#well I'll see how motivated I am tomorrow morning I guess.

[morrigan-sims]

My 2am brain got the idea to attempt to make a mesh edit and create Rook's rapier, which is FAR beyond my current skill level for meshing (which is zero), but I'm getting desperate here. We shall see if my awake at normal hours brain tomorrow is determined enough to attempt to follow through on it. I know it's not gonna work the way I want it to, but if nothing else maybe I can learn something from the failure???

[luimagines]

HI PINKY ! 🎻 Anon here ✧⁠◝⁠(⁠⁰⁠▿⁠⁰⁠)⁠◜⁠✧

My finals went overall quite well! (Except for one final but my overall grade was still fine so we're all good) I did end up having my ceiling of my room collapse though! (⁠ノ⁠｀⁠Д⁠´⁠)⁠ノ⁠彡⁠┻⁠━⁠┻ Gotta love landlords that refuse to do proper house maintenance on century old homes. So right before finals had my ceilings collapse, then had finals while stuck sleeping in the living room (to be fair the couch was comfy but the whole setup is less than ideal), and then literally the evening after my last final flew out to literal other side of the planet for college visits. So needless to say I've been rather tired recently! It's been fun though and I also got to see some family that I rarely see again so that was nice. BUT! I finally have the mental bandwidth to send in an ask again. So enough with the dramatic rambling about my life I have more ideas about the human hero reader I thought of!

So! I learned just the other day that an army captain is actually kinda low rank. (At least in the US military, can't speak to other systems) And you usually get there within like 4 years of your career as an officer. And if Wars is around 24-26ish (at least that's how old I usually imagine him since he's one of the older members of the group but not like OLD) and he would have started his time in the military as like a 17-18 year old, buddy boy would actually be behind on his career. (Stick with me this will all come together I swear!)

So I imagine human hero reader (I'm calling them hh!reader for my sanity to specify from here on out for my sanity) ended up getting pulled into the military after saving Hyrule. They really don't like being there, but the royal family of that time doesn't really give reader a choice. I'd imagine them most likely being a very low rank enlisted soldier. (If you require explanations for anything just let me know. I am more than happy to explain and understand most people haven't been raised around this stuff) But because reader didn't want to join the military in the first place and Warriors is one of the MOST wary member of the chain they would probably butt heads quite a bit. I imagine reader with an attitude of while they're usually a very nice person to be around they can hold a strong grudge and aren't afraid to tell someone if they're being an idiot. Not something that goes over well in the military. So reader probably targets at least some of that frustration to the resident military man. And something that would be rather easy to go for is that fact that he still hasn't been promoted. This would probably devolve into him telling them that they suck as a soldier until reader snaps and said they never had any choice in the matter and they storm off. Probably one of the their merry little band would go after reader. I think Sky might be best since he's a knight himself so he'd have a better idea what they were going through. Wind would also be an interesting option especially if it's after the whole "We're the same since we both made the active decision to save Hyrule!" moment. Both are good chances at bonding. Oh yeah I guess it's relevant that I see reader at an older teen age, like 16-17. Yay sibling dynamics (I say this like my only younger sibling doesn't drive me up a wall). I'll prolly add more later but I am tired. And I have a relatively early morning tomorrow.

Hope this was coherent but I actually had motivation for once so I went for it. If any clarification is needed just ask. Make sure to drink water and eat a snack! Self care is important to help prevent burnout. Have a lovely week. Good day/evening) ┌⁠|⁠o⁠^⁠▽⁠^⁠o⁠|⁠┘⁠♪ See you maybe once I've slept and ate. Bye!!

Oh, I thought you going to go the path of Reader outranking Warrior and him not being able to do anything about it. ^.^*

It reminded me of that one post for Marvel where Tony got excited because Rhodey, being Colonel, outranked Steve and could tell him what to do.

I'd imagine if Warrior pulled out the whole "you suck as a soldier" Wild would have to push back a bit because if they suck, what does that make him? He died! Hello? At least Reader had something going for them. They still won in the end with minimal loses on their side.

Wild lost everyone.

So what does Warrior actually think of him then?

[shyminmin]

༄𝐁𝐓𝐒 𝐗 𝐟.𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 | Fantasy, Mermaid AU | ༄𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 : 4.4k + ༄𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 : Dark/Traumatic situations, injuries, gore

It was later that day that things started to escalate and take an arduous turn.

I had woken up from a spontaneous afternoon nap to find that my throat had become ridiculously dry to the point where it was unbearable, like a sharp blade was cutting along its insides. In combination with this, the rest of my body felt like a total dead weight, my limbs being utterly devoid of energy. With this I had absolutely zero motivation to move one lousy inch off my bed, even if it wasn't the comfiest.

Still I was desperate so I had quickly – or should I say, as fast as my body could handle – ducked into my tiny bathroom that was attached to one side of the room, and turned on the tap at the sink. I cupped my hands to gather the flowing water and brought it to my mouth where I eagerly drank it up. I did this a couple of times before my thirst was satisfied and turned the water off only to look up and stare at my reflection in the mirror above.

Dark circles hung below my eyes and stood out against my skin that had noticeably lost some of its colour. Drops of sweat fell from points on my forehead as I went to wipe them away. The surface of my hands felt rough when I did this, I looked down to see that the skin was severely dried out and cracked in places. Shocked, I scanned the rest of my exposed skin to see that most areas were of similar condition, however not as bad as my hands.

"What the hell?"

I instantly coughed as my words came out short and raspy, like sawdust was scratching directly along my voice box.

Too bad I didn't have any moisturiser so I was left to bear with this horrible situation. Is the rest of my body gonna turn out like my feet, because if so I don't think I'll ever leave the confines of my apartment again.

Maybe they have a convenience store somewhere? They're bound to have skin products or sunscreen at least. Just anything to help with the state of my skin.

So with that in mind, I was off in search of a place that may or may not even be here. My breaths were short and laboured as fatigue dominated my form, body trying its best to stay upright as I stumbled rather than walked. Am I dying? God I feel horrible.

I groaned thinking about how I hadn't even begun packing my luggage, since I needed to leave after tomorrow in the early hours of the morning. My constant thoughts about what I am and my place in the world have caused me to hesitate in that task. It was like some invisible force was imploring me to stay here. Here where the constant smell of salt and waves continuously greeted me amongst the steady ocean breeze.

Ms Jee's gaze lingered on me as I stepped out and into the outside world, my mind sworn to have seen a slither of sympathy and concern appear on her caked up face. Guess I had earned some respect from her after all.

The rays of the early twilight sun felt like fire on my dry, shriveled skin as I scoured the deserted town, looking for the desired place that may or may not provide my skin with moisture. Would one even be open at this time? It's getting late.. Oh well you're out here now, might as well see things through.

I had trudged my way down the street for a good few minutes having no luck with my search before I was left halting in my tracks. I clutched my head as a sudden flash of ocean waves invaded my vision. They crashed along a bunch of neighbouring rocks, the salty water dispersing from the impact like mini fireworks. "Home..." the voice of my 'brother' sounded in my head, making me jump.

I blinked and just like that, the image of the moving waters disappeared, the sight of the town I was in appearing once again. Breath hitched, I glanced around cautiously, like I would find something; however only the old buildings of the seaside town met my gaze.

Was that the pull my 'brother' was talking about? The water's guidance?

Arms and legs starting to shake, I managed to take about three more tired steps along the gravelly road before my legs completely gave way. My hands instinctively flew out to break my fall as they collided with the road's uneven surface. I felt the skin on my palms scrape off as harsh stinging took their place.

"Ahh!" Gritting my teeth, I stiffened at the sharp spurt of pain, my body now kneeling along the ground as I managed to avoid hitting my head at least.

Hesitating to see the damage, I reluctantly turned my hands over so that the palms were facing upwards.

Please let there not be too much blood.

Lungs shrinking in my chest as my heart literally stopped beating, eyes no doubt ginormous at what I was seeing right now.

This can't be right. I must be hallucinating. No, I think I have full blown schizophrenia!

Why on earth?

Why in the name of science and everything logical...

Was my blood.

Purple?

Not just any purple, but more like a deep shade of rich violet. It glimmered in the faint sunlight as I just stared at it in denial, blinking my eyes several times in hope that if I opened them again that there would be the normal red seeping out of those deep gashes, however it remained indifferent.

I wasn't even focused anymore on the pain from the fall, as this unexpected sight hogged all of my attention.

Another flash caught me off guard and blinded me, making my head ache. An image of a shoreline appeared, the waters looking calm and inviting as they lulled me towards them with their constant forward and backward motions. "Let the waters guide you... Don't resist." He uttered.

I think...I think I need to get to the beach....

To the water..

A painful coughing fit brought me out of this second vision, my throat burning from the abrupt dryness again. My injured hands cupped my mouth to contain this violent onslaught as I felt a bunch of phlegm get hacked up. Urgh yuck. Except when I looked down upon them again, it never ended up being phlegm to begin with. Instead, I was once again startled by the sight of more of the same violet goop.

I was coughing up blood.

Nerves ruptured through me as I tried to take slow steady breaths.

I really need to get to the water...

"Don't resist these signs...doing so will only lead to your downfall..." I remembered the statement my sibling made.

Signs...

The constant thirst for water...

My dry, cracked skin...

Seafood suddenly being the most appetising thing...

These more vivid dreams and visions about the ocean..

And now abnormal blood..

"Trust the waters.."

It finally dawned on me.

My body is suffering because I'm on land. If I don't get into the water....

I'm going to die!

I was starting to wholeheartedly believe my previous assumptions, everything I've been exposed to outweighing all logic.

I'm no human.

I don't belong on land.

The sea is my home...

I tried to get up but my limbs refused to work, they were completely and hopelessly dead. Both sides of my neck throbbed and hurt like the skin was literally splitting open, my feet soon feeling the same way. With no other choice, I tried to desperately crawl my way in the direction of the sea.

"Come home! Let the waters change you."

"Brother...." I croaked in reply to his voice in my head.

Failing to move, my face lay against the rough, hot ground as my sight ever so slightly dimmed, a defeated tear escaping out of one of my eyes.

Was this it? I don't think I'm going to make it.

Gasping for air, I realised that I wouldn't see the outcome of my revelations, that I wouldn't get to see what my true home looked like or how life was like under the waters. And the main thing that hit home was that if I really did have a sibling, then I was never going to get the chance to meet him.

Brother...I'm sorry..

I've failed you..

Shutting my eyes, I remained immobile, letting my body shut down and succumb to the inevitable. You really don't get what you want out of life.

"Y/n!?"

I jolted at the familiar voice that suddenly erupted through the street, hearing heavy footsteps approaching me. Wrinkled, calloused hands gently clutched the sides of my face, lifting my head to meet the panicked eyes of...Myungsoo? "Heavens! Stay with me lass."

He eyed my form, taking in my crumpled state and injured hands. His face contorted at the sight and an expression of silent knowing made itself present instead.

"Myung...Myungsoo what-" I choked out another cough as more of my strange coloured blood came out and splattered onto the ground. A further look of confirmation took its place amongst his features as he viewed the unique liquid. Where he was understandably shocked at my near death state, he however didn't seem at all weirded out at my clear inhuman anomalies. Did he... know something?

"Myung..soo-"

"Shh, don't try ta talk." Rummaging through his pockets he pulled out a worn handkerchief and wiped away the remnants of blood from my mouth. "Cough into that if ya need." With that he lifted me up, making me surprised at the unexpected strength he possessed at his age. I guess that's a result of hauling around fish and equipment all day.

"Ye gonna be fine, I'm bringin' ye ta Yoongi."

My hazy mind frowned at the foreign name.

Yoongi?

He must've seen the look of confusion plastered on my face at his words, so with nothing else to lose he took a short breath in to elaborate.

"I was goin' ta talk to ya when ye were away from pryin' ears, disclose tha truth if ye will about ye n' your past. However, I guess my time has been cut short," he rambled as he slowly made his way towards the direction of the beach. "Yeona knew about 'em aswell, us bein' cousins n' all, we grew up together knowin'. No doubt that knowledge made adoptin' ye easier, not that she would've refused ta begin with."

"The dwellers of tha sea, merfolk they are. Since tha time of me granddaddy, the Min family have sworn this knowledge ta secrecy."

Feeling my eyebrows lifting and mouth opening, I couldn't help but let out a bewildered gasp.

"Wha- How....do...how do you know..?" I struggled to speak. Just when I had pieced things together myself, someone finally came out and told me straight, confirming that the very creature I suspected myself to be in fact exists. This definitely was far from a coincidence.

"Am I a..." I couldn't get the words out, but something in me wanted the man to say what I was thinking out loud.

"Ai child, ye be one of 'em... A mermaid."

Mouth set in a straight, taut line, all I could do was blink while trying my hardest to stay conscious.

A hunk of metal supported by worn tires came into view as Myungsoo brought us over to a vehicle parked in a vacant lot beside the beach. Somehow managing to get the passenger's door open with me still in his arms, he gently placed me down into the seat before clicking the accompanying seatbelt in place.

"Need....water..." I rasped out as he rounded over to the driver's side. "Right... m' sorry lass...ye must be parched." He reached back and grasped an old jug container handing it to me, but before I could take a much needed sip, he had grabbed it once more and poured a good heap of salt into it.

"What the h-"

"You'll find this is more satisfyin'," he answered for me, passing me the jug. "Drink up, this'll keep ya thirst down a lil' longer and gain some strength. Mer need their salt."

Still adjusting to him calling me an entirely different species, I briefly froze at the revelation.

Damn.. That's going to take some getting used to.

Taking a big swig of the seasoned water, I was expecting it to be almost undrinkable with the unhealthy amount of added sodium, however I found myself instead relishing in the sensation, gulping down every last savory drop. The salt water had surprisingly given me a minor energy boost.

Myungsoo turned the key in the ignition, the old motor rumbling to life, shaking the insides of the car. We pulled out onto the gravely road and took off along the coastline. All the while, I tried to get comfortable in my seat as a dozen questions floated around in my head waiting for some explanations.

"Why?.. Why didn't you say anything about this before... a-about mermaids and all?"

He gave me a meek smile, "Like I said, only me family knows of their existence. Even tha lads Dongha n' Sungwon don't know n' I tell 'em just about everythin'. Ye were always with 'em or company when I was with ya so talkin' was useless. Me granddaddy swore not ta tell any outsiders under tha request of a merman himself."

I listened to every word his heavily accented voice let out, shaking my head occasionally to dispel some lingering dizziness.

"Yoongi was tha Mer's name. He's visited us Mins for generations. He comes up n' gives us rare pearls on occasion as a form of thanks for savin' his life way back. Granddaddy Min found him one day on shore injured where he patched him up. A trust n' friendship was formed."

Astonished at the story and his grandfather's Good Samaritan act, I asked, "Wasn't your grandfather shocked at least...Coming across s-something that's meant to be make-believe?"

He chuckled, "Ai, me word! Thought he had one too many bottles o' soju n' nearly pissed his pants. Fell right on his haunches he did. Yoongi I heard was pretty amused by that." I weakly smiled at his recount.

"How...Why am I here on land? If I'm a...er...m-mermaid.. w-why do I have legs?"

The fisherman let out a contemplative hum as he briefly went to scratch the stubble on his chin. "Tha night the Yangs found ye, Yeona spoke of seein' a merman draggin' himself on ta shore, one of their young in his grasp."

Their young.. That must've been me.

"He didn't stay very long as it looked like he was bein' pursued. He was dragged back into tha sea by two other merfolk."

"He left tha baby, you, whether it be by choice or not, me n' Yeona weren't sure. How ye were able to turn human is also a mystery. Even when ye used ta go swimmin' when ya were a lil' older, ye still didn't change back."

I licked my lips to moisten them as I opted to tell him of my strange occurrences. Since fairytale creatures seem to miraculously exist, then I would assume recurring dreams and visions aren't as far fetched.

"I-I think that merman...he may have b-been my brother...I've been having dreams ever since...about the day Chinhae and my mother found me...T-there was always this man in them..."

"Do....do you think he survived? W-would my brother still be out there...?" He seemed so adamant about our reunion in my dreams, that he was waiting for me to come home to him.

Min Myungsoo let out a sigh as his hands tensed at the steering wheel. "I'd love ta say yes lass but...from what me cousin said ta me back then...it seemed he wasn't doin' too well...the other mer got him pretty good. A great big blotch o' purple was floatin' in tha waters afterwards."

Purple....I felt my chest weighing down on me. His blood...

I looked down at my hands where my cuts were now caked over with dry violet splotches, some sections turning black. My mouth trembled at the slim prospect of meeting my brother; my family.

"Don't fret lass, I'll always be here if ye need me. I'm sure Yoongi'll clear things up n' help ye out, bring ya up ta speed with tha ways of tha Mer."

"Urgh!" I cried out as pain erupted through my legs and my neck burned. Some of the skin peeled off when I went to rub at the soreness making me recoil, not wanting to cause more unintended damage to myself.

"We're almost there, try ta hang on a lil' longer," he encouraged, seeing me slowly deteriorating once again. "Yoongi always meets me at the place we're headin' to, it'll be safe for ye ta go without bein' seen."

