#so i also mixed it up with those animals charms and their attachments here

[imerian]

My (very old) loscar brooch (?) that i just now made doodles for

More pictures under cut

[alwaysonf1]

charles in his own way?

Pairing: Charles LeClerc x Hamilton!OC

Genre: Slice of Life; Fluff

Word Count: 2.6k

Warning: N/A

Rating: PG-13

Author's Note: N/A

The occasional big deal Ferrari gala is fine for Charles. To a degree he enjoys these things, the chance to get out and talk to people who he needs to impress and who in turn want to impress him. But something about this season has meant a lot more events to go to. Mandatory ones that mean that even if he feels slightly off his game, he can’t avoid them. And they’re all so serious that he feels nervous in a way he hasn’t since the beginning of his career.

This one, the one that has him hiding out at a small bar in the corner of the massive ballroom, is one he wasn’t even briefed on. All Fred did was remind him it was happening, tell him where, and mentioned that some big investors and sponsors would be. He emphasized that there were several potential sponsors so he should be as charming as ever in their presence.

It wasn’t until Charles was walking to his car that he thought about how little he knew and called Carlos. A useless move since the Spaniard had as much information as he did.

Upon his arrival he was thrown into the lion's den as Fred and then a higher up woman from Ferrari guided him around the place. They tried their best to make it seem like he wasn’t on a very short leash, but he was sure that everyone he spoke to expected a little herding of the talent. Which is what one of them called him and while true, made him feel weird enough that he made his escape as soon as he could.

Thus, his hideout and the rum he was nursing. He’d already downed two and knew that was going to hit him hard enough without adding a third into the mix. That’s why there was also a glass of water in front of him. His second of the night. But he knows it won’t be enough. Charles ate before he came, but he needed more food in him. An added distraction for anyone who finds and wants to talk to him.

He takes a deep breath, downs the rest of the water, and with his rum in hand turns to find a waiter walking around. Just as he faces away from the bar a hand clamps down onto his shoulder. It startles him, but he maintains composure as he turns to look at to whom it’s attached.

Seeing Lando relaxes him. But it also confuses him.

“Mate, what are you doing here?” he asks as they shake hands.

Lando looks at him with a slightly confused expression.

“This is a McLaren event too. Actually, it’s for McLaren, Ferrari, Williams, and Aston Martin. Did you not see the signs?”

The inclination of Lando’s thumb has Charles looking around the room. Several seconds of scanning and then he notices the tasteful banner that holds all those logos. How he missed it and the other signs indicating what was going on was beyond him. 

Charles shakes his head. “I was barely given time to breathe.”

There’s a look of understanding that dawns on the younger man’s face. Every driver knows what these things are like. How you’re so wrapped up in making the best impressions that you barely get time to think, let alone take in the space. 

“Yeah, they’re like a pack of wild animals. All wanting a piece,” Lando whispers.

There’s a couple next to them that appear like the rich type and there is no need for them to hear and spread what either of them is saying. Feelings in this kind of place are much more fragile than any of them would be willing to admit. Though there have been many times Charles has endured them calling other people’s feelings soft when most of the time the response to their displeasing personalities are more than warranted.

With a tilt of his head Charles leads Lando away. He heads toward an area of the room that is largely just employees of one of the teams. Many of the potential stakeholders are speaking amongst themselves at this point in the evening.

“All of them act as if they’re going to attack. Every question I answer, they have another question before I’m finished. And they lack understanding of space.”

“One tried to breathe my air.”

They both laugh.

“One man was so focused on getting the chance to drive the car that he didn’t realize his father had been talking for five minutes. It was two of them at once and neither knew how to shut up. I’m sure the father kicked him seven times before he finally stopped,” Charles says.

“Oh, I had them too. I think I heard him getting yelled at. Something about being fired if he doesn’t get his act together.”

There was a mutual eye roll there. Though Charles could never remember the names of that particular family it was always the same thing and then they’d see the man again. He didn’t understand how someone ten years his senior still acted like a child.

“Have you seen any of the others?”

“Mate, I did not even know you were here until moments ago.”

Lando laughs. “I forgot about that. You should have checked your phone; we were all with Carlos and he texted you. We all did, even Iman.”

Charles' body went rigid and though he was already looking at the younger driver he turned his neck hard enough to induce whiplash. 

“Iman is here?”

A sly smirk forms on Lando’s face and Charles curses himself for having such an obvious reaction. Lando, like many of the other pilots on the grid, like to tease Charles about his very obvious feelings for Iman. He refuses to call it a crush because they always do and it makes him feel like he’s back in grad school. Hell, he tries to ignore the feelings all together when he can help it. After all these years he thought they’d leave, but they stay firmly in place and have only grown since she joined the grid.

“Don’t.”

“I don’t know why you won’t ask her.”

“There is nothing to ask.”

“It’s not like she’d say no.”

“If there was something to ask, she’d laugh in my face.”

“You know that’s a lie, mate. Everyone knows she’d say yes if you just ask. Your banter is a bit gross and makes the feelings clearly mutual.”

Without a thought Charles throws back the rest of his rum and takes a long, deep breath. “You know it’s complicated.”

“How?”

“What?”

“How is it complicated?”

“We work together,” he pauses, holding up a finger as Lando opens his mouth. “I know we work for different teams, but it is too close. Plus, what happens with Lewis, I still look up to him. And Sargeant, he’s made it clear he would kill for her.”

Lando grimaces, looking off into the distance for a moment before coming back to the present. Charles is sure he’s remembering the time the American punched a man because he was less than respectful to Iman. The look in his eyes as he was held back made Charles a little scared of him.

“Yeah, he was definitely going to end up in jail if Oscar hadn’t stopped him. But you aren’t going to do anything to upset them. From what I hear you’ve liked her since that week. Logan noticed it and he was barely with you lot for twelve hours. And him and Lewis approve. So, what is it really?”

A number of excuses are on the tip of Charles’ tongue, but he knows they’re useless. All of them are a bit pathetic when he doesn’t actually believe what he’s saying. In all honesty he isn’t sure why he keeps fighting what he feels for Iman. At one point it was because those feelings hadn’t developed all that much and he had stronger ones for the women he was with, but as time went on and he got to spend more time with her and saw her passion for the sport and honestly everything she was passionate about things were harder to deny. He couldn’t claim not knowing her enough for things to be only superficial because he talked to her multiple times a week. They hung out as a group sometimes. They were definitely good friends.

Another sigh escapes Charles and he reaches for Lando’s drink, but he puts it out of reach and nods his head to the space behind Charles. Even without the mischievous grin Charles knows who is behind him. 

With a smile he turns and watches Iman walk towards them. The soft smile that was never ingenuine grows as she looks at him, but then he notices her quick pace and the tension in her face. Concern washes over him, and he scans the space behind her. Most people are giving her just a passing glance or looking at the two drivers, but there is a man who seems to be following her but gets pulled into a conversation. He makes eye contact with Charles for a second and looks away almost immediately. 

“Everything okay?” Charles asks the moment she’s in reach.

“Fine. Just dodging a man who believes we’re meant to dance together, and I need one of you to dance with me so he gets the hint without me doing something that James will have to smooth over later.”

A hand on Charles’ shoulders stills him and he realizes he was walking toward the man in question. It hadn’t been a conscious thought, but it also wasn’t one he disagreed with. His eyes move to the hand and Lando takes the cup he’s holding and lightly pushes him toward Iman.

“I’ll run interference,” Lando says.

Then without another word he heads toward where the man in question is talking, and he engages with the group in an animated conversation. He makes sure that the creep is involved in the conversation, leaving no room for him to leave without appearing rude.

“I owe him,” Iman says.

“So do I.”

Charles was sure he said that under his breath, but the raised brow from Iman tells him that isn't the case. He shakes his head and holds out a hand.

“I think I owe you a dance.”

The confusion leaves Iman’s face and she puts her hand in his. There’s a momentary shock when they touch, but to Charles it’s nothing compared to the warmth he feels as he leads her toward the dance floor. Once there his hand moves to her back and they begin what is a simple variation of the waltz, matching the others scattered across the floor.

Minute one of it is a comfortable silence and Charles finds that he’s never felt more at peace dancing in this way. He also notes the ease in which they fall into the dance despite never having done it together before.

“I owe you too.” Iman breaks the silence.

“Huh?”

“For saving me.”

“You would never owe me that.”

“Which I appreciate, but I still owe you.”

There’s an urge to make it very clear how serious Charles is about her never owing him for helping her out because he would do it a million times over. That he would jump if she said so. That helping her makes him feel like he’s doing what he should be. But he’s still fighting himself and this isn’t the right moment. Nor is it the right setting. 

He’s also a little scared of her response if he bears his heart a little, even if he can admit that Lando wasn’t wrong.

So, instead he dawns what Iman calls his cocky little smirk.

“I’ll have to think about what I want then. Would be a shame to not get the favor in full.”

Iman rolls her eyes and softly hits him.

“Ugh, you can’t stop being a cocky little shit for more than a minute, huh?”

Charles scoffs, faux offense coloring his face. 

“How am I being cocky? You offered me something and I plan to use what you’ve offered me. It would be rude of me to leave you unsatisfied.”

The double meaning was clear.

“You sure that’s why? I have it under good authority that you’re not used to leaving someone unsatisfied.”

Now he’s a little offended.

“I have never. You could ask and everyone would say I’m very good at keeping satisfaction high.”

“Sure.”

“I am!” he softly shouts.

Iman throws her head back and laughs. The sound is music to Charles’ ears, but it doesn’t stop the slight pout from what she’s implying. He tries his best to not be insecure about that and she isn’t poking at that insecurity, but it does call out some of the compatibility things he’d gone over before in his attempt to get rid of how he feels about her. Another failure on his part.

It takes a few seconds, but Iman stops laughing and meets Charles’ eyes with her own. They’re a little watery due to her laughter, but the threat to her make-up doesn’t change how beautiful she is. Her hair is in its naturally curly state and framing her face in a way that makes her look angelic. Charles tries to focus on that and not the way her deep brown dress compliments the brown of her skin and the curves of her body.

“Haha,” he says sarcastically.

“Oh, Charlie, I’m sure you’re good at what you do. I mean how else could you have pulled girls from similar circles so often. They must speak of you fondly.”

That one doesn’t land. It’s something he’d seen on the internet and is a joke among his friends and on the grid. His intentions have never been that and he knows that to a degree it makes him appear as a walking red flag, but it rolls off his back. And he’s smart enough to know that if Iman had an actual fear of that she wouldn’t also have a thing for him. Even if Charles thinks it’s different from his thing.

Goodness, he is an idiot. But that doesn’t matter now.

“Haha, very funny.”

“Aw, you know I don’t mean it, Charlie. I think you’re more of a yellow flag than anything.”

That one gets him to laugh, and he knows they both are drawing attention with how loud their amusement is, but he doesn’t have it in him to care. All that matters to him is this moment because it feels so good. How being with Iman always feels.

“At least, I’m not the one dating weirdos. How long did that thing with Dennis last? Before or after the weird kink incident,” Charles says.

“You promised to never speak of it!”

“I know, but he really thought that you’d never find out about his Lew…”

A tap on the shoulder stops Charles and his attention shifts to Carlos, who looks a little sorry to be interrupting, but also has a glint in his eyes that Charles isn’t fond of.

“Sorry to interrupt. Fred has someone we must speak to and Iman, James is looking for you,” Carlos says.

Iman nods and slowly pulls away, which feels almost painful on Charles’ end.

She gives Carlos a side hug. “Thanks for letting me know.”

Without a word to Charles, she turns to leave, but then she turns back and looks at him with narrowed eyes and her hands firmly planted on her hips.

“You and I will not be picking up this conversation where we left off.”

“Yes, we will.”

And with one last eye roll she leaves. Which means Charles and Carlos are standing in the middle of the dance floor and that glint is still in the Spaniard’s eye.

“Don’t say it.”

Carlos smirks but holds his hands up in surrender.

[alyjojo]

Advice to Work on Yourself 🦄 in March 2023: Libra

10 Cups - Judgement rev - 2 Cups

Regarding: Queen of Swords

This is a really good reading, you’re just stripping yourself of happiness 😏 That’s all. Queen of Swords is your own energy, and it’s not about fairytales or overly imaginative energy. You want communication, truth, the facts, with your Sword held up ready to cut someone the second they lead you astray or prove to be not good for you. But…this time, you’re just stopping yourself from love. Probably a new connection, or one you haven’t gotten too serious with yet, could also be a family member with 10 Cups.

In the past you or they took some sort of passionate action or made impulsive decisions, that hurt you, that’s why 4 Pentacles exists. You’ve been hurt, sword is up, Libra will cut your head off if you come any closer. You’ve resisted Temperance and demanded Judgement rev. No second chances! No healing. No fixing this. It’s possible the other person has, but it’s connected to you, I assume it’s you. This mentality has caused 5 Pentacles, abandonment, pain, feeling left out in the cold, heartbreak ❤️‍🩹 Wheel of Fortune shows this changing. You could’ve changed your mind, or they did. This could have been a destined or karmic event in your life. You could be getting back together with someone, because you love them. There’s an apology here over no action towards happiness, living your dreams, or actually expressing love to this person. With The Star attached, this could be a Twin Flame 🔥 for some, an ex for others, or someone new that you never would have met if some other person hadn’t bailed in the first place. No matter what, love is on the table for you and it’s up to you whether you will receive it, or cut them off and avoid any of this. I don’t see a pending disaster, just you being afraid that it is.

Animal Oracle: Blue Heron 🐦

“Make a stand for what you believe in and do what feels right in spite of any judgement or disapproval from others.”

Trust your deepest sense of knowing what the right action is and do it, and don’t rely on others to tell you what to do or how to act. Not everyone will approve of the decisions you make, and if your choice goes against the grain of what others expect from you, you’ll no doubt run into criticism and judgement. Stand still and look around you. You’re doing just fine in spite of others’ assessments of you. Besides, your greatest & most fulfilling support comes from that place inside that guides you by revealing signs that tell you which path to follow. Heeding these signs keeps you in alignment with your true path. You may have to put both feet in the water and dredge through others disapproval, asserting yourself where needed. Trust in your inner knowing, and let it be the source of your strength to keep moving forward.

Artist Oracle: ALIGHIERO BOETTI

- Know who you aren’t.

- Find clarity in clutter.

- There’s more than one way to read a map.

Advice:

- Add Fiber to Your Diet

Charms:

Unicorn 🦄 on Temperance shows magic in your connection, it’s a reconciling energy, mixing what’s yours and theirs, even the differences and being patient with those qualities. It’s something you’ve resisted or maybe haven’t had the patience or hope for at all, which is what seems to be changing. It’s possible to just be happy, no swords necessary.

Moon 🌙 & Star ⭐️ on 2 Cups is definitely twin flame energy for someone. For others, it’s healing the hurt from someone else so that you can fall in love again, and you seem to already know them or be dating them if that’s the case. Who ever met a Libra that resisted love? Your ruling planet is literally Venus, love is your language. If platonic, this could be a family connection that needs healing. Things are at a place of change, with any number of family conflicts, love can overpower whatever went wrong here.

[marbleheavy]

I did Nico so here are some Will Solace headcanons that have bouncing around my brain for a while now

He goes through a sweater phase where he wears almost exclusively slightly too big, brightly colored, knit sweaters with thick collars and cinched sleeves

He read that fact about how if your tongue sticks to a rock it’s actually a bone, and now he licks every rock he finds because “What if it’s the bone of a dinosaur? What if I’m licking part of a T-Rex right now?” (and Nico just lets him do it even though he knows they aren’t bones)

REALLY into pinkie promises. Like, he takes them so seriously. Pinkie promise > swearing on the Styx

He takes a lot of chaotic self timer pictures and always ropes everyone else into them. They always end up looking like an album cover and he looks like he’s the lead singer. It’s not even that he’s always front and center, it’s just the way that he’s holding himself in every picture. When he gets his own apartment or house or whatever, he makes a collage of them all and he has every one of his friends choose a picture and write what the name of the album would be on it.

Going off of that, he is really into crafts but specifically memory crafts (does that make sense???). He makes keepsake boxes and friendship bracelets and so many things because he feels like it doesn’t matter if those things actually look good because the most important part of them is the memory attached.

He uses either 🤠 or ✨ (sometimes 🤪) in almost every text and uses them to convey any emotion. Rachel is the only one who ever understands exactly what he means.

A million friendship and bead bracelets just all the way up his arms. Probably some silly bands too.

He carries a backpack with him almost all the time and it somehow holds every possible necessity but always looks nearly empty. Obviously a first aid kit, but also like snacks and a hat and sunscreen and a million pens and the list goes on and on. It’s kind of in a mom friend way but more of a thing where someone sees “i need x item” and Will just hands it to them wordlessly without even stopping his sentence.

He adores the face masks that are supposed to make you look like an animal but they’re mostly just scary. They make him giggle like a toddler. (Imagine him and Nico with the fluffy headbands with the ears and then the face masks and Will just absolutely losing his shit)

Hozier!! Will loves Hozier!! Also country music (but he has a whole spiel about new age, american exceptionalist pop country because he h a t e s that). Also, and this is the really important one, 80s music but the really synth-y stuff (see my 80s cover band au for more details)

His ideal outfit is a chunky sweater, a jean jacket, jeans that don’t match the jacket, and rain boots. He loves rain boots. He’s got multiple pairs and at least one of them have frogs on them. If he can’t wear rain boots, flip flops in the summer and vans in the other seasons (He’s definitely got a pair of these yellow Vans)

He dresses like a dad but a dad that was born in the 80s and is also three years old

Will has at least three flavors of chapstick on him at any given time

Will Solace with a gun is wonderful, truly. I would like to add to this by introducing the concept of him wearing the side holsters on either this legs or his arms. He wants to go on quests so he can live his dreams of being a cowboy with thigh gun holsters and a hat and boots and all of it. (Also, Nico with knives strapped to his thighs and Will with guns) (Also, also, there’s a Cards Against Humanity card that says “Shooting a wizard with a gun” and that screams Will Solace)

Will is very much a “Let’s not resort to violence” person but in a way where like, Person A tries to punch B and Will is like “hey, we can talk this out” but then B doubles down and says something really out of line and Will just backs up and is like “You know what? Never mind, you do what you need to do” (And also in a “Let’s not fight… except for Nico because isn’t he so pretty with his sword?)

speaking of pretty, Will l o v e s to be called pretty. It makes his sweet summer child heart go brrr

He is obviously very into nicknames and terms of endearment but calling someone “Hon” or “Sweet pea” is always passive aggressive (that’s less of a Will thing and more of a Southern thing)

I would like to bring up the licking rocks thing again because I really do just believe it with my whole heart

For a while, the idea of Will’s grandparents (obviously Naomi’s side) being French has been bouncing around my head and I really do love the idea of Will speaking French fluently but not at all formally. It’s a lot of slang and has a Texas drawl mixed in with it but it’s definitely French (and it definitely makes Nico melt). He will just deadpan look at someone and go “Quoi?” and he counts the infirmary inventory stock in French but only up until sixty, then he switches to English (soixante-dix can suck it, sorry if you’re french but like, just make a new word. there’s no need for me to have to do math while already counting. don’t even get me started on anything in the 90s. quatre-vingt-dix-sept?? excuse me??)

Will and Persephone being buddies!! They just get along well and very much understand being summer people in love with anti-sun people and just, ugh, family dinners in the Underworld and Will always, always brings a gift for her. Will and Nico come in and anyone can hear Persephone yell “Is that Will? Is Will here?” and Will just grins and calls back “Yes ma’am, and I brought you some brownies from my Mama and some of the flowers from her garden”

Also, Nico knows all the deities and Will brings them cookies because they’re a team like that

He either plays soccer or lacrosse but either way he’s very good at it and it’s honestly intimidating (jock will solace <3)

Not to say Will isn’t his fair share of chaotic, but he’s friends with a lot of very chaotic or at the least eccentric people (Cecil and his pranks, Lou Ellen and her pig balls, Rachel and herself, Nico and himself, etc.) so he’s very good at turning on the Southern charm and just smiling his way out of any situation so he can get himself and everyone else away without any consequences

I think that’s all for now!! If you have any additions, please feel free to add them on, I love seeing other people’s ideas!

