#yeah he's a silly little guy but he's so dearly important to me even when I'm not really posting about him
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autistic-shaiapouf · 5 months ago
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You know, the funniest thing I can say on Pouf's birthday is that I'm much more open about the fact that I had a fictive of him for at least 2 years
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tev-the-random · 10 days ago
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HI @tamblerdraws WELCOME TO THE INSANITY CLUB, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE
There's no way out
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Right?? I grew up without many videogames, so I never got to experience the hype of most of these games first-hand back when they came out. But this is like! A mini remaster of a few of them! And it's so beautiful and crafted with so much love! It feels like such a precious gift.
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DUDE, DON'T GET ME STARTED! My first ever Sonic game was 06, this guy has been living in my head rent free for over a decade, and now other people get to obsess with him too?? FUCK YEAH??? He's so silly and evil, I really want him to exist–
Not to go on a wild Sonic 06 tangent, but I really do think it would be the game ever if it got remade with actual time and care put into it. I don't think that will ever happen, it's a very dangerous terrain. But in some universe out there, the story gets the appreciation it deserves. Just the fact that there's a small portion dedicated to it in Shadow Generations already vindicates me.
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The hub world and the collectables are such a fantastic idea! They aren't completely pointless, as they offer some incredible content, but you don't actually need to pick up ALL of them to unlock something. The branching level design makes for some fun exploration while trying to find the keys, the different kinds of keys makes it easier to know what exactly you're still missing, and the open hub world, with all its tricks and nooks, offer even more exploring to find the chests! The replayability of this game is fantastic and the collectables are the best goddamn snacks a fan could ask for.
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YES! YES YES YES! I'm holding these characters so dearly, I missed the good characterisation! Interactions!
We finally get to see more of Maria as a character. She is so precious! And protective! And enthusiastic! Shadow really gets the best sisters. And Gerald as well, I don't think we've ever properly seen him before the whole ARK incident, so his personality has always been a bit of a mystery. It's Shadow's family, man. I love them.
Though this isn't my favourite Rouge voice ever, I still think they manage to strike the balance between sassy and serious pretty well! ALSO ROUGE OFFERING TO TALK TO HIM AFTER THE WHOLE THING IS OVER IF HE NEEDS HER! Her and Omega talking about each other and about Shadow! TEAM DARK MY BELOVED, YOU'RE FINALLY BACK FROM THE WAR-
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YES! So many little references (the rival fight cracked me, with both that dialogue from SA2 and that one line from Heroes. Chef's kiss, very fun). Not gonna lie, I thought it was going to be an actual battle, but the cutscene is so well animated, I can't even complain.
AND THE FAKE EMERALD WAS SUCH A GENIUS MOVE! Not only is it a great callback, but it actually plays an important part in connecting the story to the original Generations?? We love to see it. And I mean, we never do find out what happened to that emerald after SA2, so it's fair enough that it would still be on the ARK. Just one of those things I never really stopped to think about, you know?
This game is everything I've ever wanted. The timeline is finally healing. Thank you for engaging with me to talk about it.
I've been biting my desk and scratching my walls over Shadow Generations and NOBODY is crazy enough about it to want to engage with me at this point. Somebody talk to me about it. Tell me your thoughts. Say hi. Rant to me. Please. I am insane.
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purplekiwis · 2 years ago
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Hi I hope you are doing well ❤️ I just want to say that your ceo harry fic is one of my absolute favs, it’s so well written and so fun to read ❤️ any new chapters coming soon? Can’t wait to read them, have a nice day ❤️
The Party (PART 6 of CEO!Harry having a crush on adorable and chubby Y/N)
You can read:
PART 1; PART 2; PART 3; PART 4; PART 5
hii lovely readers!!! i'm so sorry for keeping you waiting for a ceorry update for so many months 🥲 i know you guys love this story very dearly so, i really hope you like where its going. this chapter is a bit different from the ones before so i'm excited to hear your feedback on it ❤️
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**
“I should probably head back to my table but… this was great! Seeing each other outside the office, I mean. Maybe we could um… do it again soon,” Harry ventured. He knew Y/N was probably a bit too tipsy to process anything but he couldn’t help himself. He wanted to test the waters. Get a feel for her reaction, so to say. They'd been chatting by the bar for a bit, and she looked to be enjoying herself. He'd stay with her the rest of the night if he could, but when he caught her sneaking a glance at her friends, he knew it was time to say goodbye. She wanted to return to her table, and Harry wasn’t going to stand in the way.
