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what-the--curtains · 4 years ago

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There are No Wolves in The Desert

(Oberyn Martell x f!reader)

Part 3 - An (in)Decent Proposal

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Summary: Oberyn makes you an offer you cant refuse.

Authors notes: Whoop here part 3 sorry this is taking SO long but I have no MOTIVATION (sang like jean ralphio)😭 Thank you for reading and sharing and commenting I love y all so much💕💕💕💕

TW: Mentions of incest (walder frey), mentions of alcohol, fighting

Word count: 4.9k

Tagged: @evyiione @xsadderdazeforeverx @agingerindenial @ayamenimthiriel

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The large wooden doors of your room slowly creak open rousing you from your restful slumber. You open one eye allowing yourself to adjust to the sun's bright rays that were coating your room's walls, brightening their pastel hues. You cautiously shift up, gaze locked on the door fingers clutched around your knife. Your fist relaxes as two figures enter the room, the first belonging to Shana who you recognized from last night and the other, to a younger girl. Shana walks towards the long table placing down the assorted fruits, breads and wine while the younger girl sits on your bed, slowly unscrewing a teal coloured jar’s lid. Your eyes follow her as she leans forward.

“Are you a Targareyn?” she asks, hand slowly hovering towards your face, intent on applying a cream to the area that had been forcibly rammed into a wall last night.

“No,” you respond, shifting back and out of her reach.

“You look like one,” she offers scooting closer to you determined to sooth your wound.

“Is that a compliment?” you ask, causing her to duck her head down in embarrassment, noticing her reaction, and feeling somewhat guilty you continue “My father was though, so I suppose in a way you are correct. You have a sharp eye, what is your name?” you query hoping to relieve any embarrassment.

“Kaina” she responds, eyes still on the bed spread.

“How old are you, Kaina?” you question, watching as an easiness washes over her as you allow her to apply the salve to your broken skin.

“Six and ten” she says, meticulously dabbing the mixture onto your face.

“Has the prince..ever.. propositioned you, ” you ask cautiously, curious as to the character of the man whose home you had been invited into.

“No, he has no eyes for children,” she says, redonning the jars lid.

“Which is more than you can say for the men of Westeros,” Shana quips as she appears at your side offering you a bowl of fruit which you take with a thank you. You pluck a raspberry from the bowl and pop it into your mouth, the freshness and sweetness delighting your tastebuds.

“That is very true, I knew of one man who married his own daughters,” you say, causing the two women to look at you horrified.

“When you age are you allowed to stay in the palace?” you query, ignoring their disdain for the practices carried out by the Frey family.

“Yes, we are allowed to stay or leave in order to continue our training if we wish,” Shana states

“Training?” you press.

“We are allowed to study here, I took up healing. Others like Shana learn to cook, others care for animals, or they train to fight, whatever they choose and they are allowed to come and go as they please,” Kaina states.

“You’re treated well here then? ”

“Yes, very much so” they both respond almost in unison.

“And are you paid well?”

“Yes, the princes both believe any service provided demands a payment. May I ask why you ask so many questions my lady?” Kaina ponders, her good nature causing you to smile.

“I am no lady, but I do take great value in the way a man treats his staff, especially those who hold less power than he. If I am to make a deal I wish to know whom I am making it with. I have no need to help abusers, ” you state as she recaps the salve that was now absorbing into your skin.

“A wise woman,” Shana states. “The prince is a good man, as is our king.”

“Neither of them would marry their own children,” the younger girl says standing again, horrified.

“Well that is good to hear,” you say with a soft chuckle,

“Do you need us to dress you my lady?” Shana offers, despite already knowing the answer.

“No I am quite alright thank you,” they curtsey and leave you to dress for the day. You pull on the lightweight leather armour before redonning your cloak, opting to leave the hood down, no point in hiding who you were now, at least while you were within the palace walls.

You stroll leisurely down the palace steps, admiring the limestone architecture and the gold detailing glimmering under the mid-morning sun. You watch the heat ripple as it rises off the metallic features. The day's warmth bears down on your face, even in the winter the dornish heat was nearly unbearable and infinitely warmer than Winterfell. Your head turns towards the sound of children laughing and you watch as two small blurs disappear round a corner, in chase of the butterflies flying throughout the palace. You continue through the garden hand ghosting along the Ivy leaves that snaked through the metallic fencing containing the gardens perimeter. You could easily see yourself getting lost amongst the vines, the winding paths leading off in multiple directions towards unknown destinations. You would return here another time, to truly admire the flora created by the old gods and the new. You stay true to your path for the time being, hoping to locate Oberyn so he could make light of his supposed proposition. You follow the faint metallic clammer echoing in the distance, the sound growing louder as you approach a large wooden arena. The training grounds were large, offering a place to train and exhibit the ornate and hypnotic fighting.

Their style was known across the seven kingdoms for being elegant and deadly, a combination you found paired well with at least one dornish individual you knew.

The arena's overhang offers you some shade, a luxury not afforded to those in the arena, you come to rest your forearms down on the palisade allowing your wrists to drape over the bannister as your shoulders relax. Oberyn's armour glimmers in the sun illuminating the sweat beaded over his tanned skin, a few loose strands of hair plastered to his forehead. You watch as he skillfully knocks his opponent to the ground before turning to you. You watch his charismatic features light up as he strides towards you allowing his opponent to regain his footing.

“Your beauty is greater than the messengers lead me to believe,” he states loudly, causing you to look down and shake your head, unsure what he hoped to achieve by shamelessly flirting with you.

“So you were spying on me,” you respond, ignoring his charms, much to his dismay. Your constant dismissal of his advances leaving him wondering if he had finally found someone immune to his charisma.

“We spy on anyone we think will be an ally or enemy to us, “ he says glancing back, not dropping his guard despite his opponents retreat to the arena's far side.

“Must be a long list,” you offer as he places his spear against the panelling, splashing his face with water before bending down to take a drink from one of the taps found throughout the city.

“Prior to his death, we wanted Robb Stark on our side, and you, or Lady Stark wherever she may be, we were told she was a ferocious warrior, ” he states, raising his eyebrows mischievously.

“Don't believe everything you hear. Though I suppose she owes you her life, perhaps a lesson in calligraphy would suffice, your handwriting is quite distinctive,” you smirk watching his head turn in faux shock before returning to his opponent.

“My time was better spent elsewhere,” he shouts back, blocking yet another shot brought forward by the palace guard. Turning he gracefully sweeps the legs out from beneath the man the entire ordeal lasting no longer than a few minutes.

“Pleasures of the flesh have far greater value to me than a pretty note,” he states clearly, turning to gauge your reaction. Despite you declining his advances the subject of sex appeared to have little to no effect on you. There was no giggle or blush that often came in the women of westeros who are told sex is a sacred act for man and wife.

“Too much time doing as you please and not nearly enough time spent doing what you should,” you state, a line your mother had frequently said when you trapsed throughout the forest instead of doing your housework. He looks at you, confusion and glee dancing on his face at your manner, or lack thereof, around him. Being a prince he wasn't used to such a direct tone. Others typically behaved themselves around him, either out of fear or admiration. Though neither were nearly as tantalizing as those who readily disregarded his status with such cutting wit.

“On your left,” you remark, allowing him to catch the oncoming hit just in time. He nods for the man to leave the arena leaving you alone with Oberyn.

“Shall we?” he calls out, and you cock your head to the side.

“You said you wished to practice, you care to try your luck,” he asks, swinging around grinning as he gestures to the large space.

“Luck won't have anything to do with me beating you,” you quip hopping over the panelling and into the arena.

“You need four weapons to defeat me?” he taunts from afar. You shoot him a look as you stab your knife into the ground before removing the quiver and bow placing them against the wall. You turn on the tap and splash your face with the water, flicking the remainder off your hands as you turn and walk into the sun towards your opponent.

“Just two which by my count is one less than you,” you offer.

“I only have one,” he explains

“The spear is long, has two ends, two weapons. Besides you have a shield. Shield counts as a weapon,” you state.

“And you don’t choose to fight without one,” he says, dropping the shield so you have no excuses for his impending victory.

“Don’t need a shield if the enemy is dead before they can reach you,” you explain.

“Cocky”, he says twirling the spear hitting the blunt end into the ground before pointing it forward and bending at the knees in preparation.

“You say as if you are not yourself,” you retort, arms reaching back and removing the swords twirling them before entering your own stance. He’ll make the first move, of that you're sure. He does as you expect, allowing you to stop the hit with your swords crossing them into an ‘x’ and using their combined force to push his spear up and to the side as you uncross them. His underestimation of your strength leaves him off balance as you spin around aiming for his knees. He manages to regain his footing and jumps easily over your sword showing off the flashy fighting style you’d expected of a dornish prince.

“Perhaps not as poor a fighter as you thought,” you state, ducking as he swings his spear around to hit you. Without breaking motion he spins the weapon above his head bringin it down almost hitting you had you not dropped to the ground. Rolling behind him you twirl your swords around and jab the hilts into the back on his knee. He falls to his knees and before he can formulate his next move you stand and kick his weapon out from his hand. He teeters forward and you grab him by the hair tugging it back exposing his throat. You bring your blade to his neck watching his Adam's apple bod as he swallows, eyes looking up to you with what one could only describe as admiration.

“I believe that's a match,” you say, removing the blade and pushing his head forward. He remains kneeling, half in shock, half aroused.

“One and done?” You chide watching as he remains on his knees. It was a sight you could get used to.

“Now there's something I've never been called before,” he chuckles, composing himself and standing back up “You're better than I thought,” he remarks bending to retrieve his spear.

“Is that what the men and women of Dorne say to you?” you taunt, watching as his eyes light up, a smile etched on his face as he searches for a response. “ I was a soldier before I was an assassin,” you explain, closing the silence for him.

“Women are allowed to fight in the north? Perhaps you all are more evolved than I had thought,” he states.

“I never said I was allowed to be there,” you admit, causing him to chuckle. “A murderer, a mercenary, and a liar. What other charming traits do you possess,” he queries winking at you.

“And here I thought the Red Viper was said to have a way with words,” you quip back much to his delight.

“One to one, drop your other sword,” he says, turning back towards you.

“That’s hardly fair,” you retort, more petulant than you’d have liked.

“I thought you would know by now, life isn’t fair,” He remarks and you grit your teeth but do as he requests jabbing your other sword into the ground.

“I should ask you to chop your spear in half,”

“Stop putting it off” he says, shining the spear’s point on his sleeve. It's different now he seems to have sussed out your style and in mere seconds. He lunges forward and you mirror him but he pulls back quickly, dancing out of reach from your sword which swings aimlessly in the air, throwing you off balance. You find your footing just as he sweeps your feet from beneath you knocking you on your back. He swings down but you block it with your forearm, managing to use your free hand to swipe at his ankle. Noticing your movements he jumps back, releasing the pressure of his weight from your arm allowing you to get back up.

“You’re bleeding,” he states, weapon falling to his side, upset at having marked your skin with his blade when he’d much rather have done so with his mouth.

“Stop trying to distract me,” you hiss, upset at being bested so easily. Rushing forward your weapons meet in the air. Metal on wood sounding out as you hack into the spear hoping to break it. As you split the spear in half he allows your force to carry you forward and he maneuvers behind you. A harsh tap on your wrist causes your hand to retract dropping your sword which clammers unhappily to the ground. The spear's blunt end wraps around your waist pulling you into him, his strength more apparent than ever. He brings the bladed end up bracing his arm against your chest and pointing it towards your heart, your body now pressed tightly into his.

“Match,” he whispers softly into your ear, sending a shiver down your spine. He lets you go after a minute when he feels your body relax into his, letting you walk off in defeat. He turns back to pick up the broken end of his weapon, and as he does a dagger flies by his head sticking in the wall mere inches from him.

“Chest isn’t a definite kill. The throat is,” you say, your time spent healing leaving you attune to your enemies anatomy.

“I'll add cheating to your growing list of qualities, ” he tuts, throwing the dagger back sticking it in the wall near you. “I could have you hung for a stunt like that,” he states, sauntering over to you.

“Did you have a proposition for me? Or did you only wish for me to come back here so you could be smug?” you query and he laughs watching as you remove the wrist guard from your bloodied arm assessing the gash you’d procured during your fight. He comes over to you placing his hand under your upturned arm caressing it as he looks down at the cut with disdain.

“Come, you should go to the palace healers,” he says softly, offering you insight into why so many found themselves in his chambers.

“No need,” you say, removing the skin to skin contact you so desperately longed for. Grabbing a handful of leaves from a nearby bush you place them in your mouth, chewing them into a paste and rubbing it into the cut, “my mother was a healer. That tree, its leaves cauterize the wound, less pain than fire, less scarring as well,” you state upon seeing his confusion. “Your proposition, my prince?” you ask his eyes going from your arm to your eyes.

“More of a request I suppose. My niece Arianne has gone missing since our last meeting, she was running away somewhere, towards something but someone else got to her first. We have our suspicions as to who has stolen her, but we need evidence prior to the accusation. I had my birds fly around and ask whom to contact, it seemed that you were the one for the job,” he explains.

“Is that so. How do I know I can trust you?” you ask, he’d found you and he’d been good thus far, but anytime you were shown kindness you were hesitant. In your experience it nearly always came with a price.

“I'm sure you're aware, but they have murdered my sister, and my greatest love I will not allow them to take anyone else I care for,” he says, fire in his eyes. It was the most serious you’d seen him. His usual jovity lost in a stoic expression, reminding you of another man you once knew.

“I believe your intentions to be true, but that is not cause for trust,” you explain, watching as nods his head slowly in agreement.

“You cannot trust, because you are unable. I understand why, so I fear nothing I say will ease you, but I swear, no harm will come to you here.”

“Not until you have what you want, at least” you mumble.

“And after,” he reassures, his tone nearly leading you to believe him.

“And apart from payment what's in it for me? If I am to uncover a truth that could start a war. I've spent too long hiding away to risk being found,”

“You have no risk, they think you’re dead, proclaimed it themselves, even if you showed up, they'd never be able to say otherwise. Apart from that, a chance at family,”

“Family,” you scoff, the concept long forgotten. “My family is dead” you say, a lie you told yourself to keep you away from Winterfell, though it was a lie likely to be true, knowing the Lannisters obsession with tying up loose ends.

“The Starks are rising again, Sansa is back in Winterfell, Arya is assumed alive and Jon is leading at the wall,” Oberyn lists off the rumours that had passed by his ears, but they were only whispers, nothing solid enough for you to cling too.

“Even if what you say is true I am nothing to them,” you say, tone remaining level despite the knot forming in your stomach.

“You are there sister,”

“I am not, not anymore, not after I failed them,” you confess.

“How so?”

“You asked me why I was here, I was here to find and plead my case to Danearys Targaryn. At Robbs behest, to help destroy the Lannisters,” you finally admit, a heavy sigh exhaled as you do.

“And I take it you never did,” he watches as a sense of shame, or perhaps it was guilt, wash over you, a crack in your armour.

“You help me find Arianne, you help me bring her home and I will help you reach the mother of dragons,” he states earnestly.

“You know where she is?” you ask head quickly, turning to him.

“Not yet, but I found you, and you were dead, someone alive,” you watch as he pulls a face “should be no problem.”

“And why would you help me,” you query, still unsure of his true motivation for recruiting you.

“An eye for an eye, or perhaps it's purely selfish. An assassin can only go so far. A dragon, now that can take down a lineage,” he says looking down at you.

“I cannot promise her safety, I will not mince words, for all we know Arianne may be dead,” you explain.

“I understand this. Think it over, your welcome to stay here as long as you please, it has been a while since I have faced new opponents, and ones with different training, sloppy as it may be,” he quips, hoping to bring a smile to your face.

“I could say the same of you,” you retort quickly.

“I've never been described as sloppy,” Oberyn states, only partially offended at the insinuation.

“Perhaps you surround yourself with people aiming to please you for too long,” you say, accidentally bumping your shoulder into him, the sudden contact causing a heat to rise in your stomach.

‘Perhaps,” he laughs, noting your flustered reaction, when a man approaches handing him a note which he reads intently. You take the moment to admire his strong features as they concentrate on the note. His brow was furrowed, pouted lips mouthing along to the scripture of the letter before dropping it down to his sides. “As much as it devastated me to do so, I must take my leave from your company, my Lady,” he bows, excusing himself to consult his brother before you can correct him. You continue to stroll through the garden watching a mass of colours bloom around you. You sit on a stone bench wondering how you’d ended up here, wondering if your family was in fact dead, and if any of the Starks truly remained alive.

“You’re the white wolf aren’t you?” you hear a voice call out behind you causing you to laugh.

“What?” the voice demands

“It seems I have many as many names as there are kings these days,” you state.

“Any of them true?” the voice asks as you turn to see the eldest sand snake, Tyene. She was Oberyn and Ellaria's daughter, their first born. She reminded you of Arya, the hardness on her face caused by the brave facade forced onto her.

“I was sorry to hear of your mothers passing, ” you say, turning to face Tyene ignoring her previous question.

“Were you?” she states accusingly.

“I was, she produced and trained all of you after all. You were the only people in Dorne who actually scared me,” you admit.

“If it's any condolence the Shadow Tracker had reached our ears, and my mother was quite impressed with you as well,” she says, knife twirling between her fingers “How did you find him, my father?”

“Unfortunately your father found me. He needs my help, to find your cousin,” you explain hoping to ease her weariness about your place in the palace.

“Who better to take down a lion than someone who lost everything because of them,” she states, trying to see where your allegiances lie. Tyene was always wary when an unknown woman arrived. Concerned they are seeking to use her father to gain power. “Added bonus you look as you do I suppose,” she continues, knife dancing between her digits.

“I wonder why beauty is always what it comes back to? I would be here no matter my face,” you state.

“While I believe you would have been hired, my father has an eye for pretty things. You would have been paid but you wouldn't have been welcomed back to the palace,” she scoffs.

“Are you sure of that?” you question, unsure if she was being truthful or spiteful.

“Yes,” she replies matter of factly

“Well, I'll take that into consideration. Your cousin, Arianne, where was she going the day she disappeared?” you question.

“I don't know,” she mumbles, knife stalling for a moment.

“I don't believe that.”

“We searched her room, we found nothing, nothing but this,” she says, retrieving a small book and handing it to you.

“You give it to me freely?” she hesitates letting it go but her grip eases allowing you to take it.

“If what they say of you is true, perhaps you are the only one who can find her. She can't be left for long. She can't defend herself. All she knows is stitching and art and reading,” Tyene spits, eyes glistening slightly.

“All of which are valiant professions and skills, ones I wish I possessed. They foster patience, skill and planning. They forge a strategic mind, which comes in handy especially when taken by the enemy, ” you explain, your words easing Tyene, though the worry in her eyes remains.

“So she may still be alive,” she questions hesitantly.

“I do not think they killed her at least not yet,” you sigh, tapping the book against your hand “Thank you for trusting me with this,”

“Thank me by finding her,” Tyene says standing up and continuing on her way, leaving you to read Ariannes journal pages.

That night you can't sleep, you stroll through the garden admiring the flora, the colours are ones you'd never thought possible before.

“Running off,” a familiar voice asks and you turn to face the prince who was sitting on a stone bench a book placed precariously in his hands.

“Would you stop me if I was?” you query, returning on your path.

“No, though your dress indicates something else is the reason for your late night adventure,” he says standing up and walking slowly towards you.

“Insomnia, the plague of the guilty,” you state, taking a tiger lily in your hand admiring its markings “even in the summer the north fails to grow such things.”

“Even the plants know, the cold is no place to live,” Oberyn offers, book grasped tightly behind his back.

“Have you been?” you ask, removing your hand from the lily, eyes trailing up to the moon flowers that were glowing under the starlight.

“No,” he huffs, as if the question is preposterous.

“Then how would you know?” you respond smugly, eyes glancing up at him admiring his features as they relax into defeat before glancing down to you brow still furrowed, a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. “The trees are unlike anything you have ever seen, taller than buildings, older than the race of men. They’ll be here long after we crumble. Their red leaves against the white bark, the time of the old gods still etched into existence. Have you ever seen the snow my prince?” you query turning to face him.

“No, though i've heard the mountain peaks here can get it this time of year, but i've never been possessed to seek out the cold,” he admits, the colour of your eyes more prominent under the full moon, your poetic retelling almost enticing, or perhaps it was just the lips they fell from drawing him in.

“I miss it sometimes,” you confess, offering him a rare glimpse of softness he’d yet to see, “There's no feeling quite like that of being under furs with the one you love, the warmth of a fire as the cold breeze blows over you,” you continue, shaking your head at your ridiculous notions of tranquility.

“It is still warmth you crave then,” he says and you laugh.

“I suppose you're right,” you admit and he chuckles, enjoying your laugh, more melodic than he would have expected. Without your armour he could see the scars scattered across your body, not prominent but there. Evidence of a harder life than he’d expected from a person married to a would-be king.

“Are you not used to such ghastly sights my prince?” you query, his eyes widening at being caught admiring your form.

“I have seen scars before, and yours are hardly what one would qualify as ghastly ,especially considering the body they find themselves etched into existence on. I am merely curious as to their origin, each body tells a story after all,” he says following closely behind you.

“And what is my story” you ask, spinning around to face him.

“That your careless, ” he begins, watching as your eyes caution him “but only for those you are willing to risk your life for”

“Interesting,” you say, running your tongue along the cusps of your teeth, turning and walking on ahead, his eyes following you, feet doing the same.

“Am I right” he asked, more curious than ever. You shrug your shoulder annoying him slightly, not accustomed to your lack of openness.

“And your scars?” you question stopping to smell a lilac bush, he watches as the fabric dips low enough to reveal your chest.

“I have none, I am not careless,” he says, eyes on your newly exposed flesh, you snap your eyes to him “do not mistake my tone, you are a strong adversary, but you take unnecessary risks.” He states.

“Yet here I am,” you say standing up crossing your arms over your chest.

“Yet here you are,” he says, taking continuous steps to you until the space between you both is closed. He’s staring down at you, both hearts beating fast. You raise your gaze to meet his, momentarily lost in his eyes, forgetting your train of thought for a moment.

“I...I will help find your niece,” you sputter out, quickly turning your back to him.

“I am pleased to hear that,” he says letting out a quick sigh at having missed an opportunity to envelop you in his arms and bring you back to his chambers.

“Goodnight prince Oberyn,” you say, not looking back as you begin the path back to your room, your head filled with his image despite your persistent attempts to expel him from your mind.

“Goodnight Lady Stark, or whoever you wish me to believe you to be,” he calls back, watching as you disappear from view.

#oberyn martell x y/n #oberyn martell x you #oberyn martell x reader #prince oberyn x reader #prince oberyn #prince oberyn x you #pedro pascal characters #game of thrones fanfiction #game of thrones #oberyn martell #no wolves in the desert #part 3

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crystalirises · 3 years ago

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Day 3 of Funtober: In the Void of Creation

So uh... I realized that my list is not correct in regards to day... but I will not change it anymore because I understand the list.