[2-bdamned]

in regards to the aoex pride post i made last month, here are my personal headcanons as to why i think those are their sexuality’s! ( also thank you to @johnannepeterric for asking about this as i’ve been waiting to share these for a hot minute!!)

rin:

sexuality + gender identity:gay and trans(ftm)

reason: i don’t think he exactly cares for the concept of gender and sexuality but just thinks people should be allowed to like and be whoever they want. he knew he was in the wrong body since he was a little kid but never knew how to phrase it till later on in life. as for on screen reasons, he tends to cover up quite a bit before and after becoming a demon as well as tending to wear baggy clothes to hid his form. not to mention he has very poor posture which most transmasc people (myself included) tend to do when we can’t bind or don’t feel masculine enough. and i think he’s gay mostly due to the fact that he’s never really shown to have any friendships outside of the exwires and tends to get his platonic and romantic affections mixed up quite a bit (as to explain why i still headcanon this after the manga and his confirmed feelings towards shiemi)

yukio:

sexuality: bisexual

reasoning: he seems to show and equal amount of emotions to his colleagues and to the exwires and im like 90% sure he doesn’t really talk about romantic through the manga/anime at all. i think he’s always known he’s liked both genders since he was young. shiro seems like he was very accepting and i honestly think he would’ve helped both the boys with their sexuality’s and gender since he didn’t get the freedom to express that stuff when he was younger due to you know ‼️‼️(SPOILERS) ‼️‼️ literally being a clone made in a lab. yukio seems the type to not really care about gender when it comes to romance and instead look for traits like personality and motivations. his friendships are most based on him genuinely liking the person rather than keeping up with his appearance as someone who’s quite popular. this could possibly lead to the same being transferred over to his romantic bonds.

shiemi:

sexuality: lesbian

reason: like rin, she tends to get romantic and platonic affection mixed up from not having friends till high school. there’s a bit in the manga where izumo brings over some romance novels to try and help shiemi out with figuring out her feelings. we all know most romance novels don’t exactly have the best explanation for feeling so i think that’s where shiemi got mixed up. she gets her admiration for rin mixed up with romantic feelings when in reality, she’s not into him. we can also use the garden scene from kyoto arc as some reasoning to this headcanon. izumo called shiemi a weed and she surprisingly takes this “insult” very well and even thanks izumo for the interaction. even later in kyoto saga, we see shiemi use even more of her power to save izumo from the miasma. she clearly cared a lot about izumo and basically wore herself down to the the brink of exhaustion trying to dave izumo herself when she could have easily run and got help from another exorcist. sheimi seems to care deeply about her friends but shows more concern to izumo than any other exwire (minus rin and yukio).

shima: ‼️‼️ HIS WHOLE HEADCANON REVOLVES AROUND MANGA SPOILERS SO THATS A HEADS UP‼️‼️

sexuality: gay

since he found out about izumo from the illuminati, he never really had a “crush” on her per say, but showed an unromantic interest in her due to her past and just wanted to know more about her. since he had kinzou around him as a kid, i think that played a huge part in him hiding that he was gay (just bc kinzou is a huge perv and probably pushed some of that onto him). that could also lead to the reasoning as to why he’s so pushy with izumo. he’s trying to convince himself he liked women by trying his hardest to like izumo. the kinzou thing is the only thing really leading to me believing this but an alternative reason could also be a fear of changing his personality this late on when both suguro and koneko have known him to be a certain way since he was young. he’s shown to have this perverted personality since he was quite young and it’s even mentioned in an extra concerning why suguro and koneko use his last name and not his first. these two factors lead me to believe his attraction to izumo and subsequently, his attraction to women, is just a lie he’s putting on.

koneko:

sexuality + gender identity: pansexual and genderfluid

reason: koneko is shown to have a deep love and care for the people around him and i think that not only applies to him with friendship, but with romance as well. like yukio, he tends not to focus on the gender of the person perusing him, but rather their intention, personally, and motivations. he wants to know if his partner is a good person rather than their gender. gender wise, i just don’t think he cares. it’s not explicitly shown but it can be heavily implied when he talks to rin about why he has a hard time trusting him after the “son of satan “ reveil happens. for gender identity, i think i as a kid, he was commonly referred to by most pronouns since he wasn’t exactly the most “boy looking” when he was young. later on he learned he didn’t exactly mind what gender people perceived him as but rather how they perceived him as a person. there’s no canon information for the genderfluid headcanon but again, these are my personal headcanon, they don’t exactly have to make sense.

suguro:

sexuality + gender identity: gay and trans (ftm)

reason: this one is mostly me projecting onto this man so if it doesn’t exactly make sense, y’all know why! but he’s shown to be quite affectionate to rin in both the manga and the anime. he doesn’t really tend to do that too much to other people, especially the women that are around him. he probably has some sort of crush on rin or at least some form of admiration to him. as for his gender identity, this is literally just me projecting. that’s it. but i think he does show some signs that i tend to show as a trans person ( the one example i can name off the top of my head is that he seems pretty insecure when shima and koneko brought up his body before he started working out and hates mentions of his body in general ). like rin, he tends to have very poor posture and also doesn’t wear form fitting clothes and this is especially prominent in official art.

izumo:

sexuality: lesbian

reason: she has a very deep relationship with paku and shiemi after the events of the manga take place. she never shows this same connection with any one else throughout the series. she gets severely worried once paku leave cram school and is shown to be quite empty after this happens. ‼️‼️SPOILERS‼️‼️ the same thing happens once shiemi leaves cram school as well and is taken by her family to go train. she seems to be deeply affected by these two events and even goes as far as to show the others her concerns after the thing with shiemi happens. after she ‼️SPOILERS‼️ gets kidnapped by the illuminati and winds up the the hospital, shimei is the first person she lets see her true emotions and feelings and doesn’t once make a comment on her being some kind of hindrance. we also see her show quite a bit of empathy towards shiemi when in kyoto. there’s a scene where they two are gardening and she calls shiemi a weed. she’s very much plays into a tsudere type roll in the beginning but this seems more like a backhanded compliment rather than trying to be a jerk to her. both of the girls receive this interaction in a positive way. we also can use the scene where shiemi saves izumo as a reason for this as well. izumo shows a genuine concern for shiemi both during and after her being stuck in the miasma. even when they go to the hot springs, she seems to have this perpetual blush while looking at shiemi. these all lead me to think she has some sort of feelings toward both paku and shiemi, leading me to headcanon her as a lesbian.

shura:

sexuality: lesbian

she was basically born just so she could produce a child to fuel some demons deep desires. her unhealthy attachment to shiro can be explained by this. i think this is the case for all the “attraction” she showed towards him as a young girl. all her life she’s been told she has to have kids with a man and that’s was her purpose for a long time. thus why i think she’s a lesbian. she never shows any real attraction to a man throughout the entire series besides the man who saved her as a child. she never talks about men till after her character arc in the manga and even then, it seems she just wants to live the rest of her life differently than before and doesn’t exactly seem too enthusiastic about finding a husband as it’s never mentioned again after that point. she really only seems to show an “attraction” to men when it’s useful to her. she uses her looks and charm to get what she wants when it comes to men. she has this facade she puts on where she acts innocent and cute and uses her looks to her advantage. she never truly shows an actual attraction to a man.

mephisto:

sexuality + gender identity: gay and genderfluid

reason: i don’t think any of the demon kings are cis. like not even remotely. they all have to take on different forms and have taken on many in the past. as long as it’s a body, they’re basically fine with whatever. mephs past forms are never shown but we can assume he’s taken on many different body’s in the past as well. after all this body hopping and the fact that gender is literally a thing made up by humans, i don’t think meph really cares about the forms he takes and how his gender is perceived. he knows he’s a powerful demon and could easily destroy the knights of the true cross if he wanted too so gender is the last thing he really cares about. as for sexuality, nothing on screen really points to anything but he tends to show more affection to the men on screen than the women. in fact, the only women we see him really interact with (that i can remember) is shura and we all know how they feel about each other. even though those two both “flirt” with one another, these seem to be more so parts of their personality’s rather than them both having an interest in each other. his “flirting” with shura seems to be more taunting her and displaying his absolute discard for human problems.

amaimon:

gender identity: agender

reason: just like meph, amimon had possessed(?) many different forms over the course of their existence. we even see him take on a rather feminine presenting form when they were destroying the earth. but unlike meph, he is less fluid in terms of gender and instead, prefers to not identify with one. she does use all pronouns and doesn’t exactly care on that front but i think there’s certain terms and compliments they don’t exactly like. meph does use gendered terms with amimon, but these two seem to be very close and have probably communicated this before as well. like koneko being genderfluid, there’s no definitive evidence to support this claim other than these are my own headcanons and i can do what i want.

[yanderecandystore]

Black and Red take the advantage of Buddy being gone to flirt and drop hints about wanting to have another child with the s/o. Blacks wants to have the s/o be in a relationship now while Red wants to wait a bit more. Also I hope you feel better! Self care is best care :o - Cold Anon

Wow, I loved when I received both of your requests because like- Oh shit this fits so well!

If y'all don't mind, let's make this a complete Headcanon with both of your requests!

TW/Tags: NSFW // Forced relationship // dubcon (I don't condone this actions irl, so please read this with caution if the subject triggers/harms you in anyway) // Poly/Threesome (although it's only like half mentioned because I took way too long to write this lmao) // if you're confused on what is going on, you may want to check this [🧃] // delusional thinking and manipulation // non gender specific yandere boys and female reader just cause I'm kinda want to to make this one female just because- // swearing

🍭꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍰꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖🍭

Thank God the walls are soundproof [Yandere!Among Us x F!Reader - Headcanon]:

Okay but let's first have a real talk, like- Imagine your alien dog just went missing out of nowhere, and then these hoes come in and say some shit about "family" and "mating" and all that jazz-

Bitch, my dog just ran away, control your horniness-

I think that they have been up to this point pretty much saying "we dig you, like a lot!" but also making it seem like it's nothing too serious?

Since they know you're unaware of their true feelings and intentions, it felt only right to give you some time and ease you in this relationship as quickly and smoothly as possible. Some flirting and constant compliments should have done the trick, yet you weren't really understanding what they meant with it.

You thought it was weird to see two people suddenly expressing so much affection to you despite the fact they were both married to each other and that you never felt like the type of person to attract people, so seeing two people to openly flirt with you made you think they were only joking around.

It could be their little thing, right? Flirting with other people in front of one another? Yeah, that could be it-

Of course you have assumed the possibility of them being polyamorous and are trying to call you to their family and form a triad, but then again, sounds kinda hard to believe, right? Two people wanting so badly to be with you? Sounds like something straight up out of a fantasy story.

Although, you couldn't lie that you kinda wish it to be true, since they were very pleasant to be around and well… You found them attractive and pretty charming in a weird way. Their romance with one another seemed so passionate and pure that you felt a little jealous and maybe craving a little bit of their attention.

I guess you tried your best to stay oblivious to their advantages either unconsciously or just defensively, as it can be quite shocking to receive so much attention out of nowhere from those two.

They always seemed so… I don't know, in their own little world….

After Buddy had disappeared, their presence had started to seem more stronger, it was so oddly coincidental how they started to act more friendly than ever towards you after Buddy disappeared.

You shouldn't be so suspicious of them, after all, it was only common sense that people would start to be friendlier and start comforting you after a tragedy.

Yet, you still doubted them, and right now you realize exactly why. Their weird attachment to you was starting to make a lot of sense.

It was the third time you had a breakdown after Buddy disappeared, and it's been the third time that they helped you by "comforting you out", even though you don't feel necessarily more comfortable by their constant caresses and odd words- they keep going on and on about how things will get better soon, that you'll be part of bigger family that promises to cherish you and never abandon you.

And although their words were strange and oddly soothing considering that you felt lonely due to your sweet boy running away, you still felt odd about their exact words and expressions that were thrown at you, but you disguised it as "being their awkward way of showing affection". Because it's a lot easier to lie to yourself than to admit that you were surrounded by possibly dangerous people, it was easier to believe that Buddy was going to come back anytime soon than to admit that the possibility of him already being dead was possible.

But sometimes reality will pull your hazy brain to observe the intriguing situation you found yourself in, since you were still a little hazed by the constant crying and the despair you felt for your best friend, it took you some to realize them both cuddling with you and placing small kisses here and there.

Either you had ignored/blocked out the feeling of invasive touches and phrases that were so off the rails, that even if they sugar coated their speech you would still feel threatened by it, or you were simply disassociating from this particular event.

Who would've guessed that being locked in your own room all day with only two people to talk with has started to make you crave their attention? You just felt like letting them touch you and say nice things despite how it felt…. Weird.

You started to feel guilty, to feel awkward whenever they praised you and touched you a little more roughly in more private areas. You felt good yet awful, you felt like this situation was wrong but it did feel right in some weird way.

You felt ashamed of their soft voices- Or more accurately, Red's soft voice and Black's deep breaths covering your skin with each kiss. They seemed to be on their own little worlds, just like you were a couple of seconds ago.

When you tried to free yourself and get up, Red took the opportunity to make you sit in their lap facing your back to them, they shushed you as you noticed Black felt a bit sad at your sudden reaction. You weren't expecting to be stopped from getting away from their hold which made you feel wary of the situation.

You've let them pamper you for too long, you've let them touch you and crave you for way too long. Black took the fact you were stuck on their partner's lap and decided to take a bite for themselves. A deep kiss that although heavenly sweet to them, it tasted bitter and provoked you to start wriggling against Red to get away from their hold. This was starting to be suffocating.

Yet nothing, they didn't let you, they chuckled at your struggles just like a person would chuckle at an infant playing around and trying to get their attention. Red whispered sweet nothings while Black seemed to be enjoying licking your skin, from your shoulder to your neck, it felt good yet somehow a little too… Good? There was something like desperation starting to appear in Black's breathing, their licks felt sloppy and the sounds coming from deep in their chest made your mind hazy, made your body crave more of this mix of rough and soft touches coming from them both.

Yet your mind told you otherwise, your conscious kept telling you about more important things that you should be worrying about. You felt like this was not exactly what you wanted at the moment, but your body was betraying your own thoughts as you felt yourself getting just as needy as them.

You still told Red you felt like this was happening too fast for your comfort, yet they only told you to relax and enjoy the view.

The "view" was Black getting more and more agitated, they seemed high out of their mind if not completely lost in their own instinct. Drooling like an animal, breathing like they have runned up a hill, and although there was only lust and admiration in their eyes, there was something in that frantic laugh that made you feel like there was something else in their hearts.

"- Black, we talked about this… Look at her, your scaring [Y/N], babe." Red said while pushing Black to back off a little, without putting too much pressure, just telling them to get back a little.

Black didn't take it personally yet still whined like a lost puppy. Black surprisingly hasn't said much considering the situation you were all in, you would at least hope for them to say something, yet they couldn't make any comprehensive sounds except for growling and heavy breathing.

"- Can you see it, [Y/N]? It's so adorable when they get like this, it's even better if you let them get impatient, not like you'll have to wait much, they're simply too easy to please, you know?" Red giggled into your ear as Black was grinding the bed like a desperate dog in heat, which still scared you a bit-

How hungry their eyes looked made you squirm and distance yourself from them, which led to Red holding you tighter since you were getting closer to them. It felt like it was normal for them, this sort of ritual, and you just seemed to get yourself involved in, not knowing how to respond to anything.

"- Uhn- R-Red- I…. I think we should go to sleep already-" You said, it was indeed very late, and you were starting to feel like not being part of this- Something was very, very off, your gut told you that much as you started feeling pretty nauseous.

"- So soon? Are you feeling nervous darling? I did tell a certain someone that they should have been more patient, yet they said they couldn't wait any longer-" Red said, mentioning Black who was flustered and angry at how their partner seemed to act so casually about their "condition".

"- But I don't think you need to worry your little head, after it we can go to sleep together, okay?" Red answered you while nuzzling your neck, now they noticed how much they were craving this moment, yet still not as much as their shape shifting partner.

"- No! I-I mean- Shouldn't you two sleep in your own rooms- I think the others would get suspicious of three people sleeping in the same bed." You managed to stutter out, yet you felt like your words had caused more harm than it should have.

Black growled in a more animalistic manner while also hitting their hands in the bed to try to take your attention, their expression was of anger mixed with disappointment.

Red just sighed and shook their head, they put their hand in your face and guided you to look at them, their tone sounded patronizing and disappointed.

"- It's that really what you're worried about? What other people think… This has nothing to do with anyone but us, love. So please try to focus on the now instead of how they'll react. And besides, we wouldn't want to miss this opportunity, now would we?" They said while kissing you just as passionately as Black did. Yet you didn't get what Red meant with that, so you obviously asked.

To which they didn't really respond, just hugged you again after slowly pulling away and saying:

"- Normally we have to wait up to six in six months to get their next heat, but apparently it came earlier than it should have! Isn't this beautiful darling? It's like all the stars have been perfectly aligned for us to be together." Red squeaked excitedly about the pattern of luck they've been having lately! First started with your dog disappearing, then it went to you being more comfortable with them around you, to you downright accepting being part of their family!-

The truth was actually rather bitter, you didn't really agree to any of these and you seemed to have tried to get out whenever you could, but both Red and Black took your lack of response as a sign of acceptance rather than anything else. Why else would you let them cuddle you three times in a roll, if not because of love? Why would you let them kiss you, if not because of love?

"- It's going to be so much fun adding two new members to the family, don't you think love?" Red spoke once again although not really towards you, but rather to their very attentive partner that was fuming with the idea of a new kid ever since their heat began about three days ago.

Thanks whatever cosmic entity to have granted them not only the privilege of holding you for so long during this time of need you were facing, but to also have gifted them this marvelous opportunity. Their species are fertile only periodically, it's not like they can do this any time they want, so to be in heat while your stupid bodyguard is missing it's a fucking miracle.

Yet I guess it would be really rude to mention that to you in person, after all you did love that mutt with all your heart, so-

Well, it's not like Black can express how desperately they want to pounce on you, they go through a thembofication when they're needy like this, besides- What good are words if they can simply let their moans filled the room and let it clear through actions how fucking long they have been craving this.

Your dog would have smelled them a lot sooner and tried to warn you about this, he could have prevented this but it seems like he ditched you, which is so unfair, none of them would ever leave you alone, but who cares about Buddy anymore, right? They're pretty sure that after you have a baby you'll forget him, because children and dogs are literally the same thing, ask Mini Red about it-

The fear that overcomes you when seeing them take off their disguise through your very eyes it's both heartbreaking and a little exciting. It's horrible for Black to see you screaming and trying to get out of the room despite the fact the door is locked tight and the walls being soundproof, were you really that disturbing that you couldn't handle?

Or maybe you realized who has been going around, ya know, eating people? And you thought you would be one too, which seemed to be the first time both of them understood what your worries were.

"- Oh no darling, don't worry okay! Shh- Everything it's fine- Look, we know this is sudden but it only felt right to show you the truth right now. You understand that right?"

Red tried to calm you down while simultaneously putting more fear in your heart.

"- Let me go! I-I- don't want anything to do with- With that thing! Or even you for that matter!" You spat venom at them while you squirmed in the mattress as Red was holding your arms and Black was holding your legs from kicking them.

So much hatred in only one sentence, truthfully, this wasn't going to go so well.

For you, that is.

You'll see that you love them, you see that this pity party you're throwing is absolutely ridiculous, weren't you kissing and whimpering at their touch five seconds ago? Honestly dear, hypocrisy doesn't look good on you.

But maybe you just need to relax a little, and let someone take care of you. Clearly the disappearance of "Whatever his name was" took you by surprise and made a big impact in your consciousness, but after proving you how much they have to offer, surely you'll understand their point of view.

🍭꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍰꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖🍭

[dennou-translations]

Violet Evergarden: Booklet 9

Please feel free to message me about possible corrections. By all means, consider supporting the creators by purchasing the official releases. If anyone is feeling generous: Ko-fi | PayPal. ( ╹◡╹)っ’･*

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A certain man picked up a wild beast.

It was beautiful to an uncanny extent. Catastrophically foolish. Laughably ignorant and violent.

However, it was also an extremely rare kind of beast, which had attachment for people and obeyed them.

Its fur was golden. Its eyes were a limpid blue.

The beast did not know how to let out a cry, but if trained, it could probably sell for a high price.

Such was the beast that the man had picked.

The man and the beast’s encounter was a result of misfortune, as a great number of people had fallen victim to the beast’s fangs.

The beast followed the man’s back around all the time.

It was a terrifying beast, which devoured humans. He had to hurry and dispose of it somewhere.

Still, the man thought, it would probably be useful in a battlefield.

The man’s occupation was national defense. His status was of naval captain.

A ferocious beast was suitable as a guard dog, and no one would be troubled if the lonely beast lost its life somewhere.

For the man, the beast was not a desired companion, but whatever could be used should be used.

Had he not thrown it away when he was supposed to, the future would have changed drastically.

   Violet Evergarden If

   “Shirt – not that; the shirt.”

The soft light of dawn shone over Leiden, the capital of Leidenschaftlich. It was a fine season, in which petals of bougainvillea flowers danced about. A beautiful morning. The appearance of the city was divine as sunshine flowed down from the rifts between the clouds, like ladders for the angels. A daylight that caused people to embrace a little bit of hope toward the day called today and the long period called life – that caused such thoughts to appear – was illuminating the city.

On this wonderful day, inside the dormitory of a facility built in the vicinities of Leidenschaftlich’s Ministry of the Navy, a man had fallen into an overcast mood, in contrast with the scenery outside. Although he had woken up a mere few minutes ago, he was irritated. He was not looking at the sunlight coming from the window. Neither did he have any interest in the dancing of the gentle shadows created by the fluttering curtains.

The only thing he had his eyes on was his beast.

“It’s the shirt. You’re not doing that on purpose, are you?”

The man belonged to a privileged class. One could tell that his furnished, private room had been renovated so that its user could live in maximum comfort. Something of the sort was not permitted unless the person was from a social position fitting of it.

He hated the idea of having his own house. He also avoided returning to his home and to a smaller component of his nation, his family.

“‘Shirt’.”

“The shirt. Shirt.”

“‘Shirt’.”

“No, that’s a cufflink. Listen up; I’m gonna say it one more time.”

As he spoke, his voice was low, charming and sullen. His hair, like ink in the color of nightly darkness with a thread of blue mixed in, was long and resembled silk. His deeply carved and delicate facial features would surely be showered with attention from women if he went on a walk in the city. One could tell the fineness of his upbringing with a single glance from his noble beauty.

The man who bore such looks, Dietfried Bougainvillea, was fed up with the girl in front of him, who could not do as much as bring him a shirt. From her appearance, said girl, unshapely clad in the female officer uniform of Leidenschaftlich’s navy, was so young that she had not yet reached her mid-teens. He could be considered much too immature for making an angry face at such a child.

Dietfried grasped her tiny hand, of a size so different from his own, and made her hold onto a white shirt. “Shirt,” he said while glaring at her, as if to give her a lesson. His lips also moved slowly, so that she would understand the pronunciation.

The girl being glared at alternated between looking at the shirt she was made to grab and at her master, who was naked from the waist up. Her big eyes opened even wider as she was attempting to learn something.

Dietfried wanted to start yelling at her immediately, but somehow managed to remain in his current state, accepting her silence and that she took her time.

Eventually, the girl nodded. “‘Shirt’...”

Dietfried exhaled. He let out a breath mixed with both relief and disappointment.

“That’s right; it’s a shirt that I want.”

“This is a shirt.”

“What will you do with that shirt?”

“Captain, it is a shirt.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Just hand it over after you say that. You’re really one handful of a mongrel.”

“A shirt.”

“Enough.”

“Captain, a shirt.”

“Enough already!”

What he was doing was teaching. The girl, who could not even properly say that word, had never had any education. She was an orphan that Dietfried had taken in due to certain circumstances and did not know how to speak very well. Most likely, she was being used by someone else before Dietfried had picked her.

She was definitely a wild beast rather than a person. All she could do was murder people as per her master’s order. She was a bestial girl who was unable to do anything but that. Dietfried had the girl live in one of Leidenschaftlich’s warships, immediately putting her into action for combat should there be any battles at sea, using her as a soldier.

The reason why he was scoring exceptionally good military achievements was that he kept her by his side. As she had the appearance of an infant, she easily incited negligence. She had already displayed her power a number of times by approaching enemy warships on a boat, causing a disturbance by the moment that she was mistaken for a victim and allowed onboard, then taking advantage of it to start a naval attack. It was an inhumane work for a little girl to do.

Dietfried was aware of that. Yet he had made her do it. She had done it countless times.

He had thought she would soon die, but whenever he went to check on the bodies, she was usually the lone survivor. No matter how much he attempted to kill her, to have her killed, she did not die. Instead, she would crush the enemy ships.

“Leidenschaftlich’s Undine” was what the navy soldiers called her now.

If he could not kill her, he had no choice but make her useful. Dietfried despised this girl, who had slaughtered his underlings when they first met, but that time had now passed and was opening up anew. Making use of this girl’s life until she collapsed was also a way to mourn for those who were gone. That was how he thought it over. For that reason, in order to work her hard also as a servant, he was teaching her how to speak.

He had started doing it because of the fact that they had trouble communicating, but Dietfried did not have much talent as an educator. He had been able to climb up to the position of naval captain due to his personal achievements. He was skilled at leading and instructing people, but for lecturing a child like this one-on-one, he was terribly unfit.

“Next, the shoes. Put my shoes on for me.”

“Sho...”

“Here, look at the way my mouth moves.”

