#please give it a try it would mean the world for me T_T

[cardo-de-comer]

Currently in game dev as a student and I’ve been looking over your art and concepts for a little bit now—I’m FLOORED. I haven’t checked on your art in a while and had forgotten just how much it inspires me.

Your style holds so much identity, and your skill bleeds through every brushstroke! The way you do silhouettes, the insanely unique and beautiful choice of colors, the ferocity in some of the expressions, the quality of your brushwork, again the USE OF SILHOUETTE AND FORM OH MY GOODNESS!!!

You have SUCH a striking visual style and the way you incorporate similar themes to tie character designs together in your world is incredible! I was able to pick out what I believed to be symbolism and understand it a few seconds after asking the question (it may have been explained in the text and I missed it, but the fact that I was able to draw a conclusion that quickly says a lot about your skills as a designer and artist!).

Please forgive me if this has been asked before by the way, but what program do you use? I have a number of them and am trying to work out how you managed to get the line quality that you do on the brushstrokes (they’re like. Creamy looking??? Does that make sense? They blend together very nicely but don’t blend so much that it muddies the contrasting colors you put on top.)

Anyways as I was reading the game idea you have, I was actively trying to envision how it would look and was immediately feeling a 3D-2D mixed style, especially since your artwork has a very clear visual identity that would benefit from being the focus rather than something like plain or simplistic 3D models.

And then I immediately stumbled onto the low poly model you made and fell in love. I had already thought a Disco-Elysium inspired + low poly (less development time, plus requires less budget for an indie project) would look amazing especially considering how your brushwork means that high-poly models might not benefit nearly as much from it. And I think it might be the right call to continue with that!

What perspective (2D/platformer, 2D platformer with depth [Ex. “Paper Mario”] top down, isometric, 3rd person, 1st person, etc.) do you envision when you think of your game idea?

Personally I feel like it’d work as a 3rd person perspective 3D game, but using extremely low poly buildings and set pieces that let the textures do the work. But keeping in mind that if every character is 3D and rigged, it can and will still take monumentally more time to make.

I could also see it going the direction of having flat 2D characters in a 3D environment (Like “Smile For Me”) which would take less development time and save more energy to focus on good gameplay.

I’d love to hear more about your ideas, and think that you should definitely give more thought to making that game a reality!

Just as a word of advice though, start small. ;^^ Don’t begin with your dream project, make some goofy little games first to get your feet in the water, then dive in once you have that experience. And don’t get too wrapped up in it either, take breaks and divert from the project every so often to regather your creative energy. Like doing game jams for example!

o7

first of all thank you for such a LONG text oh my god T_T I cannot express in words how much this means to me and even if I knew English well, I still wouldn't be able to tell you... I use drawpile a lot for sketches and light stuff like doodles! And Photoshop for more complicated works and render. If you need brushes I have them in this post on my side acc. As for ynstbh, well... Here goes the rambling haha. I was thinking about it being either 2d platfomer /LISA was my main inspiration at the start/ or isometric 3D thing. Isometric still wins in my head because it gives some space for movement in different planes, if that makes sense, my favorite example of it being player is walking through the City and at some point you see a tower on a foreground plane just getting up and running off the screen to ambush you later haha (yes, the City is like that. nothing unusual here). When this game idea first appeared in my head, I also wanted it to have some kind of frame, medieval-inspired, around the gameplay, that would change drawings depending on the location. But now I think that's gonna be too much visual noise. And I would love to make cutscenes because I like my 3d models and I like to animate stuff, although it would take an abysmal about of time to make backgrounds.. Also ynstbh would probably have a lot of dialogues, since I really love to show characters through their interactions with each other. Notably the Devil, who loves to break the 4th wall and look right at the player in his portraits.

Either way yeah, I know about starting small. Right now I only have experience in drawing, 3d, just a little bit of code (I think I forgot everything actually lol) and I'm just really good at googling problems. I hope somewhere in the future I will have enough energy to start. My lore and characters became really important and dear to me so I really hope to make sth with them. :) If game doesn't work out, I'm thinking to give an animated short a chance, I need to put this world somewhere or I'll probably go insane. Once again thank you and good luck with your studies! thanks for letting me ramble about ynstbh haha <3

[lunarle-old]

Do you have an idea of what you're going to write next ?

Yes... And No.

The current plan is to write my dragon fic. I looove dragons, and I've always loved fics that make my favs dragons. Hoarding Humans is a good example of that ;P I really wanna do it myself! I feel a little weird directly using the concept of HH (just the idea of a dragon's hoard being humans! i've been obsessed with it ever since!!)... I know there's a whole Inspired tab thing on ao3 but remember I was brought up in the animation meme community trenches. I've seen some very vile things said to ""copycats"" (and it's usually just somebody who took inspiration off of someone elses art style or a certain part of another persons meme @_@ don't get me STARTED on the ragebait...) and I am not in the proper emotional state to handle that right now QwQ

However that doesn't mean I can't write about dragons. I have some ideas in mind-- I've properly conceptualized my go-to fantasy world for AUs like this. I know who the main cast would generally be (DICE! Kokichi rounds up some of his classmates from in game :P so people like Gonta, K1B0, Miu, Kaede, Rantaro. . . maybe Kirumi? I have lore trust me. I'm cooking.) I know the main premise of the story, and it goes into my own bullshit with dragons, because lord knows I ever follow any actual myths or tales (´ﾟωﾟ｀) (i read wings of fire that's good enough for me!!!)

I am still trying to learn how to draw dragons in a way I like though. Here's my concept for Maki and Shuichi ^^"

Overall the chances of this fic happening after HGH, as of right now, are fairly high. This is what I plan to write once I'm done with HGH.

But please, please please keep in mind that I . . . am absolutely horrible with making promises about my fics. I'm so forgetful I forget to even check my notes to see what I've forgotten. T_T my fics would be a tiny bit better than they are now if I actually kept track of wtf im doing. maybe i should make a checklist.

Point is, I don't know if this is what I'll write once HGH is done. I've done some estimating and while, for once, I do not have a concrete ending in mind, I can guess how long this'll be. I think... it might be around as long as M5? Somewhere around that 130k mark. Again!! I'm not sure!! I need to figure out what I'm gonna be doing for the non-Tsumugi half of the "recovery" arc, so who knows what the word count for this is gonna be T_T. MY POINT!! MY POINT IS THAT!!! It could change. By the time I'm done with HGH, I might write this dragon fic. I might write a differeny fic. Or I'll lose motivation to write anything for a bit. Lord I am yapping so I'll move on

Que transition, with all that being said, I do have Other ideas in mind!! Ones I've been sitting on for a while!

ONE. Saimatsu mansion :D I've mentioned it here and there, but the idea is that Shuichi and Kaede are plopped on an island and have to escape. It's one of those more out there ideas G_G and I haven't really descended into my full levels of insanity yet (wait until i start posting my crossover aus /j), but this would be bordering on it. I have some more minor ideas for this one, but I haven't rlly explored it yet :'3

TWO. remember unexpendable? yeah so i. i really really like crossover aus. almost as much as i like giving them superpowers. I was thinking of an Undertale x DR fic where I drop Shuichi into the underground. Undertale is super special to me,, it got me out of a really dark place. My favorite OC of mine (Montserrat<3) is an Undertale OC! So I think it'd be a lot of fun, especially since Danganronpa is basically the reason I'm like?? actually living now XD I got a job because posting my DR fics helped me overcome enough of my social anxiety to get employed. So!! It'd be nice. i also think shuichi and papyrus would get along do NOT @ me also undyne would scare the shit out of him. Anyways I dunno if this would be another oneshot, considering the, uh. length of the game. and how insane i could rlly go if i went into the neutral /genocide route stuff too. I dunno. It'd be fun :P i also have doodles wait

THREE. I don't know what could and couldn't be used for a plot twist so I'll keep it vague, but basically it's a fic that involves the ENTIRE CAST. A bit of a challenge for myself. Everyone's back! And all of the blackeneds revert to, like... HGH levels of despairs. So it's up to everyone whos still normal to find a way to make them also normal before, uh. things get worse. TV GIRL BLAST 💥 (oh yeah this would be a kaede-centric fic! her pov for the majority. i had a lot of fun writing her during Unexpendable and i miss her </3)

FOUR. i got really into in stars and time so now i'm even more not normal about time loops. so let's put shuichi in another one! but i wanted to shake it up a bit and really let my less canon-reliant, more creative side flow a bit. It'd also be kind of a message to myself about life... WHATEVER Thats not important. What is important is, hey! I've been watching WAY too many Minecraft ARG analysises than what could possibly be considered healthy for my anxiety, so now I want to sic a bunch of them on Shuichi. this things unfinished because i only have very vague ideas for a few of the loops... but the overarching idea is that even the smallest (but impactful!) change in a choice can lead to an entirely different loop, with an entirely different entity. and during all of the loops, shuichi gets little bits and pieces to the bigger picture, which will break him out of the loops. idk this seems like a big and tiring project so this is more of a "maybe" than the others but i still think it's cool :')

FIVE. ok this one isn't danganronpa... remember when I said I was super into In Stars and Time? I wanted to write an ISAT fic. Siffrin and Bonnie are so so special to me and i wanted to indulge in that. I haven't rlly been writing in my oneshots though so I don't really have a grip on writing anyone from ISAT,, so. :( i have to spiral into full insanity privately before i can determine what is safe to show the internet /hj

And that is all I can think of off the top of my head. :P These ideas have been brewing for quite a bit, and ones that have actual ideas to them. I dunno which one I'll write first... or even if I'll write them. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Who knows? Maybe I'll break my rules about writing two fics at a time. Just give me time ... and please be patient. I can only write so fast ＼(_ _)

[go-go-devil]

top 5 soulsborne NPCs... OTHER than patches. and top 5 games you hope to play next year!

Honestly I can't answer the second one since my autism is too unpredictable with when it allows me to actually sit down and play a new game, but I've got PLENTY of soulsborne npcs I'd love to gush about (besides the legend himself) so let's get to it!

Solaire:

May as well get the obvious out of the way lol. There's honestly SO MUCH going on with Solaire's character and motivations that goes far beyond the reasons he's usually so beloved. Yes, he's a genuine ray of sunshine willing to go out of his way to help us in such a desolate, cruel world, has a extremely pleasing/memorable design + wonderful voice acting, and is canonically bisexual. Obviously there's a lot to love from all of his surface level interactions.

...But he's also far more complex than simply being a nice person! He's a regular human devoting himself to an impossible mission solely for his own sake, and his doubts and desperation over it hits me so hard, especially in his regular ending T_T. I always found this quest to find his sun to be a metaphor for self-discovery as a means of fighting back against depression. I think Solaire knows fully well how terrible this dying world has become and has possibly even lived a bad life considering how happy he was to become undead and travel to Lordran, using his quest as a means of staving off the dread in his soul before it turns toward any suicidal inclinations.

No I'm not being edgy. I truly think all of this is intentional to his character, much like how I think the entirety of DS1's view on hollowing is a metaphor for depression and/or barring oneself from the world vs. actively opening up to it. That's why it's so important to support our grossly incandescent friend and Praise the Sun! ☀️

Griggs & Laurentius:

Decided to put them together since they're both very similar characters in my eyes.

I've found (on this site at least) that these two are often overlooked compared to most other DS1 characters, and honestly that's a damn shame since they've got so much to offer outside of their very useful magic teachings. For starters they're both sad, pathetic men who immediately love you for saving them from their own embarrassing predicaments which I think more games need for their male npcs lol. In all seriousness though, I always felt the game did a great job giving them so much character in each of their interactions; both in how close they grow to you and in how much they care about their respective crafts of magic. The pair also have similarly sad stories regarding what they lack, with Griggs's incredibly low sense of self-worth when he compares himself to Logan and Laurentius having always been an outcast even in his own community.

What I'm saying is that they're both much deeper (and also more tragic) characters than I feel they're given credit for, and I wish the rest of fandom would talk more about them.

Mephistopheles:

Sometimes a character doesn't have to be super deep for me to love them. Sometimes they can simply be an incredibly evil woman with a deep voice and great design who manipulates you until finally betraying you when you least expect it. 🐍⚜️🖤

With Mephistopheles I can actually understand why not too many soulsborne fans talk about her since she's probably the most obscure character in the entirety of Demon's Souls: one who requires you to have a pure black character tendency (which requires you killing non-hostile npcs to get) in order to even see her. As of now I haven't had the guts to try her questline yet, but I do plan on it trying it for my next DeS playthrough because holy hell is she hot- uh, I mean really a interesting character! Even though I said earlier I don't think she's as deep as several other npcs in the game, she's still a character with a lot of juicy lore surrounding the organization she runs and her choice of manipulating people into killing her targets instead of getting her hands dirty herself.

Also I fucking hate her Remake design oh my god it's so fucking bad I just wanna throw up everywhere what the fuck were they thinking T_T

Lucatiel:

My favorite character from DS2 (with Straid and Ornifex following very close behind), and of course she's basically just that game's Solaire equivalent with a gender bending design. My tastes are so predictable lol.

Besides her INCREDIBLE design and amazing voice acting, I feel out of all the npcs she does the best job at conveying this game's theme of connecting hollowing to identity. She comes into this land with so little regard for herself and already suffering early memory loss from the slow hollowing she's going through, and but unlike the other npcs (who are actually affected by the curse in any way) we have the chance to save her through our cooperation and going out of our way to engage with and get to know her. In this sense I see her as the reverse of Solaire's quest and honestly wish future soulsborne characters played around with the series' character tropes as well as she did.

Also she's trans. It's canon and I accept no criticism for saying this ;-)

Greirat:

I haven't finished DS3 yet but oh my soul do I love this little thieving rat man so much <3<3<3

I'm almost too afraid to say more yet since I haven't finished his questline and thus technically haven't fully absorbed him as a character yet. So far though he's done so much to endear me to him! His questline with the blue tearstone ring and overall connection to the Undead Settlement gets me soooooo emotional, as does his withered voice and charming demeanor despite all the horrors he's had inflicted on him and his few loved ones.

And of course that's not even getting into how a certain other npc interacts with him during his questline, but I cannot say any more since you specified not to mention him this time despite how much it PAINS me not to. All I'll say is that I am beyond disappointed in most of this fandom for sleeping on these two characters' relationship with each other -_-

[myrtles-and-blood]

hello again, same anon here! :D thanks so much for that detailed answer but now i have even more questions- i hope it's okay T_T please tell me if i'm being too much i'll split them again, seemed handy to number them

i think i know what i want from relationship with lucifer and possibly other demons. what goal can it be? something trivial, something bigger, something intellectual, spiritual? learn a language? improve my mental health? emigrate to another country? stop feeling alone? like, i can think of so many possibilities-

if divination is the main tool of communicating… well then it confuses me a bit because you said that stolas can teach you astronomy. how is this possible through tarot or other methods? i suppose there's other options of talking to them, so that they can teach you things?

does being devoted to a deity mean/equal working with them, or are these different things? can one be devoted, but not working on smth with them?

i understood the part you said about praying, but i'll be a bit more... bold? and just tell this. i put my hands/fingers a certain way while praying. is it okay? it just feels like i mark those minutes as Real Praying that way

you said summoning is rude. but what if we reach an agreement? is it possible? can lucifer or any other deity give their okay to be summoned?

my social battery is really low, can i still do it? will lucifer/other deity understand this concept?

can he read my mind? i have impulsive thoughts that can be VERY rude

Hello again! The only problem is that it'll take longer to respond, but I like this! It's forcing me to do some research on certain things I never questioned before!

Long post ahead 👇🏻

One: What should I work in with my deity?

That is totally up to you, pal. It can be anything you want, I can't really say anything because it is a very personal decision. Although my recommendation is that you work with deities according to their domains. I wouldn't ask a plumber to fix my TV. I mean, he could try but I don't think it's going to help much.

Two: How can a deity teach me something academic?

Obviously Stolas isn't gonna show up with 10 textbooks and say "Okie dokie so let's start by basic geology and the history behind the current geological organisation of the world, and as I explain that I'll be explaining the evolution of the planet's biology to this day. And after that-"

Three: Is being devoted to a deity and working with them the same thing?

I asked Lucifer through tarot and what I could get through was: "First, this is a very good question and it's good to clarify this. But really, it works the same way as it does with any other thing. You have to put in your own effort, but we can lead you through the process of learning about that topic".

Now, I decided to ask Stolas for this, he gave me these cards: 5 of Swords reversed, Temperance, 8 of Swords, Page of Swords, 9 of Wands reversed, 6 of Cups reversed.

Essentially what I'm getting is that it works the same way you would do with any other topic. You have to put in the work and they can guide you along the way if you have any questions or needs. It's important that you know that no knowledge is going to randomly spawn in your head just because you asked, you have to work for it and investigate on your own. They are teachers, so they'll test you and make you do some assignments most likely.

I asked them because I didn't know, really. This was a pretty good explanation I think. See? Really good teachers. You have to practice divination like I said before because the interpretations I had to give to the cards made me do some baffling mental gymnastics to get to something coherent. Lately I've been very dense, don't mind me 🫡

I usually ask them though pendulum if my interpretations were what they meant and they both said yes. You can apply this to your practice too! Whatever works to give you some peace of mind.

Absolutely not! You can do both, just one, or none.

Being devoted is dedicating an important part of your life to the worship of a deity. It's next level worship, to be clear. Requires more responsibilities. That's why I don't call myself a devotee nor I will in the near future, and I think people should know the difference between those and discern if they can have that next level of responsibility in their practice. But that's my point of view.

However working is just what I said earlier, trying to get to a goal with a deity. Let's say the difference is that there is a purpose in working, but devotion doesn't have one specifically.

Again, you can do both, but they don't depend on each other.

Four: Is there a correct way to pray?

As long as you're respectful, no. What you say you do seems pretty cool. If that makes you happy and it works for your prayers, excellent! Prayer is a very personal thing that you can adapt to whatever your needs are, and it's between you and your deities.

Five: Can a deity agree to be summoned?

To clear things up a bit I decided to ask Lucifer about it. I told him about the question and I asked: is there a way you can agree to be summoned?

His response was (through tarot): King of Swords, 7 of Cups, 8 of Cups reversed. I interpret this as "Nope. Absolutely not. Really bad idea. Don't do that. Please don't. You'll get in trouble, it's extremely disrespectful, there's no other way around it. I'm telling you, DO NOT"

So I really don't think you should. Summoning is forcing a deity to do whatever you want them to do and trapping them. I haven't read much about the topic but the things I've heard about how they used to do it in old grimoires, it doesn't seem there's any agreements around there.

