#verse: post 02

[crystal-verse]

god i want. an au where it dosn't work. where it's just arr g'raha who's woken up, and he doesn't have all these memories and all these people keep looking at him like they're mourning someone. the world has changed and time has changed and all the people he knows have changed, but he hasn't changed, he was just sleeping, just sleeping, and the world nearly ended several times and apparently he helped prevent yet another end but he has no memory of this. they want him to join the scions. he does not know these people. (he barely knows the warrior of light, now, but did he ever truly know them in the first place?) his little sister is alive and well. she looks at him like a ghost. she's changed, and she's older than him now. he acts bratty and loud and brash to cover up the fact that he does not know anything it seems, and he is tired but he was sleeping for so long, so how could he be tired?

he doesn't know these people. they seem to know him. he wonders if he'd killed someone, when it was him and not that exarch who woke up. he wonders if it should have been him who was "killed" in that way, if it is him that lives and not that man who had known and become friends with all these figures from legend. he wonders if he'll always be fated to be a historian one step back from everything, because he simply cannot be a hero.

[wiedzm1n]

@wulfmaed   said   :   ❛ how about a kiss goodnight? ❜   🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

what  was  this?  the  witcher  turned  his  head,  creasing  his  brows  and  narrowing  his  eyes  as  he  peered  over  at  sansa  as  she  lay  between  the comfort  of  a  thick  woolen  blanket  and  a  bed  — the  only  bed  in  existence  as  they  made  their  stop  to  rest  at  yet  another  seemingly  abandoned  home.  not  only  did  geralt surrender  the  luxury  to  her,  but  he insisted  that  she  take  the  bed.  after  all  —  although  there  had  been no  present  dangers  in  some  miles  now  —  someone  had  to  keep  watch,  and  geralt  was  glad  to  do  it. he  was  built  for  it.

and  although  he  had  been well  trained  to  always expect  the  unexpected,  a  kiss  good  night  was  certainly  a  suggestion  that  went far  beyond  anything  else  that  could  have  been  unexpected.

❝      surely  you  have  some  more  mercy  in  you  than  to  suggest  such  a  thing.       ❞       the  tone  he  used  and  the  way  that  his  lips  slowly  curved  into  a  slight  smile  left  no  doubt  of  the  playfulness  in  his  words.

in  fact,  he  was  already  closing  the  small  gap  between  them,  hovering  his  large  frame  over  hers  as  he  sat  on  a  vacant  spot  at  the  edge  of  the  bed,  moving  to  bring  his  face  closer  to  hers.  it  wasn’t  so  much  that  he  felt  obligated  to  grant  her  request,  but  there  was  also  a  part  of  him  that  wanted  this.  but  what  kind  of  a  noble  lady  would  ever  ask  such  a  thing  of  a  witcher?

but  for  reasons  in  which  geralt  still  could  not  bring  himself  to  understand, sansa  was  different;  more courteous  than  he  truly  even  deserved.  he  could  still  remember  how  she  had  thanked  him;  his  heart  still burning  madly  at  the  memory.  she  made  him  feel  decent; made  him  feel  human  in  ways  that  no  one  has  ever  done  before.

and  what’s  more,  if  she  with  even  slightly  repulsed  by  the  yellow  slitted  eyes  of the  mutant,  the  gruesome  scars  on  his  face,  or  the  stink  of  his  clothes,  then she  gave  no  sign  of  it.  she  didn’t  flinch,  nor  cower  away  when  he  leaned  down  far  enough  to  softly  press  his  rough  lips  on  her  softer  and  delicate  pair.  he  didn’t  even  take  the  time  to  consider  the  socially  wrongness  of  what  he  was  doing.  everything  else  be  damned,  this  was  what  he  wanted.

❝        sleep  well,       ❞       his  voice  was  delivered  in  a  soft  whisper  as  he  retracted  his  face  from  hers.      ❝       i’ll  make  sure  that  you  can.       ❞

[koushirouizumi]

Digimon Adventure 02 ~ A.M.V. {Anime Music Video} Title: “Kocchi wo Muite” {“Look This Way”} Sung by: Yukana Nogami Music © CLAMP / Kodansha (Originally from: Cardcaptor Sakura) Featuring Duo/Ship/O.T.P: + {Daikari} / {DaiHika} (with equal Hikari<->Daisuke P.O.V's, though leaning a bit more in Hikari->Daisuke focus) [+Bonus Ken, 02 Chosen as Support; Taichi & Hikari as Platonic/Familial/Supporting each Other]; {KenDai(+Miya)Hika can be read in; However, the main focus of this one is Daikari specifically, with KenDaiHika as side Poly!}

