beneath the fluffy matter could cause a steep fall. This came from experience and a trusted source: you. Because you were currently struggling with the exact problem.

"Shit!" you exclaimed, losing your balance from the black ice beneath your soles. Skidding through the surfaces, you clumsily held your hands out in case you were to bump into anything. Bumping into something, you did... but it was in the least expected way.

Your toe stubbed by a rock on the ground, the external force of it sent you flying into the cool, biting air. Letting out a silent scream, you tumbled through the hills. Continuously getting hit by your surroundings, your body burst with pain. It only ended when you reached a cliff, where you tried to latch onto something to prevent your fall. Despite your panicked attempts, you were tipped over and fell for a good few seconds. 

The impact was great, knocking the oxygen out of you. Gasping and coughing from it, you laid there in the snow for a while, exhausted. You wished you could just flutter your eyes shut and sleep the stress away, but the cold was beginning to make its way back to you after all that excitement. Fingers growing numb and a cold sweat breaking out on your forehead, it was about time you find a warm source.

Pushing yourself up, you groaned to yourself and brushed yourself off. It was painful at first, but it didn't take too long for it to fade. That was the advantage for having so much strength. Strength didn't mean you were invisible to the cold though, thus why you needed to hurry up and get out of here. 

Before you could start running with your impressive speed, a monster appeared from the shadows. Lumbering towards you, it was a frostarm lawachurl. It didn't look too happy to see you, considering you must've woken them up with your ruckus. The blue, huge creature let out a snarl, ready to kill. 

Compared to you, it was slow as a slug, so you could easily outrun it. Preparing the kickstart, you were about to run a mile when a voice stilled you. "[Y/N]? Where are you?" It was a calm, low voice, soothing and steady to the ears. Coming from the cliff you were on earlier, footsteps were approaching the edge. Craning your neck back, your [e/c] eyes met teal-blue ones. Ashy blond locks laying upon his shoulders, looking winded as if he ran into trouble coming here. It was none other than Albedo, the known Alchemist of Mondstadt. The man was gorgeous; you had to rub your hues the first time you saw him. 

"Down here!" you called out. In the momentary distraction, you were nearly slashed by the monster's claws in front of you.

"You were thinking of running away earlier, weren't you," he stated, his analytical gaze haunting you. "You need to fight them. How else am I supposed to study you?"

He knew you too well. At the start of his research, you were full-on board, since he was of use to you. But as time went on, the lazier you got. He promised that he would do the best of his abilities to find out the phenomenon of you coming from another world. That was right; you were from another world. You used to live in a place where there were powers of strength and speed, but no elemental powers. Sleeping and waking up to find yourself here at Dragonspine, you were at a lost of words when Albedo magically formed Geo crystals in front of you. 

Sighing in defeat, you approached the ferocious beast. Clenching your fists, you readied your stance and rushed towards it. Your knuckles jagged, you pounded them against the monster's hard chest. With a few hits, the monster was knocked into the air, before crashing to the ground with a flat thud. It was already dead.

”I will always be in awe of this,” he murmured in the distance. You whirled around to see him furiously scribbling something on his notepad. As he did that, you hugged your arms around yourself, shivering in place. It was only then when he was finished with his journaling did he notice your predicament. Slight worry tinged his expression and he quickly beckoned you with his hand. “Let’s head back to my workshop.”

Finally! After climbing up the cliff carefully, you followed the young man back to the safety of his cozy cave. Contrary to your previous beliefs, the space was much more disorganized than you expected it to be. Vials of potions were hung up, while scatters of papers decorated his desk. His creations were laid around the place and a bookshelf sat on one side. Strewn boxes filled of who knew what laid there and in the way. 

The most important part was the fire, of course. 

Pushing passed the blond male and crouching near the fire, a breath of relief left your lips. The red, fiery thing blazed like a living thing, allowing you to be able to feel your fingers once more. While you sat there, Albedo proceeded to business. At his desk, he put down additional notes, attentative to his task. It was silent for a good amount of time, but it felt right. 

You were getting quite comfortable with him. 

His hawk-like vision suddenly noticed something about you. He got out of his seat and made his way to you. Peering down at your legs, he was in deep thought. Confused by his actions, you looked down to see what he was staring at. It was a cut — one out of the many cuts you must’ve recieved during your fall. 

“Oh, it’s nothing,” you brushed it off. “It was just a small fall I had.”

He ignored your words, rolling your sleeves and pants up to reveal multiple dark gashes made on your [s/c] skin. “Yes. A small fall,” he said sarcastically. “I’ll go fetch a concoction for your wounds and some bandages.”

“There’s no need for that. Nothing hurts at all,” you protested. He didn’t respond, marching forward to the shelf filled of clear bottles of bubbling substance. In dismay, you had no choice but to watch him find the materials. He was so stubborn, dammit.

He returned with the promised materials in hand and sat himself down. Carefully pulling his dark gloves out, tender, pale hands were shown afterwards. Your eyes widened. It was rare to see him without his gloves... they were as pretty as he was. Wait. This meant that he would apply it then. 

“H-Hold up! I can do this myself. You don’t need to waste time on me,” you argued. 

“Concoctions are different from regular ointment,” he explained. “Anyway, I don’t mind at all. My precious subject got hurt because of me. It is only right for me to do this.”

Subject? Ouch. That stung a lot more than you thought it would. Were the two of you not friends by now? Keeping quiet with disappointment, you eventually allowed him the opportunity to heal you up. Hard at work, he began to coat the liquid over your wounds. His soft skin gingerly spread it over your arms and legs, leaving tingles in its wake. Heart pounding against your chest, you averted your eyes away from him. What was this feeling you were having?

He ended it by wrapping the bandages professionally, securing the products in place. Looking proud of himself, he nodded. “That should do it.”

“Thank you for this,” you told him softly as you rolled your sleeves back down. “Hey, Albedo. Does your name have a meaning to it?”

He blinked at you for a few seconds, surprise painting his features. “It does. Why the sudden question?”

You fiddled with your hands in embarrassment. “Well, it’s just that you know so much about me through our researches, but when it comes to you, you remain a mystery to me. I want to get to know you a bit better.”

He looked shocked to hear this, as if this was the first time he heard someone say this to him. Despite having a popular reputation in Mondstadt, you knew his hidden side. He was a reserved person who didn’t form many relationships. Instead, he delved himself into the world of alchemy, seeking truth nonstop. It led you to think he was lonely... so you wanted to be by his side — there to always support him. Unfortunately, if you were to return to your world, your time with him was not going to be permanent. Nothing was permanent. 

“Well?” you said. “What’s the meaning of it?”

”Whiteness,” he replied, snapping out of his daze. “The measure of the diffuse reflector of solar radiation. Does it fit me?”

You could barely understand the jumble of words he uttered out. It sounded like he was speaking another language. Yet, the sentence sounded very bright, beautiful, strong, hard-working, intelligent, and amiable. It certainly sounded like him. Albedo was so radiating, you sometimes had to shut your eyes because it hurt. 

“Yes, it does.”

[dontcallmecarrie]

continuation of this, because why not:

.

“Oh, this is fun,” Loki hadn’t realized just how irritating his voice could get until now, was this why the Soldier kept throwing knives at him? 

“I am only dragging you along because our interests align for now, do not expect this to continue.” He snapped over his shoulder, keeping an eye out for any potential attack even as the alarms continued to blare. He was lucky his counterpart was in such poor shape; had he even had a fraction of his usual power available, this entire enterprise would be much, much more difficult. 

As it was, Loki was faintly impressed his counterpart had accomplished as much as he had when he was running on fumes. When he wasn’t sneering at the sloppiness of his plans, anyway. Magical compulsion or no, what kind of idiot went and paraded about proclaiming their intentions for subjugation?

“Come now. Do you honestly expect me to believe this isn’t to your advantage? Unleashing double the chaos.” 

It was a pity breaking the magical compulsion had done nothing for his counterpart’s mental state. On a number of levels— he was a stone’s throw away from madness, all jagged pieces aimed outwards and it was uncomfortable to look at for too long for reasons Loki preferred not to dwell upon. 

Well. At least he could use it to his advantage. 

.

Victor was not a happy camper. 

First had been the discovery that, as he’d suspected, that damn gun had landed him in another universe. 

Second, said universe was quite possibly his worst nightmare.

Because his country didn’t exist, hadn’t existed for decades now: the Latverian civil war in this world had decimated its people in more ways than could be named, neighboring countries had snapped up just about every scrap of territory his men had fought and died for and goddamn HYDRA was using war orphans for their experiments.

...had he been a bit hasty when he’d taken out the first base he’d encountered? Sure. Sorting out the logistics for taking care of all the victims he’d encountered was a major pain in the neck, and this accelerated his plans for establishing himself in ways he hadn’t entirely expected. Klaue was as annoying as ever, and, if possible, even more of an arrogant bastard to deal with in this strange world.

Did Victor regret it? Absolutely not.

Especially when it resulted in his encountering his first ally in this hellscape. 

...though this ‘involuntary twin’ thing would get old fast, he just knew it.

“Hello, Winter.” Victor greeted with a smile. “Looks like you’ve been busy, too.”

.

The Winter Soldier could not believe that Justin’s stupid self-help books had been good for something, but here they were.

Him, and the poor bastard who shared his face and was now stuck in that incredibly awkward stage between ‘living weapon approximately three seconds from Murder’ and ‘going through deprogramming’, smack-dab in the middle of what had used to be a HYDRA stronghold but was now a bloodbath because somewhere in between fighting himself, and everyone else coming at them, the other Winter Soldier had started breaking through his programming.

He hadn’t realized just how much progress he’d made, until now. 

“What do you want me to call you?” He asked again with a tired sigh.

“The Asset does not nee—”

“Oh, fuck no. Pick something else, you’re a human being, you have value.” ...goddamn it, he sounded just like Justin. 

Ugh. Justin could never, ever know, he’d never let him live it down...okay, the worst part is that he would, not that the idiot with a death wish needed any encouraging when it came to this sort of thing.

The man’d had a knife to the neck, and still offered him food, offered him help. The Winter Soldier gave his counterpart a dubious glance, and fought back a shudder. 

As much as he sympathized with the guy— he’d been there, literally— the idea gave him chills.

Though...he could almost see it, now. If he squinted, he could see the tiniest speck of self-determination that HYDRA had tried its best to crush into oblivion, the ghost of a hint of personality in the twitch of his right hand, the way his left hand curled. 

“Right, okay.” He sighed. Again. He probably sounded like a goddamn teakettle, but fuck it, he was at the end of his rope here, dealing with people was Justin’s thing, he was much better at punching people. “If you’re anything like me, you’re going to have some serious migraines in the next few months, and no, aspirin doesn’t do shit. You have questions, means your personality’s coming back up which is good... oh, you’ll probably want to stick around for answers because I’m about as confused as you are.” 

Because this is what happened the one (1) time he tried to be nice and check up on Justin’s friend group. He could’ve been chasing down that lead in Argentina, but no, he was stuck here instead. 

Ugh. 

.

Ivan was running on spite, caffeine, and not much else. 

Living on the streets was a pain in the ass, exacerbated by the fact that he was apparently supposed to be dead and...buried? Cremated? He wasn’t entirely sure, none of the sources he’d found had been able to specify and to be completely honest, he hadn’t tried too hard to look.

Just seeing his own name in the articles had been disturbing enough, the realization that a version of him had apparently gone through with his suicidal plot was...something. Not great. His vodka stash back home was going to take a hit as soon as he got back. 

As disturbing as reading his own death had been, it’d still been no match for what he’d been able to find on the man who’d given him another reason to live. 

Because this world’s Justin Hammer was still alive and well, and locked up in an unspecified supermax for the foreseeable future, and...

An incompetent idiot with far more money than brains, apparently.

Which was so far from the man he knew it was hilarious, because Justin’s charisma had been enough to get a dictator of a sovereign nation wrapped around his finger without even trying, had the boogeyman of the intelligence world on speed-dial and an alien god as his bodyguard-slash-PA. He was untouchable on a number of levels, so when Ivan had first read that article?

He hadn’t believed it, at first. 

Had been certain it was an imposter, and while he probably should’ve spent that time researching how to get back home, he’d instead ended up down a rabbit hole of what kind of man Justin Hammer was in this world.

Call it morbid curiosity, or whatever— but Ivan had to know.

It wasn’t like he was making much progress on his own, anyway, not when his resources were staggeringly limited.

And then. 

A sleek car pulled up by the overpass where he’d been sleeping, and the window rolled down to reveal a face Ivan was inordinately glad to see. 

“Get in loser, we’re going shopping.” Loki called, and Ivan didn’t even question why there were two of him. Or why his twin looked like a grad student during finals week.

“Mean Girls? Really?”

“He was correct in calling it a classic.” Loki replied with a haughty sniff as he pulled away from the curb. “Besides— from what I’ve seen, I also know more about this world’s culture than their Captain.”

His twin looked lost, as he stared between them both and whoops, that was probably a terrible first impression. “Is this one of your allies?”

“Yes.” Ivan said, even as Loki spoke.

“When he’s not blasting us all to other dimensions, certainly.” 

“It was an accident!”

It was a good thing Loki had so much practice driving, because he would have gotten very nervous by the way their eyes met in the rearview mirror otherwise. “Oh, I know. I’ve told you—”

“There is no innovation without risk—” Ivan defended, only for Loki to snort.

“Have fun explaining that to Victor.” 

Ivan froze for a moment, breath stilling in his throat. On a good day, Victor was the epitome of a type-A personality...

“He’s here too?”

“Oh, yes. Not sure where exactly, but how do you think we found you?”

“If you say magic—”

“Are all your allies mortals?” Loki’s twin asked with just the slightest hint of a sneer, and just like that all levity was gone and Ivan didn’t even need to meet Loki’s gaze to know his answer.

“If you have a problem with that, feel free to leave. Right now.”

“Come now—”

“Ivan here blasted us all across space and time, without tearing open any paradoxes or destroying any timelines, entirely by accident. Victor? Is the ruler of a sovereign nation feared and respected throughout the realm. I do not know your approach to such things here, but any insult to my allies is an insult to me.”

.

Ivan...probably shouldn’t have been too surprised to discover that Victor had not only amassed a following of rabidly loyal minions, but also managed to meet up with the Winter Soldier. Er... two Winter Soldiers.

Man, this was going to feature in his nightmares for months.

“Where’s Justin?” Was the very first thing Victor said upon seeing them, and he cringed as the rest traded looks because of course the one who’d introduced them to each other was the missing link now. Justin was hands-down everyone’s favorite, and if Ivan was stuck being the one to break it to them after having spent hours hacking just to get a name?

Man, this was not going to be pretty.

“First, you have to promise not to get mad.”

“What.”

Ivan told them.

...suffice it is to say, nobody was happy to hear the answer.

.

“Okay then.” Victor said, face impassive save for the way his eyes gleamed. “It’s been a while since I did a prison break, anyway.”

[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers VANDEAD CARNIVAL ;; Kanato Route ー Chapter 1

ー The scene starts on the plaza

Kanato: Yui-san, you’ll choose me, right?

Yui: Yeah...I’ll be counting on you, okay? (1)

Laito: What a shocker to find out she wants to go with Kanato-kun. Right, Ayato-kun?

Ayato: Shut up. For one, do you really think Mr. Hysteric over here can protect you?

Subaru: Well, I guess they’ll just have to struggle their way through?

Reiji: Haah...Kanato, I am sure you are well aware, but please be aware of your surroundings, understood? 

Kanato: I know. Teddy and I will keep an eye on things, so there’s nothing to worry about.

Well then, let us head towards the castle first and foremost.

It would be quite the chore to come looking for you if we get separated, so please follow suit, okay?

Yui: Y-Yes!

ー The scene shifts to the Carnival’s entrance

Yui: Say, Kanato-kun? I asked before as well but...Do you really not know anything about the Queen of the Carnival?

Kanato: I told you I do not, right? Do you doubt my words?

Yui: That’s not what I meant, but...

I’m curious about what I’ll have to do as the Queen of the Carnival...That’s whyーー

Kanato: Shut up!!

Yui: ...!

Kanato: If you want to know that badly, why not do some research yourself?

You chose me, remember? Can you not quietly follow me without uttering random nonsense?

Yui: ...Sorry...

Kanato: ...My mood has been ruined. If you keep pressing me for information, I will leave you behind.

Yui: ( Uu...I don’t want to be all alone at this unknown place. )

Okay. I promise I won’t ask about the Queen of the Carnival no more.

Kanato: ...I’m glad you understand.

ー The two of them continue walking

Yui: ...Say, Kanato-kun? Weren’t we headed to the castle?

Kanato: I don’t want to go to the castle feeling like this.

Yui: Eh...? Then, where are we going?

Kanato: Why do I have to explain every little detail to you!?

Yui: W-Well...

( His mood really took a turn for the worse... )

Kanato: Either way, all you need to do is shut up and follow me. Please don’t blame me if you were to get lost.

ー He walks away

Yui: Ah! W-Wait! Kanato-kun!

ー The scene shifts to the Carnival’s venue

Yui: ( Haah, I somehow caught up to him, but I wonder if I messed up choosing him as my bodyguard...? )

( I thought we could spend some time together with how things are between us now though... )

Kanato: ...That expression of yours gets on my nerves.

Yui: Eeh?

( I’ve just been acting normal too... )

Kanato: I shall not allow you to walk besides me making that sort of face.

Yui: N-No way...Then what kind of expression should I make...?

Kanato: All you need to do is be yourself!

Yui: I was just now though...

Kanato: Shut up!

Yui: ...!?

Kanato: Dealing with you honestly grinds my gears.

Say, Teddy...Why do I have to be the bodyguard of this person...?

ー He walks away once more

Yui: Ah, hey! Hold up, Kanato-kun!

Don’t leave me behind...!

Huh...?

( ...Somehow I feel like I’m being watched... )

...?

( The Vampires around me are whispering things to each other...? )

( Eh...? Are they perhaps watching me? )

Female Vampire A: That girl is a human, right? ...What is she doing there?

Male Vampire A: I can smell delicious blood...

Yui: ( ...!! T-This is bad. If I end up by myself now... )

K-Kanato-kun!!

Uwah!!

*Thud*

Yui: ...! W-What’s wrong? Why did you suddenly halt your steps?

Kanato: ...ow.

Yui: Eh...?

Kanato: I said you’re slow!! Why are you taking forever!?

You really are a genius at upsetting me, aren’t you?

Yui: I-I’m sorr...Wah!?

ー Kanato grabs hold of her hand

Kanato: I doubt you will follow me if I don’t do this, so I shall be so kind as to pull your hand.

Yui: ...!? Kanato-kun?

Kanato: I’m in a rush because I remembered there was someplace I wanted to go...! So please don’t dawdle.

You better follow suit so I don’t end up ripping off your arm!

*Rustle*

Yui: ( Wah! Now he’s tugging onto the hand he’s holding...!? )

Kanato: Come on, let’s go...!?

Yui: Yeah...

( Kanato-kun...He’s being as pushy as always. )

Kanato: ...Like this, I am fairly certain those guys won’t try and make their move either.

Yui: Eh...?

Kanato: ...

Female Vampire A: That girl must belong to Kanato-sama.

Yui: ( Did Kanato-kun perhaps hold my hand to protect me...? )

...

Kanato: What are you grinning for now?

Yui: N...Nothing!

Kanato: Hmph...!

Yui: ( Nevermind, I’m glad I chose Kanato-kun after all. )

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to sweets shop Pate de Fruits

Yui: Uwah, it’s super crowded...! Also...This sweet, delicious smell...

Kanato-kun, is this...a sweets shop?

Kanato: Can’t you tell? They have a wide assortment of all of my favorite candies.

It’s a sweets shop I visit without fail every time I come here to the Demon World.

Yui: ( Their line-up of sweet treats is never-ending! They’re all very cute...! )

( The interior decoration is cute as well, it almost doesn’t seem like the Demon World anymore. Ah, but... )

( The visitors are still all Vampires, huh? )

( They seem to be having a good time, picking out sweets amongst their fellow female friends. )

( I guess Vampire girls aren’t that different from human girls. )

Kanato: I see...They are offering various limited edition flavors in celebration of the Carnival...

I wonder what flavor of marshmallow this is...? Its color is reminiscent of blood, it’s beautiful.

I’ve never seen this flavor of macarons before either...They look yummy...

Yui: ( Kanato-kun seems to be having a blast too, mixing in with the girls. )

( Even though this place is filled with girls, somehow I seem out of place. I feel somewhat conflicted. )

Kanato: This sweet...It’s a classic of the Demon World. It really brings me back.

Yui: ?

( Uwah, it’s pitch black and jagged. Is this really...a candy? )

( Most of these sweets ring a bell but there’s ones I’ve never seen before as well. )

( I wonder who makes these? )

Patissier: Oh dear, Kanato-sama! Welcome. When did you arrive here in the Demon World...?

Kanato: Just now. No need for those kinds of greetings. Instead, please show me your latest creation at once.

Patissier: U-Understood. ...My sincere apologies but, who might she be?

Kanato: Aah, she is my...luggage. (2)

Yui: ( Luggage he said... )

Patissier: I see. Well then, please wait at your usual seat.

Yui: Your usual seat?

Kanato: There’s a spot where you can taste test the product. I always take a seat there.

ー Kanato sits down

Yui: I see...You must really come here often, Kanato-kun.

Kanato: Fufu, the sweets here fit my tastes perfectly...I wonder why?

ー The patissier returns

Patissier: I am sure that must be thanks to the training I have received in the human world. ...Here you go, please enjoy a cup of tea.

*Cling*

Yui: Eh? Training in the human world? ...That happened?

Patissier: Why yes. As a result of my desire to expand my knowledge on sweets, I chose the human world.

Thanks to that, I am now skilled at making sweets from the human world as well.

Yui: Heeh, I see!

( I guess that is why he didn’t seem surprised seeing me. )

Kanato: I see...I understand now. No wonder I enjoy the sweets here so much.

Humans are such foolish and hopeless creatures but...You cannot go wrong with their sweets. (3)

Well then, hurry up and show me which new sweets you have come up with.

Patissier: Understood. Well then...

*Thud*

Patissier: Please enjoy these first. This is a choux creme, and here we have a strawberry tart. (4)

Both of these are limited editions available during the Carnival only. I prepared them especially for you, so please dig in.

Kanato: These are wonderful. They look delectable.

Yui: ( Waah, how cute! They look delicious too. )

( When I heard we were going to a Carnival in the Demon World, I was kind of terrified deep down but...If it’s like this... )

Kanato: ...What’s with that expression? ...You can’t possibly be hoping for a taste, right?

Yui: Eh?

Kanato: They have been served to me. Please keep your hands off my sweets.

Yui: Eeh...!?

Kanato: ...Haah. I was honestly willing to give you a small bite but...

I’ve changed my mind.

Yui: N-No way...!

Kanato: You only have yourself to blame for making that face.

Selection

→ I’m sorry (☾)

Yui: I’m sorry, Kanato-kun.

But, the way you put it...

Kanato: Haah. Why do you say such things? ...I’m confiscating your tea as well.

Yui: Eh? No way...

Kanato: I bet you think you can get away just by apologizing, don’t you!? I don’t need to hear your words of remorse!!

Take this as a lesson and stop doing unnecessary things ...Understood?

Yui: Uu...I’m sorry...

→ Forgive me?

Yui: I’m sorry...Please forgive me?

Kanato: Heeh...Then show me through your actions how you are reflecting upon your behavior. Come on, hurry!!

Yui: Uu...Nn. What should I do?

Kanato: Let’s see...Say, Teddy? What would be nice?

Good idea. How about I have you lick my plate clean after I’m done eating?

Yui: Eh? That’s a little...

Kanato: Are you saying you can’t do that much?

Yui: I mean...

Kanato: Did you hear that, Teddy...? She said she can’t do it.