It's making deities your servants. I don't think any deity wants to be anyone's servant. I don't think anyone wants to be anyone's anything if there's no consent involved, really.

I think that the word you're looking for is invoking. When you invoke a deity you are calling them and telling them "hey, I wanna talk to you, you're free to come here if you want!". When you pray you're invoking them so they can hear you and assist you. The important thing here is consent. When you summon there is no consent around.

Also, I think summoning is just a really complicated and elaborate process that you can't do by accident. I'm not going to accidentally summon Lucifer somehow and have him trapped in my basement, that doesn't work that way.

That's what I know about summoning. I haven't read much about it because it is not something that I plan on doing ever, but it's an interesting topic of research.

Six: Can I still practice with very low energy?

Of course! I personally struggle with that and other things, and I still worship my deities.

They understand we are very diverse and have different capabilities. They understand that sometimes we need our space and they are the first ones to tell you that you should rest. They want you to be okay first and foremost.

Seven: Can deities read your mind?

I think it depends. Some have that ability, some don't. Remember, all deities/spirits are different and not all of them are the same type of deity/spirit.

I don't think Lucifer specifically can, but if he could he can understand that your intrusive thoughts are intrusive and not things you actually want.

Lucifer wants to shine light into those dark places in your mind for you to work through them. He finds all types of things in people, and intrusive thoughts are not the worst thing he's seen. I don't think a human can show him something that'll leave him dumbfounded. He's very old, very wise and has a lot of experience behind him. Even if he could read your intrusive thoughts I don't think he'll be offended.

Just to clarify something, actually offending a deity is not as easy as people think. You have to truly insult them to offend them. And mean it. Skipping some prayers does not really mean much to them, but insulting their whole lineage and work will get them pretty angry. Intrusive thoughts are called intrusive for a reason. You don't mean to think those thoughts, so it's okay. They understand.

So that's it! I hope everything is clear, and if you have more questions you're free to ask! Also thanks for asking, you're making me learn a lot too.

[ibusukiss]

Boueibu Rewatch

Thursday's for the Boys! 5

Season 2 - Episodes 1-3

CW: I don't like s2 very much and i talk about it pretty openly. Please don't read if that's a bummer for you.

Episode 1

I forgot how much Shinier s2 is lol

nono yumoto please continue talking about how Gora would give you enemas please i insist

SEITOUKAIII

oh my god Akoya so cute

ok you know how i said s2 is my least favorite? reason number 1 is that they sent the student council away

man kinchan kawaii i cant wait to see how they depict post-evil Ata in the movie *_*

ohhhh yes this kinatsu convo that changed the world T_T theyre so repressed boys just say you like each other

Im with you En

love that this whole moment really proves Kinchan was the most In It with the evil and such

interesting that they even have Akoya wear his towel the feminine way - I remember the writer saying he wanted to make Akoya literally just Look Like A Girl so that must be why

considering I dont even remember the monster from ep 1 really shows how much i liked this season hahahaaa

Shounen GUMP is a good bit lmao

Ok the thing is - s1 is extremely Winter 2015 and HK is extremely Spring 2018, this does not feel Summer 2016, if that makes sense? im sure its just a Me thing but anime that i watch as it comes out tends to Feel like the time I watched it, and this isnt the show i think of when i think summer 2016. (Granted i was watching a lot of anime that season...: 91 Days, Hatsukoi Monster, Servamp, DAYS, Fukigen no Mononokean, Cheer Boys, AND Orange were airing, i always forget that boueibu was also in there?)

oh joy its the twins :,)

I do like the new transformations and costumes - except for when atsushi does a dang trust fall into nothing lmao

this is the least offensive akoya outfit but its still not great haha

goodbye seitoukai youre the main reason i liked boueibu love :,)

love is power is good but its no zettai mutteki fallin love

Episode 2

ok i will try to go into this season with an open mind...i will try

oddly enough i remember this chuunyobi boy but i dont remember the monster he becomes lol, probably bc i was happy to see a fat anime boy that wasnt a joke bc hes fat

he looks like the ultimate imposter from danganronpa lmao

GOD WOW i forgot the twins called their fans Beppu Apes. That just came back to me.

binan high said yeah its fine if they wear different uniforms, theyre the antagonists

WOW PS IS IN THIS??? HOW TF DO I NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING IMPORTANT

atsushi relatable bc he sees himself as an npc

see they make the twins Evil without making them Likeable which makes it so annoying that so much of the plot is about Their Shit when all i wanted was to go deeper into the existing characters. but we really didnt get anything new except for with yumoto. What if all I wanted was character studies on all the main boys T_T, what if i wanted to see what Ryuu actually does when he says hes on a date T_T what if i wanted to see why money means so much to Io T_T or a whole episode about Atsushi and En's friendship outside of school or smthn T_T thats what I wanted

ok the love hotel moment is very good - but why did yumoto not want to be cuddled by everyone...thats like...his whole...thing

i do appreciate the twincest of course...even that couldnt save them lmao

this season feels like a parody of itself, which is saying something bc boueibu is already like 10 layers of parody

OH. yes i do remember this monster.

the best thing to come out of this season Honestly is twinsXgora

Episode 3

oh shit the doctor from the game is in the background! i never noticed!

i suppose the main reason i like boueibu is because of this villains, and when i dont like the villains i dont like the show as much lmao. it just makes so much sense for the student council to be evils?

ok i do remember this ep for them doing the skit

i know that historically nothing happens in boueibu plot, but s2 feels like even more nothing happens. im only 13 minutes in and its felt like an entire episode has passed :,)

they made Io extremely pretty this season lol, those eyelashes

see...its like the other four boys dont even have to be there and nothing would change. i like Atsushi and En specifically very much.. id love for them to be important whatsoever to the plot lmao. i know this is boueibu we're talking about here but. i dunno, i feel like its still a valid critique.

[mizzmellos]

OKAY HI

I'm a person who indulges a huge majority of death note ships (minus the disgusting illegal ones), and I'm always open to finding more good ones!

Mind explaining why you ship L/Mello? :)

I'm just quite curious ^^

Sincerely,

-Mo

HIIII omfg so this is going to sound so deranged but my wife and I have been RPing them for like literally ages so my brain is clearly very mushy and tainted from this. I don’t know why I feel like I’m about to give a presentation in front of the class or why I’m worried about posting anything on the celibate radiator Mello blog but. LOL. Anyway. *pulling up my powerpoint* ← no but fr you know I’m serious because I’m typing this up on the computer instead of mobile (hence no cute queen Mello emojis).

So I know lots of people focus on Mello’s rivalry with Near as some sort of obsession with Near. I’m not going to go all pepe silvia here but I personally read Mello’s drive as being more narcissistic lol. He wants to be number one → and in his mind, this position is L. They are synonymous. The current L isn’t his competition, but rather the one to impress. Near is just the one who’s threatening to take this thing he wants very badly away from him, and/or (in Mello’s perception, at least) rubbing it in his face/flaunting his position. This really childish anger and cruelty he harbors towards Near is illustrated (TO MEEE) when Mello first gets the notebook and wipes out most of the SPK. ← was a dirt poor kid who beat up a rich girl that pissed me off bc she was always rubbing it in my face so. Yk projection and all.

Anyway, Mello really doesn’t seem to have a desire to be L in the sense of the actual role—his behavior seems really uncharacteristic of somebody who would be able to cooperate with the world’s law enforcement. But I also see him as having absorbed the lessons at Wammy’s on a surface level → he heard them say “yeah, and then L had to kidnap—“ but never heard/ignored the “it was a sort of last-resort deal, please don’t do this.”

Back to the point, (is there a point?) the LABB book (idgaf it’s canon so suck my left nut about it) tells us that they only ever had one conversation, during which L recounted the LABB case, the final fight between L and the real Eraldo Coil and Deneuve, and how L first met Watari when he was eight. ← I think Mello tracked L’s cases religiously. If he found out L was working on a case (which was rare, because details were under wraps, but he was good at sneaking around and eavesdropping on Roger’s calls with Watari), he would try to figure out every little detail he could, just hoping he could somehow help him out. He never did, but that didn’t mean he didn’t try. I also think it was sweet that he would have told Mello about meeting Watari/that Mello would have been interested/how it would have come up. Not in a ship way, but just in a noodle incident way.

Since this is obviously only plausible in the everybody-survives post-kira AU, I always like to think they first meet in-person then, since I imagine their one and only canon conversation was over a computer (as this is how L seems to have most of his interactions throughout the series lol). Mello definitely has a huge crush (but I don’t even want to call it that cause it’s really just a tangle of very confused feelings wires that are all crossed) but he doesn’t even know what L is like at all → it’s a crush on the concept of his existence. I’ve said this before but I think everybody has somebody they would embarrass themselves for and just as Matt would do for Mello, Mello would do for L. It’s not that Mello wouldn’t do a lot for Matt, but rather that he wants to impress L the same way Matt wants to impress him. L has no idea how to perceive Mello/has only heard horrible reports from Roger back at Wammy’s and is pretty concerned that he was blackmailing presidents and taking Kira’s sister hostage. T_T but at the same time, there’s a very small sliver of L that admires this insanity? ← recalling the oneshot (but erasing the human washing machine because I really think they just were sick of our asses atp) L was also a kind of violent and troubled kid that beat on other kids for trying to hug him LOL. I think L has a very strange and sadistic streak the fandom likes to play down in favor of focusing on his cutely autistic stare (which is also very important) but Mello and Near are supposed to represent the two halves of his coin so I think he’d be intrigued by Mello’s motives/methods? Maybe (read: definitely) not approving, but still perhaps a bit impressed by what he managed to pull off. Neither of them knows what to think of the other, cue 1million word slow burn.

I could keep rambling but at this point I’m approaching 1k and I’m getting very worried. LMFAO. I really want to write some of this ^ cuter/softer/pretending to be semi-canon BS (when I say cute I just mean nobody gets kidnapped/I don’t spend 10k describing horrific burns btw) so hopefully you’ll be interested and check that out when I get around to it. :>

Also re-reading and saw that I talked so so much and said virtually nothing I have to be completely self-indulgent and drop some cute post-Kira LMello fluff things bc I love my beautiful perfect wifey <333

+ They play a lot of chess and go, but Mello prefers checkers ← it’s faster, L is way better at go than he is, and L takes 20 minutes for every move in chess if they don’t play with a timer. L always plays black (obviously). I know you’re all going to ignore my sexual checkersposting but Mello tries to balance playing as fast as possible (needs L to know he’s soooo smart) and being as aggressive as possible (needs L to know he’s so strong and cool) ← this is the only way he can win btw. Playing insanely and not thinking too hard. If he follows any common strategies, L can easily counter them. Instead, he just pretends he’s playing with troops like a military general and chases L’s pieces around the board, trying to split them up/corner him/overwhelm him as quickly as possible. It’s pretty rare but when L says “good move.” Well. I shan’t say more.

+ They definitely go to tons of cafes/restaurants and only have desserts/drink fruity wine. Mello loves eating expensive food and L doesn’t necessarily mind being dragged places, even though he would normally just have Watari deliver them to him instead.

+ Mello helps L on cases, but only sometimes. L doesn’t know where he goes when he’s gone, but he always comes back within the week, even if it’s only for a day. ← once and a while he’ll break in through a back door and sneak past L’s cameras just to critique his security systems. L really hates when he does this (shows up silently behind him in a dark room lit by TVs like a serial killer). But he does take the advice to heart and always corrects the problem.

OKAYYY 1.2K I’M OFFICIALLY MENTALLY ILL EVERYBODY! YAAY LET’S THROW A PARTY!!! LET’S INVITE LIGHT YAGAMI!!!

[myherobirdbros]

BNHA Chapter 403: Review by Birdbros

First let me just say that baby Toshinori is so cute I can't breathe. Now, to the actual review. I love that his childhood was good and beautiful. That he didn't grow up in tragedy and had a loving mother and potentially the reason why he's so invested in being a hero. Because she didn't discourage him and instead fostered his dream so he could be proud of who'd he become one day. Also may I just say that this entire All Might arc has been giving. It has given so much and I've loved every second off it because honestly some people needed to be reminded why this man was the number 1 hero. Still though, just the thought of his mother dying and All Might having to take on the world and fix it without here breaks me in a way I can't fully explain.

Yeah no, nop, no. I won't let you do this. He's not gonna die. Not All Might. Not after everything. I refuse to accept it. He has so many other steps to take Okay! Stop it. What do you mean and end of an era?! AFO you absolute fucking clown, do not hurt him! I mean it!!!!!!!

Damn..... he really cut off Toshinori's backstory just like that. Wtf man. We rarely get this man reflecting about himself and you had to go and do that!!!! The fuck is wrong with you!!!!! I hope you die a painful death AFO it's all you deserve you piece of shit......I'm getting way too emotional *sigh* Okay, let's try and be more logical here. Now that All Might hasn't been able to use Bakugou's quirk it means Bakugou might come back right? My boy might finally come back and save him, right? Right?! I mean it makes so much sense. Feels like the story has been building up to this. Midoriya fighting to win and Bakugou fighting to rescue. Like a reverse role. Please please Hirokoshi. You can't have taken Edgeshot from me and Katsuki too. You can't T_T Don't Nobara me man, please. Also once again, fuck you AFO your arrogance will def be the end of you. Toshinori won't die a hero because HE WON'T DIE AT ALL!

Thanks a lot Stain. Seriously thanks man. You could not have done anything but lose your quirk to this man (turns out I lowkey hate Stain *sigh*). Ugh, I know it's not really your fault and you sort of tries to save my man a little while ago but fuck, did you have to lose your quirk to this loser too?! I'm already mouring Hawks damn it. I can't do this anymore. Look at Toshinori's face T_T No one should ever make him look this hopeless, ever. This shit is illegal. Also, imagine loving killing someone so much you literally tear your mouth wide open joker style, the fuck AFO, the actual fuck? My dude you really need to sit down and finish that ancient comic book of yours because this aint it fam. This really aint it. You're so villain it's not even funny anymore.

Shoutout to Tobita (my absolute favorite villain - he makes me so soft protect him at all cost) and star's crew who just like me would have hesitated to fire at All Might. I love you all and I hope when Bakugou comes back he beats the shit out of AFO for you. (Horikoshi do not make a liar out of me). Also psycho eyes AFO. Once again this man does not fail to creep me out. Die!

Is he... is he planning to tear All Might in two? Is he really about to do this?! WTF WTF WTF STOOOOOOP. I can't do this. My sanity cannot handle this. Someone stop him! Fuck Midoriya crying is breaking my soul. This is not okay. I'm not okay. Shigaraki you bitch stop laughing! Everyone just stop. This can't be happening T_T This is so grusome I'm legit tearing up. And Midoriya's eyes is killing me. This is so wrong so so wrong. Someone please please please.

I...... Oh my God..... my baby. My baby. He's back!!!! He's back yall. I..... Katsuki..... oh sweetheart T_T

I'm so emotional I legit walked away from my screen to take a break from this rollarcoaster. Thank you thank you thank you Hirokoshi! Thank you!!!! Also can we take a second to appreciate the beautiful art people. U.I exploding, Midoriya's tears blowing in the same direction. The light that shines on that tiny figure on top of U.A and then that zoom in on Bakugou's weathered figure. It's all so *chef's kiss* beautiful. I'm in love. And def will print this panel out and hang it on my room because my baby is back!!!!!!!

I take that back. I'm hanging this up. Me and Best Jeanist sobbing over this right now. Our baby is alive!!!!!!! But look at him, he's so tired and haggered and back from the dead. He deserves a nap, not to fight a psycho who can't just quietly go into ground and never come back. Also theory: now that Bakugou has essentially come back from the dead, might his quirk have evolved to the extreme edge like we've seen for many before him such as Touya and Uraraka? And since Katsuki literally died maybe his evolved even more? My biggest hope. Beat his ass Katsuki. Make him regret that he was ever born.

Not a bakudeku shipper but I'm 100% a bakudeku friendship apologist so this, seeing Midoriya look up, tears flooding from his eyes because he's so fucking terrified he'll lose his mentor just like he lost his childhood friend only to then look up and see Bakugou is doing something to me I cannot explain. And Katsuki.... Katsuki with the ancient All Might card he's still holding onto for dear life. Katsuki remembering their baby selves. Katsuki being so out of it but standing up to fight for All Might like All Might stood up to fight for him at Kamino..... *sobs hysterically in a corner* Also the symbolism of All Might always having looked back at his past because all the steps felt so important just to now look forward because the steps his kids are gonna take are the important thing for him now..... yeah I'm not okay.

This is truly the beginning of a new era huh. Bakugou and Midoriya, carrying on All Might's dreams and hopes..... Hirokoshi you bastard. How can you do this to me. WTF MAN WTF!!!!!! And look at Katsuki's eyes. The explosion within them. It's so beautiful. I love it so much. And now him and Izuku's feelings are one; they'll save All Might and redefine hero society.

*stands up and applauds like crazy* There has been several misses for me in this manga but moments like this is why I'm happy I never gave up on it.

Welcome back Katsuki darling. Welcome back, it's been too long.

[b1mbodoll]

i keep getting asks regarding the blog that the anon questioned me about and i dont wanna flood my blog with this bc i feel bad so i’ll answer these here! and please don’t twist my words!!! i am allowed to feel some type of way abt this situation! at first i was giving them the benefit of the doubt bc i don’t wanna point fingers or seem like a mean person bc i wld hate to be thought of as a meanie T_T but im just gna reply to these real quick pls do not be rude or hateful to me, my nonies, or the writer!! thank you.

first: i do not know the writer at all, nonie! but i can understand why you would think that

second: i understand being upset for me, i’m also a bit bothered by this if m bein’ honest :( but i do not want anyone being rude to them or sending any hateful messages! i also noticed the emoticon and how they switched up the link titles so it wasnt exactly the same but :T there’s nothin i can do abt it T_T m too afraid of confrontation

third: i can understand why you’re upset about the “tone tags” thing! as someone who is audhd and relies on tone tags the majority of the time, it’s a little upsetting when people don’t do their research on the topic T_T but i’m not saying they didnt! i dont know them personally nor do i know if they’re nd! but i do see why you think it’s bothersome, nonie! blog tags are Not tone tags

fourth: idk if this was meant to be disrespectful to them bcz again i struggle with reading and processing tone, especially through text T_T but like i said earlier i understand being upset for me bc i am as well, considering i’ve spent so much time prettyin up my blog n making it a reflection of my personality n it makes me a lil sad when people jus’ take that from me without even asking :( it’s such a silly thing to be upset about, i know, but im rly proud of how my blog is set up n it sucks having it copied

fifth: i hate being bothered by something like this but i get where ur coming from anonie T_T this isn’t the first time i’ve noticed someone copying little bits of who i am -_- but i’ve never said anything bc like i said i hate (!!!!!!!) confrontation n i won’t say anything to this writer (and neither should you guys!!!!!!!) either :x but i have and i do notice when people take my lil phrases n terms of endearment nd blog related stuff like my tags n layout T_T n it bums me out so bad bc i try so hard to show my personality thru this account n ppl just take pieces n agh!!! idek what im sayin im jus a lil upset rn :T

anyway!!!!!! again guys please, please, please don’t be rude or mean or send hateful stuff to other creators!!!!! i choose kindness n it’d mean the world to me if you all did too <3 n sry if i seem silly for letting this bother me T_T i know it’s kinda stupid but i’m autistic and idk if anyone else struggles w this but i really really really get upset over stuff like this T_T anyway that’s all !!! rmb to be kind pls

[lala-pipo]

[FIC] Aquamarine - 6/6 - 🧜‍♀️

Pairing: Onew x Taemin (OnTae)

Genre: Mermaid - AU, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Fluff

Rating: T

Chapter(s): 6/6 (complete)

Word Count: 44,444

Warning(s): None

Summary: Taemin is a merman who lives at the coast of Jeju Island. Despising humans and finding them bothersome, a chance encounter with one on his 23rd birthday changes his life forever.