Summary:

“Although you show COURAGE, YOU’VE{?} got it Backwards A {maiden}[?]’s Heart is {fragile} and Trying…”

“Throughout all of the {xxxx} WE’RE Invincible”–

Digimon Adventure 02 © Toei Animation A.M.V. by Me No $$$ is being made off this Fanwork

Notes: - The 1st minute took about 45 min; 2nd part made took about just over 2hr’s; The 3rd+4th parts from interlude on took 35~ min each, Altogether, it's already taken 3~4+ hr's. - This is my 08/02 Focus work, for August 2nd anniversary of Adventures timeline! (by August 2nd, Vamdemon's invasion of Odaiba had Begun) Daisuke, who was initially captured inside the same center as Odaiba convention center Vamdemon kept Tailmon trapped in; just might have come across a Certain Person (or two) Near this and the following exact Day{s}... (Alluding to Daisuke's official Drama CD audio Track from "Digimon Adventure 02: Spring 2003"!) - This A.M.V. is overall a Standalone work. (It is not directly involved with my other work); However, it can be considered a work For the storyline that’s a precursor to Repeat-verse, which came before that story was conceived!) Therefore, it can be watched as a Standalone! - I reused a part of an older edit for the earliest Tri P.V.; (for timing placements) it had an old subtitle on, but I’ll remove that for the finished version! - (There is a moment of Hurricane Touchdown!Taichi for Timing) {As it works for my fan-‘verse, I left it in, with a bonus by end!} However, the work is overall/near-wholly 02-focused (so far)! - There is a small amount of out-of-context scenes, However, they’re meant to overall parallel the lyric{s} on-screen. - There is a single Tri spoiler from Kyousei; involving the character of "Homeostasis", that (mind)-possesses Hikari briefly in Adventure Ep. 45 previously. {"Gennai" [Tri] can also be seen for some short seconds} - Major handful of "The Beginning" sequel spoilers by ending; However, it's all actually immediately Pre-Final battle. (The Digimon in final battle can be seen Clearly, +Rui)

{I have not yet re-written the Daikari storyline involved with the past ficverse of mine in full; So please take this work as a sort of preview to it!} The ending lines and following sequences especially hint/allude a little more to my ficverse's potential turnouts; but it can be viewed/read as semi or even fully canon compliant too!

(Further lyric{s} under ‘read more’!)

“Turn this way, don't look anywhere else, darling It'd be bad if you weren't completely by MY side… Although you show courage, you've got it backwards A maiden's heart is fragile and trying—”

If we get separated by any distance I’ll come after you

(J.P.N): {Verse #1} Kocchi wo muite yo So mi shinaide Daarin Chanto watashi no soba ni inakucha dame da yo Tsuyogari datte uragaeshi Otome-gokoro kyun to setsunai…

Donna ni tookute hanarete 'te mo  Oikakete 'ku wa— I'm like a jasmine flower, right? You want to turn towards my strong fragrance I love you more than anyone So look at only me, okay?

{Verse #2} If it’s for "love", you’ll get stronger, darling So it’s true, I’ll "always" be your ""cute kid""-- Although there are some bad feelings in life No one will ever give up on a m a i d e n’s heart--(?)

Throughout all of the pain We’re invincible

I’m clumsy around you Protect only ME A magical love ONLY for US We should KEEP THAT our S E {C R E T}— Jasumin no hana no you ni ne Tsuyoku kaotte furimukasetai Dare yori mo anata ga suki Watashi dake mitsumete ite ne?

Koi no tame nara tsuyoku nareru no Daarin Honto wa zutto kawaii ko de itai kedo Yakimochi datte maji da kara Otome-gokoro dare ni mo makenai

Donna ni tsurai koto ga atte mo Futari wa muteki--

Bukiyou na anata no koto Mamoreru no wa watashi dake da yo Koi no mahou futari ni dake Wakariaeru HI{MITSU na n’ da yo}–

I'm like a "jasmine flower", right? You want to turn towards my strong fragrance I love you more than anyone So look at only me, okay?

Jasumin no hana no you ni ne Tsuyoku kaotte furimukasetai Dare yori mo anata ga suki Watashi dake mitsumete ite ne?

NOTE: The speaker may be speaking as if theyre NOT BEING CONSISTENT with their {FEELINGs}.

