#xairathan answers

[xairathan]

this might shock you, but people who know each other exchange dragons. mind blowing, i know. but you'll probably block this like the pussy bitch you are. can't have anyone clogging up the airways with their point of view, can we?

They’re so tilted. Or is the term these days malding? 

[sohryumoved]

MISS LANGLEY, MISS LANGLEY, MISS LANGLEY, ARE YOU NASTY

maybe

[tiguidou-rising-archive]

eyes emoji do you have ANGELS

-finger guns- I sure do!I have two of them that reside in my lair currentlyMirth and NimheAnd sometimes a dragon will wander into the lair and be morphed by it’s journey to the labyrinth. One such dragon was Treacle.The angels are not always nice. The protect the Labyrinth. If you don’t disrupt anything you’ll probably be safe in their presence. Otherwise watch out!

[homuras-homos]

@xairathan those prompts you requested below the cut.

Also to hit you back,

2: AsuRei

5: AsuKyu

15: YuiMari

17. things you said that i wish you hadn’t (YuiMari)

Contradiction

    It had been a perfect conclusion to their vacation to the mountain resort. Yui Ayanami and Mari Makinami watched the sunset, nibbling on sweets together. Kyouko Soryuu had wandered off, leaving the two of them alone for now, giving Mari a knowing wink. The three friends had gone to the retreat in celebration of graduating, and so Mari could finally tell Yui about her feelings. The resort was quiet enough, romantic enough, to provide the right mood. And even in casual clothes, Mari was taken aback by the beauty Yui radiated. Mari entertained a fantasy where she and Yui elope, traveling back to the United Kingdom as fast as a plane could carry them. Probably stop over in Germany to drop of Kyouko. Then they could have a laugh at Gendo for thinking that he was good enough for Yui. He wasn’t.  

    It was just a fantasy, but depending on how the night went Mari would most likely make plans to return to Japan in the near future.

    Mari inched closer to Yui, one hand drifting on top of the other woman’s.Yui let it rest, splaying her fingers so that Mari’s slipped between them. Mari’s heart skipped a beat. It skipped another one as Yui leaned in to rest her head on Mari’s shoulder. With her free hand, Yui popped another sweet into her mouth.

    “You’ve got something to say?” Yui asked teasingly. Mari simply nodded, sliding closer to Yui. Her skin was soft and warm, and in the cold mountain air it was a godsend. The feeling of gentle comfort made her next words all that much easier. 

    “I love you, you dummy.” Mari confessed as the sun dipped below the horizon. Yui stared ahead for a moment, Mari noting how she swallowed repeatedly. Then she turned to face Mari, cupping her cheek in her hand and gently rubbing it. Yui was smiling, and though it was slight, as all her smiles were, Mari could see the emotions behind it.

    “I’d be lying if I said that I felt differently.” A grin spread on Mari’s face, her eyes growing wide. The effect was only amplified by Yui’s old glasses. “But I have to do this. I can’t run away now.” Yui dropped Mari’s hand, stepping away from her and turning away, looking down the mountain. Yui leaned forward, resting her elbows on the handrail and folding her hands under her chin. Her thinking pose. There was an audible sniffle, and Mari sunk back away from the balcony. She picked up the pace, moving towards their room. 

    She had been prepared for rejection. For a shake of the head from Yui, followed by assurance that she was still her friend. She had been prepared for acceptance. A twilight kiss in the open air. She had not been prepared for this. For knowing she had succeeded yet failed at the same time. Stepping onto that plane tomorrow would be the most difficult event in her life because of that.

18.things you said when you were scared (AsuKyu)

Pathos

    Asuka could feel the other pilot’s heartbeat pound in her chest as they pressed against each other in the abandoned closet, far too cramped for the three people currently occupying it. Outside, she could hear the sounds of the NERV probe, one of their Nemesis series, move around the building they were in, tearing it down as it went. The probe knew they were there, that much was certain. The grim realization made Asuka’s stomach twist into a knot. It would continue to search for them until it found something, or so she suspected.  

    Every time she heard another section of the building fall she felt Kyu flinch, her muscles tensing and head shifting on Asuka’s shoulder. Shinji inhaled sharply from his position behind Ayanami, cowering in the corner. Asuka paid him no mind. She would usually complain about his cowardice, but right now she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t terrified.

   Ayanami shifted slightly against Asuka, breathing short, quick breaths. Asuka took a moment to memorize the face in front of her, giving her something to do instead of think of what could happen in the next few minutes. It had only been a week since the battle, and Ayanami had been the only one for Asuka to talk to, but even so the Ayanami who had piloted the Mark.09 had become so much more. Asuka was impressed by how fast she was learning, growing. So it wasn’t fair that Ayanami-Kyu, Asuka corrected herself, that was the name they had agreed on last night-would never get to live the life that she had just been introduced to.

    Asuka was having trouble accepting that this could be the end. After so long fighting, so many close brushes with death, she never had been frightened as she was now. Perhaps it was because she had always been inside her Eva when she was dealing with death. Now she could meet her death at the hands of an automated probe she could have dealt with in her sleep had she had her Eva. She found it pathetic.