Go. As in...go in the water?

Yet another important question arose.

"Um...What will happen to me, w-when I go in the water..?"

I already had a somewhat vague idea, however again, there was something about hearing it from someone who was clearly more knowledgeable about this topic that provided me with a form of closure.

"Well since ye be havin' symptoms...I would say you'd change back. Back to ya true form, with a tail..scales n' all."

I thought as much.

I didn't care about the repercussions at this point in time and how they would affect my life I have built up so far, all I wanted right now was to feel like I wasn't at risk of hacking up a lung or two. Said thought caused me to cough into the handkerchief making the fabric stain an ominous purple. Great..

I wonder what this Yoongi person is like? Would he be kind and welcoming like Myungsoo? I would assume so since he is friends with him and such. Would he be willing to help me with whatever I had to do in terms of being a mermaid? Amidst my withering state, uncontrollable insecurities made themselves known.

Are merpeople dangerous? I've heard stories about them known for drowning innocent victims...was that true? Would I have to do that for some weird initiation? Oh lord, would we have to eat them!? Hell to the no am I gonna become some kind of cannibal! Or does it still count as cannibalism if I'm not human. Do they even look like humans or more like fish? Would they even speak the same language? Would moving with a tail be hard? Will I still be able to go on land?

"Alrighty, we're here. Can ya walk?"

My worrying cut off, I looked up to see we had stopped in front of a section of beach surrounded by towering cliffs and eroded rock formations. All of these land features effectively concealed the shores from all sides making it the perfect place for privacy.

Cautious about what was to come next, I sat for a moment, eyes darting around and hands slightly trembling. "Ack!"

"Lass?"

For the third time now, my vision dissolved and reshaped itself, conjuring up a scene where the ocean was at the forefront and the main focus. I was wading in waist deep waters, every now and then skimming my fingers through them causing tiny ripples to disperse from where I touched. The feeling was nothing short of euphoric, body thriving in the enveloping salty expanse, like this was where I belonged. "That's right, this is home," the velvety voice of my brother rang out.

"You're almost there...the waters need you."

Startled, I felt the car door get harshly yanked open, a faint breeze hitting me in the face and knocking me out of my vision.

Blue.

Two cerulean orbs revealed themselves, staring me straight on as I blinked repeatedly coming to grips with the sudden view change.

"Aish! Yoongi no need ta scare tha poor lass. Give her some room," Myungsoo piped up, stepping into view alongside the newcomer.

"Y-you're Yoongi!?" I let out backing up in my seat away from the pale skinned, foot obsessed creep that I escaped from on the beach.

Same blank face as always from the small amount of time knowing him, he clicked his tongue in mock disappointment as he leant up against the doorframe. "Nice to see you too, don't get all excited on me now," he rasped sarcastically, rolling his eyes annoyed. "I'm still trying to get that damn sand you threw out of my eyes," he all but glared. "I might just return the favour."

Gulping at his animosity, I inched backwards again until I was now sitting in the driver's seat. Feeling for the door handle, I looked on warily, worried for what he may do.

Clearly seeing what I was doing, he huffed. "Oh no you don't! You're not getting away this time, not after I had to go through all the effort to come up here again just to save your freakin' neck."

"D-don't you dare come any closer!"

My outburst only further infuriated the male, him looking like a literal cat right now, ready to pounce on its prey out of sheer anger. If he had a tail, it would be all puffed up like crazy.

Heart spiking and body running purely on adrenaline now, I pushed the driver's door open and practically jumped out, taking off into the unknown which so happened to be towards the little beach cove we pulled up to. This probably wasn't the smartest idea since running in sand clearly was hindering my speed. Dammit Y/n you never think!

I heard a sound of vexation rumble from behind me. "Would you stop!" Yoongi shouted, as I heard him hot on my heels. "You're only making this harder for yourself!"

My limbs pulsed with the fright induced chemical as I focused on lengthening my distance between him and myself. However this desire was short lived and insufficient from the get go as my body soon had other plans.

Feeling light headed, dizziness took over and my throat seized up making me choke on the air I was gasping for. The effect of the adrenaline seemed to have worn off leaving my body in the downwards spiral it was in before. I all but toppled over like a sandcastle being kicked.

"Shit!" Yoongi crouched beside me just as I spluttered out another round of blood, painting the powdered sand a foreboding, dark violet. Hot and cold flushes erupted through my bloodstream as I sat back on my heels. I flinched back when the raven haired man went to grab my shoulder, as a result he sighed, drawing his hand back towards his body. Sensing another figure come up on my other side, their hand patted my back to ease my tension.

"Y/n dear listen ta me, he's not here ta hurt ya. He's me trusted friend, no need ta worry." The fisherman spoke gently like he was talking to a wounded animal – well – that wasn't far from the truth.

Pushing my said oppressor back away from me, Myungsoo crouched in front of me and rested a hand on my knee as he looked at me resolutely. "Ya need ta go with him, he'll help ya through this."

"Anytime now, you're not going to last much longer."

"Yoongi!" The fisherman scolded him.

"T-this is all going too fast..." I let out shakily, heart rate increasing once again. Everything just suddenly got real real fast and I wasn't sure I could handle it. "What about everything I have here, I-I can't just disappear, right?"

Even when my body was literally on its last legs, imploring me to seek respite in the deep blue depths of the sea, hesitation made itself known, ultimately preventing me from doing just that. Whether it be from fear of the unknown or not wanting to part from the normalcy of my current life, I was unsure. Maybe it was both.

"Rest assured lass, I'll figure the financials n' such. Tie up all ye loose ends. Just go, focus n' get better, do this for me, for us, for ya brother wherever he be."

"Wha- no why....? I-I can't let you do that! Why...why would you g-go through all that hassle for me?"

"Simple, cause it's tha right thing ta do." He answered wholeheartedly. "An' you're family, Yeona would be so proud of ye, how far you've come."

I couldn't help it, an unfiltered sob left my throat as several emotions surfaced. The amount of care and compassion he had for me just caused all of my walls to crumble, one or two tears slipping out.

"I...T-thank you so much...Myungsoo."

In silent consolation, the elderly man came and wrapped me up in a gentle hug. "Call me Uncle Soo, ye always used ta call me that."

I smiled bashfully, "Alright...U-uncle Soo.." With that he cracked a sun filled grin at my acceptance, patting my hands comfortingly. "Now my child, go and live how ye were meant ta."

He moved aside where two bare feet stepped in taking his place. Heavily contrasting against the pale legs they were attached to, they were littered with sharp jagged lines that criss-crossed and overlapped one another to form an uneven, unsightly, reddened surface. A sight that sparked an all round sense of familiarity as they were so similar and practically identical to my own. Eyes hovering over them for a few moments longer, I raised my head to see the standing figure of Yoongi as he looked at me expectantly, arms crossed.

"Y-you're a merman..."

He gave me an 'are you serious' kind of look, letting me know if it wasn't already obvious enough. "Good...you're catching on fast," more sarcasm.

"Yoongi, be nice," Myung – I mean – Uncle Soo sighed, clearly having enough of his attitude. The merman however huffed and gave him a dismissive wave.

"Now," he began, his attention completely on me. "Will you come willingly, or do I have to throw you in myself like we discussed before?"

His harsh questioning only elicited another disappointed sigh from his elderly friend, him clearly being ignored about putting an effort in to be nice and accommodating.

I breathed in shallowly, not wanting to feel the full extent of pain in my throat that that action would cause, nerves keeping me rooted in place.

"Transforming....d-does it hurt?"

| 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 | 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 | 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 | ༄⋆

[lisutarid-a]

[Gakuen K] Yatogami Kuroh Route Translation

I respect you

LIST OF CHAPTERS

[Translation under the cut]

Kuroh: Good morning, it's a pleasant morning.

Saya: Good morning, Kuro-kun. School has finally started.

Kuroh: Yeah. We have to switch our mind and get ready for the new semester.

Saya: As expected of Kuro-kun. You're acting straight right from the start of the new semester.

Kuroh: If I be lazy, who will discipline the Silver club.

Saya: Don't worry, I'll do my best when the time comes. Don't be too tense or you'll collapse.

Kuroh: I'd like to say that I'm not that fragile, but…

Kuroh: …I guess that's your kindness. I appreciate the advice.

Saya: Huh, Shiro-kun. You're already here.

Shiro: Uhm, good morning.

Saya: (He diligently writing something in his notebook…)

Saya: … Could it be.

Saya: Shiro-kun, you haven't done your homework for summer vacation?

Shiro: Correct. Amazing, how did you figure that out?

Saya: You opened a page that looked familiar. How much is left?

Shiro: Let's see…almost all of it?

Kuroh: You…What the hell were you doing during summer vacation?

Shiro: No. I knew I had to do it, but…

Shiro: I was carelessly putting it off and just having fun. Accidentally, accidentally.

Kuroh: Pathetic bastard…

Saya: The deadline is noon. You won't make it in time… will you?

Shiro: Oh, don't worry on that point. I've discussed it with the teacher earlier.

Shiro: They said I could hand it in by tomorrow morning.

Kuroh: Can you do that?

Shiro: Ahaha…If I work hard, I'll make it somehow. I'm sure.

Saya: …It's decided. I'll help you.

Shiro: To do my homework? Whoa, thank you!

Kuroh: What are you talking about? This is his assignment. He deserves it.

Saya: But it's a tough situation…And we're all comrades.

Kuroh: Comrades…

Saya: Even though I said I'd help him, I'm not going to solve questions for him.

Saya: I'll just help gather the necessary materials.

Saya: I thought it would be okay. What do you think?

Kuroh: I see. Yeah, then this guy won't be slacking off.

Shiro: W-wait~! I'm not going to slack off!

Saya: So you don't mind if I help? Great.

Saya: How about we do it in the library after school, since we'll probably be fooling around in the club room?

Shiro: Of course. I'm excited!

Kuroh: What's exiting about it? It doesn't mean that you're going to have fun. Be serious.

Shiro: That's true, but…I just thought it would be more motivating than doing homework alone.

Kuroh: …In that case, I'll join you.

Saya: Kuro-kun too?

Kuroh: Yeah. They say "Three heads are better than one," right? It would the best fighting force.

Shiro: The best fighting force…

Kuroh: What. Am I in the way?

Shiro: Un-uh, it's not like that. If Kuro's with us, then we're as strong as a hundred men. Well then, let's work hard, the three of us!

Saya: What about Neko-chan?

Shiro: Hmmm, you're right. I guess this time I'll let to do something else. Neko is not good at studying.

Shiro: I need to finish my summer homework quickly and enjoy my fall life~!

Kuroh: …If you had finished it during the summer vacation, this wouldn't have happened.

Shiro: Okaaay. I will be as careful as possible in the future.

Shiro: Hmmm…I wish I could give up soon.

Saya: You can't. It's been less than an hour.

Shiro: …Life is a continuous learning process. We learn from our parents, we learn from our friends, sometimes we learn from strangers.

Shiro: Right, the act of learning doesn't just happen at a desk.

Everything that exists in this world is a teaching tool and a teacher.

Saya: I don't know what you're talking about, Shiro-kun. I think you should move your hand more than your mouth, okay?

Shiro: …Okay. Now you're saying it too.

Shiro: When you first moved in, you was so frightened and nervous, like a first grader.

Saya: I guess that means I'm getting used to the Silver club too. Huh…isn't here a mistake?

Shiro: Eh, where-where?

Saya: Here. I think it's 3, not 2.

Shiro: Wah. really. Hahh…I'm feeling less motivated again. Let's call it a day, shall we?

Saya: No way. It's due tomorrow, isn't it?

Shiro: That's true, but…Oh, how about this? "A goat ate it".

Saya: There're no goats in this school.

Shiro: Well, then by a boar!

Saya: There're no boars either.

Shiro: You think so? They are.

Saya: Eh, really? …Don't get sidetracked, let's do the homework seriously.

Shiro: Ahaha, my plan failed. Okaay, I got it.

Saya: Enough, Shiro-kun, you're doing so well on your tests, why is you're so reluctant to study?

Saya: I think I understand a little how Kuro-kun feels now.

Kuroh: …Hm, yeah.

Saya: What's wrong? Were you just spacing out?

Kuroh: Ah…sorry. I was watching your conversation.

Shiro: Our conversation?

Kuroh: Yeah. I was impressed with how well you handled it.

Shiro: Thank you. I get embarrassed when I get complimented to my face.

Kuroh: It's not about you, Shiro. Don't trespass on my kindness and quickly finish your homework.

Shiro: Tsk. Okaaay, I got it.

Kuroh: Seriously. I'm utterly fed up with this guy.

Saya: Kuro-kun is kind enough not to give up and keep him company, isn't he?

Kuroh: No, you're the one being kind. You suggested this, you didn't give up on him and you're helping.

Kuroh: I guess it's in your nature. I respect that about you very much.

Saya: Kuro-kun…

Shiro: Em…

Shiro: Sorry to interrupt the mood, but…Kuro, did you find those documents I asked you for? Anatomy of a shark.

Kuroh: Ah, yeah…sorry. I forgot what I was doing.

Shiro: Ehh. Can you please, my homework is at stake!

Kuroh: Is that how you ask people to do something? Really…

[Prev chapter][Next chapter]

[votestaynight2]

Alright, 3 way tie, so I get to choose! Going for Tohsaka, since it *is* her route.

"Yeah. I have to go tell Tohsaka that Issei's innocent before she attacks him." I should hurry. I'll go get my violent partner before her relationship with Issei becomes a terrible one.

"Huh? Tohsaka-san already went home." Then… I'm knocked out after returning to class 2-A after I've searched all over the place.

"Man… She was so ready to do something, but she went home already…?" …This is getting stupid. I can contact Tohsaka over the phone after I get home.

I check the student directory as soon as I get home and call Tohsaka. Ring, ring. She picks up after dozens of rings and right when I was about to give up.

"This is Tohsaka." The voice is definitely Tohsaka's.

"Hello, this is Emiya. Do you have time right now?" "Huh? What are you playing around for, Ar―――huh? No way, is it for real…!?" "…Hey now. I don't have enough free time to be playing pranks on you."

"Oh―――no… Sorry, I was just surprised. So, what's going on? It's surprising for you to call me."

"It's about Issei. We promised this morning to get this cleared up today, right? To tell you the result, Issei wasn't a Master. I'm sure of it since he didn't have a Command Spell."

"Really? …I'm surprised you really did check it out today. But Issei's innocent, huh? …Well, we're out of suspects, but I guess that's good as well." I don't know if she's relieved or disappointed. I can't grasp her reaction too well over the phone.

"Well, thanks for your work. We'll think about what to do about the search tomorrow. So is that all the business you have? Then I'll be hanging up." "……" I don't have any more business. But there's something I'm curious about.

"Tohsaka. You seemed to be surprised earlier, but did something happen over there?" "――――――――" I can feel Tohsaka's bewilderment over the phone. After a brief silence…

"…No. I was just surprised because your voice sounded different over the phone." She answers in a cold voice and hangs up the phone.

―――Dinner ends before I realize it.

I came home, trained with Saber in the dojo, then Fuji-Nee came home and I made dinner, we ate it together and now it's already past eight.

"Could you be a famous swordsman in your country, Saber-chan? Shirou's been like a different person ever since you started teaching him."

"I am surprised about that as well. But it seems Shirou has a different teacher, so it is not my doing." We're drinking the after-meal tea now.

"――――――――" It's good that Fuji-Nee and Saber are getting along. I don't want to interrupt, so I'll quietly drink tea and rest my body that is tired from training with Saber.

"He has two teachers? Does that mean he's cheating on you?"

"It seems he is not conscious of it. But I have decided to tolerate it since the result is good. …Shirou should learn techniques that are suited for him. His body is already fit, so all that is left is to learn how to move his body properly."

"Oh, exactly, Saber-chan. Shirou has been training all this time, so his body is really fit. It's just that he wasn't motivated until now."

"Training his body… I see, I am sure he would have trained his body having a dojo like that. Additionally, he had an opponent like you, so it is impossible for him to have no talent."

She nods emotionally and takes a sip of tea. Then. "No, it's been a long time since we last did kendo in there. That place wasn't used for kendo before you came here." Fuji-Nee corrects Saber while biting on a rice cracker.

"It was not…? Did you not use the shinai at the dojo, Shirou?" Saber looks at me with surprise.

"Huh? Well, no. I haven't used it since my father died." "Yeah. Shirou was fighting Kiritsugu-san any chance he got, but he stopped using the shinai after Kiritsugu-san died. I'm so sad."

Munch, munch. Fujimura Tiger nibbles on the rice cracker while resting her head on the table.

"――――――――" I have a bad feeling about this. When Fuji-Nee acts like this, the conversation always goes to―――

"Man, I wonder why. He was such a kendo boy back then, but he's just a bum now. I can't say he had talent for swords, but he was pretty good in archery. But he quit, you know?"

"―――As I thought. Fuji-Nee, stop talking about the past. That's just really negative." I glare at her.

Fuji-Nee sulks and eats the rice cracker. Phew. It seems she's done now.

"Oh. Shirou's childhood, huh?" "Gah……!" So why do you have to bring the conversation back up again, Saber!?