(Implied/Spoken): {My fic-verse Only}

"...I'm sorry." {"For before"}

"{None of it was} 'Your fault'." -Hikari to Daisuke

{"...It wasn't 'YOURS', EITHER--"}

[Note: Please regard banners BEFORE INTERACTING] (Failure to acknowledge may likely result in Block)

[humanitysong]

Wolfwood is nothing if not a strategist, even if this doesn't begin to resemble combat. Contending with someone taller in the leg is simple when you can lift and toss greater mass with just a few fingers, after all.

He approaches without pretense, without warning, without much more than a crack of a crooked grin and a snap of palms for Vash's knees. All the better to heft lean thighs about his waist, take a few short steps to the wall, pin, crane, and lock lips.

"...Hi."

Smooth.

"wolfwood---!" there is a little noise of surprise when he finds himself suddenly hoisted up with no troubles from the priest. he knows of course that wolfwood can lift him, always did, considering the ease with which nick carried that cross and yet it dusts his cheeks in that sweet red when it happens.

good thing any embarrassment is forgotten the moment their lips touch. vash cannot help the little relieved sound escaping him - a gasp that dangerously tethers on the line to a sweet little whine.

more. he wanted more kisses. but vash wants to at least try to not appear overly needy and greedy.

"nick" he replies in a soft voice, one hand traveling from wolfwood's shoulder to his nape to gently grip at his dark hair. "...you need something?"

also smooth.

unprompted asks ( always accepting ) // @full-of-mercy .

[izzyizumi]

Meanwhile with Digimon Adventures' KouTai{/shiro} [Koushiro x Taichi]

Some Person, @ Koushiro Izumi: You think YOU know everything there is to know about DIGIMON??? Name *ALL* THE DIGIMON Koushiro: Koushiro: ... Koushiro, LEAVING: CHOSEN: ..... Hikari: Koushiro left... Iori: Koushiro left. (I kind of want to, too.) Daisuke: Koushiro LEFT???? Ken: Koushiro left. (Affirming) TAICHI: ... Taichi ... LEAVING: CHOSEN:

[varnaedhar]

@littleblackqrow: * it’s not my fault, it’s 4am and you’re fucking yelling at me!

"Because it's four the in fucking morning and you woke me up!" She had a difficult enough time sleeping at Beacon ( everything was too loud and too bright, even in the dead of night ) that being awoken by her brother before the sun even rose was enough to set her off. "Over stupid bullshit, like always!"

random (chaotic) dialogue starters

[shadowxforce]

@niveusveritas

A gentle rustling sound echoes through the woods as his boots sink into the soft grass expanding as far as the eye can see. Countless branches loom above his head, decorated with thick leaves and delicate flowers, cutting into the glare reflected by the sun that hangs overhead. He can hear a handful of Pokemon scurrying about on the ground, and dancing through the trees, but the hefty pack upon his back makes it difficult for him to pay them much mind. After all, Pokemon are tamer creatures now than they had been centuries ago, and rarely needs to worry about them. Then again, his rather curious partner does enjoy pestering the local wildlife. As well-intentioned as she might be, he suspects the Pokemon here aren't too eager to play with her. "I don't think they're interested in a bit of playful banter, my friend," he calls out to his Togekiss when he spots her trying to poke a terrified caterpie. With a disappointed coo, she bows her head to the trembling Pokemon, and returns to his side.

Lifting his hand to his hat, he looks upwards. "Well, it should be around here somewhere. It's been a while since we've made a delivery, hasn't it? How exciting, I wonder what the recipient is like. Maybe, if we're lucky, we can convince him to buy a few extra potions." He wags his finger in front of Togekiss's snout as he begins plotting, earning a huff from his loyal Pokemon in response as she shoves his hand back with her wing. "I--" The clatter of leaves and the sound of a distressed Pokemon ends their would-be argument as both he and Togekiss turn towards the source. "Oh, I think we've found our customer." Before Togekiss can stop him, Volo's already made his way over.

"Hello, my friend, you look like you're in need of potions, and quite possibly another hand. Volo here to drop off that medicine you ordered." Perhaps he can weasel a tip out of him while he's at it if he offers him aid--he does look like he has his hands full with the amount of injured Pokemon he's looking after. Ah, how curious, he wonders if it's related to the strange incidents that have been occurring lately--he surely hopes so.

[piinetrees]

@prophecylinked​ said:  When Dipper goes to his room, safe and high in the attic, Amanda is inexplicably there and laying on his bed as she messed with her phone, waiting.  TRY TO SCARE DIPPER!