“I—am.”

“Shoes. C’mon, try saying it.”

“‘Sho-es’.”

“Say it five times. Shoes, shoes, shoes, shoes, shoes.”

“‘Shoes, shoes, shoes, shoes, shoes’.”

“All right. Now, put my shoes on me.”

“Captain, you mean ‘shoes, shoes, shoes, shoes, shoes’.”

Clearly unfit.

“Captain.”

“You trash.”

“‘Tra-sh’.”

“Hey, don’t say ‘trash’ to me.”

“What does ‘tra-sh’ mean?”

Dietfried felt like crawling onto the bed he was sitting on and lying down to sulk just like that. In fact, he did hang his head and roll onto it.

Anyone who knew him well would evaluate that, for someone like him, he was teaching her very patiently. As he was the kind of man who could do anything flawlessly by nature, his attitude towards those who could not was cold. Such a man was attempting to educate an orphan child who did not know how to talk. He was in a state where one could say that he was making an effort.

“Captain, it is morning.”

“I know... I ain’t sleeping. I’m lying face-down ‘cause I’m disappointed in you.”

“Do you have any orders for ‘You’?”

“Y’know, I do call you ‘You’, but that ain’t your name.”

“If not, ‘You’ will be on stand-by.”

Albeit good at catching on words such as “stand-by” or “order”, she was slow to absorb terms that were used in daily life. The discrepancy between the things she did and did not have interest in was evident in the results of her learning.

This wild beast of a girl actually did not need words.

Even so, Dietfried had decided to grant them to her. Going back on a decision was shameful to him. He believed that he should never do such a thing.

——I gotta at least make her evolve from wild animal to watchdog. Or else, both she and I will be in trouble.

Dietfried was striving. He was exerting himself extraordinarily.

“Enough; I’m gonna comb my hair now. Gimme the comb.”

It seemed she had properly memorized the word “comb”, as she immediately took it from the dresser that the room was already provided with and presented it to Dietfried. She observed him with her big, gemstone-like eyes as he sat up as if it were a pain and slowly began combing his lengthy hair. He smooth and deftly braided it with his long fingers, then tied it with a ribbon and it was over.

Dietfried hit the bed with a slap, directing the girl to sit next to him. “Do as I do. As long as you’re wearing that uniform, you’re my subordinate. You having a bad appearance is a problem for me.”

Accepting the comb, the girl began combing her hair as well. She was improving lately, but her hair was damaged for a while due to malnutrition, so the ends tended to entangle. When she tried to force the comb through, Dietfried apprehended her with a hand.

“This again... Stop; don’t treat your hair like that... Why do I gotta brush it every day? Today’s the day that you’re gonna get it cut,” Dietfried said while carefully unraveling the entangled hair tips in her stead.

The girl was stock-still. Dietfried did not realize that the facial expression on her profile was a little bit different from her usual deadpan.

“Captain.”

“What?”

“Should ‘you’ comb your hair as well?”

“Nah, ‘s fine. I get a bad feeling when you’re behind me.”

Whether she had understood or not, the girl closed her eyes as if holding back on something. “All right...”

   In order to both replenish and repair the warship, Dietfried went on land. The stay at the port was scheduled to last up to five days. During that period, the crew would be on vacation. Most of his subordinates were roaming the city of Leiden, but those who lived close to it took full advantage of their days off to go see their families in their hometowns.

Dietfried also finally had free time today. He had to take several days to submit all sorts of greetings and reports. He made a long memo in his head with a list of the things that he had to purchase. One way or another, he was able to make time at least to go shopping in peace.

“Hey, let’s go.”

“Yes, Captain.”

Dietfried generally took action while keeping her by his side. She would be all right standing in waiting somewhere, but thoughtlessly leaving a woman alone amongst men was a primary factor for incidents to occur.

It was not as if he were worried about the girl. The ones he worried about were the people who would find the tables turning against them for attempting to lay their hands on her. In times of war, Dietfried’s decision was to avoid losing human resources as much as possible. He had to supervise this girl in order to prevent her from reducing his number of underlings.

However, there was also a good side to it. The girl’s fighting power and crisis-sensing abilities were outstandingly excellent, which qualified her for escort missions. He used to always walk around with bodyguards and associates as his ranks went up, but now, just this girl was enough.

——It’s nice that I can let more people, even if just one more, rest up by sacrificing her.

Under the light of the sun, Dietfried thought this as he watched the girl eagerly move her legs to chase after his back with tapping footsteps.

“We’re done buying these kinds of luxury items... Now for the clothes... Hey, this way. Follow me.”

“Captain, you are well-acquainted with the city.”

“That’s right. I’m ‘well-acquainted with the city’,” Dietfried gave a reply on the same level to the girl, who sometimes used words in a strange manner.

Just as he told her, Leiden was his hometown. In normal circumstances, it would be all right for him to return home as well.

“Though I don’t know if I like this city or hate it.”

But as he did not do so, one could guess about his family situation.

“You know what the good of this city is, do you?”

“I do not—know the city—very well.”

“The beauty of the architecture and the spirit of the people change depending on the city. If you leave out your emotions, Leiden’s a stunning city.”

“I do not have emotions. That means it is a stunning city to me.”

“You’ve got it wrong.”

“This is difficult.”

“You can’t understand human reasoning ‘cause you’re not human.”

“I see.”

After saying something that would hurt a little girl, he checked on her facial expression, yet it was blank as ever.

“You.”

However, he did not miss that her voice had become slightly gloomier.

“Don’t you wanna run away from me?” he whispered oppressively, stopping in his tracks and looking down at her from above.

Framing her huge eyes, the girl’s golden lashes fluttered like butterflies. She seemed surprised.

“We aren’t at sea right now. Or inside the warship. If you run off somewhere, I won’t be able to catch up. For starters, I’d have no intention to go looking for you. So if you wanna do that, you can.”

If a third party happened to hear the question, it would sound almost as if he were testing the girl. In fact, he might have been. People did such things out of foolishness every once in a while.

Dietfried absolutely did not admit it, but as he took this beast into his personal care and raised her, he began to feel that he wanted something. In return for that, he did not give her a name. If it were someone else, they would surely put it into words and display their desire with ease, but Dietfried was different. This man was awfully complicated – deeply compassionate yet cruel.

“Captain Dietfried, what am I supposed to do—by running away—from you?”

Just like that girl, he was broken somewhere.

The question made no sense to her.

“I have no meaning. If you do not use me, that is.”

This girl had no feelings.

“There is no meaning to me unless I am being used. I am a tool. I exist to be used.”

She did not know love.

“I am a wild beast. Beasts nestle up to where their owners go.”

All she wanted was validation of her own existence. Money, honor, status or anything of the sort.

“I am sure that—I was made this way—ever since I was born.”

She needed none of it. They made no sense to her.

“And you—have been registered—as my master inside me.”

The girl before his eyes looked at him as if to say, “don’t forget that I’m a beast”.

“You bring me along and use me.”

It might be that their positions were inverted from the very beginning.

“Please do stand next to me, Captain.”

Perhaps Dietfried was the one being kept around as a proof of existence.

——It’d be great if I could kill her right now.

She was merely a lonely beast, who just yearned for a master. It did not have to be Dietfried. That was what he felt she had told him.

“I’m going back.”

Dietfried started walking. Towards a direction completely opposed to the set route. In large steps, his leather boots clicking, he strode as if to leave the girl behind.

“But you still—have not bought most of the items.”

“It’s fine; I’m going back.”

“All right.”

As expected, the girl was expressionless even as her master suddenly grew displeased and yelled at her. She was accustomed to being swayed around. Not just by the man in front of her, but by her own fate as well. She had flowed, letting herself go with the current, and was now here.

It was Dietfried alone who never became accustomed to the girl.

“Walk fast.”

There was no appropriate name for the relationship of the two.

“Yes, I shall not leave your side.”

——You scum.

Why did he have to be the only one manifesting his emotions? It would be great if he could make the girl’s face distort even if just a little. This feeling surfaced and disappeared within him. It was almost the way of thinking of a child whose mother would not give him any attention, but trapped as he was in his own emotions, Dietfried did not realize this.

“Captain.”

Disturbed by rage and confusion, Dietfried angrily yelled, “What?!” in response to the girl’s call.

“There is a suspicious person running toward us from behind us. Shall I suppress them?”

“Haah?”

As he turned around, just as the girl had said, there was indeed a strange individual running their way. He had a purse under his arm. They could hear the scream of a woman at the back. If one were to take a conclusion just from looking at the situation, he was most certainly a thief.

“Don’t kill; capture him.”

To the order whispered at her in a low tone, the girl replied with a clear voice, “Understood.”

Immediately, she dashed off.

“Outta the way!”

As the man harshly shouted such aggressive words while coming at the people around him, they would open way for him in fear. The only one who pushed through the opened path was the girl.

“Brat! Move! I’m gonna kill you!”

Seeing a girl clad in a military uniform heading towards him, the man took out a pocketknife as he ran. Running while swinging it around was dangerous to no bounds. No matter how much brute strength one had, they would still waver at such a head-on challenge.

“My name is not ‘Brat’.”

However, the girl did not falter. Right before the collision, the girl lowered her posture with a jerk and evaded the pocketknife’s assault first-thing. She then grabbed one of the man’s legs and hurled herself at him. As the strength that the man had applied to the direction of his move was forcefully stopped, he violently plunged face-first into the ground.

“It is ‘You’.”

The girl’s attack did not end there. She seized the back of the agonized man, and after lifting his body as if picking a cat by its collar, she punched his throat. On top of that, she twisted his arm, completely suppressing his movements.

“P-Ple—ase—let—”

“I cannot understand the contents of your speech.”

“L-Let—g-go—pl—ea—se—”

“I cannot understand the contents of your speech.”

There was a spine-freezing kind of fearsomeness to the girl, who heartlessly repeated the same response to the man that was most likely saying, “Let go”. There was as much beauty to her appearance as there was a spur of coldness in her.

“The lecture I gave you last time about human body vitals came in handy, huh.”

“Yes.”

Dietfried came walking in a relaxed manner, looking like his moody aspect from earlier had decreased by just a little bit.

“As you told me, Captain. Strikes to the throat are effective.”

“True. Remember the name of the spots that hurt when you hit it?”

“‘Vital parts’.”

“That’s right... In men’s case in particular, there’s Adam’s apple. Look at this.” Dietfried grabbed the hair of the pitiful robber and made him raise his face. He then pointed at the other’s Adam’s apple. “Listen up. This bulgy thing is Adam’s apple.”

“‘Adam’s maple’.”

“It’s ‘Adam’s apple’.”

The robber could do nothing but watch the exchange between the two oddballs in confusion. There was no way to describe them other than “bizarre”. It could also be said that they were crazy. After all, the duo was holding a lecture about vital parts using the body of a complete stranger.

“‘Adam’s apple’. Is it... Is it a vital?”

“Yeah. It gets difficult to talk when you strike here, so hit it when you want someone to keep quiet.”

“Understood, Captain. If I want someone to keep quiet, I shall hit them there.”

“Also, you were probably going for his feet ‘cause he has a knife, but when the guy’s used to fighting, you should drop the idea. You’d get kicked like that. You might be strong but you’re light.”

“Should I dodge to the side?”

“With your jumping abilities, you could’ve also fly-kicked him. He had his hands full with the pocketknife and the bag anyway. Most people wouldn’t think you’d fly-kick them, so it can work. Either that or start attacking after throwing the stuff you’re holding at him.”

The girl nodded as if to say, “I see”. “But Captain, I am not allowed to throw your belongings.”

“That’s right. If you’d done that, I would’ve given you a beating.”

Despite making a face that denoted she had not comprehended it, the girl nodded. Those who were used to obeying tended to gulp down the double standards of others.

“Anyhow, should we return the bag to the victim? Or should we report to the military police...”

Although Dietfried was dealing with the fuss in a brisk and business-like manner, his eyes took notice of someone squeezing through the crowd that had gathered around him.

“Please let me pass,” the voice of a man echoed straight throughout the area.

“Sorry; it’s dangerous here, so let us pass,” so did the sweet voice of another man.

“Excuse me; we heard that you have caught a fugitive criminal, and we have as well. Let’s bring them to the military police togeth...”

The men who had showed up lost their voices for a second. As did Dietfried.

“Gil...”

Hair the color of night and emerald eyes. There were parts of their physical appearance that were similar to one another, yet the air about them was overwhelmingly different. However, if the two stood next to each other, one could quickly tell what they were.

“Brother...”

The one standing there was Dietfried’s little brother, Gilbert Bougainvillea.

“Uwah, it’s the Captain.”

Together with a large red-haired man, he had a thief in his hold and they were dragging him away.

——Claudia Hodgins too... Sure ran into a noisy fellow.

The joy of meeting his younger sibling surfaced, yet once he pondered about how to explain the situation and how they would respond to it, his feelings soon leaned to the side of deeming it as a bother.

Gilbert displayed agitation for an instant at the sight of his older brother, but immediately switched his gaze over to understanding the state of the surroundings. When he saw that a girl was the one pinning down the assumed robber all by herself, the look in his eyes changed.

“Hodgins.”

“Aah, it’s okay. I can hold him on my own. You take care of that girl...”

Gilbert handed the man that they had under restraint over to the one named Hodgins, heading to the girl’s side and kneeling down with one knee. He then said, locking his gaze with hers, “Let’s switch; are you hurt?” Before earning her consent, Gilbert took the man’s restraining upon himself. “Any injuries?” he asked again as the girl did not answer.

The girl looked at Dietfried. “Captain is unharmed,” she reported her master’s condition, not thinking that she was being questioned about her own.

“No, I’m asking about you.”

The girl looked at Dietfried, then at Gilbert. She moved her neck left and right countless times, at loss. “Whether I am injured or not is not an issue. That question is inappropriate.”

As Dietfried heard this sentence, the area around his chest suddenly became heavy.

“What are you saying...? This is about your body. Your family would be sad if you were wounded, wouldn’t they?”

After all, he had not never asked her the question “Are you hurt?”.

“I do not have a ‘family’.”

Not even once until now.

Gilbert looked at Dietfried. Dietfried also looked at Gilbert. For a moment, the two brothers rejected what the other wanted to say with their eyes. An air that could be deemed as hazardous started drifting there.

Although Gilbert had been speaking to the girl in a soft tone until just a while ago, the warmth of his voice took a brusque nosedive, “Brother, we should contact the military police first of all.”

“Then, I will call them.”

“That’s fine; you stay here. Brother, you’re the most empty-handed of us. We can count on you, right?”

“I’m holding shopping bags.”

“Brother... I’ll get angry for real...”

Ultimately, Dietfried yielded, out of fear towards his little brother’s wrath. The two thieves were swiftly taken to the military police, and so the three men and one girl who had seized them left the scene as if fleeing from a turmoil.

   The course of events after that was, simply put, a spectacular sibling fight.

Gilbert was enraged at his older brother for making a little girl into a combatant and using her as a slave, while Dietfried desperately tried to refute him through the fact that she was not a “girl” to begin with. Stuck between them and unable to endure staying there any longer, Hodgins had attempted to take the girl away from the spot of their argument, yet she would not leave Dietfried’s side. In the end, they did not manage to keep the discussion together, parting ways with the decision to set up a proper place to talk on a later date.

While returning to the dormitory and even after arriving, Dietfried stayed quiet, not uttering a single word. It was already late into the night.

“Captain.”

Silence.

“What will you have for today’s dinner? I can take a seat in the cafeteria for you.”

“Don’t need it.”

“Understood.”

Dietfried’s irritation amplified even further with the fact that the girl, who was the point at issue, was conducting herself by operating in the same manner as usual.

“I don’t wanna look at your face. Go back to your room.”

“Understood.”

Once she left his bedroom, Dietfried had an abrupt realization. The girl would not go to the cafeteria unless he ordered. Since he had forgotten to tell her to do so, there was a possibility that she would not eat.

——I have to tell her.

However, a feeling surged within him, asking why he had to look after her to that extent. Whenever that girl was around, no matter what, he would end up restricting himself.

Rage welled up within Dietfried yet again as he recalled everything that Gilbert had told him.

“Brother, you’re a horrible person.”

——No, it’s not just me. She is, too.

“Don’t you feel sorry for that child?”

——You’re wrong; that’s not it. It’s not like that. You don’t get it.

“She’s still so little.”

——She’s a little murderer. An assassin who killed my comrades and kills my enemies.

Just which of them was the one in captivity?

——Who made a mess out of my life.

Wishing to become free, he had thrown everything away. Even if he were to receive criticism, he had run away from it all, not paying it any mind. That was Dietfried Bougainvillea.

——Even though I was free.

He had thrown away his home.

——Even though I was free.

He had thrown away his family.

——Even though I was free.

He had thrown away his brother.

——Even though I was free.

And then, he threw away even kindness, becoming a blade drawn out of its stealth and surviving in severity. He had been doing his best. Had been suffering.

Still, because of just one girl, everything was unstable now.

Dietfried moved his body with a sudden motion. He stood up from his bed and put on a coat. Opening the door of the room next to his, he made the girl dress up in as many layers as possible and took her outside.

Where were they going in the dead of night? The girl asked what their destination was, yet he did not answer. They walked, walked and walked, then hopped onto a carriage.

The carriage moved with clicks and clacks. The Moon could be seen chasing them all the while from the window.

Once they eventually reached a place much too far from the dormitory facilities, she could see a mansion that one would not call an ordinary home. One could assume that the surrounding plots of plentiful nature were also part of the estate, which was Dietfried’s former residence as well.

The mansion was property of the Bougainvillea family. This was a portion of it. The main house was located somewhere else.

The sky was already beginning to pale, about to welcome the break of dawn. Again, a beautiful morning was going to start in Leidenschaftlich.

They had been traveling for a whole night and his body was aching. His condition was at its worst due to lack of sleep. However, Dietfried let out a relieved breath as they reached the mansion at last. Currently enlisted in the army, Gilbert had told him that he was in Leiden for a temporary stop. If so, in order to avoid an earful from their mother, he should be staying in their villa.

Right now, Gilbert was in there. His little brother, who – unlike Dietfried – had the shape of everything that their parents deemed a person must have, was there.

“Listen up: go inside that house. And then call Gilbert.”

His respectable younger sibling, whose emotions were not overly warped, was there.

“Tell him I kicked you out. If you do that, he’ll treat you right. You gotta show him how tired you are. No matter what, be sure to ask him to make you into an army officer.”

That was a sparkle in Dietfried’s life of complete darkness.

“There’s no way that someone like you could manage living a normal life at this point. Serve the military, and then die.”

The fact that he existed and was a relative with whom Dietfried shared the same blood was, to the latter, hope.

“He’ll protect you for sure.”

He was hope. He was light.

“I...”

No matter how broken he was, Dietfried could believe that he had one normal something. This had always granted him courage.

“You...”

He was aware that he was doing wrong as a person.

“You and I can’t be together.”

He knew he was the kind of human being who could not change, regardless of being in the wrong. That was why he loved his virtuous younger brother as if it were a necessity. He loved him even now.

Gilbert would never betray Dietfried. After all, he also loved his older brother.

The girl’s usual expressionlessness slowly crumbled. She repeatedly opened and closed her mouth, attempting to say something. However, probably unable to find the right words, she looked at the Bougainvillea mansion and shook her head like a child throwing a tantrum in refusal.

“Go; just go.”

“I—do not—want to.”

“Don’t talk back. I don’t need you. Go be used by a different owner.”

“I—do not—want to... I do not want to...”

“I’m telling you I don’t need you! Hurry and go!”

The girl tried to grasp Dietfried’s arm. Yet Dietfried began walking away before she could do so. He just uncaringly headed to the carriage that was parked a little far from the residence’s front gate.

“Captain.”

The girl was coming after him. Her voice was loaded with feelings of desperation.

——What’s up with you?

“Captain, Captain—”

——Even though you usually have no emotions.

“Captain, I do not—want this! Captain! Please give me—an order!”

——Even though you only think of me as a tool to receive orders.

“Captain! Captain! I will—properly learn—how to read!”

——Could’ve been anyone, right? Even if it weren’t me, anyone should do for you.

“Plea—se! Captain—I do not—want this, Captain!”

——Even if it weren’t me, you would...

“Captain... Captain... I will—do anything, Captain... Captain...”

——Even if it weren’t me, you would’ve been okay with it. Isn’t that it?

Dietfried turned around to check if her voice had died down. The same old girl was not there. Her wild beast figure from their first encounter had disappeared as well.

“Please, do not leave me—on my own...”

The one standing there was the infant that Dietfried had taught how to speak.

Dietfried looked at the child in front of him as if he had grown senile. She was crying. That beast of a girl, who did not cry no matter how many wounds she earned, was weeping. And also appealing to him with the things that she could do.

“I can fight; I can also—carry your belongings; and—put your—shirt on—for you.”

She was desperately bringing up what she could do to prove her existence.

“My wounds—heal quickly as well; I can—kill your enemies too; I will do anything.”

How could she assert her being?

“Please let me... Captain...”

What could she do to stay by Dietfried Bougainvillea’s side? She was attempting to certify her existence. In reality, Dietfried had misjudged her.

The girl had properly ascertained who her lord was.

If it could have been anyone else, there were several people other than him. Yet he was the one she had chased after. The wild beast had instinctively sensed and pursued him.

She had followed him while embracing the wish that, if it was a human like him, an adult like him, then surely...

“I can—be used; I can become—an optimal tool.”

...he would not leave her.

Had he not bestowed her with words and used her as a mere tool, she would never have said such a thing. Dietfried had failed.

Combing her hair and patiently teaching her about daily lifestyle had done no good. Neither had the fact that he taught her what to do and how to fight whenever she encountered difficulties while by herself. None of it had done any good.

Even without Dietfried Bougainvillea himself realizing it...

“Please, let me be—by your side.”

...the wild beast was turning into a person.

The complete darkness of the night was gradually fading. From the direction of the Bougainvillea mansion, a servant and Gilbert – the master of the house – appeared, having come upon overhearing the angry yelling. They stared at the duo with surprise.

Dietfried slowly changed his course. He turned to the crying child. One step after another, he moved toward the girl.

“Do you need me?”

He then reached out his hands, holding her small body in his arms.

“Yes.”

With an awkwardness similar to holding an animal for the first time, he supported her from the back.

“Even if I say I don’t need you, do you need me?”

In doing that, the two looked like one.

“Yes; please, do not leave me alone.”

They looked like a single living being, formed through a combination of distorted shapes.

“I see.”

Dietfried felt that the dark things squirming inside his chest until now were clearing up. His feelings for her, which were close to hatred, dimmed away as well. Same for the anger towards himself and his inferiority complex regarding the rest of the world. Illuminated by the gentle sunlight, they all faded and disappeared, just like the deep dark colors of the night.

——I see; so I wanted something like this, Dietfried thought vacantly while embracing the child that clung to him.