    Shinji pressed himself deeper into the corner of the closet. Kyu shuffled closer to Asuka, as much as she possibly could. Pale arms lightly wrapped around the German, and Asuka returned the gesture. She could feel both of their heartbeats start to slow as they embraced. Even though they were not emotionally close, the physical connection was comforting. For Asuka, it had been years since anyone had hugged her; for Kyu, it was a new experience.

   “Shikinami. There is so much I want to see, but I may not get the chance.” Kyu lamented in a whisper barely above a breath. Asuka understood. She was scared as well. The Nemesis moved close enough for the ground to shake. Asuka’s heart leapt into her throat and Kyu whimpered slightly.

   “We will,” Asuka muttered, equally quiet. Even if it was hollow assurance, it still felt good to hear. It seemed to work for Kyu, Asuka felt the girl’s heartbeat quiet. Asuka shut her good eye, tightening the embrace and feeling it tighten in response. Another movement from the probe, shifting the ground beneath them. The world seemed to stand still. In a moment the feeling would pass, something would happen. The probe would either overlook them or they would be dead.

8. things you said when you were crying (AsuRei)

Antithesis

    Asuka had been in a daze when she stumbled into the apartment block, seemingly abandoned. The West end of Tokyo-3 was slated for demolition, so no one should have lived there. It was why she had come to the area, to escape people. Escape her life, if only temporarily. Yet it hadn’t been abandoned, if the sounds of crying were any indication.

    Nor could Asuka understand why she had followed those sounds if she was so determined to avoid people. Yet she had done just that, and it had led her to an apartment with the door ajar. The carpet was scuffed at the entrance, which made Asuka pause. It was different than anything else she had encountered since moving to Japan. So who was it? But in the end it only piqued her curiosity, and she stepped into the room.

    She soon found the source of the sobs, though she didn’t believe it at first. The doll. The First Child, the emotionless automation of the Commander. Rei Ayanami. The lump of white and blue was on the bed in one of the back rooms, balling her eyes out. There was a pair of glasses casually discarded to one side. Asuka moved closer, wondering if she hadn’t gone mad. If this was just some hallucination brought on from lack of sleep and depression. Her hand reached out, touching Rei on the shoulder. That was real enough. Instantly the blue haired clone looked up at the intruder and grasped the hand that had made contact with her. Her red eyes were bloodshot, and her face was flush from sobbing.

   They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Rei too distressed to ask why Asuka was here, Asuka too confused to ask Rei what was going on. There was a gentle tug on Asuka’s hand, and Rei moved over ever so slightly so she could sit. Asuka did so, neither of them caring if her dirty shoes got on Rei’s sheet. Asuka began to weep, softly at first, still trying to hold it back.

   She eventually gave in though, curling up and lying on her side as tears flowed freely. She could not look any more weak than Rei did, so there was no reason to try to appear stronger than she really was. The meek grip on Rei’s hand was the only thing that kept her from drowning in her grief completely.

   Then Rei spoke, in a tone that Asuka had not expected to hear. Yet after everything else it seemed only natural. Complete and utter grief filled Rei’s voice. “You were right, I am a doll.” She stated simply. Asuka wanted to yell, to shriek and shake Rei as she pointed out exactly how she was proving her wrong. She could not though, she could hardly raise her voice above a low growl, nor could she move in any meaningful way. So instead she squeezed Rei’s hand tighter. It was all she could do.

[axiovium-blog]

hey there, I'm Xairathan 33178, would you be alright holding Magia for me until I can free up a slot? Shouldn't be more than 24 hours.

Sure thing! Just send me a message when you’re ready for her!

[ngenewyear]

From @xairathan

To @primitiveradiogoddess 

This kind of friendly matching-up thing only happens in cheesy fanfics and unrealistic RNG situations but hey, I’m glad it’s you. ASUREI WILL ASURISE!

= Pericynthion = = Word Count: 4.6k =

*   *   *

New Years Eve has never been something Asuka has observed with enthusiasm. She has, for as long as she can remember, spent that night holed up in the quiet of her father’s house on the outskirts of Hamburg, reading. Here in Tokyo-3 there seems to be no escape to the noise, the incessant pounding of music from the surrounding apartments, the shouts of the people below on the snow-lined streets.

Asuka grunts and tugs her bed sheets over her head, squinting at the book she’s been reading by the light of her phone. She’s put up with these kinds of celebrations once before; she’ll have to endure this one and two more before returning to Germany with her college degree. It isn’t a daunting task so much as it is an annoying one: it’s not the noise that Asuka hates, but the constant reminder that, no matter how hard she represses it, she knows she is alone.

A swipe of her arm, and Asuka’s book goes flying across the room to smack into the opposite wall. She groans and pulls her pillow over her head, dampening the sounds assaulting her ears, but even through the soft stuffing she can hear the pulse of the music upstairs. There won’t be getting any sleep until the parties have quieted down, and even then it’ll probably be a while before everyone starts to leave. And then, of course, Asuka will have to rouse herself from whatever sleep she’ll manage to get and head to the internship she’s secured over winter break.

Asuka releases a prolonged, lingering sigh that warms the inside of her makeshift blanket fort. A moment later, the bed sighs back. Only, that’s not quite it- it’s just her phone vibrating to let her know she’s received a text, though the unexpected movement sends Asuka flailing upright. She realizes belatedly that someone’s messaged her and plucks her phone from the mattress, staring at the bright screen.