         He had been out all night on a hunt — there were sighting reports all over town of strange lights and funny smells, and you bet Dipper was the first on the case. Since Mabel wasn’t in town yet, he was only him, all night, and without the help of her infamous Mabel Juice, Dipper had quite a bit of trouble keeping awake all through the night.

That’s why he’s so excited to go to bed when he finally gets back to the Shack, that’s why his eyes are bleary and unfocused and downturned when he opens the door to his and soon-to-also-be Mabel’s shared attic room. That’s also why he doesn’t notice the figure on his bed for an embarrassingly long amount of time — long enough for him to drop his equipment bag and hang his jacket haphazardly on the corner of the closet door.

But he turns, he sees her, and he shrieks — it’s high pitched and filled with voice breaks; just like old times.

         “ Mandy! ”     Dipper scolds, hands on his knees as he tries to catch his breath, his heart threatening to beat out of his chest,     “ Can you be normal for, like, three minutes? D-did you break in through the window?! ”

[orangetintedglasses]

Wolfwood breaches the threshold of the room like a billowing storm; his blazer is draped over his shoulder, leaving him in just the white dress shirt with the top three buttons undone. Immediately upon looking at him, it's evident that he had just gotten out of a fight. His shirt is bloody and dusty, and his face sports a fresh bruise, like he was shoved into the dirt.

He sits down on a comfy armchair with a loud, frustrated sigh.

"You wouldn't believe the types of people I had to deal with today," he grumbles, having apparently finished doing some sort of work. His head is tilted up—he hasn't yet looked at Vash's new... getup. Until...

"Some idiots really wanna test if I'll actually knock 'em senseless, even if I say I'm a man of God or whatever," Wolfwood rolls his eyes, then brings his attention to his dolled up boyfriend, "Newsflash assholes—!"

The undertaker immediately stops short, letting his eyes wander from cute black shoes to ruffled fringes and the cute little bow around his neck. And he's wearing his hair down? Oh. Oh no.

"Uh," he blinks, his eyes wide with brimming curiosity, "What... what's um... uh... did you... do... do you...?"

Wolfwood shakes his head and slaps his own cheeks, trying to snap out of it. He winces, having just slapped his bruised face.

"(Ow—) Did you pick up a... maid job? They let you just... keep the uniform? Y-you look... nice... um... I should probably get cleaned up before I get too comfortable," he scoffs, attempting to blow all of this over as a joke, "Unless that's your job now, as a... maid... and all that."

...It's an attempt at a joke. He has no idea what his boyfriend has gotten himself into, but he's definitely interested. Vash would be able to tell by the way his fingers dig into his thigh with a tense grip.

"I'm, uh, joking. By the way. May I request a kiss before I take care of all this on my lonesome?

@forgivenpunishment (mothwood, god help him)

M!A: 24 Hour Service

The undertaker coming in battered and bruised like that makes it pretty easy for the Plant to forget his current predicament, barely having enough time to balk at the sight of him before he's plopped himself down and getting into a bit of a tangent. Vash doesn't even notice the click of his heels as he takes a step closer, surveying the damage to Wolfwood's face and clothes...

He's unsure if the blood is Wolfwood's or not, but judging by the rest of him, it probably isn't-- the blond imagines the other person (people? please don't tell him it was actually a group) must look like mince meat compared to him. Who did this? Was it a planned attack or something spontaneous? Wolfwood doesn't seem that concerned, just pissed, so it's more likely the latter... still...

...

... his face is drawn and serious, concerned, as the other looks up and notices. And for a split second Vash actually wonders why he's got a funny look on his face all of a sudden... until he remembers that there's a very good reason for a look like that. A rosy red flush quickly makes it way to his cheeks and the tips of his ears, and dusts just a hint of color over the bridge of his nose for good measure.

"H-hey, easy now...!" Vash visibly winces when Wolfwood slaps his own face right over the fresh bruise. Jeez... super healing or not, that sure looks like it stings... there's gotta be something he can grab for him, right? He might still have an ice pack in the scraps of his med kit, and he's just about to turn on his heel to go looking through his things when--

"... of course."