“Oh! You mean like an office party, right?” Whether it was for the better or for the worse, the prospect of a party appeared to have reignited Y/N's focus on him. “That would be so fun! People at work have told me you guys used to do that sometimes…”
“Uhh… we-um… yeah, I guess we used to do that. Haven’t in a while though…” Harry faintly recalled having thrown a party or two, and while that was far from what he'd had in mind, he was frankly lacking the guts to correct Y/N after seeing her so excited. 
And his guts only shrank when she told him that if he was ever looking for ideas, she had one. It goes without saying that he hadn't been looking, but the fact that she had an idea piqued his interest. “What’s that?”
It was that question that ended up with Harry organizing an office party. It was ridiculous… especially at such a time when everyone had important projects they were working on. If someone else had suggested he’d throw a party, Harry would have told them to take a walk, but as it was Y/N, he went along with the damn thing.
Her idea was that they would host a Murder Mystery event, where the team would have work together to find out ‘who killed the boss’. Harry will admit he didn’t find that last bit very amusing, but Y/N had looked so cute while drunkenly explaining everything to him that night at the bar that by the time she was finishing, he was smiling and nodding along without even realizing.
On the bright side, the idea would be easy to follow. Harry would only have to purchase a silly little game kit, and perhaps play dead for an hour or two (he didn’t really know what the game consisted of yet, but he was assuming that should be part of it). But then, of course… once they went to present the idea to the rest of the team the following Monday, everyone wanted to have a say on the matter.
They also wanted dinner… which Harry was fine with. That was what the corporate card was for after all. He would even let them pick the restaurant themselves… and as long as he got to spend time with Y/N and the food tasted decent, he wouldn't even think to look twice at the bill before swiping his bougie debit card. But that wasn’t enough for them, the greedy little bastards… they didn’t just ask for ‘regular dinner’, they wanted a potluck dinner. It was Margaret's idea, of course... because she could never pass up the opportunity to flaunt her cooking skills. Harry on the other hand, was well aware that his weren’t that impressive. He could put about five dishes together successfully, and none of those were party foods.
The fact that everyone was bringing food from home instead of going out to eat would save his corporate money, but not him from the potential humiliation of showing up with something that didn’t taste that good. And yes, he could always play it safe by bringing in the good ol’ trail mix bowl, but there was nothing particularly exciting about that.
He could also opt to buy some fancy pastries at a bakery… those would be a surefire hit, but everyone would know he hadn’t made them. That’s the annoying thing about in-store baked goods… they always look a little too elaborate to pass as homemade.
So Harry did the unpredictable, he settled upon trying to cook something himself. Figuring that, if everything went to shit, he could always pick something up on his way to work the next day. He searched for recipes that were fun, easy, and suitable for most dietary preferences. Mostly because he didn’t know if Y/N was a vegetarian and whatnot, and he didn’t want to give her any reasons to not eat his food. Not if he could help it anyway...
So he made spinach puffs from scratch.
Okay, maybe it wasn’t entirely from scratch because he used frozen puff pastry… but the filling part he did all himself! And he still had to cut, fold and egg brush his pastry, which had to count for something, right?
All in all, Harry was quite enthusiastic the moment he got to showcase his plate full of golden brown treats to his team, but nothing could beat his excitement to taste whatever it was that Y/N had brought in.
His entire evening was consumed by food and other people, so when Y/N finally spoke to him, it was the highlight of his evening that far. She complimented him on his food, and he returned the compliment, “These look spectacular.” He said regarding her cake pops. That she had made look extra cute by tying little ribbons around the ends.
“Really? Thank you!” She looked happily surprised. “I figured that since Simon has been pestering me to bring him cake, now would be the perfect time.”
“Oh.” Well, that certainly caught Harry off guard. “So you two have been getting along, then?”
“Mhm. I’d say we're becoming good friends.” She raised her finger to her lips in thought. “Now that I think about it, I think I actually have you to thank, because the first time Simon and I talked was when you asked me to call him to your office.”
The knowledge that Simon got to hang out with Y/N often unsettled Harry… and kind of enraged him too, mainly because he was jealous that she was spending her time with somebody else other than him. Did this mean they were together? Harry couldn't resist the impulse to ask, “Good friends as in… just friends?”         
“Yeah, of course. Just friends.” She replied immediately. “But why? Do we have a policy on dating coworkers or something? Not that I’m asking because of Simon, it's just... I’d like to be informed, on the off chance that we have one…”
Y/N’s question caused a quickening in Harry’s pulse. “Uh, no. We don’t. But… personally, I'd say it would be best not to date someone you're working on the same department with… just in case, you know… things get off-kilter.” Harry ended the subject by bringing one of Y/N’s cake pops to his mouth and taking a bite. “These are really good...”