She’d been expecting a message from her father, or perhaps the one boy from her lab that never stopped trying to ask her out. Instead she recognizes the name as belonging to the quiet girl who always sat in the back of class, distinguishable from her peers by her light blue hair. Asuka knows nothing about her other than that her name is Rei, that she’s the other person who’ll be working as an intern beside Asuka, and that being in the same room as her gives Asuka’s stomach butterflies.

They’d swapped numbers before, for convenience. They hadn’t talked before then, so there’s nothing Rei could want, except perhaps to talk about the work they’ll be doing starting from tomorrow. Or perhaps the impossible: maybe she’s finally put together all of Asuka’s open staring and the frequent blush on her face, and wants to confront Asuka about it.

Asuka gulps down a breath, and it feels as though her lungs are burning. She emerges from under the covers, her face heated, resisting the urge to pry open the window and stick her head out into the cold. She’d only let the snow and the noise in, and besides, her fingers are too numb to do anything like that. Asuka taps the message folder on her phone and is greeted a moment later by a short line of text.

This is Asuka Soryu, right?

It is, Asuka replies, breathing onto her fingers to warm them up. Rei’s reply comes a moment later, impeccably brusque.

Good. I wanted to talk about tomorrow.

What, aren’t you supposed to be partying right now?

A pause- either Rei is typing something lengthy for once, or Asuka’s reminded her there are more things to life than books and studying. Not like she’d know herself- she’s turned down every boy who’s asked her out (not like she was interested in them, anyway) and placed herself on a self-made pedestal upon which she can’t be reached.

I don’t go to parties, Rei answers at last. Too crowded and noisy.

Asuka cracks a smile in spite of herself. Finally, someone who understands. Asuka taps out a reply, erases it, tries to rewrite it again. She does this for a good minute, her fingers slowing from the cold, until at last she realizes there’s nothing to be gained from her indecisiveness and hits the send button. Same here. If you really want to get away from it all we could meet somewhere and talk.

It’s a very un-Asuka-like message. For one, she’s never liked going places with people. They’re always too slow, too talkative, too annoying. But if it’s Rei- Asuka’s heart beats a little faster- she’ll make an exception.

I wouldn’t mind. It’s too loud in the dorms for my taste.

So Rei lives on campus. Asuka’s fingers dither above the surface of her phone before typing out another reply. Meet you in front of the library in fifteen?

Make it twenty.

Can do.

Asuka locks her phone, clasps it between her palms.  She’s just… asked Rei out? No, that’s not quite it. Rei only wants to talk; that they’re going somewhere together just happens to be because it’s New Years’ Eve. On any other night they would’ve simply exchanged texts- or, no, Asuka would’ve been asleep already. So maybe- Asuka shakes her head; it’s such a childish idea- this is some sort of preordained meeting. Or maybe Rei wanted it to happen this way?

Asuka shrugs and rises from her bed, approaching her closet. Whatever this meeting of theirs is, she’ll still have to make a good first impression. At the minimum she’ll need to convey to Rei that despite being two years younger, she’ll be able to keep up with the work they’ll be assigned. At best… she’d settle for being friends with Rei. Being something more assumes that not only will Rei like her, but that she’ll want something beyond companionship.

And yet, companionship will be better than nothing. If there is any one person in this city that Asuka would want to be near, it would be Rei. She’s quiet and smart- and though Asuka will never admit it to anyone except herself, pretty.

Asuka slips on her winter jacket and begins the hunt for her boots, sneaking a glance at her phone. Eighteen minutes to go. She’ll have more than enough time to get dressed, but is that enough time to put on makeup? Probably not. She’ll meet Rei as she is, then, and hope that’s enough.

At the least, she hopes they can be friends.

*   *   *

That Asuka is awake at this time of night doesn’t come as a surprise to Rei. She’d expected that of Asuka, even relied on it when sending that initial text. The idea that Asuka would choose to go to sleep rather than stay up and party all night seemed an outlandish one. And yet here they are, about to brave the cold and the snow in order to get away from all the celebrations.

Rei tucks her hands into the pockets of her sweatshirt and examines herself in the mirror. The edges of her blue hair poke out beneath her beanie, the only winter accessory she’ll ever consent to wearing. Gloves are too bulky and make her hands too big for her pockets, and scarves make her skin itch. Hopefully this will be enough to make a good first impression with Asuka. If they’ll never be anything more than partners for the brief duration of their internship- something Rei has resigned herself to- it’ll be alright, so long as she got to be with Asuka. Why exactly she feels this way, she doesn’t quite know- it’d probably have something to do with her laugh, or those rare smiles she saves for when she thinks no one is looking.

Rei steps out of her dorm room and locks it behind her. For once the hall is empty; everyone else has gathered in certain rooms, or gone into the city to celebrate. To Rei, it’s a waste of time that could be spent otherwise- like meeting an attractive girl in front of the library at night. She shivers slightly, hiding the lower half of her face in her sweatshirt. According to the clock she’d passed in the hall, there’s still some time before she’ll have to leave.