--the string of words catches him off guard, and he stops. Vash stops and turns right back around to face the other, the request taking priority. It's such a simple request, too; all he has to do is be mindful of the bruise as he leans down and cups the other side of Wolfwood's face, catching his upper lip in a kiss. Sweet, chaste, even as his hand slips further down, to the side of his neck--

Then reality kicks right back in. That, um... th-that must be the other stipulation to the get-up, the... the obeying commands part--

"You... sh-should let me help." he says quickly, pulling back a bit and acting like that didn't just happen. Right, he was-- ice pack, he was going to look for an ice pack and he will swiftly get back to that-- "you'd do the same for me, yeah? Costume or not. S-so just, um-- sit tight, just for a second--"

[koushirouizumi]

{D I G I M O N} 02 ~ @.M.V. x “Kocchi wo Muite” {“Look This Way”} M U S I C © C.L.A.M.P / K O D A N S H A (Originally from: C a r d c a p t o r S a k u r a) + DAIHIKA

Summary:

“Although you show C O U R A G E, YOU’VE{?} got it B A C K W A R D S A {m a i d e n}’s H E A R T is {f r a g i l e} and T R Y I N G…”

“Throughout all of the {xxxx} WE’RE I N V I N C I B L E”–

D i g i m o n 02 © T O E I @.M.V. by Me No $$$ is being made off this Fan-work

Notes: - The 1st minute took about 45 min; 2nd part took about just over 2hr’s; This 3rd part took about 35~ min, Altogether, it's already taken 3+ hr's. - Aiming for an 08-02 finish, but let’s see what happens…!! - This @.M.V. is overall a Stand-alone work. (It is not directly involved with my other work); However, it can be considered a work For the storyline that’s a precursor to Repeat-verse, which came before that story was conceived!) Therefore, it can be watched as a Stand-alone! - I reused a part of an older edit for the Tri P.V.; (for timing placements) it had an old subtitle on, but I’ll remove that for the finished version! (There is also a moment of R.O.D!Taichi for Timing) {If it works for full out-line, I might keep it in, as it works for my fan-‘verse} However, the work is overall/near-wholly 02-focused (so far)! - There is a small amount of out-of-context scenes, However, they’re all meant to overall parallel the lyric on-screen.

{I have not yet re-written the DaixHika storyline involved with the past fic-verse of mine; So please take this work as a sort of preview to it!}

(Further lyric{s} under ‘read more’!)

“Turn this way, don't look anywhere else, darling It'd be bad if you weren't completely by MY side… Although you show courage, you've got it backwards A maiden's heart is fragile and trying—”

If we get separated by any distance I’ll come after you

(J.P.N): {Verse #1} Kocchi wo muite yo So mi shinaide Daarin Chanto watashi no soba ni inakucha dame da yo Tsuyogari datte uragaeshi Otome-gokoro kyun to setsunai…

Donna ni tookute hanarete 'te mo  Oikakete 'ku wa— I'm like a jasmine flower, right? You want to turn towards my strong fragrance I love you more than anyone So look at only me, okay?

{Verse #2} If it’s for love, you’ll get stronger, darling So it’s true, I’ll always be your cute kid Although there are some bad feelings in life No one will ever give up on a maiden’s heart

Throughout all of the pain We’re invincible

I’m clumsy around you Protect only ME A magical love ONLY for US We should KEEP THAT our S E {C R E T}— Jasumin no hana no you ni ne Tsuyoku kaotte furimukasetai Dare yori mo anata ga suki Watashi dake mitsumete ite ne?

Koi no tame nara tsuyoku nareru no Daarin Honto wa zutto kawaii ko de itai kedo Yakimochi datte maji da kara Otome-gokoro dare ni mo makenai

Donna ni tsurai koto ga atte mo Futari wa muteki

Bukiyou na anata no koto Mamoreru no wa watashi dake da yo Koi no mahou futari ni dake Wakariaeru HI{MITSU na n’ da yo}–

NOTE: The speaker may be speaking as if theyre NOT BEING CONSISTENT with their {FEELINGs}.

(Please agree to Rules BEFORE INTERACTING) {Failure to acknowledge these banners WILL RESULT IN AUTO-BLOCK}

[carbondated]

tag dump ( cringe )

[holydramon]

i was stuck on what to do with ryo in the yaoyd-verse and while I still need to like. find and read translations of the wonderswan games and probably rewatch the tamers episodes with him I currently am thinking of making him another Chosen that was “blessed by the Homeostasis”. Which is what I am calling whatever is up with Hikari and Maki.

[wiredsmi1e]

tags , part three .

[orangetintedglasses]

He had noticed that; seemed like Wolfwood hadn't wanted to take advantage of a 'bad' situation, even when he'd been given permission, and it would have been fairly easy to feel like a creep with that kind of power over someone. His undertaker really did have a very good heart (despite other's attempts to harden it for their own purposes), beating just underneath layers and layers of invisible scars.