Can be read on Ao3

[ja-stuff]

mentiong their ex in front of their s/o during an argument (break-up???)

Note: I made this in a rush got no time to proofread, my college papers are piling up and I did this during my 30-minute break lmao~ I still hope y'all still like it :> I'll make it up for its part 2 and the other updates! I'm sorry T_T

word count: 1, 864

character: Haitani Ran

tw: break-up/space with no closure and clearing misunderstanding lmao, hurtful words

genre: light angst

“You’ve got too many friends of both sex, or maybe you have more male friends.” Ran jokes continuously with you, but you didn’t like it one bit. “Asuka never had male friends… maybe she did but it’s not like she always hang-out with them. God, she’s so obedient.” he chuckled after saying those words which made you sigh. You know that he’s going to mention his ex after the first words, but you just let him continue as he pleases.

You’ve always had the heart to participate in any charity events, your energy is known to be the type to attract people and make them feel the positivity you always emit around them, making these kinds of events the suitable work for you. On the other hand, just like how any other person’s attracted to you, Ran also became addicted to your overwhelming presence when he saw you at a park before, love at first sight indeed. A few more days of stalking you, he’s sure that you’re the one he’s willing to give you more than anything you have and keep you by his side for as long as he breathes, your pureness and innocence makes him more attracted to you that he’s willing to keep you away from everyone and protect you from the chaotic world.

Now, Ran always has the duty to pick you up at your house to drop you at your workplace then pick you up again after your work is done. This was his routine since he started to date you, and you really didn’t mind it. You’re comfortable with him around despite knowing what job he has and you know that Ran can be obedient with you and would listen to you when you told him to stop. Like right now.

“Stop the car.” You interrupted Ran from his Asuka ‘rants’ that made him stop blurting more words. You can feel his eyes staring at you while you keep yours straight on the road. “Why? Are you hungry? Wanna stop at that convenience store over there? You’re going to eat again, bubs? But we just had our breakfast at your house. Asuka doesn’t eat much like you—“

���I said stop the car, Ran.” you still keep your eyes on the road. “Wait, what happened to ‘bubs’, bubs?” he asked with a nervous chuckle bringing his eyes back to the road. Ran's not used to you calling his name since you’re the one who always calls him the cute names. He waited for you to say something about it but this time you didn’t bother correcting yourself.

“Just pull-over.” Pointing your finger at the bus stop.

“No! I— I mean why?” he asked and looked at you again, you can feel him getting confused just by how he looks at you. “Just ‘cause.” Ran raised a brow when he heard your answer, he knew that you were not the type to be short with your words, and this Y/n with him right now is a little unfamiliar to him.

“ Wait– A–are you angry with me? What’s with the m–mood, love?” he asked, starting to feel a little nervous.

“Yes, I am.” You answered, not even planning to spare him a glance. You’re trying your best not to look at him, ‘cause if you do, you know that you’re going to snap at him and won’t be able to control your emotions.

“Why? I didn’t do anything?!” Ran raised his voice, feeling wrong with the situation where he forgot what had happened before you started acting that way. His head was full of random events of his teasing with you but none of those thoughts included his talks about his ex, 'cause he simply thought that you won't be affected with it. What a dumb man.

“Are you sure you didn’t do shit?” You asked. Your voice is overflowing with coldness, but your smirk made Ran’s brow furrow.

“Yeah! What’s wrong with you babe?” Ran calmly said but his voice was a little tense because of how he became a little irked with your reaction and how you responded towards him. He looked at you but was surprised when he met your eyes.

“No. What’s wrong with you!” your icy glare piercing his heart with how angry they looked. Fights are rare since both of you make up even before the argument heats up, but Ran knows for sure that a fight that cannot be soothed immediately is occurring, he just couldn’t put his finger on why you’re acting up.

“Hey— why’re you raising you—“ he questioned you, concerned orbs looking at you. He knew that putting more fuel into your burning emotion would make it worse. At least he knows that. His eyes shifted to you and the road, his voice came out soft but was interrupted when you spoke.

“Cause I want you to know that I’ve had enough.” you blurted as you kept your eyes on him, digesting his reactions from hearing your words. “Ran, I hate you. I really do.” This time your voice sounded more like a whisper, as you breathed heavily.

“I hate that you’re so insensitive and always play as if you’re joking every time you mention her name. I fucking hate you.” You lowered your gaze and stared at your hands, biting your inner cheeks as you held back your tears.

“So this is about how I always mention Asuka’s name—“ he casually said, he’s aware that he has been mentioning her name for quite some time now, but Ran thought that exes are just exes. He didn’t know that you’ll get affected by it.

“Yeah. And I am saying if this relationship always keeps on mentioning one of your exes, then we’re better off seeing each other.” you continued, ‘Shit. Shit. Shit.’ he cursed at the back of his mind, his heartbeat started to race when he heard your last words. He sure was jealous of how close you are with lots of your friends, how you’re easily flocked by men/women that he thinks are a threat in your relationship.

“You’re— you wanna break up with me?” Ran stuttered as he asked you, but when you didn’t answer him, he fell silent before he decided to clear the misunderstandings by trying to explain himself ‘cause that’s the only thing he knew that would make things better. He slowed down the car when he noticed that the park where the event you’re participating is only a few blocks away. He knew he needed time to be with you before sending you to work safely.

“Hey, bubby— hey, listen to me okay? Let me explain—“ You looked up and panicked a little, you never planned to listen to him ‘cause you knew that would make things worse for you. It’s not like you never wanted to hear the explanation, rather you just don’t wanna listen to it now as you know well to yourself that you needed to get away from your boyfriend and heal the wounds he inflicted on you from the past months. You didn’t let him finish with what he was trying to say and spilled all your emotions at the place.

“Explain what? You’re always finding reasons to get you out of this kind of situation. Do you think I’m that dumb to not notice your acting as if what you said and did are only jokes? Ran, I am getting tired, it’s been three months since you started doing this— now I am thinking that you don’t want this relationship and as if you’re doing those things on purpose, that you’re just tormenting me, provoking me and pushing me to my limits of cutting you out of my life.”

“Bubs, I am sorry— but that’s not how it is. I was just jealous—“

“To the point of hurting me emotionally and mentally? I am losing my confidence every time you mention her, Ran. I am deeply hurt hearing another person’s name coming from your mouth, and knowing that person was the one you once shared intimacy with before– If I did this to you what would you feel then?” At this point, you’re already crying, which made Ran stop the car a few houses away from the park. His conscience started to beat him up as he quietly cursed himself. Never had he imagined hurting you this way. You’re his sunshine and you exist to shine brighter than anyone else, he only wanted for you to experience the best things and make you smile, but now he’s seeing tears coming out of your beautiful eyes and he hates that he is the cause.

“I’d get hurt… but bubs please let me explain— no. Let me make it up to y—“ He removed his seatbelt and was about to envelop you into a hug for comfort but you put two hands out and stopped him.

“Ran, I want some space.”

“No! I don’t want that! Please? Anything but tha—“ his voice raised again, trying his best to change your mind. You’re there but it started to feel like you’re not. Ran’s feeling the phantom walls you never had before be built in front of him.

“But I don’t want anything. I should get going…”

“I don’t want to—“ feeling the walls starting to get higher and higher, scared Ran. Believing that the only way to break it would be closing your distance was his last resort.

“Ran, let go.” you were surprised by his sudden hug, he started sobbing which made you melt, but this is not the time to be swayed by this emotion you are feeling. You wanted some time to think, that’s why you only asked for space, it’s not like you wanted to leave him, but you also wanted him to do it as well.

“No, we will talk somewhere— let me explain please?” You try to push him back, but that only makes him cling to you tighter.

“Ran, ple–”

“Please? I don’t want you to leave me. I can’t—“ your tears started to fall again as you kept on pushing him away.

“Do you think I wanted to leave y–you? You pushed me like this, y–your actions gave me the idea of this kind of r–resolution, so you should just deal with it and give me the s–space that I need.” Your voice almost begged him to stop and let you go, but Ran didn’t budge.

“Y/n… I’m sorry please…”

“Let me go.”

“Don’t please? D—don’t go, my love” this time he pulled away but was about to kiss you when you turned your face away, and removed the seatbelt. His hand was about to reach your arm, but you swatted it away.

“We’ll talk once I feel like it. Take care.” you opened the door and looked at him once more

“Y/n— Y/n! Please— d—don’t! S—stay with me, I am b—begging you, love! Don’t do this to me— I love you— *screams*”

You walked out of the car and straightened your clothes, you wiped a few stray tears away before plastering a smile and running towards the direction of the park. You ignored Ran’s screaming from inside the car, and a few beeps he made from letting out his frustration at the steering wheel.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for reading! Hoped you liked it! Oh! Here is my master list ^^ stay hydrated and keep safe loves!

Please support/ donate something for me on Patreon and Ko-fi as well! (I’ll be posting the commissions and other requests! I’ll give my best with all of your support! )

[yumeyooa]

bippity-boppity bloom: act one | todoroki shoto

—everyone knows the story of cinderella, saved by a prince and a glass slipper. but what if the true hero wasn’t the prince, but rather the fairy god mother? todoroki shoto has been suffering under the hands of his wicked family his whole life, yet everything changes when he meets you: a fairy forced to take care of him as punishment. will the odds be in your favor? or will everything go down from here on out?

➢  pairing: todoroki shoto x female! reader

➢ genre: fluff | angst | fairy tale au | supernatural au | strangers to lovers au | cinderella au | cinderella! todoroki | fairy god mother! reader | rated 17 | sfw

➢ word count: 15.2k+

➢  warning: she/her pronouns for reader | beatings | domestic abuse | insults | bruises | injuries | bullying | mentions of blood and broken bones | mentions of murder and death | the todoroki family is really evil | i also changed up the birth order for the family | please please don’t read if these bother you; it gets really dark :(

➢ love letter: henlo!! i am late but this is for @milktyama​ ‘s once upon an alternative universe collab!! originally this was supposed to be a one-shot, but i eventually realized that it would be better if this was split into two! although most of the romance comes in the second part T_T i hope you like it and let me know what you think!! 

➢ taglist (send an ask to be tagged): @loveinhaikyuu​ @mirakeul​ @strcwberrieswine​ @kunaigirlx44​ @maxzinn @faewraithsworld​ 

navigation | anime masterlist | act two

Magic was a curious thing. 

Since the dawn of time, people have used magic to describe the unknown, to give meaning to the things they could not explain. That quarter you lost suddenly showing up at your feet? Magic. An electric jolt shooting through your veins after coming into contact with another? Magic. Flowers blooming amidst the cold winter? Magic. 

No matter where you went or what you did, magic was everywhere. It hid itself from the world, waiting in silence for those who would come to know the beauty of it. Those who would cherish it with all their heart and soul and would never abuse it for their own selfish gain. 

To the rest of the world, magic was something they could only wish to find.

But the true secret of magic remained hidden in the arms of those who could wield it. 

“Don’t tell me you’re pranking someone again?” An exasperated sigh calls from behind you, and you turn around, startled to find a young man with deep violet hair haphazardly framing his face. He was staring at you with an unimpressed look as if he had gone through this exact situation plenty of times in the past, and from the way you sheepishly smile back at him, he probably had. 

“Me? Pranking Someone? Why I would never!” You exclaim, faking innocence as the man gives you a knowing look, causing a groan to fall from your lips as you heave a sigh, throwing a playful glare back his way. 

“Oh, come on, Hitoshi!” You whine, rolling your eyes in fake annoyance. “What harm can one prank do? It’s not even that bad!”

“Must I remind you what happened that one time you decided to prank Elder Aizawa?” You freeze in your place, looking at him like a deer caught in the headlights. “He nearly convinced the council of elders to have you banished to the human realm! Do you not understand how grave that could have been?”

You remain silent, sulking. As much as you hated to admit it, your best friend had a point. To fairies, being banished was like a death sentence. Without any support from the all-powerful tree of life, a fairy would wither away and die just like that. It was scary to even think about it, and you were lucky that Hitoshi had somehow managed to save you from that terrible predicament. 

From the very beginning, you had always been considered a peculiarity amongst the other fairies. Whereas they were graceful and elegant, you were clumsy and awkward. Where they excelled in soft chatter and gentle smiles, you reveled in chaos and the undignified. 

You were an outcast amongst the fairies, but you honestly couldn’t blame them. 

Fairies were the keepers of magic, after all. They were expected to uphold a particular image befitting of being wielders of the most sacred entity provided by the tree of life. Fairies were supposed to be noble and delicate. They were supposed to hold their heads up high as protectors of the supernatural. That very image, however, didn’t suit you at all. 

You never understood it. Why did they take pride in being so uptight? It was boring. There was no freedom in upholding the elegance of their kind through every single thing they did. They seemed so bare as if being a fairy sucked all the life out of them. Which was ironic, considering they were supposed to be protectors of the tree of life. 

“—(Y/N)? Are you even listening to me? Hello?” You snap out of your trance, looking at your friend who was staring at you with a nonchalant look on his face. Hitoshi has always been a rather unique character, even to you. He didn’t explicitly fit into the stereotypical image of a fairy, yet he was never ostracized for it. It was as if he was an exception— an anomaly from the harsh judgment of the fairy realm. 

“I’m sorry, what was that?” You ask, trying to come off as if you were paying attention when in all actuality, you weren’t. Hitoshi sighs, rolling his eyes playfully as he ruffles your head, messing up your hair in the process, causing a grunt of protest to fall from your lips. He sits beside you on the ledge you were perched atop on, staring down at the crowd of fairies below. 

The two of you were apprentices to the council of elders, helping them ensure that there was order amongst the fairies. Order was essential for the protectors of the tree of life because, without it, chaos would ensue, and the world, no, the entire universe, would fall apart. The council of elders was the supreme government of the fairy world, and to be an apprentice to even one of them, was a great honor and responsibility. 

You just hated all the expectations that came with it. 

“What kind of prank were you supposed to play this time?” Hitoshi asks, humming as he stares up at the sky above you. You stare at the wand in your hand, puffing your cheeks in disappointment at the realization that you wouldn’t be able to pull the prank off anymore. 

“Nothing much,” you mutter. “Just wanted to test out some new spells I learned the other day, and I figured why not test it out on some… unsuspecting figures.”

“(Y/N),” Hitoshi says, voice stern as if he were a mother reprimanding his child. You huff, pout forming on your lips. “You know that if any of the other elders were to find out, they’d have your apprenticeship stripped away. What would you do then?”

You stay silent, the truth in Hitoshi’s words stinging painfully, more than it should. He was right. Shunned away from your family since your coming of age, the council of elders was the only one who had accepted you, albeit reluctantly. No fairy wanted to be associated with an outcast after all. It would only tarnish that pure image they had crafted into perfection, and as prideful beings, they couldn’t have that. 

If it wasn’t for Elder Yagi, the most influential fairy in the realm, then you would have been left for dead. Elder Yagi was the definition of the perfect fairy. He wasn’t just delicate and graceful on the surface; he was kind and compassionate within. Although many disagreed with his views on accepting those who didn’t fit into society’s expectations, they could never truly go against him. Because that would be like going against the very essence of fairies, after all. 

So they kept their malice and disdain a secret, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, and if you weren’t careful, then their next victim would be you. 

“The elders are calling for you,” Hitoshi says out of the blue, causing your blood to run cold. You stare at him with a shocked expression on your face, and you couldn’t deny the fear that was beginning to bubble within. “Elder Aizawa sent me to look for you. Said they requested your presence immediately.”

There’s a solemn look on Hitoshi’s face, and you can tell beyond the surface that he’s worried. Being called upon by the council of elders meant only one of two things to a fairy: it was either they were to be punished, or they were to be rewarded. And you had done nothing of the sort to deserve a just reward. 

You chuckle, looking down at your lap, not knowing what to say. You didn’t understand why what you did was so wrong. Why were they trying to punish you when all you wanted was to bring life into this otherwise dull place? No matter how hard they tried to hide it, some fairy children enjoyed your pranks, and the thought of bringing smiles to their faces was what kept you going. 

You just didn’t expect to get severely punished for it, though. 

“Thanks for telling me, Hitoshi,” you say, standing up, a fake smile plastered on your face in an attempt to seem as if his recent news didn’t bother you as much as it did. “Guess I better get going then, wouldn’t want Elder Aizawa to scold me for being late again.”

Hitoshi remains silent, staring up at you with an unreadable expression before letting out a sigh, standing up and ruffling your hair once more. “Stop putting up a brave face, idiot. It doesn’t suit you.” You want to protest but can’t find the courage to do so, remaining silent as the smile falls from your face. “Come on, I’ll accompany you there.”

Shocked, you look up at him, features clearly showing your surprise. “What?” He asks, scoffing. “You really think I wouldn’t accompany you to your death? You know that I’d kill to see it happen in front of my very eyes.”

You know he’s joking, trying to lighten up the mood because the nerves running through you are too much to handle. But even so, you’re grateful for it. Despite not being outright honest about it, Hitoshi still cared. He had cared for you ever since you called out one of the other fairies for calling him a disgrace the moment you first met. He had stuck with you through thick and thin and had been the only fairy to believe in you, aside from Elder Yagi. 

And you couldn’t be any more grateful for it. 