What should we do? Exactly. We have to think of an even worse punishment, don’t we...?

Yui: ( I made him even more upset. I shouldn’t speak another word. )

Kanato: ...Anyway, you should think about what you did.

As your punishment, please sit there and observe as I savor these delicious treats. ...Fufu.

*Cling*

Kanato: Well then, I’ll start with the choux creme...Nn...It’s delicious.

The strawberry tart too...Nn...It’s the perfect balance of sweet and sour, scrumptious. It matches perfectly with the whipped cream as well.

Yui: ( Kanato-kun really makes them seem delicious as he eats... )

Female Vampire B: Hey, take a look. Isn’t that Kanato-sama, the son of Karlheinz-sama?

Female Vampire C: Eh? Ah, you’re right~ I never thought we’d run into each other here!

Hold up, who is this girl with him? She can’t possibly be his girlfriend, right?

Female Vampire B: There’s just no way. I mean, no matter how you look at it, she doens’t seem like a good match for him. Don’t you think she could be a servant?

Female Vampire C: Fufu, I’m sure that’s the case.

Yui: ( The girl with him? Are they talking about me? I feel like I’m being gossiped about, but I probably shouldn’t get involved. )

( Humans are already regarded as prey by the Vampires here in the Demon World as is... )

Patissier: Well then, please try this mille feuille and these marshmallows next. These are limited editions as well.

Kanato: Mille feuille...It’s been forever. ...Say, Yui-san.

Yui: Eh? Ah, yes?

Kanato: Stop spacing out and go fetch me a new fork. ...You really are horrible at reading the mood, aren’t you?

Yui: Ah, sorry...

Female Vampire B: Oh dear, she must not have been trained very well to get told that by her Master.

Female Vampire C: Honestly, I’m surprised that’s what Kanato-sama’s servant is like.

He has worse taste than I assumed.

Female Vampire B: Fufu, you’re going a little far there. But...You are spot on. Such a lackluster girl...

Female Vampire C: However, someone like that might be a better fit for Kanato-sama.

Female Vampire B: Only babies still walk around carrying a teddy bear at that age...A childish girl like her is a perfect match for him.

Female Vampire C: Kyahaha! Exactly!

Yui: ( Uu...That’s just going too far! )

( I wouldn’t mind if they were just talking badly about me but...Kanato-kun has plenty of good points as well! )

( I can’t stand hearing him be compared to others like that! )

E-Excuse me...!

*Creak*

Yui: ( Eh? I wonder why Kanato-kun suddenly got up from his chair? )

( Could he be upset...? )

*Rustle*

Yui: Ouch...Kyah! Kanato-kun, don’t pull me in all of a sudden!

Kanato: Shut up...You’re the one who said you wanted a bite, no?

Yui: Eh...?

Kanato: I will feed you, so look this way.

Yui: ...!

*Rustle*

( He grasped my chin and he’s slowly leaning in...What is he planning? )

Yui: Nn...nn...

Kanato: Nn...Hah, is it good?

Yui: This is...What are you doing?

Kanato: What do you mean? I fed you the sweets, just as you wished.

Is the mille feuille delicious? Nn...Nn...

Yui: ...!!

Kanato: Nn...Nn...

Yui: ( Would this count as a kiss...? The cream he’s feeding me mouth-to-mouth is sweet. But why...? )

( Wait, aren’t those girls watching as well...? )

Kanato...kun...!

Female Vampire B: ...

Female Vampire C: ...

Kanato: Hmph...I don’t believe I need to go out of my way to remind you lowlives...

But Yui-san...She belongs to me...

Yui: ( ...! )

Kanato: So I can treat her as I wish, no?

I don’t want some random women throwing shade at me!

Yui: ( Kanato-kun... )

Female Vampire C: ...R-Right. Want to go drop by the ‘Poisson D’Avril’ food truck?

Female Vampire B: L-Let us go! Well then, have a nice day...

ー The two Vampires walk away

Yui: ( They left. )

Say, Kanato-kun? Why did you...?

Kanato: Shut up! Not another word.

You are my prey, so I am the only one who gets to badmouth you.

There is no way I could remain quiet when someone has the nerve to speak badly of my prey.

Yet...

Haah...My mood has been ruined.

We’re leaving. My belly has been filled, so I feel satisfied.

Yui: Sure...

Kanato: Come on, let’s go. Please don’t dawdle.

Yui: ( Kanato-kun...Did he perhaps cover for me? )

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

Translation notes

(1) よろしく or ‘yoroshiku’ can mean ‘nice to meet you’ when first meeting someone. However, it is also said when you are assigned to work with someone, or when you know you will have to rely on someone’s help/protection. In this case, Yui will count on Kanato to be her bodyguard at the carnival. 

(2) 荷物 or ‘nimotsu’ can refer to the kind of luggage you take with you on a trip, or just something you are carrying with you. (e.g. a shopping bag, etc.)

(3) Literally he says ‘the sweets are harmless/not guilty’. 

(4) The Japanese dialogue uses the French terms for the desserts, which are ‘Choux à l’ancienne’ and ‘Fraisier’.

← RETURN TO PROLOGUE

→ PROCEED WITH MAIN STORY [CHAPTER 2]

→ SUB-SCENARIO #1 [W/ SHUU]

→ SUB-SCENARIO #2 [W/ SUBARU]

→ SUB-SCENARIO #3 [W/ RUKI]

[unmaskedagain]

No, Bruce! You can’t Adopt her.

This isn’t salt, Cupcake. But I’m going to do a quick drabble of this anyway because it’s an awesome idea.

The suit was a deep dark red. Darker than it used to be from what they had seen saw from the previous news reports reviewed. Her mask was black. Her eyes a startling blue and her hair a shade just touch short of being as dark as night. The girl looked to be no older than thirteen or fourteen.

Somehow she had shown up on the scene just before any of the batfamily could and immediately solve the riddles, freed the innocent civilization, dismantle the bomb with rubber duck and a hair pin, dodged the trap, and was now fighting off the Riddler and his men.

And as they watched her kick the Riddler in the face and then yo-yo away, only to spin around and do it a second time, all the batkids knew they’d have to step in.

“You can’t adopt her, B-Man,” The Redhood pinched his nose.

           Robin opened to his mouth his defend his father but quickly shut it. His four adopted brothers, an adopted sister, one sort of adopted “cousin”, and the hardcore way his father had been pushing Luke spend more and more time at the manner to the point where Lucius Fox had taken to glaring at the Dark Knight.

“…She needs a mentor,” Came Batman’s gruff response.

“You need a therapist.”

           They winced when Ladybug broke the arm of a 300 pound bodybuilder and slam him on the ground.

           Nightwing gave his dad a grin, “I’d love a new sister, OUCH!” His hand went his thigh and saw blood. He glared at Robin. “Did you stab me?”

           Robin slowly sheathed his sword. “…No.”

“Let go!” Riddler screamed as he clawed at the floor as the red menace dragged across the floor by his legs.

“Stop squirming!” Marinette barked. “You’re going to jail!”

           Somehow the Riddler managed to free himself. Then it was Ladybug chasing the Riddler around the tower.

“Come back here, you fashion disaster.”

           The caused the Riddler to pause and give the hero the most hurt look anyone of the batfamily had ever seen on him.

“Black Bat would love a sister.”

“Leave me out of this,” Cassandra’s voice rang in their ears. She was patrolling with Batwoman across the city.

           The fight ending with The Riddler hogtied, and dangling from the ceiling, while Ladybug chastised him on the rudeness of strapping people to bombs.

           Batman smirked.

“No!” Red Robin decided to step in, “She probably has parents. You can keep doing this B.”

“And another thing,” Ladybug hissed. “I’ve seen Disney villains with more style than you; you walking neon glowstick.”

           That was when Batman decided to step in. The Riddler visibly brightened at seeing him, “Bats, I don’t like this Robin. She’s mean. Bring back the boy Robin”

“That one lit you on fire.”

“…She made me cry.”

           Ladybug glared at the bad guy.

           Oh yes that was it, Batman was going to adopt Ladybug.

           Bruce Wayne was going to adopt Marinette Dupain-Cheng. The girl and the rest of her class had taken the Wayne internship program that lasted a little more than a month a half during summer.

           Marinette was the star. Unlike the other interns, Marinette was never late. She never complained. If someone needed research done, she was the first to volunteer and was exceptional at it. Tamara, Tim’s assistant, swore by her. The girl took to assisting the assistant to the CEO like fish to water. When they need a big name to perform at the Waynes’ annual charity Gala, after theirs backed out on short notice, Marinette had saved the day.

           She didn’t interrupt. She had merely leaned down and whispered in Tamara’s here, who then addressed the rest of the room.

“My assistant Marinette,” Tamara nodded with a relieved smile at the young girl. “Would like us to direct our attention to the front screen.”

           They all did. A few months later, the screen split and Clara Nightingale was on the screen, looking as glamourous as ever.

“Marinette,” She beamed. “Love, you are as gorgeous as ever. Now what’s this about a party in Gotham?”

           Before she could answered, there was a beep on the screen as another call came in. Marinette scrambled to disconnect it, “One moment. Sorry.” Tamara got up to help, only for the call to connect anyway.

           That was when Jagged Stone appeared on the screen, “Marinette, how’s it rocking? And Clara, I didn’t know you were on the line too. Penny!” He yelled. “I’ve facetiming Marinette and Clara. How you doing, loves?”

“Jagged,” Clara beamed. “I’m great. Xy’s been bugging me to lay vocals on his new tracks. I’ve heard better from my nephew’s garage band; and his nine.”

           Jagged winced. “That’ll tank a career. Dude’s a sound biter.” He turned his attention back to his favorite bluenette. “Marinette, what’s up? What’s with the stiff in suits?”

           Marinette blushed, “I’m Gotham working as intern for Wayne Industries.” Marinette said. “We’re in a meeting.” The young girl smiled prettily. “This is my amazing boss, Tamara!” She introduced the older black woman, standing between her and Tim. “And we could use some help with a Wayne charity event, on the 19th of this month.”

“I’m there!” Jagged grinned. “Hey! Penny, we’re going to Gotham. Marinette invited us to a party. We’re rocking out!”

“I’d love to come,” The brown-haired superstar clapped her hands. “I have been to Gotham yet. It will be an experience. I can write a song about Batman!”

“Well, we only need one of-” Marinette started but stopped herself as someone, Tim, jabbed her in the side. The only give away that something had happened was the slight widening of her eyes and then cough from Tim, when Marinette stomped on his foot. “Maybe, you guys can perform together.”

“YES!” Clara screamed excitedly. “A duet. A clash of natures.”

“Rock and Pop,” Jagged grinned his approval.

“The fans will love it,” The singer looked at Marinette. “Send us the deets. Jagged, I’ll call you in five to start composing our song.”

“Rock it out, talk later Marinette!”

           Then the calls disconnected.

“Clara Nightingale and Jagged Stone,” Bruce leaned back in his seat. “Well done, Marinette.”

           The Asian girl nodded, “Thank you, sir.” After the meeting let out, Tim, Bruce, Tamara, and Marinette remained behind as they finalized the information to send to the singers.

Bruce noticed Marinette give Tim a dark look, and then were was a huff and Tim winced in pain.

“Stopping fight with your brother,” Slipped from the billionaire’s mouth before he could stop it.

           The room froze. Tim’s face morphed from shock to understanding to an incredulous expression, “No. I’m telling, Alfred.”

           Bruce crossed his arms and pouted. Pouted. Marinette make an excellent additional the family.

           Her and Ladybug.

           He wondered how well the two would get along. If only he could get the two in a room together.

           Meanwhile…

           Lila had been feeding the class lies about her time in Gotham and living with the Wayne family. Alya believed every word, and had requested an interview with Lila’s Dami-bear.

Somehow she’d gotten stuck working in the mail room with Alya and Kim; neither were happy. She didn’t even know where Marinette ended up so she could spin a tail about the other girl threatening her to switch assignments.

           The only bright spot was the Damian Wayne frequently visited Wayne tower to learn about how the business works. However, whenever she tried to get close to him, he’d give her a look of disdain.

           That didn’t bother Lila though. As soon as he got to know her, or rather the her she’d tell him she was, Damian would fall head over heels.

           However, as the weeks went on in Gotham, she found all her plans to get close to the Wayne heir failed. She even tried visiting his home, feigning being lost, only for the Butler to send her packing. Lila didn’t even get a chance to look inside.

           When she learned about the gala, she upped her game. She found herself just “happening by” whenever Damian just happened to be walking by. One time, Lila even pretended to trip and hurt herself; only for Kim to “rescue” her and Damian to walk on by like she didn’t even exist.

           On the night of the gala, she sat in her hotel room with her adoring classmates, watching it on TV, “I’d have gone of course but Dami-bear didn’t want me to get attention from any Gotham villains.”

           Alya nodded sympathetically.

           Lila opened her mouth to regale another tale about her and Damian love affairs when Sabrina cut her off, “Hey, that’s Marinette!”

           And sure enough, the girl they had all froze out and declared their ex-friend was on screen walking with Jagged Stone, Clara Nightingale, a beautiful black woman, Damian Wayne, and Tim Drake. Marinette wore a stunning sliver dress that made eyes stand out even more.

“Who are you wearing, Clara!” A paparazzi called.

“MDC,” The superstar answered and placed a hand on Marinette’s shoulder. “This designer here. Marinette Dupain-Cheng; she designed all of our looks tonight; including her own. Doesn’t she look wonderful?”

           More questions were thrown out.

“Jagged, why a crocodile? Why not a dog or a cat.”

“Damian, who are you dating?”

“Why is MDC with you, Tim?”

           Jagged answered first, “Well I wanted a dog. But I’m deathly allergic to fur. Found out when I was a kid. Can’t get near it. Dogs are cool but cats aren’t rock and roll enough for me.”

“I am dating no one,” Damian answered. “Any rumors that say otherwise are lies. Anyone that says otherwise is lying, and should keep in mind I will sue for defamation of character.”  

           Tim grinned at the crowd, “Marinette is Tamara’s intern. She helped organize this wonderful event. She did such an amazing job as an intern that I’ve had to stop my dad from trying to adopt her.” There were laughs from the crowed.

           Damian snorted as they walked inside, “He is not joking.” He was the one who found the adoption papers.

[soulmate-game]

Part1 ... Part2 ... Part3...

Marinette blinked, tilting her head a bit. The streets around them were loud and bustling with bodies and vehicles despite the sun being right at the horizon. Gotham would slow down soon, people being wary of the darkness in the crime-ridden city,but for now it was busy as usual. Marinette and Jon stood outside the stadium that would be hosting the World Fencing Finals, but a familiar face had stopped them right before they entered.

“I didn’t know you liked fencing,” Marinette mused out loud, making Damian tsk and look away. The boy got along with Marinette alright, but that didn’t immediately cancel out his natural standoffish nature.

“Of course you didn’t, I never told you,” he retorted smoothly, the youngest Wayne moving forward to reluctantly open the door for his two friends.

“You hardly talk about yourself at all, actually,” Marinette continued, humming to herself. “Are you keeping secrets?”

Damian scoffed again, even as Jon snickered behind them. “Everyone has secrets. Even a naive child like you should know that.”

Jon couldn’t quite wipe the smile off his face. He had long since gotten used to the strange way the two communicated over the past month since they first met. Marinette always seemed to know when one of Damian’s jabs were or weren’t meant as serious insults, just as Damian was somehow able to always pick up the exact second that Marinette’s caring nature switched from being rooted in kindness to coming from a place of fear.

Yet Jon was the only one of the trio of friends who could hear their heartbeats change pace when they spotted one another, or when their hands accidentally brushed. Neither Damian nor Marinette seemed to realize their own feelings yet, but Jon would be there when they did.

He just hoped their relationship didn’t develop too quickly. Both his best friend and his new sister were dangerously fragile, just in different ways. He didn’t want them accidentally breaking each other.

“Come to think of it,” Jon heard Damian say, pulling the young kryptonian from his thoughts. “You do not talk about yourself quite as much as it seems like you do. You’ve certainly never mentioned liking swordplay.”

“Ah,” Marinette gave Damian a lopsided smile, rubbing the back of her neck. “I like watching it sometimes, but I’m mainly here to see my friend. She’s one of the competitors today, she and I managed to convince her mom to let her sleepover at our place for two nights.”

“But only if she wins,” Jon added sourly. He and his dad had both heard that condition of the deal that Kagami’s mother had made loud and clear. “I’m sorry Mari, but your friend’s mom sounds way too strict and demanding. If she wins this competition, she can spend two days hanging out with you, but if she even gets as low as second place they have to go back to Japan for remedial training immediately?” Jon shook his head. It wasn’t right.

Damian raised both eyebrows at that, but seemed more intrigued than surprised. “I’ve seen stricter,” he commented casually, only succeeding in making Jon glare at him for the veiled reference to his own dark childhood. “But you are right, Kent. That is concerning treatment. Who is this friend of yours, Marinette? Perhaps I have heard of them if they are good enough to qualify for the World Finals.”

By then, the trio had already handed in their tickets and reached the stands. Jon and Marinette glared at Damian when they realized all of their seats were in the front row, right next to each other even, knowing without a doubt that the rich boy was somehow behind it. The two Kents had had much worse seats when they had first purchased their tickets online.

Marinette waited until they all sat down before answering. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you know her. Her name’s Kagami Tsurugi—“

“World class fencer from a long family line of Japanese fencers,” Damian interrupted, nodding knowingly as one of his hands raised to gently grip his chin. “Before Fencing was introduced to Japan, they were famous for their practice of kendo and katana technique. Especially considering their typically untraditional way of insisting that the females in their family take up combat. That, of course, traces all the way back to the ancient female samurai, or Onna-Bugeisha, Tomoe Gozen, one of the ancestors of the Tsurugi family before they split from the Gozen family.”

Marinette and Jon just blinked at the young heir, before Jon’s mouth slowly started to curve up in a mischievous smile. Damian’s eyes narrowed in warning.

“Kent—“

“You’re a fan,” Jon ignored the warning, gleefully grinning ear to ear. “You did your research on her and her family, that’s some hardcore biggest-fan behavior right there. Do you want us to see if she can give you an autographkfgdjgdgj—“ Jon was cut off as Damian lunged over Marinette, the only person separating the two boys, and muffled Jon’s mouth with one hand as his other tried to slam Jon’s head on the chair’s arm. Of course super strength was no joke, and Jon’s head didn’t move even an inch as he laughed through Damian’s hands.

Marinette was somehow able to separate them, and Damian sat back in his chair with a huff and straightened his button-down shirt imperiously.

“I am not a ‘fan’,” he denied primly, but not even Marinette missed the slight pink to his cheeks even through his denial. “I simply acknowledge her skill. As a practitioner of swordplay myself, it is only me being proactive to research her family history. If she is so inclined, I intend to invite her to the manor sometime before she leaves for a casual spar.”

“Oh, she’ll love that,” Marinette agreed, nodding even as the first duel started. “Kagami is always looking for new sparring partners who can keep up with her, but so far only our other friend Adrien and her mom are capable enough. But…” her voice had dropped to a whisper out of respect for the current combatants, but both boys noticed her pause and the way she worried her lip.

“What?” Jon whispered back, worried. Marinette’s nose wrinkled.

“But I don’t know if it’s a good idea to introduce Kagami to Damian. They might end up taking over the world.”

Jon slapped a hand over his mouth to stifle a snort. Damian just smirked.

“Now you must introduce us. Perhaps I can finally meet someone who can conspire with me to get rid of my brothers.”

With that, the three quieted and actually watched the fights. Jon didn’t really understand the rules or what was happening, but he liked watching the footwork and the different styles that each competitor used when they dueled. Then, about the third or fourth match, a fencer in a bright red uniform walked out.

“That’s her!” Marinette squealed, leaning forward in her seat. She and Damian had occasionally whispered to one another about what they thought were good or bad calls on points, and critiquing different competitor’s techniques. It was a bit of an eye opener to Jon, who realized that he didn’t know much about what Marinette’s life was like back in Paris despite living with the girl for almost five months. In fact, he didn’t know much about her beyond what she actively showed at home.

Maybe Damian had a point earlier. Marinette had a weird way of making it feel like she spoke about herself a lot but in reality didn’t share much about herself at all. Most of what Jon knew about her came from experience. He knew her tells for whenever she started getting nervous, excited, worried, or was close to an attack. He knew how to tell when she was feeling overwhelmed or started retreating into herself because she didn’t want to intrude. But this?

Jon watched as Marinette stood up and cheered for Kagami when the red-clad fencer scored swift points.

He didn’t know the things that she liked to do besides designing. She mentioned listening to Jagged Stone, maybe that was her favorite kind of music.

Whatever. Jon wouldn’t let himself dwell on how Marinette didn’t open up as much as he would like—it was his job as the older brother for once to put some effort in too. Besides, with everything else Marinette had been through over the months it made sense for her to be a little closed off.

Jon moved his eyes back to the floor. Kagami lunged forward right then, ruthless as she slashed and didn’t allow her opponent a moment to do anything but scramble to deflect. But the red-uniformed woman was too fast, almost violent in her strikes, and she landed three hits on her opponent within one second.

Yeah. Now that he knew what was going on, he knew how to gently, slowly, learn more about his sister. Sorry Kon, but Jon had his eyes on the Best Brother prize.

Kagami won, without her opponent winning a single point against her.

“You know, Kagami’s fighting reminds me of someone,” Jon spoke up, ignoring the venomous glare Damian sent him. His sister looked over curiously as the fighters swapped out and Kagami was led to the back, where a locker room of sorts was set up for the competitors.

“Really? Who? I’ve only ever seen Kagami fight like that. Maybe her mom, but that’s different.”

Jon smiled, knowing he’d get some shit for this stunt later when he went on patrol with Damien but decidedly not caring.

“Robin. The newest one anyway, you can find videos online from different sightings of him around Gotham. He uses a sword.”

Marinette raised an eyebrow, obviously knowing that he partnered with Robin a lot as Superboy but not knowing that Damien was also intimately aware of that fact.

“Huh, that’s weird. Ryuuko, one of the Paris heroes, also uses a sword. But it’s a Miraculous weapon, so it’s a bit different than a normal sword.”

Jon winced. That backfired, he and his dad weren’t quite ready for the rest of the JL to know about the Paris situation. So much for the plan to bring it up later, when Marinette was better settled into life in America.

“Paris has heroes?” Damian asked, eyes sharp. All it took was one glance from the green-eyed boy for Jon to know that this would definitely be brought up to Batman. Great.

At least the next match started, distracting both of the fencing fans from continuing the conversation. For the moment.

—*—*—*—*—*

Marinette was the loudest voice in the stadium, standing on her chair without shame as she cheered for her friend, Kagami’s lips twitching in the slightest hint of a smile before she bowed her head to accept her medal.

Marinette was not surprised at all to see her friend win first place in the whole competition. Damian was pleased, and suitably impressed. Jon was just happy that this meant Kagami’s mother couldn’t keep Marinette from spending time with her friend.

Hopping down from the chair, Marinette turned to her friend and brother with a large smile. “Come on! Kagami and her mom are going to meet us in front of the building once everything is done, but I don’t want to fight the crowds.”

Jon cringed, nodding and standing up immediately. Marinette didn’t do well in crowds nowadays, though it could certainly be worse. Inside buildings like the school wasn’t so bad, it was mainly outdoors. Jon and his parents never missed how Marinette would constantly hold Lois’s hand or stick religiously to the woman’s side whenever they walked outside around tall buildings or through thick crowds. None of them mentioned it.

Damien picked up on it, having observed Marinette’s behavior firsthand during the only time he had went outside with her somewhere other than school. They had merely gone to buy Damian a new tie that Marinette approved of, but the girl had scarcely gone further than a foot away from him the whole time they were outside in the city. Only the stern glances from Jon had kept him from commenting on it.