“Oh, thank you! I’m glad you like them… and yeah, I get that. Thanks for the advice.”
Her reaction blindsided Harry. He was just hoping she didn't think she'd have to follow his advice. Because one, it was very biased advice, and two, it was only referencing her and Simon, not the entire company… much less the executive department, where the only option available was Harry himself.
“Were you able to use that coupon I told you about to buy the game?” She asked when her eyes fell on the store bag that Harry had brought to the table with him.
He looked down as well, having completely lost sight of why they were standing there talking in the first place. “Oh, yes. I did use that. Thanks for recommending it. Struck us a deal.”
“Oh, cool! If you’re ever looking for any other coupons, remember I'm the person to ask!” She smiled goodbye at him once one of her coworkers interrupted them to steal her attention, and suddenly Harry feared that none of the beverages available at dinner would be powerful enough to help him beat the heat coming up his neck.
What the hell was he doing? Why had he given her that stupid advice? Like she would ever take it into consideration if she was seriously contemplating dating Simon... If his advice was going to serve for anything, it would be to remind her of how hypocritical he was being whenever he eventually asked her on a date. And yes, as for the latter, he was still planning to do it... but as usual, his biggest challenge was finding the right opportunity. What only got harder once they started playing the game, because just as Harry had already been expecting, his only role in it was to be absent.
Which was annoying, all Harry had wanted was to eat a decent dinner and talk to Y/N… and now he was being made to stay inside the meeting room by his team. Lounging on the office sofa and staring at the blue wall painting. How fun.
Everyone else seemed to be having fun though… at least judging by the commotion outside. Harry wouldn't be too shocked if everyone accidentally forgot about him by the end of the evening… he was actually kind of expecting them to, until a soft knock on the door pulled him out of his self-absorbed reveries. “May I?” A sweet voice made him sit up. Y/N. Harry didn't need to peek at the door to know it was her.
“Yeah, of course.” He replied as he swiftly moved into a more flattering position. “Is everything okay? How’s the game going?”
“Good. It’s good. I just got killed off, though.” She smiled, sighing and laughing at the same time. “Is it okay if I wait in here with you?”
“Oh, by all means… I’ll definitely enjoy the company.” Harry smiled back, shifting to give her a space to sit beside him. “I thought I was going to be the only one getting killed, though...”
“Oh, no. Someone will on every round until they figure out who the killer is. The story is just like any other serial killer mystery... Which, in hindsight, also explains why the bigger girl was killed first.”
Harry could tell that Y/N was kidding, but the implication she was making didn't sit well with him. “I doubt that was the case; I think they just killed you first ‘cause they knew how much I wanted your company…”
“Oh, I wasn't whining about getting killed.” She quickly began to explain. “I'm sorry if I sounded like I was sympathy-seeking- I wasn’t. I was just trying to break the tension with a joke.”
Harry shook his head. “It’s not that. It's just no fun listening to someone as great as you underestimate yourself.”
“Yeah, I know. I try not to, but these types of jokes usually come to me when I'm nervous.” She acknowledged with a sigh. “I’m sorry if that was awkward.”
“It wasn’t. But what is it, that's making you nervous? Is it me?”
“Kind of. Not you in particular, but it's just a different situation being here with you this way.”
“Would it make you less nervous if I turned on the overhead lights?”
“Oh no. It's not that kind of nervous.” She laughed softly. “It's more like never knowing what to say or what to talk about…”
“Tell me about you, then…” He asked her honestly. “What do you usually do when you’re not at work?”
“I don't do much, to be honest. I used to go out with friends a lot, but since I’ve gotten my dog I’ve been spending most of my time at home with him instead.”
“Oh, you’ve got a dog. How’s he like?”
“He’s uh… white and tiny?” She chuckled. “Would you like to see a picture?”
“I’d love to.” Harry said, leaning closer to look at the photo Y/N was showing him on her phone. “Aw, look at this little guy!”
“His name is Mochi, like the dessert.”
“It’s a good name.” Harry had never heard of Mochi and had no idea what it was, but after learning that Y/N enjoyed it, he really wanted to try it. “I have a cat, by the way. My lock screen is a picture of her, actually so… I can show her too if you'd like to see.”
“Yeah, ‘course I’d like to see.” She said, and so he took his phone out to show her. “My goodness! Is that really your cat? Look at that hair- it’s so fluffy!” Harry smiled at the comment. He was definitely proud of how well-groomed Atlas’s fur was in that picture, and it made him feel good that Y/N could tell it was well taken care of. “How much did you give for her? She looks expensive.”