"What? Do you want to hear about it?" "Yes, I am curious." "All right! Then I shall tell you all about him!" …The morale of Fujimura Taiga's army goes up due to the reinforcements brought on by Saber.

"――――――――" …I guess it can't be helped. I don't want to interrupt, so I guess I'll drink tea silently. I'll carry out my original intention of resting my body.

"He's really twisted now, but he was really cute when he was a kid. He never doubted anyone, and he would do everything you asked him to do." "I see."

"But he had a stubborn side to him, and he rarely changed his mind once he decided on something. I guess he was the complete opposite of Kiritsugu-san in that regard."

"…? So Kiritsugu was the opposite of Shirou?" "Yup. Kiritsugu-san was the kind that accepted everything. He thought that good and evil were different for each person. He took life real casually." "――――――――"

"But he would try to do something about it every time he saw someone in trouble, and Shirou was always trying to imitate Kiritsugu-san. Shirou was more particular than Kiritsugu-san, so he went and beat up the bullies, saying bad things are bad. Yeah, Shirou's been trying to be a superhero since then."

Fuji-Nee happily talks about boring things. And beside Fuji-Nee… "…? Why do you try to be a superhero?" Saber asks me a natural question.

"―――Well. It's hard to explain. I guess it's because I admire them." "Admire…? You admire superheroes?" "…Hm… I guess so." It's embarrassing if she says "superhero" outright.

"Why is that?" "Well…"

I realize at that moment. …There's no reason. Emiya Shirou has admired superheroes since he was a child. I kept on running so that I could be of help to people, so that I could help people who were sad.

That does not change even now. But the reason behind it… Why did I try to be "of help to people"?

――――I'll make your dream…

"[line9]" That's the answer. That was the end of the person that meant everything to me. He died peacefully because of a simple statement I made. …I wanted to protect that trust he had in me. Even after he died. So that he would be able to rest in peace.

――――But… Is that really the right reason?

"…Shirou?" "――――――" I hear my name and get a hold of myself.

"Oh, sorry. I'm going to my room now." Driven by an unknown uneasiness, I get up.

I leave the living room, as if running away from something. "――――――――" No, not "as if". I did run away. It was a natural question. But I was scared something might be revealed if Saber stared at me like that.

"…Why? What am I scared of?" An uneasiness that I don't understand myself… A shapeless fear, an attacking nausea… I hurry to my room, bearing the headache.

Fuji-Nee went home, saying that she had work to do tonight. Saber is sleeping in the next room like yesterday.

"――――――――" I can't sleep tonight either, so I stare into the darkness. It's not that I can't sleep because I'm conscious of Saber. ―――'Why do you try to be a superhero?' It's because of those words. That question is still in my brain.

"――――――――" She asked me why, and I answered "because I admire them". …It's obvious why I ran away right then. Because―――if she had asked me why I admired them, I wouldn't be able to come up with an answer.

"――――――――" No, I have an answer. But I'm unconsciously restraining myself from ever saying it.

"――――The reason to be a superhero…" …Why ask that now? I was just desperate to be like Kiritsugu when I was a child. I admired superheroes because―――there was an ideal I could not make come true.

―――That should be the cause. The true form of the ideal I have, no, the ideal I've had since ten years ago. I glared into the sky, thinking that if I could save someone, it would be a lie unless I could save everything.

"――――――――" But which one is the lie? The ideal called a superhero that I've admired. …The older I get, the more Emiya Shirou strays from the ideal. The ignorant child that did not know of limits has learned of limits through knowledge.

―――What cannot be saved cannot be saved. A miracle is something too big for humans.

"――――――――" But I believed I could be like Kiritsugu when I grew older. But all I obtained was the wisdom to conclude that an ideal is just an ideal. All I can do are remedial measures. Even though I've been attacked with the fact that it's meaningless, I've continued to do whatever I could. Thinking that it's good enough if one person is saved by my actions.

…Even though my objective is to save as many lives as I can, I've lost a lot of things on the way. But I continued so that I wouldn't lose. Even if I'm battered by reality, I can keep standing if I don't accept the loss, even if I'm only bluffing. That ideal… The ideal not to hurt anyone is beautiful.

――――I'll make your dream…

Yes, I just thought that… If nobody was going to do it, I would inherit his dream myself.

That's why I must become a superhero. I have to succeed Kiritsugu and protect what he admired. If I can create no victims and if everyone can keep living peacefully, how good would it―――

'Such a thing does not exist anywhere in this world.'

"…! Shut up! You never know until you try…!"

I desperately reject the words that come to my mind. He told me to drown in my ideals and die. Those words are ominous as if correctly predicting Emiya Shirou's end――――

9th Day - Mydear, straydead

――――And I see his dream.

The memory of the man who was set up as a hero… A story of a knight who was understood by no one.

It was a simple story. In short, there was something wrong with him. He had some power, and he had some ambition. But he used his powers at the wrong places from beginning to end, and he died.

It's only natural. Power exists to grant your own wishes. Compassion does no good for others. Kirei says so often, but everything is balanced because everything you do comes back to you. One gets energy because actions circle around to create more energy.

But not having that means never being replenished. For example, if one lives for others and not oneself, I'm sure one would run out of power right away. If there were such a thing as disposable money, that's what it would be like. It'd be used by strangers, and it'd only disappear after it's used. It's easy to take advantage of it, and that it'd be used is already a given. That's why in the end… He saw many betrayals, and his life was ended by "someone" he saved.

…It just makes me mad. I want to question him, "why?" He worked hard, put in great effort even though he's an ordinary human being, and he managed a miracle with his own blood. And his compensation was betrayal and death. It's not even a joke, but he died satisfied. I have no intention of commenting on someone's life, but… I can never accept that one thing.

That's my impression of the dream I've seen a few times now. I usually wake up here. ―――But… It seems the dream continues today.

――――He is standing in hell.

It is a scene of some natural disaster, not the result of human conflict.

"Let me make a contract. I shall give you my life after my death. I would like the compensation now."

He weaves the words of contract. After that, he changed as though possessed by something and saved people who could not normally be saved. …Oh, so this must be how he became a "heroic spirit".

…Seeing it this way, it's nothing much. I bet the people he saved were not even in the hundreds. He cannot even be called a "hero" with such a number, nor would he be promoted to a "heroic spirit". But the number isn't important. The qualification of a hero, one who surpasses humans, is to be able to save those that are fated to die.

It is an alteration of fate. It does not matter if he does not have power as a hero, as long as he averted a disaster that could not be changed, however small in scope. No. The world would obtain a "heroic spirit" in compensation for the miracle.

He became a hero and saved those that could not have been saved. As a result, he became a heroic spirit after he died, and he is now repeating what he was doing before he died―――― Being a "servant". I guess compensation for a miracle is to become a convenient disposable tool that will fight for others even after one dies.

Heroic spirits. Superior spirits chosen from amongst humans. The guardians of humanity. ―――But they are not ones with free will like the Servants. Heroic spirits are guardians of humanity. Guardians do not have a free will, and they are treated as "powers". They are called forth to protect the world only when a factor appears that could destroy it. They are weapons that destroy these factors. The Servant system is a summoning ritual that takes advantage of these "guardians".

The guardians are summoned into every age, eliminate the offending factor, and then disappear from this world. …I would hate to be like that, but he must have been prepared to take on that role.

No, he might have even wished for it… That it would be perfect if he could save people even after he died. Even though he did not have the power to save them when he was alive, he must have believed he could avert every tragedy if he became a heroic spirit. With that in mind, he made a contract with the world to give up his body after his death, and he saved a hundred people. …Believing that… …He would be able to save tens of thousands of people afterwards.

――――How… stupid of him. That cannot be. Because for a heroic spirit to be called upon, the place would already have to be a place of death. Heroic spirits are summoned only into hell. They appear only when the world is about to be destroyed by people. Humans are the ones that will perish from their own doings. So the process of destruction must always be the same.

Jealousy. Hatred. Selfishness. Desire. The man who loved people and tried to be of help to them was shown the same ugliness even after he died. He was called into such scenes and served his responsibility as a guardian.

―――He killed. He killed and killed and killed and killed. He killed everyone that was around him when he was summoned to save humanity as a whole. I don't know how many times he repeated that―――nor do I know how many times he will have to repeat it in the future.

…So there's only one thing I can say. He has been betrayed by many things… But in the end, he was betrayed by the only thing he believed in, his ideal.

"Geez――――――――" When I wake up, that's all I can say. My body feels tired and I can't move at all. My mind is the only clear thing, and I blankly stare at the ceiling.

"…I knew it. So that's his memory, huh?" I sigh and stare at the ceiling. …This is hard. He could have told me that I might get a glimpse of his memory when I'm asleep because Masters and Servants are connected. If he had told me, I could have cut my consciousness so that I wouldn't see such a thing.

"――――I'll get up. There are lots of things I have to do today." I get up. My body is heavy and my eyelids are heavier than steel. I curse how I'm not a morning person and start changing into my uniform slowly.

"But, well…" I don't know if this is as I expected or not. But he used to be a hot-blooded man. I don't know what hero he is, but it seems he was more honest before.

"…Well, I guess it's natural to have a twisted personality if he led such a life and ended up like he has, even after he died." I laugh it off. My face in the mirror looks serious and about to cry, but I decide to laugh. Because I have to do so or I won't be able to face Archer normally.

I get ready and drink the freshly brewed tea in the living room. I don't usually eat breakfast, so it's pretty quick. I have fifteen minutes until I have to get going. This cup of tea is like a ritual I perform every morning to wake up my half-asleep body. "Rin, how long are you going to be playing around for?" But there's one fool that cannot read his master's mind.

"I'm going to relax until seven-thirty. I'll be late if I stay here longer than that." "I'm not talking about school. I'm talking about the Holy Grail War. …It is not bad to cooperate with other Masters. But in your case, the partner you chose is too weak." "――――Geez." That again? Archer tells me to cut my ties with Emiya Shirou every chance he gets.

"I told you I have no intention of doing so. You say so, but I think he's rather suitable. It's true that he's not much help in battle, but he's perfect as an ally. …Um, I think he would never betray me."

"Trust is usually established through tactics. I cannot trust someone without a reason. Look, he is not someone that will stay and win. If you are to choose an ally, Caster's Master is a smarter person." "Don't kid me, Archer. Are you telling me to stoop so low?" I put my teacup down and stare at Archer. Even if it may be sarcasm, I cannot ignore what he just said.

"――――――――" "――――――――" …The air freezes. I'm seriously pissed, and Archer has no intention of backing down. We stare at each other for a while.

"It is true that Caster is a heretic, but she is indeed like a magus. In that regard, you are not fit for fighting. If you are a magus, you should put results over your wishes." "It's useless being cynical. I won't change my policy." "…Man, what is wrong with you? You've gotten strange since you got to know Emiya Shirou. Where did that rationality of yours go?"

"――――――――" …Heh. I realize that without having you tell me. But I can't help it. He doesn't have anything even though he's a magus, and is dangerously single-minded. It's unproductive to scheme against such a guy, and――――he's, um…

"Rin? What's wrong? Did you finally realize your own foolishness?" "―――Yeah, there is something wrong with me. But Archer. This is all because you showed me unnecessary things." "What?"

"…No, forget about it. You're my Servant, so I'm only going to do what I believe is right. I'm not as loose as Emiya Shirou, but I do have some things I can't give up. I won't give them up no matter who's telling me so."

I say so with anger. ―――And that makes me realize… I don't feel any sympathy, even after learning about his past. I'm just mad at him.

"…Humph. Where's your reply, Archer!?" I take it out on Archer and glare at him. The knight in red makes his usual gesture. "I guess it can't be helped. It is the role of the servant to support his master when the master is not doing well. I shall look after you until you return to your usual self." And he answers with a reply that's neither a 'yes' nor a 'no'.

"――――――――" …I wake up. I feel heavy, like there's lead inside my head.

"――――What is this? I haven't been waking up very well recently." Is it because I have lots to think about or because I'm seeing strange dreams? "――――!" Even though I usually don't see dreams, I think I've been seeing something like a dream recently.

"…Well, they were beautiful swords…" I see images of swords in my dreams. In them, his shortswords come up pretty often.

"―――Damn. Yeah, I like them. So what?" I curse the person that's not here and get up from my futon. It's before six in the morning. I can't be affected by strange dreams. I have to go make breakfast.

Saber sees me off as I leave the house. I'm getting used to this lifestyle, as the morning passes by smoothly.

I don't see Tohsaka at the gate. Since the only suspect we had, Issei, turned out to be innocent, I bet she's busy running around gathering information.

"―――Wait, it's not someone else's business. I have to investigate as well." …But how will I do that? I guess Tohsaka is investigating the people at school, so I guess I'll investigate the building.

―――Well, life's not convenient enough to let me notice anything I haven't noticed before. I searched the school using all the breaks I had and the first half of lunch break, but I wasn't able to find anything strange.

"Hm. I don't know what you were up to, but good job on your work." He must be done eating already, as he greets me while reading an old poetry book.

"……Thanks. I'm getting some tea since I'll be eating here. Oh, where's the teapot?" "Oh, it's here. We only have kelp tea, but is that all right?"

"What? Hmm, then I'll just take water. I just can't take the muddled feeling of that tea." "I see. Then I shall go get some green tea from the teacher's office tomorrow." I leave the laughing Issei to himself, pour some water into my cup, and sit down at the table.

"Itadakimasu." I clap my hands together and open my lunchbox. At the same time, someone knocks on the door. "Huh? There's someone at the door, Issei." "Hm? At this time?" Issei slowly goes to the door.

The visitor is Kuzuki, the one in charge of the student council. I see Kuzuki-Sensei a lot here, but I bet it's "Emiya is in the student council room a lot" from his point of view.

"――――――――" I silently eat my chicken-sprinkled lunch. There must not be anything important today, as Issei and Kuzuki-Sensei are just chatting.

"――――――――" Munch. Munch, munch.

"Sensei, it's almost time." "Hm. I see. Sorry to take your time. I think you know without having it said, but do not forget to lock this place up. And make sure you leave school on time." "Yes, yes. I know." Kuzuki-Sensei leaves and Issei comes back in a good mood.

"――――――――" …Wow, I just saw something rare. It's really rare to see Kuzuki-Sensei chatting about meaningless things with a student. And with that shy Issei. …Oh. They might get along since they're both stubborn, but it's still strange.

"Hey, Issei." "Hm? What, Emiya?" "I've been wondering for a while, but are you on good terms with Kuzuki?" Oh, he's surprised.

"―――No, it's fine if you don't want to answer. I just thought that was the case, so don't worry about it." "Oh, no. I just realized I haven't told you about it. It is only natural that we are getting along. Kuzuki-Sensei is like a brother to me." "―――――――Huh?" Kuzuki-Sensei is like Issei's brother?

"Hold on. What does that mean?" "I'm telling you that he's like my older brother. Souichirou―――Kuzuki-Sensei has been staying over at my place for about three years. He is a naive person as you can see, but he has a sincere heart. He is living under the same roof as me, and he is someone I can respect as a person. It is only natural for me to respect him as my older brother."

"―――――Kuzuki lives at the Ryudou Temple――――?" It feels like I got hit in the head with a hammer. But I act calm and ask Issei to continue.

"Oh yeah. You mentioned something about an unfamiliar woman at your place, right? Does Kuzuki know about her?" "She is more than that, as she is his fiancee. We are letting her borrow a room until they hold their wedding celebration."

"――――――――" A second shock. "Issei. You wouldn't call her an unfamiliar woman in that case, right?" I try my hardest to object with a dizzy head.

"An unfamiliar woman is an unfamiliar woman. Even if she may be Kuzuki-Sensei's fiancee, that is all I can say about her, as I don't even know her name." Issei stops the conversation as if saying he's angry.

"――――――――" …A-Anyways. This is something I can't ignore. Kuzuki Souichirou is coming from the Ryudou Temple, and there is a woman that is said to be at the Ryudou Temple. I hear Kuzuki-Sensei's fiancee showed up about a month ago. If that's Caster, all our answers are right there――――

"So, that's what I heard." "――――――――" In the classroom after school… We don't even have ten more minutes until we have to go home, but I tell Tohsaka about Kuzuki-Sensei.

"What do you think? Considering Issei's case, I don't think we should suspect him just because he's from the Ryudou Temple."

"…Kuzuki-Sensei, huh? He's not even a magus to start with, disregarding the fact that he doesn't have the presence of a Master." I don't know if she's listening to me, as Tohsaka is frowning to herself.

"He's not a magus…? That's good. I guess we can count him out in that case." "Why? Someone as suspicious as him has to be a Master." "――――――――" …Well, I'm starting to get used to this. But I still can't keep up with Tohsaka's thought processes.

"We'll ambush him tonight. I'll try pulling some strings so that he'll have to stay the nightshift, so you be ready too."

"Hey――――hold on. We can't do that. Get him on night shift… Are you saying we'll fight him tonight?" "Of course. There's no guarantee that Kuzuki will come to school tomorrow. We won't wait. We'll make him stay at school until night and test if he's a Master or not on his way home."

"…Let me ask you to make sure. How are you going to test if he's a Master or not?" "Using force. Just like I did to you."