"You're a good man, Wolfwood... a good man who really did a number on these tights~." he teased warmly, tilting his head with a smile, "stuff like this is cheap, you know. Could always pick some up... we'll probably have to get you a new shirt, anyway..."

... mm, he wanted to kiss him more, but the man really was soaked...! So now he'd use the apron to mop the mess from Wolfwood's face, grabbing up some of the front of it with both hands and bringing it up, getting both cheeks at once. Normally there would've been... well, embarrassment from the fact that the flood had come from him. Right now, Vash only felt distant awareness of that fact. It'd already happened, so there was no need to be concerned.

Guess those commands were sticking, still.

"I'm not tired yet, though, and I want to help you feel good, too. Let me? Please, Nick...?"

Wolfwood strokes Vash's hair, running his fingers from scalp to nape as Vash takes what he wants from him. He can't help the chuckle that accompanies a little scrunch of his face when his partner licks him—it goes straight to his dick, of course, but he has to admit it's a little weird. Then again, Vash is more than a little weird.

Despite the sheer volume of slick he'd already consumed, he's not tired of the way it tastes—especially when it's from Vash's tongue and lips. Wolfwood releases a strained sigh at the feel of the gentle hand caressing his ribs and passing over his old, branded sigil of ownership as though he's blessing away the evil of it. If only it were so easy to exorcise the demons of his past, he would let Vash do it.

"Mmm, you don't have to," Wolfwood's mouth betrays his obvious arousal, even though he's perfectly content to only tend to Vash. He strains against the seam of his dress pants, completely filled out. "I can handle it on my own if you're tired, starshine. Just figured I'd use my power for good instead of makin' you do that kinda stuff for me. Didn't seem right."

[climb-inej]

@esotericdescent : "It's better with you here." nina to inej

🗡 Though her hat still lay so close within her reach and though her wounds of victory had bled through her sleeves, Inej still felt more like an ordinary girl than a pirate captain in a company as blissfully true as this.

Nina had waited for her at the harbour, arms held open, the warmest and most heartbreaking of faraway greetings. There had been shouts of excitement, the sound of both their names as they had been cried out into the wind, and then Inej had run; to her.

There had been laughter, followed by the clumsy collision of their bodies. There had been a tender silence, followed by an embrace of five full minutes; An embrace that had been unable to compensate for the three long months that The Wraith had spent sailing across foreign tides. The revelation of it had made Inej tear up against the tickle of Nina's brown curls, her cheek still resting against the heartrender's shoulder, her lips moving in quiet, grateful prayer.

Despite the fact that the Slat was still whirling with the chaos and excitement that always came after victory, the music was now somewhat fainter. The Dregs were too drunk or too focused on typical card games to take further part in off-key singing and even more terrible dancing.

Nina had taken notice of Inej's bruises and, naturally, she had dragged her all the way to a couch at the very back of the room so she could work on relieving her of some discomfort.

Saints bless your own loving heart, Inej thought when she sensed the way the grisha's gentle grasp eased into her pulse, still wild with the adrenaline of sea travel, and carefully soothed her into calmness, easing her headache and stiffness of mind away.

It was as they both watched the other Dregs snore and drink and laugh over card tricks that Nina said it; It's better with you here.

"Moya milaya," Inej muttered gratefully in Ravkan, reaching for Nina's hand.

She had never regretted her choice to leave part of her life in Ketterdam behind and to keep leaving it for the sake of one holy purpose, but in moments like this, the burdens of her new life became all the more evident.

Nina had a purpose of her own too, one that required tremendous strength, and her country was lucky to have a soldier as fierce as her.

They both had separate paths to walk upon, different lives to lead, and though the thought filled Inej with great pride, leaving a friend behind, let alone Nina of all people, would never get any easier.

Nina, who still smelled like roses and cinnamon. Nina, who chose to speak in Suli as happily as Inej chose to speak in Ravkan, if only because of the familiarity and appreciation that was shared in the back and forth switching between their two respective languages; Finding a home in words that no Kerch man in this Saints-forsaken city could defile, because it was theirs and theirs alone.

Inej picked up her hat, the one she wore as captain, and gently placed it on Nina's head before leaning close to press their foreheads together.

"I haven't bathed in over a week and it will be a great inconvenience to care for all my injuries. So if you think this is better, I might have to draw a knife on somebody because, Saints, they must have done something truly horrible to you."

[meiblossoms]

tag dump part two