But anyway, today’s prompt is Coding and in my list the stuff that I’m supposed to write is: Memory!Fundy ---> Coding AU.

Character: Memory!Fundy comes from this headcanon that I genuinely do not know who made it but the credit belongs to them. So essentially, I remember reading a headcanon where there are multiple ghosts within the SMP and not just Ghostbur. These ghosts are like remnants of the people the characters used to be. So Memory!Fundy is the Fundy that loved L’Manburg and his dad, the Fundy before the elections, essentially. Nobody can see him, and he can’t see the other memory ghosts, though he usually stays near the L’Manburg flag.

Setting: Takes place in Coding AU, which is just a glass room floating in an empty white void. There’s a control panel on one side of the room and it’s filled with buttons.

Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34203535/chapters/85292788

When he opened his eyes, the flag was gone.

He blinked, staring up into the glass ceiling that showed an empty white void.

For a moment, he thought he’d finally passed, condemned to an eternity in limbo.

Then, he saw a red light flash in the corner of his eye.

He turned his head. A panel of buttons stared back at him.

Fundy stood up, glancing at the empty glass cage he found himself in.

He looked down at his hands, happy to know that nothing about him had changed. He still had his uniform on, stained with blood, but it was still there. His feet stumbled towards the panel, his throat tight with worry and trepidation. After a moment, his hand was pressed against the cold stone, his fingertips shaking out of… fear? He wasn’t sure of what to do. Fundy looked over at the glass walls, trapped despite years of being condemned to invisibility. Alone despite a year of being buried underneath rubble and vines that tried to grab him each time he stepped on them.

But now… there was nothing to look at… He was truly alone.

Fundy shuddered, taking a hesitant step away from the control panel. There was nothing else in the glass room. He felt like a rat caught in a cage, his invisible captor mocking him behind a veil.

“Can anyone hear me?”

His voice was loud, clear against the silence of the void. Fundy’s ears flicked up, surprise marring his face before sadness settled. He wasn’t used to hearing his own voice, drowned out by the noise of the living. He walked around the room, banging against the glass in hopes of it cracking. He’d rather take his chances in the void than stay in that room forever. After minutes of smashing his fists against the glass, phantom blood forming on his knuckles, he finally gave up.

He stumbled back towards the panel, his back hitting its cool surface.

His claws scratched against the metal, but the paint didn’t chip away. Fundy slid down to the floor, holding his knees close to his chest. He closed his eyes, hiding his face in his hands.

He didn’t know where he was, but all he knew was that the flag was gone. He’d never gone too far from the flag, not even when… not even when his other self had burned it down. Not even when Doomsday took away the ground from beneath his feet. He never wandered from the flag.

He hoped his dad would forgive him for straying.

---

After days… hours… minutes… seconds… he couldn’t bear the silence anymore.

He’d turned his attention to the control panel, freezing for only one second before pressing down on one. At first, he thought it would do nothing. But the world shook, and the void melted away.

In this world he saw himself - another version of him - pacing within a room filled with chests. This Fundy held at least five buttons in each hand for some very odd reasonHe didn’t know what it meant, though he knew this version of himself in some way. He took in the crisp dark suit that his other self wore, reminiscent to that of Schlatt’s. It reminded him of his other self in his real world, the version that had strayed away from their father. He clicked another button.

In the second world, the void turned into a spacious and luxurious room that held a large bed at the center that was completely covered in pillows and silk blankets. Fundy had never seen a bed so heaven-like before. A pang of jealousy rose up in his chest, the itch to steal at least one pillow crossed his mind until he realized that the pile of pillows wasn’t quite as empty as he thought. He blinked as a hand jutted out from under the pile, his own face emerging from the soft avalanche. His other self looked like he’d just been buried. Fundy shook his head, pressing another button.

In the third world, he saw a calm and composed version of himself… and Eret. He moved on.

In the fourth world, his other self was dressed in wedding attire, a pastel orange suit that he was sure once looked regal… but it was now caked in mud and tears. This other version of himself held two rings in his hand, collapsed against the stairs of a wellkept cabin that was tucked in the far corner of the forest. Fundy watched expectantly, but his other self seemed frozen in time, his face slack and his eyes glazed over. He swallowed, wondering what had caused his other self such sadness. After a few seconds, his other self began to sob, holding his head in his hands before letting out a loud cry. The noise was too harsh against his ears, he moved on to the next.

The fifth world was very baffling. He saw himself standing in one corner of a room, screaming as a tall enderman hybrid caged him in. The enderman hybrid was whispering something that his ears couldn’t quite hear, but from the placating gestures, he knew that the enderman was trying to calm his other self down. He took a moment to look at the rest of the room, baffled by the strange inventions that he saw. There was a large wall of glass jutting out from the wall, displaying a variety of images. Maybe he could replicate that someday… He moved to the next.

In the sixth world… Fundy blinked, narrowing his eyes at the maid dress that his other self was proudly wearing. His other self was standing in front of a vault, a very smug grin on his face. Fundy shook his head, quickly reaching for another button. He didn’t know what that was about.

In the seventh world, he saw a familiar face. He blinked, feeling the tears collect in the bottom of his eyes at the sight of his mother, alive and clearly distraught. She was holding onto another version of himself, but his other self looked uncomfortable with the touch. His dad was standing nearby, eyes narrowed at his other self. Fundy whimpered despite knowing that the stare wasn’t meant for him. His dad was glaring at his other self like he was a stranger. Fundy took in the armor that his other version wore, the weary and nervous glare that he was throwing at Fundy’s dad and… mom. He shook his head. He couldn’t bear to see his mom any longer. He moved on.

In the eight world, he watched as he woke in a bed that looked so warm. He felt another pang in his chest. He missed his old bed, but he didn’t need to sleep anyway… From the open doorway - no door, only a curtain separating the room from the hall - his dad stepped into the room. Fundy shivered, taking in the brown trenchcoat and the muted madness in his dad’s gaze. The man moved closer to his other self, patting the top of his head. Fundy quickly pressed another button.

In the ninth world, he followed a version of himself that looked so peaceful, like he had been free from the horrors of the war. There was a small fox kit in his arms, the arctic fox hybrid nuzzling his face in his other version’s neck before letting out a yawn. The sun was setting in the distance, but his other self didn’t seem too worried, following the path that led to… Fundy’s gaze turned towards where L’Manburg once stood. There was a hole there now. For a moment, he could pretend he was back home, ready to climb back down again and go back to sleep underneath the forgotten remains of his beloved home. He shook his head. He was never going home again.

In the tenth world, his other self looked right at him—

Then the world faded to white, melting back into the same damning void that would now become his home for eternity. He shuddered, the tears in his eyes spilling out and cascading down his cheeks. The drops splattered against the buttons, but nothing changed. Nothing he could do would change where he was damned to stay. He wiped his tears on the back of his uniform’s sleeve. As he tried to sniffle his cries, he saw it. At the far side of the panel, there was a small button that matched the same color as the panel. He moved closer towards it, fingers itching to press. It wasn’t as colorful as the others. His finger hovered over it before moving down—

“Little champion?” He paused. He knew that voice.

He looked behind him, and smiled. “Dad! You came back!”

=============================================================

No. I will not give context.

#fundy #wilbur soot #???#he has one line???#uh #dream smp fanfiction #dream smp #funtober2021

14 notes · View notes

vampcubus · 5 years ago

Text

Quiet (Midoriya/Reader) [part 2]

| A/n: I have to admit, I re-wrote the ending several times and I’m still not satisfied with it but here we go anyways! |

| See part 1 ... here |

✦✿ Warnings: Angst with a happy ending. ✿✦

✦✿ Words: 5500+ ✿✦

are you guys ready to c r y??

. . .

You stare blankly at a red and purple sky, eyes lazily watching the clouds roll by and the half-visible sun dip down and slowly set. You leaned forward to capture that perfect in-between moment, smiling as the last sliver of the sun finally dipped behind the horizon, letting the sky gradually shift from warm pinks and oranges to dark blues, indigos, and purples. You sighed and sank into a more relaxed position as your eyes welcomed the appearance of the moon as it took to the sky, washing the park in its gentle white light.

You sat at the same rotting-wooden picnic table you sat at every night, a familiar book with kitty skeletons draped in red and black across the cover sat just beneath your hand. The lukewarm coffee you’d picked up hours earlier sat right next to the book, half-empty from your lack of interest despite it being your favorite kind.

You’d even considered dropping by your dorm to throw it in the freezer—to beat yourself with later if you kept thinking about a particularly annoying green-haired boy—before coming here, but you found that you just didn’t want to be on campus more than you had to.

Being out and about decreased your chances of running into him.

You let your eyes stray from the steadily appearing stars and to your right, where Midoriya had sat just a few nights ago.

You let out a frustrated sigh, turning your gaze back up to the sky and raising the cup of coffee to your lips. It didn’t taste amazing right now, but it served as a good enough distraction to stop thinking about him. You’d done the right thing, whether you cared about Midoriya or not, you wouldn’t let yourself be manipulated. You would not come running back into his arms only to be forgotten when other things in his life became more important than you again.

It was better this way.

You told yourself, trying to convince yourself that you would only distract Izuku from his dreams. You’d only get in the way and end up broken again when he realized that.

You flicked the book open and skimmed your eyes over the pages. The illustrations of grim-themed yet still cute cats above each new chapter momentarily consuming your attention. Your soft smile faltered when you stumbled upon a particularly strange looking cat with wild, curly fur and huge round eyes cowering underneath a couch. Your eyes lingered on the drawing, everything about it just screams Izuku.

You shake yourself out of it and flip to the front page, breath hitching when you noticed a sticky note attached to it. It was in the handwriting of the clerk you’d grown familiar with. She often scribbled funny quotes or little notes things into the books you purchased for you to laugh about when you stumbled into the shop again.

He was here today, wanted me to slide this to you once you came in today. Not quite sure if he knows that ‘secret admirers’ are supposed to be discreet?

-Kiko ッ

You almost smile at that, not doubting for a moment who she was referring to. But then you knit your brows together in confusion when you noticed an arrow at the bottom of the note. Curiously, you unstuck the unusually heavy sticky note and flipped it. Your heart stopped functioning entirely when you saw a familiar bracelet taped to the back of it.

You gasped tearing the bracelet from the note and inspecting it closely. No way… there’s no way he even remembered this existed.

It was a colorful and cute bracelet with mostly green beads and white lettered ones spelling out ‘All Might.’

The sight of the bracelet brings you way back, and suddenly you are no longer outside at the park.

Instead, you are laying on your stomach with an impressive fort of blankets hanging above your head. Your small hands fiddled with the beads, tiny fingers slipping on each random-shaped bead you could find in your craft box that was remotely green in color. Across from you lays a much smaller Izuku on his belly with his nose buried in a comic book, eyes sparkling and lips noisily slurping at the straw of a juice box.

“Y/N-chan look!” The curly-haired boy squeals, shoving the comic book over to you and pointing at a panel of a very stylized All Might with multiple civilians draped over his shoulders. It’s a familiar frame from the video you’ve watched with the boy about a million times already. You personally didn’t idolize the symbol of peace as passionately as your friend, but it always made him happy, so you always watched it with him. You squinted, scrunching up your nose at the picture.

“They drew his hair wrong!” You complained pointing at the clearly exaggerated shojo-looking hairstyle the number one hero had been illustrated with.

“No, that’s just the artists’ style.” Little Izuku exclaims, standing up in the fort, proudly posing in his All Might one-sie, holding the comic book up into the air like it was Simba.

“Ohh,” You remember humming thoughtfully before returning to tying an s-clip to the end of the bracelet, looking your newest creation over with pride. You sat up too, looking anxiously over to your best friend who had engrossed himself back into the comic. “Gimme your hand.”

You vividly remember the young boy’s freckled face lighting up and his hand being shoved in your direction. You slid the way-too-big bracelet over his tiny wrist and looped it around a second time so it wouldn’t fall off. “Here, so everybody knows you’re the next All Might!”

His big green eyes overflowed with tears, almost flooding your blanket sanctuary and drowning you both in his own tears when he tackled you to the ground, hugging you tight. You remember him showing the bracelet off to all of his friends and Kacchan the next day. He wore it even more religiously than his hero-onesie, his mother even mentioning that he only took it off to bathe.

You recall your shock when a week later he dropped a similar home-made bracelet with your favorite-colored beads and your idolized hero’s name on it. It had been the first time anyone had ever made something for you and you cherished it.

“We match now, so that means we gotta become big strong heroes together when we get big!” You remember his high-pitched voice declaring with his best All Might impression.

You felt your eyes burn with salt and the telltale weight of tears welling up in the corners of your eyes, your fingers shaking as they clutched the bracelet. Despite how old the plastic piece of jewelry was, it was in outstanding condition--save for a few scratches on the bigger beads here and there.

You’d thought that he’d lost it or thrown it away a long time ago. It’s been years. How on earth did he still have this?

Feeling your breath start to quicken you shot up from your seat, grabbing the book from the table and dashing off towards U.A. You turned each sharp corner, narrowly avoiding crashing into several other students—including Bakugou who hissed and swore at you as you retreated to your dorm You shoved the door open and slammed it shut. The next fifteen minutes were spent digging through your stuff, looking through untouched boxes of your things you’d brought from home but never needed until now.

And then, you finally found it tucked away in an old pencil pouch. You pulled out an all-too-familiar bracelet, holding it up to compare to the green one in your other hand. There was no doubt about it, it was real. Your fingertips traced the familiar beads of your own bracelet, eyes flickering between it and its counterpart.

Why…?

Why did he keep it so long?

You kicked the box back into the closet and toed the door shut, tossing both bracelets onto your nightstand and flopping face-down onto your bed.

It didn’t matter. It was just a bracelet, nothing more than a flimsy piece of plastic. Nothing compared to the friendship you had. So what if he held onto some dumb bracelet? That didn’t make up for months of distance, weeks of him slowly forgetting you existed while you stood idly by. Letting it happen because you cared too much.

So why did you feel so guilty?

You groaned exasperatedly into your pillow snuggling your face into it when it started to soothe your headache. Your eyes opened suddenly with a furious glower when your stupid brain immediately thought back to the times you and Izuku would nap together when you were kids, anywhere anytime. You often played so hard you knocked yourselves out so his mom would find you cuddled up against one another in your blanket forts, on the couch, on the slide at the park, under the sink once… anywhere you could fit into and doze off, you would.

In fact, you didn’t shake the habit of napping together until you were at least thirteen, which is usually around when parents start getting suspicious so you stopped doing it. You felt a slight blush rise to your cheeks, remembering those special times in middle school when you would sneak in and sleep together for a while if one of you had a nightmare. That was most likely the most rebellious thing you two innocent little suck-ups ever did.

You sigh, eyes drifting over to the bracelets strewn carelessly across your nightstand.

How can one bracelet bring back so much nostalgia?

. . .

Midoriya was slumped miserably against one of the couches in the dorm lounge, pen shakily scribbling away at an assignment. His handwriting has gotten a little better since last year, still wobbly and inconsistent in places but his teachers have voiced their appreciation of its improvement. He thinks back to earlier when he had dropped off that bracelet at the bookshop, afraid that if he approached you, you wouldn’t want to see him or he’d start crying again.

It really tore him apart inside to part with it, having kept it for so long. He’d found the bracelet while looking through some of his things one day. It fell out of a box with a bunch of his older more beat up action figures.

Seeing it after being put away for so long had brought the biggest smile to his face, remembering how much he’d loved it when he was younger. It was also what made him remember you… It was as if you suddenly popped back into existence. And in excitement to share the memory with you, perhaps catch up with you over coffee, he had disregarded the fact that it had been months since you’d last spoken.

He now realizes his mistake.

But after last night he knew he didn’t deserve to have such an important piece of you to himself. He absentmindedly wondered if you still had yours… probably not, huh? His wasn’t as pretty as the one you made him, and why would you keep it after he practically ignored you for a year?

Still, he had hope that just maybe there was a chance he could make it up to you, that he hadn’t messed up so bad that you never want to speak to him again. Midoriya closed his eyes, frowning down at his notebook in shame. Who was he kidding? It was just a piece of plastic and likely held no value to you after what he did.

He misses it. Already.

“Midoriya.” Iida’s voice piped up and the green-haired boy jumped.

“Oh hey, Iida. Did you need something?” He asked, trying not to sound as worked up as he really was, forcing a small smile.

“I came to ask if you’d heard from L/N at all today?” Midoriya’s heart dropped at the sound of your name.

“No… why?”

“Well, it’s just that several students claimed to have seen her running obnoxiously through the halls earlier this evening and I was curious if you’d happen to know anything about it?” Iida asks, straightening his glasses with a displeased expression, clearly not amused by your behavior.

“No, I haven’t. Sorry,” Midoriya admitted sullenly, eyes downcast to the floor.

Iida’s eyes softened and the bluenette sighed, taking a seat next to his friend. Ochako and he hadn’t managed to get much out of the sulking Midoriya since the other night, but they suspect that things didn’t necessarily go well between him and you. Not to mention he’s been a zombie all for days, barely getting any sleep at all these past few nights

“And, as your friend, I am concerned about your wellbeing,” Tenya confessed, pushing his glasses up closer against his face as Midoriya sighed.

“I’m fine, Iida.” Midoriya offered him a half-smile but otherwise made no attempt to spill anything. Tenya made eye-contact with Ochako across the common room, who had been the one to encourage him to approach Deku in the first place.

“Midoriya, what happened between you and L/N last evening?” The Iida son pressed, cautious not to pry too much in fear of upsetting him.

“I messed up,” Midoriya looked down at his lap, a drawing of your face in the corner of his math homework. He abruptly turned the page in hopes Iida hadn’t already seen it. “Really badly.”

. . .

The next morning, Izuku is as sluggish and mopey as ever, worrying his classmates with his lack of enthusiasm.

“You should talk to her.” Todoroki’s cool voice shakes Midoirya out of his daze after homeroom. He’s been staring absently at you as you ignored his existence, focusing on the lesson. It isn’t hard to guess who the half-and-half teen was talking about. And yet he still found himself surprised.

“I’ve tried, Todoroki. Talking won't help.” Midoriya sighs, eyes dropping to his mess of notes, including several crumpled up drawings of you.

“And sulking around doing nothing will?” Todoroki questions, not able to recognize the shell of the boy in front of him.

“I messed up, and she wants nothing to do with me now.” And he respects that.

“Something tells me that isn’t entirely the case.” Shouto replies and the green-haired boy sends him a puzzled look.

“What do you mean by that?” He asks, a brow raised at the possibility that Todoroki knows something he doesn’t.

“You forget that Y/N and I are close friends now, although you haven’t necessarily been around so you may not have known at all.” He states bluntly and it does nothing to comfort Midoriya at all. He hadn’t known you and Todoroki were friends! What else did he not know about you?

“What are you getting at, Todoroki?” Deku asks with a defeated tone, wishing the stoic prodigy would just be out with it.

“Y/N tells me everything, don’t think she hasn’t told me about what happened a few nights ago. But when she spoke about you it didn’t seem like she didn’t want anything to do with you.” Shouto explained, definitely catching the young Midoriya’s attention. “She’s upset, yes, and you aren’t wrong to assume that she is angry with you right now. But the longer you wait to talk to her about it—if you planned to at all that is—the longer it will take for her to forgive you.”

Forgive him? Was that even possible at this point? He didn’t know, but if what Todoroki said was true, and he actually had a chance, he couldn’t waste any more time ‘sulking around and doing nothing.’

“Are you sure that’s even possible, Todoroki?” Deku questioned, eyes adept as ever as he searched the bi-colored eyes of his rival and friend for answers he may not even have.

“I don’t know for sure, Midoriya. That is up to Y/N.” Todoroki admits, and Deku bites the inside of his cheek still torn over this. “But I don’t think she will forgive you if you don’t try.”

“Mm.” Deku nods, thanking the two-toned boy and packing up for his next class of the day.

. . .

Your ears perked up at the sound of someone knocking on your door later that night. You sighed into your pillow, not wanting to leave its soft embrace. You tried to ignore it at first, pretending to be asleep but he insistent knocking continued. Grumpily you pushed off of your comfy bed to sluggishly open the door, thinking it was most likely Mina and she’d just keep knocking until you opened up.

You were not expecting Midoriya to be standing there.

“What do you want?” You asked, your voice holding no softness or enthusiasm ad your narrowed eyes stared coldly at your former best friend. He flinches at the icy tone of your voice.

“I-I um… can we… talk?” Izuku asks anxiously, wringing his hands together, elbows drawn in close to his stomach self-consciously. “Please?”

He meets your steeled gaze with his own apologetic one, green eyes pleading with yours. Izuku owned the most convincing pair of puppy-dog eyes you’ve ever seen, even when he wasn’t meaning to and even now you faltered.

“Why? Why should I let you in? Give me one good reason not to slam the door in your face and go back to bed?”

“B-because I w-won’t leave until I say what I need to say,” Midoriya stated as firmly as he could, a determined glimmer in his eyes as he did so. You don’t doubt that he might sit at your door all night if you refused him. “A-and I have a feeling you have some things to say too.”

He wants to resolve this.

“I have nothing to say to you.” You hissed stepping back into the threshold of your room starting to close the door but his hand smacks against the wooden surface, a desperate look in his eyes that only makes you push harder. “Move.”

“Please! Please just hear me out, Y/N, please just give me this! Let me try! You don’t need to forgive me. I just need you to listen!” Midoriya pleads, his glossy eyes already spilling hot tears down his freckled cheeks. He’s shaking. “Please…”

Midoriya stumbles forward when the door opens and he just barely catches himself, wide eyes darting up to yours as you take several steps away from the entrance. You cross your arms, you can’t believe you’re actually doing this.

“You have five minutes. Start talking.” You relent, sitting down on your bed.

Midoriya sighs in relief, closing the door behind him before clumsily scrambling over to you. You pat the spot next to you, avoiding any and all eye-contact. Izuku’s heart skips a beat when he spots his bracelet on your nightstand. So you did get it! His breath gets caught in his throat when he tries to speak at the same moment his eyes drift to your wrist, where a relic of your friendship dangles.

You kept it! He feels his eyes overflowing, the ugly fat tears streaking down the sides of his face as he stares dumbfounded at the familiar bracelet.

“You have four minutes.” You flatly remind him, and he jumps, trying to think of the words he’d practiced just a half-hour before he showed up at your dorm.

“AH—o-okay! um, I…” When he fails to speak even after a good minute passes, you sigh deeply. If he had nothing to say, why’d he even come? What happened to all that gusto about ‘saying what I need to say’?

“Why did you keep it?” You ask out of the blue after an uncomfortable silence and his head perks up, but he looks confused, eyes searching yours.

“Keep what—?” He starts, but you cut him off.

“The bracelet. Why did you keep it? It’s been years, I didn’t even think you still remembered that old piece of junk existed.” You blurt out, each word sounding distressed and just… confused. You wanted to understand.