Rei will spend it standing in the abandoned hall, wondering if perhaps by escaping this tangle of noise, she and Asuka are letting time advance, leaving themselves behind. To be stuck in a time all her own with Asuka- that would be the dream. More likely, Asuka would grow fed up with Rei, as she probably will once their internship starts. But until then, until they meet, until the bells ring and night passes into morning, Rei will allow herself to imagine that Asuka tolerates her, and maybe that someday, they could be more.

*   *   *

They show up to the library at almost the exact same moment, and they depart without a word. Asuka is the one who steps forward first; now the two of them leave the campus behind, wandering down the quieter streets. Asuka’s boots crunch against the snow; Rei, wearing sneakers, keeps pace beside her. There doesn’t seem to be a destination in mind, just away from the chaos.

Their path takes them out of the city, paved roads yielding to packed gravel and frost-covered dirt. Asuka hesitates at the seam where the asphalt ends, turning her head to look back for a moment at the mass of lights and skyscrapers. She hears the soles of Rei’s sneakers scraping the soil; Rei turns as well, her curious eyes reflecting the glow of the city.

“Do you want to go back?” Rei asks. It’s the first time Asuka can remember her speaking, at least to her. Her heart flutters frantically in her chest at the sound, like it’s not an organ of flesh and muscle in chest but a bird, trying to escape. If it were a bird, Asuka wonders, would it go to Rei; would its feathers be blue like Rei’s hair, or red like Asuka’s?

Rei steps forward and Asuka starts, her body jumping without quite leaving the ground: it’s more like a shock that ripples through her muscles from her legs up. “Sorry,” she says. How odd that her first spoken word to Rei is an apology, like she’s subconsciously trying to atone for loving her and for wanting to be loved in return. “I was just thinking.”

“We can be back before two.” A second later Rei realizes that perhaps it’s not her need for sleep that Asuka’s worried about, but rather the idea of wandering into the surrounding marshlands with someone she’s never spoken to before.

 “It’s fine.” Asuka spins suddenly and marches past Rei, her hands clenched into fists that swing at her sides. It takes Rei a few seconds to realize Asuka’s left her, and then she’s hurrying after Asuka, taking two steps to match each of her long strides. They walk like this for some time, following the edge of the road, until the glow of the city no longer touches their heels and the only illumination comes from the moon and the headlights of passing cars.

*   *   *

There aren’t many places to go outside of Tokyo-3 that don’t involve the lake in some way. Asuka and Rei haven’t found their way there, not exactly, but they’re close enough to it that they can hear the chirping of the cicadas gathered by its banks. The earth beneath them is soft and uneven, and around them rises a sea of grass that reaches up to their knees.

Rei leads the way through the field, her hands still tucked into her pockets. The gusting wind has dragged her beanie backward, not so much that it threatens to fall off her head, but still enough that her bangs protrude from beneath the edge. It’s a bit of a messy look, but Asuka thinks it’s cute, and every time Rei looks back to see if Asuka’s keeping up, Asuka feels her cheeks flush with warmth.

They come to a stop at a place that’s not quite a beach: Asuka doesn’t know what to call it but that. The shore of the little pond they’ve found isn’t so much damp sand as it is thousands of tiny pebbles laced with veins of ice. The pond is frozen, too- Asuka watches Rei bend down and tap it with her finger, and it sinks into the snow up to the second knuckle before stopping.

“Aren’t you cold?” Asuka walks over to where Rei is, kicking at the ice with her boot. It bounces off, leaving a half-circle impression in the snow.

 “It’s not too bad,” answers Rei. “It’s warmer than it’s been in a while.” Her mouth contorts into a small, puzzled frown as she stands. “Asuka? Give me your hand?”

“Huh? What for?” she asks, but she’s already reaching out toward Rei. Rei grips her tightly by the wrist and pulls her to the edge of the shore, ignoring Asuka’s question and her incoherent stuttering. She takes one tentative step onto the pond, then another, brushing the snow aside with the edges of her sneakers. Before Asuka’s had time to process this and the thought that she could remove her glove and hold Rei’s hand, Rei is letting go and striding out to the center of the pond, where the snow has hardened into its own layer of ice.

“I wonder how deep this goes,” Rei says, tapping lightly on the ice with the toe of her shoe. “The ice, that is. It must be pretty far if it can hold me.”

“Us. Hold us.” Asuka places one foot on the surface of the pond, testing it with her weight. When it holds- of course it does; Rei’s standing on it and nothing’s happened- Asuka steps off the shore and makes her way onto the ice, gliding in a lopsided oval around Rei.

“How are you doing that?”

“What, this?” Asuka wobbles for a bit, trying to find her footing. She pinwheels her arms, nearly hitting Rei, before she manages to stop herself. “I’m just messing around.”

“You have good balance.” Rei starts to shift and nearly slips, only catching herself on the ice with her hands. “I don’t,” she says with a shaky laugh. “Maybe coming out here wasn’t such a good idea. The pond, I mean,” she adds, with a quick glance at Asuka. Asuka just shrugs and propels herself across the ice, slowing as she comes around to Rei’s front.

“I used to ice skate when I was little,” Asuka says. “It’s kind of the same idea, even if these boots are heavy as hell.” She squints at Rei’s battered sneakers and half-undone shoelaces. “No wonder you’re sliding everywhere. You don’t have any grip.”