“Oh, that's a touchy subject. We don’t talk about that.” He shook his head, smiling. “A little over two thousand. I know it’s a lot for a cat, especially when I could’ve easily gotten one for free but… I don’t know. To be honest, I had never considered owning a pet before, but after seeing her I just couldn't let her go. She was too cute.”
“No, I’m not judging. I completely get the appeal. I saw her and wanted to have her right away.” Her face drew back once she was done admiring Atlas. “I have to say I’m surprised, though. I would’ve never pictured you as a cat person…”
“Really? What did you make of me, then?”
“I'm not sure, but you look like someone who would be more into dogs.”
“I like dogs.” He’s not a big fan, to be totally honest… but as long as they don't growl or bite at his shins he can sympathize with them. “Do you like cats?”
“I do, yes. But I wanted a dog because I was hoping it would help me become somewhat more active. That backfired though, because Mochi’s a couch potato like me, so we basically just stay home and watch Netflix.”
That, by Harry's standards, sounded like a perfect weekend. That's exactly how he spends his too, but God… if he had Y/N there, it'd take things to a whole other level of perfect. He adored the concept, and he really wanted to know what her favorite shows were. “What have you been watching on Netflix, anything good?”
Harry could tell she was excited that he’d asked, which made him wonder whether she had been waiting to tell someone. “I started watching this show called The Umbrella Academy. It’s pretty fun if you’re into goofy, sci-fi shows.”
“No way! That’s what I’m watching too!” He was the one getting giddy now. “I’ve binged through the entire first season on Sunday. Haven't had the chance to start season two yet, sadly… What season are you on?”
“I’m halfway through season two. I won't give anything away since you haven’t seen it yet, but it has been fantastic so far.” Harry could tell she was enjoying the conversation by the way her body had turned entirely to face him. “What’s your favorite character?”
“Hmm… I’d say it’s a tie between Five and Klaus for me. Yours?”
“It’s the same for me, but I think I might like Klaus a little bit more...”
“That’s fair. He’s a great character…” Their legs brush as Harry adjusts on the sofa. He noticed she didn’t draw away, which he interprets as a favorable indication. His body is itching to make a move. They’re alone, the lights are dim, and she looks so lovely under them. Harry cannot keep that question bottled up inside his chest anymore, he has to ask her now. “So… Is that also all you're planning to do next weekend—just Netflix?”
“I believe so. I won't lie; the weekends are usually very unexciting for me.” She laughed, and Harry gulped.
For a moment, he feels the words tremble in his throat. Harry's not too sure on how to approach this with her. He doesn't want to lose out on the opportunity… he's done it before and regretted it immensely after. He really wants to spit it out and get this over with, but he's so nervous that his tongue feels tied to his mouth. And, to add insult to injury, she was staring right at him with those pretty eyes. He couldn’t wait any longer though, so he does the only thing he knows will benefit him in this situation: He takes a deep breath to settle himself before speaking, “I was thinking it could be fun to go do something together, since you're free. We could, er... watch a movie. Perhaps have dinner or grab a drink... whatever you'd prefer, really.”
Y/N’s brows furrowed for a little, but then she made a face as though she had finally grasped what he was saying. “Oh. So you're saying like you, me and...”
“Just us, that's what I’m saying.” Harry could feel the reddening forming on his cheeks, but he hoped Y/N wouldn't be able to notice it in the low light. “I’ve been trying to push away my interest but I… can’t. I think you’re great, and I’d like to get to know you better, if you let me, of course.”
Her face was giving him the impression that she was perplexed by this suggestion, like she couldn't believe her ears. “I, um… I’m sorry. I’m really confused.”
“That’s okay. I know that this was most likely unexpected, but don't be scared to speak your mind. I’m a grown man. I can take rejection. And, course, whatever you decide won’t have any implications on your job or anything. I shouldn't even have to mention that, but just in case it wasn't clear enough.”
Harry noticed her glancing down at his hands, gaze focused on his many rings, possibly looking for a wedding band. Her puzzlement seemed to ease some when she didn’t find one. “Right. So, um...”
Before she could finish her sentence, there was another knock on the meeting room's door. It slid open, as Mark, the fucking cockblocker, walked inside to announce that he, too, had been killed off in the game and was hoping he could join them. Despite the unwanted company in the room, Harry’s gaze still remained glued to Y/N for another moment, hoping she'd at least give him a hint on where her answer was going.