He felt like he understood why he was always so irritated at this girl. Just as she wanted to prove herself, he also wanted others to accept him.

Socially, he was acknowledged. He also had subordinates who idolized him. However, Dietfried...

——I wanted this.

...wanted that wild beast to acknowledge. To acknowledge him.

The times when he truly thought that he wanted to kill her had passed. So had the times when he wanted to push her onto someone else. And the times in which he tried to use her solely as a tool until she collapsed, just like a slave, were passing as well. They were now morphing into wondering about what he could do to make her last, to have her live.

They were properly changing towards the direction of the light.

“Then, be by my side.”

That was why he wanted to acknowledge as well. No matter how distorted a shape they had.

The child and man then welcomed the first morning in which they acknowledged each other.

   Afterwards, a mansion was erected in the outskirts of Leidenschaftlich.

Built once the Continental War ended, after the cessation of hostilities was finally called on, said mansion was home to a somewhat eccentric family. A man and a girl. Far apart in age, the two of them did not seem to get along well, yet did not show any signs that they would separate from each other.

“Captain, it is morning.”

As threads of golden hair cascaded smoothly in front of him like canopy curtains, Dietfried rubbed his sticky eyelids and opened them. At first, what he could see were exquisite blue eyes and cherry-colored lips. This individual, already clad in a naval uniform, bore features that anyone would call beautiful.

Dietfried regretted unintentionally thinking that she was beautiful first-thing in the morning.

“Captain, it is morning,” her voice echoed softly in his ears.

“Shut up... I know.” He sat up, yawning.

The girl began forcefully undressing Dietfried, whose gestures looked a little childish no matter what he did, without the slightest sign of embarrassment. “You have a dinner meeting today after work. I will not take part in it, but I have arranged a carriage for your return, so please give your name when you go to the assembly hall of the dinner meeting.”

“Got it.”

Letting her do as she pleased, Dietfried was having his clothes changed from sleeping garments to his uniform.

“You stayed up late yesterday night, right? There are dark circles under your eyes.”

“You’re real noisy lately... Most of it is Gil’s influence, ain’t it... You can’t go today ‘cause you got some business with him?” Seeing her movements halt completely when she was buttoning him up, Dietfried snorted. “So easy to read. You into him?”

“No.”

The duo’s conversation was a daily life scene that had happened countless times already. It was by no means anything special.

“Even if you aren’t, I don’t know about him.”

“No, it is nothing of the...”

“You two gonna see each other alone?”

“Mr. Hodgins is also coming.”

“Even if you hook up with him, I ain’t letting go of you. Work for me on commute.”

“Of course.”

“Hn, now comb my hair.”

“Yes.”

“The ribbon will be... navy blue.”

“Yes.”

Dietfried looked at the girl. She had grown up considerably. Back when they had first met, her height was about enough to reach his waist or so.

——But nowadays, she seems to be kinda intimate with Gilbert.

Although she was working flawlessly as his secretary every day, the feeling that she was being conquered lately was undeniable. That was certainly fulfilling for her, but to Dietfried, it was a tad unamusing.

“You say ‘yes’ but you’re gonna throw me away one day, aren’t you?”

A line that did not feel like him accidentally came out, and once it did so, he could not take it back. As Dietfried stayed quiet, the girl tilted her head.

“It is you who are in the position of throwing me away.”

“As if I can do that at this point; you’re mine.”

Silence.

“Aah, I don’t wanna go to work anymore... I feel awful; everything is so annoying...”

“Lord Dietfried.”

“What? You’re so noisy.”

Disgruntled, Dietfried collapsed onto his bed. After staring at him for a moment, the girl eventually imitated it, collapsing onto the bed and coming close to him.

“You gonna sleep too?”

“I am your asset, after all. I live, die, lie down and sleep together with you.”

“So you’ve come to say that.”

She completely had him on the palm of her hand.

Although he had several complaints about it, he also felt comfort from the nature of this relationship already.

Even now, he had never clearly put into words and explicitly stated his feelings towards her.

“One day... you will...”

“I shall serve you forever.”

“You say that, but one day...”

“I shall serve you. For as long as you do abandon me.”

“I said I ain’t gonna throw you away, didn’t I?”

“You tried once.”

“Y’know, that was a one-time flight response from when I was having a hard time rearing a kid. Raising you was a hassle.”

“I am grateful for it. I shall serve you for life.”

Dietfried was no longer his past self. He had become just a man that could not let go of this girl, who was the proof of his existence.

That was why Dietfried reached out his hand. As if to rule over her; as if to make her not forget about him, her lord.

He called her name, which he himself had chosen, “■■■■”

Having her cheek caressed and her name called, the girl crinkled her eyes a little. “Yes, I am by your side.”

   That was a story in which the future would have changed drastically, had he not thrown her away when he was supposed to.

[electricbluebutterflies]

14 - Garcy please!

I have written 70-odd fics for these babes and this is the first wedding-adjacent one... enjoy. Modern-ish AU, PG-ish, pre-everything, and also on ao3.

“Can I have this dance?”

Never again, Lucy tells herself. Never again is she submittingherself to any scenario involving heels and a questionable satin dress. She haschecked off both her bridesmaid obligations in this life, and she suspects shewill never be close enough to another human being to pick up a third. Besides,y’know, being thirty-five. Too much past that age, people don’t do bigweddings, and that could save her tail. She’s hopeful.

Other than the wardrobe issue, it hasn’t been a bad day.While Lucy can’t offhand remember the exact story of how she met Jiya, and didmanage to mangle that in her attempt at a speech half an hour ago – and for therecord, she started drinking after, she does have her standards – they’vebeen close on a level reserved for women who just do not bond easily withanyone. Jiya is human sunshine, yes, but attaches herself very carefully and…

Several years after that imprinting happened, Lucy is in apumpkin-colored horror of a dress, trying not to inhale her second cocktail,and starting to wonder how long she actually has to stay.

All of the major wedding stuff is over, she’s kept track ofthat much. The pictures, and the various familiar rituals, and the less-familiarcultural stuff, and as mixed weddings go this one has been almost seamless fromLucy’s outsider perspective. The energy of the couple is enough to make itwork, the obvious fact at the center of it all that Rufus and Jiya aresoulmates if ever there was a pair of ‘em. They’ll be okay, everyone knowsthat. They’ll leave for their honeymoon tomorrow, they have an appointmentscheduled at the animal shelter to look at large dogs when they get back, andthat’s a perfect enough happy ending.

Oh, and one of Jiya’s younger cousins caught the bouquet, sothat’s a win on all fronts as far as Lucy is concerned.

She likes weddings, on the level that one can if one hasaccepted one will never be at the center of one. Her own taste in people is…historically questionable, even ignoring the most recent bonfire of a loveaffair. Look, she wasn’t the one who lied about whether a divorce wasactually finalized, and she feel like that gets her some innocence. But who thehell is going to believe her version of events over the pregnant blonde not-actually-ex-wife?!Quite a few bridges burned there, nobody took Lucy’s side in that fallout, and-

She feels more than she sees a presence near her. She glancesup and… okay, that tree blocking her view at least looks kinda familiar. One ofJiya’s coworkers, if she remembers right, Lucy feels like they’ve beenintroduced before but she can’t pin this guy’s name or anything useful or-

“Can I have this dance?”

Unplaceable accent? Check. Looks good yet slightly out of placein a suit, check. Interesting bad idea for the amount of alcohol andpassive-aggressive fury currently dueling inside her, check.

“Can I ask why?” she counters, because she’s just in thatkind of mood.

“You look lonely.”

Lucy rolls her eyes and finishes her drink. However charmingthis guy thinks he is, he isn’t. “Not good enough. What do you actually want?”

“Neither of us know anyone here apart from the bride andgroom, and they are very much… lost in each other.”

“Your point?”

“Might as well be lonely together?”

If this were anyone else, Lucy thinks, anyone she had enoughof a baseline with to have feelings about them, this would be the part she’dconsider whacking them with her shoe. This isn’t a pick-up line or desperationso much as… something about this man is visibly broken, and not in a waythat actually worries her. No, she thinks as she gives him a better look, thisis someone who is miserable for if not the exact same reasons as she is then atleast close enough. There’s a certain kind of sadness in those eyes, somethingshe recognizes too well and can attempt to work with.

“Let me guess, recent bad breakup?”

“Widowed,” he corrects, the too-casual statement of someonewho’s had to explain that far too many times. “Four years ago.”

He looks older than her, yes, but not by that much.So, definitely tragic, she decides. “At least you had that.”

“And you don’t have an ex-spouse out there?”

Lucy glances away. “Do broken engagements count?”

“Did you break it?”

“No, turned out I was the other woman and a month away frombeing the victim of accidental bigamy.” This too is too casual, only way totell a story that painful to someone she doesn’t know. “That was last year, ifyou’re wondering.”

“And you normally pretend it’s fine?”

“I normally do not say anything about it to people Idon’t know. I have enough red flags going for me.”

“Enough talking,” he decides, extending his hand. “May Idistract?”

Fine. She just… won’t mention she’s a little accident-prone.The man seems well-intentioned enough, and she likes his voice, and he probablydeserves the bruises she’s about to leave on his feet. It’s fine.

And it’s been too long since she’s been held, and of courseit’s a slow song, and of course he knows what he’s doing on a dance floor farmore than she does. She’s used to finding reasons not to be twirledaround, and on some level this is her own personal hell and-

“You can kick off those shoes,” he murmurs, and good griefhe’s a tree and his mouth is too close to her face and what does she even dowith these feelings. “If you’re not comfortable.”

“I’ll lose them. And I’m not feeling the Cinderella elementhere.”

“Alright.”

She clings. She clings because yeah she’s known this personfor five minutes, and she can kinda remember him having an unusual first namebut that’s not actually helpful, and he has not put his hands anywhere inappropriate.He is both unknown and willing to let her fall apart a little, making his bodyinto a cocoon for her sorrows. She’s done worse.

There’s a version of this where they end up screwing in asupply closet, she knows as the song ends. She doesn’t want that, suspects that’snot where his heart is either. Something about him doesn’t seem like the casualtype, and-

“Are you alright?” he asks as they break apart.

“I don’t know.”

“Do you need…”

“Do you wanna sit down with me and people-watch?”

It’s not a romantic offer, not even the beginnings of one,but the night is still young and heavy with possibilities.

“You mean hold ice on your ankle while you curse every partof this?”

“How are you already up in my head?”

“I’d love to.”

[enjolrasesque]

Letters of Starsea

posting my Violet Evergarden AU fic here because why not?

word count: 6.4k

also in ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32894488/chapters/81632011

Chapter 1: From the Bottom of my Heart

          The darkened skies over the horizon casted a gloomy gaze upon the world and the bustling Liyue Harbor seems to be livelier than it was in the morning. The streetlights and gaudy paper lanterns flickered to life on the busy streets. Guiding the people to their destinations, illuminating the roadside stalls and small shops and their products and wares up for bargaining.

Ajax always liked the atmosphere in Liyue no matter how humid it is compared to Snezhnaya; he always found himself coming back to the city. And now, he’s not alone as he traversed through the busy streets, trailing behind him is a lady of small stature with golden hair and golden doe eyes who never strayed and always followed him.

Tonight of course was no exception.

He could feel her presence, how she could never be bothered by things nor care for the noise and high spirits of her surroundings. The way she followed him like a lost puppy was adorable at an extent, but the more she sticked, the more it tore his heart to see her like that. So innocent yet…

Her presence waned, and he stopped his tracks to look back at her. She was standing in front of a little stall, finding her too enamored with whatever caught her eyes along the numerous precious gems and delightful trinkets the shop was selling.

“What’s the matter Lumine?”

She looked at him with those big golden eyes, “I see your eyes. It’s the same color as your eyes.”

He felt a lump grow on his throat and furrowed his brows in a mix of emotions too complicated to sort. Walking closer he looked upon the item she was eyeing. It was a lovely brooch a little smaller than the size of her small fists. Oval shaped sapphire framed on ornate gold, sparkling like the deep blue sea, so blue it drowned her. Pulled her until it swallowed her whole.

Lumine turned her eyes again to the brooch, clutching her chest, “When I saw it, I felt something. I wonder…”

“What is that feeling called?”

☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆

It may not seem like it, but Scaramouche like taking walks to appreciate nature, but never in his life did he appreciate walking long distances, especially as the sun beats down on the earth like a madman. He really wanted to appreciate the healthy marsh of Dihua—vast skies and clear waters, graceful cranes flocking with one another—but it bothers him how his black shirt clung on his chest as sweat trickled from his forehead; his large hat didn’t help with repelling the heat flaring from the ground.

Unfortunately, as much of a prick he is said to be, he owed his dear friend a promise. Now here he was unable to take a leisurely stroll before going to work and instead in front of a quaint hospital far away from the capital city of another nation, ready to fetch the Battle Doll of Snezhnaya as per his friend’s request.

The Battle Doll’s existence is kept under the wraps. Those who knew of her were her comrades during the war and the enemies who saw her unmatched prowess, either way, both parties who knew her took her as a blade who would cut anyone’s throat... A gun who would shoot your enemies on the temple. A girl barely with human qualities (whatever makes a human) who will fight and win battles as she was ordered to. A mindless bomb that would kill without second thoughts once detonated.

The large Cuihua door of the small hospital opened, revealing a nurse who bowed to him with respect, “Master Harbinger, please, follow me.”

The interior of the hospital wasn’t that bad for a hospital far from the city, the wooden walls were painted beige, unlit seashell lamps on the wall as the sun beamed happily through the numerous windows along the building.

BANG! A loud clatter was heard along the corridors, snapping Scaramouche’s appraisal as he took off his hat. The nurse hurriedly excused herself as she followed the sound, Scaramouche jogging along with her.

“Ah! Miss Lumine!” the nurse gasped at the scene they arrived to, the girl was on the floor bandages on her arms and patches on her head, papers and a quill littering around her.

The Battle Doll looked vulnerable at this state. Ah, no. Scaramouche corrected himself, that was not the word appropriate to use... although it held truth. She did not look vulnerable. Rather she looked normal. Not unlike what she was painted as, a heartless tool who only knows to follow the orders she’s directed to do.

He crouched and decided to help the nurse raise her up with the nurse inquiring: “Are you hurt?”

The Battle Doll of Snezhnaya… No… Lumine, Scaramouche found correcting himself again, did not answer the question. Her lips were pursed as she started looking around for more. Fliting her pupils around and to the door wide open before finally speaking. “Where is he? Where’s Master Ajax?”

The mauve haired man anticipated this of course and answered in an even tone: “He’s not here.”

“Where is he? Is he back at home? Is he on leave? How about his injuries?” the girl’s question and tone did not falter, and Scaramouche could only listen. “He had grave injuries! How is he? He’s alive right?”

Scaramouche was taken aback by the girl’s actions, he already knew of the clear attachment and perhaps even reverence that she held for his coworker, but he was certainly shocked to see it first-hand.

“Ah good news Miss Lumine,” the nurse decided to chime in. “You can be discharged now. Master Harbinger Scaramouche came all the way here to pick you up.

“Ah,” he got up, taking a few pieces of paper from the floor in the process, “Yes.”

Lumine hastily got up and offered a salutation, “Pardon me, Master Harbinger Scaramouche.”

“At ease, Lumine.”

“I am terribly sorry to report that I could not remember your name and rank, my lord.”

“That matters little. Now take a seat. Do you remember me?”

“Yes. We met twice. First at the training barracks and second at the night before the final battle.”

“What were you doing?” he glanced at the remaining papers and quill set down by the nurse to the overhead table. A piece of paper, clearly meant to be a letter, caught his eyes.

“I am writing a report for Master Ajax. I was told that putting pen to paper would also help in my recovery. What happened to him?”

Seems there really was no stopping this girl from inquiring about the red headed dumbass, the short man sighed, “That idiot Childe asked me to come here and fetch you."

“I see, he’s alive and well. The doctors and nurses said we won the war. When will I rendezvous with him?”

He did not answer, waving his hands to dismiss her thoughts, “Get dressed. I’ll call us a ride.”

The vehicle arrived a little longer than anticipated, some moments later after lunch. Perhaps it was because of how far Dihua is from the capitol, and the tides washing the roads made it a little hard for to pass through that vehicles had to take a detour through the forest.

“Here are your belongings,” the nurse smiled at Lumine, handing her a brown suitcase, “The courier said that it came a little later as it was mistakenly shipped off to another camp.”

Lumine hurriedly opened the suitcase, inspecting all her items with hastiness, “My brooch…” she murmured. Her aloof face paired with her fiery golden eyes looked at the nurse, her voice raised. “Where’s my sapphire brooch?”

“Ah, but they said that’s the only items found on your headquarters and by your side.”

Lumine locked her swiftly, standing up so fast that Scaramouche felt he would be dizzy if he did the same. “I see. Then I must look for it if it’s not here.” Dragging her still recovering body with her tiny feet as fast as she could, she jogged down the road, causing the purple haired Harbinger to sigh, feeling a migraine forming from the heat, with a dash of forcing himself to be cordial, and a sprinkle of the girl’s stubbornness in relation to Ajax. He yanked her arm to stop her, looking at her eyes with impasse.

“It’s important! It’s a gift from Master Ajax!”

With a sigh, Scaramouche let her arm go and rubbed his temples, “Fine. I’ll find it for you. I promise.”

“Then make a pinkie promise!” she said, holding out a pinkie.

He indulged the girl holding out his pinky the girl quickly latching hers with his. “You make a pinkie promise, you keep it all your life. You break a pinkie promise, I throw you on the ice. The cold will kill the pinkie that once betrayed your friend, the frost will freeze your tongue off, so you never lie again.” They said synchronously both with detachment, but with Lumine doing it anyway as her Master Ajax taught her, though Scaramouche’s compliance bordered to annoyance.

‘Ah, yes’, he thought after hearing those rhymes again. Snezhnayans and their vodka, and their pinkie promises and morbid nursery rhymes as intense as the cold winters of the nation. Scaramouche was thankful that even though he grew up in the said country he didn’t adapt all those nonentities, but one will say, a certain blockhead with ginger haired called Childe, maybe those macabre nursery rhymes are suitable for Scaramouche’s height and his violent nature. The ginger idiot even passed his idiocy on to Lumine, how charming.

“Alright, now that we’re done let’s get moving… As Childe's order.”

There was hesitance on her being but nonetheless after a few heart beats passed, “Roger that.”

The silence as they traversed the roads on the thicket didn’t last long, as once again, Lumine asked about the Harbinger she serves. “Master Scaramouche, when will Master Ajax give me my next assignment? Some missions may be beyond me while I am at this state, but...”

“Lumine,” he cut her off. Perhaps it was time for him to heed Mona’s advice. Scaramouche lifted his hat from across the car, grabbing four, small stuffed animals: a lemon-colored bunny, a cat as black as soot, a red fox, and a gray owl. “Let’s celebrate your discharge, choose one. I don’t know your preferences, so I bought all of it.”

“I don’t need them.”

Scaramouche hid his crestfallen look— ‘So much for this to cheer people up huh? Thanks to nothing Mona!’ he thought. But of course, he won’t falter, he knew that in some ways he can coax the girl to choose one. Maybe tell her its an order, but again, upon request, he can’t treat the Battle Doll of Snezhnaya as a Battle Doll but rather as a normal girl.

“Let’s say the sun will fall upon the world if you don’t choose one… Pick!”

“One… Two…”

“The fox then.”

“Great!” he sighed inwardly. While he did have money for that luxury, he has more important things to put his money on. And now that he thought of it, perhaps Mona just wanted some stuffed animals and somehow with her weird hydromancy knows that he’ll not give all the toys to the girl.

Lumine gingerly took the item, squishing the soft material, pulling it closer to her face.

“Why did you choose the fox?”

“It’s the closest to a dog and Master Harbinger’s older sister said I am Ajax’s dog.”

Scaramouche choked on nothing at her answer. The girl really has no awareness about society, and as for Childe’s older sister… that woman really doesn’t know how to bite her tongue, and here he thought he was the most heartless of all the Harbingers. “Ahem. This journey will take a little while as the railroads are useless. Have you ever been to Snezhnaya?”

Lumine shook her head, “No.”

☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆

Lumine’s moments during the final battle was marked with blood. So much blood that it soaked her and Childe’s military uniform like a heavy downpour of rain. The corridor they were staying on was dark and the deep night skies made the chambers darker. For Lumine, her Master Harbinger is her light. A beacon glowing beautifully despite all the blood seeping on his garb and his bleeding left eye.

“Lumine.” His boyish voice drew her in like a moth to a light. “You must live and be free.”

Her chest tightened, tears beginning to well upon her eyes. The feeling she couldn’t comprehend put a chokehold on her heart. There was too much going on in her mind and her heart is giving out too with just those thoughts and the scene in front of her. Her Master Harbinger covered in his own blood; blue eyes with tears threatening to spill.

“From the bottom of my heart…”

☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆

Snezhnaya is known for its long, severe winters, white blanketing the whole nation, but none talked much about its beauty during the spring, when the ice and snow thawed out giving way to grass patches littered with chamomile and golden root, a cool spring breeze whispering on the land. This is the kind of walks Scaramouche likes, not the blazing sun beating down in Dihua.

“Ajax was worried about your life after the war. He told me he wanted to leave you in the care of the Gunnhildr Family, a faraway relative that he trusts enough to care for you.” Scaramouche informed her once they were in front of the Gunnhildr manor. “The current master of the Gunnhildr agreed to take you in.”

The manor wasn’t too large but that made it look prettier in a sense. The house was made of gray and brownish bricks and blue green tiled roof, the walls had philameno mushrooms sticking from it as if it hasn’t been cleaned. The garden had firmly cut hedges and little pine trees, shrubs of different colors and sizes, but unlike the other gardens, instead of chamomile and tulips, there were a few rose bushes and seemingly a thousand of dandelions instead.

The pine door of the mansion opened before Lumine could speak, revealing a taller lady with blonde hair tied with a black bow in a ponytail and blue eyes the same color as her dress. She smiled, “Welcome.”

“Come, Lumine.” Scaramouche gestured for her to come closer to the stranger who will take her in. “This is Jean Gunnhildr, she was once the Acting Grandmaster of the academy we went in, although she’s not too far from our age, she’s also the next head of the Gunnhildr family.”

Lumine straightened her back and saluted, a serious look on her doll-like face. Jean smiled a little in shock and perhaps adoration at the girl’s antics while Scaramouche looked like he just tasted the worst chamomile tea in his life after that one time (when Childe gave him a chamomile tea that tasted like the man’s bullshit). Quickly regaining his composure, “Just a simple bow would be enough.”

The Gunnhildr’s sitting room had the atmosphere of something classic, ornate furniture of red pine wood, a soft, large, red carpet with the pattern of dandelions and wings, related to the Gunnhildr’s tight relation with the Nation of Freedom, tall but thin windows with red curtains parting to let light pass through. Glass lamps on the walls and pots and paintings of different flowers ranging from irises to violets and dandelions. The table was set with a cake stand filled with tiny desserts and steaming rose tea, the room smelled of ripe sunsettias and rose perfume.