Moments later, the two had found themselves waiting outside the stadium at almost ten at night, though none of them seemed particularly uncomfortable. Marinette seemed downright at home, besides her occasional glances up at the building next to them and her refusal to leave Damian’s side. They waited a good half hour in the slight chill of the night air before Kagami Tsurugi, completely changed out of her uniform, walked up beside her mother Tomoe Tsurugi.

The older woman was, to Jon’s slight shock (Damian’s research was VERY thorough), blind. She tilted her head when she and her daughter stopped in front of the trio.

“Miss Marinette?” She asked in flawless English. “How have you been?”

Marinette smiled, the expression oddly soft compared to her usual beaming grin. “As well as I can be, Madame Tsurugi. With me are my adoptive brother, Jon Kent, and one of my new friends, Damian Wayne. If it is alright with you, we would like to go to Damian’s house for the night. My guardians and his father already approved.”

Jon and Damian blinked, never having heard Marinette speak so properly before. It truly said a lot about the kind of woman Tomoe Tsurugi was. The woman gave an icy smile, pleased but distant. She raised one delicate eyebrow.

“I am getting old, but not dumb Miss Dupain-Cheng. I know very well who the Waynes are, and referring to his home as a mere house is a gross understatement that you couldn’t hope to fool me with in a hundred years,” the woman remarked with subtle humor. Marinette chuckled.

“It was worth a shot,” she defended herself with a shrug. Tomoe shook her head in amusement before settling both hands on her cane and straightening her posture.

“If you vouch for your… friend…” Tomoe said with deliberate slowness. Marinette was quick to nod.

“I do. Damian is trustworthy, and I won’t leave Kagami alone, Madame Tsurugi.”

Tomoe’s mouth flattened, and she was silent for a moment. “You know that you are one of the few people I trust with my daughter, Marinette. I will trust your judgement this time as well. However, Kagami must still call me in the morning and when she does reach your new home as well. And you remember her vacation training schedule?”

Both boys looked at each other, wondering why Kagami did not even try to speak up even though they had their own suspicions. The Japanese teen found that to be the moment she was done being silent however, and sighed.

“Mother,” Kagami spoke, back straight and tone level and proper. “I am perfectly capable of sticking to my training on my own. I do not need Mari-hime to remind me.”

Tomoe pursed her lips, but nodded nonetheless. “Alright. Mister Wayne? I trust your father is alright with Kagami bringing her fencing equipment?”

Damian nodded, despite knowing that Tomoe would not see it. For some reason he got the feeling that she was fully aware of the gesture regardless of her lack of sight.

“Of course. I am actually a fencer as well, though not competitively. I was hopeful that Kagami would humor me with a spar, our manor has a rather nice gym that would provide a more than sufficient space for such an activity.”

At that, Tomoe seemed rather pleased. “That is, of course, up to Kagami since she has not seen Marinette in quite some time and likely has plans for her time already. But I encourage any opportunity that my daughter finds to hone her skills.”

“The competitors today were skilled, but lack knowledge of real battle,” Kagami added, locking gazes with Damian. “My mother trains me as if I were actually fighting, so I seldom find fencers able to match my reactions. If you believe yourself capable, I would be honored to cross swords with you.”

“Oh no,” Marinette stage-whispered to Jon even as her eyes stayed on Damian and Kagami. “This is where the world domination starts.”

Even Tomoe couldn’t resist a small grin at that, and it wasn’t much longer before the trio were picked up by Damian’s butler, who introduced himself as Alfred Pennyworth. Inside the limousine, Kagami visibly relaxed. Her back was still straight, though not overly so, and her face was no longer stringently stoic. Once they pulled away from the stadium, she wasted no time pulling Marinette into a tight hug.

“I am sorry I could not be there for you, Mari-hime.”

Marinette laughed, returning the hug enthusiastically. “Don’t be silly! You were at the funeral, and you video chat with me at least twice a week. That’s plenty.”

Kagami shook her head, tightening her hold. “My mother would have been more than happy to take you in. Sometimes I believe she likes you more than me,” Kagami finally pulled away, turning to level a hard stare at Jon. “But that obviously did not happen, so you and your parents better take good care of Mari-hime, or nobody will find your bodies.”

“Kagami!” Marinette immediately reprimanded, aghast. “The Kents are wonderful! And what did I say about the death threats?”

Kagami rolled her eyes. “My cousin’s family still makes traditional katanas. I have plenty of available arms to carry out my promises.”

“Kagamiiiiiii.”

“If they treat you well, then they have nothing to worry about.”

Marinette groaned in despair, dramatically flopping over until she was draped over the side of Kagami like a limp towel. “I’m gonna get you a spray bottle, and every time you threaten somebody with violence I’m going to spritz you.”

Kagami’s eyes narrowed in playful challenge. “You will have to catch me first.”

Damian was smirking, enjoying this interaction a bit too much. “I believe the two of us will get along just fine, Tsurugi. Do you have a favorite katana craftsman, by any chance?”

—*—*—*—*—*

“They’re so tiny!” The man did not seem to realize the danger he was in with that statement. He was apparently one of Damian’s older brothers, Jason Todd. Both Kagami and Marinette, the “tiny” people in question, glared daggers at the man. “Okay, you,” he said to Kagami, “You’re at least intimidating. Don’t unsheathe that sword please. Bruce already told us that you won the World Finals, and I would rather not die today.” He held his hands up in surrender. Kagami just smirked smugly, and crossed her arms.

Marinette narrowed her eyes. “And me?”

Jason blinked. “What about you? You’re tiny and adorable, even when you’re glaring at me!” He boldly came forward to rustle her hair. “Like a little pixie.”

Kagami covered her smile with a hand, eyes dancing with amusement. Bruce, who had been the first to welcome them all in and introduce himself to Kagami, was pinching his nose next to Alfred in the background. Damian’s other brothers were also gathered. Apparently they all had wanted to meet his new friend and Jon’s new sister.

“Be careful, I’m not the one you should be worried about. At least without my sword I am not as dangerous,” Kagami warned. Everyone blinked at her, and her expression quickly turned confused. Her eyes darted to Marinette, who was too busy glaring at Jason with puffed-out cheeks to notice. “Mari-hime… you didn’t tell anyone?”

Marinette finally looked over, shrugging. “I mentioned it to Jon, Clark, and Lois.”

“What are you talking about, Miss Tsurugi?” Bruce asked, curious after the warning from the fencer. Kagami looked up, and slowly a devious smile spread over her face. It was small, but sent shivers over Jason’s spine.

“Jason and Marinette should spar. Mari-hime is quite the combatant when she desires to be.”

Jason crossed his arms, raising his brow and looking Marinette up and down. “I don’t mean to sound rude, but I’m about double her size—“

“Hey Jon, why don’t you call Lois?” Marinette interrupted, turning to look at her brother with a small smirk. “We’ve got her a huge story— burly biker is too scared to spar a girl half his size.”

Cackles arose, the other two of Damian’s brothers leaning on each other as they guffawed. Bruce and Alfred even stifled chuckles of their own, and Damian’s smirk was infuriatingly prominent. Jon was much like the other two Wayne boys, nearly bowled over in laughter. Jason, after a brief moment of shock and offense, straightened up and grinned. He shrugged off his leather jacket with a small huff of laughter of his own.

“Alright, that was pretty good. You want a spar that badly, you got one. But you’re gonna have to really impress me if you want me to take back what I said about you being adorable and nonthreatening.”

“I’m putting fifty dollars on Marinette,” Kagami bet loudly, raising her hand. “Who wants to bet against me?”

Jason and Marinette both shook their heads in amusement, the big man leading Marinette to the family fitness room (the public one anyway, outside of the Batcave) as everyone besides Bruce and Alfred energetically placed their bets on who would win the spar.

Dick and Tim were betting on Jason, for obvious reasons. Damian withheld from betting, but it was clear he was hoping Marinette would somehow win. Jon just stayed quiet, refusing to share any opinion on the matter. But once Jason and Marinette started heading to the sparring mat that was already laid out, he stopped her.

“You sure about this?” He asked, pulling her away so that nobody else could eavesdrop. “I know I laughed and everything, but you don’t have to spar. Jason won’t hold back if you tell him not to, but he’s not a pushover in any respect.”

Marinette frowned. She had gotten a little caught up in the moment, but at the same time… she wanted this. “You guys are great,” she replied to her brother, voice equally soft. “But you and Clark don’t focus on combat technique. I haven’t had a real fight, at least not one where I don’t have powers to fall back on, in a long time. I need this.”

Jon sighed, but nodded. He squeezed her shoulder for a moment, before smiling at the shorter girl. “Then show everyone what you can do. And I suggest telling Jason not to hold back, or you won’t be able to show off as much as you want.”

Marinette bounced on her heels happily, leaning up to kiss Jon on the cheek. “I’m winning Kagami some money today!” She yelled with a fist-bump before jogging over to join a very amused Jason.

“Was your bro giving you some tips?” He asked, stretching out his arms as Marinette giggled.

“Kind of! Jon suggested that I ask you to not hold back!”

Jason froze, gaze sliding over to the young kryptonian, who only smiled back enigmatically. He might not have spent much time around the youngest Super, but he hung out with Kon often enough and he knew that Jon was fully aware of what he was capable of as Red Hood. He wouldn’t suggest that Jason not hold back unless he was actually confident in Marinette’s skill.

The rest of his family seemed to pick up on that as well, also frozen in shock. Jason was one of the most ruthless fighters of all of them, fearless and brutal.

“Kent better know what he’s doing,” Damian hissed under his breath, to which his father and brothers could only nod to silently.

“So the pixie wants me to not hold back? Alright,” Jason agreed to after a moment of stunned silence. Immediately most of his jovial manner drained away, replaced with focus as he spread his legs and sunk into a stance that came naturally to him at that point. If Jon and Marinette both wanted him to treat her like a real threat (without forgetting that this was just a spar, anyway) then he would. Maybe the girl had super strength or invulnerability like the other Supers. That would explain why Clark was so quick to take her in.

“Oh I hope we don’t regret this later,” Bruce groaned before stepping into the center mat and raising one hand. “Alright. Winner is whoever can pin or otherwise subdue the other first. Please, don’t break any bones or skin. I do not need an angry Lois Lane on my doorstep tomorrow morning. You can use the whole room as long as you don’t risk hitting or involving any of us innocent bystanders. Ready?” Bruce backed up off the mat. “Start!” He wasted no time backing away to a wall.

There was no moment of stillness. There was no waiting with baited breath or looking for an opening. As soon as Bruce called Start, Jason attacked.

He jumped over the distance separating him and Marinette, bringing his knee up to try and end this in one strike like he would have in the field.

Only Marinette wasn’t there to take the hit. Just as quickly as Jason had lunged, she had jumped. Instead of Jason kicking her in the stomach, the small Asian girl had leapt up, and landed on the upraised knee balanced on only one nimble foot.

Suddenly, they were face to face. They grinned at each other, and then they were nothing but movement again.

—*—*—*—*—*

@fantasiame @thestressmademedoit @amayakans @resignedcatservant @too0bsessedformyowngood @chocolatecatstheron @mooshoon @jeminiikrystal @bigpicklebananatree @thezestywalru @bugaboosandbees @ironspiderstark @mikantsume @marinettepotterandplagg @more-or-less-human-i-guess @myazael @ladybug-182 @buticaaba @dast218 @maribat-is-lifeblood @elspethshadow @fandomsaremylifeline @moonlightstar64 @whats-she-gonna-post-next @toodaloo-kangaroo @maybemanymuffins @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @legendaryneckjudgestudent @goblinwhoships @yin-390

Part 5

This got long, so the majority of the spar will be in the next part so that I don’t get cut off. :D OMG, StOrY DeVelOPmeNT?! Who am I?!

More good stuff next chap.

[youhearstatic]

After the Story and the Song...

“Those bandages are filthy,” Lup says. 

It’s a second before Barry realizes she’s talking to him. He’d been staring, lost, reveling in the sound of her voice, dumbstruck that’s she’s made the sounds herself it’s not just an echo his brain produced as a trick. 

And also he’d forgotten he’d been injured. 

He looks down and yeah, the quickly patched up bandage a harried healer had wrapped around his shoulder and upper arm during a brief respite in the fighting has seeped through with blood and whatever fluids leaked out of the shadow monsters they’d been fighting. 

“Yeah,” he says disinterestedly. His offhand comes up to scratch his jaw, fingers rasping against his stubble, but he makes no other move in response. 

Lup laughs and the sound is bright and cheering. It’s dark out - true dark, not the stuff brought on by the apocalypse - but the sound of Lup laughing makes him feel sundazed and giggly. He remembers a distant cousin at a long ago family reunion whose toddler had sat on a blanket in the sun delighted by everything the world had presented her that day. That’s how he feels now, like a child grasping their pudgy little hands, trying to hold all the delicious goodness around them. 

“We need to do something about that, babe,” she prompts but he hears the same humor in her voice as in her laugh, knows she understands and feels the same. 

“You’re here,” he says. It’s not the first time he’s said it. Even in the midst of the battle they’ve just been through, ever so often he’d turned to see her red spectral shape and with a tone of absolute amazement said those same words again and again. 

Which is maybe how he ended up sliced from shoulder to elbow, actually. Lup blasted the clawed shadow that ripped the jagged wound open before it could strike again and render him a lich. When the shadow disintegrated, she’d reminded him to try and stay a little more focused. 

Now the shadows are gone and they’re both free to just fucking bask for a minute. It’s all he can do: look at her. 

Taako checked in once during the battle then just a minute ago as they were wiping up the last of the things. It had only been a few stragglers, injured and striking out at anything, after the rest had simply stopped. Taako had said where he was going but, for Barry, those details are hazy at the moment. 

Lup’s here. 

“Let’s get you to a healer, babe,” she says and his mouth stretches into a grin. 

He swipes a dirty hand across his face, smearing - well, let’s call it grime and leave it at that - across newly minted tear tracks. His emotions are in overdrive at the moment, everything feels turned up to eleven when he looks at her shimmering form and reminds himself that it’s actually over and she’s here. 

Her magic sparkles over him, familiar even after more than a decade where it wasn’t even a memory half the time. 

“How do you still have spell slots?” he asks. His own magic ran out ages ago, leaving him swinging a rough wooden improvised mace for a while until his injury made even that impossible. 

“I am magic,” she reminds him. 

He laughs, a bit chagrined because duh, he knew that but also just because she’s here and everything is kinda funny and wonderful. 

He runs his hand over his face again, exhaustion creeping up on him fast now that the fighting is over. “The healers’ll have their hands full,” he tells her, reluctant to bother anyone when, after all, worst case scenario he’s got a get-out-of-jail-free card, so to speak. 

Lup must read his thoughts cause he feels the subtle charge of displeasure in the feel of her magic. “Huh uh, buster, you’re keeping that fine body of yours intact even if I have to stitch you up myself.”

“I just meant I’d take care of it later,” he counters half heartedly because honestly, it’s just a little blood. It takes more than this to stop him. He should know. He’s done the research. 

She makes a tut-tut kind of noise and he wonders briefly how she even does that without a mouth or tongue but then she’s using her magic to peel the bandage back and, oh, fuck. “Yeah, okay,” he concedes, because hell a-mighty just that bit of jostling hurts. 

Her response makes him curious again because how do you snort when you’re a lich? He’s pretty sure he can’t do that. 

A ball of water is summoned above him and then, carefully (though he has all ideas she considered handling it differently) she lets a stream of it run down over his wound, rinsing away the assorted gore to soak into the ground with the rest of the runoff. 

Lup hums to herself as she works and he’s struck again: Lup’s here. 

Reaching up with his offhand he trails his fingers delicately along what would be the edge of her sleeve. It’s a subtle thing, feeling the difference between air and the magic that makes Lup, but he’s particularly attuned to it. 

“Stop distractin’ me, handsome,” she admonishes lightly, her voice that wonderful teasing tone he knows so well. 

“You’re here,” he says again and this time it’s a bit less dazed and a bit more certain. “I thought I dreamed you,” he says. Because he did. So many times he woke up, not knowing where he was or what he was doing, but sure someone - SHE - was supposed to be there. “Thought I was losin’ my godsdamned mind,” he mutters. Because he’d thought that too. 

Then another thought hits him. “How did you survive?” Because for all he’s been through, she was alone and trapped. 

Her form seems to stiffen slightly, though she doesn’t pause at all in her diligent care of his wound. “It…” She sighs, and continues, and if he wasn’t so concerned, he’d be sidetracked again wondering where a sigh comes from for a lich. “It wasn’t great,” she says lightly. “But I wasn’t really aware for a lot of it.”

He senses that what she was aware of was terrible and he’s nearly blinded by the keen need to hold her, so acute it steals his breath for a moment. 

“But as you’ve noticed,” she continues, “I’m here. That’s what matters.”

He nods, head bobbing forcefully as his throat works to push air around the heavy knot of emotion that’s formed there. 

“I heard you,” she tells him. “I… I heard a lot of things and I know how hard you were trying.”

It’s all he can do to swallow back the sudden influx of new tears. After he’d seen Taako with the umbrastaff… he’d worried what it meant. Later, once he realized where she was, it was all he could do not to snatch the umbrella out of Taako’s hands and snap it. Only fear that breaking it wouldn’t save her, might actually make things worse, had stopped him. He’d figured they’d talk after everyone had their memories back - if there was an after - and figure it out from there. 

“I should have broken the fucking thing outside Refuge,” he apologizes. She could have been out months ago, could have - oh fuck, he realizes, suddenly nauseous with the realization - she could have been in a body by now. 

“Shush it, Bluejeans. It worked out.” 

That’s all she says and he lets it go. There will be time to talk about it all later. 

For a few minutes they’re just silent together while she works. She rinses the bandage and hits it with a Prestidigitation spell then reapplies it. The material is cool on his hot skin, still slightly damp. 

“That’ll hold you for a little while,” she says. “But you’re finding a healer tomorrow. I’ll drag you to one by your black leather belt if it comes to it.”

“Whatever you say, Lup.”

Her magic ruffles through his hair, pulling it slightly the way she has a hundred times when teasing him and he feels the smile spread across his face again. 

She snorts a laugh and he reminds himself to ask her later how she does that. 

Because there’ll be time for that, he thinks. 

Time. They have all the time in the world again.

[moved-to-void-kissed]

Too Late to be Saved

Document link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GF_jZevunsCA5QKPWXfaVO_OO61ZaAtxkzPdoJNJHUM/edit?usp=sharing

When Aqua and Aria reach the Dark Margin at the edge of the realm of darkness, they meet Ansem the Wise, who is quickly sought by Ansem, Seeker of Darkness. Aria angrily confronts the fellow Heartless, but finds herself unable to get back to the End of Sea before Riku and King Mickey arrive. (2351 words) Replaces the KH3 cutscene “An Unexpected Encounter” and changes some story events so that “Too Late” and “Braving the Darkness” no longer occur.

My first new piece of selfship writing on this blog, and oh boy is it a big one! I had a lot of fun writing this, so hopefully it makes for a good read, haha ^-^

Tag list: @softskiesahead | @dragonsmooch | @thatslikesometaldude | @lilacslovers | @insomniaships | @candyforthebrain | @goldenworldsabound | @setzale

A transcript of the document is under the readmore! Reblogs of this post would be greatly appreciated, since I was really happy with how this turned out, but they’re not required by any means~

“What is this place..?”

The blue-haired woman slowly walked forwards, marvelling at the sight before her. The endless dark caverns that she had wandered for so long had opened out to a clouded grey beach, lit by what appeared to be a glowing white moon above the horizon. The hard stone underfoot was giving way to soft sand of the same ash-like colour, as waves of murky water gently grazed the shore. It was an eerily tranquil place by the standards of all she had witnessed before, something her companion was quick to notice.

“There are no Heartless here.” she said. “I almost feel as though I shouldn’t be here, either. Aqua.. I think this might be the edge of the realm.”

“So, we’ve made it to the end?” replied Aqua, now making her way towards the shoreline.

“Yes, it would appear so. Whatever lies beyond this shore.. It seems less like part of the darkness, and more like something between dark and light. Something that doesn’t belong to either force..”

As her partner spoke, Aqua became aware that her voice was growing fainter. When she turned around, she saw that she had made far less progress towards the water, standing awkwardly some distance away with her wings curled around her body. She looked nervous, and unsure what to expect, yet the catlike ears poking straight up through her messy blonde hair showed that she was still as alert as ever, constantly listening for danger even in the silence of the new place they had stumbled across.

“Aria, it’s okay! We can keep going, if you’d prefer that. You look tense, and I don’t want you to be unsettled.”  A worried expression flitted across Aqua’s face as she reached out to hold Aria’s hand - the sudden movement made her flinch in surprise, but she quickly and visibly relaxed as Aqua drew closer. When the two were standing together again, Aqua gently closed both of her hands over Aria’s, unfazed by the patches of open darkness that ran along them, and smiled as she looked down at her partner.

“Thank you..” she mumbled quietly. “I’m alright, I just- don’t know what to expect here.”

It was then that, behind the Keyblade Master, Aria spotted a hooded figure sitting some distance away, hidden by a black coat but appearing to gaze out over the barely-moving water. Though she still let Aqua hold her right hand, she slowly shifted to free her left and moved to stand at Aqua’s side in one fluid movement. Then she extended her left arm and a mass of dark energy enveloped the space beside her, dissipating quickly to reveal a jagged dark red Keyblade.

“Identify yourself!”

Her shout echoed across the shore, leading the figure to turn its head and slowly stand up. As it started to walk across the sand, it removed its hood to reveal an older-looking man with piercing orange eyes and wispy light blond hair. He looked tired, and his face bore the wrinkled lines of worry as he observed the two Keyblade wielders.

“Please, stay your weapon. I mean you no harm.”

Aria wasn’t overly convinced, but she could see that the man did not have the strength to be a threat, so she lowered her Keyblade. Aqua was curious to find out more, taking a step forward.

“Who are you? How did you end up in this place?”

The man sighed wistfully, folding his hands behind his back. “My name was.. stolen by another, and I can feel this place taking its toll on my memory. I’m sorry. I know that I have only been here for a fairly short time, and that I was sent here by the destruction of the machine I created to encode Kingdom Hearts in data.”

“Before that..” He turned to look out over the water again, unwilling to meet Aqua’s gaze. “I caused a great deal of misery to many individuals, through both my recent actions and my previous research. It is clear to me now that I was deeply in the wrong about some of my original beliefs.. Now, I can only hope for a chance to atone for my deeds.”

“It’s alright.” Aria’s Keyblade had disappeared from her hand. “I can see now that your heart holds a true desire for.. repentance, or something of that nature. I’m not sure what the right word is, but.. The point is that you won’t be harmed, by either of us.”

“Yes, of course!” Aqua added. “I think you’ll be safe here, at least, since the Heartless don’t seem to come here. And, I can’t claim to know what you’ve done, but.. What’s important is that you recognise your mistakes, and that you want to make up for them.”

The man seemed relieved, and turned back to face the pair with a shadow of a smile on his face. “Thank you, both of you. I admit that I was not expecting to meet anyone else in this infernal prison. If I may ask, what are your names?”

“Oh, there’s no time for that now.”

A dark portal had opened up, and from it stepped an imposing and well-built man in a similar black coat. He had slicked-back long silver hair and similarly piercing eyes to the old man, though his were a cold golden colour. Aria’s eyes narrowed at his approach, as it was clear that he was a powerful user of darkness, though the true nuance was only visible to her.

“What- What’s going on?” Aqua asked, turning to face the man with suspicion. He ignored her for the moment, focusing only on the older man, who in turn was glaring fiercely at the intruder as he approached.

“You..”

“Master.. I must have a word with you.”

“Master?” he echoed. “So now you mock me..” The disapproval dripped from his voice like bitter venom. The interloper opened his mouth to respond, but-

“Leave.”

Aria had broken away from Aqua’s grasp and now stood defiantly before the intruder, Keyblade still in hand.