She didn’t. In fact, all she did after Mark's arrival was putting more space between them by giving up her seat next to Harry. He wasn't sure if she was nervous or trying to keep up appearances, but the rest of the night he had the impression she was wary of his proximity and avoided standing too close to him. Her distance was making Harry anxious. He desperately wanted to believe that the way she was acting was because he was making her sweat the same way she was making him, so he tricks his mind into believing so. His optimism begins to waver however, when the party’s over and he notices that Y/N doesn't linger around for him. On the contrary, she appeared to be in a mad dash to get to her car.
“Y/N…” Harry rushed after her. A pasted smile on his face since he had not yet realized how much her demeanor had changed since their talk. He did however notice it the moment their gazes met. She seemed uneasy and quite frankly unhappy to see him. “Hey, er… before you go, I wanted to ask on that thing from earlier, since Mark came in and I missed your answer.”
“Right, um… about that...” He noticed her eyes darting about the parking lot, as if she was anticipating someone to be staring. “I didn't give it much thought since I didn't think you were serious.”
Harry's brows furrowed. “Why would I ask you out if I wasn't serious?”
“I don’t know.” She looked frustrated. “I’m not trying to invalidate your feelings, but I feel like you're playing a joke on me and if that's the case, I don't find it funny.”
With each word she uttered, Harry's confusion intensified. “What makes you think it's a joke?” He waited for her to respond, but she didn't. “Do you not like me? Is that it? Cause if that's the case, I'd honestly rather you tell me than pretend it's not serious.”
“No, I- of course I like you. You're a good boss, and I've always appreciated that.”
Harry was unable to control his shaky laugh. “Don’t give me that… you know that's not what I'm asking.” She finally met his gaze at that point. The slight pout on her lips was beyond Harry's understanding, but he knew exactly what he wanted to do about it. He couldn't, though. Not there. Not yet. “Do you like me as a man, or… find me interesting in any way?”
Y/N went quiet for a moment. “Yes, I think you're interesting,” She finally confessed. “But I also genuinely love working here and I really, really am not looking to jeopardize that.”
Harry noticed Y/N turn towards the driver side of her car, so he took a step further, in a nonverbal request for her to halt. “You won’t. I assure you.”
“Whether or not that's the case, you're still my boss, and I don't think it would be appropriate for us to spend our free time together under these circumstances.” She hastily unlocked her car door. As far as Harry could tell, she seemed to want to end the conversation there.
“I understand that, but what if we look past the circumstances? One date, Y/N. You don’t have to compromise… just let me get to know you, it’s all I want.”
“I'm not that type of new hire, Harry.” Based on her words and expression, it seemed that his insistence had irked her. “I don’t know if this is something you typically do, but I respectfully ask that you do not bring up this topic with me again. Otherwise, you'll leave me with no choice except going to HR.”
“Y/N, hold on... You're reading this wrong. I'm not that kind of guy; please... let me clear things up.” He stood next to her car, pleading with her not to flee the parking lot the way he knew she wanted to.
“Have a good night, Harry.” That was all she said before shutting the door and starting her car. So Harry stood in that practically empty parking lot and watched her leave. He couldn't believe this had happened to him. It had felt like a nightmare, but it was real. The lingering scent of Y/N’s perfume emanating from the spot where her car had just been parked confirmed so.
His biggest worry wasn't whether Y/N would go to HR or not, that was the least of his concerns. He just felt awful that he made her feel like she would need such drastic measures to keep him away. Had he been too insistent? He didn't want that at all; all he wanted was for her to see past the downsides and give him a chance.
Maybe Harry was arrogant in thinking she should have. He was quite spoiled in that regard. When he asked women out, he wasn't used to getting a no. Of course he'd been dumped by exes before, but he couldn't exactly say he was used to getting turned down right away... they usually always let him have what he wanted first. If not for his looks, then most likely for his money.
Granted, he had never had to deal with such ethical dilemmas when persuing someone before, but still, he couldn't help but think that Y/N’s reaction had been slightly overkill. But perhaps Harry was just looking at things from his privileged point of view. The truth was that if shit went down, the worst thing he would have to face was getting marketed as a boss who sleeps with his employees. Meanwhile, Y/N could have to deal with much worse. He’s heard stories, after all. He knows people would feel much more at liberty badmouthing her and questioning her accomplishments than they would his.
So, he gets it. He does. He despises it, however. It's not even about the rejection for him; of course, that bothers him, but he can live with it. The knowledge that Y/N probably thinks he is a scumbag, however, is what’s killing him the most. He can't even look at himself. He wants to punch his reflection whenever his eyes land in the side view mirror as he drives, the same way he wants to punch himself in the bathroom mirror the next morning. He looked as miserable as he felt, but he wouldn't have expected anything less after drinking himself into that state the night before.