“I thought the point of skating was not having grip.”

“That’s part of it, but the other part is not falling.” Asuka extends an arm to Rei, her fingers splayed expectantly. “Come on. You do whatever the hell you want to do, I’ll make sure you don’t fall and send us both through the ice.”

It’s a stupid invitation; if Asuka were in Rei’s place, she wouldn’t take it- or maybe, if it was Rei offering, she might. Rei hesitates for a beat, her hand already halfway to Asuka’s, and Asuka isn’t sure if Rei is reconsidering her decision or trying not to slip. Then Rei’s fingers brush against the fabric of Asuka’s glove, and she’s holding on like the slightest opening between their hands will signal the cracking of the ice beneath them.

“You okay?” asks Asuka. Rei nods and swipes a hand across her forehead, brushing her hair out of her eyes. “What do you wanna do?”

“Not falling would be nice.”

“I’ve got you. What, don’t you trust me?”

“I just met you, didn’t I?” Rei laughs and takes a careful step forward, her body lurching as her sneaker slips easily across the ice. Asuka catches her as she falls backward, the impact sending her back a few inches. “This is harder than it looks.”

“I’ve had practice.”

“I can tell.” Rei straightens herself up, casts a longing gaze toward the shore. “I wonder if ‘got stranded on a frozen lake’ is a valid excuse to not show up to our internship.”

“Don’t be silly. You have all night to find a way off here.” Behind Rei’s back, Asuka shakes her head, chiding herself for the words she wanted to say- you have me. While that might be true, it opens up too many questions that Asuka doesn’t want to find herself answering.

“No skating for me, then,” Rei says. “I guess I’ll have to come back when I have skates.”

“If you want to skate, go to a skating rink, not an ice-covered lake where there’s no one to save you if you go under.”

“Asuka, we’re the top two students in our year. I’m sure one of us would find a solution if something happened.”

“We’re biology majors, not engineers.”

“Which means we actually get things done, right?” Rei grins and starts toward the shore, pulling Asuka along with her. “Besides, I’m pretty sure this is more of a pond than a lake.”

“If the ice is strong enough to support us, I think it deserves to be called something more than just a pond.”

“Then what about the ocean?”

“The ocean,” Asuka says, drawing out each syllable, “can go fuck itself.”

“Why? I think it’s nice. Relaxing.”

Asuka sighs and doesn’t respond. Rei doesn’t need to know about the dreams that plagued Asuka’s childhood, the ones in which the sea was red and she was left alone in the ruins of an unfamiliar city. It’s not like they’re going to the ocean anyway, so why say anything about it?

“I just don’t like it,” Asuka replies. Rei shrugs and takes another few steps, growing steadier as she draws near the edge of the ice. Asuka almost wants to tell Rei to turn around and try going back out, just to see if she could handle it, how she would move across it. It seems Rei might have the same idea, for she turns, but as she does her foot slips on the ice. She falls backward into the drifts and Asuka, caught off guard, falls with her.

The snow cushions them, but the ice is still hard beneath them, and it knocks the wind from their lungs. Asuka sucks in a breath, trying to fill the void in her lungs, and realizes she’s holding it: waiting to see if she can hear the ice cracking and shifting beneath them, the only warning she’ll receive before she gets plunged into the frigid waters. But there is no cracking, and a moment later Rei’s hands wrap around her arm, tugging her away from the ice.

Rei pulls Asuka through the drifts and deposits her at the edge of the lake, then lies next to her. Her breathing is quick and uneven, and it leaves little puffs of white behind in the air. Asuka turns her head slightly- she might be looking at Rei, or at the sky above them. “That was close,” she says.

“As far as New Years’ celebrations go, this has been the strangest one I’ve ever been to.”

Asuka can’t help it- she laughs, her voice carrying over the grass and the lake. When she finally stops and settles back with her arms folded across her stomach, she feels Rei’s eyes upon her and wonders how long she had been watching. “The, uh…” Asuka stammers. “The sky is pretty tonight.”

“It is,” Rei agrees, scooting over and extending an arm. Asuka watches Rei take some of her red hair between her fingers, feels Rei beginning to play with it. Rei must be bored. There’s nothing unusual about this at all, Asuka thinks, feeling the familiar nervous thrashing of her heart. Rei continues: “It’s quiet out here, too. No loud distractions.”

Asuka nods absentmindedly. She’s been staring at Rei for far too long now, but she can’t manage to look away. No doubt Rei’s noticed by now- she’s just not saying anything. “Rei?” Asuka mumbles, trying to distract them both. “Why did you want to talk to me, anyway?”

“I was going to ask if we could meet up before we went into the lab tomorrow. I wanted to speak to you in person.”

“Why?”

“I would prefer to be comfortable with my future partner.”

“I make you uncomfortable?”

“Not quite.”  Rei pauses in the middle of twisting a strand of Asuka’s hair. “I get nervous around some people.”

“And I happen to be one of them?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t seem so nervous now.”

“I’ve gotten used to being around you.”

“Rei,” Asuka laughs, “it’s been what, two hours?”

“Two hours is plenty of time to get a grasp on someone’s personality. I quite like being around you, Asuka.”