The phrase "just like I did to you" sounds a bit sweet. …So, as I thought, Tohsaka is a bully inside. Maybe I fought her over the playground's peace when we were small.

"―――I'm against it. There should be a gentler way to check. We shouldn't have to take such dangerous measures." "It's not dangerous. I'm not indiscriminate, you know? I'll just shoot a light Gandr shot at him. If he's a normal person, he'll just sleep in for two days with a cold."

"Oh――――that's a problem as well. If Kuzuki is a Master, we'll get into a battle right then and there. As we're the ones attacking him, we won't be able to talk to him."

"…? I don't get it. That'll be even more convenient. What part of it do you think is dangerous?"

"I'm the one that doesn't get you! I'm talking about how dangerous it'll be for you." "――――――――" Tohsaka must have finally realized, as she stops the conversation.

But that's only for an instant. "I see. That's fine as well. I'll just do it by myself in that case." She easily concludes.

"Damn――――!" I guess it's meaningless to say anything to her once she's determined to do something.

"…All right, I'll go along. I don't know what reckless things you might do if I let you be." "That's my line. …Geez."

"…It's time to leave. Then we'll meet at seven at the park below the bridge. We'll probably end up fighting, so you better be prepared." She looks away and walks off. I leave the classroom after her.

"Then we will attack Caster's Master tonight?" "We still don't know if Kuzuki is a Master, but that's pretty much the plan."

I report to Saber about today as soon as I get home. Saber must agree with Tohsaka, as she is hyped up already.

"So we won't be training today. I'll go make dinner right away, so let's get ready for tonight… Wait, is it bad to eat before going to battle?"

"Huh…? Why are you asking? I believe there will be a problem if we get hungry during battle―――" "Well, I was thinking that it might be too heavy. We don't even have an hour left, so we might be better off eating after we come home."

"Oh, I do not think that is the case. It is a quality of warriors to quickly digest anything we consume. I do not think food will be bad if one has been training and has led a proper lifestyle…"

"Um. Does that mean I can cook dinner?" "Yes. I believe we will have more energy that way." …I see. I have trained to be able to move right after meals, so I guess there's no problem. But I'll make a light dinner just in case.

"Then I'll be going to the living room. How about you, Saber?" "I cannot bother you. I will stay here and calm my mind." I guess she'll be sitting here Japanese-style in meditation.

"All right. I'll come get you once dinner's ready." I leave the dojo. It's dark outside. We're meeting at seven. …That must mean we'll be attacking Kuzuki-Sensei about an hour after we meet.

"――――――――" We'll have to fight if Kuzuki turns out to be a Master. Caster is a wary Servant. She would never give us another chance at a surprise attack if she found out her Master had been attacked. …Then we'll have to make sure to beat him if we're going to attack. I can't let my enemy escape, nor can I run away.

No matter who it may be, Caster's Master has to be defeated to stop Caster, the one attacking all the people in this town. If all goes well, we'll take away his Command Spell and he won't be a Master anymore. …But in the worst case, we'll have to try to kill each other.

"―――Oh yeah. I have to take a weapon. A weapon at my place―――something I can easily put magical energy into―――would be a wooden sword. My success rate of the "strengthening" magic has been pretty good recently, so even a wooden sword would become a good weapon. But that's only in the case of normal battles. I'll need a better weapon if I am to fight against a Master or a Servant.

"To be greedy――――swords like his." …I imagine what I saw in my dream.

Twin swords of black and white. If they're about that long, I should be able to use them… …And most of all――��I could fight decently if I had those swords. I'd be able to protect myself, not be a burden on Saber, and be proud that I'm Saber's Master.

"―――Man. It's meaningless to ask for something you don't have, you idiot."

My shoulders slump as I head to the porch. I'll just do what I can. For now, I'll concentrate on making dinner. Saber always seems so serious, but it seems Saber is looking forward to the meals. It's been my recent secret joy to make her happy.

It's seven o'clock. Tohsaka comes right on time.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I took time since I was getting the necessary things. How's your preparation?" "――――――――" I show her the wooden sword bag. There's one wooden sword in here. This is about all the preparation I can do.

"…Well, I guess it can't be helped. First of all, we have Saber for hand-to-hand combat. It might be that you'll just end up watching."

"Yeah. I guess I'll just back Saber up since she's here." …Well, I can't think of a situation where I'll be helping out Saber.

"Rin. Why is Archer not here?" Then. Saber asks with a serious expression.

"Huh…? You didn't bring Archer, Tohsaka?" "―――No, I left him at home. We're doing a surprise attack today, so we won't need him if we have Saber, right? To be honest, I don't want to let him see Caster."

Tohsaka starts walking. …I don't know what she's thinking, but I guess we won't be getting Archer's help.

…Time passes. One has to pass this intersection if one is to go from the school to the Ryudou Temple.

It's already been an hour since we got here. A boundary field has been created here――― "It's over if we're seen, but the soundproofing is perfect. Nobody would notice even if a missile is shot here." ―――According to Tohsaka.

It's so quiet around us. I guess it's because Tohsaka's boundary field is working, but the town is too lifeless. ―――It's already been seven days since the Holy Grail War started. It seems the town is having its spirit slowly drained without anyone noticing.

"――――He's coming. Hide, Emiya-kun." "――――!" I move to the wall. …I can't even hear footsteps. I see a shadow under the streetlight.

A tall and lean figure… The familiar figure is definitely that of Kuzuki Souichirou. Kuzuki passes us with his usual ordered steps.

"――――――――" He's too defenseless. I'm suddenly attacked by the feeling that Kuzuki-Sensei might be innocent.

"…Hey, Tohsaka. Don't you think Kuzuki-Sensei is innocent?" "……Well, we'll find out for sure after we try." It seems Tohsaka is in doubt as well. I guess she's still going with the plan, as she points her index finger at Kuzuki.

――――Gandr. It is a "curse" to reduce the target's physical ability, considered to be the simplest magic. Tohsaka's Gandr shot is more like a gunshot, but I'm sure she'll go easy this time.

"――――Are you ready, Emiya-kun?" She murmurs.

"――――――――" I'll still make it. There is a possibility that Kuzuki Souichirou is innocent. Isn't there another way to check if he's a Master or not――――?

[starlightxsvt]

Home | k.mg

pairing ➳ businessman!mingyu x female!reader

genre ➳ strangers to lovers, romance, slice of life, angst, fluff, gets spicy at the end

word count ➳ 5.6k (apx)

warnings ➳ cursing, reader is really indecisive, heavy makeout, implications of sexual activity.

synopsis ➳ an attractive stranger visits your cabin for a week with whom you quickly bond, developing some strong feelings in the process; leaving you to wonder if he's worth leaving everything behind.

A/N: henlooo~ I finally posted! This has been sitting in my drafts for a while but I didn't really feel like writing for a while, hence the delay. I hope y'all enjoy this piece and please don't forget to leave some feedback! It really motivates me :)

A cool gust of wind blew by as you finished typing your last column, leaving a soothing feeling behind as you exhaled loudly. It was hard to finish this piece of writing for some reason, maybe because you lacked inspiration or maybe because your life had been monotonous for a while or simply, a mix of both. Closing your laptop you stretch your hands and legs, feeling somewhat productive. Humming a tune, you looked out the window to see a Lamborghini come to a halt at the entrance.

It piqued your interest because it's not often that people riding Lamborghini come in this cabin so genuinely you're interested in the visitor. You shifted in your chair, waiting for the man to come upstairs to the reception and sure enough a tall- really tall man dressed in a neatly pressed suit appears into your view, briskly walking towards the reception where Chan stood to greet him. You could not get a good look at his face as he moved around quickly, grabbing his small carry on and heading towards his cabin after the formalities.

You watched his tall frame walking away as you got up from your seat and moved towards Chan.

"Who is he?"

"Kim Mingyu," Chan explained, resting his arms on the reception table." A millionaire, owns a lot of companies. No wonder he looked familiar."

"Oh, really? How long is he staying?"

"He has booked for five days. Said he might extend his stay."

"I see."

"Why are you so curious though?" Chan raised a brow at you, tilting his head to a side.

"Nothing." You shrugged. "He just has different vibes than the other people that come here you know?"

Chan hummed in agreement.

-

There was never much visitors during the rainy season which was both a blessing and a curse. Blessing because that meant the cabin was less hectic and curse because sometimes you are bound to get a bit too bored. You were helping yourself with a cup of tea to somewhat feel re-energised when your newest and the only guest for the week appeared from his cabin, padding through the corridor and stepping into the common kitchen area. You were taken aback for a moment before you composed yourself and smiled at your guest, "Good morning, Mr. Kim. May I help you with anything?"

"Mingyu, please," the tall male replied while scanning the kitchen area. "You're the owner right? What's the food arrangement here?"

"Well, our guests generally cook for themselves or order takeout. When there are many guests I sometimes do the cooking."

Nodding, he hummed before putting in a capsule in the cappuccino machine. You took a seat by the window, tea in your hand as you watched the male move around like he knew this place. Dressed in his pajamas and judging by the fluffy mess that his hair was you assumed he had a good night's sleep.

"I hope you had a pleasant night, Mr- Mingyu." You said to your guest who had whipped out a pan from the cupboard and was making omelette. "Yes, surprisingly so. Normally I have trouble falling asleep but I slept like a baby last night," he casually conversed as he prepared his breakfast.

You smiled, "Well, I'm glad to know that. If you need anything let my staffs or me know."

"Sure. Oh- I didn't get your name though." Mingyu turned to meet your eyes.

"___," you smiled.

"___, okay."

-

"This is gonna be a rainy week," Hoshi said from behind you as he stood holding a tub of fresh soil for the plants in the backyard of the cabin. You sat on your knees, eyeing the plants which needed their soil changed.

"Yeah? Well, good thing there isn't much guests now."

"I think there should be, I mean it's so pretty here during the rain too. People need to look at it themselves." Hoshi complained.

"Well, most people don't like going out in the rain. Pass me the soil, Hoshi. Let's get this finished before the shower starts."

Hoshi handed you the tub of soil as the sky above started growling, full of thick black clouds. It was gonna start raining soon.

Hoshi spoke, "Oh, Mr.Kim, Mingyu you know, asked me about the beach by the marketplace. Apparently he wants to visit so he asked me if I was free to show him around."

"And let me guess, you aren't?" You rolled your eyes.

Soonyoung pouted, "No! Well I would have given him a tour today if the weather wasn't so bad. And my friends are coming tomorrow, so I'll be busy then."

"Wait- you're friends are coming?" You turned, glaring at the boy who smiles sheepishly, "Oh! Um- I didn't tell you? Well they're only staying for a couple of days and it's not like they're staying for free."

"Well, make sure they clean after themselves okay? If I see them trashing all over the place like last time, I'm kicking you out with them." You gave him a pointed look.

"Okay okay," Hoshi rolled his eyes, puffing his cheeks. "Just- take the CEO out on a tour tomorrow for me okay? I haven't seen my friends in a long time."

"Alright, I will...if the weather is good which probably won't be." You sighed, gently removing the old soil.

Hoshi mused about Mingyu, "Bummer for him, he came in a wrong time. It's weird, no? We don't have such guests like him."

"Yeah," you hummed, focused on handling your roses.

-

Hoshi's friend, Seokmin and Seungkwan appeared early in the morning next day as you watched Hoshi vibrate from happiness when he hugged them. You smiled to yourself, laughing at at the antics of your staff as you saw him guide his friends into their cabin. The day was once again filled with dark clouds and raining which occurred every other hour. You and Chan cleaned up and completed some chores as the noon fell.

"Should I cook something up for them?" You wondered as Chan finished cleaning the common space of the first cabin.

"Nah, Seokmin hyung is cooking for them. He's a pretty good cook actually."

"Really? That's nice." You said pulling up a chair to sit down. "Are you gonna join them? Hoshi has been with his friends since they came."

"Yeah, probably. You should join us too."

"No, I think I'm gonna take a nap. I feel so tired."

"Alright."

You watched as Chan climbed down the stairs and stepped towards the second cabin where everyone else was. You were about to head to your room when the CEO, Mingyu appeared in the kitchen.

"Oh, hello."

"Hi."

"I haven't seen you since morning," you said watching as Mingyu poured himself a glass of water.

"Yeah, I woke up early today, went for a jog."

"Ah, I see."

"Couldn't go far though, the weather sucks you know." He said leaning against the kitchen top.

"Yeah. But I heard that it should get better from tomorrow. I could show you around if you want to. Hoshi, my staff, is going to busy for a while so I can guide you around."

"Really? That would be cool." Mingyu smiled. There was a small stretch of silence as you both listened to the rainfall before he spoke, "Have you had lunch?"

"Uh-no."

"Would you like to join me?" He asked "This is the longest time I've been alone and it feels a bit weird," he murmured more to himself than you.

"I mean- I don't mind," you shrugged. "Though I should be the one doing it."

"It's okay. People say I am a good cook," Mingyu smiled, his eyes crinkling.

"Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to see."

-

It was weird how comfortable you felt watching Mingyu being clumsy and bump into things as he prepared your meal. It felt like you've been doing this forever- like you've known him forever and you thought to yourself what was suddenly wrong with you. He made small talk as he cooked and it felt easy talking with him- almost impossible to believe that he was stranger. He was friendly and easy to get along with, definitely not a cold and grumpy businessman like you imagined him to be.

Mingyu grinned as he set down the food in front of you- chicken soup, rice and cheese omelette. His eyes twinkled excitedly as he watched you take a bite, waiting for you to say something.

"What are you? A part time chef or something?" You tried not to moan as you chewed because it was that good. Mingyu laughed- a sweet, shy laugh that had his canines showing and his eyes forming crescents. "Thank you. I learned from my mom. I like cooking for myself when I get the time which is not often," he smiled- almost sadly.

"Well, you can cook for me all you want as long as you're here because this is amazing!" You grinned at him, cheeks puffed with food.

Mingyu chuckled softly as he dug in and you both started eating. It felt nice, to talk to someone new and spend time with them, someone other than Chan or Hoshi. It was a nice change- a change you probably needed for a while.

"So...What brings you here?" You asked as you finished your food, setting down the spoon and leaning back into the chair. Mingyu who was still eating, looked at you with a perplexed expression so you spoke, "I mean...we don't generally have guests like you. And it's not even a good time to visit...so I was wondering what brought you here?"

"Guests like me? What does that mean?"

"I mean...rich, okay?" You fumbled, feeling awkward. Maybe you shouldn't have asked. "Like...there are fancier places to visit, you know..."

Mingyu smiled at your words for a moment before he deadpanned, "I'm running away."

"Running away?" You gasped, almost jumping from your seat, "From who? The cops?"

"It would have been better but no, my family," he said, his voice as serious as ever.

"Oh...I see," you fell quiet. It definitely wasn't the answer you expected. You both remained silent for a while as he started out the window, lost in thoughts. "It must have been really bad if you're hiding out here." You spoke softly.

"It has always been," he mumbled. "I just couldn't take it anymore, you know? I desperately needed a break," he spoke more to himself than you. Instead of prodding further, you sat quietly, watching him and listening to his words. Seeing him now, he definitely looks troubled and you didn't exactly have the words to console him.

So you whispered, "Well, I hope it gets better."

-

Later that night, you find Hoshi and his friends and Chan preparing for a bonfire in the front yard of the cabin.

"Wow, you all are really having fun, no?" You said as you fisted your hands in your pockets from the chilly weather. The air was colder than other nights and everyone including you had put on some warm clothes.

"You wanna join us?" Seokmin asked as he stacked logs on top of each other.

"Nah, it's fine. You four carry on," you patted his back as you started walking back towards the cabin and saw Chan and Hoshi coming out with some boxes in their hands.

"Hey! There are marshmallows in the kitchen cabinet if you want.... nevermind," you finished as you saw beer cans and soju bottles in their hands.

"We're gonna get drunk baby!" Soonyoung yelled, grinning like a fool.

"Hyung, you look drunk already," Chan gave him a side look as they trudged towards the bonfire.

Laughing at their antics you climbed the stairs to the kitchen, preparing some hot chocolate for yourself. Holding the mug on one hand you knocked on the door to Mingyu's room, checking up on him since you haven't seen him since lunch.

The door opened revealing Mingyu in a baggy shirt and pajamas, his hair fluffy and messy.

"Hey," you chriped. "Wanted to check up on you. You wanna join the others in the bonfire?"

"Nah, I'm good. I've been watching them from the balcony." He smiled, his pointy canines showing.

"Oh, I see."

"You wanna come in? I've been getting lonely." He offered, moving away from the door to make space for you.

"Uh- I don't mind," you murmured, surprised that he asked you to come in. You tentatively stepped in and it was fair to say that you were surprised to see the room neat and pristine as most guests kept their room messy.

He ushered you into the balcony, which had a great view of your yard and the forest behind. You saw others laughing loudly as Soonyoung acted something out. Mingyu's voice pulled you out of your thoughts.

"You didn't join them?"

"Nah, they can get too loud sometimes," you chuckled, taking a seat on the bench. You eyed an empty mug lying by, guessing that Mingyu already had his fill of hot chocolate.