Jean was the first to talk once they were seated comfortably, addressing how long the 6th of the 11 Harbingers came along with the girl. “I did not know that travelling from Dihua Marsh would take up to a week now.”

Scaramouche nodded, “Yes. Normally it would take only a couple of days or four at most, but the railways on Stone Gate had collapsed and it will take time to get it back on track.”

Jean looked at the other blonde who was silently listening and patiently seated, though her golden eyes were far off from the reality she’s currently on. “Lumine, drink up.” She offered with a smile.

The girl of course, nodded at the order, her bandaged hands grasping the clear glass cup of rose tea. The lady of the Gunnhildr gasped as she saw the unstable rocking of the teacup on her hands, “Lumine, oh, Archons, pardon me! Do not push yourself!”

But what was done is done. The teacup fell back on its saucer the rose tea and petals spilling on the table, drenching one of her bandaged hands.

“Oh!” Jean stood up, not wanting to make the injuries of the girl worse, “You’ll get burned!”

“Please do not worry. I do not feel heat.”

“But we must use another bandage after that! Noelle, bring us some ice!”

The maid behind them nodded and followed up to the directions quickly. “Yes ma’am.” Lumine acted first before anything, her other hand started taking off the bandages doused with hot tea, pulling the eyes of everyone on the room. Her bandages fell to her lap, revealing that instead of warm porcelain skin the same color of her face, the supposed gentle arms of a young lady were made of cold and hard metal.

“My arms are made of adamantine. They may seem clumsy, but they are very sturdy. I’m just not used to them,” she raised her bandaged arms as she looked at Jean’s concerned face, the joints and all the spaces glittering in metallic sheen. “But I believe they will act just like another part of my body.”

Jean’s look was now etched with a serene smile after a few moments, she admires this girl, that’s what she decided from then on. “Please come with me for a moment.”

Following Jean was Lumine and Scaramouche to a room just a little away from the sitting room, filled with pictures of Jean herself, and perhaps her parents, and one portrait of Jean and a young girl with two curly pigtails that Lumine thinks she remembers.

“Here,” Jean turned and offered Lumine a pair of black gloves with a purple rose embroidered on each, “I used to wear them when I was still in the academy.”

Scaramouche nodded, remembering the times Jean did her rounds at the academy in her signature gloves with embroidered roses, always holding one cane on her hand to whack students almost of her age to go forth to their respective classes. “Try them on.”

The smaller blonde took the gloves from Jean’s hands, and with the help of her teeth, she managed to put them on her hands thoroughly.

“It fits you perfectly.”

“Truly.”

“Alright, I’m taking my leave then. I must get back to the office.” Scaramouche spoke as Lumine glanced at the gloves covering her hand. “Lumine. Be good and listen to Jean, understood?”

“It’s alright, I’m sure Lumine is a wonderful girl, Barbara told me so.” Jean looked at Lumine, “Think of us as your real family, okay? You can talk to me with whatever concerns you.”

“I never had a family. I do not need a new one,” spoke Lumine’s monotonous voice.

“A family makes one’s life better at most,” Jean spoke, “Me and my late sister only have our father left but then Barbara died when helping during the war.”

“I cannot be a replacement for Miss Barbara.”

“Lumine,” Scaramouche started sternly, his authoritative aura slipping through. “Childe wants you to live a happy and fulfilled life in this household. I’m sure you understand that… Right?”

Scaramouche already knows it, but the Battle Doll of Snezhnaya was very persistent with anything related to the 11th Harbinger. So, when the door of the Gunnhildr’s mansion opened revealing Lumine, it wasn’t much a shock either.

“Why is Master Ajax putting me here? Is it because I lost my arms and my value as a weapon?” She asked him, slowly walking towards him with those ever fire in her eyes, the only thing constant in her nonetheless emotionless face, “I know that if I train again, I can fight like before!”

“Lumine, the war is over.”

“I’m the 11th Harbinger’s tool,” she declared. “But if I am no longer needed, then dispose of me. Please cast me aside and throw me somewhere else.”

☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆

He is a dick. That much was evident, but as for the few days he had spent with Childe’s little lady, he found out he too can be civil. He is a dick but that doesn’t mean he had the heart to snap to the girl who carried herself like a soldier, looked like a doll, but is just a little girl deep inside. And hearing those pitiful words from her, it took Scaramouche’s brain to thinking that maybe he can convince Mona to adopt this girl instead. Fuck making babies, Lumine will be their child.

Besides, despite treating her as a normal person, he still understands that the girl lived off Childe’s orders and leaving her in the Gunnhildr’s without a direction would leave a bad taste on his mouth… and if Mona hears it, it will lead to the raven-haired girl telling him to square up.

“Master Harbinger.”

“While I do like the title, there’s no need to call me that anymore, I’ve quit military.” He told her as they walked to his office.

“Then how should I address you?”

“Boss.” He answered once they stopped on a large building of orange and red bricks. “I own this company here.” Opening the large double doors of the building gave sight to the charming workplace. It was bright and cheery, a little calm despite the hustle and bustle of the workers and customers on the area. The windows were big enough that sunlight passed through despite the birch desks and shelves lined up perfectly against it, women and men in black and purple uniform with pretty impressions accompanied with amiable voices. “The first floor has the office and the ghostwriting department.”

“Ghostwriting?”

“Not everyone can write you know,” he explained, “Thus we write letters as per client’s requests.”

“I couldn’t either.” Lumine answered, “Not until Master Ajax taught me.”

Scaramouche hummed in response, continuing to walk to his office and talked more about the company, explaining how he used his money to buy an old mansion after retiring from the war and all that, “I always thought of opening up a business once the war ended, preferably just to not hear the other Harbinger’s bitching and all that, I had no idea what business though. Then Mona pointed out that the government’s postal services is not available to civilians, so she suggested this line of business.”

“Anyway, Lumine Gunnhildr, since Childe… no, Tartaglia left you on my hands, I will be the one giving out your orders instead. You serve a purpose, and my order for you is to work… Here.”

That was probably the longest while Scaramouche’s mouth didn’t spout any insults, however now that he can sense Thoma was somewhere hidden on the shelves, he decided to fuck with it, the girl met him as a vulgar higherup during their servitude to military anyway. “Thoma!”

“What do you want you midget?”

Lumine turned her attention to the direction of the voice while Scaramouche’s head ticked at the tone and choice of words, “You mean, ‘What can I do for you, boss’?”

The man named Thoma showed himself, he was tall, like her Master Ajax, with long, dark blond hair and friendly green orbs, he sighed, his voice as severe as the emerald of his eyes, “Well, what the hell do you want?”

As swift as he is on the battlefield, Scaramouche grabbed a nearby book and slapped it on Thoma’s chin, the sound of a book meeting flesh and bones resonating the area.

“Ow! What was that for?”

Scaramouche didn’t bother to answer, and instead formally introduced the taller man to Lumine. “This is Thoma, he’s one of the postmen. We’ve been joined by the hip ever since and unfortunately for me a little closer when this company was founded. Thoma, this is Lumine, she’ll be joining you as a postman starting today.”

Lumine almost saluted again but quickly caught herself and instead opted to a simple bow.

“She’s a kid.”

“Well, are you telling me I look like one?”

“Well, you’re tiny and have that teenage angst so yes.”

Scaramouche knocked on Thoma’s stomach, now with his fist, earning a groan of pain from the taller man and started explaining, “Besides her ability to finish a mission is unmatched even if she is. I need to do other things so show her the way.”

Thoma sighed rubbing his reddening chin, signaling Lumine to follow him.

☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆

As Thoma showed the new girl around, he noticed how she wouldn’t react and how little she talked. Only speaking when spoken to and sporting an ever-inexpressive look on her face, saying “Understood” the way a soldier would. She was like a doll: silky sunshine hair, deep golden eyes, porcelain skin… and maybe an invisible control bar and strings that helps her do her limited actions.

“Here’s your uniform, go get changed.”

But if the girl wasn’t already like a doll, she seems to also have little knowledge of what can be seen as normal as she lifted her blouse in front of him ready to change her outfit as ordered. “Wait!” But Lumine didn’t wait so he decided to turn around and wait for her to finish.

Once she was done, Thoma reviewed how she looked on the uniform. And obviously, it was too baggy on her small frame, “It’s kinda too big on you.”

“That won’t be a problem.”

“Don’t you want to take of your gloves?”

And she did, pulling away the dark fabric from her metallic hands with her teeth. The metallic luster glimmered on Thoma’s face, but he wasn't detered, he wondered more about this girl’s ability to perform as a mailman than her prosthetics. “Would sorting mail be hard for you?”

“No, it shouldn’t pose a major problem.”

“Alright,” he took a letter from the table beside them, pointing at the address at the envelope, “Sort them by the street names written here and put them in that shelf.” He turned his finger to the nearby birch shelf where he was once preoccupied before Scaramouche’s and Lumine’s arrival. “We always have a ton of packages and mails, but you don’t have to rush your work. If you want to take a break, there’s a room on the second floor.”

Thoma gathered his bag and items, preparing to leave, and Lumine saluted, “Roger.”

“Later then,” the blond male smiled, excusing himself.

The sun has started setting when Thoma finished all his assigned deliveries due for the day. Much to his shock when came back, Lumine was till there, arranging and stacking the mails on the shelf as she was told to do so. The sunset that filtered through the windows offered little light needed but she didn’t stop.

“I’ll be finished with my assignment shortly,” Lumine spoke once she noticed his arrival.

“Did you take a break?”

“I’m used to operating in long hours.”

Thoma sighed, the girl didn’t answer his question directly, but it was enough confirmation that she indeed did not even stop once she started. “Make sure to take a break sometimes…, Would you like to try delivering next time?”

“Delivering?”

“Taking the mail to the address written on the envelope,” the girl glanced at the map of the Snezhnayan capital, Zapolyarny, on the wall, and Thoma continued, “Alright, I’m going home now. You should take a rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆

When the clock ticked seven at night, Scaramouche found himself sitting on a bus, his shoulder tense from weariness after a meeting. “’We’ll consider an investment depending on your results’, what kind of bullshit is that? Hmm, but I guess that makes sense too.”

His purple gaze turned to the dim sky and then to the lantern lit streets of the city, there he could see from the bus’s window, a mailman with a cart filled with mail stood, “Huh? Night deliveries? I wonder when we’ll be able to do that.”

Fuck.

It was Lumine.

Oh dear Archons it was Lumine! He knew that golden hair that peeked on the mailman’s cap—as he's literally now her father—even without sufficient light to confirm it, he knew that it was the said girl, specially as he saw his company’s insignia on the cart.

Scaramouche quickly took off from the bus, following the little lady’s tracks, “Lumine!”

The girl turned to the man who looked as if he lost three years of his lifespan from stress, “What are you doing?” he asked once he caught up.

“A delivery run.”

“When I said try delivering next time, I meant tomorrow,” Thoma sighed, looking at the blonde girl who have yet to eat her meal.

Scaramouche shook his head, taking some sushi from the platter, “Also, take a break from work, you just got out of the hospital.”

“It’s not a problem.”

“It is a problem!” Thoma countered the girl, taking his own fill of food.

Their boss noticed Lumine’s untouched plate and added, “Lumine, you may eat.”

And only when she was ordered did the girl pick up the chopsticks in front of her, “I will. Thank you.”

“Once we’re done, I’ll walk you back to the office. The attic is the only available room but its already set up for you to stay there.” Gulping down his shot of sake, he continued, “The Gunnhildr also said that they’re still willing to support you until you find your track and if you are willing enough, maybe even work in their line of business, but as for living with them…”

Scaramouche and Lumine walked back to the office after parting ways with Thoma, basking under the night sky and nearly empty streets. He was late, maybe Mona will get angry with him, but he’s pretty sure her weird divinations will tell her that he is taking care of the girl Ajax has entrusted to him… to them.

“What were the last orders Childe gave you?”

“Run. Live free. Also… he said, ‘I’…” but the words did not slip away from Lumine’s mouth. Scaramouche didn't pay it any mind.

“Ever since your existence was revealed, you’ve spent your days with focusing on missions and completing them… Correct? That is done now, a new horizon awaits you where you can learn new things.” He stopped his tracks, pondering which words he should use to not sound offensive, although he is a naturally offensive person. “Though, I think it’s easier to live a life of blissful ignorance. I’m sure you have not realized it yet but everything you’ve done so far has caused a storm, and you are drowning deep into its flood.”

The girl looked at him curiously, then at her clothing and herself, “But I’m not even soaked.”

“Oh, but you are.”

“I am not. You do not make sense.”

“You are. As I said, you may have yet to realize it, but you definitely are.” Snippets of Lumine’s performance in the training camp a few years ago flashed on Scaramouche’s eyes, a little lady older than she looked, yet was innocent all the same. A little girl with red dripping on her ledger. “I pretended not to see it; I had a reputation to keep after all. But now that Childe has left you in my care, I think this is my chance to make amends.”

“You’ll understand me one day. Only then will you realize that the storms you’ve caused have drowned your lungs and you can barely breath.”

☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆

A knock on the company’s door came first thing in the early morning while Lumine was cleaning the windows, a man came in and greeted her with a polite smile.

“Are you a Doll?”

“No. I’m Lumine.”

The man observed the evident uniqueness of the girl before continuing. A girl who wasn’t a doll, yet most certainly looks like one, “Well, Miss Lumine, I’d like to request a ghostwriting.”

“A ghostwriting?”

“Yes, I can’t write, but I want to. So, I’d like you to write a letter for me.”

“What would you want me to write?”

“You want to talk about that here and now?”

“Will that pose a problem?”

“Umm…” the man tottered but continued after, “It’s for a friend. I heard that she’s planning to get married with another man. So… I want you to tell her that—”

“Ah, good morning sir. May I ask what service you require here?” Another presence at the door came, revealing a gorgeous woman: tall, with wavy, honey brown hair, emerald eyes, fair skin, and a gentle velvety voice wearing a purple and white dress with open slits at the sides lined with gold, black lace stockings, black high heels, and a gold necklace with roses on her being.

“I-I’m here for a ghostwriting request.”

“Perfect!” she smiled sweetly, as sweet as the rose perfume that wafts around her. “Come.” She took a glance to Lumine, “You too sweetie.”

Once they settled in on the brunette lady’s desk, she quickly started typing, deciphering the words written deep inside the man’s heart. For Lumine, it felt like a walk to remember, every line the lady spoke that she was writing struck a lightning on her heart. Memories of her and her Master spiraling back to her.

She remembered the way he first wrapped his arms around her in their first meeting. His arms were warm and inviting, a cradle that tells her she is safe and sound as long as he was there.

She remembered how she always followed his steps, on training or in the battlefield. A mop of ginger hair became too familiar, and it made her feel like she’s truly there and existing… With him. And those battles they spent with one another, striking enemies down to ensure they would stay alive and see each other again.

The times where he would look at her with such intense emotions on his eyes—one she could only dream to decipher, before they go to the battlefield. Before he orders his men to charge into a bloodbath.

“We may be far away from one another now but I… I love you.” Those words from the beautiful Doll snapped Lumine back to the reality in front of her. She kept working and asked the man. “Is that alright?”

“Yes!” the man nodded fervently, completely satisfied with the woman’s work.

The violet rose lady smiled and spoke again, “I love you” as if testing how the words would sound from her voice. She heated up a red wax, using it to seal the letter she had just finished writing. Gently pushing the seal on the envelope. “Please take this to the ground floor and complete the mailing paperwork.” She stood up, showing her beautiful figure and elegance, a gentle smile on her lips. “Thank you very much for using our Auto Memoir Doll service, sir.”

The man left after returning a bow to the beautiful brunette who turned to Lumine who was standing in front of her work stall, “And who are you cutie?”

“How could you tell?”

“Huh?”

“How could you tell that man wanted to say ‘I love you’?”

☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆

Later after that encounter, Scaramouche found Lumine in front of his desk, asking for a new job description.

“You want to work in the Auto Memoir Dolls?”

Yes. I’m still having a hard time when holding a pen, but I am able to use the typewriter.”

“No,” Scaramouche cut her off before she could get into more details, “I’m asking why you want to be a Doll.”

“I want to know what I love you means!” she declared, she felt herself gripping on her long, blue skirt. “After giving me his final orders, Master Harbinger Tartaglia spoke those words to me.”

Scaramouche already knew at some deepest depths of his heart that his dear friend held those feelings for the girl he took in but hearing it from a girl who is literally unable to lie was something else. And one with little understanding to emotions too.

“That was the first time I heard him say it. I can’t understand it, but I want to.” The grip on her skirt tightened as she spoke, and Scaramouche noticed that his hands were balled into fists and unclasped it.

“To understand those words is what makes an Auto Memoir Doll. But I’ll give you a pass.”

After doing nothing but following Ajax’s orders for so long, for the first time, the girl made a step for herself.

The girl they called a tool without a mind of her own, wanted to know what 'I love you' means.

☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆♆☆

Her other arm fell like it was nothing as bullet passed through it making Ajax’s face contort with more horror than when he realized they were both drenched in blood of their own and their enemies.

“I swear! I swear I won’t let you die Master Harbinger!” she declared so fervently once she turned to him, tears welling on the corner of her eyes as she tried to carry him with her bare teeth as both arms already severed.

“Stop.”

Lumine dragged him as much as her teeth could pull, Ajax knew it was hopeless for him. But for her, she could. She can live and taste what being a normal girl is like. As she should. As she deserved. Not a life of blood and killing, and bombs and guns. None of that.

“That’s enough!” he managed to muster his authoritative voice to the girl, and she did what he wanted. “You must live. Lumine… You must live and be free.”

She just looked at him, her mouth pursed, and her eyes glazed. But he knew, oh he knew the girl would not come to understand it that moment why she was feeling it. Why her body shook as she cried so viciously. That it was not just the injuries that seared through them like flames and poison.

“From the bottom of my heart,” he looked at her angelic face golden eyes glossed with tears, she looked so young… so young compared to her age and the things she was ordered to do, and the things she was willing to do. A tear fell from his eye as he spoke. “I love you.”

[narrators-journal]

The most dangerous game

I know I’ve been hella dead, but I return with my usual! Stano smut! I dunno why I adore writing these two so much, but I guess I’m attached, so yeah. Ya’ll get content.

CW: Predator/prey vibes, Xeno gets chased but there’s no real big acknowledgement of it.