He had half the mind not to show up at work that morning. The alcohol and the lack of sleep had led to a severe hammering behind his eyeballs. His vision was still slightly skewed, and he felt absolutely rotten. It's not like anybody would bother checking on him… they'd just assume he had to attend a surprise meeting or was doing something more important. Speaking of, Harry did have some major stuff he needed to take care of at the office that day. That realization was only making him want to get back under his covers and never get out of bed again more.
But somehow he pushed through.
Because truth be told, he was acting like a wimp. He knew facing Y/N would be painful, like removing a bandage from a fresh sore. That’s why part of him wanted to put it off for as long as he could, even if the other was aware that wasn't a workable option. Logically speaking, he knew it was only a matter of minutes, or perhaps seconds until they ran into each other. And yet, never in a million years did he expect it to happen as quickly as it did.
Harry had just finished dragging his grumpy self inside the building’s elevator and was about to hit the button when she walked through the door and slid in beside him. The fragrance of her perfume engulfed him, what instantly transported him back to the previous night and made him shudder, but he inhaled it anyway.
“Good morning,” She greeted cordially while searching through her purse, oblivious to who the person standing next to her was.
“G’Morning.” Harry muttered back. The recognition of his voice eventually jolted her into looking at him. By then, he had already figured she hadn't consciously stepped inside the elevator with him, but it still stung to see her face drop at his presence.
Judging by her reaction, Harry was guessing her eyes had failed to recognize him at first glance. Sunglasses and jeans, after all, were not his style when it came to workwear. He liked to put in effort when it came to his appearance, and naturally that was only heightened by his not so little crush. His pants were always ironed the night before, and his clothes were always perfectly coordinated. On that day however, he had barely mustered the patience to comb his fingers through his hair, let alone put on something nice.
From that moment on, there was an awkward tension.
Harry desperately wanted to apologize for what had happened the night before, but he was trapped by shame. He couldn’t even look at her. His gaze was fixed on the elevator floor, and he had no intention of raising it until they arrived at their floor. He assumed hers was fixed somewhere within those close-fitting walls too, probably as far away from him as possible.
“I’m free on Saturday.” She suddenly said, to his great astonishment. “If you still want to hang out, we can, as long as it’s at a place where we are unlikely to run into anyone that works here. It isn't a date though, so don’t have any expectations.”
Despite his exhaustion, Harry couldn't keep a giddy smile from breaking out on his face. “Can I give you my number, then?”
**
taglist: @tenaciousperfectionunknown @kissyh94 @gviosca @mimischaos @marlananicole17 @sad-capuccino @princess-asteria @elenagilbert0 @thismaydestroyme @daphnesutton @ally5sos @imaddicted2hs @inlovewitheveryhandsomeguy @palenickelheropickle @hs-rry @harrysficreblog ; @80spinkharry ; @swiftmendeshoran ; @willie-ivy ; @soymilkwriter @itsjustsel @dopetravelanimedonkey @buckymydarlingangel @sassqwn
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hyenahunt · 3 years ago
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Conquest - Prologue
Writer: Akira
Season: Spring
Proofreading: royalquintet (JP & ENG)
Translation: hyenahunt
Hiyori: But the problem is, we're not enemies at all. We're allies, aren't we?
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[Location: ES Breakroom]
[One day in late spring...]
Hiyori: "Eden Breaks Up?! The decisive battle fans have all been waiting for: Adam VS Eve —"
—Or so says this ridiculous performance plan I just received over HoldHands.
I'd greatly appreciate a detailed explanation of just what is going on. Depending on your answer, chances are I won't let you off.
Nagisa: ...Wow, Hiyori-kun, your expression is frightening.
Ibara: Aye-aye! Allow me to offer you an explanation. After all, it is my job to see to it that this incomprehensible world is dissected, cooked up and arranged for serving.
That being said, however, this appetising proposal came from the higher-ups themselves, and as such I myself am not too clear on how it came to be.
All the same, I do have some grasp of the overall outline.
Nagisa: ...I had no idea about this. While I did receive it on HoldHands, I leave all administrative matters to Ibara.
Hiyori: Nagisa-kun, you're pretty much the leader of both Eden and Adam, aren't you?
I do feel it would be for the best if you managed such things yourself, but well, everyone has their individual strengths and weaknesses, I suppose?
Nagisa: ...Yes. I'd rather not concern myself with the everyday world. It's troublesome.
...And having Ibara look over it results in a more accurate understanding. He's the right person for this.
Ibara: Ahahaha! Receiving such praise and trust from you is truly an honour, Your Excellency!