Mingyu took a seat beside you, stretching his legs and sighing as he mused, "The view is great."

You hummed your agreement. It was indeed. Not only did you have the full view of your yard and the forest, but you could see a vast horizon of the night sky, some stars twinkling through the clouds.

"It's even more beautiful during summer. You can see so many stars that it feels unreal." You told him.

"Then I will try to visit again during summer," he smiled and you were not sure if he was serious or joking. However you replied with a smile, "You're always welcome."

A silence falls among you two after that but it's not uncomfortable, as you both watched the night grow and Soonyoung and his friends got louder.

"Things got really hard for me, you know," Mingyu started speaking, his voice soft as he stared at the mesh of trees ahead. You were somewhat surprised at his words, but you didn't interrupt, opting for him to continue.

"Running a million dollar company was never easy but...it suddenly was unbearable. My parents always interfered in my work and how I run the company but I managed through all of that, really...until..." Mingyu heaved a long sigh, abruptly stopping.

"Until?" You tentatively asked, peeking at him.

"They want me to get married. With the daughter of their business partner. A marriage of convenience, really."

Oh.

You fell silent, watching him as the moonlight dimly lit the side of his face. There wasn't enough light to see his face completely, but enough to see the curve of his face, his sharp jawline and the sad, lost look in his eyes. Your heart suddenly ached for him. Silently you patted his shoulder, conjuring up some words to console him.

"That's ...awful, really. I'm sorry."

"I've never been so mad in my whole life. Can't they just leave me alone? They treat me like a puppet, like my only job is to live for them. I'm so done. " He said, his hands forming fists.

There's a beat of silence as you quietly patted his back and watched your friends get wasted by the bonfire before he chuckled softly, "I'm sorry for dumping all these on you. I just couldn't hold them in you know-"

"It's really fine, Mingyu. I don't mind. It would be nice if I could actually help you," you sighed, retracting your hand.

"Trust me, you are," he said and you caught a smile on his face.

"I suppose you don't have a significant other? Someone you could talk to freely?"

He shook his head. "That is why I came here. Needed to get my thoughts together, away from them. Not to mention I don't remember the last time I went on a vacation."

"And have you got your thoughts together?"

"I think so, yeah." He shrugged.

"What are you gonna do?" You asked tilting your head.

"Stand strong in my ground, I guess. There's no way I'm marrying their business partner, I'd rather die. And if all else fails, I'm staying here. I'm sure you have some type of job for me, right?"

You laughed at his words, "Maybe. But I'm not sure about your skills, Mr. Kim."

"Oh I'm a fast learner, Miss ___."

You both grinned at each other.

That night when you went back to your room, your thoughts were plagued by Mingyu and you could swear you saw him in your dreams too.

-

The next morning is brighter and shinier; the sky relatively clear other than some light clouds. After getting dressed and checking up on Hoshi and Chan who were still sleeping, you trudged through the cabin and towards Mingyu's room, before knocking on it. A fully dressed Mingyu appeared, clad in a white polo and jeans, his hair styled messily. He looked effortlessly attractive, making your heart skipp a few beats.

Damn it, what was wrong with you?

"Hi," you almost missed a breath, your face flushed with warmth.

"Oh, hey. I was about to come to you. I believe you were to show me around." Mingyu grinned, his pointy canines showing.

"And that is what I'm here for, Mr. Kim."

"Great! Let's get going. We'll take my car."

-

After showing Mingyu around for a couple of hours, you both ended up at the beach by the marketplace, sitting on the sand next to each other. The weather was nice; not too hot, not too cold as a light breeze flew by occasionally. Though you could see some black clouds gathering above, it wasn't to rain until evening if the forecast was correct.

"This place is so pretty," Mingyu mused, making you smile.

"I know right. The weather is great too."

You both watched the waves crash to the shore, occasionally wetting your feet as you both relaxed on the sand. There was a silence, a comfortable one as you finished eating the corndog you bought from the market earlier with some groceries. As you finished the last bite, Mingyu turned to face you and asked, "Tell me about yourself."

"What?" A squeak of surprise escaped from you.

"I shared a lot about myself last night. It's only fair I get to know about you too."

"Well..." You pondered. "There isn't much to tell. I've a pretty dull life, unlike you."

Mingyu chuckled, shaking his head, "Does the cabin belong to your parents? Is it like a family business type of thing?"

"No, not really," you smiled softly. "My parents are dead. The cabin belonged to my grandfather."

"Oh- I'm sorry."

"No it's okay. They passed away in an accident when I was a kid so I don't remember them much." You spoke, watching the sea, "My grandparents raised me. Growing up I've spent a lot of time in the cabin and when my grandfather retired he handed the job to me."

"Are they alive? Your grandparents?" He asked tentatively.

You shook your head, "Grandpa passed away a couple years ago and it's been a few months since grandma did too."

"I'm sorry, you must've been lonely," Mingyu offered, his voice soft.

You shrugged, "Yeah, like I said, nothing interesting going on in my life."

Mingyu hummed noncommittally and there was a few moments of silence before he spoke again, "Was managing the cabin something you have always wanted to do?"

You were quiet for a while as you thought over the question, "No...not really. I've just kept doing the job I was handed to. I haven't really thought about what I want to do."

"Well...I think you should hire a manager in your place and maybe...I don't come to the city and make friends, see what calls for you."

"Yeah, I've thought about it. But I don't know really." You murmured.

"Well, give it some thought. I could help you find a manager. In fact, I could help promote and upgrade your cabin if you'd let me. It'll be a good investment."

You laughed softly, not taking his words too seriously. He was just a guest. He was probably just being nice.

A gust of strong wind flew by, ruining your hair as it poked into your eyes and you laughed when your eyes landed on Mingyu.

"What?"

His hair was sticking in different directions because of the wind and you shook your head with a smile as you reached to pat the hairs back into place. It happened naturally, before you could stop yourself. For a moment your eyes meet as you quickly retract your hand, face heated.

Something was definitely wrong with you.

Mingyu's gaze stayed at you for a while; you could feel his intense eyes on you and you thought maybe he didn't like you touching him. Before your thoughts ran more rampant, he spoke.

"___?"

"Y-yes?"

"Do you...Do you have a home?"

"Home?" You were confused.

"Yes, home. Not like a real house but like a... person. Someone who makes you feel at ease, someone with whom you can be yourself without judgements, someone who keeps you cozy and safe and loved...like a home."

Somewhat taken aback by his words, you fell silent but their depth hit you and you found yourself thinking about it. Do you have a home?

No. No, you don't.

You shook your head, murmuring, "No."

Mingyu nodded taking his eyes off you.

"What about you?" You asked.

"Me neither."

You smiled, "Figures. Because if you had someone you wouldn't have run here but went to them."

Mingyu smiled, a sad smile gracing his lips. It was a somewhat bitter truth, he hadn't found his home no matter how much he looked for it. Maybe that's what he was doing wrong, looking desperately.

"Let's get going. It has started to rain," Your voice dragged him out of his thoughts as he felt small drops of water fall on his face. You reached your hand out to him and he took it, standing up. As you both jogged towards Mingyu's car, your hands remained connected, no one bothering to let go.

-

That night you had dinner with Mingyu again but this time it was you who did the cooking. After enjoying dinner over small talk, Mingyu like the gentleman he is did the dishes as you poured some wine for the two of you.

Sitting on the small table in common space by the window, you both watched the clear sky that had appeared after the shower. You sipped your wine, watching the vast expanse of stars that blinked in the dark sky.

"I think I've to go back tomorrow," Mingyu suddenly whispered, his tone so low you almost thought you misheard him. A bolt out the blue, you looked at him.

"Tomorrow?"

"Mmhmm," he fiddled with the hem of his cardigan as he stared at the table. "I've got so many calls and messages from work. My company won't run on its on, I can be gone for only so long." He sighed.

You didn't offer any words, too shocked to know that he'd be gone tomorrow. What is this attachment you've developed towards him? Why did the thought of someone, almost a stranger going back to where he came from, where he belonged hurt you so much? You didn't know what to label your feelings but realizing that you'd probably never see him again was tugging at your heartstrings.

Should you ask him for his number and stay connected with him? Is there even a point in that? You both live miles away from each other. Or should just take his advice and follow him to the city? Would that even be a good idea? Are you just reading all this wrong?

You were so invested in your thoughts that you didn't realize Mingyu was calling you until he shook your shoulder.

"You okay, ___?"

"Huh? Yeah...it's just, the news is really sudden. I didn't... expect you'd return so soon." You mumbled.

Mingyu sighed, his shoulder dropping a little bit. "Trust me, if I could I'd stay here forever. But...I can't keep running. I need to face my parents, the sooner the better."

At a loss of what to say, you just nodded. Reaching for your drink you took a big gulp, trying to calm your nerves. It's okay, you can do this. He's just another one of your guests.

You stood up, taking the empty glass in your hand, "Well, I better leave you alone now. I'm sure you've got packing to do."

You almost turned away; until a strong hand gripped your wrist and pulled you back, making you stumble towards Mingyu's body.

"Don't. Stay for a while. I don't want you to leave." His voice was soft yet deep and it immediately broke your resolve as you set the glass down and looked into his eyes.

He didn't let go of your wrist; instead only wrapped his other hand around your waist, pulling you closer, leaving just a few inches between your faces. You didn't tell him to move neither did you make any effort to get away from him- you didn't want to. It felt good, comforting as he held you and looked at you almost like you were his whole world. His eyes had so much emotion swirling in them and you were sure yours looked the same too.

"___?" His voice was breathy and it set your heart aflame.

"Y-yes?"

"Can I...kiss you?"

You inhaled sharply as his hold on you got tighter. You couldn't process a reply, overwhelmed with emotion. So you just nodded and Mingyu leaned in, pressing his lips to yours.

It was soft at first, his lips just resting against yours, as if he was testing the waters. When you didn't resist but only pulled him closer, he started devouring you, his tongue prodding in your wet cavern. Moans espaced from you as you kept pulling at his hair almost grinding on him, desperate for more. He was the same, kissing you with so much passion and vigour like you were the last female standing.

You somehow managed to tug off his cardigan between the kiss and when you pulled apart for air, Mingyu panted, "Can we take this to the bedroom?"

His deep raspy voice spread liquid heat throughout your body and you had to stop yourself from pouncing on him.

"Yes please," you breathed. Mingyu stood up straight, his tall and built body intimidating you in the best ways possible, "Oh baby, you don't have to beg. I'll give you anything you want."

Once again your breath was trapped as he picked you up, his hand under your ass to support you. When he dropped you on his bed and took off his tee you realized you were in for a long night. In the back of your mind, you also realized that this would make it even harder to let him go.

-

Next morning you were the first one to wake up as the sun barely seeped through the blinds. If you had to guess it wasn't any more than six am. Mingyu's hand rested on your waist as he remained snuggled against your back. It was so comforting that you almost forgot your reality and went back to sleep, until you remembered what had happened last night. Before you could start overthinking and possibly had a breakdown right there, you ever so carefully removed his hand from your body and scrawled out of the bed, grabbing your shirt and quickly throwing it on. Then you tiptoped out of his room despite the ache between your legs and rushed straight towards yours.

Slamming the door shut, your sat down, head in your hands. You've to now prepare for saying goodbye. Right, you just need to act casual and not let him know that you might have developed feelings for him in the past week.

His words came back to you.

"Do you have a home?"

You didn't have one until now but the realization that you may have found it brought tears to your eyes.

-

You spent the next hours wallowing in your self pity, curled up in your bed too afraid to get out and face Mingyu. Soonyoung dropped by once, knocking at your door and asking if you want breakfast, which you declined. Time slowly ticked away and you watched as the clock struck eleven. You couldn't stay inside forever. You needed to bid Mingyu a goodbye- that is if he hadn't left already. But you were sure he didn't; he wouldn't just leave without any words.

Sighing, you gathered every last bit of your courage and stepped out of your room. Immediately you saw Mingyu coming out from the opposite end of the corridor, the carry-on he brought with him in his hand.

"Hey, where have you been?" He asked, his steps getting quicker to come and stand in front of you.

"Oh- um, I took and shower and then dozed off, sorry," you lied easily, not meeting his eyes.

There was a beat of silence as you both stood in front of each other and when your eyes finally met his, a blush spread across his face like wildfire. The air was heavy with unsaid words and you coughed, trying to get rid of the terrible awkwardness.

"So, you're leaving now?"

What a nice question.

Mingyu seemed to be lost in thoughts as he snapped back to reality and scratched the back of his head, "Oh yeah, right. It'll be a couple hours drive so the earlier I leave the better."

Nodding you motioned your hand towards the exit, "I'll see you out."

Mingyu seemed to have something to say but he pressed his lips in a thin line and started to climb down the stairs, you behind him. Soonyoung, who was standing at the entrance gave you a conspirational wiggle of his brows but said nothing as he watched you follow Mingyu out.

You observed as Mingyu loaded his bag in the trunk, peeking glances at you every other second. When he finished, you spoke, "Well...good luck. I hope you can overcome your problems."

"Thanks. It won't be easy and my dad will probably take away my shares of the company but...I'm done living like this."

You nodded, smiling softly as you crossed your arms against your chest. It suddenly felt cold.

You both gazed at each other, saying nothing even though you've so much to say, as if the silence would carry your unsaid words to him. You were torn- wanting to talk about last night but chickening out knowing it was probably just a fling, a one night stand for him.

"___..." Mingyu spoke but the words died on his tongue. Not trusting yourself to speak, you swallwed the ball of emotions and looked at him with a curious tilt of head.

"...I hope you find what you really want to do. And I hope you find your home too," he said, his words so soft and gentle. For some reason you had a feeling that those were not the words he wanted to say yet you forced a smile and nodded, "You too, Mingyu."

His eyes swirled with so my emotions but you didn't know what he was thinking. He looked pained, just like you but you were too afraid to speak your feelings, scared that you misread him.

When you spoke no more, Mingyu sighed and backstopped slowly, "Well... goodbye, then."

You managed to choke out the words, "Goodbye."

Your emotions overwhelmed you, tears stinging your eyes as you watched him enter his car. Why did it hurt so much? Why did it feel like your heart was being ripped right out of your chest?

His engine roared to life and your stomach sunk. Was this really the right thing to do? Should you just let him go like this?

You made a split second decision that moment, just as his car moved forward a little.

"Mingyu!" You called after him, immediately making him stop the car. He came out, almost in a hurry, an expectant look on his face as you ran towards him. Then you made another split second decision as you wrapped your arms around his tall frame and held tight.

"I like you, Mingyu. I really like you." You mumbled in his chest.

He didn't say anything back but you felt his arms wrapping around you tightly and you stood there in each others embrace for a while. It felt like time has stopped, the warmth and safety of his arms comforting you and making you realize how you would have regretted if you had let him go.

Mingyu pulled back to take a look at your face, his hand cupping your cheeks, his warm but intense eyes on you, shining with love and adoration.

"Say something," you whispered, still unsure.

He chuckled, a light-hearted, carefree sound that made your heart swoon. "I like you too, if it wasn't obvious after last night."

Elated, you pulled his face down and kissed his lips as you felt him grin and wrap his arms around you once again.

"I want to go with you...to the city," you murmured into his chest as he rested his chin on the top of your head.

You couldn't see it but you felt him smirk, "Good. Because I think I found my home."

Your heart couldn't become fuller as you grinned like a happy child.

"Me too."

A/N 2: If you enjoyed reading don't forget to like and reblog and let me know your thoughts!

© startlightxsvt 2021 | All Rights Reserved. Do not copy, translate, adapt, or repurpose any of my works.

[funkymbtifiction]

This pandemic has brought out the worst in me. My sleeping schedule is a mess (I go to sleep at 6am and wake up at 2pm), I'm barely able to get out of the bed, I can barely do the dishes and take out the trash, I spend too much time on YouTube and inside my head, thinking about all the stuff I wanted to work on but being unable to do it.

My memory has also gotten worse - if it's not something I'm not obsessed with then I'll not remember the details. I was trying to snap myself out of this hazy floating by trying to focus my mind at least on reading, which is something I absolutely love, but now I'm unable to focus even on a plot I find interesting and intriguing, my mind immediately starts to wander, or I need to do at least 2 things at once (reading and checking Reddit, or reading and listening to some ambient music). I've also started to not finish stories where I once used to read a book a day.

I know the theory of what I should be doing, but that's it. I'm unable to JUST DO it. I think my Te is trying to motivate me by trying to wake up my conscience, but it's not enough. I hate this because I know I can do things and concentrate and be responsible and productive, but because I'm fine and all my basic needs are met I don't have the need to pull myself together. I used to fuel my 7 by travelling and observing people, but now that we need to stay home, and I have covid (so my friends bring me groceries), my 9w1 core sloth is all too happy to be left alone, with my devices.

I know that this pandemic brought pandemic fatigue with it, plus it's spring and I'm always tired in spring (plus my years-long medical issues with thick blood and low blood pressure), but it's driving me crazy that I could've gotten better at my hobbies and could've reached some of my goals by now only if I DID things. Things that used to work don't help anymore. And then I don't even stay mad long because some new video distracts me.