It was likely because Xeno had developed a persistently wonky sleep schedule that he got so many night time jobs. That, he supposed, was why he was once again out at night hunting another Vampire, despite having told his boss of his run-in with a particularly pretty vampire. However, at the moment, Xeno somewhat wished he was dealing with Stan instead. At least with him he could rely on his need to flirt and toy with him to give him away. But no, the scientist wasn't hunting Stanley, but instead a completely different vampire who was proving his dislike for hunting the blood sucking monsters. Taking advantage of how dark the night was, the human's weaker vision, and whatever ninja techniques he had learned from the internet, the young vampire had hidden annoyingly well in the thick blanket of shadows and clutter on the streets. So, the white-haired college graduate was poking around at every rock and thicket of grass or bushes along the sidewalk before the boiling irritation in his veins got to be too much and he let out a mix of a groan and a scream like a tea pot. Stomping over to one of the few flickering street lights on the road, the hunter stood in the light and dug out his knife, then used it to slash at his stomach to fill the air with the alluring scent of fresh blood. With a pained hiss and the new wet feeling of blood dripping sluggishly down his pale skin, the trap was set, and all the hunter had to do was wait for the shallow cut to work its magic. Which, didn't take long. All Xeno had time to do was get one of his metal stakes from his pocket and extend it, then he was set upon by the vampiric ninja-wannabe. However, despite his skill at stealth, the vampire was young in both a human and vampire sense. Freshly turned at a young age, he'd become a problem because he had yet to grow out of his pubescent hormones quite yet, and giving him a predatory draw and increased strength had only encouraged him to turn hard into the bad boy persona. Sadly, being a new vampire wasn't all improvements. It also meant an increased hunger and little control of your newfound strength. Which is what had led the young man to be targetted by the monster hunter association, and swiftly wiped out by a stake through the throat via Xeno Wingfield. With a grunt, the monster hunter threw the freshly dead young man to the sidewalk, wincing at the burning and itching sting bending down to yank the stake from his throat brought to his stomach. For a moment or so, he felt bad for the creature. He'd been young, and he'd let his newfound powers obviously go to his head after a lifetime diet of anime and movies, the silver haired hunter could understand his over excitement, but he also had little to no patience for dumbasses who couldn't register that they weren't in Naruto. So, his sympathy was brief, and he was soon just dragging the young creature's corpse into some bushes and calling the cleaning crew to come collect him. Then. He spoke.           "God damn, Doll. You're quite attractive when you're being lethal." Stan hummed, hopping down from his hiding spot in a nearby tree and giving the hunter a charming smile that he refused to admit brought a little heat to his face.         "Oh, so you're just gonna become a full blown stalker now? Did you follow me from my house, or was this another 'coincidental' run-in." Xeno's words dripped with sarcasm and venom, but the vampire simply rolled his glacial blue eyes,          "Actually, I'm here because I smelled fresh blood," At the mention of fresh blood, the scientist glanced down at his work shirt, spotting the tiny stain of blood his cut had left,          "Oh." He inwardly winced at how disappointed he sounded, but tried to recover with a sniff, "I had trouble luring the bastard out. It was quite the shock for me to find out that not every vampire would want to chase me down and prowl around my house for the entire fucking night." Stan simply snorted, fishing out a pack of cigarettes and lighting one before he spoke again,          "Nah, that's just my thing, doll,"         "Quit calling me doll! You have my name now, fucking quit." The vampire put his hands up in mock surrender, though his smirk didn't falter under the scientist's withering glare. For a moment, they simply stood in the cool night's darkness, the hunter with his arms crossed and dark eyes narrowed, and the vampire returning his malicious look with his own nonchalant, half-lidded one while he breathed whispy smoke from his dark mouth. Both men seemed to dare the other to say something or do anything, each looking for an excuse to make some sort of contact until the smaller male spoke again,           "Are you expecting me to run away? Because I told you the first time we met, I'm not likely to do that," He huffed, but Stan simply shrugged,           "I'm just messing with ya, doesn't matter to me if you run or not." He grinned more at the lightning fast moment of irritation on Xeno's face, but the hunter schooled his facial features back into their usual disdain-filled glare, only broiling with frustration on the inside. He hated this man's relaxed demeanor. He was a monster hunter, the tall, hypnotically pretty predator should be avoiding him at all costs. Yet here he was, needling at him as if he couldn't end him just as quickly as he had the younger blood sucker. Okay, well, not as quickly. Stanley had a good four inches on the monster hunter at least, and had a body that had been frozen at the prime of his life, toned and pruned like an artfully shaped shrub through the years into a gorgeous, powerful example of why humans were the apex predators of the world. Or, well, they were, but with his change into the more monstrous his status as the perfect predator had only increased. Stan was perfectly built to hunt humans. Not only did he have a supernatural magnetic beauty to him, but he'd been human, so he knew how humans behave first hand. He was a nightmarish wet dream. Xeno gave his head a good shake to banish those thoughts from his mind when he realized he was looking the vampire over with the hunger of a sugar baby sizing up their next piggy bank.           "Hey, Xeno," Stan hummed, but the hunter refused to look back at the man, which he simply took as a greenlight to continue, "you wanna play our little game tonight?" The hunter snorted in response, staring off into the darkness while his cheeks cooled,           "I thought you were only here to bother me, not play a game of fucked up tag," He said calmly, only looked back at the man when he heard him walking closer, only stopping when he was about two feet away, maybe within reach, a grin on his pretty face,           "Well, I thought it'd be a bit more polite to offer that rather than just asking if I could drink your blood outright." he reasoned, amused at the edge of poutiness that he seemed to sniff out through the veil of aloof indifference the hunter spoke with.            "No thanks to either offer, I don't want to be chased tonight." Xeno sniffed in response, simply adding a thicker layer of ill temper to cover how excited he was at the thought of being pursued a second time. The first time had, admittedly, given him a thrill, but he wasn't ready to voice such to the annoying vampire in front of him. However, Stan seemed to have picked up on his kryptonite from that first round,              "But aren't you curious to see what happens when you add the scent of blood to the mix?" The purr in the man's voice annoyed Xeno immensely, but the thought of maybe learning just how sensitive vampire instincts were, and how quickly one would succumb to them. Obviously young vampires are more prone to being controlled by their need to feed, but Stanley isn't a new vampire, that curious voice mused, already setting Xeno on a very likely stupid and dangerous path, It'd be immensely helpful to know just how easy it is to bring out those base urges in him. If he's going to follow you around it's best to know what to avoid so he doesn't go feral. It further encouraged, stoking the flames of the scientist's natural curiosity until he hummed,              "I suppose it would be useful for the association to know exactly what triggers a vampire to go into a frenzy of some sort. Fine." The vampire grinned at that,             "You do know that I can't promise my feeding instinct is the only one that'll come to the surface," he pointed out, making Xeno blink and raise an eyebrow at him,             "What? Why would any other instinct come into play?" turning red as Stan laughed,               "Well, in simple terms, I find you too attractive to promise that when I catch you I'd only want to drink your blood~" Xeno's face warmed up more at that, getting huffy and tripping over his words in his rush to snap at him.               "You can have a five minute head start, just like last time," he simply assured, "Just need a bit of blood, because your original scratch has closed," He laughed more when Xeno pulled up his shirt to see that his shallow cut from earlier had in fact begun to heal, no longer bleeding and instead beginning to scab over. The hunter only responded with a glare at that point as he plucked his knife from the sidewalk where he'd dropped it and wiped it off before leaving another cut along his stomach, this one a bit deeper than the first, but not enough to linger for more than a day or two. With that, Stan gave him a charming smile that showed his extending fangs, his blue eyes already getting a hungry gleam to them. So, without further conversation, Xeno took off down the street. The cuts on his stomach stung and itched more from his running, but he pressed on. His main concern was regulating his breathing and energy so that he could get as far away from the vampire as he could in his small window of time. Naturally, his plan wasn't to just run in a straight line and wait to be caught, not only would that likely be dangerous, as a vampire in a feeding frenzy was much more violent, but was less likely to fulfill the goal of bringing those deadly instincts to the surface at all. So, instead, he sought out other people, a crowded area, maybe a shop, that way it wasn't as easy for the predator to catch up to him. This is insanely stupid, that voice of reason finally spoke up, not only am I playing with fire by instigating an instinctual reaction, but I am woefully under prepared to run from Stan. He realized, filling his veins with icy terror when the weight of his situation fully sunk in, The first time we did this I barely survive on pure panic and him toying with me. If he really loses his shit and goes into a frenzy, I can't outrun him. The reality of the thought hurt, but it was sorely true. Despite all of his training as a monster hunter, Xeno had never been one for good cardio, namely in the stamina category. He relied on his wits and pure speed, not his ability to maintain those speedy response times or pace for long periods. but it's too late now, he reminded himself, thinking back to the way the vampire's fangs had extended so soon after he'd given him a fresh source of scent. Nope, he couldn't chicken out now. He had no choice but to stick to his plan and push the panic and fear aside. Instead, he simply focused on the route ahead of him and locked onto the light of a store further down the street, which he headed for instantly. The bright, artificial light blinded the pale scientist for a moment when he stumbled into the store, but he was swift to regain his barrings and dash down the aisles and through the crowds of night owls and whatnot that were still up at this hour. He knew that his five minutes had ended a minute or so before. Meaning he didn't have long before the vampire would be on his ass. So, thinking quickly, he swiped his hand over his wounds, then smeared the blood on his palm onto the tile flooring in an aisle. Once he had that down, Xeno ran off deeper into the store. He had very few places to hide. The bathroom was basically a dead end with no windows and only one door, he couldn't climb up the shelves or to the rafters in a timely manner, so he forwent that plan. Instead, he did the next best thing. leaving as distracting a trail as possible before bolting out one of the fire exits.            "Shit," he wheezed when the fire exit triggered a screaming alarm through out the store. If Stan was in there, he'd definitely know he got out now, but that only meant the scientist had less time to think of such things. He had to focus on running. So, Xeno ignored the way his legs throbbed, and his lungs ached from gulping down the cold night air. He focused entirely on getting home, or at least to a more residential area. He could feel his limbs getting heavier, threatening more and more to give out with each step, but his grit his teeth and bared it until the threat became reality and the asphalt bit into his skin. And there he laid for a few seconds, gasping for air and scraping up as much energy as he could to push himself to his feet. As he did, he glanced back down the street, and sure enough. Stanley was coming out of the alley Xeno'd run out of, his glowing blue eyes locking onto the scientist in an instant. With another curse spat out through gritted teeth, Xeno took off again. His legs still screamed from exhaustion, and now his hands stung viciously from the fall, but he kept going. He could hear Stan closing in on him, which gave him a final burst of frantic energy that carried him to at least the park near his home before the vampire finally tackled him to the grass. The scientist could only wheeze in response, letting the vampire crush against him and push his face into his pale neck with a growl. That seemed to snap him out of the exhaustion cloud, and in an instant, Xeno was squirming and forcing himself up once again. The only way he managed it was because the vampire was taken by surprise, so he was able to slip from his grasp and scramble up, but he only got a few more steps before he had to lean against a tree for support so that his legs didn't crumble a third time. Then, just as quickly as he'd gotten away, Xeno was back in Stan's luke-warm arms, trapped against his needlessly heaving chest with his fangs hovering over his jugular once more. However, he didn't bite down. To the contrary, the feral vampire seemed to hesitate for a moment, seemingly weighing his options of what to do with the hunter before settling on a choice and swiftly switching to almost slamming him against the nearest tree.           "S-Stanley!" The hunter wheezed, more surprised then anything, pushing back so that his face at least wasn't forced into the course bark and he could look back to try and see the blonde behind him. Said blonde was keeping him in place with a hand on one of his shoulders, looking Xeno in the eye and almost relishing the dawning realization that painted his pale cheeks before he used his free hand to hook into his pants and tug them down pretty roughly. Then, he was back at the man's neck, but this time he bit with his blunter teeth, sucking at the skin until Xeno's mewls and hums were pulled out and he was satisfied with the hickey he'd left. The scientist, meanwhile was a bit ashamed of how quickly he accepted the turn of events. He tried to save some face by muffling the noises bubbling in his throat, but Stan's mouth at his neck, paired with the way he ground his groin into his now-bear rear drug a few noises out. Though, it also bat back the fog of hormones and lust long enough for the hunter to realize that he was very likely to get hurt if he didn't intervene. So, he whined and reached up to tangle his fingers in Stan's messy hair, tugging at it until he finally relinquished his throat from the second hickey he was dedicated on leaving. Carefully, Xeno turned himself around with what little room he was permitted between the vampire's muscular chest and the much-less-forgiving tree. Once they were face to face though, the college graduate's brain no longer seemed to work, so, the two simply stood there, panting a bit from the chase, before he finally gave up on using words and instead simply sunk down to his knees. Keeping his eyes glued to the glowing blue pair above him as he went. Luckily enough for him, his actions at least intrigued the vampire, because he was allowed to tug his bottoms down just enough for his member to spring free, which earned him a noise somewhere between a growl and a hum. With Stan's pants down and his member now standing erect in front of him, Xeno hesitated. Should it matter if I'm any good at this sort of shit? I just need some sort of lubrication, and he shouldn't really care about anything beyond...mating, so surely he won't give a shit, right? He asked himself, puzzling over the predicament before Stan reached down to grab onto his shirt, reminding the scientist of his lack of patience. So, Xeno threw his insecurities to the wind and grabbed onto the base of the shaft so he could slip Stan's impatient member into his mouth. The vampire moaned in response, and Xeno took that as a sign that he'd bought a bit more time for himself. So, he slowed down, bobbing his head at a medium sort of pace to work himself up to taking as much of the length as he could, which, thankfully for him, was almost all of it thanks to years of speed-drinking coffee and energy drinks and eating at record speeds in college. He also found that once he actually got to moving, the embarrassment of his lack of skills faded away, and part of him simply enjoyed the groans he got out of Stan while he moved his lips up and down him at a steady pace. He simply continued to work him as much as he could until the vampire let out a little hiss and gripped onto the scientist's shirt until he pulled away and let his throbbing member go with a coy 'pop'. Suddenly, Xeno was yanked back to his feet and whirled around again to be slammed back into the tree. His pants were tugged down once more and his feet were kicked apart in rapid succession so the monster hunter only got a moment's break before Stan pushed into him. And while it hurt still, the white-haired man found that he didn't mind as much. As the vampire began thrusting into him, one hand clawing into his hip, the other on his shoulder, Xeno moaned out curses and did his best to grab onto the tree or Stan's neck to keep steady under the merciless thrusts of the blonde. It was shameful how hot his body got, but with how Stan was hitting that sweetspot within Xeno, his face back to being buried in his neck for more marks, Xeno couldn't care less.        "Mmmm, fuck! ah, r-right there, please!" he plead, tangling his fingers back into Stan's hair as he moaned, giving another lewd noise when his pursuer did as he asked, swiftly learning that doing so got more needy noises from the hormone-addled hunter. With that, Xeno lost all coherency as euphoria further fogged his mind, and soon brought him to his peak with a whine of the vampire's name. Though, Stan didn't stop when Xeno came, he just kept thrusting into him, still flooding his pale body with more and more pleasure while his hot puffs of breath tickled his hickey-littered neck. The continued rough treatment was beginning to sting, but the edge of pain only seemed to bolster Xeno's pleasure back to its peak, pushing a second orgasm from him before Stan finally grew sloppy with his thrusts and soon gave one final movement before emptying himself into the hunter. After that, the monster hunter let himself melt against the tree, relying on Stanley to hold him up because he was on the verge of passing out after that night's activities. The last thing Xeno remembered was giving a thumbs up to what he assumed was the question 'are you okay'. Then, he let his exhaustion take him into dreamland.

[vintagedolan]

Hi lynds I don’t know if my other ask went in or not but I just wanted to ask if you could write a blurb about the gif you reglobbed saying that, that’s grays when his kid calls him. Maybe the kid calling him and saying they can’t sleep and asking if he could sleep with them. I also wanted to ask if you have any other blurbs in the works and that I absolutely love mixtape and that you’re such an amazing writer with so much talent. I love your blog so much and it gives me so much happiness.

talkin about this beautiful gif from the lovely marika, aka @graysonsbailey go follow her if you don’t already!!

also, I don’t have any other blurbs in the works hehe the only time I really write anything that isn’t mixtape is when the inspo really hits, like now ;)

When Grayson designed his new house, he had one thing in mind - his babies. Sure, they hadn’t been born yet at the time. In fact, you weren’t even pregnant when he drew up the floor plans and walked you through them with that big Grayson smile that only came around when he was talking about something he really loved. 

“And we’ll have our bathroom right here, attached to our room, and then there’s one bedroom over here, across the hall. The nursery.”

“The nursery huh?” You tried to play it off at the time, act like the idea of carrying his baby didn’t make you melt into a puddle. 

“Close to us, so we can hear them when they need us. And then when they get older, we’ll move them to the other rooms, so they don’t hear us,” he teased, brushing some of your hair off your shoulder as he spoke, pointing to the little gathering of bedrooms upstairs and on the other side of the house - 6 of them, you counted. 

By 2024, you’d already moved one baby through the nursery and onward into the closest bedroom - your daughter, Denver. Grayson had gotten his life long dream of a baby girl, and she’d kept him on his toes ever since her arrival almost three years ago; even more so now that Luna, his second daughter, had come into the mix only a few months prior.

Which was why he was getting ready for bed at the ripe and reasonable time of 8:30pm. You’d finally got your milk supply up to where you could pump a few extra bottles for night feeds, meaning he could take on a few of them and let you get some much deserved rest. He loved it, loved feeling needed and useful and like he was doing something that really helped you, that really mattered in those first few months where a baby needs their mom a lot more than their dad. 

As he finished shaving his beard, razor hovering over his mustache, he heard a small voice from across the hall

“Daddy! Daddy c’mere! I wants to show you something!” 

Denver’s bedtime was 8pm. He knew without asking that you’d run her through her bedtime routine already, from the pajamas and teeth brushing to the story and forehead kisses. It was your special time with her, a reminder that she would always be just as important as any sibling that came after her. 

He should be annoyed. Should be ready to reprimand, to tell her that she should have been asleep by now, that she couldn’t keep getting out of bed and wandering downstairs. But he couldn’t bring himself to be, because that was his baby girl, and she wanted him... she needed him, and it didn’t matter what for.

So he turned and left the bathroom with a coy smile that he tried to hide as he passed you, leaned back against the headboard with Luna wrapped up in your arms, cuddled to your chest.

“You spoil her,” you said, not even having to look up from your baby’s face to know he was on his way to give your oldest whatever she wanted.

“Got to while I have the chance to,” he hummed. Would it come back to bite him in the ass when she was a moody teenager? Probably. But right now he couldn’t resist it, especially when he made it through the doorway to see his little girl with her big brown eyes and her brown curls, staring up at him in her dinosaur pj’s.  

He crouched down so he was on her level before he spoke.

“What do you want to show me love?” 

“It in my room,” she said, reaching out to take his hand and starting to pull him along. It would have been much more comfortable for him to just scoop her up and put her on his hip, but he let her lead him just like that, little hand wrapped around his index and middle finger as she tugged his crouched form down the hall and up the stairs to her room.

Denver’s room was one of Grayson’s favorites in the house. Cozy and warm, still kid like but with dashes of her favorite things, from the light blue of the walls to the paw patrol blanket on her bed - the blanket that he realized had been spread out on one side of the tiny twin mattress, along with four stuffed animals and Denver’s baby blanket as well, which had part of Grayson’s own nonnie stitched into it.

“I made you a bed! For sleepover!” 

He could have said a million things - the bed wasn’t big enough to fit half his body comfortably, he knew she was just stalling going to sleep, he was supposed to go get Luna and put her in her crib, prep the bottles for the nighttime feed. 

But there was such innocent excitement in his daughter’s eyes, and he knew that one day, she would be asking for sleepovers with her friends and not him. So he decided he was going to soak it up while he still could.

“A sleepover? With you?” He asked, letting his mouth fall open the way he knew would make her squeal.

“Yeah!” 

“Let’s do it,” he smiled, dropping down to crawl into her bed. She watched him, listened to the creek of the mattress as he climbed on and settled on his back, looking up at her. 

She cocked her head to the side, like her mother always did.

“What’s wrong?”

“You too big,” she frowned at the way his body hung off both the side and the end of the bed.

“C’mere, you can lay on me,” he offered, opening up his arms and trying to remember every detail of how it felt to have her climb onto him and rest her head on his chest. Her hair smelled like her green apple shampoo and he breathed it in as she relaxed against him. 

“You comfy daddy,” she said through a yawn after a few minutes, and he couldn’t tell if it was a statement or a question. He didn’t care - even if he was uncomfortable, you couldn’t have paid him to move. 

“You know Den, this is how you used to sleep, when you were little bitty, like Luna. You would cry and cry and cry, but when I laid you on my chest you’d stop right then and fall right to sleep. Momma always said that we shouldn’t have bought you a crib, cause you just used me instead.” 

He waited for her to say something, or move. But she didn’t, and he smiled when he realized that she was fast asleep already, breathing heavy against him as her hand dropped down against his ribs.

He wasn’t sure how long he laid there, focused in on every detail he could see from the dim light in the room, illuminated by her night light. He kept talking to her, small little affirmations that he hoped were so ingrained in her mind that she would never doubt them - that she was beautiful, strong, so very special. One of his most precious gifts, one of the most important things in his entire life. His purpose. 

When he looked at his watch and saw 10:30, he reluctantly sat up, held her small form to his chest the way he used to as he readjusted and placed her in her bed, cuddling her stuffed animals up to her after he covered her up to keep her company. He pressed a kiss to her forehead before he went downstairs, grabbing a bottle from the kitchen and warming it up, knowing it was only a matter of time before Luna’s cries sounded out. 

Sure enough, one step into the hallway and he heard her wail begin. He tired to be quick, but you were quicker, already in the doorway rubbing the sleep from your eyes.

“I got it baby, you can sleep,” he reassured you, stepping over to pull you into a hug. You sighed against his warm form.

“Is Den okay?” You mumbled.

“Perfectly fine. Wanted to have a sleepover. Go back to bed, I’ll be in there in a minute.”

He knew you weren’t going to argue with that, and he watched with a smile as you trudged back over to your king size bed and curled back up under the still-warm covers. 

It was like Luna sensed he was there, even though he knew she couldn’t see him yet. But as soon as he walked in the room her cries softened a bit, turned to whimpers. He sat the bottle down on the changing table so he could reach in with both hands to lift her out of her crib.

“Hi angel, I know, I know,” he cooed, nestling her in the crook of his arm and heading back for the bottle, smiling when she started to gulp it down immediately, only stopping to suck in breaths through her nose between swallows. 

“You’re mine alright, always so hungry,” he hummed, pacing around the room in his usual route as she drank and drank, eyes getting droopier by the ounce. Eventually, she stopped sucking, little dribbles of milk falling on her tongue as the bottle sat still against her lip. Luckily, Grayson had mastered the ability to burp her without waking her up - gentle pats across her back with her over his shoulder worked like a charm, and as soon as she was done he pressed a kiss to her soft hair and laid her back down, patting her back to be sure she was settled before he headed back to the kitchen with the almost empty bottle.

By the time he made it back to his room the exhaustion was starting to settle in. Still, when you shifted a bit as he climbed in beside you, he reached out and pulled you against him in the dark, nuzzling against you to get his bearing before he searched out your lips with his own.

“Girls okay?” You asked - an instinct.

“Perfect,” he reassured you. “Thank you.”

“Hmm?” He knew what you meant, even just from the sound.

“For giving me them. For giving me a family. I can’t ever repay you for all you’ve given me.” 

“If you always get up for the night feeds, I’ll give you 4 more girls,” you muttered, half delirious rambling making him chuckle against you.

“I think I’ll stick to my three perfect ones for now.”

[snowbellewells]

Self-Promo Sunday: “A Litter More Than They Bargained For”

Hey there friends and shipmates! I’ve taken a couple of weeks off on the Self-Promo Sunday posts, but I was looking back through some of my older pieces and found this fluffy one shot offering from a couple years ago. (It was part of the amazing @cspupstravaganza event in 2019.) I didn’t make it any cover art before, so I’ve added that to it as well. Taking place sometime post- season six; Hope is present and a toddler, but Henry is still there as well. That makes it canon divergent future fluff, I guess? Apologies if you’ve read this one before, but maybe you’ll get a little smile from revisiting it.

Also available on both AO3 HERE and on ff.net HERE

“A Litter More Than They Bargained For”

One pet she could have handled. One pet would have been perfectly manageable. A single, sweet-natured, reasonably well-behaved small pet - maybe a cat or a rabbit or even a hamster - wouldn’t have really changed anything about their lives in the seaside house or their daily routine that much. In fact, she and Killian had already been discussing a surprise for Hope in the form of a kitten from the litter her mom and dad’s barn cat had recently birthed, completely charming their pre-schooler upon her first visit to them at her grandparents’ farm.

Somehow, instead, all of Emma’s best-laid plans had been inverted and overturned, as so often seemed to happen in their chaotic magical town. When they had gone into the station that particular morning, they had found a large, mud-caked, burr-riddled dog tied to the bike rack and whining pitifully upon first sight of them. Emma was too disgruntled at the culprit for figuring out that their whole three person department were soft touches for strays as she charged foward to untie the poor beast, to even realize that the critter was already rooting into her affection. Needless to say, rather than their intended adoption, they had managed to take in a shaggy, slobbery mixed breed almost as large as a Shetland pony, with at least some Irish Wolfhound in its ancestry, according to the shelter attendant.

Gleefully mimicking that last declaration in her toddler voice, Hope had leaned over out of Killian’s arms to reach for where the huge hound lounged panting on the exam table, tongue lolling and tail thumping happily as she babbled, “Wolfie! Wolfie!” and patted along the dog’s back and shoulders as well as she could.

The thick, scruffy grey fur covering the animal’s lanky form did indeed resemble a wolf to some degree, and Kililan chuckled good naturedly at the easy moniker their daughter had seemingly bestowed. “Well, it would seem our little love has already christened her, Swan,” he commented lightly.

Emma wasn’t fooled by the casual demeanor covering her True Love’s words. She felt her last chance of finding a more suitable home for a dog of that size outside the town limits (preferably with acres for it to run) fade as she realized that her husband, as well as her little girl, was already attached. Killian wanted this dog more than he would admit.

Reaching out to stroke the gentle giant’s head resignedly, Emma reluctantly admitted to herself that the poor stray really was a sweet dog, despite her astonishing proportions and the amount of extra responsibility she herself would no doubt be taking on. “Hear that, Wolfie?” she questioned, looking the dog in the eyes rather than either member of her family, whom she could feel nearly vibrating with excitement beside her, “I guess you’re as good as ours.”

Henry only confirmed the permanence of the decision when he got home from the high school after his editors’ meeting for the school paper. Though a dog had never been something he had particularly asked for - they had spent so many of his growing up years being flung from one realm to another, either trying to rescue some member of their family, or seeking the needed magic item to fight some new villain, that it hadn’t left a lot of time for house training puppies or taking one for leisurely evening strolls. Still, as Henry came up the walk and saw Wolfie stretched out on the porch, Hope cuddled against her side and Emma and Killian curled together on the porch swing, the way her nearly adult son’s face had lit up and he’d rushed forward in excitement had shown Emma that kids didn’t really grow out of loving dogs, no matter their age.