“Excuse me?” The man raised an eyebrow and sneered down at her, surprised by her actions.

“I know what you are, Ansem.” she snarled back. “I have known your power since before you even existed. A villainous Heartless with a natural human form - the one that took the title of “seeker of darkness” and is shadowed by a twisted dark figure. You think you’re so strong, but you are not the one who holds power here.”

This last statement had clearly struck a nerve, and Ansem’s expression of contempt soured into anger. “You’re certainly an astute one.. But what makes you think you could possibly face me?”

“Have your eyes gone blind as well as gold? If I can tell what you are, you can tell what I am. I have seen more than you will ever achieve, especially now that you’re afflicted with some other presence. That-” - she pointed up at his eyes - “-is Xehanort’s power, isn’t it? If you’re with him, that makes you our enemy.”

At this point, Aqua’s worried expression had returned. “Aria, be careful..”

“Aqua, get that man somewhere out of the way. I’m going to stop this before it becomes a problem.”

“You are a fool to challenge me, girl!” 

An eruption of darkness burst forth from the Heartless, and the powerful frame of the Dark Figure rose up from his shadow. Aria quickly leapt up into the air, spreading her wings to soar over Ansem’s head as he lashed out. To deflect the residual impact of his outburst, Aqua summoned a Barrier spell, then started to help the old man escape once he had turned around.

The force of that initial burst - not even a targeted attack, merely an effect driven by the might of his anger - instantly made Aria aware of the strength Ansem possessed, and she knew she would have to be careful. Her advantage was agility, as the darkness she could draw from her surroundings to aid her flight was limitless. She darted out of his reach and flew up and away from the Dark Figure’s grasp, firing shockwaves of unearthly blue energy at both it and Ansem. The monster seemed unfazed, but Ansem himself was slowed down in his pursuit of her, only to then retaliate with a barrage of violet orbs, which Aria was able to flit between. At every twist and turn, she flew further away from him, enraging him even more as he was forced to give chase.

“What is this insolence?!” Ansem yelled. “You should be obeying me!”

“Does it look like that matters?” she replied, deftly evading another blast of dark energy. “I already told you - you’re not the one who holds power here. Even if you did, Ves’ presence is enough to protect me. I don’t care what you think you deserve!”

Another flash of darkness, this time from Aria herself - she had switched her Keyblade from its dark mode to its diamond mode, now shimmering with cold blue light, and enveloped herself in a shadowy aura to strengthen herself. Still soaring on her wings, their black feathers gleaming with energy drawn from the realm, she sent a rain of insightful flames down from above, then her Keyblade became electrified and she hurled it spinning towards him.

“Maybe you meant something, once. But now you’ve let yourself be taken over by someone who’s not even strong enough to control you completely. Take it from someone who knows - all that does is weaken you!”

“Enough of this!”

Suddenly, the Dark Figure wrested itself from Ansem’s shadow and lunged forwards into the air, followed swiftly by Ansem himself, roaring and surrounding himself with a wall of intense darkness. As Aria dropped through the air to avoid his charge, a blast of ice struck him from behind. It was Aqua, channeling magic even without her Keyblade to act as a conduit. The impact threw Ansem off-course, but the Dark Figure swept around and managed to grab hold of Aria.

“Agh!”

“Let go of her!” Aqua cried, trying to fire more magic without hitting Aria. Ansem’s attention remained focused on the Keyblade Master, while the Dark Figure tightened its powerful grip as if to crush Aria entirely. She desperately writhed and struggled, holding onto the figure with her right hand and trying to slash at it with the Keyblade in her left. After a few moments, it became shrouded in a dark mist, as if dissipating, and she was able to slip from its hold when another direct hit from Aqua made Ansem stumble.

Anger still pulsed through him like a poison as he shouted at the both of them. “I will not lose to an obstinate recusant and a lost guardian with no Keyblade to protect herself!”

Clearing the space around him by emitting a shockwave of energy, Ansem started to summon a massive crest of darkness above him, reaching all the way up to the ceiling. The Dark Figure was still clawing at Aria, as if enraged at how she had stolen some of its power to escape it, but she felt confident she would be able to evade the incoming blow. She could tell that he was not at his full strength anymore, and the intricate crest was already starting to lose its shape, contorting into a misshapen orb of raw darkness.

Then she saw where Ansem was aiming.

“Don’t you dare!-”

In the instant before the orb struck her, all Aqua saw was a flurry of feathers, and then came the dark impetus. Something fell from her sash as she was knocked to the ground, and she was only aware of something- someone- Aria being launched through the air above her, sent flying further back into the dark. 

Just then, a shower of stars came soaring in from the direction of the otherworldly beach. Their light seemed to pierce through the darkness like a blade through fog, and Aqua couldn’t help but feel a surge of hope as she saw them strike the Heartless.

“Oh no you don’t!”

A familiar and determined cry from none other than King Mickey himself - the little mouse had leapt to the fray and brandished his Star Cluster Keyblade to help Aqua out. From behind him, another Keyblade wielder in plaid clothing was running towards them, carrying a sword of grey metal with ease.

Aqua recognised him immediately, even though he had grown considerably. “Riku! Mickey! Is it really you?”

“Gah..” Ansem staggered back to his feet, clearly injured from Mickey’s attack, and glared at them all in turn. “You have not won this.. You will not prevail!”

Another dark corridor opened up, then it was gone, and he was gone.

“I don’t feel good about letting him get away like that..” said Mickey. “Should we try and go after him?”

“There’s no time!” Riku exclaimed, his green eyes clouded with concern. “We need to get you out of here, Aqua, and bring Ansem the Wise with us, too. I don’t know how long the corridor I made will stay open for.”

“Wait, but-”

Mickey nodded at Riku’s words with a determined expression. “You’re right. I’m not leaving without you again, Aqua!”

All the while, Aria was desperately flying.

The light of all their hearts, and of the corridor, was blinding, especially for one so accustomed to the dark - but she kept racing forwards, using them as a guiding beacon. Sharp spikes of rock loomed down from the ceiling, as if the jaws of a monster were trying to consume her, to keep her trapped in the realm that had already held her for so long. No. She wouldn’t lose her. This would be her only chance to escape.

The lights flickered, once, twice, three times - and then it was all extinguished. Fatigue from her injuries mixed with overwhelming emotions brought Aria to the ground with a sob. She crashed to the floor just metres away from where her love had been so cruelly rescued, clinging onto what Aqua had so sadly left behind.

All she had left was a blue glass Wayfinder.

[aliypop]

And So It Starts

Wordcount: 2,063 

Warning: ANGST and I guess Spoilers maybe

Authors notes : I wanted to do a big story to introduce my new character Astrid Sodotirr that I made for Loki and I really really hope you guys like her.

"I'll tell you jail is no fun." One of the women around the table remarked, "Agnes, you've been to jail?" the familiar-looking redhead said, sitting across from the lady who was now known as Agnes. "Once, in Monopoly." she laughed as they soon looked at their new "neighbor." She had a look of confusion on her face, almost as if she didn't belong. "Ah dear, what was your name again?" Agnes asked, watching as the curly brunette shook from her trance. "Astrid, Astrid Sodotirr." she looked at them both. The redhead had a look of discomfort while Agnes on, the other hand, was thrilled,

 " So Scandinavian." she smirked, "Interesting, unlike my husband, Ralph." she then turned, "Isn't that right Wanda," 

"Uh yes... Sodotirr like the goddess of chaos?" she asked as Astrid looked at her, her usual garments replaced with 80's activewear. "Yes, my mom was huge into Mythology ." she laughed, finding that her voice didn't even sound like her own. It felt like a fantasy world, something that not even her magic could comprehend. 

"My mother was just heavy into drinking." Agnes joked, 

"Well, girls, I should go get going. Ralph isn't going to rub lotion on himself..." She winked, leaving. Wanda and Astrid stood in the living room waiting for her obnoxious neighbor to walk away before orbs of teal and red appeared from their hands. "Why are you here..." Wanda growled, "We all saw you die..." Astrid dodged the red beam, 

"Do that again, Maximoff, and you'll join Vision and your brother!" she threw out a blast, "Then tell me how you broke in..." her eyes glowing red, 

"I DON'T KNO-" she stopped talking as the sound of footsteps marched up the driveway of the 80s household Astrid. began taking the green stone out of her sweatband, 

"I think they're here for you ..." Astrid whispered as one of them took the stone out of her hand, "Hey!" 

"Variant found..." one of the minutemen said as two others grabbed onto her, 

"On behalf of the Time-Variant Authority, I here by arrest you for crimes against the sacred timeline."

"She's the one making false realties!" Astrid snarled at the witch, 

"Hands up, you're coming with us..." 

"Glady..." Astrid smirked, lifting her hands striking two of the minutemen. As she ran up the block, Astrid was falling slowly to the ground in slow motion.

"She stole the Time sto-" Wanda tried to finish. 

"Reset the timeline..." the soldier said as they pushed the young woman through a portal, "Hey, I'm a princess, careful how you man handle me!" she growled, looking at the grossly colored orange walls. Taking her to what seemed like a receptionist desk as a young blonde man sat chipper and happy logging her into their system, "What species..." he asked,

"Asgardian... and she brought this with her..." the minuteman threw the stone on the desk.

"Oh great, another paperweight."

"Mobius, just get rid of it..." she sighed, cranking the lever as she threw Astrid inside the elevators, 

"When Loki finds out about this... he... he won't be... WOAH!" a robotic arm touched her vibrant pink leotard, "I'm not that easy." she grumbled as the machine told her to hold still, lasering off the tacky 80's clothing leaving her in absolutely nothing as a trapped door opened, 

Astrid was standing in front of a stack of papers dressed in a tan jumpsuit with TVA on it, "Please verify this is everything you've ever said." a voice said, startling her. 

"What in Odin's missing eye is this," she said, another piece added to the pile.

"Please verify this is everything you've ever said." he handed her a pin as she began signing away. Astrid began to think that maybe marrying Thor would have been a safer option than whatever this was. As another trap door opened, Astrid stood in front of a metal detector.

 "Please confirm to your knowledge that you are not a fully robotic being, were born an organic creature, and do possess what many cultures would call a soul." Astrid looked down towards the voice as her brows furrowed from the question, "Do people not know they're robots..." she asked, walking through as the machine took her picture, "Because if they didn't know..."

"They'd melt, now take your temporal aurora and walk through the door..." he sighed, watching as burst through as if she owned the place. Brown walls and bright lights paved her path while two-minute men watched and gestured to the take-a-ticket sign. "You have got to be kidding me," she mumbled as she took a ticket, walking through the guided path. Astrid watched as other prisoners went through, while others erased. 

"Next case!" Astrid walked through the door's benches full of people, " Sodotirr, Variant A1020, AKA Astrid Sodotirr, charged with sequence violation 7-20-80." the judge said, walking to the stand. Astrid grumbled in aggravation,

" And who would I have the honor of these charges being blessed upon me by? "

"The timekeepers..." The judge said. 

"Oh, the ones from the annoying clock lady..." she nodded as a few guards snickered, 

"How do you plead..."

"I've only ever pleaded to one man... on occasion a few women..." she winked, "Now if you excuse me, I really should be go-" she snapped her fingers as nothing happened, "I should be going..." she mumbled, "Hold on..." 

"If you're trying to use your powers, they don't work here now. However, I find you guilty, and perhaps pruning you would do just fine..." The judge hit her mallet until one of the minutemen whispered in her ear.

 "Pruned... I don't like the sound of that."

"It has come to my concern that... Ravonna will be your consoler. Take the variant away..." the judge sighed as Astrid breathed, the once minuteman guiding her towards the elevator. 

"I'm Ravonna Renslayer, now a Time agent of the TVA." she smiled at the variant. 

"How long have you been here?"

"Well, you know what they say. Time passes differently here in the TVA." she nodded, leading her out the elevator and around the halls of the main building, "How cute, you know you should've done your research before deciding to go after me..." Astrid said, turning her head as her curls bounced along. As the doors opened, the two sat in front of a tiny TV, "Trust me. We've been doing our research since you were deemed crowned and named princess and goddess." She laughed, putting the flash drive in as she started her file.  

"You know you're surprisingly good at complying..."

"Happens when you get told to all your life..." she mumbled. Astrid looked up at the screen memories played, some that were pleasant and some there were, "That one's a bit risky... If I were you, I'd skip it." she laughed, watching as the scene of a harvest festival on Asgard played. 

There stood Sif, Thor, and Loki. Astrid, who was taste testing ale, had been a little tipsy. She found herself clinging onto Loki. She appeared to be younger, no more than 16 at the time. Dressed in gold to "compliment": Thor, her only view was the Prince of Asgard. "What would your mother say if she found you so full..." Loki winked. Tilting her chin up, "She'd say absolutely nothing because you are not to tell her..." Astrid gave him a burst of laughter sweeter than all the honey of Asgard,

 "Oh but, I might..." he leaned in closer to her, their foreheads touching, "Then I'll tell Odin you took me away from Thor..." she whispered, stealing a kiss from him.

"You cheeky Minx.." he laughed.

"So why Loki..." Ravonna asked,

"Maybe I am..." she responded to the memory, clearing her throat, "Well, we understood each other..." she folded her hands together. "We were different yet so similar." her heart sinking in her chest as the last memories of Loki passed through, "Would you say your childhoods were the same..." Ravonna asked, not even savoring her answer. Before she could finish, there stood the memory of her mother locking her in a tower. 

"You are courageous yet dumb... you are a disappointment I wish I never birthed..." Amidala laughed, yanking at the chain around her neck. "Purposeless child.."

"I was born with a purpose!" she shouted at the screen, "One you'd never see coming, one of courage and rage..." a tear falling on her cheek, Ravonna made a side note in her notepad, " You know for someone who's such a threat you don't act like one..."

Astrid turned to face her, her hands gripping on the table, "Just a sad little girl who thinks she knows what she's doing... when her purpose was to die..."

"Everyone dies..." 

"Yes, but not how you did..." 

"First Wanda, now you." She laughed, "What is this about me, the all-mighty Astrid of Vanaheim dying," Astrid asked, "Perhaps, I'll leave you with what happened before you screwed up the timeline..." she smirked, walking out the spacious holding cell.

 "This is against the Norns for a mere puny human to tell me how I died." her back facing the screen as she heard an all so familiar scene.

 "The rightful king of the Ottenheim God of mischief do hereby pledge to you my undying fidelity..." 

"Loki, wait!" Astrid ran towards Loki, his dagger not yet lodging into Thanos. The two looked over as Thanos only laughed, "Undying, you should choose your words carefully..." he laughed, throwing Astrid against a jagged rock watching as he snapped Loki's neck sat Thor, who had to watch the two people in his life waste away in front of him. 

"Don't... leave... m..."

END OF FILE

"Some courage ... " Ravonna laughed, "It got you killed... why would you do that..." 

"I wanted affection... I wanted attention. I wanted to be perfect..." she sobbed in the corner, 

"That's pathetically sad..." Ravonna then got an idea, "But if you work with us, you can have those things. " she stuck her hand out, watching as the goddess looked up at her like a scared child looking for hope. 

"Alright, we've got a variant..." Mobius sighed, "Astrid is this one right... Astrid?" he questioned. Astrid ran over as she saw a Loki variant tapping him on the shoulder. He took out his dagger, placing it near her neck,

 "How attractive..." she rolled her eyes, 

"You insolent worm, I should feed you to the fish who feed upon Odin..." 

"Nice try..." she used her powers to immobilize him. Being a Time-Variant hunter had been slowly running her down. After all, she figured out how to play their game then attack, 

But it was getting hard when they were looking for Loki and herself. "Take him away..." she sighed, walking into the office back to Casey's receptionist office as her eyes laid upon a suspicious blue box. 

"Hey, you know what this is..." 

"Tesseract... and It's very dangerous and..." she picked him up by his shoulders, "By the Norns, if you do not tell me who was wielding this, you will wish to whatever God you pray to that they have mercy over you..." she threatened him.

"He's an Asgardian..." Casey gulped.

"Where did he go..." 

"Behind that door, I think..." Astrid tried to pull the lever, "You're not authorized!" he shouted, watching as she went to the elevator, only taking her back to her cell. Her ears pressed against the door as she heard Mobius talking as he usually did, but this time a voice she had recognized too well. 

"Where are you taking me... by the grace of, Astrid you'll."

"You really don't like talking much, do you, little fella," Mobius sighed, shoving him in the cell. What felt like hours was only minutes when Mobius felt like he had gotten nowhere at all. As Mobius left the cell, so did Astrid. Following the footsteps of and the smell of Asgard's finest colognes, she found herself at Casey’s desk: the draw open with scattered infinity stones showing just how powerful the TVA was struck a bit of fear in the Goddesses' heart.  

"Where was he..." 

"I don't know... But, uh, what's a fish?" Astrid laughed, "I'll tell you later." she laughed, walking back as a hand reached out and pulled her into a cell. 

Lips crashing on top of hers bodies pressed together. 

" Astrid, my love..." 

"Loki..." she asked.

[itstheendofthegoddamnworld]

Lamia Boyfriend: Xanthorus

Anon Ask: Hi There! I have a small request too, if I may! Maybe a story about a jungle researcher and a Naga/Lamia. Maybe the researcher stumbled into the den.

Male monster x human reader [Gender Neutral] - Modern Au 

Death-or-Glory

"Are you sure?" Your closest worker and friend, Sebastian had placed his concern, "We don't even know where it will take us."

The caves acted like crypts within a cavernous descent, the rocks had been slicked in a substance that didn't even seem from a bacteria from this world, the descent meant to be hidden from all from the outside world.

"Which is why I think discovering for ourselves will be a revolutionary discovery." You had smiled, the hard helmet you were strapping over your short locks, the drops of water fell and trickled down like teardrops from your eyes. 

Your decision to down was meant for research: as light decreases the further you go down, the size and complexity of plant life also reduces. The research into finding in three regions of the caves where plants have developed and adapted to allow them to live in low-light conditions were remarkable, and that was where you found yourself most often.

Your small team usually came down with you, but for the first time, you had decided that for the best, it would be easier to descent with rope and climbing equipment first.

You had given the man reassurance with a smile, "If I get scared, you know the drill."

"Pull you up before you chicken out? That isn't like you, chère." He had grinned, gathering the rope as you attached yourself to it, hauling yourself to hover just over the ledge.

When you looked down, the drop below seemed maybe 40ft, the walls had stretched and opened in the shape of a twisted mouth, filled with jagged teeth that littered around the bottom and around the edges.

You gave Sebastian the thumbs up as he and the others of your travels kept an eye on the rope in the pulley system as you slowly made your way over the ledge until your legs were below and couldn't reach for the end.  

The rush of cold air hit you square in the face, your dangling body swayed as you recoiled to a harsh halt, a shuffle of feet above you raced closer to you when you looked up. 

"You good?" Your voice bounced over the high mighty walls with its many teeth, your fear bubbling slowly like you were being hovered a boiling pot.

"The line got stuck, hang tight." Seb's head popped over the edge as he disappeared quickly over. "Cool, I'll just... you know, stay here." You joked sourly, your eyes roaming as your beacon gave little to no light in helping you see.

The cave to the bottom narrowed into a hole, but what that lied below was concealed with darkness. Another jolt came as the ring of the pulley lunged you to drop a few inches, your voice coming out in a yelp, your grip on the rope shaking. "Seb!"

"Merde—shit, are you okay? You're not hurt?" Sebastian rambled instantly in distress. 

"No, apart from giving me a heart attack, I’m fine."  You muttered, trying to calm your nerves as you calmed your breathing as best as you could. I'm not dying here today, no, I will not.

The cold rush of air that came out through the jagged opening brought you to swing over the opening, your nerves seeming to never simmer down. "Anything?"

"The line may get stuck again, but it's been free so you can go down further- just, be careful."

"Of course, thanks for letting me know." You replied, and bit by bit, you inched yourself further down, the bottom seemed to never want to reach you. The cold was harsh and your skin prickled up with your hairs, the realisation of knowing that if you were to get stuck again, you wouldn't be any closer to them but closer to the bottom, making it harder to get back up.

"Stop." Your fear bubbled over when you shouted out, the rope had halted a second later but quivered as you dropped further down compared to the first time. "What's wrong?" Seb questioned concerned.

"I... I'm sorry, it's-- I can't do this. Pull me up, I'm getting bad vibes from this."

"But you're almost halfway." Sebastian called back through the abyss, "Are you sure?"

"Please, I-- for crying out loud, please Seb!"

He didn't have to reply further from that, the screeching of the metal was deafening as you were pulled just an inch higher until there was a brash outcry of the pulley that made you realise something was wrong. Your body fell as you screamed out in a shriek, your body jolted to a harsh stop as your body was still swinging, your body - like a ragdoll - hit the side of the wall, your helmet almost fell out you as you could hear the cries of panic at your name being shouted out along the rock walls.

Your head was stinging as if your mind had been a bell and was being rung, the mild reaction to adrenaline-pumping too late as you braced yourself as you swung into the other wall, your limp body spinning.

"The rope!-- the fucking rope!" Your name was called over and over as you registered something was off, the terror in Sebastian's voice could be heard as he kept trying to get you to answer with the call of your name.

I don't want to die, please, no, not like this, oh, God. You shook yourself with some and sense as you looked up just in time, the dwindling amount of time to react brought you to come to a grim realisation as you found yourself not being able to save yourself or be saved. The rope you had been held up from snapped when the pulley couldn't rewind it back up, taking it down with you.

The last thing you remembered was how the void engulfed you and all left was endless darkness. 

You could only imagine how you landed wouldn’t be safe for you when you came around, the startling lack of light made you panic in believing you had been taken to a completely different place. I am not dead, and I do not know how I am still breathing. Your head pounded but your body was in overdrive to keep you alive and conscious, where you stabilised yourself as best as you could.

The four corners of the walls were oily and sodden in a substance, you couldn’t imagine what it was, and when you rummaged through your bag to find a torch, something was dripping heavily down your helmet that wasn’t water.

The flashlight fluttered to life and in front of you, you lurched back with a startled yelp, looking into the sunken sockets of a long-dead skeleton. It wasn’t anything you could recognise that could’ve been an animal from the surface - with its long body and head as big as a coach - you questioned what could’ve killed something so big.

You touched at its large skull, looking over the spiked and blackened teeth were what you imagined a dragon would look if they had existed. Whatever killed this thing could still be around, lurking.

Your flashlight picked up something along the back of the large ribs of the skeleton, the flash of merlot that slunk heavily in the shadows, where you caught the back of its body; slicked and deeply scaled.

“Oh shit.” You braced yourself against the wall behind you, or what you had believed had been the wall, your back coming into contact with something smooth and oddly cold. You jumped back in your spot, twisting to come face to face with a tall towering silhouette standing so close behind you; its eyes the only thing you could see through the shadows.

You dared not shine your torch of the creature as you were stiff with fear as to what it could’ve been. What had rendered you speechless was the disembodied voice that had suddenly declared out to you. “Leave this place. Now.” 

“Fucking— holy shit… how’d—oh, God, no, please! I’m not a threat, don’t hurt me!” You panicked, spinning around to try and hide behind the skeleton’s ribs, thinking that whatever and wherever they were, they couldn’t see you. “Please, I beg you.”

“You’re one of them, how do I know you won’t hurt me?” Their voice was laced heavily in an accentuated drawl that you could just about understand, shuddering at how their voice travelled through and everyone around you at once.

You squinted in the darkness, rubbing your eyes in disbelief. “What?”

Whatever was standing in front of you, leant backwards away from you, it’s height still unsure to you. “You’re not the first human to travel down here and you won’t be the last. Leave, I warn you.”

You tried to look up, but even when you tried to find the cavern you fell through was a nightmare- it seemingly disappeared out of your sight when you shone your torch upwards.

The creature let out a low growl, pushing itself off on the rock, scratching it hauntingly. “What is that thing? It’s too bright. Turn it off.”