“Weirdo,” you call, a genuine smile forming on your lips, Hitoshi reflecting his own, albeit his was a lot less noticeable. You take a deep breath, trying to calm down the nerves that were thrumming deep beneath your skin, and nod to Hitoshi, the two of you teleporting just outside the auditorium of the council of elders. 

You had always hated the auditorium. It was a dark and scary place, dimly lit, with all of the elders present atop a high porch, staring down at you like you were some inferior being to them. Whenever you were in the dark room, assisting the elders in their work, you always felt the paranoia creep up against you, begging you to just run and leave the room, even when there was no immediate danger present. 

That was the effect the council of elders had always possessed since the beginning— intimidation. And you hated them for it. 

You take a deep breath, trying to calm the raging waves of nervousness that were thrashing wildly deep inside you. You’re shaking. You can see it in the way your hands shiver as you reach out to place a knock on the wooden doors, hesitating. 

“You’ll be fine,” Hitoshi whispers, a reassuring hand on your shoulder. “No matter what happens, I’ll be here, yeah?” 

It’s comforting. Hitoshi isn’t one for words and prefers to show his care through subtle actions, but you know he means well. Taking another deep breath, you give your best friend a weak smile, knocking on the doors, heart heavy.

Like magic, they open, and a deep “come in” calls out to you, causing you to gulp as you nod one final time to Hitoshi before entering the auditorium, with a hopeful heart dangling on the edge of light and darkness. 

The Council of Elders truly had a knack for intimidation, you think to yourself as you stare up at the seven fairies that governed the world you had come to know. They sat atop their seats (which looked more like thrones, in your opinion), staring down at you with glares on their faces. 

While you had expected their hostility towards you, as you didn’t exactly have the best reputation amongst their apprentices, you were surprised that even Elder Yagi, your mentor, and father figure, was looking at you with a disappointed gaze. What was going on? What had you done wrong?

It’s then, amidst your confusion, that your eyes land on another figure present in the room. The very presence of this figure makes your blood boil in anger, and you try to suppress it with deep breaths, closing your eyes to calm yourself before meeting eyes with the said figure. 

Neito. Oh, how you despised the man. Neito was one of your fellow apprentices who served the Council of Elders, specifically Elder Sekijiro, who was in charge of the vanguard— the elite force of fairies that specialized in defense, ensuring that there was peace and order in the world. 

While it was an honorable position, Neito was not an honorable man in the slightest. Ever since you had met him, he had been mean and downright evil, taunting you every chance he got. He was the very reason you had gotten into trouble, multiple times, with the council. He was your mortal enemy, your archnemesis, the man you wished would fall into a puddle of shit and never come back the same. 

If he was there in the room, then it only meant one thing. He had ratted you out or had made up some ridiculous story to use against you. 

Typical. 

Oh, how you wished you could wipe that ridiculous smirk off his face. 

“(Y/N),” a voice booms and your eyes turn up to meet Grand Elder Nezu, the elder amongst all elders, the wisest and most potent fairy ever known (much to the disbelief of everyone else, as compared to Elder Yagi, Elder Nezu looked weak. But, you supposed, you shouldn’t judge someone based on appearance alone). 

“I bow towards the Council of Elders,” you greet, bowing in respect. Your heart thrummed nervously within you, not sure what to think of this summon. What were they going to reprimand you for this time?

“Are you aware of the reason you’ve been summoned here today?” Grand Elder Nezu asks, looking at you with calculating eyes. You gulp, not knowing how to proceed, but figured that in a situation like this, honesty was the best policy. “Unfortunately, no, Grand Elder,” you reply, eyes cast down in respect. “I have an idea, but even so, I am still clueless to the true reason as to why I’ve been summoned.”

“Ha!” Neito exclaims, scoffing. “Look at how shameless she is, Grand Elder. Pretending to not know when she knows exactly what she’s done?” 

“I beg your pardon?” You ask, feeling yourself get annoyed the more Neito stood there all high and mighty as if he were some chosen one. “I speak the truth, elders. I truly have no idea why I’ve been summoned….”

“Lies!” Neito accuses, pointing a finger at you. “How can you be so shameless after attacking me?”

You pause, blinking slowly as you try to process the ridiculous claim Neito had just presented. You? Attacking him? As much as you despised the guy, you knew that attacking another fairy was absolutely forbidden for an apprentice of the council of elders. You weren’t stupid. 

“Attacking you?” You ask in disbelief. “When have I ever attacked you, Neito?” 

You watch with cautious eyes as Neito smirks at you, eyes taunting as if you had played right into his trap. He grabs the hem of his dress shirt before pulling it up to reveal a massive bruise on his torso. 

“You did this,” he accuses, and you can tell he’s faking it, although judging by the harsh glare you’re receiving from Elder Sekijiro, his act is actually believable. Were the elders really that vulnerable? “You attacked me because you were jealous of my achievements!”

You gape at him, not believing your eyes at the pure monstrosity that was the situation you were facing him. What kind of story was this? There was no way that the council of elders actually believed him, right? Their view of you wasn’t that bad, right?

“(Y/N),” Grand Elder Nezu calls, eyes stern. “Is this true?” 

“Of course not, Grand Elder!” You exclaim in protest. “What reason do I have to be jealous of Neito?”

“Don’t listen to her lies, Grand Elder!” Neito says. With the way he was acting, you swear he could get an award for being the worst and best actor of all time, and you yourself weren’t sure how that was possible. “In fact, the question we should be asking is what reason does she have to not be jealous of me? She’s an outcast. She’s been shunned by society for so long. Everyone knows she hates my guts— although I do not understand why as I’ve been nothing but nice to her— so why would she not want to sabotage me when she sees me excel?”

Scratch that best actor award, you think to yourself. The darn idiot deserved an award for being an expert manipulator. If you didn’t know better, if you weren’t sure of your truth, you would have been swayed by his words, second-guessing yourself and questioning whether or not you did attack him. But unluckily for Neito, you were one stubborn fairy, and you wouldn’t go down without a fight. 

“You? Nice to me?” you say, seething, much to the shock of everyone in the room. “Grand Elder, what Neito is saying is absolutely preposterous! Yes, it is true that I hate his guts, but that’s because ever since I’ve been an apprentice, he’s made my life a living hell! And besides, this apprenticeship is all I have. If I do anything to jeopardize it, I would have nowhere to go; I’d basically be dead. Why would I risk it because of one person? And Neito, for that matter!”

You honestly didn’t mean to let your emotions slip like that. But you couldn’t help it. It infuriated you that the council would be willing to believe Neito. Neito who had everything, who had a choice to leave or not, who had a family to return to. Neito who didn’t understand how much pain you were going through, how much torment plagued your heart. He didn’t and would never understand. That’s what privilege does to a person. 

“Grand Elder—” Neito begins, and you swear if he spits any more lies, you would genuinely launch at him and smack him in the face. But before you could make a move, the Grand Elder raises his hand, causing silence to settle in the room. 

“—Enough.” Grand Elder Nezu’s voice booms throughout the empty room, causing the two of you to halt in your banter, bowing in shame and obedience. “The council has heard both sides and are appalled by the disgrace exuded by both fairies, especially you young Neito.” 

You can see the way Neito clenches his fist, glaring at the ground below him, and you can almost imagine the way he thinks the floor is your head, glaring daggers at it for causing him to be criticized by the grand elder of all fairies. But that was the least of your concerns, as you can feel their disappointed glances lying on you as well. 

“For your misconduct, both of you will receive punishment. However, young (Y/N), because of your alleged behavior and misdeeds, we will have to take extra precautions to ensure that this does not happen again.” You can feel your heart beating rapidly within your chest. What kind of punishment was he going to give? You hoped you weren’t going to get banished because you couldn’t stand the thought of not having to see the people you cherished ever again. 

But whatever the council says, goes, and no fairy, no matter how powerful they were in society, could deny their final verdict. 

“For your punishment, young Neito, you will be serving under Elder Aizawa until the Purification Ceremony next fall.” From where you stood, you could see Neito jolt up in fear, eyes pleading with the Grand Elder silently, as if he were begging them to give him any other punishment instead. 

Elder Aizawa was the dean of the academy all fairies were expected to graduate from. And, as a dean should, he was incredibly strict and was known for ruling over his apprentices with an iron fist. Amongst all the elders of the council, he was the one most hoped to avoid serving under, and if you were sent to serve under him, then it meant that you had done something extremely bad. 

Although, sometimes you could hardly believe those rumors, considering Hitoshi himself served under Elder Aizawa. But perhaps that was because the said elder treated Hitoshi like he was his own son, much like Elder Yagi did to you. 

As much as Neito wanted to protest, to exclaim how preposterous it was for a fairy from the noble family of Monoma to not serve through the vanguard, he couldn’t. The elders’ eyes pierced through him, and it was incredibly nerve-wracking once he felt the menacing glare of Elder Sekijiro on him. Even his own master thought he deserved to be punished. What a shame. 

With his head bowed low, Neito grits his teeth, bowing towards the council. “I humbly accept this punishment bestowed upon me by the Council of Elders and pledge to fulfill it until I am deemed worthy once more.” His words contain malice, and you can tell he was trying to control himself from lashing out and making the situation even worse. It was a blow to his pride, after all, that he would get punished after trying to bring someone ‘beneath’ him down. 

Just as he’s about to take his leave, he stops beside you, and it almost feels as if he’s glaring at your soul, cursing it for the things you’ve done to him, although reality has proved that you’ve done nothing wrong. “Just you wait,” he whispers, low enough for only you to hear. “I’ll get you back someday,” and then he leaves, closing the wooden doors shut behind him. 

The silence that envelopes the auditorium is uncanny, you think to yourself. Maybe it was because you were still getting the chills from the words Neito had whispered into your ear. Or perhaps it was because of the unreadable yet at the same time uncomfortable stares the council was throwing your way. Either way, the silence made you want to drown. To hide in the comforts of your room and stay there until the coast was clear. 

“Young (Y/N),” Grand Elder Nezu begins, and you gulp, hoping for the best yet expecting the worst. “As for your punishment, you will be reassigned to another group of apprentice fairies under my guidance— the god fairies.”

What?

...God Fairies?

Grand Elder Nezu smiles softly at the look on your face before clearing his throat and continuing, trusting that you would be able to keep up with him. In his eyes, you were a rather intelligent fairy after all. Strange, but brilliant nonetheless. 

“The God Fairies are a special elite force of apprentices under my supervision. It’s composed of fairies deemed problematic by the standards of our society and utilizes their uniqueness to serve our realm for the better good.”

You wanted to scoff. Rather than an elite force, it sounded like a group of slaves forced to listen to the Grand Elder, with an even more severe punishment dangling above their heads. A suiting sentence disguised as an honor. 

“I know what you’re thinking, young (Y/N),” Grand Elder Nezu says with a knowing look. “However, this elite force is infinitely more important than any other group in the fairy realm, as they help sustain our influence over the humans.”

Confused, you look up to him, a million questions dancing within your eyes. Influence over humans? What exactly did he mean by that? Back at the academy, the older fairies had always taught you that humans and fairies never, under any circumstance, interacted with each other. It was forbidden. Interacting with humans was too dangerous as they were greedy and vile beings who would only seize magic for their own selfish gain should they even catch one whiff of it. 

Magic was not meant to fall into human hands. That was just the way the world worked. So why was the Grand Elder telling you otherwise?

“The God Fairies help ensure that the humans’ belief in magic remains strong,” Grand Elder Nezu continues, even though you were still trying to comprehend what he had said prior. He couldn’t afford to waste any more time. Being the Grand Elder had numerous responsibilities involved, and those responsibilities waited for no one, not even him. 

“You see, young (Y/N), as the years have passed, we, the council, have come across an alarming discovery,” you look up to the council tentatively, choosing to merely listen as trying to process their words in real time was proving to be complicated. “The tree of life that we have grown to cherish for over a millennium has weakened.”

A soft gasp leaves your lips, and rightfully so. The tree of life was the lifeline of the fairies. It was literally their world, giving life to everything they had ever come to know. The tree of life was what made fairies, fairies, providing them with their gorgeous translucent wings and copious amount of magic to have every other supernatural being out there jealous. 

If it were to weaken and somehow die, then that would mean the end of the fairies. And that was a thought even more terrifying than the prospect of banishment. 

“Fear not, young (Y/N),” This time, Elder Yagi decides to speak up, sensing the inherent panic and fear in your eyes. Elder Yagi always had a knack for reading your emotions, much like Hitoshi. Sometimes you wondered if that chalked up to you wearing your heart on your sleeve for everyone else to easily trample over, but that hadn’t been the case the more you got to know Elder Yagi and Hitoshi. 

They both took your heart within their arms and cherished it like it was their own, even if the way they showed that care differed and was sometimes unnoticeable. Elder Yagi’s words, masked by his usual patriotic smile, were his way of comforting you when the going got rough. And for that, you would forever be thankful.

“We’ve discovered a new way to harness the magic we fairies so desperately need,” Elder Yagi continues, his smile never leaving. “And that solution lies in the humans.”

The moment the word human leaves Elder Yagi’s mouth, Elder Aizawa sneers in disgust, rolling his eyes, and from the opposite side of him, you can see Elder Sekijiro do the same. It wasn’t something new. After all, with the divide and disdain of the fairies towards fellow fae who wouldn’t live up to their noble standards, their disgust was only further amplified with the knowledge that other inferior beings, such as humans, existed. Even with their inferiority, they were beginning to push the fairies to the brink of a calamity with how much they were destroying the order of nature. 

So you understood that there was an even greater prejudice towards humans, and you could feel nothing but sympathy and agony, knowing precisely what it feels like to be on the receiving end of such animosity. 

“The humans,” Elder Yagi continues, not paying much mind to the disheartened expressions on his fellow elders’ (with the exception of the Grand Elder) faces. “Surprisingly, have an innate source of magic within them, much different from our own.”

Confused, you look up at the kind elder, allowing yourself to show a little emotion with the way he looks down kindly at you as if he were a father talking towards his child. Elder Yagi had always guided you when you felt lost amidst the noble fairies that served under the council and was more than happy to help you with whatever you needed. 

Yet, currently, Elder Yagi was the main source of your confusion. 

“When a human begins to believe in the supernatural, their innate magic ability awakens and pours out of them like waves, and when they sustain that belief? That innate magic becomes stronger.” It’s a revolutionary discovery, in your eyes. Humans had always been thought of as useless. But more than that, the council had constantly reminded the fairies to stray away from them, as no one knows what hidden malice the humans could have, despite the disbelief of your fellow fae. 

“This is why we have formed the God Fairies, to ensure that the humans’ magic will be sustained and harnessed for our survival.” Elder Yagi looks at you, and you feel yourself flinch at the serious glance on his face, something that you knew wasn’t usual for the strong fairy. “Do you understand, young (Y/N)?”

The only thing you have the courage to do at the moment is nod, not trusting the thoughts that were lit ablaze in your mind, chaotic and unhinged. You knew that if you were to speak, your words would have most likely enraged the council as you currently had no control over them. 

“Good.” Grand Elder Nezu says after a few moments of silence. “In line with this, we will be assigning you, young (Y/N), to a human. Your punishment, or in this case, mission is to ensure that you’ve collected enough magic to sustain a family of fairies the same size as Young Neito’s.”

Your eyes widen, and you divert your attention towards Elder Yagi, begging him to say that the Grand Elder’s words were not true. But when you see Elder Aizawa sport a sinister grin from the corner of your eye, you feel your heart sink. As much as you hated Neito, he was a powerful fairy who came from a highly influential family within the realm. It was the reason why he was in the vanguard. After all, his family’s influence has been his threshold throughout the days you knew each other. 

And for a family as prominent in magical combat as his, they needed copious amounts of magic. An amount that you were sure couldn’t be collected by one fairy. In fact, the powerful fairies of the realm often sourced their innate magic directly from the elders themselves, a privilege that not many were able to enjoy. 

This was a punishment, after all. Great. Just Great.

“I understand, Grand Elder,” you say after finally composing yourself. You can feel the dread gradually sink in, and your mind races with worry at the thought of having to go through the daunting task. “I will do as you desire. For the glory of the fae.”

You can sense the satisfied yet cunning smiles of the council, pleased with your decision, and you heave a sigh, unsure of what the future could have in store. 

You could only hope that you wouldn’t be screwed over in the process. 

The human realm was fascinating, to say the least. 

When you first stepped foot on the lush forest of the realm, just on the outskirts of a bustling city, you couldn’t help but feel amazed. No amount of preparation from the elders or your friends could truly prepare you for this moment. 

For the past few weeks, Grand Elder Nezu and Elder Yagi had been preparing you extensively for this mission. They briefed you on the does and don’ts of a fairy entering the human realm, bragged about other god fairies who had succeeded in securing a sustainable amount of magic for the fairies, and just boasted. 

There was no comfort nor reassurance from either elder, which you had expected from Elder Yagi, but as you had come to find out, it seemed as if your father figure was still disappointed in you, causing your heart to sink. Did he really believe that you deserved to be punished?

You couldn’t even get this heavy feeling out of your chest. The worst part is that you couldn’t consult your best friend, Hitoshi, at all about this matter. Hitoshi had no knowledge of the god fairies as he had been a devout apprentice under Elder Aizawa’s care. He had no reason to know about it, he was already doing great, and that thought made your stomach churn. 

You desperately wanted to confide in him, to spill your fears and anxieties for him to hear. No matter how insufferable Hitoshi was, he was a great listener and a great friend. 

Gosh, you haven’t even spent one second in the Human Realm, and you were already feeling sick to your core. 

At least the view made it better. 

The council of elders had decided to assign you to a human living in the Musutafu Empire, nestled in the far east of the mortal realm. The Empire was drastically different from your own simple abode back in the fairy realm. Whereas yours was deeply rooted in nature, theirs was thriving on industrial roots. 

You couldn’t explain it, but the way they structured their buildings and houses was beautiful. It was a whole different style from what you were used to back home, with high walls and rowdy streets. The people were smiling, clad in clothing that was tight yet loose at the same time, with a ribbon wrapped securely around their waists. Far different from the flowy garments that you had back in the fairy realm. 

As you made your way to the capital, marveling at all the new sights that were capturing your eyes, you couldn’t help but wonder what the human assigned to you was like. Would he be stuck up like all the fairies you had come to know? Or would he be kind, much like Elder Yagi and Hitoshi were? The curiosity burned deep inside you, and you found yourself brimming with excitement at the thought of meeting him. 

Your mission was fairly simple if you could take away the fact that you had to harvest an impossible amount of magic. You were to watch over a selected human, who the council deemed had the potential to unlock their innate magic and help them when they most needed it. 