He stares at you, mouth agape at a complete loss of what to say. His mouth suddenly feels dry and his tongue rubs anxiously against the roof of his mouth.

“Because… because it was important... to me.” Izuku breathes, the muscles and nerves in his hand twitching as it laid only inches away from yours. “I was s-so happy when you first gave it to me, my mom had to pry it off of me just to bathe me.” He chuckles, smiling at the memory.

“And I kept it because it reminded me of you, it felt like there was a part of you with me even when you couldn’t be there. It comforted me, knowing that you put s-so m-much thought into something j-just for me and I f-felt so special!” He breaks off when his hiccups start to get out of control. “A-and—”

He chokes and apologizes taking a moment to breathe again. You hadn’t realized how much one silly piece of jewelry had impacted him until now, so much so that he’s crying over it.

“And I made a promise, remember?” Izuku sniffs, wiping his eyes uselessly with his hand, only really smearing the wetness across his cheeks and wetting his hand with his own tears as they continued to spill down the freckled planes of his red cheeks.

You nod, but turn away when you feel your own emotions starting to spike up. You bit your lip, held your breath, clenched your teeth. Anything to keep the tears at bay as they threatened to fall.

“I-I said that when we—”

“We match now, so that means we gotta become big strong heroes together when we get big.” You butt in, sniffling and raising a hand to scrub at the tears streaming down your face and pooling at your chin. “That’s what you said.”

Deku stares at you, guffawed as you quoted his younger self. He hadn’t expected you to remember it so clearly, It makes him feel even worse. Knowing how much it must’ve hurt you when you grew apart. How hard it must’ve been on you to keep quiet about everything while he lived his best life, forgetting all about his dearest friend.

“Why’d you give it back?” You asked, voice trembling as you wiping your eyes with your arm. You glanced over at the green bracelet lying on your nightstand. “If it meant so much to you, why give it back?”

He closed his eyes. He listened to his heart as it slammed against his chest like a pinball machine, demanding him to say something.

“Because I forgot about the friendship it represented, and I shouldn’t have. I wish I wouldn’t have, but I did. I broke my own promise and e-even worse, I hurt you because I was just too caught up in my own problems—my own dreams—to remember that you’ve been a part of them since the beginning.” Izuku sobbed, there was no point in holding it all in now.

“I gave it back because I was so afraid I screwed up everything between us, and I don’t deserve it!”

I don’t deserve you. The phrase rang in his ears so loudly it was almost deafening, he wanted nothing more than to say it too. He couldn’t because he couldn’t catch a single damn breath to say it. But even as he feels he has gathered that breath it’s stolen away once more when he feels your hands on his face.

In a flurry of your own emotions and a nagging force of habit you had reached out and grasped his face, the soft pads of your thumbs wiping at his cheeks.

“Stop crying already, you had something you wanted to say right? Stop letting your emotions get in the way of that.”

The firmness in your tone as your stern eyes descended upon his own struck a chord in him. You’ve said something like that to him before. Years ago.

“Stop crying, Izuku! Stop letting your emotions keep you from standing up for yourself! Kacchan steps on you because he knows all you’ll do is cry!”

Multiple times.

“Would ya quit crying already? You’re tougher than that, Izu. Like All Might!”

Constantly.

“Stop crying because you don’t have a quirk! Become a hero without one!”

It had always been you. You there comforting him, encouraging him, telling him to quit crying and speak up for himself. To keep pushing on despite the fact that he just wasn’t as gifted as other children. How could he have forgotten one of the most important lessons you ever taught him? How could he have forgotten about you?

You tugged one of your bunched sleeves down with your teeth and dried up the downpour of tears from his cheeks with your hoodie sleeve. Careful not to rub the skin raw, you kept at it until he was simply too shocked to cry anymore. This is the first time you’ve done this in years, yet far from the first time you’ve had to do it at all. Even as children, you were using your fingers, your sleeves, the edge of your shirt to wipe his tears away.

“I—”

“Shush, I don’t want to hear it unless it’s what you came here to say.” You interrupt, and the look in his eyes changes from nervous to determined.

“I was going to say that I am s-sorry,” He stutters.

“What else?” You encouraged, watching as he slowly gained more confidence. “You said you weren’t going to leave until you say what you need to say, keep your promise.”

“I was going to say that I don’t deserve you!”

“And are you lying?” You ask.

“No!” Midoriya exclaims more confidently, more certain of himself than before.

“And is that all you wanted to say?” You asked again, smiling as the sobbing boy from before completely changed with your encouragement, egging him on.

“No…” Midoriya confesses, faltering slightly as his nervousness returns. He doesn’t know if he’s ready to say it yet. Would that even be acceptable right now? Even as strong as he feels right now he can’t help but hesitate, to blush, to avoid your gaze.

“Then say it.”

“I…” He trails off, suddenly terrified of the thought. He couldn’t! It would put everything on the line! “I-I…”

Your hand cups his cheek coaxing him to look back up at you.

“Stop hesitating, tell me what you want to say.”

He’s already put your friendship on the line, what difference would it make? You wanted the truth so you’d get it! He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes before opening them again, meeting your own straight on. There’s a spark in those green eyes that wasn’t there before he squinted them shut. It’s like an emerald fire was lit behind them.

“I love you!”

It’s quiet.

You stare at him, and he stares right back, his determined gaze never weakening as he maintained eye-contact.

“You what?”

“You heard me,” Midoriya replies.

This time it’s your turn to shy away. Your face darkens incredibly fast, heart racing against your chest as your eyes darted from side to side, deep in thought. Your mind threw numbers together into every equation it knew, each answer coming out the same. You had expected an “I want to be friends again!” or “I want a second chance!” or “I want to fix this!”

Never in a million years could you have predicted him to say that. Not to you. Your eyes drifted back up to his. He looks a little less confident now, almost worried as he awaits your response.

“Get out.” You breathe, eyes wide as you stare at him watching his determined face change to one of confusion.

You couldn’t believe it. After forgetting your existence for almost a year, after only remembering when he found the bracelet, after only wanting to talk to you because it was most convenient to him… and he has the goddamn nerve to say that he loved you.

“W-what?” Izuku gasped, not understanding what was going on. Suddenly you were pressing yourself against the wall farthest from him on your bed.

“G-get out!” You exclaim, the angry tears running down your face.

“Y/N, what are you s-saying?” His voice shook, the tears starting to fall from his eyes again, his nose beginning to run as well as his entire body shook. Why were you telling him to leave? Did he make the wrong call? Did you not feel the same?

“Why are you lying to me?” You asked, the question coming out like a whisper.

“I-I’m not lying to you, I love you!” Midoriya cried. “Please, you have to believe me, I wouldn’t lie to you! I’ve always liked you—since we were kids, Y/N! I can’t fake that! You know I can’t!”

You shake as his desperate green eyes plead with yours, a sincerity in those irises you grew up staring into, a sincerity that just can’t be faked. He actually… he actually loved you? But why? He ignored you for a year!

“And you can honestly tell me that in that year you forgot about me you loved me?!” You demanded, your tears making your vision blurry and unmanageable.

“I never stopped loving you, even if it was overshadowed by my dream to become a hero, even if I made mistakes not even I can fix, my heart always belonged to you.” Midoriya crawled over to kneel in front of you on your bed where you still had your back pressed to the wall and your knees pulled tightly to your chest. “I’m not perfect, Y/N. I made a mistake by not being there for you, and I will do anything it takes to fix it if I can.”

“And you won’t forget me again? You promise?” You ask shakily, feeling a little embarrassed by how small you felt, scrunched up in such a way and crying in front of someone other than your cat at home.

“Yes,” His immediate response confirms it, not an ounce of hesitation present in the way it rolls off his tongue. “I promise, I’ll never forget you. And I’ll never be the reason you cry again.”

“Can you believe me?” Izuku reached his hand out to you.

“I… I believe you.” You admit, a small smile gracing your lips as you take his hand. Izuku lets out a relieved sigh, his free hand trembling over his heart. You can tell how terrified he was. “This doesn’t mean I forgive you though, Izu.”

“I know, and I’m going to try my very best to make it up to you. I promise.” Izuku states. It doesn’t bother him that you didn’t say ‘I love you’ back, he wouldn’t have deserved it. He’s going to have to work for it, and that was fine with him.

“Do you…” You started, face flushing and eyes avoiding his as you removed your hands from his face. “Do you wanna hug it out?”

“Yes!” You yelp when he throws himself at you, tackling you to the bed with his arms around you. You squeeze your own arms around him, face burrowing into his shoulder as you squeezed the life out of one another.

“Sorry.” He mutters when he realizes he’s practically on top of you and most likely crushing you. He moves to roll off of you but your arms only tighten around him.

“No, please just… can we just stay like this for a while?” You asked, and Izuku felt his heart beating so fast he was convinced it eventually just commit seppuku if it pounded any harder. He nodded against your shoulder, cheeks burning a bright crimson as he relaxes.

“Also,” You spoke up and he hummed in response, he couldn’t be bothered to move. You reached over to your nightstand to snatch the green bracelet from it, the green-haired boy whining when he had to re-adjust after you started moving. “Gimme your hand.”

He pulled away, green pools swirling with confusion. He complies with your sudden request and gasps when you slide the bracelet back onto his wrist.

“This belongs to you.” You smiled and he mirrored it with one of his own, hand impulsively taking yours, fingers intertwining with your own. Your matching bracelets reflected the dim light of the room, casting a warm glow over your faces as you smiled at each other. No longer did you feel forgotten or used, instead you felt loved again. “Now get off me.”

Izuku laughs and slips off of you to lay at your side, his arms pulling you in close so he could cuddle you, just like you did when you were kids.

Izuku rested his forehead against yours, one hand reaching up to timidly brush against your reddened cheek, causing your eyes to flutter closed and a small sigh to escape your smiling lips. He missed seeing you smile. But there was still something else that he needed to take care of before you drifted off to sleep.

“Y/N?” He asked.

“Yes?” You sighed sleepily,

“Don’t ever feel like you have to keep quiet anymore, alright? Please, always talk to me.”

You blinked, your mouth opening and closing several times.

“Okay.”

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chocolate-parfait · 4 years ago

Note

Hello! Can I get a headcanon where MC(they/them) gets a little lonely so they climb a tree in the middle of the night to get to Comte/Mozart/Napoleon's room window. How would the boys react?

THIS TOOK SO LONG IM SO SORRY!!! +they're more scenarios than headcanons I hope you dont mind ;-; (I also hope you dont mind the amount of cheesiness i put into this lmao)

(+Trees shouldn't stay at a arm's length from houses because they can cause big problems in case of storms or things like that,, let's pretend for the sake of the story that they don't and that's why they're so near the windows)

Comte

Mama Comte was just chilling in his armchair, drinking a glass of red wine while letting his thoughts chase each other in endless circles, vivid images of past memories dancing behind his closed eyelids. More often than he liked to admit, he'd find himself in these exact circumstances, and that night was certainly no different. It was probably way past midnight when the still silence that hovered in the room was interrupted by a small whisper, followed by another and another one again. Attracted by the curious sound the pureblood got up from his sit and walked to the window, opening it with one swift gesture

"Comte, here!"

After his dark pupils focused on a silhouette that was undeniably yours, a rare look of shock and disbelief crept upon his features. Despite having risked falling to the ground like a sack of potatoes multiple times while climbing all the way to one of the highest branches of the tree, the man's expression made the effort more than worth the danger

Before he could ask you what in the world you were doing perched on a tree branch in front of his room at such a late hour, you eagerly told him why, words leaving your mouth in a single breath

"I-i couldn't fall asleep and thought of you and then I had this sudden urge to see you but I didn't know if you were awake so I climbed this tree to see if your light was on and then-"

As his caramel eyes softened and a warm smile appeared on his lips, Comte asked for you to stay still, and mere seconds after the last syllable reached your ears, you heard the fluttering of his coat that was now right in front of your widened eyes

Had he???just???jumped from his window????to land?????on a tree branch????next to you??? MC: why though? Comte: why not- MC: BUT why th- Comte: why not.

Giggling at your reaction while securing you against his chest, something was extremely clear in his eyes. Since you came all the way up there just to see him, it would have been a terrible waste to just send you away, right? And you knew he wouldn't have taken a no as an answer

"Hold on tight, ma chérie. We wouldn't want you falling down, now would we?"

Taking advantage of the position you were both in and with the excuse of possibly falling down, you contentedly snuggled in the crook of his neck; soft, expensive fabric caressing your cheek while his perfume rubbed on you, sure to remain there for at least a week

Comte on the other hand didn't complain nor move away, watching as your hair moved under the moonlight, softly swayed by the wind

Maybe spending a night in someone's company was a better alternative than staying alone, after all

Mozart

Mozart hadn't realized it had gotten that late until he finally closed the fall board of his piano, looking out of the window to see the stars and a full moon shining gently over the dim lit marble pavement of the music room

Almost one year ago on a night with the same moon, you walked out of Comte's door, looking as confused and scared as a little fawn. Since then you worked hard all over the mansion doing all kind of tasks, and though he'd have loathed the idea before, you two ended up getting incredibly close. Only lately he had started noticing many weird little behaviors that were slowly becoming a part of his routine; the way he had now stopped putting off having breakfast to play the piano in order to see you sooner, how his guts seemed to writhe whenever he saw you smiling at someone else, and as if it wasn't already enough, he found his thirst for blood more and more insatiable

Knowing what that meant but still fearing the answer, he tore himself away from the disheartening path his thoughts were taking, finally snapping back to reality. When he did so, a gleam coming from the tree near the window caught his attention. The closer he got, the more he seemed to distinguish your moonlit form standing in the foliage. Was he hallucinating now? Were his mind and heart so full of thoughts of you to the point of imagining your figure in the weirdest of places?

Before he could realize that you were in fact right outside his window, you called out to him, causing the poor man to flinch in surprise. Despite the harsh scolding that followed your appearance, just seeing his face was enough to ease the stingy feeling that was keeping your heart in a tight embrace. Seeing the bittersweet look in your eyes, Mozart couldn't stop his voice and gaze from softening considerably. But how could he not? Over the past months he had subconsciously started to consider you the one closest to his heart, and you were, more than he was ready to admit, his worst weakness

Sighing to himself as he reached past the parted glass panels to brush some leaves off your hair, he asked you "So, what are you doing here at this ungodly hour of the night?"

Amethyst spheres focusing on your expression, you told him the whole truth, not that you could easily make up a lie, seeing the position you were in. "I know you don't like it when people come into the music room, so this was the easiest way..." As if he had the strength and willpower to get angry at you, he thought. "A-anyways I-...I just wanted to see you, that's all."

Oh Gott, if only you could hear the way his blood pace sped up its tempo at the sound of those words, though you probably could see the way his usually pale cheeks were now flushed in a lovely shade of red. He, too, missed you, and now that the constant feeling of longing had met a correspondent in your gaze, it reached its bursting point

Not bothering to ask you permission to, he roughly grasped your wrist and pulled you away with superhuman strength from the offshoot you were sitting on. You were now on sill of the window, facing him and just inches from his doll-like face. Glancing up at him you found a pair of violet eyes staring back at you with the intensity and strength of a storm. Had he always been this bold? Had his irises always been this full of raw passion? Had his body always been this warm?

Your heart was thumping so loud in your ears that it was as if you were standing in the middle of an orchestra, senses all focused on him and only him. All the times were you hoped to be held like this by him came crashing onto your mind all at once, the fiercest blush born from the slow realization of how those fantasies were finally reality blooming on your cheeks

The tight grip he kept on your hips told you he had no intention to let go of you soon, but who would be so foolish to not take advantage of the situation?

That night, after months and months of anonymous, mutual feelings, you and the pianist were able to manifest the most breathtaking of emotions through the words that you'd have kept hearing for a lifetime, the touches and caresses that would have been the same for the years to come, moved by never changing feelings to express an everlasting love; but you were sure, you were oh so sure, that none of them would have ever been enough

Napoleon

Unlike any other day, Napoleon wasn't tired at all, rather, he felt quite restless instead. That morning you had accompanied him and Isaac in their usual "street lessons" to the children of the city, and ever since then, a whole storm of butterflies had been freely running around his stomach. Each time your laughter ringed in his ears, each time your eyes twinkled with amusement, each time a smile as bright as the sun graced your lips, his heart couldn't help but leap with one of the greatest joys known to man: love. He wasn't an innocent boy who couldn't tell an emotion from the other, and he knew that this was a love like no other

Twisting and retwisting his thoughts in the attempt of getting to know about all the facets and implications this new feeling brought him, Napoleon let his feet carry him around the garden, similar to a lovestruck hero from a Shakespearean play tormenting himself over his beloved

He was so immersed in the meanders of his mind, that he barely heard you exclaiming his name in surprise. Barely, that is. As his brain registered your presence, his eyes and heart danced in search of you until they landed on the lowest arm of the pine tree near his window.

He looked at you and you looked at him, the soft sound of crickets the only melody filling the background. You could clearly see the way le Monsieur de Wahaha's shoulders shook in an attempt to keep in the raging fits of laughter that would have been surely let out soon enough. The same way, despite tears of amusement fogging his vision, Napoleon was extremely aware of the embarrassment creeping up your features

"Nunuche" he managed to say in between his strangled fits, "what in- pftt- what are you doing there-"

"I just wanted to thank you for today so I had been searching for you- S-stop laughing at me, you moron! I'm trying to be serious here!!" How could he take someone who was perched on a tree in the middle of the night seriously? You truly were a silly one

With arms opened wide, he walked over the pine trunk and with a tender but still lightly shaking tone that was exclusive for your ears only, he said "Come! I'll definitely catch you, mon amour"

You just stared at him in silence with the widest eyes your head could muster without popping them out of their orbits. You were just a couple meters from the ground, sure, but was he truly this confident in catching you? And did he just call you "my love"?? There was a LOT to unpack for your brain, but the man had no intention of letting you idle by with your thoughts for long, challenging you with his vivid emerald eyes as if to say "what, you don't trust me?"

The fearless Napoleon had this habit of infusing in others a courage so strong, that even the most impossible action seemed achievable; and that, with a bit of adrenaline caused by how quick the silent night escalated when the Nightmare of Europe stepped into the scene, made you follow his command. And you jumped.

The rustling of leaves above your head, a strong pair of arms around your torso, a silent breathing interrupted by a low chuckle that could've melted all the glaciers in the world. His smell, his warmth, his voice, they were all so close and yet so distant, just like his heart. He wasn't yours and you had no right to claim him as so, but being with him was all you needed and wanted the most

"What are you thinking about?" He asked with a curious look, still holding you between his arms. As much as you wanted to answer him, no words were forming in your mind that was so full of him and so empty at the same time. All the boldness from the jump had dissipated in the air the same way one would puff out air from his lungs in the night sky

But when words fail us, actions find their way through our minds. Slipping a pair of arms behind his neck, you snuggled against his chest and whispered "Let's stay like this, just for a little longer, please"

He couldn't help but comply; your wish was his command and he, the Emperor of France, was your slave

#my writing #ikevamp scenarios #ikevamp headcanons #ikevamp imagines #ikemen vampire #ikevamp comte #ikevamp mozart #ikevamp napoleon #comte de saint germain #wolfgang amadeus mozart #napoleon bonaparte

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raiseyourcups · 4 years ago

Text

I got you something

A Cabur One Shot

Pairing: Din Djarin x Original Female Character (Aili Verdella) Warnings: none other than that word count, and all the unexpected semi-fluff coming from these two, oh and Mando slips up and calls Aili a word in Mando’a (oops) Word Count: 3.7k (yeah I don’t know how that happened either) Also on AO3

Masterlist

Summary: It’s Life Day which means Aili and Mando have to get presents for each other and the Child. One is easy to shop for but what do you get someone that you are barely becoming able to tolerate in your space? Aili and Mando are about to find out.

Note: takes place after Tatooine but I don’t really mention what will happen in those chapters of Cabur so no spoilers there (I mean other than Toro Calican still betrays them but that's not really a spoiler since it happened in show)

They had stopped on some random planet, needing more supplies and they were both equally confused by how busy the market was. Aili held Little Green a little tighter in her arms, not enough to hurt him but she didn’t like taking him into crowds. Too much could go wrong in crowds. She looked up at Mando, a question in her eyes.

“We need supplies,” he shrugged though she could see the way his shoulders were tense and he was keeping one hand by his holster.

“We’ll meet back up here in thirty minutes?” Aili asked. She could barter for things quickly but she wasn’t sure about the Mandalorian. He seemed to be thinking it over before he finally nodded.

“If you run into any trouble, just scream or something.”

“I’m a grown woman, I’m not going to scream when I can deal with the problem myself.” Aili tried not to sound too insulted but she felt the way her face scrunched up in irritation.

“With the Child in hand?” Mando asked, tilted his helmet to the side. He knew that he had been able to take out a few of the other hunters back on Nevarro when he rescued the Child but then he was stuck on a lift with nowhere to go.

“Especially if I have the Child with me.” Aili gave him one last shake of her head before she turned to leave for the closest booth. It was a small fruit stand but they seemed to be selling jewelry as well. It wasn’t the oddest set-up Aili had seen but it was pretty weird.

She picked a couple of fruits, handing over the credits before putting everything away in the stachel she usually carried Little Green in. The woman running the booth smiled wide at her and leaned forward. “Have you bought this little one a present yet?”

“I’m sorry?” Aili asked, brow furrowed in confusion. Why would she buy a present on a random day?

The woman’s smile faded and her own brow furrowed but in disappointment. “For Life Day? Have you bought him a present yet?”

Aili had a moment of panic, it couldn’t be Life Day yet. Could it? ��Um.”

“Oh dear, well good thing I know just the booth you should head to.” The woman seemed to understand the panic that Aili was now feeling. “If you head down that way, there’s a booth where the woman sells handmade toys that are perfect for his age. And I noticed you were travelling with a Mandalorian?”

“Yes?”

“That’s a lot of armor, bet it’s hard to keep clean.”

Aili really hoped the woman wasn’t trying to suggest that she was the one who cleaned Mando’s armor because she wasn’t a housewife. She wasn’t even a wife of any kind, just because she was carrying a child with her and picking out fruits...

But she did have to get him something now that she knew it was Life Day and he had yet to kick her off the Crest despite her multiple threats against him. It was just the principle of the matter now. Plus this woman did not look like she would take no for an answer. “I think he might need something more like a new comlink, maybe a matching set?”

“Even better,” the woman smiled before pointing towards another booth. “That’s where you’ll want to go for comlinks.”

“Thank you,” Aili was about to leave when a bracelet caught her eye. It was made of small beads, mostly black but with a colorful pattern of beads in the middle. She partially reached out before shaking her head and turning to leave, one last smile for the woman. She didn’t notice the woman tilt her head in thought before looking to see where the Mandalorian was and a smile crossing her face.

Aili headed for the first booth the woman had pointed out, picking out a toy for Little Green. Okay so maybe she bought two so he could stop looking at her with those wide pleading eyes and grabby hands. One toy for now, one for later. She glanced around to see where Mando was, seeing him at the booth with the woman she had just been talking to. Good.