You looked back down to your torch, pointing to the base of their figure, unexpectantly taken back when you saw the thick deep red coiled scales appear once more when they hit your light. “What are you?”

The voice didn’t respond to you, and you took the initiative and bravery to lift the torch upwards, where you had nearly dropped it. The coils of a red-burnt copper came into your view, and in the light, they shone like hundreds of lit candles, the summerish hue that burnt so bright. The scales continued to travel up and were connected drastically with a human torso, blended from hard smooth scales to rough skin, the head of a man with a large triangular head in view.

His face and features resembled more of a snake than man, the forked tongue that flickered and tasted the air was long and sharp so were his eyes, the embers of bright emeralds.

He was hairless on top of his head and on the rest of his body: the sleek physique of him was everything and nothing you had ever seen in your life, the cogs in your head spinning at the possibilities of research and questions that were spurting through your mind at a 100mph.

“Woah—I,” you stuttered over your words, careful yet excited like a wide-eyed child to not know when to shut up, “you’re… you’re-“

He hissed at you lowly, slinking back as he tried to hide as much of him from your flashlight, his cat-like eyes dilating with growing frustration. ”This place does not belong to you and I will not tell you again. Leave at once.”

“I would, but I can’t. My line was caught and I fell down here.” You took a sudden step back when he looked to lunge at you, your fears of him sticking his fangs into you and feasting on you were not as bad when a long claw came to touch at the top of your helmet, mesmerised by how it clanked with his long nail. You flinched when you saw his nails, trying to keep your eyes off of them. “What are you then?”

“You humans like to call us Lamias, but it has been a long while since I saw one of my kind.” He shrugged indifferently as if not fazed by it, but you couldn’t help but see the grim smile that enhanced his curved face. “Xanthorus is my name. You may as well know it as you’ll be here for a while.”

You told you his, with the Lamia seemingly not showing any attention in acknowledging it.

His long nimble fingers came to touch at the top of your head once more, gazing at it with some curiosity. “That fall, if it didn’t knock any sense out of you, may have hurt you, I will have a look at you to make sure you’re not injured.”

You nodded, slowly trailing behind the slinking Lamia as he took the course through the narrow and darkened cave passages with ease, you were having more trouble trying to keep up with him. When you finally got to a clearing that seemed to be the area he slept in, he was shifting through things that he kept, his attention narrowly concentrated with the serious look on his face.

You thought it was rather cute with how he stuck his tongue out when he concentrated, but that was all gone when he finally pulled out some gauzes and unnecessary salves. He signalled you to remove your helmet, your protests soon bubbling over. “I’m not that injured.”

“Maybe that fall did knock some sense out of you,” Xanthorus rolled his eyes indifferently as if he was dealing with a child than a grown adult, “remove that, so we can be done with this.”

You grumbled your last complaints but complied silently, throwing your helmet to your lap as he inspected any bumps or bruises all over your head, keeping the pressure light and gentle. Although for his serious nature, he was rather tender and delicate when it came to working at you, as if he enjoyed treating people.

“You have a talent for this kind of stuff?” You asked after some time, mainly quietly watching him work as discreetly as possible. You met his prying gaze, his eyes wavering to look off. “I have been rather unlucky to meet some rather grumbly Lamia in my time.”

“I thought you said it had been a while since you last saw one?”

“I did,” he coolly replied, “but for my own siblings? They were all bigger and brutish than me, my brothers mainly, but they were always getting me into fights.”

“Ah, the diplomat rather than brute, I see.” You murmured, earning a low rumble from his chest, a chortle, to say the least. “What about humans? Do they always enjoy seeking misfortune in dark caves?”

“It’s part of my job,” You responded with a playful snort, earning an interesting look from him, absorbed by your career and words. “I check to see how plant life changes the further you go down in caves.”

The Lamia snorted wryly. “You enjoy looking at plants? I thought humans would enjoy more boorish things.”

“Some of us, maybe. But we’re not all alike, I’m afraid.” You smiled to him nervously, the small laugh you let out not helping when you were under his intense stare. “Guess the labels aren’t true.”

“No, I’d assume not, most of you are more intent in having things that aren’t yours.” Xanthorus calmly spoke, and when you looked to the back of his arm, you couldn’t help but gape at the long fading scar that was as long as your leg. Your hand came to impulsively trace at the raised skin, feeling how he practically jumped out of his skin, but he didn’t withdraw from you. “Did a human do that to you?”

 He didn’t answer at first, his own hand coming to hover over the skin as he looked at his with a frown from his face, his eyes fixated on it. “Sometimes, people hate something they cannot understand.”

You stared at him as he finally wrapped the gauze around your head, packing and tidying his things away. “I’m sorry that they did that to you, some of us can be real dicks.”

Xanthorus’ body rumbled with the soft unnoticeable snort come from his flat nose, rolling his eyes as he looked away from you momentarily before you had seen. “Not all of them.”

He had gestured to the rest of his cave, the area was tightly packed now with the two of you inside, but the walls seemed cooling and it brought in a decent draft as you settled in the place you would have to get used to for a couple of days. “Pick your side to sleep on, don’t change your mind last second either.”

“What if I get cold?” You pouted.

“Then I pray to whatever Gods are out there that they have blessed you with thick skin.” He retorted: his jape light and not as rude as you thought he would be to you. He seemed sulkier and mildly bothered at some situations, but he was harmless overall.

I would rather be in the arms of a harmless Lamia than one who would want me dead in a flash. You gulped, settling in for the rest of what you could believe was the day, speaking as much as you could to Xanthorus about his life and get as many answers from him before he got too irritated.

By night, he was coiled around himself with his tail wrapped tightly around him, leaving you to tend to yourself as you froze to death, your teeth chattering nonstop.

That might’ve been the beginning of it all, as halfway through the night, the Lamia had unravelled himself and silently wrapped his tail like a high crimson wall around you, keeping his distance whilst his eyes remained close.

You wanted to believe that it had been an accident, but in your mind, you believed he knew he had done it to get you to shut up.

The next few days were gruelling at first, and it left you more frustrated and down at your situation, never believing you would be rescued by your team no matter how much you told Xanthorus they would come and get you. The first week rolled past and you finally accepted that your fate was sealed to remain here with no way in knowing whether you would get out and see the surface ever again.

Your flashlight died after two days, leaving you to fend with natural firelight or flares you had spare in your bag you carried. The water bottle and bars you had would last but thankfully there was natural water lying around where you could refill, and Xanthorus always hunted at night – on creatures you weren’t sure on, but it would suffice you enough.

By the fifth day, you grew bored with doing nothing, finally using your skills in navigating and climbing to use to try and get around the caves, having to keep telling Xanthorus that you wouldn’t injure yourself, even though he was adamant in knowing you would do. It took a few quarrels and japes for him to quieten and after having courage and confidence pumped into you, you used the little equipment you had on you to travel around and climb.

It took that second day of climbing to finally get you seriously hurt.

“Do I seriously need to tell you why I thought this was a stupid idea?” The Lamia was situated in slithering back and forth in what a human would see as pacing, his mouth trained in spitting out the frustrations he had to endure whilst you were sat on the rock opposite him, watching him in silence, collecting at the blood dripping down your arm with a spare t-shirt.

The cut was practically a clean slice though the back of your arm when you had accidentally slipped and got it scraped against a rough part of the rock, getting the Lamia to scurry up it to collect you before you could even call for him, where he carried you in the crook of his arm back to the main part of his cave to patch you up, not before ranting and lecturing you in your recklessness.

“I mean, I knew humans could be reckless, but never before, have I seen a clumsy fall like yours.” His words were mean and honestly cruel, but he was spitting up facts to you. You had dealt with falls before, all because in the past you hadn’t been paying attention and pushed your body into overdoing something and thus, hurting yourself, but not as bad as this. You were lucky you hadn’t taken your arm clean off, or worse, struck a nerve.

That nerve mixed in with having to practically babysit you must’ve been frustrating Xanthorus more and more until finally, he had to snap at your lack of responsibility and irresponsibility. You had to deal with the ramblings of Sebastian before, and it was suddenly dwelling on you that it was making you look incompetent to even know how to survive without being a complete idiot.

He was mid-rant as your recklessness when a wrack of a warbled sob cut him off, his large head twisting to see you with your head in your hands, guarding your eyes as you soaked your palms with your bloody fingers and tears, your sobs seemingly getting louder the more you let out a choked snivel.

You were expecting to hear a scoff and ramble for your tears, instead, being surprised by the feel of two hands coming to wrap at your wrists and pulling your hands away for you to open your eyes. 

When you did, Xanthorus was stooped before you but still at a high enough height to only come up to his shoulders, his face in a constant look of guilt. When he said your name, it was softly spoken, delicate like he was dealing with fragile glass. 

He didn’t say much else as he collected the dampened t-shirt stained with your blood and dabbed at your wound, holding it there to stem the flow, silently working as you continued to cry softly to yourself before it was only small sniffles.

When you looked up when he had done his best in stitching you up and bandaging everything, his green eyes were trained on you, the guilt still present. “I’m sorry, ‘Thorus.” You mumbled pitifully, wiping at your eyes. “I am useless.”

“No, you’re not. You’re far from it, just… please, watch out for things before you do anything? You’re capable, but I don’t want things like this happening again.” He slowly replied, stroking his fingers up and down over your bandages, drawling, “I’m sorry I made you cry, I just want you to not harm yourself again. You’re so small, delicate, and I want to make sure you don’t do anything rash.”

You silently listened to his words in marvel, watching how his composure seemingly crumpled before you. “I’m sorry--- you’re smart enough to not need to listen to a stupid old thing like me, you should be up there.” He chuckled musical, the curves of his mouth lifting upwards, and it was truly beautiful to see.

“I’ll try,” you promised sheepishly, twiddling your thumbs timidly, your cheeks darkening. “I’ll try not going into places like a boorish man.”

“No, you’re far too comely than boorish.” He smiled softly, coughing awkwardly to collect himself. “Just promise me you’ll be a bit more careful?”

You nodded, leaning up to kiss the smooth curve of his cheek, watching how his face lit up and his face insincerely tried to lean forward closer to you before he had the chance when you leant back. “Just for you, Xanthorus.”

-

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[milknette]

chapter 04 - best friend

your whispers and sunlight, cold hands feeling for mine.

tumblr month: @adrinetteapril​

links: ao3 | ff.net chapter: previous | next

“WE’RE not dating,” Marinette only repeats, for what seems to be the hundredth time that afternoon.

She looks outside the building, irritatedly watching as the rain continues to pour outside.

(If not for the weather, she’d have long-since escaped the conversation already.)

Alya doesn’t look like she believes her— nothing new, and shakes her head. “Okay, but you went on a date yesterday,” she continues. “Seems to me like even if you’re not dating right now, you’re definitely on the way to it.”

Marinette has to scoff. “Please, we just had dinner together. You’re just reading too much into it.”

“So what?” Alya only asks, continuing the conversation. “How’d you end it then? No goodnight kiss? No longing glance before he ran after and confessed his undying love for you?”

“Absolutely not,” the mermaid shakes her head. “I told you, we’re just friends. And that’s all we’re going to be.” She pauses, and her expression sours. “Besides, we had to end the date early because some wonderful little fanclub decided to attack their idol with a water balloon.”

“Actually, I think that was meant for y—,” Alya starts, then nods. “And you know that… okay.”

“Come on, you’re telling me that you felt nothing?” She only argues, shaking her head. “Not even a skip in that little heart of yours?”

“Mermaids don’t have hearts,” Marinette only answers automatically, before placing a hand on her chest. “Not like you humans do, at least. Because if my heart so much as skipped a beat, I’d be dead.”

“It’s just a form of expres—,” Alya pinches her forehead. “Look, whatever the difference between our species is, I know you still feel things. Like how much you love me. And how much you’re in love with Adrien Agreste. Don’t you think you’ll become something more?”

Why does the conversation keep coming back to this? It’s like they’re swimming in circles.

“Now that you mention it…,” Marinette pauses, as if in thought. “You might be right. We won’t just be friends anymore…”

“I knew it! I just know that you’re going to be adorable and cute and have little half-merperson babies—“

“We’ll be best friends!” The unamused look on Alya’s face is evident. “I mean, the spot’s open now since the original holder of that position wouldn’t shut up and was therefore demoted.”

The girl only rolls her eyes, then dramatically looks away. “Can’t believe that you’re dropping your first ever human friend just because of some cute boy,” Alya fake-sobs, sighing loudly. “I can be just as cute, you know.”

Marinette rolls her eyes. “Believe me, you don’t even compare.”

“I think she’s pretty cute, though,” a third voice suddenly chimes in, smiling.

Alya beams at the sudden visitor as he comes to view, and the mermaid can only watch as she jumps over to hug him.

(Marinette can’t quite place it, but he seems strangely familiar.)

“Oh my god!” She says, eyes bright. “What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t gonna be home for another week!”

“Decided to come back early,” the figure responds easily. “It was fun, but it’s good to be back. Were you surprised?”

She gives him another hard squeeze, before pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. “Absolutely,” Alya says, revelling in the bright red that floods the boy’s cheeks.

As if recalling the situation, Alya turns to face Marinette, who offers a strained smile at the stranger.

Ah, another human.

How wonderful.

“This is Nino,” she introduces him, as he throws a friendly wave her way. “He’s also from the mythology department, but he conducts field research a lot so he’s barely here,” Alya explains, before huffing. “Which sucks.”

Nino laughs nervously, You know I have to go,” he argues back. “It’s not like they can work without me.” At that, he turns and tips his hat in the mermaid’s direction. “Hey, it’s cool to meet you. Thanks for keeping Alya company while I’ve been gone.”

Marinette only nods curtly, not making any effort to introduce herself.

(For all she knows, he could be some other mermaid-hater or water-balloon-thrower. He seems the type.)

Alya rolls her eyes at the icy greeting, then speaks up. “And that’s Marinette,” she finally states. “Remember the one I told you about?”

Told him about?

What exactly has she been telling him?

Nino’s eyes light up in recognition. “Ah,” he echoes back. “The mermaid.”

“Yeah…,” Marinette only responds, before cautiously wrapping the jacket around her tighter. “What’s it to you, land mammal?”

“No need to get so defensive,” Nino explains, raising his hands up in an apparent bout for peace. “I’m a friend.”

“I don’t make friends with humans that easily.”

“Well, that’s fine,” Nino starts, then smiles at her. “Doesn’t bother me, after all.”

Noticing her confused stare, he only smiles, before rolling up one of his raincoat’s sleeves to showcase damp scales, glittering in the artificial light of the building. “Was not prepared for the rain today.”

“Wait, you—?”

“Well, not fully,” he’s quick to say, before she can finish her question. He pats the scales in his arm, before putting the coat back on. “I’m a halfie,” Nino explains. “Dad’s a merman, mom was human.”

Marinette stares at him in wonder. So that’s why he isn’t completely transforming, then?

“Wow…”

“This is the first time you’ve met someone like me, huh?”

She nods slowly, before realizing how rude such a thing might come off. “I mean, I think it’s amazing.”

“I think a pure-blooded mermaid is a lot more amazing, but I’m not one to turn down a compliment,” Nino replies coolly. “Has Alya not told you about me?”

Marinette pauses, as if in thought. “I don’t think she ever—“

“Hey, no. That’s because you never wanted to listen!” Alya protests, shaking her head. “Whenever I want to talk about relationships, you always zone out.”

“But you never told me he was half-mermaid!” Marinette argues back. “Now he’s a lot cooler and more interesting.”

“Aw, thank you Marinette.”

“You’re welcome, Nino.”

The two stare at each other for a moment, then laugh.

“Glad to see that you two are getting along,” Alya only says drily.

“Of course,” Marinette responds easily. “He’s my best friend, after all.”

Catching on quickly, Nino nods solemnly. “Yeah, sorry babe. It was best friendship at first sight.”

“So you’re replacing me too, then?”

The three of them are surprised to see the entry of a fourth party, and Marinette briefly wonders how many chance encounters she can have with someone before it finally counts as stalking.

“Dude!” Nino’s only too quick to say, wrapping a hand to give the speaker a hug. “It’s been way too long.”

“I rushed over as soon as Mme. Mendeleiev said you were back,” he responds brightly. “Can’t believe you didn’t even tell me,” he continues, giving a light punch on the shoulder. “Am I really not your best friend anymore?”

As if noticing the others, Adrien grins as his eyes land on one girl. “Fansea meeting you here, Marinette,” he greets, jokingly bowing down to her.

It’s extremely dorky.

Almost painfully so.

But as usual, she finds it just as painfully adorable.

“You really just have a habit of apiering out of thin water, huh?”

(At that moment, Alya telepathically sends her three messages.

You just punned.

And not just any pun— an objectively terrible one.

You’re falling head over fins for this boy, aren’t you?

Understandably, she chooses to ignore all of them.)

Nino only looks on in confusion, and Marinette almost doesn’t notice the telling nudge that Alya gives him.

Almost.

The couple only stares at each other for a moment, before Nino connects the puzzle pieces together, and grins.

They subtly fist bump, and the mermaid can already feel the oncoming headache she’s about to have.

Great. Now there are two of them.

“So…,” Nino starts, wrapping an arm around Adrien— with Alya doing the exact same to her. No escape.

“I happen to have three backstage passes to Jagged’s show tomorrow,” he continues, “since I’ll be opening for him. “Any of you up for it? Consider it my welcome-back gift.”

Adrien’s only too enthusiastic to agree, but Marinette stares at the two of them in suspicion. They’re hatching something, she knows. And from the pits of her stomach, she knows she won’t enjoy it.

“You know, I actually have a lot of work to finish by this week, so…”

“Come on, make an exception?” Nino pleads, “I don’t know how long I’ll be here. You wouldn’t leave your best friend hanging, right?”

“And your real best friend, too,” Alya points out, wagging a finger in her direction.

Marinette holds back the urge to sigh in exasperation, watching as they both look at her with pleading eyes.

She bites the need to scream, but finally, begrudgingly, nods. “Fine!”

Adrien grins as the mermaid agrees. “You know,” he starts, “I can’t help but feel a little left out of this best friends club of yours.”

Alya looks at him innocently (which is really just code for she’s going to do something absolutely evil). “Oh, don’t worry about that,” she says easily. “Marinette said she’d be absolutely open to taking the next step in your relationsh— MMF!”

“Aand that’s our cue to leave!” Marinette finally says, acting calm as she places a strict hand over her best friend’s lips and basically drags her to the exit of the building. “You know, we have a lot to finish by tonight if we want to go tomorrow.”

“Right…,” Adrien says, evidently confused with the situation, but deciding against asking with his better judgment. Nino’s really only holding back the need to burst into laughter.

“We’ll meet up again then!”

(As Marinette opens the door to the exit, she catches Adrien ask, “what was that all about?”

“You still have a lot to understand about women, my dear Adrien, Nino only responds. “So… Marinette’s cute, huh?”)

The mermaid makes a note of adding Nino to her people-to-drown list.

Half-merman heritage be damned.

[sincerelymarinette]

A Recorded Life Sequel (8/10) - Miraculous Ladybug

Words: 1912 Summary: On this special day, Marinette and Adrien celebrate Alya and Nino along with a bunch of their friends and family with a nice video. Author’s Note: Ahhh this was fun. Sorry for such a long hiatus! School and writer's block has been killing me, but we're finishing off strong! Also, this is about Alya and Nino's wedding. I tried to stick to the research I found on French wedding traditions, but I'm sure I westernized some of it so I tried to leave out ~too many~ details about the actual wedding. 

Prev / Next / Masterlist

Alya and Nino’s Big Day

---

"Hi! I'm Marinette!" Marinette held her camera in front of her, and there was chaos all around the room. "I'm hoping you can hear me over all the chatter and excited squeals, but there's a good reason for them!" Marinette said and turned the camera to show her best girl-friends and some of Alya's family. "It's Alya's wedding day!" She shouted, to which all the other girls screamed in excitement.

She turned the camera back around to her face, and Alya rushed over to stand by her with a big smile on her face. "And Alya asked me to vlog it for all our fans, but mostly for herself to have in the future. I even equipped Adrien with his own camera to record the boys in their room."

"It's bright and early here in Paris in the Le Grand Paris Hotel, thanks to Chloé and her dad for letting us throw our wedding here!" Alya said. "Before we start getting ready, I think we should show off the whole bridal party," Alya suggested.

Around the room, girls were doing their hair and chatting, excited to all be back together and celebrating such a fun and important event. "Obviously, Mari is here and is my right-hand. I think American's call it maid-of-honor, and I think that's close enough to what she is," Alya tried to explain. There was, for good reason, a lot of French-speaking going on in this video, but also a good amount of English to make things easier for her viewers. However, Marinette didn't mind making the captions. Alya started to lead her around the room to make sure everyone had a moment to shine on the video. And she even asked Adrien to do the same for the boys and Nino, since she was sure Nino would probably forget.

Alya and Nino decided they wanted to have bridesmaids and groomsmen at their wedding, even if tradition went against that, but they really wanted to feature their friends. Not all the girls in the room were bridesmaids; she just wanted to celebrate with all her friends even if they aren't in the wedding entirely. They can still have a party!

Alya showed off her three sisters and mother and Nino's mother first, then started to get into her friends. She had two friends from work and University that she's known for a few years now, along with a ton of her friends from school.

Rose, Juleka, Alix, Myléne, and Sabrina got a few seconds to talk each, and they also weren't in the wedding, but were so excited to be attending and celebrating with her. They just enjoyed seeing Alya and getting ready for her big day with her, too.

After the events of Hawkmoth, Chloé and Alya got a lot closer, and Alya was happy to have Chloé with her on her wedding day. Every so often, they fight crime together, but they've kept up a friendship between Alya, Chloé, and Marinette that no one expected to go as far as it had. Especially since Alya gets to write articles and interview Chloé sometimes depending on what her career takes her to next. Marinette has even designed some exclusive outfits for her! And Chloé was so excited about the wedding she let Alya and Nino throw it at The Hotel at a pretty low price. Hell, even their Kwamis were out and talking to each other in the closet to celebrate.

After showing off all her friends, Alya pulled the camera back to her. "Now we have to get ready for the ceremony. I'm sure I'll steal the camera and take some b-roll, or I'll make Marinette take some," She promised. "And I told Marinette she could record at the ceremony a bit with a tri-pod, since she'll be standing next to me," Alya declared. "Or maybe I can give a camera to another person," She pondered, and started to walk away to her mother calling her over.

Marinette laughed a bit and signed off from this segment. "There will be a lot of footage; she has no need to worry," Marinette said, then Alya called for her. "I am being summoned. Here's where Adrien's footage should come in, then we'll see you at the ceremony!" Marinette said, and ended her recording for now.

For the boys, it was a bit more chaotic in their room. Adrien was trying to get some videos, but Nino was freaking out about his shoes. He was sure he was going to lose something, and when he first woke up, he thought his phone was missing. It was on the floor. Then it turned to him losing his jacket, which was just behind another almost identical jacket, and now it was his shoes. Adrien knew they would show up in a few minutes, but Nino was super nervous (for a good reason), and it was apparent his nervousness was hiding in losing some items.

Adrien was able to distract Nino for a few minutes for him to talk about the special day, then Adrien moved into showing off all their friends. Nino's brother and dad, Alya's dad, and their friends from school. Ivan, Kim, and Max said some nice things about Nino and Alya, and even Luka was there to celebrate with them.

As Adrien was talking to the group, Nino was in the background that he found his shoes. "What do you guys think he's going to lose next?" Adrien asked them, and they all agreed that it would be his tie.

They were right, and Adrien was back to trying to calm Nino down and that he had checked over everything hundreds of times, so how would Nino have lost things? Even Adrien and both Nino and Alya's dads double-checked everything for Nino, but he was still convinced he'd mess something up. Adrien ended his segment of the video pretty quickly because he needed to deal with calming Nino down and getting ready, but everyone got to talk to the camera at least a little bit.