Almost as if you were someone who granted wishes, was what Grand Elder Nezu said. Granting wishes was the most effective way to strengthen the human’s belief in magic, allowing their own to flow out for the taking. Of course, there were other ways, such as haunting the humans or causing supernatural disasters that didn’t make sense. But such methods were unbecoming of fairies, and you couldn’t help but groan at the thought. 

Haunting seemed fun, after all. Almost as if you were constantly playing a prank on an unassuming human. You would have killed for that to be your punishment instead. 

But no. You were stuck with granting wishes, albeit not as often, as showing too much magic mind taint the human with greed and desire. Something that no fairy wanted. 

Checking on the special compass that the elders had given you prior to your journey, you make your way towards your assigned human, gaping in awe at the view of the capital down below you. Of course, with the magic you held, they wouldn’t be able to see you as you had concealed yourself prior, but you wished they could. It would have been fun to see their shell-shocked expressions. Maybe that was a more efficient way of harnessing their magic?

Or, rather than being an efficient method, it was most likely going to be a one-way ticket to banishment from the fairy realm, aka an express ride towards death, something you wanted to avoid at all costs. 

Finally, after what felt like forever, you spot the house of the human the elders had assigned to you. It was big, much larger than your own humble cottage back in the fairy realm, yet, even so, it didn’t compare to the ginormous estates that lay north of the house, almost as if it belonged perfectly in the middle. 

You gasped at the tranquility of the mansion, almost as if you had once again been transported into another world. It was almost as if in this home, time stopped, and peace overflowed. You perched yourself atop a sturdy branch, looking around and admiring the view.

But peace doesn’t last for long because all of a sudden, a slam rings through the air, and you watch curiously as a large man, who oddly enough looks similar to Elder Sekijiro, although that was probably a figment of your imagination, there was no way the frightening elder would actually be in the human realm, stumbles into view.

The large man looked pissed, you noticed, as he dragged something behind him, and it’s only till the large man threw whatever he was carrying harshly unto the tree you were perched on did you realize that what the man had dragged wasn’t just a thing, but rather it was a person. 

You gasp, heart breaking at the sight of the young boy. From where you sat above him, you could tell that he was covered with bruises all over, with a ghastly scar covering one of his eyes. The poor boy looked so weak and frail that you wanted nothing more than to steal the boy away and tend to him until he could stand on his own two feet one more. It was cruel. Was this the doing of that man?

You look up, and it’s only then that you notice a few more children looking at the scene below you with different expressions on their faces. There were about three of them; two boys and one girl. The tallest and assumably the eldest had an unbothered look on his face as if he couldn’t care less about the poor boy who had just been thrown into a three. The second boy, with snow-white hair, sported a sadistic grin as if he were enjoying seeing the young boy in pain. And the girl? The girl, who looked so sweet and innocent, held eyes of pure disgust as she clutched her teddy bear tighter to her chest, almost as if she were glaring at the young boy. 

Was this the kid’s family?

“Shoto!” The large man, whom you had deduced to be the father, screamed. You flinch at the loudness of his voice, intimidation flowing out of him in waves, causing a shiver to run down your spine. You look down, heart hurting at the sight of the young boy cowering in fear, but he still kept a brave face. Well, as much as he could do in that situation. 

“You dare disobey your brother?” He continues, tone raising more and more as his fists clench. “How many times have I told you to listen to your siblings? They’re much older, stronger, and smarter than a little piece of shit like you. Heck, even Fuyumi, who’s a girl, is much more dignified than your pathetic ass!”

The more words fell from the man’s mouth, the more you wished to hex him with forbidden magic. Although doing so would only make your punishment worse. The elders were strict about black magic, after all. Anyone who even showed a little bit of interest was considered a threat and was sent to conduct punishments almost immediately. It was cruel, but you were on wit’s end because nowhere had you seen a vile man like him. 

“It’s true, father!” The second sibling says, the sinister grin on his lips only growing. “I had asked Shoto nicely to help with my chores because I wanted to get more practice in for the royal knights’ examination, but he had the audacity to retaliate with the excuse that he already had chores to do.” The kid scoffs, rolling his eyes in the process. “He barely does anything in this house, yet he’s a burden to those of us who actually are? Father, he deserves punishment!”

There’s a sinking feeling in your stomach as if you were getting deja vu from this situation. The look on that kid’s face painfully reminded you of Neito, and you couldn’t help the gut feeling that made you believe that what the kid was saying was far from the truth.

“Shameful!” The father says, raising a hand to slap the young child to the side, and you gasp in horror wanting nothing more to interfere, yet the Grand Elder’s words ring harshly in your ear. There needs to be a balance. He had said. It would plunge the realms into total chaos if more than one human discovered the reality of magic simultaneously, especially those with foul intentions. 

You couldn’t reveal yourself, not yet, at least. Yet, at the same time, you wanted to curse the elders back home, for they had assigned to you a child who was literally experiencing hell on earth and only gave you limited movement to help. 

You watch, feeling the tears threaten to fall as the damn bastard of a father lands another punch towards his son, to the point where he begins to cough blood. Your eyes widen in horror as you hear the other children’s cheers. Why were they like this? Weren’t they family? Why were they treating one of their own like he wasn’t? He didn’t deserve this. He was only but a child!

When the father was finally finished with his rain of terror, you couldn’t help but release the breath you were holding in. Finally, it was over. But as if he couldn’t get any worse, the father towers over him, blue eyes boring into his kids. “If I see any of these bruises and wounds healed,” he whispers just enough for only Shoto to hear, but with your heightened senses, you couldn’t help but listen in. “Then you will get a beating far worse than this one. Do you understand?”

The kid nods weakly, not having the strength to communicate properly, causing the father to glare at him harder. “You are a disgrace to the Todoroki name, Shoto. Never forget that.”

And just like that, he leaves, the children following closely behind with mocking looks on their faces. The second sibling even goes so far as to spit on his youngest brother, causing you to clench your fists in anger, wanting to teach that kid a lesson. What kind of twisted personality did he have? Why was he treating his family like this? You just couldn’t understand. 

When they finally leave, leaving the young kid on the rough ground, wallowing in his misery and pain, you find it in yourself to come down and take action. What action, you may ask? You weren’t quite sure yourself, but every fiber in your being was begging you to do something to help the poor child. 

You kneel beside the beaten-up boy, weaving your hand through his dirtied hair. The boy looked like he hadn’t even been given an ounce of care throughout his life. How could this be? Wasn’t a family supposed to love each other? But you knew yourself that not all families were like that, only the lucky ones. 

The world, no matter what realm you were in, was cruel and cold to those who didn’t fit in, to those that made them feel sick. Within your heart, you knew exactly what the young child was feeling, although only to a certain extent as it could never compare to the feeling of getting beaten up by the people you were supposed to love on a day-to-day basis. 

But you too had been abandoned, you too had been ridiculed, and you knew how much that pain could carry through the rest of one’s life. The pain never truly goes away. It would only get buried, waiting for the moment it could come back to life. And if that pain was prolonged? Then that would only make things worse. 

So you decided, with a firm grip on your heart, that until you had to leave, you would be there for this child. More than punishment, more than a duty you had to fulfill, you would be there for him until the very end. 

That was a promise. 

Todoroki Shoto had never known love. 

For as long as he could remember, ever since the day he was born, his family had hated him. For what reason? He couldn’t quite comprehend, but now that he was a bit older, he understood to some extent. 

His birth had caused his mother to die. 

It was something that his family reminded him of every day. Whenever his brother, Natsuo, forced him to do his share of chores, he would always add in a snarky remark saying how it was the least he could do since he took his mother away from him. It hurt, but he couldn’t argue. It was the truth, after all. Him being born into the world had caused their own mother to leave it. It was only natural for his family to hate him. 

From what he had heard, his mother was a very kind woman. With the same snow-white hair that covered half of his head, Todoroki Rei was known to be an angel. She was kind, always selflessly showing her love, and in turn, everyone loved her for it. She was the life of the party, even though she was frail, and never failed to make everyone around her smile. She was what one would consider the embodiment of good.

And Shoto had taken her away from them. 

Everyone in the Todoroki household hated him, even the servants. How dare a useless child like him take away their mistress? How dare he live on as if nothing was wrong when he was the very reason that the light of the Todoroki household dimmed out. He was a despicable child in the eyes of everyone else, one that never deserved love. 

So they fed him moldy bread and spoiled milk, rotten fruits, and water that was clearly full of filth. They wanted him to die, to pay for taking their mistress away from them. And no one in his family ever stood up for him. 

His eldest brother Touya never even spoke to him. It was as if he was actively trying to ignore the kid. Whenever Shoto went up to talk to his brother, he would simply pass him by as if Shoto didn’t even exist. Yet whenever Shoto would catch peeks of the family eating a nice supper over the dinner table, his brother was actively engaging in conversation, causing an arrow to go through his heart at the realization that Touya truly did intend to ignore him. 

His second brother, Natsuo, was no better. The only difference was that he actively tried to make Shoto’s life a living hell more than it already was. Natsuo took all his anger and grief out on the young child with snarky remarks and condescending tones. There was even a slap on the cheek every now and then, to which he would complain that it was Shoto who assaulted him, even though it was far from the truth. And everyone would believe him. Because who would believe the words of a child whose birth meant the death of another?

Then there was Fuyumi, his only sister. She sported that same gentle nature as his mother, according to the house servants, yet to Shoto, she was a wicked and cruel child. She was petty, treating Shoto as if he were a slave. When her favorite tea was too hot for her liking, she spilled the scalding hot drink all over him, soon after berating and slapping him for letting the said liquid fall onto her plush carpet. It made no sense, but Shoto could never complain. Fuyumi was the darling of the family, after all. 

But his father? He was the worst of them all. 

Todoroki Enji was a curious man, to say the least. As one of the leading figures of the oldest families of the Musutafu Empire, his very presence brought tremendous waves of awe among the masses. The Todoroki family was one of the most revered families in the whole empire, and everyone had always looked up to them, seeing them as the perfect family. 

But Todoroki Enji had taken that image of perfection into heart, and it showed through the things he did behind closed doors. Rei’s death hit him the hardest, not because he was heartbroken that his other half died, but rather it was because that image of perfection had been broken into pieces, and he loathed it. He hated the pitiful gazes of the masses, as they stared at him as if he wasn’t the perfect being they needed him to be. It enraged him to no end. And the only outlet of this burning rage was the cause of all this brokenness, his own son. 

Everything Shoto did angered him. Even taking a breath angered him. Every action, look, and word that came from the young child infuriated the head of the house, and he couldn’t help but take it out on him. Treating Shoto like he wasn’t a child but rather an enemy on the battlefield. Every day he would ruthlessly beat Shoto up until he felt satisfied, leaving Shoto battered and bruised with no chance of recovery. It was terrible, something anyone with a heart would hate, yet all those who resided in the Todoroki Mansion thrived on his misery. 

So yeah, all his life, Todoroki Shoto had never known love. 

But when he feels a hand gently caress his face, brushing his dirtied hair off of his face and running a thumb over his bruising cheek, he wonders if maybe this was it. Whoever was touching him had such a gentle and soft touch, a touch that he’s never felt before in his life. It was warm, far different from the cold caresses of his family. He wanted nothing more than to stay in the comfort of this warmth. But what if this was just a figment of his imagination?

He opens his eyes slowly, bearing through the pain and heaviness that came with it, and his gaze meets yours, and he’s blown away. 

Your eyes look at him with sincere kindness, one that Shoto has never seen before in his life. He’s only been alive for a few years or so, and he can tell that this was what was right. Not his family, not the servants treating him with extreme hostility. No, you, a stranger he had never seen in his entire life, was already treating him way better than the whole world would ever treat him. And it had only been a few seconds since his eyes met yours. 

“W-who…” he stutters, blinking wearily as if he wanted to get a closer look, but you shush him with gentle whispers, continuing to weave your hands through his dual-colored hair that looked stunning under the sunlight, even if it was smeared to no end. 

“Shh, don’t speak, child,” you say, motherly instincts that you were unaware of surfacing. “You are injured. Speaking will only make it worse.”

Shoto nods, staying silent as you continue to run your fingers through his hair. Suddenly a surge of warmth rushes through his body, and he watches amazed as the pain from his father’s beating slowly goes away, even if the bruises didn’t disappear. 

“There, that should do the trick!” You say, smiling brightly and voice cheery in an attempt to console the young child. Shoto slowly sits up from where he laid on the hard ground, looking at his hands in awe. How did you do that? How did you make all the pain disappear?

“I apologize,” you say, looking sheepishly at Shoto once you noticed he was staring at his arms in awe. “Your father mentioned that he would hurt you even more if your injuries are healed, so I’m only able to make the physical pain go away, but the wounds remain. I hope that’s alright.”

It’s more than alright, Shoto thinks to himself as he looks at you in awe. Shoto had never felt this alive before. It was as if his energy was restored and multiplied as if the numbness that had accumulated from the years of beating had vanished without a trace. 

“Thank you,” he finally says, not having the courage to spill his heart out in fear that you would take his feelings and crush them in the blink of an eye. If Shoto were to be honest, if anyone else aside from the people he had come to know were to berate him more than he already was on a daily basis, then he would truly crumble. 

“But… who are you?” He asks, finally coming to his senses. “Why are you here? It’s dangerous. If father finds out, then you—”

“—Do not worry child, I will be fine.” You’re doing better than expected despite the rapid beating of your heart from how nervous you were. You really hated this motherly image you were exuding, wanting nothing more than to be as carefree as you usually were, but first impressions were important, and you had to time things just right. 

You smile, looking at Shoto with the kindest gaze you could muster, patting him gently on the head in the process. 

“I’m your fairy godmother, after all.”

“F-fairy g-godmother?” Shoto asks, clearly confused. You giggle at his perplexed expression, amused. It was fascinating how the child still seemed to be as innocent despite the harsh realities he had been through. He was a strong human, you supposed. And quite an adorable one too. 

“Yes, child,” you say once more, standing up and bringing Shoto up with you, although he stumbles, legs weak from being on the ground for too long, but you’re quick to catch him, giggling once more at the flustered expression on his face. 

“I’m your fairy godmother,” you repeat, lines poised and precise like you had been trained to from the Grand Elder. “And as your fairy godmother, I’ll be here to make sure that your pain will be more bearable until you can fly free on your own.”

“Fly?” The young child asks excitedly, eyes beaming. “Will I be able to fly someday?”

“Not in the literal sense, child.” You giggle, the tiny human bringing the weight of the world off your shoulders. It was refreshing to interact with him. Perhaps this was why parents decide to have children. They were oh so loveable when they were young. You could only hope that the pureness of his heart wouldn’t be tainted even further by the harsh reality of his family’s disdain. 

“But you’ll understand what I mean very soon,” you say, kneeling down towards his level. “And until then, I’ll be your wings, alright?” 

It’s clear that Shoto doesn’t understand a word you’re saying, but that’s alright. He doesn’t need to understand at the moment. He just needs to believe. And from the pure amazement and wonder in his eyes, it looks as if he’s already on a one-way track towards it.

“Now, child, before I send you off, you must remember something very important.” You say, tone a bit sterner as Shoto gulps, nodding his head and turning his full attention towards you. His concerned and slightly worried look on his face makes you want to break your facade and laugh along with him. But this truly was an important matter, and if you didn’t drill it into his brain, then your mission would have been all for naught. 

“Under no circumstance, must you tell of my existence to another soul, do you understand?” There’s uncertainty in the child’s gaze as if he doesn’t truly understand the weight of your words, but he nods nonetheless, agreeing. “Not your father,” you continue, hoping to make your point a bit clearer. “Nor your siblings, nor any stranger that you come across. You can’t reveal my existence to anyone, understand? This is a secret between you and me. Can you keep it?”

A beat of silence passes the two of you as Shoto lets the words sink in. He truly doesn’t understand why he can’t tell anyone else about you. It didn’t make sense to him. Weren’t you supposed to make his pain more bearable? Then why couldn’t you do that in the form of mending his relationship with his family? It saddened Shoto because in the few moments you had spent together, in those few minutes he got to know you, Shoto already considered you a friend. His first friend, in fact. 

Why couldn’t he show you off? 

Maybe it had to do with the fact that you, too, would get punished by his father if he were to reveal your existence. His father was a terrifying man. If he wanted something, then he would get it, no matter how difficult it was to obtain. His father held himself in high regard. And anyone who didn’t fit his standards was considered worthless and useless. If he were to find out that you were associated with him, the failure of the family, then who knows what his father would do to you?

He wouldn’t allow that. He couldn’t allow that. You were the first person to show him kindness, and he couldn’t just let you slip away. That would break him to the point of no return. 

“Sure,” Shoto mumbles shyly, a bashful smile forming on his lips. If you didn’t know any better, you wouldn’t have guessed that this child was frequently beaten up by his family, much less hated by them. He seemed like a great kid, who needed a friend to stand by him, and although Grand Elder Nezu and Elder Yagi had strictly advised you against being too attached to your assigned human, you couldn’t help it. 

Who were you to ignore such a loveable child? 

You smile, the sternness gradually leaving your face, and raise your hand towards him, pinky pointing out. “Promise?” Shoto looks at you before his eyes dart to your outstretched finger, bewildered and unsure. 

“This is a pinky promise,” you say, realizing that he didn’t understand what you were trying to do. “When we link our pinkies together like this,” you continue, intertwining your pinky with his and locking them together. “Then that means our promise is sealed in stone and can never ever be broken.” 

You give Shoto a small smile, your other hand reaching out to pat his head gently, while Shoto looks at your intertwined pinkies in awe and admiration. 

In his haze, you finally stand up, your heightened senses hearing angered footsteps approaching, and you look worriedly at Shoto, hesitant to leave.

“I have to go now,” you say, heartbreaking at the way his expression falls from his face, replaced with a disappointed one.

“But don’t worry, I’ll be back.” You’re quick to reassure him, waving your hands frantically as you give off a sheepish smile. “I’ll be back when you need me the most,” you clarify, panic rushing in as the hurried footsteps become louder.

“Promise?” Shoto asks, stretching out his own pinky to you, reflecting what you had just taught him. This catches you by surprise, but you’re quick to smile, intertwining your pinkies once more.

“I promise,” you genuinely whisper, watching with mirth in your heart as Shoto looks up at you with a warm smile of his own, eyes looking at you tenderly as if he were sending you off.

And just like that, you vanish, much to Shoto’s shock, as the sliding door behind him slams open, and a servant comes out storming towards him angrily. But honestly, Shoto couldn’t care less.

Even as the servant berated him and dragged him harshly back into the mansion, Shoto couldn’t help but feel all warm and giddy inside. He had made his first friend.