She walked as fast as she could over to the other booth the woman had pointed out, this one run by a girl younger than Aili but that wasn’t saying much. There was grease on her face and she was tinkering with something rather than looking to get people to come to her booth. She looked up as Aili walked up, a bored expression on her face. “Can I help you?”

“Yeah I heard you have comlinks,” Aili said.

“Depends, what kind do you want?” She kept tinkering with the piece of tech in her hands and Aili was impressed that she didn’t even have to look at it to repair it. That meant she spent a lot of time working with tech and knew it like the back of her hand.

“A connected pair, one handheld and if possible, one that can get fitted for a Mandalorian helmet,” Aili requested, running her hands over a few of the other things on display that seemed like they could be useful. She pulled her hands away, they didn’t need any of that right now.

That got the younger woman’s attention as she placed what she was working on down and she stood up from her seat in order to lean towards Aili. “A Mandalorian helmet? You have one?”

“I’m travelling with a Mandalorian and we don’t have decent comlinks.”Aili really wasn’t lying, they didn’t have comlinks at all but she didn’t see herself parting ways from Mando any time soon. That meant they needed a way to communicate if something went wrong and they didn’t want anyone else listening in.

“Can I install it? I’ve never been able to get my hands on one but it’s been on my bucket list for ages.”

Aili winced knowing that there was no way Mando would let that happen. Unless…

“Would you be available on Life Day?” Aili asked, knowing that this was still a long shot but she had to try. “I’ll pay extra for a second handheld as well.”

The woman waved her hand, “Please, I’ll throw the second one in for free if you can get me alone with that helmet for however long it takes me to install the comlink.”

“We’re parked in the bay, it’s the Razor Crest. You really can’t miss that piece of...something,” Aili commented, once again missing her ship.

“Oh Maker, a Razor Crest? You two must be close.”

“Yeah, sure.” Aili said bluntly, mouth pulled into a thin line. “How much for it all?”

“250, Life Day and bucket list discount. It’ll be ready by Life Day.”

Aili pulled out 300 credits and handed them to the woman who took them excitedly. Aili was about to thank her and leave when she paused. “Stupid question, but we’ve been in space for too long, how long until Life Day?”

“Day after tomorrow,” the woman shrugged like she didn’t care about the short timeframe. “They’ll be ready.”

“Thanks.” Aili finally turned to leave knowing that she had taken much longer than the 30 minutes that she and Mando had agreed on. She was already ready to tune out whatever lecture he tried to give her. She was still a grown woman who could clearly handle herself.

“You’re late.”

“Had to order something,” Aili said lightly. “We’ll need to stay until the day after tomorrow.”

“It’s not-”

“Safe? Mando, it’s almost Life Day, it’s the safest we could be on any planet.” Aili interrupted before he could go into a lecture. She really didn’t want to hear it. “Now can we head back to the ship? The kid’s tired and I could use a nap too.”

She stared up at Mando and waited with a raised eyebrow to see if he would try to continue the conversation. He stared down at her before letting out a long sigh, nodding his helmet towards the bay where they had landed. Aili let a smile cross her face now, knowing that she had gotten her way. Now to figure out how to get his helmet off and the new comlink installed without breaking his Creed. That was a problem for day after tomorrow Aili though.

*Run away to a place where you can breathe*

The morning of Life Day was an early one for Aili, she had gotten up before both Mando and Little Green in order to meet up with the woman to pick up the handheld comlinks. They also set up a time for her to come to the Crest in order to attempt to put the comlink in Mando’s helmet. Aili admittedly didn’t have a plan for that just yet. But that was a problem for early-afternoon Aili, not early-morning Aili who hadn’t even had caf yet.

She got back onto the Crest as quietly as she could, the silence telling her that hopefully both Mando and Little Green were still asleep.

“Where did you go?”

“Dank farrik!” Aili exclaimed as she jumped slightly, her hands coming up in fists before she put them back down. She turned to glare at Mando who was leaning against the wall panel to her immediate right. Little Green was nowhere to be seen so he was probably still sleeping. “Don’t do that!”

“Where did you go?” Mando repeated his question, still waiting for an answer from Aili.

“I had a package to pick up, I told you that two days ago.”

“Before the suns are up?”

“If you’re accusing me of something, just come out and say it.” Aili crossed her arms in front of her chest, staring up at Mando with her lips pursed as she waited for him to speak. “Well?”

“I--you left without telling me.”

Aili blinked at him dumbly before she took a breath to calm herself before she spoke again. “Again, you knew I had a package to get. Look, it’s Life Day and I don’t feel like arguing. I was picking up your present and yes, before you ask, I got you something.”

“Why?”

“Because you haven’t kicked me off your ship despite threatening to kill you multiple times? I don’t know,” Aili explained, shrugging her shoulders. She couldn’t explain why she felt the need to buy the gift. It wasn’t as simple as buying Little Green a stuffed animal, that was easy to explain to herself. A bit of normalcy for him after they had to leave Sorgan and all the other kids behind. She convinced herself it was something practical and barely a gift since half was for her.

Mando finally pushed away from the wall but kept staring at Aili. Sometimes she really hated not being able to see his face, she had to rely on body language to know what he was thinking. But this was one of those times where she couldn’t read it. She heard him take in a breath when he was interrupted by a cry and they both turned towards it.

Aili didn’t give Mando the chance to even take a single step before she was off towards the hatch of the cot to get Little Green. She shushed him as she picked him up, rocking him a little once he was in her arms. “Hey, buddy, do you know what today is?”

He let out a little sniffle, wide brown eyes still watery because he had woken up to no one in the cot with him. He reached up to place his hands in Aili’s hair like he usually did when she was holding him and it was down. She smiled a little and lifted him in her arms more so he didn’t pull on her hair too hard. Even if she had looked up she wouldn’t have seen the way Mando was looking at the pair of them with a soft smile on his own face, not with the helmet hiding his face from her.

“It’s Life Day which means presents...and a lot of caf for me,” Aili said in a bit of a sing-song tone. It was the same one she had used on Shaeli and Jaesa when she had first brought them to the Covert. They had a hard time with her leaving since she was the only mother-like figure they had known and they were still so young. Little Green let out a coo at the mention of presents. Aili glanced up at Mando, a question in her eyes as she subtly nodded down at Little Green, and she let a smile cross her face when he nodded back. Good.

“Well then shall we open some presents?”

Little Green was happily playing with his new stuffed animals, on his blanket on the floor beside the table where Aili and Mando awkwardly sat with their gifts for each other. Aili had gotten the kid a porg the day they went to the market that he had been sleeping with but she had also gotten him a little stuffed vulptex, surprised they had even had one. Mando had gotten him a stuffed mudhorn and she assumed it was somehow significant because Little Green had let out the loudest happy noise when he saw it. Even Mando had let out a chuckle at the sound.

“Do you want to go first or should I?” Aili asked, her hands clutching the small box that the tech had given her. She didn’t even know why she was nervous.

“Here.” Mando said awkwardly as he passed a small wrapped package towards her. She took it and unwrapped it before just staring in surprise.

Maker, she was getting soft. Aili stared down at the bracelet that she had been staring at when they had been at the market. She hadn’t even known he had seen her but now him going to that booth made more sense. She finally looked up at him, still taken aback but with a small smile on her face. “Thank you.”

“I noticed you wanted it but,” Mando started to say but stopped himself and he settled for a small shrug. He had spent the last couple of days telling himself that it had been stupid to buy it. But the look on Aili’s face was worth it, the smile unexpected but a welcome surprise.

“Um, I didn’t have time to wrap yours but here,” Aili said as she slid the box the tech had given her, across the small table. She watched as Mando took it, opening it slowly and then his helmet tilted to the side. It wasn’t as personal as the bracelet he had given her but it was practical and he was a practical man.

“Comlinks?”

“They’re, um, locked in on a private setting so no one else will be able to intercept the comms. I just figured we needed them,” Aili trailed off with a small shrug.

Mando stared at her for a long moment before looking back down at the comlinks in his hands. He passed one back over to Aili, tucking the one he kept into one of the many pockets on his belt. “Thank you.”

“There’s also...another comm but the tech wanted to install it herself. I wasn’t sure you’d be okay with it though.”

Mando tilted his helmet to the side in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“So first, I know what your Creed entails, no one can remove your helmet, no one can see you without it but um, I figured we could figure something out and-” Maker, why was she so kriffin’ nervous about asking a simple question?

“Aili, just say what you’re trying to say.”

“She worked out a way to install the comlink directly inside your helmet and connected to your vambrace but obviously in order to do that,” Aili trailed off again, this time biting her lip knowing that it had been a dumb idea and that Mando would never go for it.

“I’d have to remove my helmet.” Mando stated, the tone in his voice unreadable to even Aili who had been slowly learning to hear past the voice modulator.

“Yeah. I’m sorry, I knew it was a stupid idea and I should’ve just stuck with the handhelds. I’ll let her know,” Aili said, fidgeting with the bracelet now, running her fingers over the beads. She silently counted the colored beads that felt slightly different than the black ones. There were seven of them.

“How much?”

“What?”

“How much did they cost?”

Aili took a moment, knowing she was going to have to lie a little and hope Mando couldn’t see through her. “300 but it’s fine, I had the extra credits and I figured we needed them just in case of another Toro situation and-”

“Mesh’la it-” Mando interrupted before he paused for a long moment, tense as if he was waiting for something to happen.

Aili’s brow furrowed as she wracked her brain, going through all the Mando’a words she had learned but that was not one of them. She didn’t think at least but there were a lot she didn’t know, she had mainly wanted to know the insults. “I..is that another word for idiot or something?”

Mando let out the breath he had been holding, relief that Aili couldn’t see crossing his face. “No, it’s a-it’s not an insult. I promise.”

“Uh-huh.” Aili hummed, not sure she believed him. But he hadn’t said it like an insult, her ears had registered it as more exasperated so she wasn’t sure. It wasn’t like she could open the HoloNet and look it up though so she would just take his word for it. But for now she would take his word for it.

“She can install the comlink,” Mando finally said without any preamble.

“What?”

“I’ll go up to the cockpit, leave my...leave my helmet and vambrace outside the door and she can install the comm.”

“Seriously?” Aili hadn’t expected him to agree in a million years.

“Yes. But you’ll have to keep the Child down here with you.” He made it sound like that would be a hardship for her like he wasn’t the one who was about to remove his helmet and hope that Aili didn’t go back on her word to stay out of the cockpit.

“Of course. We'll have a great time playing mudhorn vs porg vs vulptex so really you'll be the one missing out."

*Run away to a place without painful tears*

“Thank you again.” Aili smiled at the tech as she packed up her travel kit. Aili was holding Mando’s helmet in her hands, his vambrace in the crook of her elbow as she was careful not to hit any of the buttons.

“Seriously don’t mention it, I’m just excited that I finally got to have a look at a Mando helmet.” The look of manic excitement on the tech’s face reminded Aili of some of her only "happy" memories from growing up. Like when she had been given brand new blasters to try in the field, the manic grin on her face the first time she saw a seismic charge in action and was told that next time she'd be the one to set it off.

“Still, you came all the way out here on Life Day.”

“This was the best present I could have received so,” the tech grinned and shrugged. “Come back if something isn’t working right though.”

“Will do.” Aili waved as the tech left and she closed the gangway before she checked to make sure Little Green was still in his cradle, his earlier playing tiring him out. It hadn't taken Aili long to rock him to sleep at all, he was out before the tech had even finished working on the helmet.

She headed for the ladder that led to the cockpit and placed Mando's things down right in front of the doors. She knocked only loud enough for him to hear her. "I'm heading back down, take as much time as you need." Then she slid back down the ladder and busied herself, picking up the toys still lying around and folding the small blanket they used as Little Green's play space when they needed him in one spot.

She had just finished when she heard Mando speak but he wasn’t in the room. Her brow furrowed until she remembered the comlink in her own pocket. “Mando?”

“Just testing it out,” he replied. Aili was surprised by how clear his voice sounded but she supposed that was what she had hoped for when she asked for it to be installed into the helmet itself.

“Wow, that sounds really good. How does it sound on your end?” Aili asked into her comlink.

“As clear as transparisteel.”

Aili jumped, Mando’s voice not just coming from the comlink but from right behind her. “I am going to get you a bell if you sneak up on me again.”

“Sorry.” He didn’t sound sorry at all but Aili was going to let that slide as she clicked off her comlink.

“It’s fine, I’m just glad it’s working.”

“Thank you.”

Aili stared up at him, almost waiting for one of them to make a snarky comment but it never came. She opened her mouth to say something when Little Green made a noise and they both looked over at him simultaneously. His face was scrunched up and Aili glanced over at the chronometer and realized that he was probably hungry.

“It’s your turn to make food,” she said to Mando as she walked over to Little Green to distract him until the food was ready. Mando stood there in shock for a full minute before he moved for the little area that Aili had designated as the kitchen area. He would never admit out loud, or anywhere near her, that it had been a good idea. He had spent years just eating ration bars grabbed straight from a crate but Aili had taken one look at it and turned to him with an unimpressed look before reorganizing the whole area.

He prepared a simple meal with the supplies they had bought at the market, listening to Aili and the Child quietly laughing as they played with his new toys. He didn’t want to put a name to the way the sounds made him feel but he knew that he was glad to not be alone on Life Day for another year and secretly hoped that he wouldn’t be again.

#din djarin x reader #din djarin x original character #din djarin imagine #din djarin imagines #the mandalorian x reader #the mandalorian x oc #mandalorian x oc

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rockmiyabideusexmachina · 4 years ago

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2021 Megaman Valentine’s Day Contest Results

Among the many things this past year or so has tested us with is delays, and I apologize that this year’s Valentine’s Day contest results are included in that. I certainly did not plan on this taking until March to get completed, and I am sincerely sorry to have kept you all waiting. But hopefully it is all worth the wait!!

Thanks once again to every single one of you who participated! I will be contacting the winners soon enough. Work will probably keep me from replying to everyone immediately, but I will send a message about prizes hopefully within 24 hours.

Also, my thanks to @subzeroiceskater for helping out with judging this year. Not to mention the promo pic above and other assorted bonuses that always bring me a big smile. I might say this seemingly every year, but you all made judging this VERY hard. It might have something to do with the themes as well, but I think both of us flipped and rearranged our rankings repeatedly, and even then, it was hard to decide on who would place. XD Each one of you did an amazing job!

After the break, you’ll see the winners for both categories, along with all of the entries. Raffle prize winners will be noted below by their alias, as well.

Category 1: Kiss From a Rosered (Talent)

For our talent category this year, the theme focused on your favorite Megaman characters giving roses to their special someone, along with incorporating the symbolism of specific rose colors within the piece. That rose color was also to be the predominant color within the piece, to the best of your ability.

A grand total of 9 entries were submitted for this category. You can see the full gallery of all entries at full-size [HERE]. Each entrant’s name will also link to their individual pieces at full-size.

1.) Sapphire: *$100 prize*

Subzeroiceskater said:

Oooooh, this is so cute and pink! Piiink~ Ehem. I love the depth, angle, and color grading of these—notice how Roll’s black linework is at the forefront of the pic but colors mixes with the lights and colors from the sun further along the pic. There’s a lot to admire about how everything easy to read with so many competing elements like the similar hues and bright lighting.

Pink roses usually mean a gentler sort of love but did you know that different shades of pink could signify different things as well? A darker shade may mean gratitude; medium shade could be about a first love or congratulations while a light shade may mean admiration. Tron holding a singular pink rose with varying shades of pink while literally tripping over herself and a Servbot could only mean—that this is hilarious.

Miyabi said:

From a technical standpoint, I think your piece clearly felt the most polished, crisp and virtually professional of the bunch. But more than that, I felt it also best gave off the vibe of the rose color dominating the piece, but in very subtle, beautiful ways. Where as the pink sunset causes many of the normally white areas, like Roll’s collar/sleeves, parts of Gustaff, and more, to ooze that pink lighting. Even with her klutziness, you still also portrayed the feeling of sweetness, admiration and appreciation that a pink rose conveys. Just so pretty, calming, and joyful to look at!

2.) Forceway: *$75 prize*

Subzeroiceskater said:

There is a sort of gentle irony with how Skull Man and Shade Man are both robots modeled after horror symbols—skulls and vampires—but are here surrounded by a soft sea of pink roses. The dark night is often depicted as a primal fear because it hides our deepest fears but here—illuminated by the bright shining moon—the night is transformed into a scene of love—perhaps devotion, with how Shade is gently cradling Skull, as well with the church bell in the background. This is a very tender piece mixing the shadows and the sweet.

Miyabi said:

I know most digital art programs have the brushes and shortcuts to make detailing things like roses a lot easier, but your bed of roses certainly look all done by hand on your own, and that alone impressed me a ton! Based off of the Ariga Megamix tale of Skull Man not feeling appreciated or having a family after Cossack stored him away, I felt the pink roses and Shade showing him that he is actually appreciated here was a fantastic conceptual choice. Purples in the sky and Shade’s body split the canvas and contrast with the pink well, including how you used the pink for some of the stars in the sky. Beautiful job!

3.) DigitallyFanged: *$50 prize*

Subzeroiceskater said:

Yellow is a bright color, often evoking the sun, warmth, light, joy and hope. With roses, its positive connotations continue with possible meanings of friendship, care and remembrance. Tabby’s piece seems to evoke the last one the strongest—with Zero, broken and forgotten in a lab—but, not entirely, because of a bond that is stronger than apparent death lives on—even if in this moment, it’s only a memory. Even the roses are not real—just projections of what was once alive. This is fantastic use contrast with the dark, moody blues against the vivid, almost defiant yellows; and the repeated little motifs such as X crying and the water drops falling all over Zero. It stands out from the rest of happy entries with how sad it is but it still manages to be hopeful.

Miyabi said:

Zero’s blonde locks certainly are an iconic part of his design, so playing off of that and focusing on yellow as your rose color fit perfectly. You definitely made this a very emotive piece considering technically, neither of these two are even alive and moving here! As mentioned above, the little details like the water droplets balancing against Cyber Elf X’s tears, the digital lines to make it appear like X has created the cyber-roses for Zero, and Zero’s battle damage caught my eye immediately. You certainly captured the yellow rose symbolism of remembrance and friendly affection beautifully!!

And the rest of the wonderful entries, in alphabetical order by alias:

AbilityField: [Page 1] [Page 2] [Page 3] [Page 4]

*Raffle Prize Winner* Captain N Mega Man Cel

Subzeroiceskater said:

It’s so poetic about how this contest theme is about how the language of flowers is used to communicate feelings beyond just using words; and so, the comic is completely silent, relying on actions to convey its meaning. Yellow roses could mean friendship, care and affection; and it’s shown wonderfully with how Iris and Lan are so thoughtful with one another. It’s so cute how Iris missed Lan only because he was already out buying roses for her. Given how hard comics are to make and how this is fully colored, I really wanted to give this first place—however I felt the color usage of yellow could have been stronger, especially with the last page, where it would have had the most impact. I had to squint and zoom out to even see if the lighting had changed. Still, it’s such a very warm and lovely work.

Miyabi said:

I always appreciate the effort people put into making multiple-page comics for these contests, and this is no exception! Even without dialogue, you did a great job at conveying your story through your art in each panel and it was easily understandable. Another utilizing the yellow rose, I certainly felt the friendship and warmth in your tale. As Subzero mentioned, the only thing keeping it from placing was that the yellow colors weren’t as dominant in other areas of the pic, besides the panel by Sal. Still, your coloring was very crisp and vibrant throughout each page, and it was an awesome submission!

aw-colorcat:

Subzeroiceskater said:

With the red for Metal Man, orange for Cut Man and the explosion of yellow flowers, that’s the trifecta of warm colors. Yellow roses could mean delight and this pic is delightful in all ways. Cut looks so cute practically swimming in the sea of flowers and greenery, as does Metal’s adorable expression—which is a feat since he only shows his eyes. I also really like the juxtaposition and balance of this piece from: the rust-brown car against green-yellow nature running wild, and Metal holding a bouquet meanwhile Cut’s covered with plants. It makes me want to get some fresh air myself!

Miyabi said:

Cut Man looks grateful for being able to ride in that pickup bed of flowers, and I have a feeling the two of them had a wonderful time just snipping and sawing away at all the stems to gather them all. XD Love how the yellow and oranges play off of both character’s color schemes nicely. The subtlety of the yellow flowers in the foreground, along with the sun and tree in the background all play off each other well, too! Just an absolutely cute pic!

Dark-Dullahan:

Subzeroiceskater said:

What a fantastic composition. Dark-Dullahan does away with most color, leaving the colors of the mixed-bouquet roses as the main focal point. Classic red for romance, a gentler pink for affection, mixed yellow roses to signify caring and probably so much more—seems like Nana can’t contain her feelings for Massimo. I love how the close up of the bouquet doesn’t just form a kind of heart at the top but serves as the divider between the two, like a diptych. With such a wonderful offering, Massimo would surely accept her feelings.

Miyabi said:

As you brought to my attention, your mixed bouquet had a few different meanings, such as the dark pink representing thanks to Massimo for saving Nana from Silver Horn, and the red tips on the yellow roses to symbolize falling in love. Certainly got those vibes from her shy demeanor, as she sheepishly tries to hand them to him. Also agree with Subzero that the line from the bouquet nicely works as a way to separate them uniquely with the background. Sorry you weren’t able to complete it as fully as you had hoped, but the concept behind it certainly was strong!

Donnie:

Donnie also sent in an alternate version made during the creative process, in a different artistic style, that I still feel needs to be shared, as well. Fun to see the contrast, yet still have the same feeling and mood to the piece.

Subzeroiceskater said:

Oh, I adore this one. It reminds me of a movie poster with the tagline. I love the extra PINK flourishes of the letterings like with the Mega Man logo color change and cute pixelated font and heart. Both Rock and Roll’s expressions are so cute, too—with his more subdued smile contrasted with her exuberant grin. Much like how the pink rose could mean many things like thoughtfulness, cheer or as a show of appreciation, this piece is positively sparkling with affection, hearts and all. It’s clever how the sunset is giving the picture an overall pinkish-red hue while having the yellow light as an outline. A darling piece.

Miyabi said:

With pink roses again, I truly liked the additional hue adjustments where you can feel the warmth and see the lighter pink mixed into their skintone, or areas normally of white - from eyes to teeth to the Megaman logo - that have taken on the pink in it’s place. With the painterly watercolor style you used, it all blends in nicely. Even in your earlier version, I feel you brought a strong game with the hues, but toned down the red from that version to make it feel much stronger towards pink, with a tighter crop of your canvas. It was fun to see how it evolved, and strengthened your piece in doing so! Fabulous job!