Nagisa: ...I simply state the truth. By the way, Jun, did you know about this proposal?
Jun: Ugh, please don't drag me into this, Nagi-senpai. Ohii-san's been in such a crazy awful mood all morning and I wanna have nothing to do with it, y'know~?
In situations like these, I'm the one who usually ends up as his stress outlet, after all —
But whatever, I guess. What'd that proposal say again...?
It sounds like something only the unit leaders receive, so there's no way an underling like myself would know anything about it, yeah~?
Nagisa: ...Ahh, it does seem like that's how it works.
...It's set up so that all messages I receive are immediately forwarded to Ibara, so it doesn't concern me, though.
Hiyori: Nagisa-kun, are you alright with that?
If you leave every little thing to Ibara like that — or grow dependent on him, I should say—then aren't you going to have trouble living on if he randomly drops dead one day?
Ibara: Worry not! I won't be dying any time soon — I cannot allow myself to die when we've gotten this far already!
Hiyori: Well, even if Ibara does kick the bucket, I can look after Nagisa-kun like how I used to so everything will be just fine.
Ibara: Indeed, should such a situation ever arise, I will leave him in Your Highness' capable hands.
...Anyway, to return to the topic at hand, I do believe the current proposal isn't completely devoid of points worth considering.
Hiyori: ... In what way, may I ask?
Jun: (Woah. Ohii-san's face is seeeriously scary as hell right now. He's usually all silly laughs and smiles, so when he's got a serious face on you know shit's gonna go down.)
(This time he seems kinda actually really upset about things, huh?)
Ibara: Right. Firstly, it is essential to note that this proposal is by the restructured top brass of CosPro, after the majority of its executives were fired due to the scandal at the end of last year.
They're all most eager to repair their damaged reputations — money is no object in their quest to prove their innocence and competence.
So in short, they intend to create something of great extravagance with this proposal. They'll pull out all the stops, no matter what it takes.
And since this comes right on the heels of the scandal, even the higher-ups will be careful not to attempt anything dubious behind the scenes — so everything should be safe.
Nagisa: ...Well, true fools tend to repeat the same mistakes over and over, though.
Ibara: All the same, it's common knowledge that after the last scandal, we as Eden collectively denounced and drove out the top brass.
Taking that into account, the fact that they've put out a proposal means that they're prepared to face such a situation once more.
This is a proposal of great importance—one that puts their lives on the line, if you will.
At the same time, if we were to reject this proposal, which is composed of the desperate desires of these higher-ups, they'll simply shrink away and believe anything they do or say will be pointless.
I'd greatly prefer to have some clumsy fools bumbling about their jobs rather than frightened figureheads cowering in a corner.
To be frozen in place is no different from being dead, after all. And corpses certainly can't be mobilised for war.
Simultaneously, always saying anything and everything is out of the question will never allow for growth in us humans.
...Well, such overprotective and motherly behavior seems to be a favorite of His Highness Hiyori.
Hiyori: ...In what sense? I certainly feel as though you're mocking me right now, you know?
Ibara: Of course not, I would never do such a thing... It is but a misunderstanding.
But in any case, for the sake of the top brass gaining experience, and to grant them that sense of self-confidence and achievement, I would dearly like for us to accept their proposal.
Nagisa: ...It's actually an interesting proposal, too.
...A confrontation between Adam and Eve... I've never considered such a thing before.
Jun: Well, it kinda feels like something guys would be pretty into. It's almost like pro-wrestling.
Seeing who'd win if Adam and Eve faced off... that might really catch our fans' interest, actually~
Hiyori: Ngh... A lion is still the king of beasts even if he doesn't go around proclaiming it, right?
Ibara: Certainly. That being said, a performance is essential in allowing the masses to actually understand this, as they are rather slow on the uptake.
And it is for that purpose that we now have this current plan: "Conquest".
For us of Eden, who were regrettably only the runner-ups for the idol world's greatest festival, Winter Live, at the end of last year...
Perhaps it's a rather ambitious event, to try and realise that domination that once slipped through our grasp —
That world domination, thwarted by Trickstar, or rather obstructed by traitors within our own camp.
Now is the time to see it through — that, I feel, is the current sentiment borne by the higher-ups of CosPro.
Conquer all, and we shall seize the world within our hands.
Hiyori: Well, in all honesty, I do have faint regrets that we weren't able to conquer the nation at the end of last year.
But we'd still be able to make the world ours just by doing things as we always have. Why make a show out of something so unsightly as an internal quarrel—
Ibara: That's not the case. ES has now been established, and in this new era of oligarchy between the four agencies, it'll prove difficult to stand out if we simply go about our days without aim.