And that was more than anything he could ever ask for.

Ever since your first meeting with Shoto, you had begun to grow closer towards the abused child, feeling a connection start to grow.

Of course, you didn’t show yourself to him as often as you wanted to, as you had your own limitations. Because as the council had told you before your departure, they were watching. And that was a frightening thought to ever take for granted. 

It was too risky to put your personal desires over your duty at the forefront, so you had to work your way around the rules laid down by the Grand Elder. You had to be sharp, had to show your support and friendship in other more mundane ways so Shoto would continue to believe.

You were still a fairy on a mission, after all.

Harnessing magic wasn’t a one-time thing. If it were, then the council would have easily done it by now. The truth of the matter was that cultivating the magic out of humans required time, effort, and care— a feat that was far too tedious for the council to partake in, which was why it was up to the God fairies to carry it out.

As the relationship between a god fairy and their assigned human continued to grow, so would the amount of magic present within the human. Once it got to its breaking point, then the god fairy would immediately harness it, marking the end of their relationship and causing the human to never believe in magic again. 

It was a cruel process but one you couldn’t avoid as it meant your life or death. But the more time you spend with Shoto, the more your resolve seems to break, and you begin to question whether or not you could actually pull through with what you were meant to do. 

The door slides open, snapping you away from your train of thought, and in walks Shoto, a new bruise forming over his right eye. 

Even if you couldn’t show yourself on a daily basis, you still made your presence known to Shoto through small acts of magic, ones that wouldn’t be considered overboard by the Grand Elder. You would have followed Shoto everywhere he went, watching his every move and ensuring that he was safe, but in a way, it made you uncomfortable.

And you couldn’t stand seeing the way his family and servants treated him. It was too cruel. You were sure that if you spent any second longer seeing his siblings ridicule him or his father punch him, then you would lose control. And everything that you had worked desperately for would have gone to waste,  which was why you distanced yourself from the young child whenever he was around others. You knew it was wrong, but you couldn’t help it. It was for the best; you tried to convince yourself. You were doing the right thing. 

But that didn’t mean you didn’t help him at all. As Shoto quickly makes his way to his worn-out futon, wincing in pain at all the bruises his father had given him from the day’s beating, you couldn’t help but fuss over him, immediately reaching out to take the pain away in your invisible state, external wounds remaining. 

“Fairy Godmother?” Shoto calls out weakly, feeling the pain leave him gradually as warmth replaces it. His eyes feel lighter, and he finally works the courage to open them fully, only to be met with his dark room. You were still invisible. You hadn’t shown yourself just yet. “Are you there?”

You wanted to respond. You desperately do. But the weight of your duty weighs heavy on your shoulders, and you hesitate, unsure whether or not you would reach out to him. You two were close, that was for sure. Throughout the few months of your ‘friendship’ with Shoto (if you could call it that), you had come to know just how precious the child truly was. Even after all the hardships and suffering that overcame him, he was still bright and innocent, something you never entirely understood, but you supposed that was what made Shoto… Shoto. 

 “Fairy Godmother?” Shoto calls out again, this time a little more desperate. His eyes dart around, trying to find you, but you were nowhere to be seen. All he wanted was to see you again. Sure, you had in some way, shape, and form always made your presence known through your kind acts, but it didn’t feel complete. It was as if Shoto was talking to a ghost, and he didn’t want that. He wanted to speak to his friend, the one person who made him see the light in what seemed like a never-ending darkness. 

“Please,” he whispers like a prayer, hoping that you would show yourself. “Are you there?”

You couldn’t take it. This was torture to you. You knew you would get reprimanded either way, but as a fairy tasked with the responsibility of taking care of this child, you had to do it. He was practically crying out at this point. What kind of soul wouldn’t help him?

“I am here, Shoto,” you say, finally revealing yourself, and you feel yourself wince at the tears of relief that slip past the young child’s eyes. “I am here.”

Almost immediately, Shoto lunges at you, wrapping you in the tightest embrace he could muster. Was this real? He thought to himself. Were you actually here? This wasn’t a dream, right? What if you left him for good? He didn’t think his heart could handle that. 

“You’re here!” He whispers, nuzzling into your stomach, giggling. “You’re actually here!” How could a child be so precious? You wonder to yourself. He was so innocent and pure. Why was his family hurting him like he wasn’t? From the time you had come to know Shoto, you could tell that he was a kind soul. He didn’t deserve any of the pain inflicted by his family. He deserved nothing but love and happiness. You just wished you had the authority to give it to him. 

But alas, even with your freedom came chains that sought to bind you to the harsh realities of the world. 

“Yes, I am, Shoto,” you giggle, running your hand soothingly through his hair, knowing how much comfort it brought the young child. “What is it that you need?”

“Nothing really,” Shoto replies after a while, merely basking in your warmth for as long as he could. “I just wanted to see you again.”

If Shoto were, to be honest, he was afraid that you were merely a product of his own imagination. His family often mocked him for it, calling him delusional in every way they could. Delusional for thinking he was loved; Delusional for thinking he deserved to be loved, and more so delusional for thinking that he could actually receive love from his family. 

He was raised to believe that in one way or another, he was delusional, so somewhere deep down inside him, he thought that maybe you were a product of his delusions too. 

But here you were, smiling down at him with such tenderness and care that Shoto knew you were anything but a delusion. He smiles brightly, the pain from earlier slowly melting away in your presence, and he drags you with his little hands towards his small, worn-out mattress, encouraging you to sit. 

You follow him, eyes frowning at the state of his mattress. This was no way to treat a human being. Even back in the fairy realm, although it was clear that many were not fond of you, they still gave you common courtesy and respect as any other living being should. What Shoto’s family was doing to him was horrible, and you wish you could bring him out of it. 

“Could you tell me a story?” Shoto asks out of the blue, causing your eyes to widen in surprise. “A story?” You repeat, unsure if you heard him correctly. Shoto nods, moving to lift a part of his mattress off the ground to reveal a hidden pile of storybooks that you never knew existed.

“My father doesn’t let me read,” he whispers, fingers darting over the dusty covers. “Says I’m not worthy of it.” Your hands clenched into fists beside you as you tried not to let your anger show, but Shoto could feel it slowly dripping off you in waves. “It’s fine, though,” he says, trying to reassure you that he wasn’t as affected by it as he truly was. “I’m used to it….”

A beat of silence passes the two of you as you look at the solemn gaze on Shoto’s face as he continues to run his fingers through the cover of the worn book longingly. With a sigh, you gently take Shoto into your arms, catching the young boy by surprise. 

“You don’t have to hide in front of me, you know?” You say, seemingly scolding the child, but your tone was light, a small smile making its way to your face. “Friends don’t hide things from each other.”

From where he sat in your lap, Shoto looks at you with a bewildered gaze on his face, as if he were mesmerized. You simply smile at him, taking the book gently from his arms and opening it to the first page. 

“I’ll help you learn how to read,” you say, finally clearing up your actions. “Isn’t that what you truly want?” 

Shoto doesn’t say anything, but you can tell from the tears that are about to fall from his eyes that this was indeed his genuine desire. It pained you. Reading was something many took for granted, but as you see the absolute joy on Shoto’s face as he brought his attention back to the book in excitement, you realize that this was a gift. 

You had the power to help this child beyond magic. And that was something you would use to your advantage, no matter the consequence. 

You just wished that you would have done a better job at keeping it lowkey. Because as you guide Shoto in reading the story he had picked for the night, You don’t notice the gap between his door and the wall, a result of Shoto not closing the door properly from his weakened state and as a result, a young girl was standing on the opposite side of the door, eyes widened in horror and disgust at the sight she was seeing. 

This wasn’t going to go well. 

The next few days, Shoto honestly felt like he was in bliss. 

No matter how horribly his family and servants treated him, nothing could shake the happiness he felt within his heart. Perhaps it was amplified by the fact his father had left the mansion for a few days to attend to his duties in the royal palace. Although he still had to face harsh treatments from his siblings and the other servants, at least the beatings became scarce. 

His family was much too cowardly to carry out the same severe beatings his father gave. Which meant that he could enjoy his time with you even more than he should. 

He had just finished his chores, ones that the servants were supposed to do, but in their vanity, they forced him to do it, going beyond their status as mere servants and dropping all their responsibilities as a child, sporting faux innocence whenever Shoto had tried to bring it up to his family.

But when he did, his father only got angry, beating him for lying about such matters, insinuating how he was insulting him because it was Enji who handpicked those servants, meaning an insult to them was an insult to his father.

So Shoto learned to take everything in a stride. To just do whatever the servants wanted him to do otherwise, he would get an even more severe beating from his father, and he wanted to avoid that at all costs. 

But that fear was a thing of the past, as at the moment, Shoto was happily skipping towards his room, excitedly thinking of what story his fairy godmother would teach him about today.

Truly, like her title, Shoto’s fairy godmother was a blessing sent from the heavens. She was kind, patient, and never berated Shoto for any mistake he made. She would never do that to him, she told him one day when he had asked. It was just too cruel. 

So this was what kindness really felt like, Shoto realized once the words slipped from her mouth. Growing up, Shoto was taught that his family’s actions were one of kindness, with insults such as ‘you should be grateful father was kind enough to keep you in this house when you should have been thrown out into the street already.’ being thrown at him left and right. 

He had always hated kindness because of that. His family’s kindness made him feel sick, made him want to curl up into a hole and die, yet his fairy godmother had shown him the light. His fairy godmother had shown him that kindness wasn’t supposed to make you feel horrible. It was supposed to make you happy. It was supposed to fill your heart with love and affection that you wanted to give back tenfold. 

What his family was doing to him wasn’t kindness at all.

Even more so when he stopped in front of his room, confused to hear a commotion inside. His gut feeling told him to run away, to hide, and never show himself again. But he couldn’t. His room was his safe haven, the only place where he could truly escape from his harsh reality, and if something ever happened to it, then Shoto wouldn’t know what to do.

He hastily opens the door only to feel his blood run cold. There standing in his room were his father, Enji, and his sister, Fuyumi. The moment they heard the door open, his sister turned to him, fake tears in her eyes, ones that Shoto knew everyone believed. Because in their eyes, Shoto’s sister was innocent, even though he knew that she was a devil in disguise.

“There he is, father!” Fuyumi exclaimed, pointing towards him accusingly. “The thief!”

Thief? Shoto wondered to himself. Why was he a thief? As far as he knew, he hadn’t stolen anything from anyone, much less his sister. Why would she accuse him of being a thief?

But he didn’t get the chance to ponder on it deeply, with his father turning towards him with deep rage lacing his eyes. Why was his father here in the first place? Wasn’t he supposed to stay in the palace for a few more days?

“You imbecile!” His father rages, stomping towards him. Shoto whimpers trying to back away, but his father was bigger and stronger than he could ever be and caught up to him quickly, holding him by the collar of his rags and throwing him across the room harshly. 

The impact causes immense pain to course through Shoto’s body, and he’s sure he could feel a rib or two of his break from the pressure. There was liquid running down his face, was that blood? Perhaps. He was in too much pain to process what was happening. 

“First, you kill your mother,” His father says, slowly making his way towards him, intimidation falling off him in waves. “Second, you act like an entitled brat to everyone in this house,” his words make Shoto flinch, knowing in his heart that none of his words were true. “And third,” Shoto’s father says as he finally stands in front of him, eyes glaring into his with severe malice. “You dare steal something extremely valuable from your sister? Have you no shame?”

With the little strength he could muster, Shoto looks up at his father, eyes weak and hazy. “Steal?” He whispers. “I didn’t steal anything….”

“Lies!” He hears his sister exclaim, sobbing hysterically. If Shoto didn’t know that his sister had two sides, he would have believed that she was genuinely upset. But that wasn’t the case. She was making things up. And this time, her act might actually cost his life. 

“You stole the storybooks I got from mother!” She accuses, holding her teddy bear tighter to her chest, hateful eyes glaring into his.

Storybooks? Shoto asks to himself, eyes darting around only to find the pile of storybooks on the ground— the same ones you read to him every night. A fire burns inside him, something that Shoto had never felt before. The audacity his sister had.

“Y-you,” he stutters, coughing from the pain. “You threw them away! I don’t steal them. I found them in the garbage!”

“That’s not true!” His sister fights back, and Shoto can see the way her eyes dart around in shock, not expecting him to actually speak up. “Why would I throw away something I received from mother?” 

Shoto was about to retort, but suddenly, a harsh sound rang through the room, and Shoto feels an excruciatingly painful sting on his cheek. His father had slapped him hard.

“How dare you,” he says, voice low, concealing the pure unadulterated rage that was about to burst forth. “How dare you take our kindness for granted, you son of a bitch.” 

“We clothed you. We gave you shelter and food, and this is how you repay us?” He spats, hands clenched into fists. “After everything you’ve done to our family, you continue to disgrace our family name? What a despicable child you are.” 

Pushing Shoto down to the floor, Enji raises his hand, ready to land a punch. “Shameful.” He lands a blow. “Disgusting.” He lands another. “Thief.” This time his father hits his broken ribs, causing Shoto to cry out in even more pain. “Murderer.”

Tears fall from Shoto’s eyes as the pain continues to flow through him, bursting through every punch. Was he really a murderer? Was he really that bad of a child? If so, why did they make him stay? Why couldn’t they put him out of his misery?

He wished his fairy godmother was here. She would probably make things better than they were now. She would make all the pain go away and then pat his head like she always did as she read him another story. He had never been as happy as he was whenever she read to him. But who knew that happiness came at an awful price?

Fairy Godmother, Shoto prayed in his mind as his father continued to beat him, letting out all his anger onto his body. Where are you? He was sure he looked like a mess, probably not even human anymore. But he couldn’t care less. He just wanted his fairy godmother by his side.

She said she would be there when he needed it most, didn’t she?

Suddenly the pain stops, and all Shoto feels is numb. He opens his eyes to the best ability, only to see his father stop midair with someone’s hand holding into his arm. He turns to the side, wincing in pain, yet it’s worth it because he finally sees the person he’s been waiting for.

His fairy godmother had finally appeared.

“Who are you?” His father shouts, screaming at the fairy. Her face is hardened, eyes glaring back at him with such hatred that it could honestly mirror his father’s. 

“None of your business,” she spats before forcefully throwing his father to the other side of the room, landing with a harsh thud.

She walks towards him, a menacing aura surrounding her, but just before she could approach Shoto’s father, his sister immediately runs to defend him, glaring with genuine tears in her eyes.

“Who are you?” She screams, shaking. “Why are you attacking father? Father has done nothing wrong! You should be attacking that… thing! He’s the bad one here.”

Her desperate cries leave a bitter hole in Shoto’s heart as he feels nothing but despair. He had always hoped that beneath all the harsh words of his family members, underneath all their cruel punishments and glaring eyes, they would still have room in their hearts to care for him, even just a little bit.

But no, they didn’t even see him as human. And that hurt way more than being called a murderer. 

“First of all,” you say, voice ice-cold, causing shivers to run down everyone’s spine. “Shoto isn’t a thing. He’s a human being. He’s your brother. What kind of person are you for not even acknowledging that?” 

“He killed my mother!” Shoto’s sister screams in protest, holding her ground. But her words only cause your gaze to harden as you grab her in the shoulders, and she shakes under your terrifying stare. 

“Listen here, young lady,” your voice booms through the room. “Shoto didn’t kill anyone. Your mother’s death was not his fault. Just because you can’t accept the fact that your mother is not on this earth anymore doesn’t mean you can treat your brother like he’s the scum of the earth.”

His sister falls silent after that, not knowing what else to say. She sniffles, and as gently as you can, you push her to the side. She was still a child, after all. No matter how vain she was, she was only a year or two older than Shoto. And you were not one to inflict pain on children or anyone for that matter. 

But this had gone too far. And you couldn’t find it within yourself to stand on the sidelines any longer. 

“And you,” if possible, your voice becomes even more ominous as you approach Enji, who sat on the ground, groaning. In his weakened state, he glares at you, having the audacity to continue spewing nonsense from his mouth. 

“Don’t you know who I am?” He threatens before you can continue to speak. “I am Todoroki Enji, the right-hand man of the Emperor of the Musutafu Empire! If his majesty were to find out of your crime, then he would—”

“—Punish you to the depths of hell.” You say, cutting him off. “I’m not a fool, Todoroki Enji. I know that the only reason you sheltered Shoto was so the Emperor wouldn’t find out your crimes. Otherwise, you would have thrown him onto the streets.”

Enji can feel his blood run cold, the truth hitting him like harsh waves the more they fall from your lips. 

“The Emperor is a kind and just man, and if he were to ever find out that you were treating your child this way, then he wouldn’t hesitate to sentence you to death. You know that more than anyone.”

Silence befalls the room as everyone soaks your words in. Shoto doesn’t understand. What were you trying to say?

“You know better than to punish Shoto for killing his mother. He didn’t do anything wrong. Todoroki Rei was already weak and frail after giving birth to the little young miss over there, yet you still insisted that she bear you a child, and when she refused, you threatened her.”

A gasp falls from his sister’s lips as the gravity of your words swirls up into a tornado in Shoto’s mind. Was this true? Was he truly not to blame for all of this?

“Lies,” Enji mutters under his breath, low enough for only you to hear. You stay silent, allowing the man to form his thoughts, yet that proves to be fatal as after a beat of silence passes, the man glares at you, taking a broken piece of the wall and swinging it your way. 

“Fairy Godmo—” Shoto calls, distressed and scared, but it proved to be for naught as in the blink of an eye, the heavy debris vanished, and you stood there, wand in hand, glaring once more at his father. 

“What?!” His father exclaims, finally taking his stand. “How were you able to do that? That should have killed you!”

You smile, grin sinister and dark, far from the gentle warmth it usually portrayed. Shoto was scared. His brain couldn’t comprehend what was happening. But what he did know was that he didn’t like any of this one bit. 

“Magic,” is all you say, lifting your wand to cast another spell. “Magic is what made me do this to you. And magic is how I’ll make sure that you suffer the same hell Shoto has gone through.”

Horror fills Enji’s eyes as you step closer. But just as you’re about to release your spell, the door opens, revealing Shoto’s second brother, Natsuo, whose eyes widened at the sight in front of him. On instinct, he grabs the wooden sword he had brought with him from his training and lunges at you just as your magic bursts forth, tackling you to the ground. 

And a scream fills the air. 

Everyone looks, startled at the sight. When the chaos finally comes clear, to the family’s dread and your glee, your spell had managed to affect Enji, but not in the way that you had hoped. 

Instead of the core of his body, you had hit his eyes instead, a nasty scar forming over it, burning the flesh, and causing the man to tremble in pain. 