DragonMarquise:

Subzeroiceskater said:

No better way to show how madly in love you are than a bouquet of roses that run the gamut of—I can’t call these warm colors because these passions are running hot. Orange seems to be the dominant color here—which in roses could symbolize a love that’s passionate, fierce and deep. It’s also expressed nicely with the two lovers embracing, engaged in mid kiss, their bodies also forming a subtle heart shape, to emphasize the flurry of hearts around them. The bouquet is not just orange roses, however, but a mixed bouquet of the classic romantic red and the more affectionate pink—it’s a piece that’s bursting with all degrees of love.

Miyabi said:

You also certainly mastered the limited color pallette challenge as you tackled this piece! Orange, the color of passion, is certainly felt in their deep kiss and embrace. I too caught the heart shape their heads essentially form, which is then further enforced with the heart of hearts behind them. I thought that concept was pulled off very well. Perfect for the fiery intensity of Match, this turned out to be a very hot pic!

Mattasaurs:

Subzeroiceskater said:

This one has a very clever framing (eh? EH?). The color white is often associated with purity, innocence and hope, and with white roses—weddings and marriage. Sonia dons the classic white wedding dress which has a très élégante design—and the little Lyra on her belt is very cute. The pink background is also very romantic and a nice way to tie in with her theme colors. I dig the lovey-dovey feel of Geo doing the classic bridal carry while clasping a single white rose...but seeing the thorns, I think he better watch his hand!

Miyabi said:

For a theme emphasizing color within the pic, I salute you for taking the biggest challenge in choosing white. In many ways, it could have been the hardest to keep as a predominant color, but still make the pic interesting and visually appealing. Choosing to have the petals all around the frame, with the bouquet nearby was a clever touch. With white often used for weddings and new beginnings, I think the concept of your piece worked just right, where it was subtle, but still incorporated enough other color to give the piece some life.

Category 2: Kawaii-rimi (Humor)

For our humor category this year, the theme focused on your favorite Megaman character gifting the plush form of another Megaman character to their crush, instantly created by a ninja-like character, to play off of the Kawarimi concept from the EXE series.

With just 3 entries in our humor category this time around, every entrant placed. You can see the full gallery of all entries at full-size [HERE]. Each entrant’s name will also link to their individual pieces at full-size.

1.) Mattasaurs: *$100 prize*

Subzeroiceskater said:

Y’know how blocks of wood are sometimes used by ninjas when they do that whole body switching thing? I think it’s clever how this pic has Sal—Woodman.exe’s operator—conjuring the doll. Everything about the pic is so fun and colorful: from Sal’s mischievous grin of accomplishment, Miyu being completely shocked by her chibi doppelganger (check out that body language!) and Masa’s confused expression.

Miyabi said:

Yes, while to some, Sal might not be the first one they think of when they think ninja in the Megaman Universe, but I certainly thought she still fits the bill in her design. Usually we don’t see this much emotion or shock out of Miyu, so seeing her torque her body, taken aback at a doll of herself, is amusing in it’s own right. Meanwhile, nothing fazes Masa. And a bit of randomness: oh man, seeing Masa’s head in profile, with his bandana...wow, I never realized how much his head shape with the bandana looks like a fish’s. I can’t unsee it now. Anyways, I also agree that the color, polish, and fun vibe made this a worthy winner!

2.) ColeManX: *$75 prize*

*Raffle Prize Winner* Captain N Cutsman Cel

Subzeroiceskater said:

E-Eyes? What did you mean by that, Mr. RT-55J? Although judging from the sparkle on those booblights… I understand, Cinnamon—if that happened to me, I’d be making asides to the camera, like I was in “The Office”, too. Cinnamon’s enthusiastic smile with this whole bizarre scene really sells it for me but shoutout to Marino’s smug satisfaction in the background.

Miyabi said:

🎵 I kind of liked it your way How you shyly placed your eyes on me Did you ever know That I had mine on you?🎵

RT says it only has eyes for Cinny right now, but it’s also known to be a little grabby hands, so I don’t know if I’d fully trust it...but good thing this is just a plush version. Time for the tables to be turned, and Cinnamon to get her claws and paws on it, instead. Very cute, although after the DiVE V-Day event, we all know this is a ruse and your pal boobeyes only belongs to the Ferham Fanclub. XD

3.) Ronin-Apprentice: *$50 prize*

Subzeroiceskater said:

This whole comic is so sweet and fluffy, nya! ~(=^‥^)ノ☆ It’s adorable how Proto brings up his gift first and the surprise is how Shadow handmade his gift. The little cat-eared Blues design is so darling--almost as cute as him fussing how totally NOT a cat he is. “Did you steal my cat.” had me snorting. Now I’m wondering where Tango went off to…

Miyabi said:

FU-SION-HA!

Aside from getting his own Super Adaptor, this is probably the closest we’ve got to seeing Tango and Blues merged as one. LOL I’m sure that plush would have a ton of fans wishing it actually existed. The panels where Blues embarrassingly hides behind his scarf and gets pet like a cat had me laughing! Very cute and adorable comic, that certainly had the most depth in terms of the theme of this category!

#Rockman #Megaman #Mega Man #Rock Miyabi's 2021 Megaman Valentine's Day Contest #Fanart Contest

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translations-by-aiimee · 4 years ago

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Dig a Grave to Dig Out a Ghost - Chapter 11

Original Title: 挖坟挖出鬼

Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Yaoi

This translation is based on multiple MTLs and my own limited knowledge of Chinese characters. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.

Chapter Index

Chapter 11 - Reason

Are there really people in this world that, no matter who you ask, no one has any information about him?

The weather forecast says that today’s temperature will go above 30 degrees for the first time this season. At noon, the white and scorching sun reflected off of the marble floor tiles outside the main building of the school. Lin Yan and Yin Zhou were sitting on the stairs relatively speechless. They spent the past three hours of phone calling around to find the address of the small Daoist priest. Lin Yan stayed up all night. The lack of sleep for many days made the world confusing and blurred around him. His senses were all fuzzy. He buried his face in the palm of his hand and he rubbed his forehead. He raised his head and exhaled.

"I've asked everyone. I was on the same project team with him, in the same research program, in the same dormitory before, his friends. . . He seems to have no friends, and he doesn't seem to have any relatives nearby. How do we find him?" Yin Zhou put his phone down. He grabbed the balled-up piece of paper on the ground, spread it out and read it again: "He has no class this week, and they have all gone to prepare materials for the thesis topic. Do you want to go back to the small temple to ask?"

"Please, you didn't see what happened yesterday. It was like a News Years' celebration from hell. I'm afraid that if I go back, the monk will take the peach wood sword and smack me three times over." Lin Yan said weakly. "You check first, I'll watch from behind."

"Hey," Yin Zhou poked Lin Yan sneakily, and there was a small white flash on the edge of his glasses: "What did you do with the ghost in the end?"

Lin Yan curled his knees into a ball and replied reluctantly: "I've already told you eight hundred times. We watched the nightlife of Wudaokou for the rest of the night."

"Watched the nightlife? Were you drunk?" Yin Zhou drew close to Lin Yan. "So, are you enemies turned friends? Is the fighting done? Should I expect any relationship in the future now?"

"Please watch what you're saying. He's watching now." Lin Yan raised his head lazily, blinked his eyes vigorously, rubbed his temples vigorously to keep himself awake: "No kidding, he disappeared at dawn, but I could feel that he was still there. The strange thing was that he didn’t seem to understand what I was saying to him. The monk said that the ghost wouldn't remember being a human being. He was basically. . . just like an animal."

"You have to find A-Yan quickly. I'm afraid that something will happen to him." Lin Yan said: "And he must know more than we do."

Yin Zhou slapped his thigh vigorously: "I always hang out with the three-dimensional people and get dragged into messes like this."

"Hack into the files of the school's dormitory. Students are supposed to register their new address when they move out. Maybe there's a clue there."

At 2:30 in the afternoon, Lin Yan and Yin Zhou appeared in front of an old five-story house on Dadong Road.

This city had many similar-looking buildings. Land prices were soaring day by day. Developers couldn't afford to dismantle them. Residents had no money to move. Over time, older houses like this one had become ugly scars in the cluster of new buildings. The old-style design had poor lighting. Even in broad daylight, it was dark and damp. The grey paint on the wall had peeled away, exposing the brown-red brick wall underneath; the dusty bicycles and broken furniture had piled up in the alleyway, never cleaned. From time to time, a mouse would hop past, staring at the intruder's whereabouts vigilantly in the dark with its small eyes.

"Shouldn't this place be demolished?" Yin Zhou stared at the address on the note in disbelief, and then looked up at the old residential building that seemed to be crumbling: "If you live here, you won't be able to run away if there's an earthquake." Lin Yan felt a bit guilty. He had heard that the little Daoist had been in a bad family situation and had been relying on part-time work to subsidize his tuition, but he hadn't expected it to be this bad. He shouldn't have kept quiet when he was kicked out of the dorm. As a result, he could not live in a dormitory and pay 1,000 yuan a year, so he left to rent a house in a place with little money.

The two cautiously walked through the small alley. Lin Yan pulled away a spider web hanging above his head and asked Yin Zhou's back: "What's the number of A-Yan's house?"

"0023" Yin Zhou patted the dust off his jeans and looked up at the surrounding house numbers in confusion: "But this should be the bottom floor."

"The basement." Lin Yan said in a deep voice.

The old corridor was full of rubbish, and it was so dark that he could barely see the blue and gray stripes of the stand-up collar T-shirt on Yin Zhou in front of him. There was a damp and mouldy smell in the air. He didn't know why, but Lin Yan suddenly remembered this one thing he saw in a movie. In a ghost film called "The 4th Floor", the woman in white at the end of a creepy corridor tilted her neck, and her dark hair showed two dark eyes. Lin Yan shook her head vigorously, trying to get rid of the fantasy in his mind. He couldn't help but laugh at himself. He must be really sick because all he could think of were ghosts all the time.

Yin Zhou stopped and pointed to what Lin Yan had said before. He saw a simple door at the end of the corridor with the number 0023 slantingly engraved on the door. Just as Lin Yan was about to knock on the door, Yin Zhou cut him off and put his ear on the door.

"Someone's talking." Yin Zhou frowned and adjusted his glasses: "I can't hear what they're saying. . ." He raised his finger to his lips and made a silent gesture. Seeing Lin Yan hesitate to listen, Yin Zhou grabbed him. He yanked his collar forward harshly. The soundproofing of the old house wasn't very good. They could make out intermittent voices inside through the door panel, speaking slowly, and occasionally letting out a low laugh or two.

"There's A-Yan's voice. Does he have guests?" Lin Yan murmured and turned back. After thinking about it, he felt that listening through the wall wasn't ethical, so he pulled Yin Zhou back and muttered: "Don't listen. People will think we're trying to rob the place."

The door was suddenly pulled open. Yin Zhou lost his balance and tumbled forward a couple steps. He propped himself up on the door frame to stand firmly, and explained embarrassingly: "Hi, hi, hello, hello, I thought no one was coming."

There was no response, the doorway was pitch black, and the sound of the door panel swaying slightly echoed in the empty corridor, "Squeak--"

A slender hand was holding the door frame, and a pale face flashed in the darkness. Yin Zhou came face-to-face with him, widened his eyes and cried out, "Ghost!" Then he hurriedly backed into Lin Yan. Lin Yan hadn't expected it, and he didn't have time to see what happened. Whatever happened, they both retreated instinctively. Yin Zhou stepped all over his feet, and the two fell into a shameful ball on the ground.

A timid male voice rang from above his head: "Brother Lin Yan?"

The light turned on, and the person standing at the door was the little Daoist A-Yan.

When he entered the house, Yin Zhou couldn't help but anxiously mutter. He followed Lin Yan reluctantly and walked into a small spotless two-bedroom house with simple furnishings. A white candle was lit on the coffee table in front of the old sofa, the wax drops forming small bumps around the candle's edge on the tabletop. Lin Yan and Yin Zhou sat down and looked around curiously. This wasn't a place where they expected young people to live. There was a faint smell of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs in the air. A compass and a peach wood sword were placed on the old cabinet, and an aged portrait of a person hung on the wall. Yin Zhou asked Lin Yan who the old man in the portrait was. Lin Yan quickly motioned him to shut up, and whispered that this was Tao Hongjing, the founder of the Maoshan School of Daoism.

When he saw A-Yan's unique appearance at school, he always thought that it was all for show. Lin Yan didn't expect that he really had some connection with the Maoshan School, known for their effectiveness in exorcising ghosts. A-Yan was still wearing the weird blue robe as he walked in with two teacups. He leaned over to blow out the candles on the table and respectfully handed the teacups to Lin Yan and Yin Zhou. The ceramic cup had been a Buy 3 for 10 Yuan bargain at a roadside stall, but the tea was still fragrant and tasted pleasant.

"The green bamboo leaves from Mount E-Emei are a specialty of my hometown. Master gave it to me. If I ever feel homesick, I drink this."

Yin Zhou was stunned by A-Yan's dismissal of their meeting moments ago. He gulped and asked calmly: "Didn't you have guests over? Why didn't you turn on the lights? I was scared to death just now."

The little Daoist's expression suddenly changed. He whispered a 'no'. Yin Zhou raised his eyebrows and glanced at him. The little Daoist couldn't stand sitting under his stare. He turned around and took out a tray from the cabinet, placing it on the coffee table carefully. "I was only talking to them," A-Yan said. On the tray were some boxwood carvings of different figures and animals. The carvings were lifelike, their eyebrows, beards, and even the folds in their clothes were clearly visible. Lin Yan picked up one and studied it. He was stunned: "Isn't this your master?"

A-Yan lowered his head and replied: "Yes. It can be boring living by myself sometimes. I sculpt some small things to pass the time and tell them my thoughts. Talking to them makes me feel better." He pointed to the woodcarvings on the tray and said: "These are my parents, sister, and our family cat."

The wood carving was covered with a thick layer of grout, soaked in oil; it looked very well-used. Except for the monk set off to the side, the remaining sculptures made up a set; there was a boxwood table, an exquisite miniature chair and the smiling family of three with their ball-shaped cat. Lin Yan touched the cat's head and couldn't help but admire the work. He said: "These carvings are really good, they're very heartfelt. A-Yan, if you're homesick, don't forget to book tickets with me if you want to go back home for the Mid-Autumn Festival. The school will give us a group discount."

A-Yan froze: "No I won't. My parents passed away long ago. I want to work and send money to my sister to study."

Lin Yan hadn't meant to touch a soft spot when he commented. He put down the woodcarving and apologized. A-Yan didn't care: "It's okay, I-- I'm used to it. I don't have any friends. When I carve these and talk to them, it feels like they're still here."

"I'm your friend." Lin Yan comforted him: "Carve one for me when you get the chance. Your craftsmanship is really amazing."

"Okay, I'll show it to you once I finish it." The little Daoist smiled, his eyes sparkling: "By the way, you-- you guys were looking for me because of the ghost thing that followed you?"

Lin Yan nodded. He sat upright and took a deep breath. He sorted out the things that had happened since encountering ghosts and said, "I heard you say that ghost resentment is too powerful and there is no way to overcome it. I wanted to know if there is another way to send him away without dispersing his spirit. He almost choked to death three times." A-Yan frowned and shook his head, "That's not it. Al-- Although I can't see him in places with heavy yang energy, I can feel that he's very sad." After that, he pondered for a while: "He didn't mean to harm you."

"Evil ghosts have no human consciousness, and those who die suddenly have resentment. Only when they wander in between the worlds of the living and the dead and find something to kill can they calm their hostility. My master said that they are so powerful that they have to be eliminated. I have the ability to look into the eyes of a ghost and understand their emotions, so I can't always disperse their spirits. Think about it, a murdered ghost who has waited for hundreds of years in a dark and cold grave; what else can you feel except profound sympathy?"

"Loneliness. Unbearable loneliness." A-Yan stared at the wooden carvings on the plate, his eyes suddenly distant: "On July 15th, the gates to the ghost realm will be open. He wants to take you to his world. It's too unbearable to be alone." The last sentence was hushed, almost self-deprecating.

Lin Yan picked up the cat woodcarving and fiddled with it. To be honest, he did sympathize with the ghost. He even closed his eyes to try and imagine himself in the ghost's shoes. The closed, silent, unknown horror of death, a blackened skeleton in the faint light of a miner’s lamp sleeping quietly. First, he is hidden in the coffin, then under a layer encrustation, and then inside an airtight tomb room, with a heavy bluestone tomb door, layer upon layer locking the soul away to keep it from rising again. No matter how magnificent the mausoleum is, and how rare it was to be buried in one, what's the use of it? Only the sound of his heartbeat could be heard in the eternal darkness. No, there isn't even a heartbeat.

Death is the loneliest thing. A deadly but lonely ghost, after hundreds of years of silence, waiting for someone to finally sense its presence.

How tragic yet oddly optimistic.

#dig a grave to dig out a ghost #dig a grave to dig out a ghost translation #chinese novel #chinese bl #english translation #yaoi novel

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taesbetch · 5 years ago

Text

01 | Creatures Of The Night

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader

Genre: Angst, Fluff, Smut: Vampire!AU

Summary: Creatures of the night, Soul mates, a war between species. You had thought all these things were nothing but folktales. But as the world hidden in plain sight crashes into your day to day life you struggle to keep up. Going from being hunted to the leader of a vampire groups mate, your world is turned upside down and the fight to survive is on.

Word Count: 3.8k

The sun shone directly in your eyes as you watched you family drive off into the distance. Though the heat lay a blanket of warmth around your skin your heartfelt cold as you relived your mothers final words.

"Try not to call us"

Wow. How absolutely fantastic. Standing outside of your home you sighed. You had 10 days to find a new place and figure out how to survive on your own. Your so-called parental protector had found a new boyfriend, one who had flipped your world upside down. Letting out a noise of frustration you dragged your feet back into your now-empty home. Deciding on a nap.

---

The same feeling as the one prior seeped in as you sat in your classroom, the sun blaring through the glass window. You looked towards the clock, trying to think of an idea but nothing particular came to mind. Watching it tick by slowly you remembered that your mum's boyfriend buried around 20,000 dollars in the forest for the so-called apocalypse. Smiling softly you felt a weight lift off your shoulders, there's no way they remembered to dig it up. It had to still be there. Zoning back into reality your ears adjusted to the girl in front of you, her eyes fixed on you.

"Hey did you hear me!" the girl said snapping in front of your face.

"Sorry, i missed it” you stated, pushing your current issue to the back of your mind.

"They said to stay clear of the forest, 4 girls dead, they say by a mountain lion due to the bite marks but I find that incredibly weird considering we don't get mountain lions, Reya what do you think?" the girl asked Reya who was staring out the window obviously not paying attention as well.

You’ve known Reya since before you could even remember. Though the two of you were best friends, Reyes mind was always a hard one too read and it often felt like the gurl held multiple secrets.

"I think that it's the mountain lions," she said turning towards us. Your heart skipped a beat as her eyes bored into your soul almost as if your thoughts had been spoken out loud. "So don't go into the forest," she said sternly as the bell rang.

As the class got up packing up with the rest of the class, you continued to look at Reya in shock as her eyes kept burning into yours. Can she read minds?

"Maybe" she said getting up with a shrug. You almost gasped as your eyes followed her movements.

"Sorry what??" you asked getting up too. You pushed past people in order to catch up with Reya. Just as you both exited the classroom she answered.

"I said maybe, as in maybe its mountain lions, no one can be sure though," she said smiling widely before leaving the classroom.

Quickly making your way home you looked up to the sky noticing how quickly the sun was setting. It is winter...You picked up your pace knowing you wouldn't have a lot of time to find the money. lion smion, there's nothing out there...but still you wanted to be cautious.

After gathering your things and changing your clothes you quickly walked towards the entrance of the forest. The travel seemed like a lifetime even though it was only located 15 minutes from your house.

As you got there you looked up at the trees and back towards the city. You always found it strange how there was just the city and then bam a forest but You’ve never questioned it, and to be honest, no one has needed to. Taking a deep breath you looked at the shovel you stole from your next-door neighbour and began your search.

remembering that he has said be buried it near a large tree with a knifed X into it.

As you kept walking the sky started getting darker and the air was getting cooler. The trees seemed to glimmer underneath the moon but there was something spooky about this forest. Before you could take another step you heard rustling in the distance. Crap. You probably should’ve left a lot earlier.

Your head snapped into the direction of the noise. Was that the mountain lion? Your eyes scanned the empty area as your heartbeat sped up."Hello," you called but it came out more like a terrified wheeze.

"Well, what do we have here?"

Once again your head snapped into the direction of the noise. shocked that it was a voice and not a growl. Your hand came up to your heart, almost like an instinct. As your eyes adjusted your body almost feinted from the amount of work it was doing. With your heartbeat finally leaving your ears your eyes managed to make out a figure in the dark. You could see it was a man and you could make out some of his features but not all of them.

"Oh. Hi you scared me" you said sighing in relief,

"Oh sweetie he hasn't scared you just yet," another male said gasping once again you turned. this man was a little closer than the other one and you perfectly make out his outfit but as he stood in front of the moon his face was a little hidden.

"Mmmmmm type O jungkook's favourite. Maybe we should bring her back to him?" another said popping out from the right. Three males. in the middle of the forest. in the middle of the night. You froze as your heart dropped the feeling of unsettlement kicking in.

"Guys....can you smell that? What rank is it? An ultimate?" another one said as his head turned in different directions. "fuck. We should go" the first one said angrily as they all sighed in frustration.

"I thought they were extinct what the hell," another one said before turning around and disappearing in the shadows. You watched in relief as they all disappeared except one.

"we'll see you again human" he winked at me before disappearing with the rest of his group.

You blinked a couple of times, your body frozen in place as the wind began blowing harsher against your skin. What just happened?

"Oi you idiot"

You turned around, this time without fear as the familiar voice interrupted you. Reya. standing there with her arms crossed angrily she walked forward as your eyes connected. Were people just out in the forest constantly? Is there an event you didn't know about?

"I said not to go into the forest," she said grabbing my arm angrily. “Is this for your mum's boyfriends money? Gosh. is it really worth it ?” she said as she started dragging you back in the direction you came.

I pulled my arm away from hers and stood my ground as she looked at me confused "...They left" you blurted.

“what do you mean they left?” She asked, her eyes softening. You sighed, a cloud exiting your mouth as the cool air had suddenly become colder.

“Mum. She left with that bitch of a boyfriend. I said i wanted to finish high school here so left. And gave me nothing. I’m losing the house in 10 days Reya. I didn't know what else to do...” You explained.

Reya stood quietly. she looked at the ground before placing her hands on her hips.

“so instead of coming to me, you decide the best idea is too rummage through the forest at night?” She asked, her tone soft yet intense.

“well...I know...We’ve been friends for the longest time, but I’ve never been to your house. I haven't met your mum i jus...I didn't want to intrude. You clearly have stuff going on in your private home life Reya.” You said.

Reya bite her lip before hugging you tightly.

“You idiot. I know i have a lot going on. and honestly, I'm sorry that i haven't invited you into this part of my life before its just that its-...well a lot. But my home is ALWAYS open to you y/n. Your my best friend for god's sake” She exclaimed. as she released you from her grip she grabs your hand.