---

For the record, Nino ended up not losing anything besides his mind when he saw Alya standing in front of him. Marinette and Adrien stood beside Alya and Nino, along with their siblings, as the ceremony went on. One of the cameras was set up on a tripod to catch a wide-angle, and the other was given to another friend to get some close-ups.

Alya and Nino forewent some traditions, but kept a lot of them, too. She had a grand entrance, but they all got ready at the hotel to make it easy. They also really wanted to have their best friends and siblings standing with them just to make things extra special. They had all their friends and family for the ceremony, and it was a pretty big wedding.

It had been such a long time coming for them to get married; they wanted to go all out. Alya and Nino live such busy lives; they deserve the big wedding and big party. And everyone was excited to see them get married after being engaged for so many years, but it was all worth it in the end.

A few hours after the ceremony, it was time for the party—lots of dancing, a big meal, and delicious desserts catered by Sabine and Tom. Nino put together some music for the party, though they also hired one of his DJ friends to round it all out so Nino wasn't constantly focusing on the music, and one of Alya's journalist friends was the photographer they hired. In addition to Marinette's video, there would be tons of photos to remember the day.

Alya made sure to talk to everyone there, thanking them for coming and catching up with people. Sam with Nino, but Alya was a bit more on top of it.

"This is perfect for them," Marinette said to Adrien as they got away from the crowd.

"They really deserve it," Adrien responded, so happy and so proud of his friends. "You should have seen how stressed Nino was this morning. I wasn't able to take much video because of it."

Marinette laughed. "Alya said he would be stressing over a lot of little things. But that's okay, as long as you got some, I think they'll be happy."

Before either of them could continue the conversation, they were cut off by a few of their friends coming over for a chat. They talked about the wedding and why no one has seen Adrien recently; he's been a bit busy rebranding his company.

As Marinette and Adrien mingled around, they ran into another familiar face. "When is your wedding?" Jagged Stone asked as he spotted the two. Marinette was both a bit surprised and yet not surprised that he was there; Nino and he developed a good friendship after going on tour together a few times.

"Jagged, you can't just ask that," Penny scolded.

"Oh, yes, I can," He said. "When's the wedding?"

Marinette shook her head at him. "We're a bit busy with our careers right now. And we like what we've got; we're not in a rush," Marinette explained.

"But don't worry, you'll be the first person we send an invite to," Adrien promised.

"I better be!" Jagged joked.

Marinette looked between Jagged and Penny. "Did you guys get your invitation to the Emilie's fashion show? I was going to follow up, but like I said, we've been super busy."

"We did! We're clearing my schedule to make sure I can be here for it, but we definitely will be," Jagged declared. "Just got a few things to move around."

"Great! We're excited for it, though a bit nervous," Adrien told him.

Jagged brushed off his nervousness and reminded him that he had no reason to be nervous; this fashion show was only going to make things better. It might've calmed Adrien down for a few minutes, but he was still stressing out.

After Jagged made his way out of the conversation to go talk to some other people, Marinette pulled her camera out to get some shots of the whole crowd. She got almost everyone to give Alya and Nino a small, few seconds, message each to put at the end of the video to make sure that Alya and Nino would see how excited everyone was for them.

Finally, to end out the video, she managed to catch Alya and Nino in a moment of peace. "Anything you would like to add to your video?" Marinette asked them.

"Yes," Alya said. "I know I said it earlier, but I'm so glad we've stuck together after all these years and all the ups and downs. It's been so worth it, and now it's going to be for the rest of our lives," Alya said and kissed Nino before he could respond to it.

Once they released, Nino turned back to the camera. "I totally agree. With us being so busy, it's been a little hard on our relationship, but I'm glad we've pushed through. I love you!" Nino ended it.

Marinette had both of them wave to the video, and it faded out of them talking to a video of them slow dancing in the middle of the room with a song Nino made for Alya. It was a perfect day for them, and all their friends were there to celebrate, and now it was saved forever in a video.

---

@lady-of-the-roses-and-lilies @bookishserendipity03 @avatheexceed @gkz10 @coccinellegirl @kat-thatoneweirdo @strawberryblondish @snow-swordswoman @lilgaga98 @evufries  @toodaloo-kangaroo

[writingwithadinosaur]

“Under the Knife” - Part 3

“Under the Knife” - Part 3

My Masterlist - Here

Story Masterlist - Here

My Tag List - Here

Hannibal Lecter x Reader, Will Graham x Sister!Reader

Word Count: 1,700-ish

Key: Chunks of text in italics are (Y/N)’s thoughts. Y/N = Your Name, H/C = Your Hair Color, E/C = Your Eye Color

Warnings: Talk of Murder, Talk of Crime Scenes, Talk of Murder Victims, Cursing

Summary: You are Will Graham’s sister who works with him at the FBI. When you get offered a job promotion, life starts to change. Some changes for the better; Some for the worst.

Tag List: @fruitloopzzz @theeactress @melconnor2007 @ashenfallsof @geeksareunique @all-by-myself98 @sj-thefan​ @fuck-your-bad-vibes-dude​ @ntlmundy

Author’s Note: This is my first Hannibal piece and I am proud of it. There aren’t too many stories for Hannibal, so I figured I would add to the collection. This does take place in some happy medium where they are all alive and work together. Sort of a happier season 1 era.

This is beta-read by @theeactress​, but please let me know if there is something that we missed or that we should look at again! 

If you would like to be tagged in any of my future pieces, check out my tag list above and let me know! And as always, feedback is greatly appreciated!

<3

- DreaSaurusREX

----------------

“As most of you know, this is (Y/N) Graham, she will be our profiler for this case.”

“Oh good. Another Graham.” Beverly commented over her clipboard, writing down something involving the case probably. Jack gave her a chastising glance and she held her hands up in defense.

“(Y/N) this is Beverly Katz, Brian Zeller, and Jimmy Price.” Jack introduced you very quickly to the science-ier part of the team very quickly before jumping right into work. “So, tell us what you got so far, (Y/N).”

You opened your small notebook and began summarizing your notes from last night’s reading.

“Alright. So far I’ve been able to see three patterns: the ways they were killed, the time frame, and the fact that all of the victims that were dismembered were doctors. The strongest thing I can think of is that this killer was wronged by doctors in some way. I’m not sure if it's a doctor in the general term or if there is some specific way that ties these three doctors, and our killer, together. That was something I was going to work on today. 

The way that the bodies are taken apart is very particular. From what I could tell from the photos in the files, all of the cuts seemed to be straight lines all the way through. Which means that this guy’s gotta have access not only to the tools that can do this sort of stuff, but also whatever drug he got in their system to make them lay still while he... worked. So I’m assuming the murder weapon is nothing with a jagged blade or saw-like teeth until we get to the bone. Do we have any reports on striation patterns or anything that could help us with what was used?”

“It’s like you said, the cuts were almost completely straight lines, even through to the bone. The only things we could think of were surgical tools.” Zeller spoke up. “The skin and muscles were cut similarly to how a surgeon would with a scalpel. But the bone is where it gets tricky. You can’t cut like this through bone with just a scalpel.”

“Unless you have plenty of time and you're very persistent.” Beverly joked; you were the only one that slightly exhaled a laugh through your nose at her quip.

“Alright, so the killer has a medical background.” Jack tossed into the air. You nodded.

“Possibly. But why would a doctor be going after other doctors?”

“Maybe they’re taking all his patients?” Beverly shot out. You just nodded and looked back at your notes to see where you left off.

“The uh.. The most concerning thing is the time frame. They were all killed two weeks part from each other. Dr. Everet was almost 6 weeks ago, Dr. Chaseten almost 4, and Dr. Loriet about 2.” 

“Which means we could have another dead doctor within the week.” Jack solemnly spoke as he realized the gravity of the situation. “Alright, you three keep looking over everything to see if we missed something. (Y/N), start working on possible correlations between the victims and the killer. Let’s get this son of a bitch.”

And that’s how the next two days went. Researching, thinking, and trying to get into a mindset that you weren’t totally sure of yet. 

You had checked in with Will like you promised and said that you were fine but you were going to be very busy for at least the next few days. Hannibal had called you after your first day and could hear the slight exhaustion in your voice. He asked you to have lunch with him tomorrow and you very quickly agreed.

But the next day, you spent more time than you thought flipping through the databases to try to find any correlation between Everet, Chasten, and Loriet. The three of them never worked in the same hospital, clinic, or even the same city. Their wives didn’t know each other. Their neighbors didn’t know each other. They didn’t have any sort of communication with each other. They were all different types of doctors. Everet and Loriet went to the same med school, but they graduated 3 years apart.

So what the fuck am I missing?

You kept looking back over the crime scene photos. You couldn’t understand why the doctors were mutilated and positioned so intricately, but the others were cast aside. The focus has to be on the doctors. They must have done something to ‘wrong’ the killer. So what the hell did all three of you do to make someone want to murder? 

Your train of thought was interrupted by a knock at your office door. You let out a slightly aggravated sigh.

“Jack, I told you I will let you know when I-- Oh! Hannibal! Hi!” You looked up from your computer screen to find Hannibal standing in the doorway with a bag in his hand. 

“Should I come back later?” 

“No! No. Come on in. I probably should take a break. I feel like I’m going in circles anyways.” You looked at your watch and saw it was almost 3:30 PM. The last time you looked at the clock, it was 10:30 AM. “And I missed our lunch meeting.” You put your head in your hands and groaned in annoyance with yourself. “I am so sorry, Hannibal. I--”

“No need for apologies, my dear. I figured Jack had put a lot on your plate, so I thought I would bring lunch to you.” Hannibal made his way into your office and shut the door behind him. 

“You really didn’t have to.”

“When was the last time you ate, (Y/N)?” Hannibal questioned you, looking you dead in the eye after he sat down in one of your office chairs. 

You weren’t entirely sure. You started to speak but then stopped yourself, really trying to remember when you ate last. I know I had ½ of my breakfast at 7:30 this morning. Did I have my granola bar? Does coffee count as a meal?

“The fact that you have to think about when your last meal was, is a bit concerning. But nonetheless, I am more than happy to remedy that. ” He smiled one of his rare but small smiles and began unpacking whatever culinary art he brought. You tried to condense some of your piles of papers and folders so you had enough room to put food down. 

Hannibal had brought a home-cooked meal for the two of you to enjoy. A ginger salad with fresh pan-seared scallops and even some infused water that he had marinating in his fridge overnight. This was so much better than the PB&J you had packed. 

As you began to dig in, Hannibal couldn’t help but look at some of the crime scene photos and your notes. 

“So what are we calling this killer?” 

“‘The Virginia Scalpel.’” You said with slight annoyance. “He has a medical background and is within a reasonable distance from all of the vics. Yet, we have no idea who he is.”

“Does the killer have to be a medical professional? Maybe they just have very steady hands.” 

“True. But there is almost no way that a regular guy could cut through muscle and bone that cleanly without surgical tools or the knowledge of how to use them. Not to mention the fact that he would have some serious explaining to do on how he got the succinylcholine or whatever paralyzer he plans to use next.” You rub your eyes gently, feeling the strain from the computer screen hitting you. Hannibal could feel the stress radiating off of you. 

“Do you want to talk about this case?”

“Not really. But I’m not sure what else to talk about. This has been my life for the last 3 days, the killer could strike again any day now, and I still don’t know why these three doctors were targeted or who will be next!” 

You started to fidget with your ring unconsciously and a bit aggressively, a sign to Hannibal that your anxiety was starting to catch up. Despite the physical signs that you needed a break, you continued to glance over an open file near you while you took another bite of food. He leaned forward in his seat a bit as he closed the file that you had been rereading for what he assumed to be at least the tenth time.  

“(Y/N), you need to breathe.” You just nodded and closed your eyes to try to help your deep breaths relax you faster. “How about we go for a walk? Get the blood flowing.”

“I would love to. But I feel like I can’t afford that break right now.” You shook your head slightly as you reached down for a stack of papers you had bundled and put on the floor earlier. You didn’t see him get up, but Hannibal was standing, adjusting his jacket before holding a hand out to you.

“What’s the worst that could happen?” You looked from his hand to his face before standing up, shrugging. A small walk around the building wouldn’t hurt, right?

Before your hand could land in his, your phone rang and you felt your heart sink, dreading what could be waiting for you on the other end of the line. Both you and Hannibal looked down at your phone and saw the caller ID: “Jack Crawford.” You took a deep inhale and hit the answer button.

“I really hope you’re calling just to bug me to work faster, Jack…” You tried your best to control your voice. You looked up and Hannibal was watching, trying to listen in and gauge how you were going to react.

“Afraid not. There’s another Scalpel vic. I’m texting you the address. Drop whatever you're doing and get down here.” Jack hung up before you could say anything, leaving you in a bit of shock. 

Dammit! What the hell am I missing?! Someone else is dead--Another doctor is dead because I don’t have any answers yet. How can--

“(Y/N)?” Hannibal’s hand on your arm broke your stream of internal chastising before it could get too bad, but you did unintentionally jump at the contact. He instantly raised his hands up and let you process for a moment. “There’s another one, isn’t there?”

You just nod. A second later, your phone flashed a message from Jack with an address. 

“Guess my ‘walk’ is going to be to a crime scene.” You try to joke despite feeling a tinge of guilt spreading through you. Hannibal tried to walk you to your car but you kindly denied him. You wanted to be alone as you prepared yourself for your first real crime scene. 

[yeet-imma-skeet]

Great, There’s Sky Everywhere

(Based in @starr-fall-knight-rise 's unique universe. Part 6 of the story)

(Part 1: https://yeet-imma-skeet.tumblr.com/post/613232997621202944/the-sky-is-falling)

"So, Olive... what is it that is so important that you need to tell me in the middle of a lake?"

The head human doctor, Olive as she goes, laid still on her floaty as she eyed around the bio-dome in suspicion. Captain Silva waded near her, shaking droplets of cool water off his peppery hair at her squinting. Both were inside the bio-dome of the strange alien ship along with quite the gaggle of humans and drev exploring within it. Raucous laughter could be heard through the whispering of ruffled leaves. The low rumbling of drev voices and the clanging of weapons echoed from the wide plains as they sparred each other with glee. A few adventurous humans attempted to climb the tall trees and rock formations, only to fail in climbing the plants. Their bronze trunks were strangely smooth with no handholds to grip. The vines that grew from them were the same, though the yellow leaves proved to be sturdy enough to hold their weight somehow. The doctor and captain absentmindedly watched some crewmen climb up the dangling vines like demented ladders. A leaf managed to smack one across the face as she fell down in a heap, rubbing a leaf-shaped mark across her head before she angrily chased her laughing crew mates.

Silva was happy to see them up and about, giggling like children after all that happened. He really wanted there to be nothing else after their ordeal, but the grim look across the doctor's face only concluded his fears.

"The...disease," She started, "I've finally looked over it and the research the AI-ball-thing did and... it’s disturbing."

"More disturbing than the dead zombies?"

"Yes. I've noticed some subtle affects it causes besides pigment changes, uncontrolled strength, and neural decay. It nearly matches the affects caused by the Infected Starborn Incident a while ago."

His heart pounded at the implications, "What?"

"Well, like I said, not exactly the same. Of course we're dealing with an entirely new species unlike ourselves, but the amount of residual brain activity the AI managed to capture before they died showed similar symptoms."

She somehow brought out a tablet as she swiped through it, never mind the fact that she was wearing nothing but a skintight swimsuit, "In the accounts of the Incident, the Starborn Convict described the spikes in brain activity in these logs as the infected humans receiving some sort of communication from somewhere. After that, they went nuts as they were... mentally tortured."

"...Go on."

"The AI's records found the almost exact same reaction in the infected that it scanned. The infected was closing in on its position in the med bay, sort of sluggishly like a fictional zombie would, before they heard the cry of another being taken down by Galia at the time. Their brainwaves spiked in response and so they went into a frenzy. Thankfully, she got there in time to kill them, but it’s a terrifying thought."

Silva bobbed in the water, barely hearing his crewmen's laughter, "We are safe from this, right?"

"The bodies are quarantined in the lab, there’s no sign of potential infection from the disease, and we have made vaccinations in case so we are safe in that aspect..."

He noticed a hesitation, "But?"

"Let's just be happy that we're in space with no chance of meeting a live one. It would very well snap us in half before we could get sick."

—————————

Galia watched as another caldat—er marine, tumbled off the vines like a newly hatched sky dweller. She had to admit, they were remarkably good climbers despite not having claws. Instead of forcibly marring the plants, they would search for existing handholds as they slowly made their way up the trees. A quiet huff made her perk up an arial as she remembered the marine perched beside her on the rock plateau, the very same marine who had crashed his wheeled plank of wood in front of her before. Apparently he did reckless things on the daily, his resilience showing as he climbed everything inside the bio-dome with nary a complaint after falling so many times. He joined her in her people watching, quietly appreciating the view atop the tallest pillar.

Despite their differences, she was reminded of her planetary days when she would perch up high with her fellow Vigils. They were strong, aloof, untouchable to many, and she was one of them. But at the same time, she wasn’t. Her insides did a flip as she remembered those times, always doing something past what should be done. The only thing that kept her sane was the thought of seeing her litter mates again wherever they were.

“Uh, are you okay?”

She glanced over at the sitting marine, noting his concerned look as she tilted her head in confusion.

“Your nails—er claws are kinda...” He motioned towards their perch.

Twelve jagged lines cut through the hard stone leading to her clenched fists. How she missed her own hands grinding down rock unnerved her as she flapped her arials in nervousness. Surely the human would be terrified by the show of strength.

“As cool as that is, are you really okay? You were looking pretty off.”

She gave him an incredulous stare, “I’m fine, but aren’t you... scared?”

“Scared? Of what?”

Galia didn’t know what surprised her more, the fact that the human looked so genuinely unafraid or that he was still insistently asking about her condition. A quiet hum of laughter escaped her as his face changed from confused to weirded out.

“Ah, pardon me.” She curled her tail around her sitting form once again, “Any show of emotion is forbidden for my occupation. Unless it is an order, I should not convey any.”

“Well that sounds like a load of bull.”

“What?”

“I mean, it sounds like a stupid rule. You mean to do that all the time and don’t have any breaks?”

“It is required if I don’t want to be terminated.”

A flash of some unknown emotion crossed his earthy eyes, “Term-Terminated?”

“I am a Vigil, a weapon and shield for my king’s use. If I break or warp, I’ll be tossed away.” Her body seemed to stiffen, “There is no use for a caldat who knows Vigil training yet can’t utilize it to their best ability. Holding any of that knowledge is a threat so it must be controlled.”

A terse silence grew between them as the joyous sounds below did nothing to break it. The marine, in question, felt quite awkward. Like celebrating a birthday next to a funeral home awkward.

A quick idea popped into his head as he though of a way to change the subject, “Wait you guys have a king? Like crown-wearing, sword-wielding, do-as-I-say king?”

Amusement crept into her mind as he swung an imaginary weapon, “We have three who share Farris, our planet. One for each people and place.”

“Each people?”

“Though we are of the same species, we have three variants made for each dwelling on our planet.” She flexed an arial towards the gigantic dome, “The sky, the sea, and the land.”

“Sky... So where we are now? This rock thing and the forest?”

“Yes.”

“So you’re a sky person?”

“The official term is sky dweller and not exactly...”

“Oooooh, so you’re half and half? What’s the other?”

A flicker of anger and confusion reignited itself within her, “I don’t see a reason to tell you.”

His eyes widened as he watched her tufted tail hackle into spikes, “Oh shit, I’m so sorry if I offended you!"

For a moment, he thought that she would deck him flat and that he totally deserved it. His big mouth managed to piss people off for all the wrong reasons so it wouldn’t be the first time he got what he asked for, even if he had no bad intentions. Her golden eye seemed to burn a hole into his head as he kept apologizing. Damn, he just had to piss off the one person who owned the cool spaceship.

“...I am part land dweller.”

His bowed head perked up as the alien’s tail tuft flattened and her head turned towards the expanse of savanna below. He followed her gaze to see some of his crew mates playing a game of tag in the tall grass. The drev stood at the sidelines, sometimes serving as living obstacles to dart around much to their amusement. With a pounce, an engineer managed to tag a marine as she scrambled atop one of them. The drev took one look at the determined tagger, and before they could react, had two humans dangling from their body as they ducked and weaved around.

A question snapped the marine out of his observation, “What do you call that game? It looks similar to one we have.”

“Tag. Where one person is ‘it’ and they have to touch another person to make them ‘it’ and it continues from there. It can get pretty intense.”

“Hm.” Her tail flicked back and forth, “You humans are okay land dwellers, but we can be much faster.”

Sensing a challenge he grinned, “Oh yeah? Care to demonstrate?”

“If it will keep you from asking too much next time.”

He sheepishly nodded as she stood to her haunches, stretching a lithe leg behind her. The marine's eyes widened even more at the full length of the leg that almost reached his height. With little hesitation, the white alien began to skid down the cliff, leaving a trail of cuts down the side. By the time he scrabbled down to join her, the small gathering of his crew mates ended their game with gasping breaths, watching her stroll by in curiousity.

She crossed her arms, a new intimidation tactic she picked up from the humans, "Who's the best sprinter out of all of you?"

The panting humans and bystanding drev all pointed to the last human that was 'it'. Galia had been watching them and knew that this man had been 'it' a lot less than the rest as he ran literal circles around the others. The strangely bald, lanky, and dark skinned man straightened his back at the guard's scrutiny, exuting a challenging puff of air. Knocking him down a peg would probably make her feel a lot better.

[moonbelt]

»worth the wait

↳ soulmates au | somewhat bootleg coffeeshop au

pairing » jeon jungkook | reader

genre » soft angst + fluff + sexual themes

word count » 9.280

» on Earth V12 everyone is born with half of their emotions – the other half is safely kept within the soul of their soulmate. however, its been a few wee years and it’s safe to say that you don’t have one. or at least you dont think so. but the universe cant possibly hate you so much as to leave you without your emotions for the rest of your life, or can it?

authors note » yeah yeah, it’s been a while. but soulmate aus are literally the only thing that give me joy and hope about love so.... hope you enjoy it!

The doctor at the local health clinic tells you that there's no use in holding out for a soulmate. Giving up is the best way to ensure less heartbreak, she diagnosed. It’s much better that way.

You've already passed the age criteria to find one, she said. Typically, a year or two after nineteen is the maximum time it takes for you to find the one, she'd told you with a tone of neutral candor. Your doctor probably felt sad – pitiful almost, at that fact. But she was careful to not let it show. That although there was nothing biologically wrong with you, the hard-cold truth remains that you can't feel what she does, what other seven billion people in the world feel — emotions. Or at least a subset of them.

To emote, you believe, is a privilege that not everyone receives. However, history and biology books taught you, just like it did to everyone else on Earth V12, that once you came of age you earn that right. That once the universe believes you've merited it, you get to experience the wild, wide and boisterous range of emotions.

You've read about it. Oh, how much you've read. Huddled and bundled up in thousands of blankets on the window seat in your bedroom back at your family home. Even now in university, in between study breaks and long hours of researching on metaphysics. You read to feel but you don't know exactly what you should be feeling. You read to understand, to know the differences between being sad and being upset. Am I sad that the Universe has decided I'm not worthy of a soulmate? Or am I upset that I believe I need a soulmate to begin with? You don't know. Like a thousand other things that simply just do not make any sense.

They told you not to worry. After all, everyone has a soulmate. It's unfathomable to believe otherwise. That's just the way things are. The way things have always been. The beginning and the end.

You watched, a little wide-eyed, disoriented and mystified as your closest friend and associate, Taehyung, became a different person in the five seconds after he met his soulmate, Eden. It was like a dam had been bust open right before your very eyes. It's a little hard to explain, even now that it's been a couple of years, you'd never quite seen anything like it.