Is there something from a mbti perspective that can help to start doing things and concentrating on them? (For context I'm an ENFP 9w1 7w6 2w3)

Also thank you so much for this blog, thank you for helping lost souls find their way and be better people, both inside their head and outside when interacting with the outer world ❤️ I haven't been studying mbti for that long but so far I've seen so much valuable information on your blog, and for free!

Are you mad enough at yourself yet to change your behavior?

That's really the bottom line here, because you KNOW that YOU have to start being responsible and doing things and not just wasting your time... but YOU are the only person who will force yourself to do things.

A couple of thoughts. First, I recognize this phenomenon / brain fog. It happened to me several times last year during the pandemic (where I am, things are opening up, so hopefully they will soon for you as well) and I hated it. My mind was unclear, I had lots of things I needed to do but could not focus on any of them. It was, to be honest, a Si grip, which yanks you out of Ne-dom (possibilities, excitement about doing projects, seeing things made real) and turns your intuition into a "fog." There's no access to Fi (do I care about this? if I care, am I a principled person enough to do it?) and no Te (how am I going to prioritize my tasks?), just Si (I'm comfy doing nothing and feeling depressed) and flits of Ne, which only show up as being bored, easily distracted, etc. So some of this is a Si grip, and some of it is general depression (being unfocused, sleeping in late, not taking care of yourself, no motivation even for things you love, unable to finish things). You need to approach it by dealing with both -- getting back into your stronger functions (Ne: envisioning possibilities and finding a purpose, Fi: drawing upon your character and who you want to be and what you care about, to take action, Te: making a plan, forcing yourself to do what needs done, and keeping track of your progress to self-motivate) -- and by recognizing and admitting that you are depressed, and asking what you can do about it.

Second, you have built up some BAD habits during the pandemic. I get it. I fell into some of this as well last autumn, when I ceased being my usual productive self and started leaving work (from home) at 3pm every day. I developed a bad habit of just watching television, which numbed my brain and ultimately bored me. It's only now that I have hope and can go to the store without a mask on that I am feeling happier (my little 7 wing rejoices and has PLANS) and can work through into the late afternoon. I'm re-establishing a schedule that is productive throughout the day instead of allowing myself to "meander" in life. So what you need to do is look at your habits. Make a list of them. Look at what you told me: basically, it is I have become undisciplined, my sleep schedule is bad, and then I wake up late and feel lazy so I don't do anything. What is ONE THING that would jolt you into a different routine? Go to bed on time. Set a time every night, shut off all your devices an hour ahead of it, read a book until you get sleepy, and go to sleep. Wake up at a decent hour. If you wake up at 7am instead of 2pm, your body won't fall into its usual "welp, afternoon is half over, guess I'll watch YouTube" habit. It will go -- wait, what new habit are we forming? Breakfast? Then work?? Okay!

Lastly, and this is HUGELY important for an ENFP -- decide the night before what you are going to accomplish or work on tomorrow. Why? It prepares your brain to know what is expected from it. Unless I do this each night, and have a notion of how I am going to spend my time, my Ne goes ?!?! and I get very little done or waste three hours trying to decide what to do. But if I say, "Okay, tomorrow I am finishing chapter four," I usually finish chapter four (and then some). Today, I have to work at my paying job. I knew this last night, so I am mentally clear and prepared to focus only on the task at hand. I don't treat today as "mine." It belongs to my employer. I know what I am going to do, I intend to do it, and when I get home, I know what else I can work on. Learn to create this habit each night before bed. Decide what tomorrow is going to be like and commit to it.

As for tasks you don't want to do that still need done -- just do them. You can spend 2 weeks avoiding them, or spend an hour and get it over with so you don't feel like crap about yourself because you have kept avoiding it for weeks. Decide, "Tomorrow, I am doing that thing first thing in the morning," and then do it.

You will find that when you start setting yourself tasks (Te) that your Ne starts working properly again -- it will become more focused, less hazy, and more interested in what you can contribute, rather than just mindless "consuming." It's fine to have a down day now and again (even so, it's also useful to have a vague idea the night before of what this day will contain, even if it's fun -- it's fun and exciting to anticipate things) but your life NEEDS structure, or you won't do anything.

I hope you can pull yourself out of this, because you won't be happy unless you do. ENFPs need to get things done, contribute, feel like they are moving forward, and have something to show for their time. Without it, they will get angry at themselves -- as you well know.

[straykidsworldwild]

Duskwood

Phil Hawkins x MC

Part 2 (1/2) : MC goes to work and a certain boy comes to meet her for lunch.

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Heyy guys! Here's a piece of part2. It was too long to put the whole thing on Tumblr at once (apparently) so I had to cut it in half 🙈 (2/2) is coming!!

(I just made the collage. Credits go to the creators of Duskwood and the owners of the pics.)

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I slowly wake up, feeling and hearing something buzzing. With my eyes still closed, I slide my hand under the pillow next to mine to grab my phone. I hate waking up by alarms… It feels like I am being cut in my sleep. And I’m not going to lie… I love my sleep just as much as I love food. Who doesn’t? I open my eyes and turn the alarm off before quickly closing them again. I didn't sleep well last night… When I went to bed after texting Phil to tell him I got home fine, I couldn’t stop thinking about the discussion we had at his bar. Was I right to say “yes” for lunch tomorrow noon? Was he being serious? Is he playing a game? Am I falling in his net? I don’t know and I think that’s what terrifies me with him. I just don’t want to be his next hookup… If I start something, it’s for a serious relationship, not to play around. That’s not my thing. But that’s exactly what Phil does so… I guess I should just trust a little more myself. Anyway, that was just the first part of the night, because the next part, all I could do was think about my uncle. Every time I closed my eyes, I just recalled amazing moments with him. Moments that mom, he and I won’t ever have again… I laid on my back, on my sides, on the side… And I did this over and over until managing to fall asleep.

I turn on the lamp on my nightstand when I hear my phone suddenly buzzing again. But I turned it off… Oh! I grab my phone and answer the call after looking at the I.D. caller.

- Hey, mom, how are you? I just woke up… I tell my mother with a still sleepy voice as I sit on the side of my bed. The light is still too much so I close my eyes for a few seconds more. Suddenly, a noise coming from behind the phone call catches my attention. It’s not a noise I am used to hear her make... Mom? I call her with some concern.

- “He's gone…” I hear her simply whispering through the phone as another sound catches my attention again. Sobs… Mom is crying. I’ve heard my mother crying before. It’s so… Strange and heartbreaking. I mean, mom has always been that strong figure, fighting everyone coming in her way or in mine… But she never broke down before me.

- I know, mom. I'm so sorry. But… I begin to respond calmly, keeping the pain to myself. I’ve never heard nor seen my mom crying in my life. She’s all I have as a family and hearing her in such pain… It’s heartbreaking.

- "Can you come over today? I'll need you to finish the preparation of the funeral. I can't do this alone. And..." She interrupts me, sounding overwhelmed and submerged. I lower my head and keep a desperate sigh inside of me. I wish I could already be next to her and tell her to not worry. That she doesn’t have to do anything. That I will take care of this for her. But I can’t because of my dumbass boss… Unbelievable...

- I'd love to, mom, really. But I have to go to work, I begin to say, sounding sad and sorry for not being there for her. I hate it. I feel like I’m betraying my own mother. That I’m not giving her the support she needs right now. And maybe the one that I also need... But she knew uncle Alex for longer than I did so it’s fairer that I should be there for her... But once I'm out, I'll stop by your house to come help you, okay? So I can see you a little bit too, mom. I should finish at 3p.m. today, if my boss doesn't think otherwise, I tell her gently. Though, an unsure point is heard in my voice. We never know with my boss… If he had a bad day, he is capable of giving you two extra hours to do just because he wanted to.

- "You know, your uncle was always there for me. I remember when we were kids…" I frown with sadness to the sound of her voice. It’s broken… She sounds empty. Out of life. "There was this horrible kid terrorizing the youngsters. I was one of those kids being terrorized, but of course, as my big brother, he protected me. He always did. He was really protective, you know?" She recounts me in brief words with a trembling voice. I know the story by heart. Uncle Alex used to tell it to me as a bedtime story. He was the hero of course. I never doubt that… I hear mom sniffling and letting another sob out. "So was he with you, baby. He loved you as his own, you know?", oh… When she said "baby", her voice just completely broke. I could barely hear it. I continue to look down as I feel a lump forming in my throat. I miss Uncle Alex like crazy... "And he did the same when your father left..." She admits to me, going to the topic about how my uncle was protective. Which I already knew as well... It honestly hurts to hear all of this so soon after his tragic death. I still haven’t digested it. It’s still not real to me. I still think I will see him today or tomorrow or the day after tomorrow... But it seems to make mom feel better by saying those words to me, by recounting her memories. So, I'll listen carefully. Or I'll try, at least… If I don't break before too. Her pain is so profound… And shared.

- Mom, you don't have to tell me all of this now. Let some time pass. It's hurting you, I say with a slight pleading tone, hoping she will listen to me. I know it's hard to not think about it or to not want to talk about it. But I just think it's too soon for her. And for me... She can't turn the page in a finger snap. It’s impossible. Even if she feels like she did or she has to do it, it might not be the best way.

- "I love you, MC. You're my baby girl." She says over the phone, sniffling sadly again. I nod even though she doesn't see me. I am staring at the floor, my sight being blurry. Not again...

- I love you so much, mom, I reply to my mother, controlling my voice as much as possible despite the tight ball in my throat. She doesn’t need to know that I’m about to cry too. I hear her sniffling behind the phone call again followed by a new sob. I can't… Look, I have to go, mom, but I'll come see you later today, okay? I'll come with a little surprise, I tell her gently, wanting and feeling the need to cheer her up. I just want my mother to be happy again.

- "A surprise? You know I don't like surprises much, MC.", She replies with a mix between her crying and a faint chuckle before reminding me how she has always hated surprises. I know…

- That's why I'm bringing you one, I answer to my mom, cracking a smile to the sound of her faint chuckle.

- "You're a little Devil, just like your uncle... What's the surprise?" She begins to say before pausing. It's true, I got a little bit of him too. I guess it's because he sort of raised me and because I'm a (l/n) as well.

- Mom, if I tell you there would be no point for me to call it a surprise, wouldn't it? I answer with a gentle and playful tone before giggling. I hear her crying turning into giggles.

- "I tried. Okay, go to work, baby, and... I'll do a few things here... I'll try. Oh, and I ordered the flowers you asked me to pick for your uncle." She responds with another small chuckle before sniffling one more time. I smile a little more, glad to hear that I managed to make her smile a little bit despite the situation. She ordered the flowers… My smile grows a little more, glad about this news.

- Okay, call me if you need me for anything. Doesn't matter if I work or not, okay? I love you, mom, I reply sincerely to my mother, giving her a little cheerful tone.

- "I will. I love you too, baby. See you later.", She says back to me, sounding a little better then when I answered the phone. I smile and wait a few seconds before hanging up. Right… I feel like I have another long day coming… I let a long sigh out, as if I am trying to get rid of a weight on my shoulders, before wiping the tears in my eyes. Well, I've got to get ready...

Almost an hour later, I am on my way to work. Like every day, I see the same streets, the same cars, the same shops, the same streetlights… Of course, I am not going there with an ounce of motivation. I’d rather stay home or go anywhere else, but not there. I’m not saying being a waitress is the worst job, but my boss and some clients are actually really hard to deal with. Anyway…

I rapidly reach the back door of the restaurant I work at and enter the building which leads to the kitchen. The cooks and the waitresses are all here, ready to work. Oh, almost… I hold the door for Angie and she runs in, thanking me at the same time. We exchange a smile and get ready to start working. The clients should start coming soon… It's been three months since my boss decided to expand the restaurant to include a little coffee shop. I think it was a good idea, a good change in Duskwood. It was a test at first to see if people would like it. The clients seemed satisfied so that’s why I am here so early every morning now.

- MC! I look up immediately after hearing a gravelly voice yelling my name. My boss walks briskly towards me, a frown of madness plastered over his face. As usual... What time does my watch indicate? He asks me while showing me his watch on his right wrist. What…?

- 8:01am.? I answer, not sure where this is going.

- You were supposed to be here at 8:00a.m.. Not at 7:59a.m., not at 8:01a.m., but at 8:00a.m.! Is it so hard to understand in your dummy brain? He tells and asks me with madness, actually scolding me for arriving one minute late. As always, he raises his voice while talking, making sure everyone can hear who is commanding here. I guess you see what I meant when I said that I wasn’t very motivated to come to work...

- I'm sorry, boss, I simply say as I don’t want to argue nor lose my job. Well, it’s mainly that I’m not up to an argument right now… I have other things to think about. To worry about.

- Don't. Since you came late, you'll go home late. You're finishing at 6p.m. today, he tells me with a correcting tone, looking down on me. He’s joking, right? 6pm?

- What? You're making me do three extra hours for one minute late? I demand him with disbelief as I’m getting upset.

- And you're not paid for those, he points out seriously, still speaking as loud as before. Not paid?! Better and better...

- Sir, I can’t work extra hours today. I have to go see my mom this afternoon after work. My uncle passed away yesterday and I have to help for the funerals and… I explain to my boss with seriousness, going up against him. I mean, I can be shy and quiet and all, just don’t take me for an idiot or play with me.

- That's not a valuable excuse. Get to work before I change my mind and actually fire you for rebellion, he orders me seriously and sternly. Right… I look down, not responding to not receiving any consequences later. Everyone, back to work! he screams to all of his employees before walking away to do his life. Dick!

- Don't listen to this cold hearted dick, MC, I hear Angie telling me as she comes to stand in front of me. She’s a little taller than me. If you need to leave, then do. I'll cover for you. I knew something wasn't right yesterday but we barely crossed paths so I couldn't ask you what was wrong. I'm really sorry about your uncle, MC, she apologizes sincerely to me as she puts her hand on my shoulder. Angie is one of the only workers I get well along with here. Yeah, nothing goes well in this restaurant… It’s sad because it could have its potential. I smile at my friend while weakly nodding.

- Thanks, Angie, I thank her sincerely as I place my hand on top of hers. She smiles and nods back before the two of us take separated ways to go do our work.

The morning passed pretty quickly to be fair. I prefer when it’s like this. Working and watching the time pass is one of the worst feelings. There were so many clients this morning that I didn’t have time to get bored. It’s actually pretty rare that there are so many people coming in the morning. I mean, it’s still a little buzzy usually but not this much. I hope that will put my boss in a good mood and he’ll kind of forget the late minute thing this morning… Right, even I don’t believe this… I take the plates and cutleries that customers have left to clear the table. I clean it well and let other customers settle in. The noon hour and 1pm are the worst. There is often a line of customers waiting for a table but it goes on pretty well usually. Anyway… It’s time for my break. I put the dirty dish and cutleries in the bassin which is on a cart to later go to the kitchen.

- Hi, I turn around to look at the person who is not so unfamiliar to me, I'm looking for a pretty (h/c) with crazy (e/c) in which you would easily get lost in. Have you seen her around? says and asks me, a man, using a flirtatious and slight playful tone at the same time. I smile and softly laugh while nodding.

- Yeah, I think she went back to the kitchen a little while ago. But I don’t know where she went after, I reply playfully to my friend as I point towards the kitchen. The man softly laughs back before passing his hand in his long hair which isn't in a ponytail or a bun for once. How dare he look so good?

- How are you, Gorgeous? Asks me gently, Phil, as we are facing one another.

- I’m good. I have the same problem as last night, but I’m good. You? I answer with a very faint sigh as I keep a small smile before asking him.

- I'm good, thanks, he responds, having that damn smirk in the corner of his lips. The two of us stare at each other for a little moment, a smile on our face. I can’t really explain why or how, but seeing him here, now, like we said last night, makes me happy. So, is it still on for having lunch together or...? He asks me, a point of nervousness heard in his voice. He isn’t sure of himself which is so rare to see.

- Yes… I begin to tell him before hearing a gravelly voice calling for me.

- MC! I turn around and see my boss approaching us. Oh… No time for talking! Get back to work! He tells me harshly in front of Phil. Oh God… So awkward! I know I have said stories to my friends about my boss, but none of them actually saw the man talking to me that way. And I wish it wouldn’t have been Phil seeing and hearing him talking to me this way. What is he going to think?

- You're seriously letting that dumbass talking to you this way? I hear Phil whispering lowly in my ear. His deep voice echoing in my ear… He sounded like he couldn’t just believe what he just heard. Oh but it’s real, Phil… I live it every day like all the employees here.

- It's almost 1p.m., sir. I'm on my break… I begin to respond to my boss, not forgetting that I actually want to get out of work at 3p.m and not 6p.m. I still have hope… A faint one but, it’s still there.

- Break? He repeats my word with disbelief as he is standing right before my face now. No break for you today. Come on, move! He exclaims, speaking with a mad tone as usual. If I didn’t know him, I would think he actually hate me. Which might be the case… It’s not possible to scream so much on someone without reasons, right? Ugh, is that guy ever happy? Or just calm?