Ruby, or perhaps the irrepressible brunette’s inner wild animal, seemed to find their new addition, and the rather obvious name Hope had latched onto, especially entertaining. Due to Wolfie’s size, the Jones clan now ate outside at the patio tables when they stopped for breakfast on the way to drop Hope off at Ashley Hermann’s Pumpkin Seeds Daycare, and before Henry took off for class and they headed on for the station. Her mother’s best friend didn’t even try to hide the fact that she saved back either bacon, sausage, or ham especially for Emma’s pet each day, laughing when after about a week Wolfie came to her the moment she exited the diner’s front entrance, before she could even reach their table, and began nosing at her pockets for the expected bounty.

However, it was Granny herself who startled them with a matter of fact question about a month after Wolfie had joined their family. The diner’s proprietress had come out to wait on them herself that morning, a real nip in the air as November neared, and explaining that Ruby was lying in for a while after the full moon the night before. Her half-spectacles perched on the very end of her nose, eyes sparkling with every bit as much pep and mischief as her exuberant granddaughter when she neared their table, sleeves rolled up to her elbows despite the chill and a pencil tucked behind one ear.

“The usual, Captain?” Widow Lucas asked with a playful nod to Killian, “or are you and your crew feeling adventurous this morning?” While awaiting their answer, she reached into her apron for her order pad, also pulling out a juicy ham bone for Wolfie.

“Here you are, darlin’ girl,” she continued, bending to offer it to their canine companion, much to Wolfie’s approving delight as she barked a ‘thank you’ and took the treat into her drooling jowls with an almost humorous care, then immediately dropped to hold it between her massive paws and began gnawing away.

When Granny stood to face them again however, a knowing smirk was painted across her face, taking their breakfast order seemingly long forgotten. “You don’t have a clue that dog is carrying a litter of pups, do you?” she asked, shaking her head at what she seemed to think was their dense naivete.

Crossing her arms, Granny watched a variety of reactions cross the four faces before her. Henry looked awed and curious, while Hope practically bounced on Killian’s knee asking, “Puppy? Puppy! We having a puppy?” 

Killian’s brows rose in surprise, and Emma was already shaking her head in disgruntled exasperation. “Really?” she sputtered, narrowly eying the diner owner as if she might be playing some sort of elaborate joke at her expense.

Then, plunking her head down to rest on her arms crossed on the table, she sighed as her daughter contiuned to chortle in delight and Henry and Hook laughed heartily, in spite of their manful efforts to hold back for her sake. “Why am I even surprised?” Emma muttered. “Of course, she is.”

***

From there, they learned that apparently the shelter owner did not have it out for them, but that it can be genuinely hard to tell when a dog is expecting until they are quite close to their due date. It also turned out that Granny’s lupine sixth sense had been right on the money. Within another couple weeks, they could see for themselves that Wolfie’s stomach was rounding and she was nesting in corners throughout the house, particularly favoring the warmth of the laundry room between the dryer and the wall. Seeing as how canine gestation was only eight or nine weeks from start to finish, and their mother-to-be was already showing, it was a bit of a scramble to prepare, knowing the litter of pups would soon be on its way.

As had become typical since Wolfie’s arrival, this too went well beyond what they had expected. On the night they returned from Hope’s Thanksgiving Play at the preschool to tiny yips and whimpers greeting them the second the door opened, the entire Jones family was stunned to discover eight small wriggling bodies jostling for place against Wolfie’s exhausted form where she lay curled into the mound of old blankets and towels they had created for her once her fixation on her laundry room nest become plain. Various rather wetly bedraggled and squirming balls of grey, black, white and mottled mixes of those three colors in coat greeted their eyes, prompting Killian to comment rather drily, “Well, now there are nearly enough of us to crew a pirate ship.” He chuckled, shaking his head, as he added, “Mayhap we can give them proper nautical names this time, rather than letting Hope call them the first word that pops from her mouth.”

“Paaa-pa!” their daughter protested indignantly, stomping her little foot on the linoleum tile and placing chubby fists on her hips. “I did not!” In her two braids, beaded headband, and fringed brown “Indian” dress from the play, she made more an adorable than a threatening sight as she intended, but Killian nodded to their daughter dutifully all the same. “My apologies, little lass. Of course you didn’t. I must have been mistaken.”

Emma rolled her eyes and shook her head at his mannered playfulness with Hope, though her heart warmed inside her as well, loving that their little girl had never known anything but a devoted, adoring, present father, who might have to be pulled back from spoiling Hope at times, but would never let her down or abandon her. The two of them could melt her every defense, just as Henry had always done. Even if it did sometimes leave her trying to be the voice of reason, Emma didn’t truly mind.

Henry, for his part, snorted inelegantly at their nonsense, crouching to pet a nervous-looking Wolfie on the head and scritch under her chin the way she liked. “Don’t worry, girl,” he mumured soothingly. “We won’t hurt them. You’re all safe here.”

Her son grew thoughtful for a moment, mulling something over, then looked up when he asked excitedly. “What if we did pick nautical names for them all? Like Jack and Jib and Scurvy?” He was grinning from ear-to-ear now, as his Author’s love of wordplay awakened - an expression Killian quickly mirrored.

“Aye, lad, those are great! And perhaps Scoundrel and Buccaneer as well?”

“Hey, hey, guys,” Emma broke in, trying to stop their now-steaming train before they got any more carried away. “Let’s not get too into naming them. The families who adopt them may not be looking for pirate dogs.”

But her husband and son were already on a roll, adding Barrie (in a nod to the Englishman who had created Killian’s literary counterpart) and Doubloon to the list of potential puppy monikers, and not paying her words the slightest bit of attention.

***

Finding homes for their doggie brood proved more difficult than Emma had hoped. If nothing else, it had worked out that they were being weaned just in time to join a family for the perfect child’s Christmas present. And, much as she had intended for them to have a quiet little tabby kitten padding after her through the house rather than a train of panting, yipping, running and tumbling balls of shedding fluff, the pups were sweet and incredibly cute. So she couldn’t understand how every time she thought she had someone poised to take one home, it fell through at the last moment.

With a sigh, she turned away from the sidewalk where old lady Hubbard was walking away. Still cradling Cutlass and Matey to her chest, one in each arm, Emma crossed the porch to sink onto the porch swing with a dejected air. She bent to press a kiss into each of their soft, fuzzy foreheads, murmuring what good babies they were and that it wasn’t their fault. Intellectually, Emma knew it was rather ridiculous to be trying to comfort two puppies who were now playfully rolling and tumbling in her lap, not the least bit concerned at the interview’s outcome. They really had been particularly good as their potential new owner had arrived to meet them; sitting calmly without barking or jumping up, sweetly licking the elderly woman’s fingers affectionately when she offered them, and looking even more adorable than usual with their coats freshly bathed and brushed, so black and silky that their fur nearly shone. All their neighbor had seemed able to focus on though was that they might get under her feet and cause her to fall. When Emma had spoken to her before, the older lady had seemed so anxious for some company now that the last of her many children had left the house, but once she had arrived to see the puppies, all she kept saying was, “I’m all alone out there. If I fell, I might lie for days, unable to get up, and no one would know.”

Emma shrugged her shoulders and ruffled the pups’ fur once again; annoyed, but not sure what to make of the situation. Standing, she was about to take the two little rascals back inside when Killian arrived home for the evening.

“They’re both still here?” he asked curiously, one eyebrow arched in question.

Something niggled at the back of Emma’s mind with his question, whispering that he didn’t seem especially suprised. Shaking her head in silent answer, Emma ushered man and dogs back into the house and headed toward the kitchen, where she still had all of the dog dishes to fill.

“Ah well, Love,” Killian replied, something about his voice just a shade too nonchalant. “Perhaps it’s for the best. As energetic as these scalliwags sometimes get,” he laughed and scratched Matey’s belly when she rolled over to bare it in supplication, “they might have proven a walking hazard to one of advanced years.”

Emma was about to question him further, shocked that Killian had hit on exactly what had stopped the potential adoption, but at that moment Wolfie and the other six of her offspring burst into the kitchen and set up a chorus of barks and howls for their dinner, toenails clicking on the floor and tails thunking against the cabinets. So it wasn’t until later that night, as she was speaking to her mother on the phone, bemoaning yet one more failed attempt at finding the pups permanent homes, that the niggling puzzle piece at last slid into place.

“Well,” Snow offered hesitantly, “I’m sorry it fell through, Sweetie, but you know Mrs. Hubbard isn’t all that steady on her feet these days…”

Suddenly, it all added up: Mrs. Hubbard’s unexpected concern with puppies tripping her up around the house, how Ashley had at first thought they might take one of the puppies, only to be convinced by someone that mice would be much more fitting for class pets at Cinderella’s daycare, and how Aurora and Philip’s second child, Hope’s little friend Rory, had suddenly decided she wanted a white Persian kitten whose hair she could put a pink bow in, “like ‘Rie from ‘Ristocats” Aurora had explained in her daughter’s own words when she’d called to tell Emma.

“Oh my word!” Emma shouted, startling her husband, kids, and the pile of dogs sprawled over them in the living room where they were watching tv. “It was you all, wasn’t it? My whole family has been working against me this entire time!”

Looking sheepishly guilty, Killian and Henry both wordlessly shook their heads in denial. Her mother floundered for a defense for a few seconds and then simply fled by ending the call. But when Emma’s eyes came to rest on her daughter, Hope merely grinned widely, a shameless glint of mischief in her green eyes, and nodded her head in confirmation.

“Why?” Emma sputtered.

“Then the puppies are all ours!” her toddler chirped happily, falling back against Wolfie’s shoulder with a giggle, to which Wolfie merely huffed at the impact, then nosed Hope a bit further from the edge of the couch, as if she had one extra pup to watch out for and was making sure the child didn’t fall.

“We’ll see about that,” Emma grumbled, staring each of them down in turn. But, when she flopped down on the armchair in the corner, trying to hold onto her righteous indignation, and Scoundrel came over to check on her, pawing at her leg until she picked him up, and then nudging his grey snout flecked with white patches into her armpit as he stretched out across her chest and promptly fell asleep, Emma was smart enough to know when she had lost the fight.

They were the family with nine dogs now - an entire seaworthy crew.

Tagging a few who may enjoy (or enjoy again!): @searchingwardrobes @kmomof4 @jennjenn615 @thisonesatellite @artistic-writer @hollyethecurious @whimsicallyenchantedrose @laschatzi @thislassishooked @therooksshiningknight @spartanguard @shireness-says @ohmightydevviepuu @ohmakemeahercules @scientificapricot @gingerchangeling @teamhook @revanmeetra87@resident-of-storybrooke @elizabeethan @tiganasummertree @optomisticgirl @stahlop @lfh1226-linda @xsajx @donteattheappleshook @darkcolinodonorgasm @winterbaby89

[pocket-luv101]

Summary: Mahiru comes across a letter and decides to write a response to it. (KuroMahi, Historical Romance AU)

After the library closed, Mahiru collected the papers and books that people had left on the tables. He wished people were more responsible and cleaned up after themselves. He worked in the castle and he came to learn that the royal family were as callus as they were wealthy. Mahiru picked up a book and a sheet of paper fell from between the pages. A sentence caught his eyes: Do you like cats?

His curiosity got the better of him and he skimmed through the rest. Mahiru discovered that it was a letter. There wasn’t enough detail in the note to know who wrote it or the person it was intended for. He found an envelope nearby and the return address was the warfront. He assumed the letter’s author was a soldier fighting in the war. While the letter was short, Mahiru thought he sounded lonely.

My Lady, I’m not the best with words or letters but my brother suggested that I write something to you. I agreed since we are engaged to be married. Arranged marriages are troublesome, aren’t they? I don’t even know your name but it’ll change to mine once I return from the war. We haven’t had a chance to meet before the war started. I would like to learn more about you before we say our vows though. Do you like cats? From, Kuro Sleepy Ash Servamp.

Mahiru wondered why the letter had been left behind in a book. Since the envelope was opened when he found it, the man’s fiancé must’ve read it already. Did she misplace it? She would likely want the letter back to be able to write a response. He decided to search for the man’s fiancé and then he walked to his friend who was working nearby.

“Misono, you were working this morning. Did you see a woman sitting at that desk who was reading a letter? I think she accidentally left it behind and I want to return it to her.” Mahiru explained how he found the letter. “I know most of the servants working in the castle but I don’t know anyone who’s in an arranged marriage.”

“You shouldn’t trouble yourself with that letter and their engagement. I overheard the woman and her friends talking about the letter. The woman laughed about it and threw the latter away. She said, in an arranged marriage, there’s no need for love and she doesn’t intend to write a reply.” Misono told him. “I know you like to help people but you should throw away that letter.”

“He’ll be left waiting for a reply though.” Mahiru argued and then bit his lip. A part of him knew that he shouldn’t insert himself into a stranger’s life yet something in the letter tugged at his heart. He grew up without a father due to the war. He recalled how his mother would wait for his father’s letter that never came. One sentence would’ve been enough to make her smile and give her hope.

Could the man in the letter be in a similar situation as his mother was?

“One letter wouldn’t hurt. I’ll tell him that she’s too sick to write a reply. He won’t know that the woman laughed at his letter.” Mahiru reasoned. He sat at a desk and took out a pen to start his letter.

“He’ll meet his fiancé eventually and learn the truth.” Misono pointed out but he knew that it was useless to argue. Once his friend had decided he wanted to help someone, no one could dissuade him.

When Kuro wrote the letter to his fiancé, he didn’t expect her to write back to him. They were engaged to be married but they hadn’t met before. His brother suggested they traded letters to learn more about each other before their marriage. He didn’t know why he decided to send the letter though. Their arranged marriage was political and he knew better than to expect anything more than a loveless life.

He broke the seal on the envelope and he took out the letter. The paper had the subtle scent of roses. Kuro also found a pressed rose within the envelope and he assumed the scent was from the flower. He was surprised to find a gift with his letter and he twirled the fragile rose between his fingers. Then, he carefully placed the rose aside and read through the letter.

Dear Kuro. I hope you, your family and everyone fighting in the war are doing well. Sadly, I am feeling sick and I cannot write a long reply. I have sent you a rose with this letter. My brother is also fighting in the war and he told me how bleak the battles can be. A rose might not be much but I hope it’ll lift your spirits whenever you need it. Please keep the rose close like a charm so you’ll stay safe.

To answer your question, I adore cats. They’re simple creatures but wonderful companions. I once had a black cat as a pet and it would sit on my lap whenever I was lonely. There are a lot of stray cats in the castle and I would adopt them all if I were allowed. My friend would lecture me if I tried so I’ll have to settle for leaving out food for them.

While he hadn’t met his fiancé before, his family had told him a few things about her. She didn’t seem to be the type to feed stray cats so the letter piqued his interest. Kuro wondered if people were wrong about her. Many people judged his siblings so he sympathized with her if she was in the same situation. He only accepted the marriage for the sake of his family but he wondered if they could be something genuine.

“Mahiru, you have another letter. I thought you said that you would only send one letter. You’re lucky these letters are sent to the castle’s library to be sorted before they’re delivered to everyone.” Misono held out the envelope to Mahiru. Excitement beamed in his brown eyes as he took the letter from his friend. He didn’t know what they wrote to each other about but, from his reaction to the letter, he could see that they had grown close. “I hope you’re being careful when you write to him.”

“Don’t worry, I keep my letters simple.” He assured him. Months had passed since the first letter and they had exchanged countless letters. He didn’t know his fiancé so Mahiru would tell him about his own experiences. He was careful not to be discovered though. They had gotten to know each other through their letters and he learned that Kuro was a funny and thoughtful man. Mahiru felt a little guilty for lying to him. He could only imagine how confused he would be after he meet his fiancé.

Mahiru walked to a private corner of the library so he could read the letter. He opened the window to let in a cool breeze. There were rose bushes next to the window and their pleasant smell soothed him. He sat at the desk and opened Kuro’s letter. He smiled when he found a sketch of a bird attached to the letter. Kuro would often send him pictures to thank him for the flowers he gave him.

Dear Rose, animals don’t visit the camp often but I saw a bird outside my tent this morning. I thought you might like it so I drew a sketch for you. There’s finally a lull in the battle and I can sleep peacefully. I heard the enemy has pulled back their forces and I hope that’s a sign the war will end soon. We can finally meet each other and feed those stray cats you told me about in your first letter.

To be honest, I thought an arranged marriage was troublesome since we’re practically strangers. I’m lucky that my fiancé is someone I can talk to. I’m glad that I wrote a letter to you. All of my siblings are fighting in the war and I don’t know if I’ll have a family to return to when this is over. Meeting you is the one of the things I can look forward to, Rose.

Since Kuro didn’t know his name, he had given him a nickname based on the flower he sent him. His letter went on to tell him about his day and his family. Mahiru looked forward to his letters but he would have mixed feelings at the same time. He hadn’t intended to write more than one reply yet something changed with each letter they exchanged. His small lie had grown and Kuro would be hurt once he met his fiancé who had thrown away his letter.

Mahiru heard a sharp yelp of pain and he turned towards the voice. He leaned out the window to search for the person who was hurt and his eyes fell on a man in a white cloak. The man had a few roses in his arm and Mahiru guessed that he had pricked himself with a thorn. He walked to the window and said, “Excuse me, are you okay, Sir?”

“It’s just a small cut. I’ve gotten worse.” He shrugged.

“You should be mindful of wounds, even if they’re small. May I see your hand?” Mahiru asked. He held out his hand to him and the man laid his hand over his palm in return. Scars lined his fingers but Mahiru didn’t comment on them like the man expected him too. He ripped a strip of cloth from his napkin and then wrapped it around his finger.

“Will I make a full recovery, Doctor?” He asked in a flat voice but the subtle tilt of his lips told him that he was being more teasing than sarcastic. He had a handsome smile and Mahiru wondered who he was. Mahiru knew most of the workers in the castle but he didn’t recognize the man. He was certain he would remember someone with unique red eyes.

“I think you’ll survive. If you want to cut flowers, you should visit the castle’s greenhouse. My friend works there and I can ask him to let you pick a few flowers. Wait here and I’ll show you where the greenhouse is.” Mahiru offered and the man nodded in agreement. He carefully placed Kuro’s letter in his pocket before he left the library to help the man.

The backdoor of the library was nearby and he stepped outside. He stopped at his side and then gestured for him to follow him. They fell into step next to each other and Mahiru watched him from the corner of his eyes. “My name’s Mahiru. I haven’t seen you before. Are you here to visit someone in the castle?”

“I want to surprise my fiancé. She isn’t expecting me to return until a week from now. My brother is over watching my land so I can visit her. I saw roses and I thought I should pick a few for her. That makes me sound like a hopeless romantic, doesn’t it?” He chuckled at himself. His red eyes softened and Mahiru could see that he cared for his fiancé.

“That’s sweet. Your fiancé is lucky to have a caring partner. It’s rare that a person can marry for love rather than for it to be arranged by your parents. I know a lot of the workers in the castle so I might know your fiancé. What’s her name?”

“I don’t know since we’re in an arranged marriage. I wasn’t able to meet her before I joined the war. We’ve spoken through letters though. She sent me a rose and I want to give her one as well.” His words caused Mahiru’s body to stiffen in shock. He couldn’t move as a realization crashed over him.

The man in front of him was Kuro.

“Is something wrong, Mahiru?” Kuro noticed how he stopped walking and he turned back to him. Mahiru had large, expressive brown eyes so Kuro could see his shock. His mind was racing too fast for Mahiru to respond to his question. What could he say? He knew the right thing to do was to tell him the truth before he went to his fiancé.

Mahiru faced Kuro yet his words became caught in his throat. He couldn’t only imagine the hurt on his face when he told him that his fiancé wasn’t the one to write the letter. Kuro was staring at him with confusion so he knew he needed to say something. “Maybe this isn’t the right time to visit your fiancé, Kuro. You’re returning from a war so you should take some time for yourself.”

“… How did you know that my name is Kuro? I haven’t told you my name yet.” Kuro’s brows furrowed as he studied Mahiru. Instead of answering, Mahiru turned on his heel and dashed away from him.

“I should’ve listened to Misono and ignored his letter. What am I going to do now?” Mahiru muttered to himself as he fed the cats. They purred in response to his words and he petted one of the cats. Unfortunately, its soft fur didn’t comfort him like it usually did. Another sigh escaped him and he took out the letter Kuro had sent him. He had to remind himself: “He didn’t send this to me.”

A cat pawed at the paper and Mahiru quickly lifted the letter out of its reach. He was surprised when the letter was stolen from his hand. He looked over his shoulder to see who the person was and he gasped. Kuro stood over him with the letter in his hand. He didn’t appear angry but Mahiru held his breath as he waited for him to speak.

“Do you like cats?” His question was barely a whisper but it caused guilt to squeeze Mahiru’s heart. Kuro didn’t look at him and focused on the cats instead. “My fiancé said she liked to feed the stray cats in the castle. I came here to speak with her but she’s not here. I don’t think she’ll come either. After you ran away, I spoke with my brother who arranged the marriage. He says my fiancé is allergic to cats.”

“She didn’t lie to you and she didn’t tell me to write those letters to you either. Please, don’t be angry with her for something I did on my own.” Mahiru knew that it was pointless to lie to him. His gaze fell to the ground as he explained how he found his letter. “I thought I was sparing your feelings by replying to your letter but I only made this complicated situation. I’m sorry for lying to you about who I was. Everything else I wrote about was the truth though.”

Mahiru felt a warm hand brush over his hair and he finally faced Kuro. Tenderly, he brushed his brown hair from his eyes and then tucked a rose behind his ear. “I told my fiancé that I didn’t want to go through with the arranged marriage. There’s someone I wanted to get to know through more than letters. You’ve never told me about your family, Mahiru.”

“I have a brother and we were raised by my uncle.” Mahiru was relieved that Kuro wasn’t angry with him for lying and he wanted to get to know him more. They already knew each other through their letters so they were able to fall into a conversation easily. He told him about his childhood and petted the cat on his lap. He liked exchanging letters with Kuro but he found that he preferred speaking with him in person.

[avieelliot]

BASIC INFORMATION

Full Name: aveline rosemary fox-harker (changed her surname to elliot once she got to america)

Nickname: avie

Race: white

Ethnicity: french, german

Nationality: english (UK)

Age: 34

APPEARANCE & MANNERISMS

Hair: straight, chestnut brown, reaches her shoulders

Eyes: blue-grey on the outside, hazel around the irises (central heterochromia)

Skin: fair and smooth

Height: 5'2" (157cm)

Build: slender, soft

Scent: jasmine

Gait: leisurely pace, often stops to literally smell roses, or just stare at a pretty view

Clothing/Style: flowy lines, muted colours, soft fabrics (silk, cashmere)

Style of Speech: soft, light voice, but commanding. like you know you’re supposed to stop and listen.