The books say that eons ago gods, back in the time when they walked amongst us, granted wishes. But they also took gifts away. And one day when a fight broke out between two demigod children which resulted in one of them dying, the Sun god came down from his place on high and decided with a few other gods that the human emotions within us — the ones that spark hate and contempt and love and weakness — were to blame. Emotions, the god argued, did not play into reasoning or knowledge. And hence they needed to be earned back. Or at the very least, we needed to recognize their value.

But he couldn't just hoist billions worth of people's emotions into thin air. Instead, what he stripped from one he placed in another. The very essence of soulmates. By splitting the emotions people carry and making them search for The One with their other half, the god decreed that he had made the most beautiful creation. The Sun god ruled this as a magnificent feat, tooting his own horn about his generosity to break humans apart.

To take something apart and then put it back together again, just as you found it — perfect in all its nature, is something you long for. Something you yearn to understand. How is it possible to place jagged pieces back together and get something so phenomenal in return? To get something whole?

To experience Love the way the novels and books you devour describe it. To feel that Sadness that can cause people to cry rivers. You want to know this whole other world that everyone seems to get but you. You have Apathy — loads of it. You understand what it's like to be Disinterested; very much so. Frightened and Scared, you know. However, Hope and Serenity, you do not.

It's a struggle because it makes you insensitive. You simply can't understand what others are going through if you've never had an inkling to what they feel. And you have no idea what to say to comfort them because everything you say comes out wrong, everything you try to emote comes out forced and makes you feel like a bad liar.

"I just don't get why anyone would do that, you know?" Taehyung sighs loudly and over-dramatically before he takes a sip of his macchiato. "Like I hate when people take my stuff without asking. It makes me absolutely livid."

Eden nods in agreement. "It's the principle of the thing."

"Exactly!" Taehyung cries out in joy of being understood. Of being related to. "I swear I can't wait to move out and get a place with you. Everyone in that frat drives me up the fucking wall."

An odd third-wheel is what you feel like. So out of place next to your friends that you've known for years. You don't quite get why Taehyung is so mad at his frat brothers for borrowing his stuff, typically if he told them not to, they wouldn't. That's just how communication works. But nah, Taehyung is livid. And Eden agrees. He’s been livid before too.

"You could always tell your roommate to not touch your stuff," you say, interrupting Eden and Taehyung as they throw around other instances when people took their shit without asking. "I would do that."

Taehyung rolls his eyes, not in a condescending way like the other people in your university, but it still very much rubs your spine the wrong way. "The thing is; I have told him. Repeatedly. He’s got like, I don’t know, cement filled in his ears or something. He never listens."

Every soulmate pair is different in their mannerisms and the way they flow into each other. For Taehyung and Eden, it's like they complement each other and always have to add on to what the other says. Like a sign that they are there, and they've got their back. You guess it's adorable, in the same way little cats pawing at your ankles is adorable.

"It's like common decency," Eden tries to explain, his mop of ashy-white hair haunting over his eyes. "People generally just don't like other people touching their shit without permission."

And see, this is where your problem lies. You understand the principle of the act; you understand why someone would get theoretically mad at it. It's an inconvenience at best and rude at worst. But is it worth getting absolutely angry over? You're not sure. You're not even sure how someone can get angry with it. That's the big distinction between the people with soulmates and the people without.

Taehyung looks at you with pity swimming in his light brown irises and smiles. But it's without humor, without the type of light he reserves for Eden, without feeling. "Oh, you just don't understand."

There was a time when you understood your friend and he understood you. There was a time that both of you scoffed at the imperfections of the soulmate enigmatic system. And for a moment it leaves you in a state of disarray with how far he has evolved from you. How different the two of you have become.

You spend the rest of the hour focused on your hot chocolate and reading your Mythology and Folklores That Absolutely, Factually, Most-Definitely Happened book. You leave Eden and Taehyung to discuss whatever it is they discuss about. You so clearly can't simply understand what they go through, it makes no sense to dawdle in their conversations then.

It's the last week before the university closes for winter break but the snow has been piling up for months now. Hanging out at cafes felt like a good idea at the time, what's not to like about baked goods and the smell of heady caffeine? But now you wish you'd never come at all. Or at the very least, that you'd come alone.

So, when Taehyung and Eden start packing up – they have work to get to – you don't budge. You look them in the eye and tell them that spending a few more hours in the cafe sounds like something you're craving. It's been a while since you left your apartment for something other than school and volunteering.

Taehyung scrunches his nose and pouts his lips. "You're coming out to the party tonight though, right? It's the last one before break and it's time you had some fun. Today is your birthday, after all. Maybe you'll find—"

Before he can finish that sentence, you force a grin onto your face and a pep into your voice to try and drag him off that course. You're desperately tired of remembering your own birthday. Nothing good ever comes out of it. And you doubt the ripe old age of twenty-one would do anything different. "Don't worry, I'll be there. Your fraternity is the one hosting, yes?"

He nods his head as he slings his messenger bag across his shoulder. "Yeah. Don't be late, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll see you guys then." You long for them to go already and leave you to your lonesome. You have a very interesting book to get back to. "Bye Eden, have fun in the studio." You wave them off on their way out and hope to the gods that they do not drag this outing any longer.

Once they are gone and the chatter around you falls into a nice subliminal background noise, you peel open the pages of the myth and folklore book and begin to read again.

Ah, yes, the Sun god. The creator of soulmates and the one that cursed all humanity. You wonder now if the god regrets his decision. What about the people like you? The ones that seemingly never find that other half. Are you just supposed to swagger through life with one leg oddly bent? Did the god merely not give a flying crow-shit? How come it was so easy for Eden and Taehyung to find each other whereas it's become exponentially hard for you? Are you not worthy of your own emotions? Are you not worthy to experience that all-encompassing love? Is it simply just an haute club that you could never even dream of barging into?

You sigh and lean back in your chair. The book gives you more questions than it does answers. In fact, it barely gives you any solutions. All it does is relay what happened ages upon ages ago in hopes you will understand. But you don't. These days it feels like you don't understand a thing.

You were meant to have found your half exactly three years ago and nothing of that sort has even thought of happening. Sometimes you feel little bursts, like your half was feeling so much intense emotions that it filtered through the cracks into your side. But nothing to write home about. It leaves you with a lingering sense of hoping for something… more.

Maybe it's because you're not paying attention — after all, you're too busy lamenting on your disproportionate life — that you don't notice the chime of the bell as the café door is pulled open. You don't notice the swells of oohs and ahhs that erupt from the shops teenage companions like they've witnessed the second coming of a god, or better yet some YouStreamer.

You do not notice the slow, creeping feeling of madness that is seeping into your bones. No, you could never notice that when it feels one and a part of you. You don't notice anything really, not until a voice above you lets out a sound of admiration and awe all laced into one exhale.

"Oh," the voice says. "That's a good book."

Your body isn't made to be twisted around but you do it anyway. Testing the limits of how far it will go. And when you crash into deep, soulful brown eyes that look to you like they hold all of the world's greatest mysteries, you freeze. And even though you know time is a theoretical construct and there's no way to actually stop the passing of it, you believe that in this tiny secluded café, time with all its boundaries, halts.

Academically, you know this isn't true. The world still turns, and as much as you wish it, it does not revolve around you. The snow still falls softly to the ground outside, the graceful music pumping through the coffeeshop's stereo is still playing. Nothing truly stops, but something inside of you does.

It takes all you can give to break forth from the haze cast upon you to speak. Speak, dammit! But you're in awe, mesmerized by a sight you've never sensed so well before. You've met countless people, some conventionally attractive, others more idiosyncratically beautiful but none have made you feel like this.

Taehyung describes attraction as something that is either there or it is not. The books describe attraction as a feeling that can make you desire somebody. You've never felt attraction, not like this. You've felt the vague need to be intimate with another but never like this. Like you crave something – someone – you don’t even know.

The person is tall with hard, crystal cut angles and visible confidence. It's with the way he holds himself like he knows his place in the world. Like he never has to question it. It draws you in. Makes you examine him thoroughly from the tip of his fluffy black hair to the heel of his patent leather boots.

He cocks an eyebrow and for a shy of a second, you are highly embarrassed by the fact that you've spent gods-knows how many moments just ogling him. You never ogle. You've quite literally never ogled in your life… until now that is.

You clear your throat and attempt to come off as blasé. Which is hard considering the awkward positioning of your body and the rigorous pounding of your heart in its cage. "It's not a good book. It's a great one. Probably why I read it so much."

"Debating the existence of the old gods, are we?" His voice is laced intrinsically with mirth and amusement.

"More like debating the existence of my life, really."

He chuckles, a sound that fills all the jagged crevices of your soul and body. He moves and you do the same, shifting from your oddly angled position to look at him better. You don't really know how to explain it, this feeling coursing through your veins. Like you know everything there is to know about him, even though you clearly have never met him before.

You clear your throat and will your mind to stop. This is honestly atrocious, outrageous and, frankly disconcerting. It feels like some random spaz has possessed your body and is making you mewl and purr like some damn cat on the street.

"I'm Jungkook, by the way," he finally says when you find the courage to look back up at him. You respond with your name, pronouncing the syllables clear enough so that he doesn't mess it up. But he gets it. And then he tries the name aloud, twisting it around on his tongue. "It is a good day to question our existence, isn't it, __?"

You smile up at him, a different smile from the one you gave Taehyung and Eden earlier. This one comes easily, and it tilts the corners of your lips without feeling faux and fraud-like. You don't even have to try.

"Depends," you say. "Do you consider a cold as shit day in the middle of Winter to be a good day?"

The tips of his lips upturn into an uncanny lopsided grin. One that feels like he's withholding more than he lets on. "A little."

The line in front of him moves and you find yourself watching the way his body propels forward almost gracefully to order a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream and extra salted caramel drizzle. It's then that you turn your head back to your table and busy yourself with fiddling with your fingers.

You feel something nudging your chest as if begging you to listen for a hiss in the wind – of a window or door being carefully opened. But you push that away. You have no idea what it means. And now, you're too busy focused with reeling your cheeks back to a substandard level of hot. You're not sure why basic communication with this dude has you channeling the same emotes as one of the schoolgirl children in the movies you watched when you were younger. You're an adult for seven heaven's sake. You are better than this!

Your cheeks and your ears do not agree. Instead, they inflame themselves hotter than ever. What is it about Jungkook that has you willing to sell a piece of your soul just to talk to him? You've never felt like this. Like nothing you say could surprise him, mind the fact that you just met him.

This time you are aware when he strides over to the seat that had Taehyung had previously occupied. You look up at him, into those deep russet eyes that hold flecks of something so beautiful and then you feel it. The magnetic pull of someone enigmatic. Someone that holds simply more. Maybe not for others, but to you.

His backpack loosens around his shoulders and his veiny hands clutch the Styrofoam cup with an ardent need as he speaks. "Would you mind if I sit here?"

Normally you would be repulsed by the question. What would ever possess someone that you don't know to act so familiar? But you don’t think as you motion for him to take it. After all, it wouldn’t feel right to just send him away. There’s a thin thread tangling and stretching between the two of you and you would be damned if you cut it on your own accord.

Jungkook finds himself lowering his body nimbly into the chair in front of you. And then you find yourself discussing more with Jungkook than you’ve spoken with anyone else in years. It feels relaxing — freeing. But also like a cruel joke from the Sun god. Here’s someone that makes you feel somewhat whole but there’s no indication that the two of you are even meant to be. How sad.

He talks as if his mind has no filters; effortlessly switching between topics. Do you play any sports? Piano is about as rigorous an exercise as you can handle and Jungkook laughs as he tells you that he’s Vice-Captain of the Baseball team, although now they’re not participating in any tournaments. The air in your lungs turns frigid when you ask if he attends the same university as you and then the air is goddamn stolen from your lungs when he responds with a yes.

“No way,” you cry. “I would have seen you on campus.”

Jungkook sends you a lazy grin. “You would’ve but I doubt you take your head out of your books often.”

You concede. “Okay… maybe a little. But still, isn’t our school defending champions or something? I’m pretty sure I’ve heard of the team doing well before, just not you in particular.”

“Ah, I get it. I’m not popular enough.” He jokes. “Perhaps I need to print out a flyer of my face and paste it around school?”

“That’d be fun. There’s no way I’d miss you then.”

He laughs, a loud sound that expands the more seconds pass. He laughs as though you’re the funniest person in the room, which you doubt. But you laugh along too.

“So, what do you do for fun?” Jungkook asks.

“Other than the obvious reading and playing the piano?” You tilt your head to the side and scratch the nape of your neck before you continue on. “Well, I’m studying Metaphysics and researching the fundamentals of soulmates. Why some find theirs and why others don’t.”

“That’s fun?”

You shrug, a small smile playing on your lips, but you refuse to apologize for your interests. “To me. I guess it just helps me understand.”

Jungkook seems to soak in your answer, his eyes drifting from your eyes to the top of your head, down to your gray turtleneck and glitzy star-shaped earrings. And you take your time to truly examine his face. How perfectly in line his nose is with the rest of his bone structure. How perfectly his jaw and cheekbones accentuate his physical beauty. And how for some reason he reminds you of what you believe the children of gods looked back when demigods were a thing. His face makes you think regal and heavenly all at once.

“What’s your theory?” Jungkook finally breaks you out of your ogle match.

“My what?”

“Theory,” he repeats. “On why some find their other half and others don’t.”

You bite your lip. Not sure if what you say might offend him. There’s no sign that he has found his soulmate or not and you don’t want to be increasingly insensitive. You do not want to hear another ‘Oh, you just don’t understand.’ Especially not out of his lips. You reckon you won’t be able to bear it. At least not today.

“It’s simple, I guess. It all boils down to has the person merited it? Earned it? The Sun god split us apart because he believed we needed to find the value in our feelings. I guess the ones without soulmates simply haven’t attained that understanding yet.”

Jungkook frowns and your heart thrusts itself into a deep panic. See, now you’ve gone and done it. This is why you hate talking, hate speaking. You ruin people’s moods (much like you do your own) without a second thought and honestly, now that you think about it. This must be why you have yet to find your one. You barely understand the emotions you do have; how can you possibly comprehend others?

After a minute or maybe three, Jungkook takes a big sip out of his drink before he focuses his attention back on you and you feel yourself burning. A light excavating through the muggy mess that is your mind.

“Have you merited it? The other half of your feelings, I mean.”

Is he asking you if you’ve found your soulmate?

“No. Not yet.”

“Oh.” Is all he says but you hear the unsaid meanings. “Personally, I think the god did something terrible by rupturing us apart. What good has it really done anyone?”

You don’t answer. Not only because you don’t have a good response but also because the topic of soulmates has you on edge already. Someone like Jungkook obviously has all his emotions and has found his half, you think. You doubt the two of you are even on the same wavelength on the matter. So, instead of answering you change the direction of the conversation to him and his collegiate baseball career.

And everything after that clusters into a ball of yeses. When he asks you for your number, when he asks you if you’ve heard of Beta Tau Sigma, and subsequently when he invites you to Beta Tau Sigma’s end of the year party later today even though you already promised Taehyung you’d be there.

Suddenly, you wonder if Jungkook and Taehyung are friends, you guess they should be since they are frat brothers, but he never mentioned his name before. So now you wonder if Taehyung has separate friendship circles for those with and without soulmates. You don’t get mad or angry at the thought. But your mood dampens anyway.

“Wanna know what I think?” Jungkook speaks up just as the two of you are packing your stuff from the table. He doesn’t wait for you to say yes; he presses on almost immediately. “There’s no time limit on soulmates. And to believe so is to believe there’s a time limit on life itself. Our whole lives we’ve been told that the old gods exist and that the old gods did this and that and blah, blah, blah. But then they tell us that if we don’t find our other half by eighteen, better yet seventeen, there’s something wrong with us?”

Jungkook laughs but there’s not a shred of sparkle in it. “Us… the people born out of the happenings of gods? Okay, riddle me this. If we are so clinically incapable of finding our soulmates, then why do we long for them anyways? Why would there be pieces of my very soul that feel so incomplete?”

You’re dumbstruck by him. And again, you feel the little tilt in the wind that sounds to your ears like someone is knocking on a door that you can't see. But this time even though you do not have an answer for him, you force yourself to spit something out.

“If I were to find my soulmate this very second, I’d believe you.”

He smiles down at you, the one where his eyes fold into deep crescent moons and again you think that he’s holding out on you. Holding onto a secret that only he knows. “Won't that be amazing.”

The day goes by without you paying attention to much else. You meet with your philosophy professor on the advancement of your thesis paper even though you have no idea what you want to base the paper on. Almost every relation between soulmates and reality has been explored and at times you find that your professor and you clash on too many issues. You grunt through the meeting, walking on thousands of eggshells before you finally head back to your apartment but once you put your feet up on the couch, you get a text from Taehyung.

TAE » Remember, you promised!!

You » ...

TAE » Don't tell me you've forgotten Beta Tau's party slash your birthday bash? You promised!!! People might start thinking I made you up L

Although you know deep in the deepest crevice of your heart that Taehyung doesn’t mean anything harmful by his statement, it makes you squeamish.

You » What's that supposed to mean? Now I'm the token soulmate-less? Bragging about all my deficiencies to your fraternity brothers that I've never met? Be my guest.

TAE » Oh fuck. You know that's not what I meant __. I'd never do that. I didn't mean for it to come off that way.

But it did.

And you’re not sure where this surge of despondency is coming from. Almost like a switch in your psyche has been flipped. Some part of you acknowledges that earlier today, you would not have read that message as anything but harmless. But the situation has changed. It’s like your body is thrumming with unshed resentment. Resentment at who? You don’t know but Taehyung seems to be on the receiving end of it.

It’s this feeling of deep antipathy that propels you into getting dressed for the damn party. Not the fact that it is your birthday, not the fact that there is a slight possibility of finding your soulmate at the wretched place. No. You get dressed because there would be free booze and people stupid enough to pick a fight with you in your current state. Well, maybe not a real fight. But there’s a thrumming in your veins and you don’t know how to curb it. You’ve never felt anything akin to it before. Oh, and maybe the small huge chance that you’ll see Jungkook again.

By the time you get to the Beta Tau Sigma house lined up on Greek Row you are quite literally ready to burst at the seams. The weather is cold as fucking shit and although it stopped lightly snowing, the breeze has you tightening your hold on your navy jacket. What is up with everyone today and being a major dick to you? First, it was your professor, and then it was your neighbor that stopped you on your way out of your apartment to pity the fact that you hadn’t found someone on your twenty-first birthday.

Fuck off, you almost screamed at her. Leave me the fuck alone and go shag your boyfriend in the back of his termite-ridden Honda!

But you’d smiled through it, bearing the stinging of your cheeks as you stretched them past your limit and fisted your palms so hard that you created crescent shapes into your flesh.

And gods, you’re tired of smiling through it. Tired of being told that you’re not allowed to feel anything other than your predisposed emotes. Exhausted with having to always be passive. Nothing is supposed to hurt you. At least not emotionally. But you feel a swelling in your chest like your heart is about ten beats away from finally asphyxiating itself.

You push through the frat house and find Taehyung almost immediately. And you watch with a hint of simmering hatred as he cracks joke after joke and his brothers and friends laugh and you feel more and more isolated between their world and yours. And then the hatred comes to a boiling point when you catch two lovebirds giggling and making out on the sofa next your foot.

You blink and blink and blink again. Coming here was a bad idea. To be surrounded so much by the one thing you desperately want but can't have. The irritation and animosity that’s been brewing within you transforms into something more solemn. Dimming itself down to a feeling of major disappointment. At yourself, at the world, at the cursed Sun god.

The second you're about to pivot the fuck out of there, a pair of eyes to the side of the room fixes on you and you are stunned into a halt.

His eyes say a thousand things at once and you hear it deep in your soul. His eyes rake over your entire body as if looking for the source of your imminent distress but when he comes up short, his pretty lips squeeze together and form words that you suddenly want to be etched onto your very being.

“You okay?”

No one – and you mean this without irony – has ever asked you that in all seriousness. Not your parents, not your friends, and certainly not you. Your parents try, you guess, they know how hard it is to not have a soulmate, but they found each other early and never had to question themselves. Never had to question the essence of their souls.

And that’s when you feel it; a quiver in your lips. You open your mouth in an attempt to say something – anything – but nothing comes out and you close it, only to repeat the motion with no improvement.

Jungkook crosses the room in long strides and before you know it, he is everywhere around you. All black. Black tee-shirt, black cargo pants, black sneakers. You didn’t realize how big he was before but now that you have, you can un-see it. Lean and lithe but strong and sturdy. A walking contradiction. Especially with the light shining from his eyes.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” He asks as he puts his hands on your shoulders and centers you.

You hate, absolutely despise, how watery your voice sounds when you say “Nothing. This party is just so lame that I’m feeling a little off.”

The both of you know how bad your lie is but for some reason, he rolls with it. “Yeah? I was thinking the same thing actually. This has to be the worst thing Tae has ever put on and to think he said it’s supposed to be a birthday party. I could do much better.”

And now you feel utterly terrible. You’d been so ready to rip Taehyung a new one, assumed his prejudice against you for what? Awful. You’re so awful as a person that of course, you haven’t earned the right to find the other half of your emotions. Of-fucking-course.

You’ve never felt so out of your own body before. Who is this impostor that has possessed you and when can you get your body and appropriate feelings back? You need it back before you completely annihilate all your relationships.

“I’m sorry. I don’t usually act like this.”

“Why are you sorry?” He seems genuinely confused.

“I… You probably wanted to have fun with your brothers and all. And here I am just – “

Jungkook squeezes your shoulders hard which forces you to raise your attention from staring at your shoes to gazing at his face. It’s a much-needed distraction from the wobble in your voice and the feeling of cotton in your throat.

“You need some fresh air?” He poses his statement as a question, but you don’t really have a choice in the matter anyway because he slides his warm fingers into yours and although you feel a momentous spark, you let him drag you through the house.

Taehyung notices you then and begins to rush towards you. Perhaps he’s glad that you still came out tonight even though you had a fight with him earlier. Perhaps he’s relieved that you don’t utterly hate him. But you attempt to give him a watery smile that is both apologetic and reassuring, but his eyes fly down to you and Jungkook’s conjoined hands and he pauses.

And it’s not the smile he usually gives you. No. This one closely resembles the ones he reserves for Eden. Like maybe you’ve found your sanctuary. Maybe you’ve come to finally understand.

You scoff at the thought just as Jungkook snatches two Margarita cans from a cooler and pulls you up the stairs and through a hallway that leads to a balcony. When you're outside, he motions for you to take a seat on one of few white benches. Without saying a word, he passes a can to you. You clasp the cold drink between your fingers and revel in the iciness sipping through your flesh.

You've never experienced this feeling of tranquility meshed with a creeping sense of foolhardiness with another person in your life. And you're struggling with how to process it.

“Wanna talk about it?” Jungkook finally breaks the silence, sitting right beside you. The warmth emanating from his body warms you down to your toes and you revel in it.

No. Yes. Fuck. “I don’t know. I’m just being stupid, and it doesn’t matter anyway.”

“I know you're not stupid and it does matter. It matters a lot.”

Great, you think. One more person in the grand universe that you're destined to disappoint. You sigh and stare out at the starless sky. You always hold your feelings in check and rigorously work to not let the few emotions you do have to get the best of you. To not cloud your judgment. But during the course of this whole day, you’ve felt like you're on a ledge. On the precipice between falling and drowning. Like your mind is waging a war against itself.

You are not a crybaby. But even as you think this, you feel wetness at your eyeballs and a stinging in your cheeks, and you blink and blink to try and push it away. But it feels like your body is burning with never before experienced sensations and it scares you. You open your mouth and the choking feeling from before returns, it muddles everything else and you panic. You refuse to cry in front of Jungkook. Not now when you feel so downright weak.

“P-pieces of my –” Against your will your voice cracks. “Pieces of my very soul are so incomplete.”