Well, at least he would know what Shoto felt when he got his scar. 

You stand up, dusting the dirt off your clothes as you make your way towards Shoto, ignoring his shell-shocked brother, who was staring at his father writhing in pain. You probably look like a mess at this point, totally different from how you usually appeared, but that was the least of your concerns. 

You had to ensure Shoto was alright. He had gone through so much after all. 

You couldn’t stand it. How could you stand watch when Shoto’s father was basically killing the poor child? Shoto who was pure and innocent. Shoto, whose only desire in life, was to read. He didn’t care for freedom or revenge. He just wanted to live normally. 

You couldn’t find it within yourself to let his family trample over those dreams any longer. 

You finally approach him, getting ready to kneel beside him and take him in your embrace so you could take the pain away. How much pain must he have gone through? You wonder. His body was battered and bruised, looking as if he was merely a shell of the child he once was. It was too cruel, and you could only hope that you’re magic would take even a bit of that pain away.

Because the child deserved to smile. 

But just as you’re about to reach out towards him, a bright light shines through the room, and from that light comes a figure, one that causes your whole being to momentarily freeze in shock and fear. 

Elder Yagi stood there in all his glory, robes and wings perfectly accentuating his features, truly presenting himself as the most powerful fairy in all the realm. His eyes were placed into a frown, and he stared directly at you, disappointment evident within him. 

You had screwed up, and now you were going to pay the price. 

“Young (Y/N),” His voice booms, loud and proud like how a fairy should be. “For breaking the Fairy Code by revealing the existence of magic to humans other than your godchild and for using said magic to unlawfully harm the human race, you are hereby sentenced to banishment from the fairy realm effective immediately.”

You stare at the elder you had come to know as a father, pleading with desperate eyes for him not to do this to you, but he pays no mind, waving his wand, causing binds to form and wrap around your body. 

“No, please!” You scream in vain, begging. “At least let me heal Shoto. Let me do something for him!”

“You’ve already done enough!” Elder Yagi screams. It’s the first time you’ve seen him so angry, and it scares you. Where was the kind fairy you had come to know? Why was he acting like this? “The Council will take over.”

And light flashes once more through the broken room, and just like that, you’re gone, leaving Shoto behind. 

Shoto blinks blearily, everything passing by in a blur. What had happened? What was happening? He wished he had the strength to get up and take a stand for himself, but he was quite literally beaten to a pulp. He can’t feel the strength in his arms anymore, and just that very thought scares him. 

The only thing that comforts him is the soothing lullaby of darkness, trancing him into a sleepy state, and before he knows it, Shoto passes out. 

Not knowing that from this point onwards, his life would change forever. 

The light shines through the curtains, and Shoto wakes up, blinking. 

He stretches his tired limbs and sits up, yawning. Why did he feel so tired? He’s never felt this weary before. 

He gets out of bed, heading towards his bathroom, looking at the mirror. When he does, however, he’s suddenly flashed with a vision of him, beaten into a pulp and unable to stand up, and he gasps, but that vision slowly fades away, and Shoto’s regular reflection comes back. 

What was that? Why did he look so… dead?

Surely that was a figment of his own imagination, right? Surely that was his mind playing tricks on him, right? Sure, his family did beat him from time to time, but they would never treat him that badly, right?

Shoto shivers, desperately shaking his thoughts away, as he slowly makes his way to the kitchen, hoping to snag some food while the servants aren’t looking. 

On his way, however, he bumps into his father, who glares at him. Shoto looks to the ground in shame, not knowing why this particular meeting made him more frightened than usual. He should be used to his father’s beatings by now, but why did he feel so scared?

“You,” his father says, and Shoto halts at the menacing tone in his voice. “Look at me.” Shoto does as he asks, and looks up to his father, eyes widening at the sight of a ghastly scar mirroring his own on his father’s face.

Did he always have that scar? 

His father stares at him as if he were examining him. For what reason, Shoto wasn’t quite sure, But it made him extremely uncomfortable, and he could only hope that his father would let him go soon. 

“You should be grateful I’m in a good mood today, brat,” is all his father says, glaring harshly at Shoto. He doesn’t say anything more than that, choosing to leave towards the direction of the dining room, leaving Shoto behind in the hallway. 

That was it? He asked himself. He wasn’t going to punch him? That was weird. But he paid it no mind. As his father said, it was his lucky day. 

Yet as Shoto continued to head towards the kitchen, there was an itching feeling scratching the back of his head, telling Shoto that there was something wrong. That something was missing. It felt like there was a missing piece to the puzzle, which confused Shoto because, as far as he knew, everything was completely normal. 

But he couldn’t ignore that thought. It nagged him throughout the day, telling him that this wasn’t right. 

The problem was, Shoto had no idea what exactly was wrong. 

© yumeyooa 2021. All rights reserved. Copying, reposting, translating, and modifying in any platform aside from a03 and tumblr or by any means is NOT permitted and will be dealt with accordingly.

[midnight-in-town]

“Let’s change the things we can change”

Reading Witch Hat Atelier ch43...

..I can definitely hear Iguin chanting in the distance “thaaaat’s my girl, the Brim Hats’ hope”. 

So yeah anyway, can I say how thematically incredible it is that Coustas’ misery up until this far crossed the path of Coco (a girl who wasn’t born a Witch) and Tartar (a Witch but born with an eye affliction making him unable to be trained the usual way)? Because obviously, as sort of outcasts in their own community, they’re indeed the most likely to challenge the rigid views of such community. 

As we were discussing with @aspoonofsugar​​​, it is very appealing that Shirahama-sensei would finally take the time to address the series’ worldbuilding by, for once, showing that not everyone is born with privilege. Coco and Tartar were the most prominent examples so far, but amongst Witches, while Coustas and by proxy Dagda illustrate an even sadder reality: 

I don’t know for other readers of WHA, but personally, this chapter totally changed my feelings about the first time we met Coustas and Dagda, when they were about to drown in that raging river.

Back then, the focus was more on Agathe and Coco, who were about to help non-Witches for the first time and how difficult it was to protect the secret of their powers. So Coustas clearly endangering himself to retrieve some of his and Dagda’s belongings really struck me as obvious and foolish, only set up to introduce the concept that medicine was indeed Forbidden™ to be practiced along with magic.

Now though, I just can’t picture it in the same way at all. Knowing that Coustas and Dagda are travelers who lived with barely a thing and who lost literally everything because of this incident (leaving Coustas unable to walk and to earn his meals while Dagda started undertaking mercenary jobs to wage enough for both of them), I can only see it as tragic and saddening. T_T

That being said, it also depicts an even more striking (and grim) picture, considering all the examples we’ve seen so far of young witches who were dumped upon adults’ consideration that “they were not good enough” to honor the same craft. 

Thinking about Agathe here (dumped by her own family), or even Riché (dumped by her first master) and of course Eunie (considered not confident enough and who ended up cursed by the Brim Hats). Meanwhile, we have Dagda the father figure of Coustas, a non-Witch kid, who’d rather endanger himself doing risky work in order to pay for Coustas’ long rehabilitation rather than giving up on him. 

So... isn’t this bitter and unfair? On the one side, the Witches who are indeed privileged compared to people like Dagda and Coustas, but who face a crushing pressure by their peers in order to belong within the magic community, their world all the while being set in stone by rigid rules that no one shall defy. And on the other, people like Coustas who would benefit from breaking said rules, but at the stake of endangering the world’s peace like in previous times. 

As such it wouldn’t surprise me if most of the Brim Hats actually chose this path, specifically because they were victims (in many different and subjective ways) of this unfair world. 

Not that I think them promoting chaos makes them the right side to choose, but clearly if they seem to believe in Coco, it may be because she’s the one who’s eventually best fit to understand all of this, which means there is also a side of truth to learn from their beliefs. 

All that to say that Coco steadily grows and learns: she learns from Qifrey, she learns from the Brim Hats, she learns from Tartar and now she’s learning from Coustas’ circumstances.

So I can’t help but love her decision to (indirectly) support Tartar’s violation in order to help Coustas, when the Knights Moralis (and so the magic community overall) deemed it all Forbidden™.

WHA is really a very good and deep series. I thought, until I read this chapter, that what kept me to this story was Coco’s and, in parallel, Qifrey’s predicaments with the Brim Hats, but it is without a doubt all related to the worldbuilding and the sad reality that the wonderment of magic seemed to hide from us readers so far.  

I’ll conclude this post by saying that, while I love Coco and Tartar’s mutual decision this chapter, I think it was definitely foreshadowed as risky and will certainly not be an easy feat to achieve. After all...

..if this part of the chapter isn’t a metaphor for Coco and Tartar’s current situation, their young knowledge balanced between their magic community and what Coco experienced through the Brim Hats, I don’t know what is. x)

A m a z i n g chapter! Can’t wait for what’s next!

It’s an amazing manga, please give it a try!

[levihantrash]

New update! Chapter 4: Good actors || Shitty Comics and Their Shitty Artists || levihan fanfiction

(i posted this a while ago but i had no time to update my tumblr T_T) (please give me some love shkdjghsd)

Summary:

Levi’s pragmatism pulled the brakes. “I’m not about to dedicate my life to become a broke comic artist.”

Levi Ackerman, a gruff cleaner with an appetite for toilet humour meets the unabashedly friendly creative writing professor, Hange Zoë, who somehow ropes Levi into working on a comic with them. While the comic’s title remains undecided, Hange knows that it’s going to be set in a world where giant, human-like creatures devour other humans. Erwin Smith, the comic’s self-appointed editor, unironically thinks it’s going to be a hit. All Levi knows is that he wants to indulge in drawing this comic while hanging out with a certain writer who just won’t stop talking to him.

Where Hange, Levi, and Erwin are the creators of Attack on Titan.

—

If you want to check out the previous chapters:

Chapter 1: Free Bread (ao3 / tumblr)

Chapter 2: New Friends (ao3 / tumblr)

Chapter 3: Bean (ao3 / tumblr)

—

Chapter 4: Good Actors

It was not in Erwin’s nature to be mysterious. He was content with being readable, but perhaps the real problem was that he was not perceivable to himself. Who was Erwin? He felt like a scam, a shell, a little more than an elaborate scheme that people had willingly bought into. And now he couldn’t reverse it. He couldn’t reverse the damage of having a reputation that people relied on. He watched Hange with a bit of envy—they could trip on flat ground and no one would even blink. Levi could go about his grumpy mannerisms because he had been like this since Day One.

The imposter syndrome plagued Erwin in the form of sharp, piercing headaches. Watching Hange competently and humanely breeze through the rush of life, he craved that freedom. To clumsily step on people’s shoes and breathe out an apology as though it were second nature. Slip-ups were out of character for Erwin. Hange, in contrast, allowed themselves mistakes. Even if the had pride in their work ethic, Hange didn’t see themselves as infallible, as incapable of failure.

Erwin was initially of the opinion that writers got so easily obsessive, wound up in the crevices of their head. Hange defied such expectations—finding time to buy bread for Levi, check time on Erwin’s schedules, propose lunches, and mingle with students. Were they an imposter too, running through the lines, tweaking them as they seem fit, spitting them out to the right people, in the right time and place?

“You’re always thinking so hard, it looks exhausting to be in your head.” Levi dropped a cloth bag in the shape of a box on Erwin’s desk.

“A present?” Erwin fingered the edge of the cloth curiously.

“Lunch,” Levi said. “I figured you wouldn’t have time for that, since finals are coming up. Consultations and papers to mark right?

“That’s very kind of you.”

Levi’s face grew a bit hotter, shoving the box closer to Erwin.

“You should thank Hange. They haven’t been sleeping and I found out why.” At the mention of Hange, Erwin smiled.

Undoing the cloth around the box, he flipped open the cover to reveal a row of sandwiches. By the looks of it, each sandwich had been stuffed differently.

“Did you make this?”

Levi, still recovering from the compliment, shrugged. “I make it for Mikasa sometimes.”

“It looks delicious.”

Levi looked away, deeply uncomfortable. “Won’t know until you try it. Might cause you to have a severe case of diarrhoea.”

Taking a bite, the flavour burst of fresh cucumber and smoked salmon left Erwin slightly breathless.

“I should’ve put more sauce…” Erwin heard Levi muttering.

“It’s delicious,” Erwin confirmed.

Still unable to handle praise with a simple word of thanks, Levi dropped his own lunchbox onto Erwin’s desk.

“Huh… I’m going to eat lunch here and not talk. That okay?”

“By all means.” Erwin pulled out the additional stool next to his desk. Watching Levi regard the stool for a moment before taking a seat, Erwin realised he had never really hung out with Levi on an individual basis. He had always been the busy one, after all—a fact that he was beginning to regret given that he did enjoy Hange and Levi's company quite a bit. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed how Levi’s sandwiches were much less elaborately adorned, with thin strips of cheese wedged in between bread slices.

Though Levi seemed content with eating in silence, Erwin decided that this was a convenient chance to strike up a conversation.

"What do you like about Hanji?"

Levi pressed so hard on the sandwich that mustard squirted onto his shirt.

“What part of eating and not talking do you not understand?”

Erwin dusted the breadcrumbs off his fingers, resting his hands together in confidence. “I just feel like talking today.”

“Do you have a better topic?”

“I wasn’t talking about Hange though. I mean the character, Hanji. With a ‘j’. You seem quite attached to her, because I can tell that she’s the one whose character design is more fleshed out among the side characters.”

“Oh.” Levi hastily wiped the mustard away from his shirt, uncharacteristically, with the back of his palm. It smeared, deepening the stain. Erwin reached for a wet tissue, rubbing out the mustard. Stiffening at the gesture, he didn’t move as Erwin took his time to clean his shirt.

“Sorry if I surprised you,” Erwin said. Levi had long accepted Erwin’s inclination for ambiguity, finding himself drawn to his easy, steady poise.

“Everyone knows that you like Hange though,” Erwin said, letting go of the now wet area on Levi’s shirt for it to dry.

“Hange with a ‘g’,” Erwin added, for good measure. Levi didn’t say a word, preferring to eat four sandwiches all in one go. Swivelling the chair to turn himself back to the monitor, Erwin allowed the quietness to remain. He was in no hurry.

Hange’s voice nagged in his head as Levi excused himself to the washroom.

“You think Erwin’s hot, don’t you?” Just as many of Hange’s question had no context or pre-emptive warning, this one was fired out on one of the many days they were lounging around in Hange’s room.

Lying next to eat other on the floor surrounded by cat hair gradually became acceptable to Levi. He had tried vacuuming, but the horrors of cat hair were that even in his frenzied determination, it drifted back to the surface. Hair proliferated mid-air, collecting in balls of fur. He gave up after the third try.

“Erwin does remind me of a prince. Faraway and unattainable.” Hange mused.

Flipping over, Levi balanced his head on an elbow to face Hange. “You seriously think I have the hots for Erwin?”

“You stare at him a lot.”

“He’s good looking.”

“See!”

“Doesn’t mean I like him that way.”

“Does that mean I can take him?” Hange waggled their brows. Levi swallowed thickly, lying back on his back.

“I’m kidding!” Abruptly, Hange stopped laughing and their voice rescinded into a hushed pensiveness. Levi, thrown off by Hange’s poor attempt at a joke, indicated his displeasure by keeping mum.

“Erwin’s not my type.” This simultaneous, telepathic agreement from the both of them resounded in the room.

Bean padded across the floor and curled onto Levi’s chest. Only the sounds of breathing and the ruffling of clothes against the floor filled the space between them.

“I guess that makes the both of us,” Hange said nervously. Bean chose the opportune second to jump gracefully onto Levi’s arm and bite his hand.

“Bean!” Hange scolded, lifting the unsympathetic cat onto the bed instead. Whatever that pissed the cat off, Levi was thankful for some diversion.

Smoothing out palm to search for the bite mark (an insignificant one) had allowed Hange to notice the chapped lines of Levi’s hands. A twinge of shame pulsed through Hange. Comparing their palms, Hange’s were evidence of dry disregard due to air-conditioning.

“What’s so interesting about our hands?”

“Just romanticizing hard labour,” Hange said, absent-mindedly lifting the palm to their cheek.

“I just forgot to moisturize today,” Levi said defensively.

“It’s smooth anyway.” Hange reassured him.

“My hand isn’t clean. You shouldn’t put it on your face.” Levi said, though the hand remained, cupping Hange’s cheek. Unassuming and certain.

“Relax, idiot,” Hange said, their own hand atop Levi’s, pressing both their hands together. “It’s not that deep.”

Levi asked the important question. “If it’s not that deep, why am I touching your face?”

Vaguely, the two of them had some idea of what all of this meant. Being in your late twenties meant that infatuation was not some pubescent discovery. Yet, as Levi held the weight of Hange’s face in one palm, he felt the brevity of it all. Dancing around each other, weaving something together in stilted strokes. With each meeting, the outline of that something grew sharper.

“You’re both are eating lunch without me?” Levi heard Hange’s unmistakable singsong voice from the washroom.

Levi had to turn off the tap to hear Erwin’s reply. “Levi brought me lunch.”

“Ah, it’s Levi’s beautiful sandwiches!”

The gears in Erwin’s head turned. Switching the browser tab to the recent draft Hange had sent him regarding their comic, his mouse hovered over a particular detail.

“What is this scene meant to convey?”

“Hanji and Rivaille’s close friendship!” Hange brightened, eager to dive into their passion project.

“Is Rivaille someone who would typically be touchy?”

“I wouldn’t call it touchy. I suppose since he’s a character that’s crass and bad with words, the easiest method to get his words across is through his actions.”

While Erwin deliberated over Hange’s characterisation, Levi soon arrived back from the washroom, swinging a harmless kick at Hange’s calf.

“Don’t you have work to do?”

“I can’t believe you and Erwin had lunch without me!”

He folded his arms, unbothered. “I told you to sleep in.”

“Lots of work to do!”

“Who’s going to take care of you when you’re sick?”

“Bean,” Hange said, in all seriousness.

Erwin cut in. “Why not just put in some banter? Why would Rivaille be the one initiating contact?”

“Because Hanji is too caught up in her world to notice, so Rivaille feels the need to physically grab her attention.”

Nodding, Erwin looked between Hange and Levi with some realisation. “That's an efficient way to establish the relationship of two side characters. Can the two of you demonstrate how the scene plays out? I’m curious.”

“What scene?” Levi demanded. Hange chuckled, scratching their head.

“Wouldn’t it better if we did it together instead, Erwin?”

“But these characters are obviously based on you two. I can take a picture for your reference, Levi.”

“What reference?” Levi asked, tired of being perpetually left in the dark.