“You're coming to live with me. You can’t say no” She smiled.

“Only if your sure...because I’m going to feel hella bad if I’m an inconvenience to you...Do you have room for me?” You asked, your free hand coming to the back of your neck nervously.

Renya let out a small laugh as she looked at you excitedly.

“Trust me. We have room.”

------

Standing in front of a beautiful mansion, your jaw hit the ground. the driveway was lined with small trees guiding the way to the beautiful house. The wood coloured panels and sleek black colour scheme had you drooling a little bit.

“Yeah, You definitely have room” You whispered, still in shock.

Walking in the house you gawked at the interior the living room area that connected to the kitchen was gorgeous, to the left a glass wall let you see out to the city. You didn't even realise the house sat above the city until now.

"Remee are you rich?" You asked her, still in awe at her big ass place.

"I guess you could say that. Follow me ill show you to your room!" she said running up these beautiful gold plated stairs.

"Is this why no one has ever come to your house? Cause you're worried they'll steal something?" you asked following her through the second floor.

She laughed as she opened up a door to a room.

"no, I'm not that paranoid. Here's your room. We’ll grab your stuff tomorrow but it's currently 11pm and we’ve got school tomorrow” She said the pain in her eyes when the word school came up very evident.

“Yikes did you say 11pm?” You asked in shock. The time had really slipped by.

“I know, kinda crazy. I'll give you a tour of the place tomorrow! The bathroom is through that door there and don't worry ill come get you in the morning. Just rest up and don't worry about your living situation any more. I've got you.” Reya smiled.

“Thank you...really” You stated.

as Reya left your new room with a goodbye you took a deep breath. Looking around at your beige and white schemed room you smiled softly.

You could get used to this.

However, as you let yourself drift to sleep. Red eyes stared from a tree in the distance and a target had been unknowingly placed on your back.

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

Sis, Wake up!”

You fluttered your eyes open slowly, bright light started invading them causing me to squint. “10 more minutes” you groan as you rolled back under the silky sheets.

“I've been trying to wake you up forever. It's like you were dead!” Renya said hitting me with pillows.

“Remee please don’t make me get up, this has been the best sleep of my life” You whined as you tried to fall back into my peaceful slumber. Reya chucked a uniform on the bed hitting you one last time.

“Well, you can have another great nights sleep when we come back after school. Sis, please don't make me try and convince you to go. I already wanna ditch,” she said happily.

“ugh, We have to go...” You replied as you attempted to move your body. Keyword...attempting.

“Now get up you lazy bum! We have to go to school!” she said before exiting my room. You groaned before throwing the sheets off your body, staring at the ceiling. Hearing birds chirp you let yourself have another minute before you threw yourself out of bed.

---

The class was rioting as the day had just begun. The teacher hadn't arrived to class yet so as the paper was being tossed around and gossip was being spread you took the opportunity too Finally, the doors handle starts to riggle, The classic old door playing up again. But just by the wiggle, the class knew who it was.

Everything seemed to stop before everyone rushed towards their seats picking up any rubbish that was in the way and throwing it in the bin, Reya, who was on the other side of the class started jumping over desks just to get to her seat in time. Just as everyone was seated and was acting ‘normal’ the door slide open.

“Class A year 12. You have new students.” She said before entering in, as she walked in the faces coming in behind her looked so familiar it was scary, the seven boys standing in front of the class were so good looking some girls were actually drooling. One of the boys caught my eye, his dark hair and emo aura intrigued you, he caught me staring and smirked before looking next to me to Renya. blushing hardcore you ignored the tense state of your friend.

As they introduced themselves you watched as Reya nervously played with her fingers, you creased my brows in confusion as she looked at you. Something was clearly bothering her. She tried to smile at you in reassurance but it didn’t work out very well.

“Class would someone please show the boys around before chapel starts,” miss asked, as soon as she said that all the girls in the class shot their hands up except you and Reya. You tried your best to read her but it wasn't working very well.

“We want her to,”

Jin, the boy who looked like the oldest one pointed at you. Shouldn't they be in different year levels?

Everyone’s eyes clicked to me, some girls glared at the back of your head as you slowly got up. “Follow me,” You said softly ignoring how all seven boys stared at you as if you were prey.

walking through the hallways you could hear the boys whispering behind you. The hair stood up on the back of your neck as you pointed to different rooms. explaining what the are.

“and this is the spare classroom, we mostly use in for dance class as there aren’t any desks here, and the walls are soundproof,” You explained opening the door and letting them look in.

“Can you take us inside?” jimin asked as the started to block your exit. “Yer I guess I can,” you said as your heart started beating faster.

Leading them, you walked them in.

“so yer it’s a pretty decent roo-“ You started but as soon as you heard the slam of the door closing and the click of the lock, you whipped around faster than you could say ‘what the fuck’.

The boys all started spreading around the room except Jin who stood at the door with a big as the smirk on his face.

“Erm…is something wrong?” you asked gulping the saliva that was gathering in your mouth out of nervousness.

“Mmmmmm yes something is a very wrong young one,” Namjoon said as he rested his body against the wall sighing “see, you saw some of us in the forest last night, remember that?” Yoongi asked as he gave a faint smirk.

“Oh…that was you guys? Why were you in the forest? And why is it a problem that I saw you?” you asked in confusion, why are they making such a big deal out of it.

“mmmmmm, maybe she didn’t…’see’ us” taehyung said putting focus on the word see as he scratched his head and looked off into the distance

“doesn’t matter…I’m hungry,” jungkook said as he stepped closer and closer towards you.

your heart skipped a beat as his piercing gaze looked straight into my soul. A smirk came onto his face before he closed his eyes and took a whiff.

“My favourite,” he said before opening his eyes, the red of his eyes matched the colour of deep blood. As he smiled at you two fangs diverted your eyes to them causing you to freeze momentarily.

Gasping you backed up against a wall, He laughed at my obvious fear as the rest of them smirked waiting for the scene to unfold.

“Do you know what we are?” he asked the word right on the tip of my tongue.

“Y-y-you’re a-a vampire” you whimpered as you clutched the edge of my shirt.

“See guys! now she knows about us! do you know what happens to humans that find out about us?” he smirked coming closer to you.

“I don’t really wanna know to be honest” you whimpered again, looking around for some sort of exit but there was no point, his ‘posse’ had the place surrounded.

“It doesn’t matter anyway, you’re about to find out” he smirked, opening his mouth wider as his hand held my neck tightly. breathing in you were ready to let out a scream but the front door was pulled open.

Everyone stopped, jungkook’s fangs and eyes disappeared as Reya stood at the doorway. you had never been more grateful to see her in your life than at this moment right now.

“There you are, why are you guys in here? Shouldn’t your tour be done?” Reya asked, the door still wide open, wasn’t that locked?

You shuffled your feet to move out but jungkook who was in front of you, growled softly under his breath.

“Y/N, let’s go,” Reya said motioning out the door quickly.

“What about us? You can’t just leave us alone” taehyung pouted as he swiftly grabbed her hand. Your heart skipped a beat for a second, we need to both get the fuck out of here.

“You’re old enough, I’m sure you can find your way,” she said coldly as she snatched her hand back from his grip.

“If you want your friend you’re going to have to come in and get her” jungkook said as he gripped my arm tightly pulling me into his rock hard body.

Trying to communicate with her through your eyes you watched in fear as she rolled her eyes her temper clearly boiling.

“Well?” taehyung asked as everyone looked on. ,s if what was happening was a game. Reya took a breath before walking in straight towards where you were.

Taehyung smiled and slammed the door shut as some of the boys started laughing.

“not a smart move” jungkook chuckled before his fangs reappeared.

Waiting for an ear-piercing screech you watch on worriedly but your eyes narrowed at the relaxed girl.

I started struggling against his grip as Reya walked closer.

“I only like saying things once, so listen closely. You WILL leave her alone, I’ll let you roam around, but if I see one bite mark on her unscarred skin, or one student in this god damn school dead, I will kill you, now let her go” Reya stated, authority laced in her voice.

Jungkook and his companions laughed as he brought you in front of him, holding you still with one arm and removing your hair in front of your neck with the other.

“And what are you, a low power witch, going to do to stop me” he smirked as he brought his fangs closer to my neck.

Tears strolled down my face as you prepared yourself for the pain...

“Remember what I told you,” she said staring him down.

Before his teeth could puncture your neck, his hands dropped from your body and went straight to his head, he screamed loudly, dropping towards the floor. Jin and Suga ran straight too him. Looking at him confused.

“I wouldn’t exactly call me, low rated,” she said grabbing your arm and pulling you towards her. Confused, you continued to stare at the group of vampires.

“Remee, stop please” you whispered tugging on her sleeve, looking down at the pained boy. She glanced at you confused before stopping whatever she was doing.

As jungkook regained himself he glared up at the two of you. scooting a little closer to Remee you tried not to be as scared as they all circled us shooting daggers into our backs.

“so what are you, middle rate? You don’t smell like an ultimate witch” rap monster asked as he examined her.

“I don’t know, are you willing to find out,” she said glaring at all of them. the tension could be cut with a knife. Your friend was so confident and so unfazed by the blood-sucking boys.

“Now let us go,” she said turning to jimin who was blocking up from the door. When jimin didn’t move she sighed and with a flick of her hand jimin was flung across the room. As he groaned you watched as some of the boys moved away from Reya.

“One time everybody, one time,” she said as she led you out of the room.

As Remee dragged you down the corridors you head was spun. The situation not settling well with you.

“Remee, what the fuck just happened, their…and you’re…and what the hell!?” I exclaimed clutching my head with my free hand.

“I’ll explain once we get back to my house,” she said as we exiting school “were ditching?” you asked, Your brain lowkey breaking down at the knowledge that these mythical creatures were real.

“Yer well I think this situation calls for ditching ya know?” she said as the two of you left school. You tightened your grip on your friend's hand as you knew without her guidance your body wouldn't know how to act. The memory of those red eyes and white fangs burned in your brain as you walked...

What now? Are they going to be after you?

You looked at Reya who still looked calm and composed and something about it calmed you down.

You would be okay...hopefully.

326 notes · View notes

cheshiremadd · 5 years ago

Text

until she falls in love with me

AO3 Inspiration

Interlude: The Ladyblog

Here it is, folks! Last month’s non-akuma video submissions: The Convention Compilation!You guys sent in so much footage; so I’ll be posting a second compilation later in the week. Thanks for your support! - Alya Cesaire, Ladyblogger Extraordinaire

A group of people are down the street from the camera. They are all wearing black and all have blonde hair. The view turns 180 degrees to show Chat Noir. A cheshire grin and a wink, and he turns it back to the group. The camera bobs as he walks towards them. As he gets closer, it becomes clear that every person in the group is in a Chat Noir costume. They range from I-found-this-in-my-closet to well tailored, used-every-reference-image-the-Ladyblog-had-to-offer imitation. One cosplayer turns his head and catches sight of Chat. He waves and calls out, “Hey man, looks like your going to the con, too! Wanna join us?”

Everyone else turns and most wave or call out greetings. “Sure! Mind if I record?”

They all look at each other, shaking heads. The first one responds as he holds out a clawed hand. “I think we’re all okay with that. I’m Bertrand.”

“I’m Chat Noir!” The group laughs.

“Yeah, so are we!” One of the girls says, still laughing. She’s wearing a simple jeans and t-shirt, both black, and a cat ear headband in blond hair that looks more real than wig. “Woah, wicked costume! Are those the ears off Amazon? It’s great to know they actually work.”

The group starts walking again, and Chat follows with his camera. They chatter about which panels to see (Marvel vs Miraculous: What Comics Can Tell Us About Real Life Superheroes and Protagonist? Villain? Goofy Side-Kick? How to Recognize Your Role in Life and What You Can Do About It seem to be two favorites), make bets on what cosplays they’ll see the most of (“I’m telling ya, Bertie, there’s gonna be more Ladybugs!” “Chat’s costume is easier!”), and eventually moves to celebrity sightings.

“Guys, did you see?! Adrien Agreste is coming! He confirmed on Twitter this morning. Says he’s got his costume ready to go and everything!” He hops up and down in his excitement. “Do you think he’ll dress up as Chat Noir? I loved his work on the Ladybug and Chat Noir movie. His portrayal of Chat Noir was spot on! Do you think he’ll take a picture with me?”

“Don’t you mean ‘his portrayal was purrfect’?” Chat interrupted.

The teen smacks his palm to his forehead. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that!”

Amid giggles, Black Jeans and a T-shirt speaks up again. “Okay, but is he a guest? Or a pleb like us? I’m sure that he isn’t going so he can be mobbed by fans, Matthieu.”

“It’s general knowledge that if you go to a convention in costume, people will want to take pictures.”

“It’s general courtesy to ask before you take pictures, and back off if he says ‘no’.”

“Of course!” Matthieu raises his hands in defense. “Of course I’d back off.”

A curious sound, almost like a heavy-duty fishing reel being released and drawn back in, comes over the video. Chat’s slightly awed muttering can barely be heard, “This is one of the best parts of my day..”, and then Ladybug is dropping gracefully on the other side of the multiple Chat Noirs.

“Hi everyone.” She gives a brief warm smile and then turns her attention to the person behind the camera. Her blue eyes are vivid and piercing. “Are you coming or what?” She waits for a moment, expecting an answer. The group trade confused looks. “Look, I know you hate overscheduled days, but I have a lot to do today, and if I don’t follow mine, I will end up disappointing someone.”

The silence continues. Black Jeans and a T-Shirt shifts from foot to foot. Tuxedo Chat wipes her hands on her pants. Professional Cosplayer Chat looks like he’s about to melt from Ladybug’s mere presence. The camera shifts and picks up a muffled snerk that the cosplayers don’t register.

“Uh, ma’am?” Bertrand starts, then cuts off as she looks at him. “...we’re, uh….None of us are actually Chat Noir.” He pauses a moment. “We’re.. cosplayers?”

She stares at him with an amused eyebrow and a barely-there smile. “I know my partner when I see him.” She glances back at Chat, and mischief dances in her eyes. “Alright, fine, but I’m enacting a penalty game.”

Ladybug shifts her weight into a more relaxed position. Brings her fingers to her chin as if stroking an invisible beard. “Hm...I’ll just have to find your Number 1 Fan and see if I can sway her my way.”

There’s a loud gasp. Chat and his camera begin moving to the front of the group.

“Nope! No! Not happening! Sorry, guys, it was fun, but there is NO WAY in HELL that I am letting that happen.”

“I’m sure it’d be so easy, too. She’s a fashion designer, isn’t she? All I’d have to do is show her how fantastic she’d look in red.”

Chat practically chokes. Ladybug looks smug.

“Bug. You have the Ladyblogger. You have Adrien Agreste, and Chloé Bourgeois. Jagged Stone. You can keep your 90% of Paris. But Marinette Dupain-Cheng is mine. You may not have her.”

“Hey! Jagged loves us equally. And it’s probably more like…” She seesaws her hand in approximation. “..78% of Paris.”

“Um…” The camera turns back to the cosplayers, who are wearing a variety of facial expressions. Mouth-gapingly dumbfounded. Disbelief. Confusion. Stars in the eyes excitement.

The feed cuts as they all ask for autographs.

"Mommy, look! It's Chat Noir!"

A small girl runs up and hugs him. She has a navy dress, red hair bow, and an orange bag.

“Élodie! You need to ask before you touch.” Élodie’s mom sounds both like she’s said this a hundred times today and like she thinks the scene is adorable. She steps around part of the crowd and into the camera view. Élodie immediately lets go

“Can..can I ha-have a hug?”

Chat Noir looks delighted. His eyes shine and his grin is threatening to overtake his face. He drops to his knees to better accommodate the four year old. “Absolutely!”

She’s squeezing him for all she’s worth, and he’s holding her as if she’s the most precious child in the world. Her mom quietly produces a phone and snaps a picture. She glances at the screen with a small smile. Chat only pulls back when Élodie does.

“You are the cutest Kiki!” Chat tilts his head. He’s still on his knees, at her eye level. “But where is your Jiji?”

Élodie lights up even more and paws for her bag. The black cat plush is proudly presented. Chat takes it, gingerly, and says, “Did you know that cats can talk to one another?”

The little girl nods enthusiastically, hanging on his every word. He lifts Jiji to his cat ears and closes his eyes. Tilts his head. ‘Listens’ for a moment. She squirms, doing a kind of butt wiggle like she can’t possibly contain her excitement.

Finally, Chat nods. “Mm-hm. I’ll be sure to pass the message on.”

She jumps once, twice, three times. Her little hands are clenched fists not quite hiding her mouth. “What’d he say? What’d he say?!”

“He says that he loves you. And also please stop hogging the blankets at night.” His smile turns teasing. “Are you a blanket hog?”

They talk for a few more minutes. She asks him every question under the sun (“Ca-can you really see when the sun goes down? Do you eat cookies? Could you tie up a dinosaur and a tiger?”). She touches his ears and tries to stop his tail from moving. Her last question has him tapping his chest and beckoning Ladybug closer with his other hand. Élodie looks to her mom, who nods and smiles, and lays her head where he indicated. Ladybug slips a hand into his hair and, with what is clearly practiced ease, begins scratching. His eyes droop and close. They stay paused for a moment, until Élodie shrieks with laughter, pulls away to tell her mom giddily, “He purrs, Mommy! Like Jiji!”, then goes back to hear again.

When the little girl and her mom finally go on their way, the cameraperson has scooted close enough to the heroes to catch one final exchange.

Ladybug, who hasn’t taken her eyes off her partner and his tiny fan the whole time, says “Chat, if you ever decide to have kids, you’re going to make the most incredible father.”

The previous scene ended with a red faced Chat Noir. And this scene starts with one.

The view zooms out to bring a full view of the dark haired Chat. Her costume is perfect, down to the honeycomb pattern on the fabric. Hair unbound and rockstar teased, blue cat eye contacts, clawed hands nervously twirling her belt-tail. She’s in a convention hall, surrounded by crowds of people. Some are in costumes like her, some in regular clothes.

“Are you livestreaming this?” Marinette says.

“Nope! But you can bet I’m putting it in this month’s submission compilation post. Your work deserves to be shown off!”

“Alyaaa, you’re making me blush!”

Alya laughs, then gasps as a giant space marine moves and reveals the real Chat Noir. “Chat! Chat Noir! Care to share a few words with the Ladyblog?"

He waves and works his way to them. He’s smiling brightly until Marinette turns to greet him, and he stops dead. His eyes widen and his mouth drops open. His face is now very, very red. He waves his hands like he’s trying to get something out and is having trouble, but then reigns them in, covering his mouth with one and putting the other to the opposite elbow.

“That’s, um,” His voice comes out high and squeaky. He clears his throat and tries again. “Wow. That’s wow. How, uh, how did you get the fabric to do that?”

She seems too stunned to answer for a moment. “L-lots of experiments. And practice. I had to do so much research on how fabrics are made.”

“Wow,” Chat says again. His eyes are roaming all over her form, taking in every detail.

“Hey, M, turn around. I want to get a good shot of you two!” The two jump a bit, but do as she asks and line up facing the camera. Standing next to him only exemplifies how exact her creation is.

Alya leads her impromptu interview with: “How long did it take you to make your outfit?”

“Mmm...six months or so, about when the presale tickets went live.”

“So long?” the superhero asks. He’s mystified.

Marinette just shrugs. “I knew that I’d have to work around school and commissions and other stuff, and I wanted to give the project the consideration it deserved.”

“What was the hardest part to recreate?” Alya asks.

Marinette laughs. “Definitely the fabric! I went through so many different types, trying to figure out the best way to get the pattern on right, because it’s just not something you’ll find in a store. I ended up contacting someone that I’d met at a design competition, and they were able to point me in the direction of a company that will print your pattern for you.”

Chat’s eyes widen once more and he pulls out his baton and starts tapping on it. Nino walks up, in a store-bought Chat Noir costume, also holding his phone out.

“Babe! No Adrien?”

Nino glances at Alya, then back down. “He says he’s here, but there’s so many people, it’s impossible to find anybody. Oh, hey, you found Nettie and Chat Noir. HOLY SHIT MARINETTE. That costume is wicked!”

He circles her, putting his phone up, then holds his fist out. She bumps it with a grin.

Chat harumphs and replaces his weapon. “Looks like LB’s already detransformed. I wanted to show off Marinette’s amazing skills!”

Alya laughs. “Ladybug’s right, though. M does look fantastic in red.”

Chat stares at her, decidedly grumpy. The girl in question snorts out surprised laughter. A tall Mad Hatter in the background notices the camera and sticks up crooked bunny ears over Chat’s head. Alya cackles in delight.

“As I told my lady,” he wraps a possessive arm around Marinette’s shoulder, “my Number 1 Fan. Not hers.”

He looks directly at the camera. “Oh, and to anyone still arguing over the position: Look at this” he gestures to her costume “and don’t even bother trying to convince me otherwise.”

Dorothée Beranger Yeah, that’s fair... She wore that costume to school the next day and it’s *chef’s kiss*. Also she’s, like, Chat Noir’s biggest defender. Word of advice: do not insinuate that he’s a sidekick anywhere this girl might hear.

Antonin Lamarre I've seen her Chat rants on the Ladyblog! She really knows her stuff!

LuminousPollywog Seeing Chat with that little girl cleared my face, watered my crops, and gave my grades the boost they needed.

miraculousluckycharm13 THAT SOFT LOOK! #LADYNOIR IS REAL --Paradiddle --are we just going to ignore the marichat? chatinette? in the room?

#miraculous ladybug #chat noir #ladybug #marinette dupain cheng #alya cesaire #nino lahiffe #day _ until she loves me #Days

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amydancepants-peralta · 5 years ago

Text

brand new moon, brand new sun ♥️

From the first time she had presented her parents with a ‘consideration list’ for her upcoming 6th birthday party, Amy Santiago knew she was a Planner.

It had been a carefully curated form, with possible locations itemised in order of preference (the local park rated higher than their backyard, the planetarium superseded the park); followed by a hopeful guest list - her already neat handwriting deliberately ranking her classmates from Most Likely to be invited (Katrina M) to Least (Kyle D).

Her parents had been impressed by the work that had gone into it, and that year began her eleven year streak of amazing birthdays surrounded by the universe and the closest of her friends. It also taught her that preparation led to results, and by the time she was eight Amy had already begun to map out her weeks well in advance. She had favourite markers, and a colour-coded system for specific events; and as the years wore on and her preferences changed, one simple truth remained: preparation and planning was everything, and hard work always pays off.

While it was true that the life calendar that she’d put together during her first year of college hadn’t planned or predicted for the undeniable impact that Jake Peralta would have on her life, for the first time in a long time Amy had simply found herself adjusting to the unfamiliar thrill of not knowing. It had only taken two or three dates for her to realise that being with Jake had changed everything - infinitely for the better - and from the first time she’d stayed the entire weekend at his apartment, and woke up Sunday morning to find that he’d run down to his local bodega purely to buy her a copy of the New York Times so that she could still do the weekly crossword, Amy knew that she was in it for the long haul.