They both fall silent, and for a while the only thing both of them hear is the whisper of the wind through the grass. Rei runs her fingers through Asuka’s hair, combing out the tangles, then takes a handful of it and begins to braid it. Her hands, despite the cold, do not shake: Asuka wonders, if she took Rei’s hands and pressed them to her cheeks, if Rei’s hands would be warmer.

“I used to wear my hair in braids when I was in Germany,” Asuka says quietly. Rei tilts her head, her fingers slowing. “The boys in my class would pull on them. I’d punch them in the hallways when none of the teachers were looking.”

“I’m sorry.” Rei releases Asuka’s hair, starts to go through it with her fingers again, when Asuka reaches up and seizes her hand. Her skin is chilled, and it reminds Asuka of the cold that lingers after a storm.

“It’s okay.” Asuka smiles at Rei, trying to reassure her. “You can keep going. I don’t mind, if it’s you.”

“That’s a strange thing to say.”

“Well, you’re not a boy, for one thing.”

“But what if I pull on your hair?”

“I’ll throw you into the pond. Lake. Same thing.”

Rei laughs- Asuka’s breath vanishes from her lungs- and then Rei’s fingers are moving through her hair again.

“Asuka?” Rei says. “Why did you want to come out here?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean out here. Going on a long walk with no destination in mind with someone you haven’t even spoken to is kind of-”

“Stupid? Reckless? Careless?” It’s Asuka’s turn to laugh; she sits up, feeling the braid that Rei’s woven into her hair. It’ll no doubt unravel once they start walking back, but for now, Asuka will keep it. “Maybe I came out here for the same reason you wanted to talk to me.”

“You don’t seem like the type of person who gets nervous.”

“I do. I just don’t let it show.”

Rei pushes herself into a sitting position and folds her arms over her knees. From how she sits, there’s no way Asuka can tell what she’s thinking. At last she moves, swinging her body to face Asuka. “We’re going to have to work together for at least two months,” she says. “We won’t be able to do so if we’re avoiding each other the entire time.”

“We’re here right now.”

“That’s not what I mean.” Rei’s eyes shift down to stare at the pebbles surrounding her, at the grooves her finger has traced between them. “There’s something you’re not saying. There’s something I’m not saying, too. Let’s both spit it out already.”

“What if it’s something you won’t like hearing?”

“I’ll take my chances.” Rei smiles wistfully, and Asuka has to avert her gaze. It won’t do her any good now to be daydreaming of Rei, of holding hands with her, of anything more than brief conversations in the lab and discussions about their work. “Do you want me to go first?”

“No, I- I’ll go.” Asuka sighs, looking out over the lake. As much as she knows she should be looking at Rei for this, she can’t bring herself to. “I want you to like me, Rei.”

“I do.”

“Not that kind of like. The… the other kind.”

Pebbles click together as Rei gets up, walking over to Asuka. Asuka notices when Rei’s shadow falls over her, but not before Rei has wrapped her arms around Asuka’s shoulders. “That’s what I needed to tell you,” she says. “That I like you too.”

“I- you-” Asuka stammers. “What?”

“I’ve been in three of your classes, Asuka. The first time I saw you, I thought you were pretty. I didn’t want to say anything, in case you weren’t in the biology department like me. Then we had another class together the following semester, and…” Rei shrugs. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Asuka.”

“Tell me you’re not joking.”

“I’m not.”

“So the reason you texted me is because you wanted to get used to looking at my face.”

“Well… yes. And speaking to it.”

“That’s the weirdest compliment anyone’s ever given me,” Asuka says. “But it’s not a bad one.” She reaches up and tugs the front of Rei’s beanie down over her hair, patting her head affectionately. “Is that all you needed to tell me?”

Rei nods in reply. Asuka pushes off from the ground and stands, breaking free of Rei’s grasp. “I suppose we should go back now. Neither of us have slept yet.” Rei pauses, her mouth forming into a gentle smile. “You could stay with me in my dorm room if you’d like. That way you can get a rest for a bit longer.”

“You haven’t even bought me dinner yet.”

“We haven’t kissed yet.”

“Well, we can fix one of those things right now. Can’t we?”

Asuka’s hands grip Rei’s shoulders, drawing her closer. The air she’s gathered in her lungs has begun to escape from her open mouth, though Rei solves that problem quickly. Her lips cover Asuka’s, her eyes flutter shut, and a moment later, so do Asuka’s.

Rei’s breath tastes of mint, and though the likelihood of her having prepared for this kiss is insignificant, Asuka would like to believe that’s the case anyway. Rei’s arms wrap around her waist, pulling her closer so that Rei doesn’t have to strain to reach her. They kiss for what feels like an hour, until the burning in Asuka’s lungs is so great that she has to release Rei.

They stand a foot apart on the shore of the lake, staring at each other. Rei is the first to move, lifting a hand and caressing the side of Asuka’s face. “Shall we go back now?” she asks.

“Yeah.” Asuka grabs the glove on one hand and wrestles it free, then finds Rei’s hand and holds it. Her fingers are warmer than Rei’s, but only just. “You really should wear gloves,” Asuka says.

“If I did, would we be able to do this?” Rei squeezes Asuka’s hand, earning herself a grin.