- Hey! I hear Phil’s loud voice coming from behind me before I could say anything to my boss. I slightly widened my eyes in surprise as I didn’t think Phil would say something. She's your employee, not your stooge! You should watch it! He tells him with a warning tone which I’ve never really heard before. The only time I heard him using this tone was when one of his regulars overstepped the line. I look on my left as I see Jessy’s brother standing next to me, slightly getting before me. Oh… He looks so mad.

- And who might you be to talk back to me? Questions, my boss to Phil. Oh no… I glance around us and notice that customers are staring at us, watching the scene. So awkward… Before Phil could do something or say a word, and mostly before it goes too far, I grab discreetly Phil’s wrist. He doesn’t move nor look at me. My boss is still staring at Jessy’s brother. He is not pleased at all...

- Look, sir. She's been working since 8:00a.m., and it's 1p.m. in less than five minutes. You can't take off her lunch break just because you're her boss, it's against the law. But if you think you are above them, maybe we could stop by the police station to see who's right? Responds calmly and politely, Phil, all while still having this warning and serious tone. I’ve always been amazed by how polite he can stay despite the circumstances or the situation. I mean, it’s easy to lose control due to anger, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he fights.

- 30minutes. No more, tells me, my boss, reluctantly giving me a break. Thanks to Phil… I nod positively before he turns around and leaves us at a quick pace. Phil turns around before looking down at me.

- Thanks, but you didn't have to do that, Phil, I thank him with a small shy tone, yet, thankful he actually stepped in for me.

- I did and I wanted to. But honestly, that guy deserved more than just a "talk", he replies with sincerity and seriousness. While talking about my boss, I could hear the madness in his voice. I nod understandingly as I give him a small smile, appreciating it for standing up for me. It’s not every day it happens. Come on, he suddenly tells me with his infectious smile. I don't answer. Instead, my smile grows wider while the two of us walk through the restaurant to reach the outside. Oh, he has a bag! How did I not see it?

[junosartsthetic]

I Know you like Polnareff alot so I'll request one .. can I get a Polnareff oneshot where the reader is part of the crew and knows french so she flirts with Pol. And no one else has a clue what's going on?

I used google translate for the French so R.I.P. to the accuracy. I’ll put what I was trying to say in brackets, however, and if anyone who actually speaks French wants to correct me they are more than welcome. Also this uhh... this is one of the longest things I’ve written in a while. Did someone say comfort character?

As soon as the frenchman spotted you getting off the bus, he flashed you a wide smile. It’d been a while since he’d last seen you, but he’d recognize your features anywhere.

The other crusaders looked on, waiting to see who the special person Pol called in to help was. All he said was that you were an old friend.

Your boots moved against the concrete elegantly as you tucked a stray hair out of your face. The light blouse and sleek pants you wore complimented your figure nicely.

You waved, blowing Pol a kiss when you spotted him. “Bonjour,” you said, the French rolling off your tongue as though it was your first language.

Polnareff opened his arms for a hug but you just clicked your tongue. “Oh, no. I’m still mad at you, Jean. Now, why did you make me come all the way out here? Where even is here? What country is this?” you shook your head. “God, it’s been such a long trip.”

You noticed Pol’s companions and shook hands with each, introducing yourself as you did so.

“So, you’re the old friend Polnareff has been mentioning,” the man who introduced himself as Avdol prompted.

You nodded. “Something like that. But I still don’t know why I’m here.” Joseph piped up. “We’re trying to defeat an enemy that goes way back. Polnareff said you could assist us.”

You glared at the silver-haired man who was currently distracting himself with his nails. “Oh, he just assumed I would, huh?” you huffed. “Well, I’m already here so I might as well.”

That was the start of your inclusion as part of the crusaders. As time went on, you got to know the others more, befriending them as best as you could. You still gave Jean the cold shoulder, however. The others weren’t sure why, but Jean knew what he did wrong. That’s for damn sure.

The others found out, eventually, though; over a dinner, in fact.

You sat next to Avdol, chatting about nothing in particular. Pol directly across from you, simply pouting.

Joseph looked between the two of you. “So, uhh, what’s your past together, really? I know you said not to bring it up but if we’re to defeat Dio together we should get along. All of us. And that means fixing whatever shit Polnareff did to make you mad at him.”

“Moi? Why do you assume it was ME that did something?” Polnareff spoke up, crossing his arms.

“Because it was you,” was your reply as you took a sip of your beverage.

His face flushed. “That was a long time ago.”

You glared at him. “But you never apologized.”

“Es-tu sérieux? Qu'ai-je fait de mal? [Are you serious? What did I do wrong?]”

“Tu veux vraiment y aller? Tu n'as même jamais dit au revoir! J'avais dix-huit ans à l'époque! Vous êtes parti sans un mot et je ne savais pas où vous étiez et vous m'appelez soudainement de nulle part et vous attendez à ce que je voyage des centaines de kilomètres pour vous aider? [Do you really wanna go there? You never even said goodbye! I was eighteen at the time! You left without a word and I didn't know where you were and then you suddenly call me up out of nowhere and expect me to travel hundreds of kilometers to help you?]”

“J'avais dix-huit ans aussi, au cas où tu aurais oublié! J'étais un enfant stupide! Tu étais mon ... tu sais ce que tu étais pour moi! Je ne voulais pas tout gâcher! [I was eighteen too, in case you forgot! I was a stupid kid! You were my... you know what you were to me! I didn't want to mess it up!]”

You scoffed. “Gâcher? Et vous pensiez que me quitter après que nous ayons dormi ensemble pour la première fois n'était PAS une erreur? [Mess it up? And you thought leaving me after we slept together for the first time was NOT messing it up?]”

The others were simply looking back and forth in confusion. Obviously, you two had a rough past. Joseph cleared his throat awkwardly. Maybe he shouldn’t have brought it up…

Pol glanced down at his plate. “Je ... je suppose que c'était mal de moi. Je suis désolé. Je ... t'aime toujours, tu sais? Je n'ai jamais arrêté. [I ... I guess it was wrong of me. I am sorry. I... still love you, you know? I never stopped.]”

You began to cry.

Avdol put a comforting hand on your shoulder, though he didn’t know what to say.

“God damnit,” you muttered. “I still love you too, moron.”

There was silence. Though they understood only that, the other crusaders knew what went down between the two of you.

After that, everyone went to their rooms. Nothing else was spoken other than unmeaningful ‘good night’s and ‘see you tomorrow’s.

In the morning, you woke up with a newfound purpose in life. You knew how he felt, and he knew how you felt, but you were determined to grind his gears in revenge, anyway. He broke your heart so he deserved it. How to do it, however? You had a plan.

“Good morning, everyone,” you said as you walked into the breakfast area, your black silk robe still tied neatly against you. “I hope you all slept well. I have a feeling today is going to be a great day!”

“Uhh, yeah,” Kakyoin muttered, raising a brow. “You okay? You were… crying last night.”

You ruffled his hair. “Oh, don’t even worry about it, I’m great! More than great, actually.”

With that, you mozied off to grab a plate and start piling on breakfast items to eat. Luckily, the man you were looking for was right in front of you.

“Bonjour,” you said, tone light.

Pol shot you a look, but didn’t question your cheery attitude. “Salut.”

“Tu as l'air différent ce matin. Plus beau. Avez-vous fait quelque chose avec vos cheveux? Ou changer de tenue? [You look different this morning. More handsome. Did you do something with your hair? Or change your outfit?]”

“Non? Qu'est-ce que tu fais? [No? What are you up to?]”

You shrugged. “Je te donne juste un compliment. [Just giving you a compliment.]”

He finished stacking up his food and started to head back to the table, you following behind him.

As soon as you sat down, you began conversing once more. Running a hand lightly through his styled hair, you asked, “Êtes-vous sûr de n'avoir rien changé? [Are you sure you didn't change anything?]”

Jotaro let out a sigh, tilting his hat down. “Good grief. Here we go again.”

Pol shooed your hand away. “Oui. Maintenant mange. [Yes. Now eat.]”

This was the regular all day. Any chance you got, you’d pay him a compliment in French. The poor frenchman didn’t know what you were up to, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to find out.

After dinner, when the ones who were old enough to drink went down to the bar, was when things really started heating up.

Avdol and Joseph sat beside you as you sat beside Pol. They were busy chatting when they noticed you start a conversation. Despite not understanding, they decided to listen in.

“Belle nuit, non? [Beautiful night, no?]” you said, leaning your head against his shoulder as you stirred your glass. 

You were right. It was beautiful.

“Oui [yes],” he agreed.

“Pas aussi beau que toi [not as beautiful as you],” you quipped, nudging him with your elbow.

He let out a sigh. He would love nothing more than to take the compliment as it was, but he knew not to. He felt stupid not knowing what you were up to, but he had a feeling it had to do with him falling for your scheme of compliments. His expression remained neutral, though you spotted color appearing on his cheeks. You smirked.

“Cette nuit n'était pas si mauvaise, non? C'est pour ça que tu es parti? Parce que je n'étais pas assez bon? Parce que je serais prêt à réessayer. Donnez-moi une autre chance et je jure que vous ne voudrez plus jamais quitter le lit. [That night wasn't so bad, was it? Is that why you left? Because I wasn't good enough? Because I'd be willing to try again. Give me another chance and I swear you'll never want to leave the bed.]” Your feet nudged his legs as you spoke.

You felt his shoulder tense underneath you.

“Ce n'est pas ça et tu le sais. [That's not it and you know it.]”

You began to trace the top of his hand with your nails, drawing little shapes. You noticed the hair on his arms stand up.

“Je ne te crois pas~~~~ [I don't believe you~~~~]”

Joseph leaned over to whisper to Avdol. “I think she might be flirting with ‘im.”

“Why would she do that if he broke her heart?”

Joseph shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never understood a woman’s true motives a day in my life, that’s why I was asking you what you think.”

“I’m a fortune teller, Mr, Joestar, not a mind-reader.”

Dismissing Avdol, Joseph tuned back into what was happening on the other side of him.

You now had one arm wrapped around his bicep, the other trailing a nail from his hand up to his shoulder and towards his neck.

“Rejoignez-moi dans ma chambre et convainquez-moi, n'est-ce pas? [Join me in my room and convince me there, won't you?]”

Polnareff gently grabbed your hand, stopping you from caressing his face. “Pourquoi fais-tu ça? Je sais que tu gardes toujours rancune. [Why are you doing this? I know you still hold a grudge.]”

You let out a weary sigh. “Oh chéri. S'il vous plaît. Arrêtons-nous avec les présentations et le bavardage. [Oh, love. Please. Let's just stop with the introductions and chit-chat.]”

With that, you stood up, moving to grasp his wrists and lead him away from the bar.

Joseph turned to Avdol but the Egyptian shook his head. “We’re not following them. Well, I’m not. I’ll be in the room. You’re welcome to do whatever, Mr. Joestar, but I’ll have no part.”

Avdol got up, moving towards the stairs.

Joseph scoffed. “Well, fine.” He ran after Avdol. “Wait for me!”

You let out a sigh of relief. You brought Pol out into the empty patio, and there was no sign of the other two following you. You breathed out, breath visible in the cool air.

“I think we’re alone now,” you said. “Finally.”

Polnareff turned to you, expression one that was commonly found on him present. Confusion. “What are you trying to accomplish? Just tell me.”

You said nothing, your hands tracing up both of his arms before resting against his cheeks. You used your thumb to caress his face. Fluttering your eyelashes, you gave him a look he recognized from way back in that hotel in France. You leaned up, getting on your tippy toes.

Despite the logical side of his brain telling him he shouldn’t, he slowly wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you in.

Your lips met, but before anything could happen, you pulled away suddenly. You were crying.

“I’m such an idiot,” you muttered. “Why did I think this was a good idea?” You backed away from his grasp. “I’m sorry.” Polnareff’s heart shattered. He hated seeing you in tears, especially since he didn’t know the reason. He assumed it was probably him. “What’s wrong?”

You bit your lip. “I was going to get revenge,” you said. “Do to you what you did to me. But I can’t. If… if I go up to your room and do what we did together when we were teens I could never convince myself to leave you. Because I’m still in love with you, and not just a little bit. A lot. So much that it hurts. And I don’t want you hurt, even though you hurt me. Because I’m stupid in love with you.”

For such a talkative man, he had nothing to say. 

You two just stood in silence, cold air freezing your skin as you rubbed your arms. You let out a shaky sigh, eyes closing. You felt like an idiot. A love-sick idiot.

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you against a broad chest that smelled of French alcohol and cigarette smoke. You took in a breath.

“I should be the one apologizing, ma chérie,” he said, voice cracking with emotion. “You deserve the world and if I could go back I never would have left you in that room. I just-- you had such big plans. You were an exchange student from America who was studying things I couldn’t even pronounce. I was some dumb nobody scrounging and wallowing about with no real purpose.”

“You’re an idiot,” you mumbled, arms moving to wrap around his neck as you glanced up at him. “You’re such an idiot, Jean Pierre.”

“I know,” he said, giving you a small smile. His cheeks were pink. “I really do know.”

“But I’d like you to be MY idiot from now on, if that’s okay with you.”

He gave a chaste kiss to your forehead. “If you’re willing to take me back, even in this hell of a situation we’re in right now, then I’d love nothing more, ma chérie.”

Your response was in the form of a kiss. But this time, it wasn’t a short one.

What finally pulled you two apart was a familiar gruff voice from a few stories above. “I knew it! I knew it!”

You both looked up, shooting glares at the elderly Joestar. He gave you a quick smile before popping his head back inside his window.

You let out a giggle, Polnareff chuckling along.

“Oh my,” you sighed. “What have I gotten myself into?”

He grinned. “I have no idea, myself, ma chérie. But we’ll have a bizarre adventure finding out!”

That night, you two shared a bed, snuggled up against each other. There was nothing more than scattered kisses shared, but it was a pleasant night, nonetheless.

When morning came, however, and you were met with strong arms embracing you from behind as a familiar snore sounded in your ear, you felt better than you had in years. More specifically, since that night in France.

Letting out a hum, you turned to kiss his forehead. “God, I love you, you big French idiot,” you mumbled. And you meant it. 

Hope you enjoyed! <3

[theworldofyaltra-blog]

The World of Yaltra Parts 1-10

Yaltra, a world filled with magic gods and special abilities, a world of kingdoms and Queendoms. Light fills the world, but where light resides darkness is sure to appear.

In the queendom of Ceark, a warrior legend resides, a man named Dae Vol he was 14 and a tall boy standing at 6'3" with light brown hair and steel gray eyes, he prefers to wear red and gray robes. Dae had moved to Ceark when he was young. He went straight to the castle that day and demanded to be Chief of the Order of Knights. He was put through a test to see his power, they made a wager that if he was able to beat the top ten of the Order of Knights he would be given the title he wished. Dae was skilled, being born of a warrior and trained since he was a young boy. Dae got through nine of the ten, but when he reached the leader of the knights he was defeated. The leader of the Order of Knights recognized the boys potential and took him under his wing. Dae trained with the leader for 3 years when one day he was instructed by his mentor that to become physically stronger he had to become mentally strong. Dae was sent to Vertul School of Magic. At first Dae hated school, he disliked most people at the school, being an orphan back in his birth town only knowing his father was a warrior, and growing up in the slums. He disliked their aristocratic aura, he could tell that most looked down upon him. But one day after class he was approached by two people. He was approached by Phay Meloa a girl around 16 years old and her best friend Zould Akia a 17 year old half elf boy. Other than the staff of the school these were the first people to be nice to him at this school, they looked at him like a peer, like a friend. For a long time they were inseparable, and eventually they graduated the school. Zould left to his homeland, Phay was headed home too, but coincidentally Phay's home country is Ceark. Dae and Phay decided to travel home together. Phay asked what Dae was going to do. He tells her of his mentor and discovers that Phay is the daughter of his mentor.So Dae keeps training with Phay's father. Dae and Phay spend much more time together, growing closer and closer. Speed forward a bit and Dae confesses his love for Phay she feels the same. Dae and Phay get married 5 years later. A year after Dae is successful in fighting his now father in law becoming the leader of the Order of Knights. Zould then moves to Ceark and works as the High Wizard in place of his late uncle. Phay gets pregnant and gives birth to a boy, he is named Ty. A year later a war breaks out between Ceark and the kingdom of Anot. This war lasts for 4 years, and Phay's father passes on the battlefield. During the 3rd year of the war Phay gets pregnant again but dies in child birth. The child is a girl which Dae names Saia. Now it is 12 years after the war, this is where the story will truly begin.

"Hey you! Stop right there!" The guard commanded.

"Make me!" I replied confidently. But my confidence quickly faded as more guards appeared from the ally ways.

"You won't get away from us again Bo Asden!" This is not the first time I was in this type of pickle, especially with that particular guard. I never learned his name though, all I know is that he's getting faster.

Finally I found my favorite mode of escape, one of the many ally ways in this dump of a country. Ever since the last queen died and her bitch of a sister took the throne things have been hard on us poor folk. But enough history we have a problem at hand, that being-

"It's a dead end."

"And the end of the line for you thief!" Exclaimed the guard."You'll finally get your comeuppance."

"Hey there pal. Can't we work something out here?" I doubt this will work but I gotta try.

"No."

"Damn." Well I guess prison won't be that bad, I could work on my people skills. Plus free housing and food, but then again they would be alone.