The corners of your eyes fill up more with tears that you desperately do not want to shed. And it takes everything in you to not raise your hand to swipe the madness away.

Stop! Stop, goddammit! Stop this very instant! You’re above this. Better than this. You didn’t cry when the doctor told you that there was nothing biologically wrong with you, you didn’t cry when your group friends slowly diminished as they found oneness with their partners and others more attuned to them. You didn't cry then, so why are you on the verge of it now of all times and days?

And even though you're trying your damn hardest to not have a full-on breakdown, you feel your body heave and then sniffle. Gods this is so embarrassing. You turn your face away from the sky and instead focus it on the cold can in between your fingers.

You pushed away your feelings until they were stuffed in the darkest parts of your mind and now it seems, they are breaking out without a care in the world about the consequences.

“Remember I told you that my theory has to do with some of us earning the privilege of someone else? I haven't earned it. Heck, I haven't earned anything. I'm passive. I try not to be but investing myself into others has never worked in my favor. All the emotions I do have feel so negative that when I'm around people I can't help but not connect. Because I don't understand half of what they are saying or feeling, and I hate it. I hate it so much.”

You're a piece of work, __, your ex-partners had said. You've dated around before; scavenging for love in uncanny, dim places with people destined to be with others until they finally realized that you were not theirs.

Because everyone eventually did. Realize the oddity of not being empathic. There's something defective about you. You can't seem to find anyone willing to be around you for two weeks talk less of forever. But everyone you'd been with magically happened to find theirs. The stars seem to gravitate away from you like you exude such a power that is so repulsive.

And it hurts. It hurts so fucking much. Like hot coal sliding down your spine and marring flesh. But you can't stop your mouth from speaking, the words tearing the edges of your lips with each choked up sound you exhale. "A part of me doesn't care if I don't have a soulmate, I mean, my life shouldn't be dictated by whether or not I have someone tied to my arm. But the other half of me desperately wants it. I get this ridiculous chasm of sadness when I think about every emotion that I can't experience because I'm not worth it. I've never been worth it."

Your throat is burning. Your eyes are burning. Every part of your body is aching madly but Jungkook doesn't say a thing. Your chest begins the act of carving in on itself and if you didn't know any better you would reckon that your heart is cracking into two halves.

Gods, this is pathetic. You feel so pathetic. All your life you've never felt like the world had conspired against you until this very moment. Like the Sun god had taken a special hatred on you and dumped all these folds of resentment into your soul. You wanted to claw it out.

And for some reason you will never understand, you keep going. As if the cracking of your voice and the upheaval of your shoulders wasn't enough, actual tears started to slip and slide down your cheeks.

“Why the fuck does our society bank on soulmates anyways? What's so great about them that everyone acts like if you don't have one you've been done a great disservice? Why me?" A whole bunch of unfiltered anger bursts inside you and propels you from the bench and a graver sniff infiltrates your voice. "Seven billion people on Earth V12 and you would think that I would be able to find someone in this mess of a world but no. I've wasted twenty-one years of my life without knowing anything. Without feeling anything. I can't do it anymore. I don't want to do it anymore. I want to feel something. Anything. I'm tired of being like –”

Oh, seven hells, you feel like you are dying. Decomposing to dust on the balcony of a fraternity house in the middle of winter in your favorite jeans and so-so high-tops.

It feels like every section of your body is withering away. Rotting. Falling apart and there's nothing you can do to stop the trajectory. Tears pool beneath your chin before they cascade into the neck of your shirt. Your lips quiver so badly you're afraid they might never be the same. If this is what sorrow feels like you hope you never experience it again. It makes you feel gutted.

Your vision becomes so blurry that you can barely make out the dark sky in front of you. Can barely even think. And try as you might, the tears just keep rolling.

You’re not sure of when Jungkook stands up but you feel him wrap his arms around you – tentatively, all-encompassing and fully, and rest his chin on the side of your head. He doesn’t say a word, and maybe it’s because he doesn’t need to. You feel him. The budge on the window sill that leads to your soul. You feel him there. But you want him to let go. There are certain things you acutely feel like you do not deserve, and he is one of them.

“Let me go,” your voice sounds like two trains grinding against each other and it makes you pull away from his embrace. But Jungkook’s arms stretch around your torso.

“No.” Is the soft reply that weighs on your ears. His body is warmer than you want it to be because it's making you feel at home.

“I –”

“It’s okay. You can let it out.” In some kind of way, he feels even closer than before. Like he's impressing himself into your lungs. Like he's giving you the very air that you so desperately need to breathe. Like he's forcing you to bloom and he doesn't care if he has to be the one that solely weeds away at all the nonsensicalities in your chest to make sure it happens.

And maybe some part of him just knows that a part of you is desperate to run away from the unknown because he hugs you harder, tighter, and firmer. So much so that now you can't breathe for different reasons. You don’t know what to do so you let him.

“You don’t need to prove your worth to anyone. Not me, not the gods… no one. And –” You make a move to interrupt him but Jungkook cuts himself off. “Do you feel it?” He asks with his torso pressed against yours and your heart syncing along with his.

“Feel what?” You croak out.

“I can't explain it, that’s why I need you to feel it. It’s every around us you have to, I don’t know, listen.”

You don’t want to, but you do it. You squeeze your eyes shut and wrap your fingers around the Jungkook’s shirt and wait. You wait for the madness in your mind to calm down. You wait for the apprehension in your heart to subside. But nothing happens and you feel worse than before.

“Jungkook,” you start.

“Don’t.” You swear you hear a slight tear in his voice. “Just listen.”

Listen, he says, but what are you even listening for? Here you are, miserable than ever and being told to listen. To the universe? Or listen for that goddamn hiss in the wind again? But all you hear is the sniffles that your chest is releasing and the slight exhale of Jungkook’s hot breath against your cheek. And you don’t know how to explain it. But it is then when you are doubtful and least expect to hear – talk less of feeling anything, that you identify it.

And it’s a beautiful thing. Like two halves of a comet melding into each other to crest a dynamic explosion into your very being. Something that lifts the burden weighing down on your heart and helps you to finally breathe. Breathing in through your nose feels better. Feels easier.

The thread you’d felt before in your mind that had been so tangled and messed up that you could barely discern what it was suddenly fizzled, expanded and stretched out and when you feel for the force at the other end of the cord and come in contact with an aura that reminds you so much of the person in front of you, you are shocked. Better yet, surprised.

You don’t know to explain it. Heck, you’ve never experienced such a colorful array of emotions in your life that for a minute or maybe three, it leaves you dazed and disoriented. It feels like your body is in a vacuum and is receiving dangerous sensations at the speed of light.

It’s burning. Oh, how it's burning. It’s burning through every fiber of your existence but unlike before, this burn doesn’t make you want to choke up and die. Instead, it revitalizes you.

“Do you feel it?” Jungkook asks again.

This time you have an answer that you don’t have to scour for.

“I feel it. I feel it so much. I feel it everywhere. I –” you don’t know whether to cry even harder or laugh at the oddity of the situation and that leaves you in an awkward limbo of both. “Oh, gods. It’s you.”

All the haphazard sensations you’ve been feeling all day. The anger – no lividness –at your neighbor, the overwhelming sadness, the uncharted pettiness at Taehyung with a bare minimum reason to be. It all finally starts to make sense. Everything – or at least, all of that – happened after you’d met him. After you’d been exposed to someone akin to a livewire.

This is nothing like the books said. You’d gone your whole life thinking, believing, that when you met your other half, you’d instantaneously know. Like the skies would crack open and some kind of bell would resound. Now you realize how ridiculously absurd that would be, but it had made sense at the time.

Words lose their meaning in an effort to explain what you feel. Your body is being put back together again. Pieces that you hadn’t realized were even missing suddenly fit into each other. You welcome the tingling in your veins and instead of ignoring the sparks igniting beneath your bones, you embrace it. And oh, it is magnificent.

In this loud, beer-infested fraternity house with slovenly college students pushing against each other downstairs and on the day you turn a striking twenty-one, you find someone that the history and biology and mythology books could have never predicted.

Jungkook’s voice is much softer than before. Is that possible? But it is. And he holds you tighter, holding you like you’re unbreakable.

“To me, you're the moon, the sun – the whole fucking galaxy. I’ve always known you existed, and I’ve waited to find you for a long time. I carried your half with me for so long, how could I not? In the depths of my mind and when I really concentrated about it, I could feel you. Somewhere close but sometimes distant. I held out for you… always. So, you’ll forever be worth it. And you don’t need to earn me, you already have me. You’ve always had me.”

The stain of his words etches itself onto your soul and becomes a part and parcel of you. They quiet the chatter of your heart and bring subliminal teardrops to the crooks of your eyes but this time you don’t mind it. How could you ever mind it?

“So, you’ve always known then?” You don’t sniffle or sob and your voice doesn’t pathetically crack. Instead, you maneuver your face away from his chest so you can see his eyes. In the process, your bodies disentangle and you miss his warmth but this is really happening. And you’re desperate.

He smiles. It's blinding in its glory and it blitzes straight into your core. “Always. It's destiny; you and me.”

You and him. Him and you. You like the sound of that.

“Even though we had to wait for so long.”

Jungkook rolls his eyes like he’s tired of you thinking about time as some enormous continuum rather than the now. “We have the rest of our lives to be together. I don’t think knowing you a bit earlier would change that. It is what it is. And even if I had to wait five years, fuck, even ten. I wouldn’t give up. Not on you, __. Not on my other half.” He spits the last words out so vehemently you don’t have the audacity to doubt it. “What we have is more sacred than anything in the world. I’d be stupid to let that go without trying.”

“You’re not stupid.”

“And you’re not unloved by anyone in this world so stop thinking that.”

“I was not –”

He sends you an exasperated look, one that you immediately identify because the bond the two of you have defies all logic. One that says that he knows you. He knows that the tears that sprung to your eyes earlier were not simply because you were overwhelmed by everything in the universe but also because you felt like you had lucked out of the love train. Watching your friends find havens with their other halves and seeing that couple giggle on the couch like it was the end of high school all over again, it made you feel desolate. And Jungkook felt that. Somehow in some way, he knew.

“I love you. I’ve only met you and I know that much. So, what about your friends? Your family? They love you too albeit in different ways than what I'm feeling. But no matter how much the Sun god split us apart, I, you – we – have always known that we were made for each other. So, yes. I love you.”

You’re pretty sure your mind all but blows up into a tiny clusterfuck of a mass because you can’t even hear what Jungkook says next. You’re hyper fixated on what he had just said. He loves you? How does he even know that? What was this? Had your brain and ears finally imploded on themselves? Was this alternate reality?

“Do you need me to repeat it?”

What? Huh? What?

“I don’t know what to call it. Maybe love at first sight?” He carries on like you’re not having a self-induced heart attack right before his eyes. “Never believed in that before but then I saw you and gods, you’re the most beautiful person I've ever seen in my life. I sure hope when you saw me it was the same because I have no idea how to describe what you do to me.”

But you understand what he’s saying because you did feel it. You felt so much when you first looked at him and you still feel it now.

“Like everything suddenly made sense. The whole craze about finding soulmates finally made fucking sense. I finally understood.”

You blink and blink so fast that you fear your eyelids might not keep up with the action. You never thought your other half would be a huge, spectacular talker and that they would know just how to steal the breath from your lungs away. But Jungkook knows. You're finding a lot of new things this night and one of them is that Jungkook is a hopeful romantic. It almost makes your body bring on another set of waterworks.

“I love you.” He says the soul-breaking words again. “And I already know that love is malleable but what I feel in my bones is for forever.”

In your bones, transformed out of what had laid dormant you felt Love. All around you love. Like you could mess up, you could do the oddest thing in the universe and the love would still be there. You want to shout it out. For the first time in your little life, you feel love and you want it always. And you want to give it always.

And you don’t know how you know but you know that he’s about to kiss you. Oh, gods. He’s about to kiss you right after –

“I love you too.” You hurl out fast enough and it slows down Jungkook’s advancement towards you. “And I have no idea what I'm doing but I'll do it with you. I don’t trust just anyone but what we have is bigger than trust. Like you said, it’s life itself.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I would wait forever for you too.”

“I know,” he says and you don’t run away when he steps closer to your body. And his fingers reach for a set of yours. You raise your free hand to his chest and feel the rapid, erratic beating of his heart in its cage.

“And I've never done this before. But I'll do my best I –”

“We don’t graded,” he cuts you off with a laugh. “And I know.”

He knows.

His free hand cups your cheek and you almost hyperventilate. Almost. But you’d rather die than miss this. So, you take deep, long breaths that inflate your system with the mix of sandalwood, earth, and hope. And then his lips press onto yours and give you a happy death. His lips crush yours with a force reserved for rocks and specks of dust breaking away from comets. His kiss wakes you up. And you love it.

Before you can even push further, his lips move to the side of your cheek, barely-there before it cascades to the other. And then his mouth is on your brow bone, a light presence that feels heavenly beautiful and nerve-wracking all at once before his lips rest on the middle of your forehead.

Jungkook’s lips came back to yours and kissed one corner of your mouth and then the other. Oh, seven hells, you can’t think. You don’t want to either. Instead, you open your mouth and kiss him back with more fervor. You lithely raise on your toes and kiss the apples of his cheeks, his temples, his brow bones, beneath his lips and right on his chin. Gods, it feels like you kiss him everywhere.

The hand on his chest feels how frenzied his heart is pounding and it makes you smile because you’re sure your heart is doing the same. You close your eyes and wrap your arms around his neck. You don’t need to say anything in this moment because what needs to be said is all around you and under your skin. He reached forward and kissed you again. This time harder, and more frivolous and you gave and gave and took and took. And when the two of you finally break apart for air, you feel a tingle of cosmic goodness down your limbs.

Fuck.

He grins, actually no, he does more than that. He momentarily lights up like a firetruck and pulls you impossibly closer. And you think he has the most beautiful smile in the universe. You want to keep that on his face forever.

“You’re worth it,” you tell him, breathless.

“Worth what?” He asks smugly, his smile turning cocky as he acts like he doesn’t know.

You roll your eyes, your shoulders shaking as you laugh. A genuine one that warms your belly. “Worth the wait.”

a/n » hooo my god, this is the first thing i’ve written in about a year? and it feels so good to write and even better to pour my soul into this soulmate au. i really hope y’all loved it!! and please do tell me what you think! 

⇢ masterlist

©️ 2019 kai, moonbelt [aka high-on-food]

[dandelionflower]

She Sits Alone

Based off of the haunted mansion AU by @miraculous-of-salt

——————

Marinette was on the bus to the Culpa Mansion and she was sitting alone.

Normally she would feel hurt, but this was nothing new. She sat alone in class, she sat alone on the plane to the US, she was sitting alone on the bus now. She just felt numb by now. So numb she was barely excited for the mansion.

The Culpa Mansion. Marinette could babble about the history of the Culpa Mansion for hours.

~~~

Once the home of the businessman Garfield Culpa, it was a refuge for injured soldiers. One such person was Abigail Laurens, a nurse who got injured when an explosion hit her base. She critiqued his process and he fell in love.

Years after, their daughter Harriet Culpa met Darrian Poll. They were in third grade. He pulled her hair and she chased him around the playground.

They lost contact after high school and reconnected after college. She was a pro wrestler and he was a librarian. They got married as Harriet and Darrian Culpa. (She insisted on keeping her last name.)

Their son Micheal Culpa married Wenda Delair. They were unable to have children and assumed their bloodline would die with them until they saw a young girl rummaging in their trash can. They instantly adopted Rosemary and began training her in watercolor.

Usually, Marinette would be cut off from talking now and she would recite the rest to herself.

Rosemary never married and opened her home to any starving or homeless artist who couldn’t get on their feet. She passed the Culpa mantle to one of the more present artists, Denise.

Denise never married, though she had plenty lovers. She continued the tradition of housing the starving and homeless but allowed them to be employed in the manor as cooks, maids, gardeners, and security. She eventually gave birth to a son, Felix Culpa.

Felix had nearly every trait of the Culpa family, despite not being blood related to any of them. He was caring and cynical, like Garfield and Abigail. He was physically able and a bookworm like Harriet and Darrian. He was a lover of the arts like Micheal, Wenda, and Rosemary, and he was suspicious of the existence of love like his mother.

He became suspicious no longer when he met Bridgette Chang, the designer child of an author and illustrator pair. She designed all of Denise’s favorite gowns and was commissioned for Felix’s first suit. She struck up a conversation about his favorite novel and they became fast friends.

Soon, they fell in love and they were inseparable until Felix left for college. Even then, they were the only thing on each other’s mind. Felix wrote daily letters to Bridgette and whenever she didn’t read them, she was weeping in the private room Felix gave her.

The minute he returned, he proposed. They were set to be married, if not for one tiny detail.

Delila Ross.

She was a fellow member of Felix’s college and was obsessed with him. She almost got her hooks into him when she used a love spell. Luckily, Felix knew some witchcraft of his own and was able to fight it off. She disappeared soon after.

However, the day of the wedding, she returned to kill Bridgette. Felix warned all of the staff against her and threatened them with extreme punishment. She came in and, assisted by the staff, stabbed Bridgette through the heart with her favorite flower pin.

Theorists say Felix went insane, but Marinette didn’t believe that part. He allegedly killed every member of the staff that allowed Delila to enter the mansion and soon he died himself. Legend has it that he roams the halls of the mansion, now a hotel, in search of the reincarnated soul of his loved one and when he found her, he would have the power to return from the dead and be with her until the end of his days.

~~~

Before she met Adrien, Marinette had fantasied about being the reincarnation of Bridgette, after all, Chang and Cheng were very similar. However, now she had met Adrien and was dating him.

Speaking of, Marinette checked her phone. Sure enough, there was a text from her boyfriend.

Sunshine 😍: Hey sorry bout not sitting w/ u 😰

Sunshine 😍: It would have seemed rude if I turned lila down

Princess 💞: It’s fine! I totally get it.

No, she didn’t get it! She was Adrien’s girlfriend and he still managed to make Lila a priority over her. And not just Lila either, Marinette knew Adrien thought she didn’t notice the stars in his eyes whenever Ladybug was mentioned. How touchy he would get with other models during a shoot.

Marinette growled and pulled out the vest she was embroidering. Half was black with small white snowflakes and the other half was pink with little flowers. It was based off of Felix and Bridgette’s favorite seasons; spring and winter. She had already made a strictly Felix themed outfit for the trip and a Bridgette themed outfit, she wanted to make one based off of the relationship the two had.

After finishing, she took a nap, dreams of swirling snowflakes and a blue eyed cat approaching her filling her mind. She woke up with Adrien sitting next to her, tapping her shoulder.

“Hey, Princess. We’re here.”

She bolted up and pressed her face to the window. “What? I missed it? But I heard such great things about the gardens…”

He laughed and pressed a kiss to her temple. “We’ll find some time to check them out, promise.”

“‘Kay.” She hummed and leaned forward for a proper kiss, before another popped up.

“Hey, Adrien?” Lila. “You mind helping us out back here? We’re stuck on a level of Super Penguino, and I, as an award winning player, need a partner. Would you want to help me out?” She bat her eyes innocently and Marinette felt the all too familiar sense of rage well up inside her.

No, don’t do that again, she reminded herself. You don’t need this, Adrien loves you and he doesn’t want you to get in trouble.

“Sure, Lila! I’m sure Marinette won’t mind.” He pressed another kiss to her temple and went back to Lila’s seat.

Marinette sighed and stared out the window as they finally approached the mansion.

———-

There was a bit of concern over rooming, there was an odd number of students and the teacher surely couldn’t room with anyone. They talked about three in a room, but Lila said she read a study that claimed that three in a room was harmful to sleeping patterns.

“Alya! Want to room with me?”

Alya gave Marinette a sympathetic smile. “Sorry, girl. I told Lila I’d room with her.”

“Oh, alright.” That meant she’d be rooming by herself then. “Have fun.” She sat on the bench again, alone.

She heard a giggle from across the room. “Yeah, I’m definitely the distant relative of Bridgette. Who knows? Maybe I’m his soulmate and Felix will come back from the dead for me.”

“He’s supposed to come back for the reincarnated soul.” Marinette muttered. “Not the relative.”

“You know that?” A red headed boy in a cap approached her. “No one knows that, Grace and I usually have to tell them a million times. Grace!” He shouted over his shoulder. “Grace! Come over here! This chick knows the Culpa story!”

“Wait, really?” A girl with a two long braids walked over from the reception desk. “No one knows the Culpa story.”

“My parents told me some when I was little, I did some research.”

“Well, the fact that you know it makes you a celebrity to us. I’m Grace, this is Finny. What’s your name, celebrity?”

She grinned. “I’m Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I’m with the school trip from Paris.”

Finny gasped. “You mean you’re, the Marinette Dupain-Cheng? The same Marinette Dupain-Cheng who designed Jagged Stone’s favorite sunglasses, and his album cover?!?!”

“Fin’s a bit of a music nerd.” Grace snorted.

Fin, meanwhile, was patting his pockets down for a pen. “I don’t have a pen! Grace! Can you give me a pen?”

“No, ask her for he autograph later, dork. It’s the middle of the night, she probably wants to get back to her room.”

“Oh, right, sorry.” He rubbed the back of his head. “But I am totally asking for one later.”

Marinette winked. “That’s fine with me.”

“Where are you staying, anyway?”

“Umm, I actually don’t know. There was a room problem.”

“I can handle that.” Grace winked and Marinette noticed her eyes were a beautiful silver. “I’ve got some pull.” She sashayed over to the desk and started scribbling on a piece of paper. Apparently satisfied, she picked up a key and tossed it to Marinette. “Here. It’s the key to Bridgette’s room. A huge honor. Not something we take lightly around here.”

“Thank you! It’s not something I take lightly either.” Then, seeing her class was leaving, she lifted her bag and followed. “I’ll see you tomorrow, I hope!”

“We hope so too!” Finny yelled after her.

—————

Marinette hummed to herself as she began unpacking, planning her outfits for each day.

Her Felix themed set for museum day.

Her Bridgette themed set for the art museums.

Her Felix and Bridgette themed one for tour day.

And her ghost themed ones for all the other days.

Satisfied, she turned around and admired the room. It was exactly what she would have wanted. Pink everywhere, a beautiful white lace canopy over the bed, flowers all over the balcony and above the bed there was a portrait of Felix and Bridgette mid-proposal, Felix on one knee.

Marinette snapped a picture of it. Perfect for inspiration.

She texted Adrien a quick goodnight and went to sleep, soon to be struck with the same dreams of the blue eyed cat and the swirling snowflakes.

——————

Meanwhile, a sleek black fox and an orange bee held a meeting in the basement.

You think he knows yet? The bee asked.

I don’t know, Fin. He will once he makes his rounds.

She has to be her. Gracie, her life directly parallels with Bridgette’s. All the way down to the company she keeps.

Speaking of, we need to get everyone locked down and in their punishments for the night before Felix starts his rounds.

Before you do, a white and turquoise turtle crawled into view, we need to have a conversation about the other her.

What about her? Grace asked innocently.

What will we do about the ghosts? If they see her...

They’ll go insane.

Maybe they won’t, Finny suggested, they might just ignore her.

Unlikely. They’re more likely to torment her, which will end on the mansion being quarantined.

They won’t do anything without Felix’s permission, Allegra. Grace rolled her eyes. Which he won’t give until he has his bride.

But, it wouldn’t hurt if we let them scare her a little… Finny landed on Grace’s head. Would it?

Allegra and Grace smirked, well, as much as a fox and turtle could smirk.

Probably not… Allegra mused

I’ll spread the word when I lock up my section. See ya, Allegra.

As the bee and the fox climbed out of the basement, unnoticed in the empty halls, thunder cracked and a red headed boy, paired with a raven haired girl strolled the mansion, unaffected by the ghoulish shrieks of horror that followed them.

—

The rest