Jake both encouraged and challenged her, and made her smile more than anybody in the entire world. He loved Amy, with every fibre of his being, and would happily shout it from the rooftop of every building in Brooklyn if ever given the chance. And Amy was so deeply in love with Jake - the kind of love that vibrated from every pore, and for the longest time she had truly believed such a thing only existed in the great literary classics. It’s the kind of love that turns you upside down and inside out and makes you whole: that completes you even when you thought you were already complete. He was the love of her life and her best friend all wrapped up in one handsome package, and the night that he’d sat beside her, shrugging and giving her that beautiful smile of his before suggesting that they should start trying for a baby, will always remain one of her favourite moments.

Truthfully, Amy had known that it wasn’t going to happen instantaneously. Her body needed to adjust to no longer being on the pill for starters, and sometimes good things simply take time. It was several months before the fear began to creep in, and it took a pregnancy announcement from an officer on the second floor to make their sex a little more scheduled - a little more time specific - and while The Jake Way had been a lot of fun, it too had not yielded results, and things began to become clear.

This was a test. And tests were something that Amy knew like the back of her hand. It had been a rush of adrenaline, to compile all the information and fill binder after binder with scores of insider tips and tricks. This was what Amy knew, and what she knew she could do well. There were calendars and graphs, coloured post-its and ovulation charts and a schedule that rivalled all the other schedules she’d ever put together in her life. Suddenly, Amy begins to feel in control again - because preparation and planning was everything, and hard work always pays off.

She tries to shrug off the disappointment when the first test she takes after Operation Pregnancy begins, throwing the stick into the bin and shaking her head quickly when he looks at her expectantly. Keeps her face positive when she sticks her head out of the work restroom a couple of days later, throwing out a casual nope! that doesn’t sound casual at all to her, and clearly Jake agrees because as soon as the door swings shut behind her he’s pulling her into his arms. It’s entirely inappropriate for the workplace, but his arms are so tight around her and it feels so incredibly right that for a moment, the buzzing world around them fades away. He whispers in her ear that there’s always next time, and she can feel herself nodding, pushing the doubts down further as she rests her head against her husband’s chest.

Two and a half months in she begins branching out, buying a few different brands of pregnancy tests and favouring one that has a panel along the side that simply states ‘pregnant’ or ‘not pregnant’. It’s a blunt statement, but negative signs have never been welcome in Amy’s life (all these years later, she can still vividly recall the first time she received an A minus), and she’s seen more than her fair share by now.

As it turns out, the words sting just as much as the symbol.

Birthdays come and go, Halloween passes and so does Thanksgiving, and then suddenly it’s Christmas and Amy still isn’t pregnant. There are three more officers in the precinct (not to mention their neighbour and her younger sister-in-law), that are pregnant; but Amy definitely is not.

The morning the thirtieth test gets thrown into the bin Amy climbs into the shower, desperate to wash away the overwhelming sensation of defeat - but no matter how hard she scrubs, the feeling just never seems to fade. Each attempt burns, like another red mark against her name - a report card filled up with multiple Fs - and she’s so determined to prove that they can do this, but … maybe she can’t.

Her hands run over the curve of her abdomen as the suds fall down her body and she tenses her muscles, pushing out her stomach and briefly giving into the fantasy that someday - maybe even someday soon - there will be a baby growing there. Her chest tightens under the pressure of it all and she releases a huff of breath, dipping her head back to let the water run down her face, her tears mingling with the rivulets as her stomach collapses back to it’s regular state. She feels like such a failure. And Amy Santiago has never been a fan of failure.

She runs her hands over her face as she dries off, avoiding the mirror but trying desperately to erase any sign of her devastation before leaving the bathroom. This whole process hasn’t been easy on either of them - she needs Jake’s positivity now more than ever - and while Amy knows that she promised herself never to hide anything from her husband, the idea of admitting that she’s just no good at this was more than she was willing to say out loud just yet. Still, his careful eyes pick up on the droop of her shoulders - on the frustration hidden terribly on her face - and as her feet pad down their hallway he’s already putting together her favourite tea, leading her to their still new (and ridiculously comfortable) couch. His shoulder has always been her favourite place to rest, and today is no exception, but the aching no longer seems to fade as quickly.

She hates what this has become - has genuinely begun to resent the fact that they have to try so damn hard for something that should be so simple. There are times when she considers throwing in the towel - of standing back and waiting for fate to play it’s cards - and then her mind imagines what their children would look like, and before she knows it Amy is setting another UD alarm into the clock in their bedroom.

Then time wears on, and failure seems to become the only certainty.

It was an unfamiliar territory, this regularity of rejection. She’d never realised that failure had teeth - sharp, pointy little fangs that dug into her skin and whispered in her ear whenever her thoughts would finally grow quiet. There was an echoing sting to it all, the knowing that deep down there was no reason they weren’t getting pregnant that didn’t lead directly back to her. Amy wanted to grow a family with Jake - to watch a miniature version of him grow and take on the world. Another gentle boy with scruffy hair, and the sweetest of hearts that always seemed to be far bigger than his body could possibly conceal, getting the chance to finally grow up in a world made entirely of love. To give him a sister, and then maybe another brother, and watch them play in the backyard of their house in the suburbs as she and Jake cooked dinner every evening. It was a future that she could see so clearly - one that seemed so bright that it just didn’t seem fair for it not to happen.

All of the pregnancy journals and fertility guides remind her that none of this is personal, and that sometimes the human body just finds it that little bit harder to conceive. But to Amy, this is as personal as it gets. She’s always been a straight-A student, who excelled at everything, but for some stupid reason her body simply didn’t want to co-operate.

She’d give Jake anything - she’d give him everything, if he only asked. But this? This, she cannot seem to do. And it broke her heart just that little more, every single time they failed.

It takes the suggestion of adding their colleague’s soon to be ex-wife’s brother in law on Facebook so they can ask for conception tips to finally push Amy over the edge, the insanity of it all splitting her heart into two because she simply cannot handle another reminder that she is broken - that her body is broken, and she cannot give Jake the family that he so truly deserves.

None of this made any sense. This was a test, and Amy was used to making tests her bitch. She excelled at studying and revising and learning and winning - but no matter how hard she tried, no matter how hard they studied and moulded their bodies into perfectly hospitable vessels for procreation - nothing was working.

She can feel her chest constricting as she blurts out I’m sorry I’m bad at making babies, and she can tell that her heart is one more word away from splitting open completely, but then Jake shakes his head, and tells her not to say such a thing, and all the reasons she loves him as deeply as she does rush to the forefront.

He tells her they are a family, just the two of them, and damnit if he isn’t completely correct. They are a family: a party of two, and it’s smaller than the one she grew up with but it’s filled with just as much love. There are options, he reminds her, and even though all of this is completely out of her control and that is the worst thing in the world for her, right now none of it seems as bad as it did only a moment ago. Despite all the heartache that exists within her, Amy can feel herself begin to smile, and it feels like coming home.

Jake leans in, and his lips are so softly pressed against hers; so gentle and tender, so full of reassurance that truly, he is all Amy needs to get by.

His hand lingers on her thigh for the entire cab ride home. It’s entirely welcome, and the strong grip of Jake’s fingers on her skin is something that Amy has completely missed, and she wants to tell him but her mouth is far too occupied with kissing her husband. It’s the sweetest and greatest feeling, this notion of kissing Jake for no other reason than to kiss him, long and hard and sweet and soft and definitely more passionate as they feel the cab take the familiar stops and turns that lead to their apartment.

She’s missed this - this feeling of making love to her husband, to chasing release and holding their sweaty bare skin tightly against each other in the afterglow. Of holding each other instead of hugging her knees to her chest, of considering the whole thing to be anything other than just another uterine deposit. It’s the best night they’ve had in a long time, and part of her wonders if maybe they should have just given up trying a lot sooner.

And then a week goes by, and her period is a day and a half late, and Amy knows she shouldn’t get her hopes up just yet, but this is how her cousin Mariela got pregnant and maybe they both had just needed to relax before it could all happen. So she waits until they’re home before telling Jake about the last boxed test, the one that had been shoved to the back so that it was out of sight and out of mind, and he squeezes her hand as she lifts herself up and off the couch.

When the word Not begins to appear, Amy waits for the crushing disappointment to wash over her, already trying to figure out a way to stall her departure from the bathroom so that Jake doesn’t have to see just how upset another negative makes her. And the sadness appears - truth be told, it never really went away - but this time, the edges don’t seem as sharp. Instead, the soft voice of her husband telling her we are a family … you and me washes over her, and Amy raises her head, staring at her reflection in the mirror and nodding at the woman she sees in front of her. He was right - the two of them were already a family. A family stronger than some, because regardless of how many times the world tried to pull them apart, they always found a way to come back to each other.

Nothing about her has changed today, but Amy knows that she’s no longer the same. It’s a brand new day, and their future now lay claim to a whole bunch of question marks but with Jake, the unexpected didn’t seem so terrifying. After all, she hadn’t expected to fall in love with the overactive detective that sat across from her for all those years - but fall she did. Hadn’t imagined their wedding to take place in front of the precinct, with shredded versions of her favourite forms covering the asphalt as she walked down the aisle towards her soon-to-be-husband. Never dreamed of sharing her honeymoon with anyone but the love of her life. But all of that had happened, and she wouldn’t change it for anything.

Maybe they would try IVF. Or maybe they would adopt - perhaps even foster. Maybe they’d even become a family of fur babies - hypo-allergenic dogs and cats and some fishes swimming around in a tank.

(But no guinea pigs. Definitely no guinea pigs.)

They would study the options, and plan for the future, but this time the weight on Amy’s shoulders seems far lighter. Whatever the decision, they would make it together, and the sense of calm that rushes over Amy at that thought suddenly makes the negative test in her hand seem far less personal, and more a fact of life. She wasn’t in control of this process, and for all the reasons she hates that fact, she loves Jake all the more.

And with Jake by her side, they can get through anything - because no matter what, they’ll do it together.

#so maybe 7x06 made me Feel Things #mine #myfic #maybe this is angsty #but the story needs to be told #also it feels like I haven't written in forever #how odd #Jake x Amy fic #peraltiago fanfiction #b99 fanfic #b99fanfic

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the-gemini-cores · 5 years ago

Text

Blue Sky Analysis (Wheatley Redemption and Sky Motif)

Let me start off by saying:

The summer solstice took place during the week of Blue Sky.

In Chapter 1 of Blue Sky is the following quote:

“It was a spring morning, just before dawn, fresh and mild.”

Later on, Waffles wrote a short story in response to one of @oodlesodoodles drawings of Eaden’s journey back from Aperture. You can read it here.

She wrote the following:

“Most of the town settled down to sleep in the long grass by the road, wrapped in the thin blankets they’d gathered from the Relaxation Units, thankful for the warm breezy summer night.”

Kind of interesting, no? For the start of Blue Sky it’s spring, and not long after Chapter 15 it’s summer.

So, in the U.S…

So it definitely took place near the end of June for that year. Ironically, the turning from spring into summer is called “midsummer,” as it’s when the summer solstice occurs.

(As said above, these are specific to 2020 - the solstice’s average date is the 21st. Although we can’t be certain of the exact dates in Blue Sky, the change in seasons clearly demonstrates a solstice was present.)

I’m not sure if the turn into summer was written intentionally, but I like to think that it was for purposes of symbolism.

Cue the analysis!!

The summer solstice is when the sun reaches its highest point. In Waffles’ writing, Wheatley has likened both GLaDOS and Chell to the sun:

“Then there was the sun…up here in space without the protection of all that white wispy stuff around the Earth it was an intense, cold-yellow glare…Harsh, pitiless, and unblinking; it reminded him too much of Her.” (Chapter 1)

“Her whole face came alive when she laughed; not in a scary brilliant, born-puzzle-solver-and-stuff-breaker sort of way, no, this was a different thing altogether. It was like sunlight in the facility, like suddenly seeing a patch of bright blue sky clear through a gap in the cage of panels and realizing you were much, much closer to it than you’d thought.” (Chapter 6)

So, what’s the connection? Why are they each compared to the sun?

Well, I think it’s safe to say at this point in his story that Wheatley sees both GLaDOS and Chell as powerful, near-infallible figures that would/could definitely crush him if he made a wrong move. They are constant, immovable, major influencers who play at odds but on a similar field.

Take GLaDOS, for instance. Wheatley is quite obviously fearful of Her and what She can do to him, which is consistently portrayed through his dialogue in-game when he’s not attached to the chassis. In Blue Sky, his fear appears from the moment Her voice is heard while falling to earth-

“That Voice. The dread of it- the dread of Her- was hard-coded into his artificial heart-roots…his emotional processor found room for another sour jerk of sick fear.” (Chapter 1)

-and amplifies as She holds him captive. Even after Chell rescues him and he is far from Aperture, Wheatley has trouble just talking about Her to Aaron on Chell’s behalf in Chapter 5. As if uttering Her being is wont to get one into trouble…In a way, it’s almost like fearing “God”, as GLaDOS is referred to in Chapter 1. And She sort of is, with the power She holds over the subjects and cores in that facility, and also the inferiority complex She’s contributed with dragging Wheatley into.

“‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry!’ ‘Oh, I believe you.’ More jointed arms folded around him from below, their connectors finding the docking ports on his sides, locking him firmly into their grip. ‘I just don’t care. This isn’t about revenge, metal ball. We both know you are a pointless, insignificant little moron who has never done anything right.’” (Chapter 1)

Basically, Wheatley does not feel that he is on a level playing field with GLaDOS. Instead, he is taught to tread lightly around Her because She constantly exercises Her power over him, making him feel so much smaller.

The case is not entirely different with how Wheatley perceives Chell. Granted, it is a LOT different - Wheatley trusts Chell and eventually comes to realize how she genuinely wants to help him grow - but until he gets to learn her better, Wheatley views her by what he knows: Chell is an incredible test subject who has a knack for taking down power-mad AIs. Wheatley may not see himself on GLaDOS’ level, but he does see Chell there. And until he can better understand her motives, Wheatley perceives Chell, like GLaDOS, as a force that best not be messed with.

“Just speaking about the facility, about Her, hearing his own voice shakily describing everything he’d tried so hard to escape was nearly as bad as actually being back there. He wanted to stop, but he simply didn’t have the nerve- not while she was still glaring at him like that, as if daring him to make another objection.” (Chapter 5)

She can command him with a look and anchor him by just being there. In a way, Chell terrifies Wheatley, as described in the aforementioned quote that conveyed her “scary brilliant, born-puzzle-solver-and-stuff-breaker sort of” look. It’s also illustrated in how Wheatley thinks of Chell as a kind of superhuman.

“You’re not afraid of anything!’ She looked up, sharply. She might have suspected mockery, or even flattery, but Wheatley hadn’t intended either- hadn’t intended anything, other than a plain, admiring statement of fact- and it showed.” (Chapter 6)

What I’m getting at is Wheatley sees both GLaDOS and Chell almost as superior to him. Like they’re on a whole other level that he can’t quite reach - huge, celestial, god-like stars. He’d tried making his way to that level once, in the chassis, but he couldn’t handle it, and that truth resonates with him now as it did in space. He couldn’t manage the position of power that GLaDOS occupies and, in his eyes, Wheatley couldn’t stand up to GLaDOS like Chell could.

“‘Chell here is the only human that ever managed to get one over Her, and she only managed it because- because- I-I don’t actually even know how she managed it, to be honest, but it probably involved a lot of explosions. (Chapter 5)

Clearly a reference to how Chell had freed Wheatley from GLaDOS, when he was completely helpless and relied on her nearly the whole way through. He thinks of Chell as objectively capable.

Wheatley has worked himself into the idea that he is incompetent and relatively inferior to these two characters - that he’s designed to be a moron, that he can only come up with terrible ideas and there’s nothing he can do to counter that.

Until he proves himself.

You see, the sun is used to describe GLaDOS and Chell when it’s being told through Wheatley’s eyes. But when the omniscient narrator is speaking, the sun reflects Wheatley on multiple occasions, suggesting that he has the potential to join these two.

“By the time the sun had made its first uncertain, deep-orange-red appearance over the horizon, a small crowd of curious people had gathered…Wheatley swallowed. His enthusiasm had lasted right up until the moment when he’d realized exactly what Garret wanted him to do, at which point it had evaporated like sodium dropped into water, leaving stark terror in its place.” (Chapter 10)

Here, Wheatley is met with a task, a challenge that dangles over his head. And as we know, this is the day when Wheatley takes that first major step into his own. The day he gets Foxglove working, takes a chance with everyone watching, and he succeeds. He receives praise-

“Their overwhelming unconditional approval was very nearly too much for him to process, and for a choked, confused moment he found himself really wishing he could take his glasses off properly.” (Chapter 10)

Wheatley is validated not only by the masses, by faceless figures who he might see as on his level, but also by people he perceives as being greater than he, including Chell and Aaron.

“It was a look just for him, warm and open and a little wry and simply- proud.” (Chapter 10)

“Wheatley, who found it very hard to believe that a look like that from somebody In Charge could possibly be aimed at him, found it as staggering as it was unmistakable. Good job.” (Chapter 10)

Wheatley isn’t used to being nodded at from the higher-ups. He doesn’t expect such treatment from them, and yet they give it. This is a glimpse into what could be, if Wheatley continues to make steps in the right direction.

But things go awry that night. The townspeople get captured, and Chell goes off after them while Wheatley stays behind. For a very long time, he sits and laments in the dark, but then…

“It was nearly dawn.” (Chapter 13)

The sun returns. And that’s when he resolves to be brave.

Wheatley puts aside his fears and reservations, and he joins the effort, willing to sacrifice himself to keep these people safe.

I like to believe that the summer solstice took place on the day Wheatley saved Eaden.

I think it represents his ascension - profound if not permanent - in joining GLaDOS and Chell on their respective level, especially by his own perspective. Participating in the fight, becoming a real force to be reckoned with and handling his influence over GLaDOS and the facility. Doing something right.

Once in Aperture, Wheatley is no longer submissive to GLaDOS, and he is taking initiative to be by Chell’s side, choosing to aid her at his own risk. He is redeeming himself, forging his way through the panels and clouds and establishing his path into that bright blue sky, of which his residence will be permanent.

If we continue with the sky motif, we understand that it was Chell who showed him the path to redemption - the blue sky - despite his inhibitions brought about by Aperture:

“It was like sunlight in the facility, like suddenly seeing a patch of bright blue sky clear through a gap in the cage of panels and realizing you were much, much closer to it than you’d thought.”

And beyond the fears drilled into his head because of what the scientists had done, the idea that he’s not good enough, that he can only come up with terrible ideas and can never escape that truth, there is fear of Her specifically. Upon returning to Earth and leaving Aperture, Wheatley had expected a newfound border to be drawn between him and GLaDOS, as seen by the skyline and cloud cover that he thought would shield him from Her glare. Yet he was wrong about how real these borders would be, whether meant for protection from Her vicinity or reaffirming their disparity.

“Then there was the sun…up here in space without the protection of all that white wispy stuff around the Earth it was an intense, cold-yellow glare.”

“…[T]he sun…During his time in space he’d guessed that the sunlight would be less intense down here beneath the blanket of the sky, but he’d been wrong. It was warmer, but no easier to bear.” (Chapter 4)

Atmosphere could be broken. Clouds could be pierced. On the day he overcomes his fears, the sky is cloud-covered before Foxglove sends Wheatley to Aperture and clearer after Eaden is brought to the surface.

“The sky was brightening, but the day was dull and overcast.” (Chapter 13)

“Sunlight. She could feel it, warm on her face…saw a sliver of brightest blue, a hazy sunbeam falling directly across the buckled floor, through a shattered hole in the musty little window above her.” (Chapter 14)

Makes me wonder if, in this moment, Wheatley was the sunbeam through the shattered hole guiding Chell from Aperture once again, as he had 4 years ago, and just as she had been guiding him out of Aperture’s weight over the past week with her own sunlight through the panels.

Okay. So:

The summer solstice occurred sometime over the week of Blue Sky, and I’d like to say it was the day Wheatley redeemed himself. Wheatley compares both GLaDOS and Chell to the sun, signifying how he sees them on a similar plane as major influencers. He manages to find ground with them by kicking his fears - the panels and skyline and cloud cover - in the teeth and making a place for himself in blue sky using the light that Chell provides for him, and that he gives in turn when the time comes.

Nice, very nice. Very fitting with Mr. Blue Sky’s lyrics as well. Now please excuse me while I go cry.

#c's posts #blue sky #blue sky portal #portal #portal 2 #wheatley #chell #glados #a portal for your thoughts #chelley

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makiema · 5 years ago

Note

Hello! What makes you ship Levi and Eren? (always curious about how people get into ereri)

Hi there, anon! I wish I could’ve answered this briefly but you’ve asked me something that I could honestly ramble on about forever. I’d try to be precise but I’m afraid it’d still be quite long because I don’t have the time to summarise, so bear withe me please >.

Okay so first of all, I used to be more into Eremika than Ereri in the beginning and the precious Eremika moment from Chapter 50 owned my heart. Back then the 13 y/o me didn’t get shit about Levi and Eren’s platonic canon relationship. But the popularity of Ereri was overwhelming and even though they were far from being my OTP I still shipped them in AU settings mainly because the fanfics were excellent. Also, at that point of time, I was more invested in the Naruto fandom and SS was my only OTP. In fact, I didn’t even know about the Visual Novel until late 2015 or early 2016 (I don’t remember exactly) which made me really get into Ereri. Reading the VN actually changed my whole perspective on Ereri and made me realise the depth of their canon relationship. When I re-read the manga again after that none of their subtle moments were lost on me and that’s how the ship started growing on me. Since then I even began picking up on a lot of parallels, symbolisms, etc. associated with them and all of that collectively went into becoming the reason why Ereri is my OTP.

I probably cannot think up of everything that makes me ship them at one go. Also I have my internals next week and Im losing my mind. Anyway here are some of the reasons that immediately came to mind when I saw your ask:

• Levi equating Eren to “The Tyger” : The VN concluded with the first two stanzas of Blake’s poem “The Tyger”. The poem is taken from The Songs of Innocence and Experience and the entire volume focuses on two things : the transition from childhood into adulthood and the existence of both beneficial and malevolent forces in human beings. So in the novel, Levi’s understanding, acceptance and even admiration of both the humane and the monstrous potential in Eren is commendable : “A monster with perfect, fearsome beauty; that inspires awe” Also, Levi acknowledges Eren’s will that “cannot be made to surrender” and his drive for freedom that “people living like birds in cages won’t get”. This shows us how Levi realizes that Eren’s mental maturity is not that of a normal 15 yo; that his “experiences” have made him into someone much more gritty, resilient and strong-willed for his age. “The Tyger” here is the agent of free-will and the poem further emphasises on free spirit by incorporating references to mythological figures who’re deemed as humanity’s heroes, for instance, “seize the fire” refers to Prometheus who is mankind’s hero because he stole fire from Zeus. It is said that because of him mankind could gain knowledge ; that mankind could step out of the bounds of ignorance ( See the parallel with Eren who said how ignorance is the biggest obstacle to freedom in Chapter 112 ). Another hero alluded to in the poem is Icarus who grew his wings of freedom and attempted to reach the farthest point (dangerously close to the sun) even though he was burned in the attempt (parallels with Eren’s whole attitude of ‘no matter what kind of hell awaits me I’ll keep moving forward’ ). Yeah so, that’s how deep Levi’s understanding of Eren runs.( Can you imagine the entire arc of Eren’s character was foreshadowed in Levi’s thoughts about him?) To me understanding is the most important factor when it comes to a ship so, I think Levi’s pov in the VN is the biggest contributor to their development.