“Not really. But we could try.”

Rei simply shakes her head and knocks her shoulder against Asuka’s. She starts forward through the grass, the stalks tickling their joined hands, but she doesn’t let go. They hold hands all the way back to the city, which has grown quiet, up until they reach the doors of Rei’s dorm. There Rei lets go and Asuka leans down to give her another kiss. It’s not as long as the first one, but just as tender- the perfect start to a new year.

[xairathan]

The character thing,/Jalter and Kagetora./Your fics are too good!

Oh hahaha I see what you did there

(Did you know that haiku aren’t actually based of syllables but are based off mora. I’m mora-lly obligated to throw that out there.) And thanks ^^ I do try! Alright, let’s do this.

Jalter

How I feel about this character - I actually used to be one of those people like ‘lol I won’t roll for Jalter because I don’t need Jalter’ and then I fell into Jaltora hell facefirst and rolled for Jalter (and she came home). I may or may not have bought a $13 Jalter snaptogether figure from Hot Topic to be my catalyst. I love Jalter now. Oops.

All the people I ship romantically with this character - Kagetora. Although I won’t begrudge some SalterJalter or BrynJalter because I know a few homies who ship them together.

My non-romantic OTP for this character - However you look at it, SalterJalter has a really great dynamic. 

My unpopular opinion about this character - I don’t think this is unpopular so much as not-given-voice, but I feel that Jalter’s character has a lot of depth that gets overlooked in favor of ‘lol tsun lol angery lol burning’ 

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon - More interaction with Kagetora not likely to happen because Jalter’s been the centerpiece of multiple events now, but a situation where Jalter is forced to confront the circumstances of her creation. We get some of that in Orleans, but once Jalter gets brought back as the powerhouse fan-favorite that we see in the Salter Christmas event/Da Vinci Counterfeits event, we don’t really see much of her reminiscing on her original circumstances, and more on the ones that brought her into Avenger form. That’s cool and all, but I think there’s some Missed Potential there. 

Kagetora

How I feel about this character - I love Kagetora and she needs hugs and potentially cuddles. Also I’d totallly spar (read as: lose in 3 seconds) her any day and twice on Sundays. 

All the people I ship romantically with this character - Jalter

My non-romantic OTP for this character - Kagetora and Okita or Kagetora and Majin seem like they’d have fun talking about things. Kagetora actually has a line for Okita, iirc, and I know Okita Summer has a line for Kagetora.

My unpopular opinion about this character - Once again, not ‘unpopular’, but just because I never see people talking about Kagetora: my interpretation of her character is that she didn’t necessarily have any divine revelation, she just couldn’t bear the isolation forced upon her anymore and took the title of ‘avatar of Bishamonten’ to cope, since there’s no reason for a god to need to understand humans 

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon - summerkagetorapls I’m actually really happy with the way they fleshed her out in GG4, but I’m curious to see what they add on as ‘bonus’ stuff for the GudaGuda 4 Rerun. Also, I hope Kagetora doesn’t get shoved in the ‘gudaguda events and summer cameos only’ closet because there’s a lot of potential for her character (I actually wished for a Lahmu vs. Kagetora matchup because of how similar their dynamics could play out)

[xairathan]

oooo do okinobu with 48

This is from mobile so I’m dying but I’ll post to my AO3 tonight

48. Out of Habit

Underneath it all the flowers are crying

Fire flowers ringing out as they’re dying

Down the side of Okita’s face along the line of her jaw, a quick roll of knuckles over her brow. That chases the sweat from her skin long enough for Okita to manage a few relieved gasps, and then she’s drowning in the weighting noise of her own feeble attempts to breathe.

Nobunaga grabs a towel and soaks it in cool water. Draping it over Okita’s forehead, her eyes catch the blurring of Okita’s frame, minuscule shivers of her body throwing her existence into question. It doesn’t last long. It’s the pause between breaths; it’s not even a blink.

Nobunaga, still holding her breath, lets herself inch closer to Okita. Her fingers glide through the space where Okita’s wrist should be. They’re met with solid flesh and a scarlet heat on the verge of boiling over. Okita shudders, twitches, settles.

Nobunaga’s fingers find her cheek, and glide down.

[xairathan]

for the ask thing, how about both nobu and okita?

Why is writing so hard : |

Okita Souji

1: sexuality headcanon: lesbian af2: otp: OKINOBU (duh)3: brotp: I dunno I kinda like seeing Okita and Ryoryo interact but that may just be because of Requiem Project4: notp: -picks up the DW person writing Okita and hurls them out- my character now5: first headcanon that pops into my head: Okita doesn’t use her ‘summons the Shinsengumi’ Noble Phantasm that often. She says it’s because she has reliable backup and doesn’t have to rely on herself to provide the advantage of numbers. In reality, it’s because she has difficulty looking them in the face because she believes she failed them. 6: favorite line from this character: “well, regardless, they’re all nobbu-ish nobbus” cause that’s a Big Fucking Mood7: one way in which I relate to this character: I, too, want to get utterly [ ] by Nobunaga 8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: OKITA please. Please. Why is your blush sprite for your Assassin sheet so. Like that?9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: She’s a Bakumatsu cop I think she’s inevitably a problematic fave