“This scene.” Erwin gestured towards the monitor, as Levi scanned the words on the page.

“All I have to say are those two lines, right?” Levi asked lazily. His left hand that was hidden in his pocket contracted into a fist.

“Yes…” Hange said. “But it just says ‘hair-grab’ here, would you know how the scene goes?”

Erwin cleared his throat with purpose. “How about you play Rivaille instead?”

Here was one of the few instances where Levi witnessed how easily Hange faltered, arms dropping by their sides in defeat. A small smile tugged at the side of their mouth, which quivered slightly.

“You okay with that, Levi?”

“Yeah.” How could he say no? It was for the progress of the comic. For accurate characterisation.

“Great. Get ready with your camera, Erwin.”

Instantaneously, Hange caught the back of Levi’s head, stringing their fingers through the tufts of hair. The even texture of his undercut grazed their skin, as they turned his head towards them.

“Right here.” The gravelly tone of Hange’s voice combined with the piercing stare they gave Levi sent him into shut-down mode. Positioned with the phone camera, Erwin took more than just a few shots. He took a video, watching with veiled mirth as Levi’s stoic face transitioned into blankness—his mouth opened marginally, though wide enough to garner scrutiny from Erwin.

An awkward chuckle bubbled out of Hange as they broke character, letting go of Levi’s hair and turning towards Erwin.

“Did you get everything?”

“Mm hm.”

“What did you think?”

“You could consider an acting career, Hange.”

Levi, as if detached from the conversation, made an obvious attempt at checking the clock, gathering any stray breadcrumbs, and wiping any leftover sauce on the desk.

“Lunch break’s over. Got to go back to work.” He said, robotically pushing the stool back to its original place and leaving without allowing Erwin and Hange to squeeze in a word.

“Is Levi okay?” Hange watched him stagger at the door before slamming it behind him.

Closing Hange’s draft on the browser, Erwin methodically attached the video and photos in an email to be sent to Hange and Levi. “I don’t believe you were acting.”

Without attempting to dispute Erwin’s claim, a groan passed out of Hange.

“So?” As Erwin sent the video to Hange, the vibration of their phone shook Hange back into reality.

Slowly, Hange gingerly pressed their fingers to their forehead, sitting on the ground beside Erwin.

“Okay. Maybe you’re right. That was seriously the most nerve-wrecking thing I did.”

Throwing a wary glance at Erwin, Hange asked, “did you make me act it out on purpose?”

“Maybe.”

“Sneaky bastard.”

“It was certainly the most fun I had in a while.”

A smug expression smoothed over Hange’s previous tentativeness. “I think I sent Levi into shock.”

“He’ll survive.” Erwin was regarding Hange more carefully, wondering if his actions crossed a line. Fortunately, Hange seemed more relieved than offended by Erwin’s blatant interference.

“What do I do now?” Usually so self-assured, Hange’s open vulnerability touched Erwin a little. They trusted in him to give possibilities. He simply had to deliver.

“You follow your heart.”

Hange paused their fidgeting to glare at him. “Erwin, that’s so basic. Even for you”

Erwin had never quite witnessed the more petulant side of them, which surprisingly amused him.

“I am a Literature professor, not a creative writer.”

“Then quote me something more poetic!”

Up to the challenge, Erwin stroked his chin with profound sincerity. “He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”

Just as he finished uttering the last word, Hange hit him in the knee. “Wuthering Heights? No wonder you’re single.”

“I would appreciate if you didn’t bring my love life into this discussion.”

“How can we talk about love, if not our own?”

Cracking his neck, Erwin gave another alternative. “In case you ever foolishly forget: I am never not thinking of you. By Virginia Woolf.”

“What are you suggesting about me and Levi?” Hange muttered, hiding their foolish smile by turning away from Erwin.

“As all good students of literature say, it’s up to your interpretation.”

“Nothing beats the smell of fresh bread and pastry greeting you in the stale morning air for a person who reciprocates with sardonic dignity.”

“Where is that quote taken from?”

Defiantly, Hange turned back to meet Erwin’s eyes. “Myself.”

“I suppose the quote isn’t for me.”

Pushing themselves off from the floor with both hands, Hange winked in his direction. “Unfortunately not.”

While swiping Erwin’s last sandwich, Hange stared fondly at Erwin. “By the way, thank you.”

With a shrug, Erwin said, “you will always love, and you will always be loved. Oscar Wilde.”

“I mean it, Erwin!”

“I mean it too.”

[theres-an-impulstor-among-us]

Hello V my beloved. It's me again.

As much as I love angst (which is a lot, you know me), could I get please some Tango and Impulse (maybe ft Etho or Skizz) 3rd life content where they are happy even fir tiny bit and just hanging together, enjoying life, doing something nice for each other?

extremely sad we haven’t gotten more team ITS content in 3rd Life T_T

...

  After the TNT trap fiasco, Tango visits Impulse at the wool castle in the swamp and invites him out for a walk. 

  “Is there anywhere in particular you wanna go?” Impulse inquires. “If not, there’s somewhere I’D like to go.”

  Tango shakes his head. “I don’t have anywhere in mind. Where do you want to go?”

  “I really want to go and check on Skizz. I haven’t seen him since he turned red.”

  “Is that wise?” asks Tango carefully. “Don’t get me wrong, I really want to see him. It’s just that… he only just got turned red an hour ago.”

  “Exactly. He must be really scared and angry and hurt and alone. I need to see him.”

  “Will we be safe?”

  Impulse shrugs. “I believe Skizz would never hurt us, red life or not. But it’s up to you whether you want to come.”

  After a moment, Tango nods. “Okay, I’ll come.”

  It takes the two about ten minutes to walk to Skizzle Point but when they do, they find no signs of life outside their best friend’s house. Frowning concernedly, Impulse hops over the fence and dashes up to the nearest iron door, which he knocks on several times. 

  “Skizz?” he calls. “Skizz, it’s Impulse. Are you here?”

  He gets no response, so he presses the stone button and lets himself in, followed by Tango. The house is deserted.

  “I wonder where he is,” murmurs Tango, glancing around.

  “No, he’s here. I can feel his presence.” Impulse raises his voice as he heads down the mine. “Skizz! Can you hear me, Skizz?”

  He continues calling his best friend’s name as he explores the mine, starting to get worried. Where can Skizz be? 

  Finally, he happens to glance down one of the strip mines and spots the figure of his best friend, huddled on the ground. 

  “Skizz,” he calls softly. “Hey.”

  Skizz glances up at him. Through the light of the torch above him, Impulse can see that his eyes are red and puffy.

  “Oh, buddy…”

  His heart aching, Impulse makes his way down the strip mine and kneels down beside Skizz. “Are you okay? What are you doing down here?”

  “I was trying to get some diamonds,” croaks Skizz. “I didn’t find any. Then I realised life is garbage and I decided to cry for a bit.”

  Impulse pulls his friend into a hug. “I’m so sorry. C’mon, let’s get you upstairs.”

  He helps Skizz to his feet and guides him out of the mine. Tango meets him on the stairs back up to the house. “Skizzletop! Are you okay?”

  “He’s a bit down at the moment,” Impulse replies, when Skizz doesn’t say anything. 

  They take Skizz outside and sit him down against the stone brick wall of his house. Impulse settles on one side and Tango on the other. 

  “You wanna talk about it, buddy?” Impulse asks gently.

  Skizz’s eyes stare at the ground numbly. “I just… I can’t believe I’m already on my red life. The first time, I was an idiot and looked at an enderman. I get that that was my own fault. And this time, I… I shouldn’t have stood so close to a live bomb. Do I deserve this, Impulse? Do I-.”

  “No,” says Impulse firmly. He hates interrupting Skizz but he knows him well enough to know that once his best friend goes down this spiralling path, it’s extremely hard to get him back again. “You’ve never deserved bad things happening to you and you never will.”

  “You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Tango adds sympathetically. “That’s all it takes in this world, you know.”

  After a moment, Skizz nods slowly. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I just… don’t know what to do now. Not only did I die but I also lost everything and now I haven’t even got enough iron for a full new set of armour. I’m scared to leave my house even during the day. One more death and…”

  “Okay, no.” Impulse rises to his feet and holds out his hand to Skizz. “I won’t have my best friend wander around in unenchanted iron armour. You’re on red, so I think you deserve a little treat.” 

  “A treat?” repeats Skizz in confusion. “What do you mean?”

  “Trust me, okay?” 

  After a moment, Skizz nods and takes Impulse’s hand. Impulse helps him to his feet. “Come with me.”

…

  The three go back to the swamp castle, where Tango and Skizz wait on the bridge outside while Impulse dashes into his room to fetch something. 

  He comes back out and presents Skizz with a full set of diamond armour, sans helmet. “Here! Sorry I didn’t get to enchant it yet, but we can go up to Renchanting and get that done for you, and I can also get feather falling four from my villagers for you too, as well as-.”

  “Whoa, whoa, wait!” Skizz waves his hands to stop his best friend. “Hold on a second. Are you seriously giving me diamond armour?!”

  Impulse nods earnestly. “Yeah! I gotta protect my best friend, you know? Don’t want you being taken out by a rogue creeper.” 

  “Oh my gosh…” Skizz blinks back tears. “Impulse… I… How can I repay you?”

  “Just don’t kill me and we’ll be even,” says Impulse teasingly.

  As Skizz’s mouth hangs open, Tango nudges him, grinning. “He didn’t do this for me, so I hope you know you’re special.”

  “Pipe down, green boy,” Impulse snickers. “You’ll get your turn when someone explodes you into a million pieces.”

  “W-When?” Tango splutters. “WHEN?!”

  Impulse and Skizz burst out laughing. 

  “I’d just like to remind you that you drenched four people in lava earlier, killing two of them,” Impulse laughs.

  “Hey, hey, hey. One of them was a cheaty cheater and never actually touched the lava. But yes, I will admit that I may have been responsible for two deaths today. I regret nothing. Frankly, I wish I’d killed more.”

  “Geez, dude,” murmurs Skizz, still giggling. “Are you sure you’re not a red lifer in disguise? You seem to be pretty bloodthirsty.”

  Tango shrugs nonchalantly. “People don’t bleed when you drop lava on ‘em.”

  “I want that on a t-shirt,” Impulse deadpans. ““People don’t bleed when you drop lava on them”.”

  This causes Skizz to dissolve into laughter again, and after a moment, Tango joins in. It feels good for Skizz to laugh with his best friends again. He’s had a rough week trying to survive and be loyal to his allies, but now, he’s starting to feel safe again. 

  He’s starting to feel happy again.

[hongism]

hii caly!!!! omg ily so much and i’m trying not to turn this into a weird obsessive rant bc that’s not the point rn but: MOC IS THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED ON TEEZTUMBLR PERIODDD. i can write a whole essay why i live and breathe for moc but she can wait, since i’m hoping to ask you something else 🥺

if you don’t mind me asking, what’s the research process you go through to write moc? as in where do you find the references for the entire moc universe, how you brainstorm ideas for characters etc. also, how long does it generally take you to prepare and write, bc god damn the size of her is so sEXC and i can only imagine how much love and effort you’ve put in for her. you truly never cease to amaze me with the immaculate plot twists and details.

again, i’ll be back to hype the new loml aka moc and you even more in the future 🥰 sorry for sending such a long ask tho, i hope it doesn’t bother you too much and it’s fine if you aren’t comfortable sharing the answers too. please take care caly love you!!!

PLSSS THIS IS SO SWEET??? oh my goodness goiajfdogiadjfg gonna combust you're so SWEET best thing that ever happened?!?!? i can't take that mantle there are SO so many talented and wonderful authors and creators here T-T

the research process tho !!! eeee i honestly adore questions like these they make my heart so happy i love talking about my writing process and what all goes into it, it's all v fun for me to both do and talk about SO really my research process varies from chapter to chapter! depending on the contents of each chapter, what i expect to do and write, things i want to focus on, i'll do my research that way! i have a discord server where i keep a bunch of articles and things to use for writing separated by topic ! as for references, i find pretty much ALL my photo references through wallpaper websites fkjdlghfgj at least for planets and solar systems, for characters i use google and pinterest!! it really used to take me only a week to plot and write and post a chapter but since then i've got increasingly busy and so i've slowed down QUITE a bit! now i would say it takes me about a month to completely finish an outline, write it, then edit it. this upcoming chapter is taking a bit longer than that bc it's more action forward and im not the best at writing action so it takes me a lot longer !!!!

she really is a labor of time and love i can't lie but honestly the joy and pride i get from planning and writing and sharing that story with the world is a feeling i would never ever change or give up. being able to write is a blessing and a joy to me, that much is a gift in and of itself, but being able to continually construct a universe like moc is something irreplaceable and precious to me aHHH yeah it's something truly precious to me and i'll never lose the gratitude i have for every single person who has given moc a chance it means more than i could ever put into words T_T

no worries about a long ask i absolutely adore long asks and i tend to RAMBLE as you can see so agdfuihgduifg i have zero issue with receiving long asks!! you're so sweet tho thank you for asking these questions i really love answering them and thank you for reading and enjoying my baby moc ;^;

[starions]

Do SING and HAND, please. Both not exactly easy, I know...

( SING ) singing to mine.

Anya would frequently have nightmares as a child. She didn’t know why she was prone to them, but her young elf mind would always wander to night terrors during her meditation. An enormous white wolf, with piercing red eyes and saliva strings falling off its sharp fangs would haunt her nightly. The image would send her into hysterics, but her mother was always there to calm her down with a song.

“Lace your heart with mine

Let your sleeping soul take flight

Take me through the night

Down down down by the river

Down down down by the river”

She’d fall back into her trance to the sound of her mother’s voice, and would for years even into her late childhood. Her mother died a few years after she reached her elven adulthood, and although she hadn’t heard her mother’s voice since then, she still sang the song to herself. A way to self soothe, she supposed; a way to feel less alone when the world felt like it was closing in on her.

It had been a while since she had any sort of nightmare, but with the tadpole swimming in her brain, they seemed to come every time she closed her eyes. Not a wolf, though; a person beckoning her to give in--to relish in the power bestowed to her. Anya realized yet again how much she needed her mother; not only to sing her a song, but to tell her not to indulge in the power granted to her.

The last tadpole dream lit of fire of fear in her, so much so that she didn’t dare to close her eyes and slip into her meditation. She always thought it would be fun to bend the minds of those who made contact with her--but this was all becoming too much. Anya feared that by using the tadpole power too often, she’d become a slave to it.

So, while her companions were dead asleep in their tents away from the fire, Anya began to hum the melody of her mother’s song. Then, gradually, sing it so quietly it could barely be heard over the crackle of the fire.

“That’s a lovely song.”

Anya nearly jumped in her skin at the voice, and whipped her head around to Astarion, who was watching her as he leaned against a tree. His red eyes looked at her curiously, his head tilted slightly. This was the first time Astarion had seen that bitter facade of hers crack since they’d met a week previously.

“It’s not meant for your ears,” Anya said, pushing a lock of hair behind her ears and gazing back at the fire.

“How rude,” Astarion said, hand to his heart. “I don’t give compliments easily, you know.”

“And I didn’t ask for one in the first place,” Anya snapped back. The two mirrored a glare at each other for a moment before Anya broke the gaze. “These nightmares have me on edge.” 

Not an apology, but Astarion wasn’t expecting one anyway. Still, he peeled himself off from the tree and sat down next to the sun elf. When she didn’t object, he allowed his shoulders to relax. When they both stared at the fire in silence, Astarion glanced at her from the corner of her eye. She was hugging her knees, fingers toying with the new hole in the hole of her leather pants.

“Don’t stop on my account,” Astarion said suddenly.

“What?” Anya asked, snapping back to reality.

“You can keep singing.”

“Oh,” Anya said simply. Anya hugged herself tighter. She felt vulnerable like this, even though Astarion had no idea about her mother, what the song meant to her. Still, the song would ease the feeling on loneliness and fear in her heart. She’d give up her pride if it meant connecting with her mother for just a moment, just until the song ended.

Anya glanced at Astarion, whose piercing red eyes never left her, and stared again at the fire. Then, her lips parted, and she began to sing.

( HAND ) kissing mine’s hand. - under a cut because the last one got too long T_T

“So, you were a bard... before all this?”

Anya glanced from the blood spotted map of the Sword Coast. She was in the midst of deciding which route to take to avoid the gnolls in the Risen Road before she was rudely interrupted by pale elf from over her shoulder.

Anya frowned slightly before asking, “where did you hear that?”

“I overheard you tell Wyll over a few too many glasses of wine last night,” Astarion said. “Your tongue loosens easily, you know.”

Anya cursed her lightweightness and rolled the map in her hand up, putting it in her pack. “Do you eavesdrop on everyone’s conversations, or is it just mine?”

“Oh my dear,” Astarion said with a laugh. “Everyone's. But I’m more curious about you and your secrets. I can’t invision you as a bard, though. You aren’t very cheery.”

“I wasn’t a bard,” Anya said, motioning for the rest of the party to follow her on a hidden trail. “I sang in inns. There’s a difference.”

“And I suppose you learned your rogue tricks in between sets?” Astarion said playfully.

Anya would hardly call herself a rogue either--she was never taught by a master, she means. In truth, Anya was mainly self taught. After she fled Baldur’s Gate, she had to learn to steal without being seen, lockpick barn doors to find a place to sleep at night, things like that. When she got a job as a singer in an inn in Neverwinter, she was allowed to stay for free in return for the tips she’d make each night. She learned quickly that people were stingy, so she began to pickpocket to make sure she didn’t end up in the streets. And to buy the gold necklaces she saw in the shop windows.

“I could ask the same to you,” Anya said, “how did a vampire slave learn his tricks?”

“Cazador had me do much more than seduce nobles; what is a man to do when he finds his coin purse gone on the stroll home?”

Anya gazed up at him with a smile. “He asks for help? And finds you with open arms?”

“Precisely.” 

“Did that work every time? Some of them must forget about it and carry on...” Anya learned a lot as her time as an inn singer. Men liked to talk--about themselves really--and they liked a pretty girl goading them on. She would get someone talking at the inn, ask them questions about themselves with faux interest, and when they were in the midst of their storytelling she’d reach toward the coin purse dangling from the belt and--

Astarion caught her wrist right as her fingers brushed the fabric of the purse. He looked down at her, bringing her hand toward his mouth. “You must be stupid to think you can try that with me,” he purred, pressing a kiss to the palm of her hand. He parted his lips slightly, letting a fang prick her flesh.

Anya yanked her hand away with a scowl, inspecting her hand for blood. She was relieved to see he didn’t break skin. “You talk too much.”