• The way Eren looks at Levi : Idk how cliched this sounds but yes, the way he looks at Levi honestly gives me life. Be it in the Forest of the Giant Trees, or in the Reiss Chapel or in the Marley Arc, his eyes say it all. Add to this his signature shaky way of saing “Captain?”, idk if it’s only me but that just carries so much feeling, so much angst, so many unspoken emotions right there. If Levi’s thoughts on Eren made me fall in love with Ereri in the first place then Eren’s body language when it comes to Levi made me fuckin smitten over them (i kid u not honestly this ship is one of the very few things that actually give me the will to live)

• Hope and Strength : Honestly, I love Levi and Eren’s roles as humanity’s strength and humanity’s hope because this actually speaks volumes about their relationship. If Erwin gave Levi’s strength a dimension then Eren gave his strength meaning. Their roles in canon show their inter-dependence. After all, what is strength without hope? I don’t remember who first pointed this out, but someone said that this is the very concept the Survey Corps logo alludes to. The Wings of Freedom are shown as blue and white because royal blue represents strength and white represents hope. So the Wings are symbolical of what Levi and Eren individually stand for as well as signifies their dependence on each other.

• Levi’s role as Eren’s guardian : I love him both as Eren’s protector and his mentor. (oh also let’s not forget Eren had a little crush on him,,how adorable 🥺)

We’ve seen Levi giving it his all to protect Eren multiple times. And when he couldn’t protect him during the Battle of Trost because of his injury we see him clenching his fists in frustration. Again, in RTS we see Levi quite baffled when Erwin orders him to protect the horses and not protect Eren. Also in the RTS when Eren got flung on top of the wall, Levi was visibly concerned and then when Erwin couldnt come up with a plan that’d guarantee their survival, he quickly suggested that BOTH Erwin and Eren flit from there. This goes on to show how Levi thinks Erwin and Eren are EQUALLY important for ensuring humanity’s survival. It is evident from here that his liege and his mentee both belong on the same pedestal and he’d do anything to save them. Levi similarly comes up with an abrupt suggestion again in Ch 112 to save Eren when the Soldiers informed him that the higher authorities plan on having Eren eaten. Even though he clearly disapproved of Eren’s actions in Liberio, even though Levi himself always adhered to rules and discipline, he still had faith in Eren and he’d never accept such a ridiculous order, even if it came from Pixis. (plus he remembers the first time he met Eren which sort of makes us realize that Levi still sees himself as Eren’s protector🥺)

Next comes Levi’s role as a mentor in Eren’s life. I think his words of advice to Eren is an important factor that made him the man he is today. Levi encouraged him to believe in himself, he acknowledged his willpower, appreciated his relentless drive for freedom and even goaded him on to make important choices by himself. The recent happenings in the manga made a lot of people say that Eren follows the principle of “the end justifies the means” but originally, to quote Levi: “nobody can dictate you on what is the right path or what is the wrong one till you arrive at a certain outcome resulting from your choice”. I think one of the major reasons why Levi kicked Eren in the Marley arc again was because the outcome that Eren caused (at least according to Levi and the SC) was making Paradis the enemy of the whole enemy of the world and also a mountain of civilian deaths. This is just head canon but I think Levi was mainly disappointed because Eren didn’t seek his approval (unlike in the Reiss Chapel incident where he urged Levi to have faith in him before jumping into action of his own volition). Him comparing Eren with the underground thugs also makes me assume that he was genuinely hurt because he thought Eren has become complacent to the point where he doesn’t see Levi as a mentor anymore. But, right after his voice trails with the “you too..”, we see Eren looking up at him with the same beaming eyes. Curious why he’d do that at that instant. Also, during Serum Bowl, Eren used his height as the trump card to tower upon Levi. It was the only time he actually defied Levi and he did manage to look 100 percent domineering. But, post time skip Eren grew in leaps and bounds and he could easily repeat that but HE DID NOT. In fact, he utters his usual “Captain..?” and his eyes also have the same look. So maybe he still sees Levi as his inspiration but he cannot express that because he’s in a bind and has to act distant and cold with everyone. After all in Chapter 121, in the memory panel, we did see him recalling that very moment when Levi first advised him on making independent choices. His role as the mentor in Eren’s life is therefore once again reinforced by Isayama and I think that adds substantially to their wonderful platonic dynamic. ____________xxx___________

I probably couldn’t fit them all and even this is a terrible briefing. It is all so disarrayed and incoherent. I didn’t even get the time to attach pictures. Ugh, I’m so sorry anon ;-; I wish Uni would spare me some time to rant properly about my precious babies >.

#snk #ereri #riren #levieren #asks #thank you for the ask!#this is so shitty but i hope you'll accept this anon #i'll write a proper appreciation next time #also let me know why you ship them!#and have a nice day #<3

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sparda3g · 5 years ago

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Kimetsu no Yaiba Chapter 178 Review

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There’s an old saying that perfectly describes Kokushibo’s character, “Jealousy is a disease.” If it’s not removed, it will ultimately lead them to their rock bottom; never able to recover. This tale began with the cause stemmed from his childhood. It’s the adulthood that shows its effect. It’s not asking for fans for forgiveness, but it shows arguably the most grounded and relatable scenario that we should all be aware before it’s too late.

By this point of the chapter, Kokushibo is filled with envious feelings towards his younger twin brother. He went from feeling pity to feeling hatred; spouting words that are just as painful as taking a stab. The image of a young pale-looking boy with hateful lines is striking. It’s a sad yet realistic viewpoint of how someone is already in the path of darkness.

The only time it would seem he found “happiness” was when Yorichi was reported missing; disappeared without a trace. Whether he was kidnapped or killed, it didn’t matter to Kokushibo, because his wish came true. That’s so sad for a boy to wish a brother to die for his selfish desire; no one should wish death upon the innocent. It’s even sadder that despite his life was relieved from envy, he was bored. He got married and had a child, yet he appeared to be empty. The irony (and the sad part) is, his life only rise up when Yorichi is present.

In a moment where Kokushibo was attacked by a demon, his younger brother returned to save him in time; in a really cool page no less. This should have been a tearful reunion of a lost brother; instead, great envy returned full force. To him, it’s bad enough that Yorichi mastered the sword; it’s worst that he was alive. It’s as if he’s treating him like a vicious criminal. Yorichi didn’t help the matter when he apologized for arriving late; insinuating that he can easily handle anyone, but time is an essence. In other words, time is fault, not his strength. It ruined Kokushibo devastatingly; perhaps to the point of no return.

He abandoned his family and chose the path of Demon Slayer, so he can one-up his brother. This really painted him as immature. Joining the Corps is basically joining the army in today’s world. Men join to protect their loved ones and fight for their home. Kokushibo joined simply to surpass his brother. That’s just sad.

The interesting part is the origin of the variations of Breathing technique. Because Yorichi’s Sun Breathing is incredibly tough for his subordinates to handle, he decided to change his teachings to match their capabilities. Thus, multiple forms were derived from it, one after another. This explains why moment like Tokito’s red blade occurred since it originated from Sun Breathing alas Yorichi. Also, due to change of balance, the Marked ones began to increase in numbers, and Kokushibo finally obtained his, similar to Yorichi’s.

The cruel irony doesn’t end. They’re twins and obtaining a similar Mark should also mean a similar power level. Sadly for him, he only obtained a second-tier known as the Moon. You would think they both would have the same Mark, but instead he maintained second place or in his mind, second fiddle. I thought the Moon Breathing meant to be the second path; like it’s equal to Sun Breathing with its own style. This revelation is interesting yet hurtful to realize how Kokushibo can never match. Not even having the same blood can help.

It’s a sad case of a character who forever remained in the underdog story with no destination in sight. A selfish man tried many, many times to grow, but the only part that grew is his despair. What sealed the deal for his future was when he learned about the Marked ones’ timely death. As a reminder, they will die in age of 25, and that meant Yorichi technically doomed them all. It’s not his fault, but it is sad that their era will die so young. Now I understand Kokushibo’s feeling when he was stirred by Yorichi mention from Himejima. The fact the brother can live longer makes him sick. That moment was where he lost hope for his future. That’s when Muzan stepped in.

It’s rather very simple for how Kokushibo became a demon. Muzan stepped in and told him that he can be immortal, defeating the curse of the Mark. And so, he agreed to his offer. Very simple, but that’s the sad part. Kokushibo was in rock bottom by that point, so he would take anything, including selling his soul. Although it’s distasteful for him to stoop this low, it would at least grant him freedom he wished for. Even that didn’t help, which then skips to the moment when Yorichi died.

To put it simple, Kokushibo’s life is never satisfied, never pleased, and perhaps never freed. Seeing his brother’s body standing before him is the worst taunt he can ever receive. I find it morbid that he cut him down into pieces when he’s already dead; the symbol of hatred runs very deep. Yes, he does scream hate in his mind, but the sight with context is disheartening. Brotherhood gone horribly wrong. Or so I thought.

The sensation goes 180 when the flute was presented after the body was cut down. The same flute Yorichi was gifted by his older brother; the time when he had a warm smile. This hits the emotional point greatly. It goes further when Kokushibo shed tears. He has fallen too far to ever recover. Everything was solely on Yorichi, the face only he can remember yet desired to forget. I find this to be very poetic. It’s the face he hated, yet it’s similar to his, hence being a twin. Yorichi represented as himself if his dream was fulfilled. You can also see it as symbolic, as if he’s speaking to himself for being a disgrace. You can only be jealous when someone has what you think you can have.

The first half of the chapter had Kokushibo filled with hatred. The latter half however has him filled with despair. It’s remarkable. I felt pity and somewhat frustrated at his behavior to discard everything for his selfish desire. Thinking it thoroughly, I realized how realistic this emotion can take a man to the downward spiral. It’s relatable in a sense that we too can fall if we don’t let go and appreciate what we have. His childhood destroyed him, but his adulthood had a chance to revive with a family. It wasn’t enough; only lived to hate his brother.

It’s kind of hard to read Kokushibo’s words slowly converting to depressing tone with questions toward his life. He can’t remember anyone’s face but his brother’s; again, the irony fate of the twins. It’s at this moment he is filled with total sadness; admitting the damages he caused. He abandoned his family, ended his descendants, and abandoned being a Samurai. He’s living in a shell of his former self.

One last interesting tidbit is his and Muzan’s desire to kill all swordsmen who knew Sun Breathing and its forms. I believe that’s why Tanjiro’s family was killed off specifically. It does confirm the Dance of the Fire God is related to Sun Breathing. That or they’re referring to any slayer with techniques. Both make sense for Tanjiro, since the heritage has slayers’ bloodline. One way or another, anyone can be a threat if one can evolve to the same level as Yorichi.

The chapter closes on a depressing note with Kokushibo questioning why his life was even born. I read it like he was begging for answers. It’s painful to hear someone asks that kind of question; clearly, he had nothing. To end on a heartbreak, Kokushibo dust away, leaving the sole object behind; one that defined the brotherhood. That was powerful. I got a feeling the anime is going to deliver big time when the time comes.

This was a pretty grounded, sad chapter. It may not be sad as Akaza’s, but it’s realistic and relatable. It’s not asking the fans to forgive Kokushibo, but understand how a man can hit rock bottom from envy. Not only it taught an important lesson, but uncover the origin of all Breathing techniques. The first half was frustrating, but the latter was depressing; ultimately a very solid storytelling. The narration grows stronger over the course; wouldn’t surprise me if you drew any sympathy towards him. The last panel indicates his end, unless he does get an answer. If not, it’s a shame, but as the old saying goes, “Life is not fair.”

#demon slayer #kimetsu no yaiba #chapter 178 #review #spoilers

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rtheinkqueen · 6 years ago

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The Black Canary & Laurel Lance: Part 1

FANDOM: Dc’s Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow

SHIPS: Captain Canary and a hint at Canary Fire

DISCLAIMER: I don’t own DC or any of the Arrowverse characters, I only own my OCs, one of wich will make an appearance by the end of this fic.

SUMMARY: After finding out about Laurel, Sara is devastated, she wants to go back and save her. Rip says the Black Canary’s death is fundamental to the timeline, Gideon agrees but she reveals that so is the life of Laurel Lance. It seems paradoxical and impossible. But is there really something such as impossible when it comes to the Legends?

This is set before the end of Legends of Tomorrow’s first season, contains spoiler from Arrow 4x18 and 4x19.

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

This is the first fanfiction I found the courage of posting and I’m really nervous about it so let me know if you like it by reblogging and leaving comments. Also, English isn’t my first language so I apologize for any grammar mistakes or misspellings, I edited it multiple times but I can’t guarantee there still aren’t any.

_____________________________________________________________________

As Sara paunched Rip, the room fell silent. The other members of the team were shocked. All except Leonard. Captain Cold was just standing there with his arms crossed, watching his girlfriend as she confronted their captain. He'd seen this coming from the very moment he watched her crying in her father's arms.

"You knew. You drooped us off five months later because you knew!" The blond roared as she pushed him back against the wall.

"Knew what?" Sara completely ignored Jax's question, all her attention focused on the captain, her tone getting even more threatening as she went on "You knew that Laurel was gonna die, and now you're gonna take me back and I'm gonna save my sister."

"I'm afraid…" Rip stated only managing to infuriate Sara more. "You should be afraid!" She hissed, her words sharper than the knife she'd been pointing at the man's throat, the blade now getting closer and closer with every word she spoke.

"I can't allow you…" After hearing that, the former assassin slammed her left hand against the wall, right beside Rip's head, the threat in her voice turning into pure rage.

"I don't care about the timeline. You're taking me back. Now!" She roared.

"Sara I'm sure there is a valid reason…" Raymond started in a cautious tone, obviously trying to calm her down but - to Leonard at least - it was as clear as the sun that the White Canary wasn't going to take any shit. Not from their captain. And most certainly not from him.

"Stay out of this!" She barked back at the scientist.

Captain Cold moved away from the wall he was leaning against when he saw the former time master pulling something out of his pocket as Sara was distracted looking back at Ray. Before he could stop it, there was a flash of white light and his girlfriend began to fall and the floor, the knife she had been holding, slipping out of her hand and on the floor. He launched himself forward managing to catch her just in time. He heard the youngest member of the team shouting something at Rip without understanding a single word, his mind unable to focus on something other than the beautiful woman lying unconscious in his arms.

"What the hell did you do to her Hunter!"

"Miss Lance will be fine, the effects should be gone within the next four or five hours."

The reforming criminal looked over his shoulder at Mick, he didn't say anything but the other man seemed to understand nonetheless. He stepped forward, picked Sara up and gave his partner a significant look before silently leaving the bridge with a still completely unconscious Sara Lance hanging over his shoulder. As they were out of sight, the crook sat up from the floor and turned to their, so-called, captain. "give me one good reason to not freeze your hands off for daring to that to her" he barked at the former time master.

"I had no choice, she wouldn't listen to any of my reasons."

"Oh, so you got reasons for not telling her that her sister, one of the most important people in her life, was going to die? And which exactly are these reasons? Please, enlighten me, captain."

"The timeline stands clearly that the Black Canary's death it's fundamental, it's what gives the Green Arrow and his team the motivation to defeat Demian Darhk. Trying to change it could be catastrophic. In more ways than one."

"Be more specific" Leonard growled and he saw the other men in the room tense out of the corner of his eye, even Mick, who was now back on the bridge and had a beer in his hand.

"If Sara tries to get between her sister and Demian Darhk, Star City will lose not one but both it's canaries." He admitted with a sigh

"Are you sure about this? That there is no way we can save Laurel without Sara dying as well and Darhk still being defeated?" Raymond inquired.

"Yes doctor Palmer, I checked the timeline data with Gideon before recruiting you. But Gideon can reconfir-"

"I'm afraid I can do no such thing, captain" avowed the A.I.

"What do you mean?"

"According to the data currently at my disposal, despite the Black Canary being dead, miss Laurel Lance is destined not only to maintain a presence in the timeline, at least, until the year 2060 but to also have a great, fundamental impact on it. Therefore, captain, I can affirm that there undoubtedly is a way to save miss Lance's sister."

"Are you sure Gideon?" At that Leonard snorted loudly.

"Really Hunter? You questioning Gideon's words now?"

"It's not that, it's just… I thought…"

"Now that I think about it captain, weren't you the one to tell us that the timeline is always in flux? Shouldn't that be even truer now that we destroyed the Oculus?" Questioned Stein.

"You're right. The timeline is always changing, especially when it comes to the future and I suppose we should all just be grateful that it changed in such a positive way… This time at least" The former time master concluded.

They all knew what he was referring to with that last part. It was the reason they had all been recruited in the first place, but they all seemed to agree on the fact that it was better to let it drop.

"Okay then, let's find a way to save Laurel." Exclaimed Raymond.

"Yeah, and since we're at it we should think about how to save Rip as well. Sara won't be too pleased when she wakes up." Jax said.

"kid's right, Blondie's gonna be pissed." Mick agreed.

"Let's hope she'll be too happy to have her sister back to try and kill me again" Rip sighed.

"She might if you all just stop fooling around and we actually start making a plan."Retorted Leonard leaning against the control panel "Gideon?"

"Yes, Mr. Snart?" "Could you monitor Sara and tell me when she wakes up?"

"Of course Mr. Snart"

"Thanks. And now would you please tell every detail regarding Laurel Lance's death?"

After hours of planning, they had everything figured out and the team was ready to go save Laurel. Almost ready. They still had to tell Sara.

"Mr. Snart? I'm glad to inform you Miss Lance has just wake up in her room."

"Thanks, Gideon, is she okay?"

"As far as her vitals are concerned, Miss. Lance is perfectly fine, but the same can't be said about her emotional state." Gideon informed him. Before Leonard could say anything the youngest member of the team spoke up.

"Go talk to her, calm her down and take your time at explaining her everything. We'll be here when you're done."

"Thanks, kid." And with that the - reforming - crook left the bridge, smiling fondly as he heard tell the professor about how he'd come to see the blonde woman as an older sister.

When he finally reached and entered his girlfriend's room, he saw her sitting on the bed looking at a picture with tears in her eyes. Captain Cold's heart - the one he had stopped pretending he didn't have the moment he fell for none other than the White Canary - ached at the sight of those amazing blue eyes, now all puffy and red from crying. He silently walked towards the other side of the room and sat down next to her.

"Sara…" Leonard began but the blonde interrupted him, putting her head on his shoulder, the picture frame now pressed against her chest.

"You know, ever since you were brought back to us, I've been thinking more and more about the future and, while I was out, I dreamed about it too. I dreamed about you meeting Laurel, about you two getting along despite her initial skepticism. About the two of us sitting together with her teasing me about a certain 'walk down the aisle', saying how stunning she'd look as maid of honor." She croaked "I guess it will forever be nothing more than a fantasy." Her voice seemed to break more and more with every word. He couldn't bear it.

"Maybe not," he said and she looked up at him with questioning eyes.

"Gideon told us that, despite the Black Canary being considered death, your sister is destined to maintain a presence in the timeline for, at least, fifty more years and have a great impact on it, as well. So, while you were out, we came up with a plan to save your sister without compromise Darhk's defeat."

"What? There is a way to save my sister and you are telling me just now?" She shouted.

"I began to tell you, but you, oh so rudely, interrupted me, and I, being the gentleman I am, I didn't call you out on it." He responded and Sara laughed.

For the first time since she found out about Laurel's death, Sara Lance actually laughed. It was a rough laugh and still, Leonard couldn't help but think of it as one of the most beautiful sounds in the world.

"Is that so?"

There was a hint of tease in her voice, but the look she gave him as she tilted her head up to kiss him, showed him she knew. She knew he hadn't stopped her before because he understood just how much she needed to take everything off her chest.

"Thank You" she whispered on his lips before they both got up and headed out of the room.

As the crook and the assassin were walking through the corridors of the Waverider, he began filling her in on every detail of the plan.

"So, let me get this straight." she started "We are going to take Laurel out of the hospital and in the med bay before she has the embolism that is supposed to kill her, so Gideon can take care of her. We are going to put a dummy identical to her in her place so that no one else finds out. And we also have to make sure that no one except the people close to us knows that Laurel is the Black Canary." Leonard nodded "Sounds simple" Sara remarked and the man smirked.

"Trying to change our own fate isn't simple either," he said and he saw a smirk forming on the blonde face as well. "But we're going to do it anyways"

"rather is for better or for worse."

When they reached the bridge they found the rest of the team reunited around the control panel, looking at some sort or remote "What's that?"

Hearing her question the five men turned around.

"Sara! it's great to have you back with us, girl. You okay?"

"Yes Jax, I'm fine and I'll be even better once I get my sister back. Now, what's that thing supposed to be?"

"Oh, it's totally cool. Show her Ray!" He answered and she saw Stein roll his eyes at the excitement in the young man's voice.

"This thing, as you call it, will allow us to create a fracture in spac-"

"In English Haircut!" The scientist let out a sighed but started explaining again.

"This little device can create portals from one place to another, in this case, I programmed it to take you straight to the med bay of the Waverider. It's what will get Laurel out of her hospital room."

"And it works?"

"Yes, we already tested it. When you are in Laurel's room, you will just have to press this blue button and the portal will appear. You'll make Laurel walk through it and Mick will pass you the dummy to put in her place. But you'll have to hurry, the connection between places does not last long." He finished.

"Wow I must have been out for quite a few hours if you had time to make this," she said glaring at Rip.

"About that-"

"Don't. even. try. I have better things to do right now that wasting my time listening to your excuses. But I'll tell you one thing, Hunter. Do that ever again and I'll make sure you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Clear?"

When the former time master nodded, Sara turned her attention back to Ray.

"Len was telling me you'll come along to the hospital?"

"Well, yeah. We'll tell them we find out while checking the timeline and then I'll stay outside as you go talk to Laurel."

"Okay then, let's go." Seating in one of the jump-seats with the others following her example.

"Gideon set the route for the time jump" Rip ordered as he adjusted himself into the captain's seat.

"Of course captain. I'm setting a route for Star City, the night of the Black Canary's death."

#captain canary #captain cold #white canary #leonard snart #canary fire #black canary #heatwave #laurel lance #mick rory #everybody lives au #jefferson jacson #firestorm #ray palmer #team legends

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