Oda Nobunaga

1: sexuality headcanon: one (1) short lesbian2: otp: OKITA X NOBUNAGA3: brotp: Can you imagine Nobunaga hanging out with Mordred? Aren’t you ever tired of already going apeshit? You ever wanna just go more apeshit?4: notp: -turns slowly towards the Gudaguda 2-4 events- 5: first headcanon that pops into my head: carries the scars of all her past battles on her skin and doesn’t hide it consider she likes lazing around naked in her room6: favorite line from this character: WASHI WA DAIROKUTEN MAOU ODA NOBUNAGA JYA! (listen I made dairokutenmaou my gradschool handle for a reason)7: one way in which I relate to this character: I too like firing rifles cacking loudly and grinning like a maniac8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: sometimes when I’m trying to write drama the short kings anthem comes on in my head9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: problematic demon king of the sixth heaven 

[xairathan]

22, your choice of YZQ ship

Things you said…

22. …after it was over

The town of Sakura Shinmachi looks like a storm has passed through it, but everyone is alive, somehow. They stand in the street, surrounded by the last dissipating remnants of Oushyuu’s shadows, watching the black tide recede over shattered roof tiles and gouges in the earth. 

“Is he gone?” Murasaki hears Akina say to the glasses clutched carefully in his hands. Only Akina hears the reply, but when he nods to Hime and the others, the last hints of dread in the air vanish, leaving only the silence of the vast morning sky, into which the first light of day is beginning to pour. 

“We did it.” The glowing green spear in her hands vanishes with a crackle, and Hime flings herself into Akina’s arms, sending the two of them careening into a doorway. Ao laughs; behind her, Kotoha lifts a hand and rubs the top of Ao’s head. 

From the south, where the river is, rises a flare of burning red. That would be Lila and Zakuro, confirming the absence of death energy from the remaining six Nanagou. Then from the east, another burst, this one bright purple: the Senate, declaring the Zerogou and its thirty-five inhabitants safely returned. Akina had Enjin, Ao is with Kotoha, so of the missing, that would leave just- 

“Gin,” he asks with bleeding lips and burning lungs. “Where’s Gin?”

He swivels his head from one side to the other, taking in the sudden emptiness of the street. His gaze comes to rest on the knot of people on the sidewalk, a tangle of black and orange fabric draping around them all, the muted sounds of reunion drifting down the road towards him. 

In the center of the intersection, surrounded by fragments of asphalt and concrete, all stained with his own blood, Murasaki remembers at last. This is not his town; it will never be his like it is theirs. Yae had said he was part of their story, but the gods had been wrong before. Shifting his weight to his good leg, Murasaki lets his thoughts bear him to the edge of town, beyond it, towards the closest thing he can call home. He’s glad he doesn’t believe in god, he thinks bitterly, as if that would make it easier to ignore the truth; as if god’s absence makes it any easier for him to leave.

[xairathan]

top 5 reasons you ship asurei!!!

I was going to be uber sarcastic but then I decided maybe not so here’s some reasons in no particular order.

- Interesting ship dynamic (I mean I came from KyouHomu straight onto the Asurei so that should give you an idea of my taste)- I love P3I Aesthetic and Asurei fits very well in p3I- red lesbian x blue lesbian you think i’m joking - look I’mma be completely honest with you, I started shipping them before I actually watched Evangelion. It’s a long story but tl;dr I read the wikipedia page and started shipping them. Then I watched NGE and shipped them but harder and in technicolor.- You will catch me dead before you catch me shipping EVA het (and it’s not like I had many options)

[xairathan]

To whoever submitted the image, your submission lacks sufficient context to support either side. As such it will not be added to the post or used to retract anything in it.

[xairathan]

38. What was the best moment of the year for you?

-squints-Itchy is that youuuuu

This year was a bit of a pisser but I’d have to say it’s a tie between meeting @primitiveradiogoddess in March and, yknow, actually getting together with her in September. Yes, I’m hella gay, fight me.

[xairathan]

Yes it is itchy DO YOU FORGET THAT I FOLLOW YOU

hi itchyi only pay attention to my followers if they hatch smokin double G1s

[xairathan]

coral copper timberwolf white chartreuese thing yes hello vod

Coral - You’re a memeCopper - Your blog content is trash (and I love it)Timberwolf - I trust youWhite - You scare meChartreuse - You’re my homie vod

Excuse me how do I scare you but also you trust me D:

[xairathan]

Italian soda, earl grey

Cafe Asks but did someone typo earl grey on the post holy shit

Earl Grey: The inevitable Zombie Apocalypse is upon us! What’s your plan of action?

Well see I’ve had two plans of action advocated to me, the first one is ‘hole up in a Sams Club or a Costco and hope for the best’, but if it’s a prolonged Z-war then apparently I’m supposed to haul ass up to Yellowstone. Which honestly I would if I could anyway for *cough* reasons so yeah. Flip a coin?

Italian Soda : Describe your dream date

Does a 10 day road trip to Oregon count? No, I’m kidding. Honestly I don’t know, I never really thought about it much. Either a trip to somewhere nice and secluided and quiet or a trip to the arcade for DDR and attempts at winning oversized plushies.