"Seize him!" Exclaimed another guard. I guess I'll go out in a blaze of glory. As the first one came at me I swept gracefully past him and punched him in the back of the head, he was out cold.

"Gary!" So that's his name, good to know. They stopped playing fairly at this point and rushed me. I got overwhelmed and was thrown to the ground, it seemed they wanted to repay me for Gary.

"Stand down soldiers!" Boomed a large man behind the pile of people on top of me. He was a large man around 6'3" with graying brown hair and steel gray eyes. But it seems he is something to the guards because they got off me with fear in their eyes.

"I will take care of the thief, take Heads to the infirmary." This made me loose any feeling of safety. After the guards left with Gary he came closer and began to speak. "So tell me boy, why are you stealing from people, what is your motive?"

"I doubt YOU would understand"

"Try me kid, you'd be surprised"

"Believe it or not, some kids don't have parents to take care of them. All those kids have is me, so I get them food this way."

"How old are you son?"

"Sixteen, why?"

"Well, since you're sixteen you can work for their food, plus even if you're too old the orphanage will take the children your looking after."

"But I can't just-"

"You can, it's safer for them."

I'm sick of this asshole preaching about something he doesn't understand. I'm going to teach this old guy a lesson then he'll think twice about ordering people around. I ran towards him fists ready, then I was on they ground.

"What just happened?"

"Your predictable, but I plan on fixing that."

"What?"

"Get up and follow me, I'm gonna make you stronger."

"Yes sir." As we left I saw something. It was a man in red and gold robes, just silently watching me, as if he were waiting for something.

"Something wrong boy?"

"No and I have a name, I'm Bo."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Dae."

After the whole 'come with me' thing, Dae lead me past the slums to the more suburban part of the kingdom. It was sorta weird though because he didn't talk the whole way, just odd silence between us. Finally he stopped at a medium sized Dutch style house. He walked in the house prompting me to follow him. I had guessed at this point that it was his house. When I walked in I was greeted by a warm, loving atmosphere, just like I thought a home would feel, maybe it was just my imagination though.

"Father who is this boy?" Said a boy that seemed to be around 17, and looked like a slim young version on Dae. Not so far behind him a girl lingered, unsure if she should trust me.

"Tsun this is Bo, he will be trained here from today on." Dae said with his seemingly endless confidence. There was one thing wrong with this though, not once was I told that I would be staying here and being trained, I guess that's what he meant by 'make me stronger' but I had things to do, people to feed.

"What!? Why?" Said Tsun with rage. Never mind, I need to find someone to take care of the kids, because now my sole purpose in life is to antagonize this boy.

"I did not say it was a matter of discussion. He will be here so deal with it." I think it's time for me to step in.

"Well I'm lookin-"

"Be quiet boy, you need to prove yourself if I am to accept this!"

"Someone's cranky."

"Well if you're so apposed just fight him, he took on Gary." Hmm Gary's more popular than I previously thought. But also fight him? Why not? It'll be fun, he can't be too good if Gary is their frame of reference.

"Fine, if I win he shall leave, and if he wins he can stay." Dae didn't respond. "Follow me boy." He led me to a door in the back of the house with Dae and the girl trailing behind. Then the door led out to a grassy field.

"Might I ask how?" I said.

"To simply put it, magic." Dae replied. What a convenient excuse for an otherwise impossible situation.

"Come at be boy."

"It's Bo son."

"You know it's Tsun."

"And you know it's Bo." I wonder how stupid he'll look when he looses. Dae and the girl were whispering, catching my curiosity I tried listening to them and caught 'He isn't too bright though, huh' from the girl. What made her think that? That is what I found out. I turned back and we officially 'started' the fight. At first we just walked in circles, but then in a second he was in front of me, trying to connect his fist to my face. Lucky I dodged the attack and backed up.

"You're fast." I prepared a punch.

"Thanks." With that once again he jumped right to me, just as planned. He might be fast, but he seems to think with his head, not his mind. Wait, that doesn't make sense. Or does it? Fuck it, I'll go with it. What I was trying to say though was, i had expected another jump so I had prepared that punch and that plus his speed.

"HMF"

"That's a strange noise, I didn't expect that." I replied snidely.

"I take that back." Whispered the girl to Dae.

"Damn right!"

"Language!" Responded Dae. Also it seemed the girl was embarrassed to have been heard.

"Alright he can stay." Tsun groaned from the ground.

After the short battle with Tsun, I returned inside to explore a bit. I came across a shelf filled with pictures of times long ago. One depicted a younger Dae along with an elf and some girl that resembled the whisper girl, but this seemed too old for that to be her.

"Hey Dae!"

"What?"

"Who are these people with you in this picture?"

"The girl was my wife before we married, and the elf is my friend Zould."

"Where is your wife anyways?"

"Sadly she passed years ago, and Zould vanished during the Few year war."

"I've always hated the name of that war."

"Yes, it isn't very imaginative, like it was thought of on the spot. Anyway, we have to find a place to put the children you care for, and tomorrow morning we start your training!"

"Alright." I said. Something still felt off though, like a storm was coming.

"M'lord, the time has come. We may never have a chance such as great as this to invade Ceark."

"Prepare the fleet, we leave next week."

"Yes lord Ziao Tae."

I'm in a scorched field, one day the grass will grow but for now it's burnt dirt, burnt by battle mage fires. Dad is on the ground, but not the same dad i know. He was younger with full brown hair lacking the bits of gray without his short beard. In front of him stood an elf, one I've seen only in pictures. Dad once told me his name was Zould and his best friend, someone he trusted with his life and secrets. Zould was speaking, that's when I noticed the dark smoke cloud in front of him, i could feel the dark magic in the cloud. This cloud could only hurt.

"If I do this you will let him live, is that right?" Zould said looking to my father.

"Yes young elf, if you do this I will spare this boy and he will not fall like the rest." Uttered the evil thing. I realized the bodies scattered everywhere, some parts were removed from the bodies, it was sickening. "Just wound yourself and don't resist me." With that Zould cut his palm and the cloud seeped into it. He screamed from the painful experience.

"Take care Dae." He said. Then he started to change. He looked different now but his back was turned to me and as he started to turn I was surrounded in darkness. I was fearful at first, but then a calming voice told me.

"Find the book, save the elf, save the world." Then I awoke. I was in my room again. I was still just Victoria Vol, the 16 year old daughter of the "Great" Dae Vol.I've been having this dream for a month, but the calming voice was new. I was filled with questions from his words. What book was I to find? How do I save the elf? Is the cloud a danger to the world? But I couldn't find these answers on my own, but maybe dad could help me. It was around seven thirty so dad should be worshipping the "Forgotten God", the first god but also least know to the point that he is majorly unknown to most. Usually people will pray to more popular gods like Nekatio the god of cats, personally I like to worship the goddess of light Samantha. Dad likes to say that Samantha and the goddess of darkness Wendy are in a romantic relationship, but that's just ridiculous. Why would a girl go out with another girl? Dad also tells me it's not a big deal, I'm sure I just don't understand. I entered my fathers room but he wasn't there, something important must have come up. I decided to go down stairs to make some breakfast. Down in the kitchen I saw the boy dad brought back home a week ago as a student. He had hair that was a sandy yellow color and dark blue eyes, he was around 5'8 which I liked seeing as though I'm 5'4 and live with two giants standing at 6'3 and 6'2. He's kinda cute. "Do you know where my father is?" I asked Bo hopeful that he knew.

"Not specifically but he said it was important." Drat I wanted to ask him about the dream. But a voice cut through my thoughts. "Why is Gary your standard for strength?"

"Well Gary is a werewolf, plus he is considerably strong as just a human too."

"Did you say werewolf?"

"Yes and if anyone ever killed him it would mean big trouble."

"Who did this." I said to Dr.Sandra Bouls.

"Who ever did this used black magic to kill him, its potent even now though Mr. Gary Heads was killed around 48 hours ago."

"This is a problem, only one person could kill Gary with such powerful dark magic."

"Do you mean-"

"Zaio Tae."

It was a quarter past eight now and Victoria was leaving once again, she left at this time every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Where was she going though? I don't know much of Victoria except basic knowledge like age and gender.

"Where do you go on these days?" I decided to ask.

"Nothing to worry yourself about." Oh wow that really helps me. I guess it was supposed to be like that. So since she won't tell me I'll have to find out for myself. And by that I mean while I have free time let's follow Victoria. After a few seconds after her departure I left the house and followed the small black haired girl from a safe distance of two or three yards. We went a mile or two when she stopped and went to enter a small house on the outskirts of the city, I had closed the distance and decided now was a good time to reveal myself.

"Who lives here?" I said, startling Victoria. She saw it was me and calmed just long enough for her surprise to become anger. She slapped me.

"Why did you follow me, douche!"

"Language Vic. Also, ow."

"One, you deserved it. Two, I don't want you here. And three, who said you could call me 'Vic'."

"Well I'm not leaving now Vic, I want to know who this person is."

"I don't care! Just go back ho-"

"Oh, Victoria you brought your boyfriend to lessons today!" Said a friendly looking old lady cutting off Vic's sentence.

"He is not my boyfriend, he is a boneheaded fool."

"Such harsh words Vic." I feel that I'm starting to bother her, I'm glad I came.

"Well come on in, both of you." Said the old lady gesturing us to come inside.

"I'm looking forward to this."

"I hate you."

"Ha."

Inside the house was a room with a table to the left, a sitting area to the right and two doors. The old lady had us sit down and Vic explained my current situation.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I'm Matilda, a witch and Victoria's grandmother."

"Nice to meet you Matilda, why does Vic come here so often?"

"I can't just visit my grandmother?" Vic said with a cold tone.

"She comes to learn, just like my daughter learned."

"Learn what? Witchcraft?"

"No carpentry, of course it's witchcraft." Then a knock came from the door. "Well aren't I popular today." With that Matilda went and answered the door, and at the door was Dae.

"Matilda we have a big problem." Dae said sounding genuinely concerned.

"Nice to see you too, come in son."

"Oh I guess Bo joined you today, but you may stay it concerns all of us." What is going on that has him so worried? Nothing much ever really happens in Ceark, the only thing we really ever have to worry about is the magic haters of Takacia.

"Matilda, Victoria you've been having a certain dream lately right?"

"Yes I was hoping I was just going senile but he has returned hasn't he."

"What? Who's back? What does this have to do with my dreams?" Victoria looked scared, what in the fire realms is going on?

"I will tell you in due time but for now head home, and Matilda its time for you to abandon ship. I have to do something now, Victoria and Bo, go home for now."

"But what is all thi-" but before I could finish that sentence he was gone.

"Queen Aldraea, I have come as asked."

"Ah yes Knight Dae Vol, I have been informed of the dangers that loom and I have a task of utmost importance for you." Man she sucks, I'm just waiting for an assassin to come along. "I need you too look after my daughter, I'm having her go undercover as one of you plebeians so she may stay out of deaths grasp. And what's worse is she takes after her late father, such a weak man." This is music to my ears, her daughter takes after Borjor the kind. This is the best possible outcome, Borjor died a martyr. He was said to save any person, he would go to battlefields and save both friend and foe. Sadly he was 'mysteriously' poisoned. "Cassidy! Come here girl." A young teen girl then entered the room, she had long golden locks and jade green eyes although I could barely see them since she stared at the floor in submission.

"Y-yes mother."

"This is Knight Vol you shall live with his family while danger is high. I expect no problems with this."

"Yes mother."

"Now leave me, both of you."

"Yes my queen." With that I left with the shy princess.

It was eight in the evening when Dae opened the door and behind him was a girl around 19 and timid looking.

"Hey Tsun, I know I'm new myself but is this something he just does? Bring people home?"

"No actually, you two are the firsts. Also may I ask your name?" Tsun asked. A good question too but I doubt she will answer herself, she looks too uncomfortable for questions.

"This is Cassidy and she will be staying with us for a while." He told us nothing more of girl and lead her to the fifth and last bedroom of the house. He then went to Vic and lead her to the room, she entered, he left.

"Well that sure was 'enlightening', I really learn a lot about her." I said sarcastically.

Father had come to my room and filled me in on the princess and her situation, then lead me to her hopeful that I could calm the nervous girl. She sat on her bed and stroked her long golden hair, which is kinda weird because neither her mother or father have/had black hair.

"The queen isn't your real mother is she." I said bluntly, and now that I think about it that was rude of me.

"No, my real mother was a maid. She died in child birth." She replied unexpectedly. "My father didn't like 'mother' though and she didn't like him, which is why he had the affair. We would bond over our hatred of her, but then she." Cassidy stopped at that point realizing that she was saying very personal things to a stranger. "I-I'm sorry, I'd like to sleep now if that's ok."

"Of course, you can come to me if you need to talk again." Then I left. She seemed sad now, but she seemed a lot more comfortable. Maybe one day she will finish her talk with me.

It's been two months since Dae took me in. My days have been mostly routine; wake up, pray, eat breakfast, train, eat lunch, study, eat dinner, pray, sleep. The only diversions from said routine are my off days. For training we mostly just workout, sometimes Dae will teach me things like sword techniques. He's brought up magic infusion before, a skill in which something can be infused with magic, it's usually just for swords and armor though. I can't infuse anything because of my weak magic though, that's what studying is for. I've been practicing out of a thick spell book for beginners and have some basic magic down like 'Ignis Creare' a simple spell for making fire. Then there's 'Pruinae Creare' which is just the opposite of Ignis Creare. But enough of that, I'm currently at dinner and Dae has bequeathed some information upon us.

"I'm sending you all to Virtul Magic Academy." Dae stated.

"Excuse me? Why might I ask are we being sent to a school." I asked.

"Reasons."

"Do you have to be so vague?"

"Nope."

"I don't want to go. I'd rather stay here." Vic and Tsun agreed.

"It's not up for debate, I'm not answering any questions either. You four are going and that's it, you might want to pack your luggage because you leave in the morning."

"This is bullshit." Tsun claimed. Huh usually he's not one to argue, maybe I'm rubbing off on him, I felt happy from this thought.

"Just accept it, it's not like he's going to change his mind." Vic cut in. Tsun seemed rather peeved because his next course of action was to head to his room, drama queen. I was about to complain again but Dae sent me a glare, and the next thing I new I was headed to my room to pack. I'm not sure entirely what made me back off but I know it wasn't magic, that made it all the more terrifying.

It was evening when we arrived at the school, but it looked more like a fortress than a school. The whole campus was enclosed by a 12' stone wall in the shape of an octagon. At each point of the octagon was a tower, 4 were class buildings and the other 4 were dormitories, 2 for boys and 2 for girls. In the center was a larger tower which held the cafeteria, a ballroom, teacher housing, and at the top was the headmasters office. When we arrived we were shown to our respective rooms and someone was to pick us up and show us the around campus. A portly guy a year or two older than I showed me around, he seemed nice I should have listened to him. I didn't see the others till morning classes the next day. First class was Magic History with Ms.Uerosa she looked around in her mid to late twenties and... tried. She is too nice for her own good, the other students walked all over her, the ones who didn't and listened were few and seemed respectable, like they earned their right to learn here. The ones who couldn't be bothered to listen to poor Ms.Uerosa were, obviously, the children of 'important' nobles. Sadly a lot of the people here were those types. I did meet some good people, like Bruce, he has copper hair and glasses and schemes, which is always a plus in my book. I found him the most likable of the people here, luckily he's also my roommate. In my next class I finally got back together with Vic and Tsun, the other girl was in a different class. This class was Magical Practice with Mr.Dawnbreak, first task was summoning a familiar.

"Ok class, a familiar is the most important part of a magician, they can symbolize your magical strength and will be your companions till the end of your days." Mr.Dawnbreak boomed. He then mumbled some chant and a dwarf troll appeared next to him. "You can summon familiars at will with a simple chant, you can have multiple familiars depending on your magical strength. Now who's ready!" He's a very interesting teacher, very eager. Vic had summoned a black cat she named Simon, which was a sign of her strong affinity to potion magic. Tsun summoned a dog, to show his physical strength. Bruce summoned a Phoenix and everybody was too awed to ask what that meant. Now it was my turn. "Alright Bo, give it a try!"

"hoc est maximus ut custodiant lectione nunc." I chanted. And a figure started to appear. Now I'm not sure exactly what was going on, or why but when the summoning smoke cleared all that was there was, a girl. She was, different though, that meaning she had wings hand sharp teeth. She opened her mouth and spoke.

"Hilsener mester." She said. We looked upon her in both confusion and awe. "Min heter er Drakaina, har jeg kommet til å tjene deg." She spoke this time, but still we just gazed upon her. "Du kan ikke forstå meg he. Is this better, master?" Holy crap she spoke something comprehensive. "I am Drakaina." Drakaina said.

"Hey Mr.Dawnbreak, has this happened before?"

"No Bo, I can say it has not."

"Drakaina? What are you?"

"I am a drage, dragon, my master."

"I'd perfer if you called me Bo."

"Yes mas-, Bo."

"I'm going to fetch the headmaster, you students stay here, bond with your familiars." And with that Mr.Dawnbreak was gone. What would happen now? Only the gods know. This is going to be interesting though, that I knew for sure.