Key Possessions: she has very little attachment to material things. her dogs are her life.

CITIZENSHIP

Social Status: well liked, but little known

Occupation: veterinarian / sanctuary owner

Education: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree

Residence: a quaint little apartment in a century home

PERSONALITY

Likes: animals, nature, good food, good wine, good conversation, walks in the woods, quiet meditation, stargazing

Dislikes: instability, dishonesty, greed, money, power, being told what to do

Hobbies: working at the animal sanctuary, volunteering at shelters, reading

Personality Summary: kind, altruistic, nurturing, guarded, stubborn, afraid

RELATIONSHIPS

Friends/Allies: TBD

Enemies/Rivals: Alessandro Di Natale, her ex-husband, most men.

Family: estranged from her disinterested parents and her long-lost brother

Romantic Interest: TBD

Pets: three rescue dogs, named Flora (a golden), Fauna (a husky mix), and Merryweather (english bulldog)

BIOGRAPHY

tw: child neglect

Nothing in Aveline’s life has ever been particularly stable, but the one comforting constant in her childhood was everyone always insisting that everything was completely fine. Her parents, devastated to be born a decade or two late to the hippie movement, dove headfirst into 80’s political activism - violence in the name of peace, or something along those lines. He went by Barkley Fox, she went by Buttercup Harker. They met during a riot, and they never slowed down.

Aveline herself was… a surprise, to say the least. Her parents were young and wild and free, but not quite smart enough to realize a child would change that. Or rather, that a child should change that. It didn’t change much for Buttercup and Barkley, who brought tiny Aveline to riots with them, smiling for the photojournalists, and reassuring nosy child welfare workers that everything was, as always, completely fine.

Sure, sometimes they forgot to pick her up from school until the sun had set, and they went on “vacations” to war zones, and she saw much more than any ten year old child should see the time they couldn’t find a babysitter and brought her to the Filthy Lucre tour. And yeah, maybe sometimes they went out and didn’t feed her, or they tried to cure infections with leaves and tree bark, or she missed a couple months of school here and there… but everything was fine, they had it all under control. She was a free spirited child, like them.

Needless to say, everything was not completely fine. Aveline wasn’t fine. She was lonely, and scared, and small. She was forgotten about by the people who were supposed to love her most. The only reason she ever learned what real love was, is because her grandmother (with whom her parents would often drop her for undisclosed amounts of time) had an animal sanctuary.

The animals were hurt. Wounded birds, orphaned squirrels, that kind of thing. They were small, and scared, and lonely. Forgotten about by most of the world. Aveline’s previously unused heart filled up with the love of these tiny helpless creatures, and she found her calling.

When she was eleven, another tiny helpless creature was dropped in Aveline’s lap. His name was Elliot Fox-Harker - her new baby brother. Their parents didn’t know what to do with him any more than they’d known what to do with her. But she was old enough to babysit now, they decided. So they left their oldest child alone to parent their infant. Avie was overwhelmed, and even more scared than before. Somehow, she kept Elliot alive - with the help of their brilliant grandmother. But she was a baby herself, and their grandmother was blind, and it took three years before anyone noticed that Elliot couldn’t hear them. He was deaf.

Aveline was fifteen then. She knew what she had to do. She called the NSPCC Helpline and reported her own parents for child endangerment. The people who came to rescue her brother ripped him, screaming, from her arms, and though she knew she’d done the right thing, to this day, she can’t escape the guilt of that. Elliot was the only person in the world who loved her and needed her, and she let him down. She loved him as much as she resented their parents, so when she moved to America, she changed her last name for him.

She was sent to live with family in Brooklyn, and really struggled to finish high school there. The distraction of her guilt and sadness mixed with the combined years of school she’d missed in her tumultuous childhood meant she was constantly behind... but she put all of her time and energy into studying. The other students in New York were interested in her - they saw her as a mystery of a person with a pretty face and a cute accent, and were fascinated - but she couldn’t relate to any of them. They wanted her to go to parties and pep rallies, but the only person she found herself relating to at all was the weird quiet kid with his walkman on.

After graduation, she went back to England and studied veterinary medicine in London, almost reaching the top of her class. Almost. Top 5%, anyway. But it was an incredible achievement for someone who statistically shouldn’t have survived childhood. She was on top of the world when she graduated... until she realized that she had no idea where to go from there. She was entirely alone in, and besides wanting to be a vet and not wanting to think about her family, she’d never had any real plans. Her mind reeled with images of herself turning into her parents - lost and forever wandering - and she panicked… until she met The One.

He was American - the CEO of his own company, a self-made man. He was gorgeous and charming and driven and best of all: he was stable. She figured the best decision she could make in her life would be to find someone who craved the same stability and authenticity she needed, and to be a team. The exact opposite of her parents. So when he proposed, she said yes.

And when every red flag in the world popped up and waved itself in her face, she smiled, went to work, and constantly insisted that everything was… completely fine.

She had a job she loved, her own veterinary practice in Portland, Maine, a big goofy dog named Flora, and what she thought was real love. She was happy. All the warning signs and nagging thoughts were just echoes of her parents’ voices telling her she needed to be free, and she shouldn’t tie herself down. She wouldn’t listen. She didn’t listen. For seven years, she went through the motions, comatose, hibernating, putting up with more bullshit from him than even her parents could carry. Then one day he came home from a business trip. He’d barely set his bags down when she said it.

“I know you don’t love me. And I know you never really did.”

She was talking to him, but she also saw her parents as she said it.

Everything broke, then. He broke, she broke, the walls that they’d both been carefully building, the personas they’d been curating, all of it, just crashed to the ground with a violent, angry, thunderous bang.

She tried to move on. After the divorce finalized, she tried to have hope, and to try again to find the stable, true, safe Forever Love she still believed was out there. She met a beautiful boy named Alessandro, reeling from heartbreak himself, and thought that maybe this time it could last. He made her feel beautiful, and wanted, for the first time, really, ever... and then he broke her heart.

She gave up entirely after that. She moved to Boston with Flora, adopted two more dogs (Fauna and Merryweather) and poured herself once again into work and nothing else. The animals were the only important thing - they could bite her, but they couldn’t break her heart. She was kind to people, but kept them at a distance, not willing to risk falling into the trap of love again.

Earlier this year, she was offered a job at Familiar Friend Veterinary Clinic, and moved to Salem. She’s has opened her own animal sanctuary for hurt/abandoned pets and wildlife in the area, and has even ventured to make a friend or two. She’s wounded, but in rehabilitation, and she’s sure she’ll fly again soon.

[prettylittlebrownskingyal]

Anime recs (some of my personal faves, not the public opinion, obviously):

About sports:

-Haikyuu (I am caught all the way up to season 4 and I have never been more passionate about volleyball in my life, not even when I played it)

-Run the Wind (it's about running but also...friendship? and motivation to follow your dreams?? I mostly just recall relating to some of the lazier characters and sensing the brotherhood vibes. It feels slow at first, but if you get invested you realize that you've binged the whole thing.)

-Free! & Free! Eternal Summer (you wanna get emotional attached to a bunch of teenage swimmers? I don't know why all these sports animes are about guy groups, but here's one about some divas -I mean swimmers. Quite the lil quaint group of nuggets, I gotta tell ya.)

About magic/supernatural

-Sailor Moon (need I say more? She's our queen and we are never too old to watch her steadily turn from crybaby to warrior of the people. If you know, you know. FIGHTING EVEIL BY MOONLIGHT-!!)

-Avatar: the Last Airbender (technically counts as an anime. Holds my entire childhood, every personality trait I have...for sure came from characters in this show. Iconic. Never loses its charms. Lots of magical realism that is centered on the natural elements of the planet, some spiritualism too. Appa is reason enough to watch this show.)

-Legend of Korra (technically a sequel storyline to Avatar: the Last Airbender, but...it's SO DIFFE R E NT. I was at first put off by my lack of OG characters, but there are so many references embedded in there, and you get to meet everybody's kids and grandkids. Also Korra? The embodiment of female pride and power, nothing will forsake her for long. Kinda STRESSFUL how many obstacles the writers create in a single season...let alone 4.)

-Inuyasha (on oldie but a goodie. Technically the first anime I ever saw...*sigh* ah youth...Anyway, it'sset in feudal Japan, but there's time travel so you won't feel too out of place. There are of course demons and magical priestesses and demon hunters and cranky, frankly exhausted, old women. Has a quality plot line and great characters. There is a new sequel show airing about the future of the characters and their bloodlines, I've only seen an episode or two but the nostalgia alone made me want to weep.)

-Fairy Tail (a CLASSIC. It has magic and dragons and FAERIES and found family and is so loveably chaotic, also: hype af fight scenes)

-Soul Eater (another chaotic group of teens that fight impossible battles, the intro music always hits hard for nO rEASON, a little more blood and angst but not like not enough to cancel out the immense joy/annoyance that is Excalibur)

-Noragami (a new take on the concept of how gods are created, sad boi hours have started, wholesome main characters, the graphics are beautiful, some of the monsters can be a tad creepy - but I'm a wimp so it could just be me)

-Bungou Stray Dogs (I HAVE ADOPTED ATSUSHI. HE IS MY SON NOW, THANK YOU FOR COMING. The art style is one I enjoy, very crisp lines and a good variation in character designs. The protagonist is named Atsushi and he is a golden child who must be protected yet allowed to flourish at all times. There is detective work, some great fights, lots of random character flaws, OH and honey the story line is TWISTY!!)

-My Hero Academia/Boko no Hero Academia (this is the show where my broccoli son goes THROUGH IT literally the WHOLE TIME. A great story of the underdog, and the variety of characters and powers are...*chef's kiss*, makes me want to lowkey live in this universe but the amount of villians... gurl it'stoo much for my weak heart smh)

- Cannon Busters (okay, so I know people have mixed opinions on this one. Lemme say this: the intro and outro SLAP, point blank periodtt. The characters are diverse in color and abilities, it's like wild west meets technofuture meets medieval magic war times. The plotline is very all over the place, but hey it's the journey right. If you don't love SAM and Casey by the end of episode 1 you're doing it wrong.)

-BNA: Brand New Animal (the art style is so freaking cool yet cute we luv to see it. The world building is pretty good, basically it'slike Zootopia, but there are way more issues with this island o animals that have a human form half the time. Our main character is determined and just a tad naive, there is a wolf man with a pet crow and we're all okay with that)

-Sirius the Jaegar (straight up, I have no idea how my sister and I binged the whole show in like 2 days, but we did. Great fight scenes, the is blood but... that's because there are vampire-esque creatures also. The main character's childhood got done dirty, but go off on your origin story I guess.)

About slice of life:

- My Little Monster/Tonari no Kaibustu-kun (a wholesome high school romance with oddballs left and right, but you just wanna root for 'em y'know? A good wind down show. There's a chicken in it.)

- (Kaichou wa) Maid-Sama (an unconventional and lowkey erratic main heroine, the love interest seems weird but you'll adore him by the end, just simple high school shenanigans with ridiculously dramatic conflicts)

Phew, that was kinda long 😓 but those are just some animes that I have watched thoroughly off the top off my head to give you a good variety of options. Let me know if you already have seem any of these. Hope this helps you fight off boredom and repetition. Please tell me your faves, I love hearing about new shows!! 🤩 (And btw, my sleep patterns wrecked, I've been going to sleep at like 3AM 😅 Hahaha, send help.)

love love LOVE THIS!! Thank you for sharing babe ❤️❤️❤️ i actually haven’t watched that much anime so i’m glad to get a rundown on some good recs!

also!! i feel u!! team no sleep ftw

[delightfulstarlightparadise]

Stardew Valley imagine Reader/ ?????

Possibly Sebastian... but who knows.

-So, I have been playing Stardew Valley for hundreds of hours in just few weeks and finally had de courage to write my own imagine. (Nice, I get off the game to write about it).

-I will avoid pronouns as much as I can, but when necessary I will use they/them. I hope everyone feels included.

-English is not my main language, but I am doing my best.

- I will, sometimes, bring some fanarts I made too.

Let’s go <3

The slow pace of the bus makes you feel dizzy. You look outside and see the most lively and green landscape you had ever seen, and along with it you feel the memories of old times coming to your mind.

Those days in the farm seem so far away now, playing with animals along your cousins, running around the crops, swimming in the rivers and lakes, fishing... and in the late evening sitting by a fire with your grandpa to hear stories about the valley.

Stardew. Stardew Valley, a place cherished in your memories.

You never imagined you would be going back to that valley to live in the farm from your childhood, taking with you just a small luggage. You are tired, sad and broke. Your wrists still hurt, a gift from hours typing in a computer of Joja corporation.

You don’t know how everything went so wrong. As a kid you always wanted to be a veterinarian or maybe a biologist, but you ended up in that corporative job, making thousands of reports that seemed the same one and attending meetings to talk about nothing. If you told yourself, that bright kid full of hope and wonder, that you would grow up to become such a bitter adult, you wouldn’t have believed it then.

At least you had the courage to leave.

You hold tight in your hands the letter from your grandfather, attached to it as a last light of hope that moving to Paradise farm can help you start new.  

The bus stops and the driver asks you if you need help with your baggage, but you decline. You didn’t bring much.

You stand beside the bus sign and feel the soft breeze from the valley, listening to the birds chirp. Those memories seem more alive inside you.

“Hey! You arrived!”

A friendly call takes you out of your thoughts as a ginger woman comes towards you with the nicest of smiles.

“I was worried that the bus would be delayed but you are just in time!” she says, taking your baggage from off your hands before you can say anything. “I am Robin, the town’s capenter, you must be the new farmer! Lewis asked me to pick you up!”

“Hi...” you stutter, shaking her hand.” I am y/n.”

“You caused quite a commotion here at Pelican. It is not everyday we receive a new villager, a new farmer, then!” she says, taking your luggage to a small red pick up truck parked beside the bus stop.

“Actually... I am not a farmer. I am just going to live in the farm.” you say a little unease about how friendly she is. You are used to the apathic city people.

“Well, I guess living at Paradise makes you a farmer now.” She says a giggles.  

As you take a dirt road, she continues to speak to you cheerfully.

“I just came by truck because I thought you would be bringing much more stuff. Your farm is actually very close.”

“I... I don’t own much.” you reply. “WHAT THE …!?”

When she parks by the gates your wonderful memories and hopes connected to Paradise farm seem to shatter. The landscape is taken by weeds and all the structures you remember seem to have aged twice the time you had been away. Trees had outgrown the charming paths or rock in which you and your cousins used to race each other, the little ponds where you used to fish were surrounded by twigs and bushes of weeds. The sight of the land was a mix of leaves, twigs and boulders.

“Not much of a Paradise anymore, hun? But I guess with a little effort you can bring it back to it’s bright.” Robin says as she notices the disappointment in your face.

“I guess...” you say, dispirited.

She takes you to the old cottage and the view is not much better. The wood seems a little rotten and cracked, you are afraid of what you might meet inside.

“Y/n! I haven’t seen you since you were this little!” an elder man comes out of the cabin and waves at you.

You think you remember him. Probably one of your grandfather’s friends. He had many, unlike you.

“Oh, I guess you were too little to remember me. I am Lewis, Pelican Town’s Mayor. You know, your granpa and I used to be friends since we were very young and this farm was full of coops, animals, fruit trees...”

Robins ahams to him to call his attention to your discomfort about the current situation of the farm.  

“Oh... I mean... Sure you will do a good work of taking care of your grandfather’s property. Anyway, I am here to welcome you and say that whatever you need, you can call me and that If you have anything to sell to the city or export, you jut need to put it into that box, I will gladly take it and return to you with the money.” he says, in a very mayorish manner.

“Thanks.” you reply.

You are not very good with people. Maybe that is why you ended up behind a computer job.

“It is almost lunchtime!” Robin exclaims, she is so spirited. “So why don’t you put your bag in the cottage and come have lunch with my family? After that one of my children can show you around town. My son Sebby is almost your age, I am pretty sure you two will get along.”

“I... I don’t want to bother.” you reply scratching the back of your neck, uncomfortable.

“It was not an invite, it was a demand!” Robin says, and you can see the seriousness printed on her eyes.

You leave your bag beside the old bed in the cottage and follow her to the truck. After a small ride, you find yourself in front of a big house in the mountains.

“I think I have been here before.” You say, as you look at the lake slowly flowing near you.

“Probably when I was still building the house. I remember you and your grandfather’s other kids swimming around the lake. I think Sebby used to play with you sometimes. I guess if you remember each other.” she says.

“I surely don’t remember that.” you say, pointing at a giant boulder pile beside the lake’s source.

“Oh, that. That is the result of a landslide provoked by Joja Mart.”

“JOJA MART?!” you screech.

The simple mention of the company’s name makes you sick to your stomach.

“Yeah, they say they are working to get it removed, but they wouldn’t have to if they had not caused it in first place. I bet they were exploding the mines in search of gold, like the leeches they are.”

“Probably.” you agree to Robin’s inflated discourse.

When you get in the house, you hear the sound of a small explosion, followed but smoke and a funny smell.

“Oh Yoba! Dad, are you ok?! I guess I overcharged the batteries again!” you hear a girl’s voice and then a fire extinguisher being activated.

“There can’t be a fucking minute of peace in this house.” a guy comes from downstairs complaining. He is wearing a hoddie and has headphones hanging on his neck.

“Sebastian, language!” Robin says.

He turns to you and for a moment seems completely astonished to see you there, but quickly turns back to the apathic face he had on before.

“Hi honey! Maru and I were just doing a little experiment, but it got a bit out of hand... Oh, hello!” a man comes out of the room where the smoke is coming from.

“Y/n, this is my son Sebastian and that over there is my husband Demetrius.” Robin introduces you as you wave shyly.

A girl comes out of that same room. She is cleaning her glasses worried, but as she glances at you, her face shines with a bright smile such as Robin’s. She runs towards you and starts shaking your hand with both of hers, excitedly.

“Hello! I am Maru, and you must be the new farmer!”

“I... han... not a farmer actually. I will just live in the farm.” you reply uneasy.

“Oh, but I guess living in the farm will make you a farmer, then.” Demetrius says and giggles.

“I am going back to the basement.” Sebastian mumbles taking the direction of the stairs.

But Robin stops him by grabbing the back of his hoddie.

“Sebastian, it is lunchtime, so why don’t you go to the kitchen and put on the table for our guest, hmn?” she says in a way only a mother could.

He grunts and heads to the kitchen.

Maru leads you there by the shoulders while asking you:

“So you are from Zuzu city, right? How is life there?”

You can see Sebastian turning to you with the corner of his eyes when he hears it, he seems a little interested.

“Busy.” you answer.

She keeps staring at you with a smile as if she is waiting for the development of your answer, and does it until you feel uncomfortable enough to either attend her expectations or flee.

“Well... it is crowded. People are unfriendly, time seems to go by very fast...” you say, cracking your fingers anxiously. “There are more malls, I guess.”

“Interesting!” she replies with that same smile.

“So, you will be now taking care of Paradise farm, hm?” Demetrius says while sitting down next to his daughter. “I guess you will be having a lot of work taking care of all those weeds.”

“I actually don’t intend to work as a farmer.” you reply.

“Oh really? What kind of work do you do, y/n?” he asks gently.

“I am a reviewer. I mean, I was. I used to take care of paperwork, write reports on data and... you know, spend the day in front of a computer. I think I will find me a job to do this, but from here.” you answer.

“Sebby here is a computer geek, too! You two will get along well.” Robin says while serving you more food than you think you can eat.

“I am a programmer, mom.” he mumbles, facepalming.

“You should not be afraid of trying your hand at farming though.” Demetrius says. “Darling! This food is DE-LI-CI-OUS! As I was saying, this land has very productive soil and the town is an exporter, I am sure you can make some profit by selling whatever you produce. Also there is much foraging around you can pick and sell, there aren’t much people who take their time on doing that. The Salmonberry season will be here soon.”

“Thanks honey!” Robin replies with a giggle. “I am pretty sure y/n has it settled for the computer job.”

“Actually, I am pretty broke.” you think while taking a bite of Robin’s food. It is really good.

REALLY GOOD. You can’t remember the last time you had a homemade meal and the thought of it brings tears to your eyes.

“Oh, dear! Is it too spicy?” Robin asks, serving you a cup of juice.

You shake your head negatively trying to wipe the tears, ashamed. Sebastian and Maru stare at you, concerned, they even exchange a glance of worry and then, look back at you.

“No,no I... I have... a gland problem, I tear up sometimes... when... I am... eating?” you stutter, sobbing a little.

“I think I have heard about that. “ Demetrius says. “Maybe you should pay a visit to doctor Harvey in the town. He is a very good doctor.”

You nod as you continuously take bites of that wonderful food. It is so good to finally have a meal that isn’t pizza or a cold burger.

…

While having lunch you discover that Demetrius is a scientist. You take great pleasure in listening to him talking about how diverse is the Stardew biome. He also talks about minerals, the land’s properties and many other scientific things while Maru stares at him like she is the proudest daughter in the world. You feel like you would look at him the same if he was your father.  

Sebastian rolls his eyes more times than you can count and when he is finally done with the whole “family and guest lunch” thing, he stands up and says:

“I am going out for a smoke.”

“Actually Sebby, could you please take y/n to get to know the town?” Robin says while she collects the dishes.

“Mom, I think you better ask Maru, she is better suited for these kind of things.” He whispers at her, but you overhear.

“Oh well, so maybe you wanna stay and take her turn in washing the dishes?”

You swear you can hear him cursing while he passes beside you and makes a sign with his hand for you to follow him. You feel unease, but Robin points at him and shakes her hands indicating for you to go.

Sebastian takes you outside, to the garage and hands you a helmet.

“What?” you say.

“What?” he replies while putting on a helmet himself. “We’re taking the bike”

“Bike?” you ask.

Sebastian uncovers an old-fashioned bike and gets ready to sit on it, but you stop him by giving him back the helmet.

“No, no, no.” you say, gulping your breath. “I can’t, sorry.”

“What? Aren’t you from the city?” he says.

“I can’t ride a bike.” you say, shaking your head frenetically.

“You just sit down and hold on, I am the one doing the riding.”

“Look, you don’t really have to do this. I will just go home and you can tell Robin I had to... do something else.”

“You don’t know my mom.” he says while taking off the helmet. “Ok, wait here, I will grab the truck keys.”

Sebastian doesn’t take long to come back with the keys and the both of you get inside the truck. He lowers his window and immediately puts a cigarette in his lips.  

“Do you mind?” he asks you.

“Actually, can I have one?”  you reply feeling awkward.

“You smoke?” he says while rising towards you the pack with a cigarette extended.  

“Only when stressed.” you say while letting him light it up for you.

“Yeah. Me too.” he says starting the engines.

Next part here:

(I liked the sketch so much better, so here it is)