If we are to use a single showpiece to launch ourselves to the top, then it is essential for it to be explosive in nature.
In that sense, I believe Conquest is the ideal plan for it. Since the earliest times, people have always been drawn to showdowns of destiny, after all.
Such as Holmes and Moriarty, Godzilla and King Ghidora, Goku and Vegeta... Would you understand those examples, Your Highness?
Jun: Oh, I totally get you.
Ibara: Good. Let's see... it would be something akin to the War of the Roses — does that make sense?
Hiyori: Mm... I can't deny that a showdown between age-old enemies would be exciting, of course.
But the problem is, we're not enemies at all. We're allies, aren't we?
No... I consider Eden a family, but am I the only one who feels that way?
Nagisa: ......
✦✦✦✦✦
✦ all ✦ next →
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wowtobio · 5 years ago
Note
Hi! Can I request headcanons where Atsunu and Oikawa are in love with the same girl and compete for her love? I
New Neighbor? Where Atsumu and Oikawa try to win your love
thanks for the request :) i hope u enjoy! 
warnings: slight angst and implied sexual content
-
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*pretend hinata is you hehe ;) 
“(y/n)-chan!! I can’t believe you’re leaving me!!” Oikawa complains as you pack the last few things in your overflowing suitcase.
It was a hot, sunny Saturday afternoon in your home in Miyagi and you found yourself in your room with Oikawa casually laying on your bed. 
“Tooru, I’m sorry you know this was not my choice.” You spoke softly, Oikawa sat up and continued his whining 
“But still! We’ve been together since we were kids and you’re just gonna abandon me?? After everything we’ve been through!!?” You threw a pillow at the loud mouthed setter.
It was true, when you moved to Miyagi when you were 6 years old, you two hit it off and are still as close as ever today. Your parents had demanding jobs that required them to travel all over Japan leaving you home alone. Your parents were close with Oikawa’s so they trusted to look after you. You were practically raised by them but over time you learned to fend for yourself with a little help from him and his family. 
“Quit your screaming! And don’t make it out like we’re dating hmph. You still have Iwa-kun to cling onto. You’ll be alright.” You stood up and clasped his hands with yours. A fire sparked into your eyes as you looked at him. 
“Besides, you have to promise me that you’ll go and win nationals. Win the dream with your team!” Oikawa glances at your hands before letting them go and hooking his pinky with your small, dainty ones. 
“Mm, you can count on me (y/n)-chan” 
You smile brightly and without warning wrap your arms around the brunette’s neck. He pauses before allowing his hands to gather at the small of your back and hugging your waist. As a goodbye, you squeeze him closer and bury your face in the crook of his neck and he digs his face into your shoulder. Your breath hitched in your throat as you swear you felt him press a kiss on your neck, but you didn’t mention it. You two just savored the moment and each others warmth as it was probably going to be the last time you two would be in each others presence for awhile. Probably.
-
It has been two months since your family made the move to Hyogo, your parents as expected were not home as usual and at first it was hard for you to adapt without the presence of your parents and your childhood best friend who you texted every single day.
“heyo tooru!” 
“(y/n)-chan! i miss you ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ do you miss mee~?” 
“yah wish idiot, i’m just checkin up on yah”
“YABBEI!! ୧(๑•̀ᗝ•́)૭ you already have the kansai accent noo!!” 
“shut up! i adapt! and fyi i do not talk like this irl”
“okok whateverrr, how’s inarizaki?” 
With your high grades and excelling in academics you were able to transfer into Inarizaki high with no problem. You did not have any friends though, you did not really fit in or belong to certain cliques at the school.
“it’s been alright, kinda prestigious though and ppl have egos but nothing i can’t handle. def better than dealing with you hehe~” 
“im hurt (y/n)-chan! but that’s good, watch out for their volleyball team they’re pretty strong (ง’-‘︠)ง“
You raised an eyebrow as you realized that your new school did indeed have a volleyball team. You’ve heard about them quite a lot as they are supposedly really good, placing at nationals consecutively. You made a mental note to yourself to look further into it whenever you cared too and you bid Oikawa a quick goodbye text. You remembered an important package was waiting outside so you slipped on some shoes and ran out to get it. 
Upon approaching your mailbox, you notice two guys walking towards your direction and you glance up at them. One blonde-haired guy rambling to an uninterested sliver-haired who was practically an exact replica to him. Twins? You thought to yourself as you took a double-take.
Despite their similarities in looks, your attention gravitated towards the blond twin. Just the way his soft looking locks parted to the right over his hooded, dark eyes you could lost in. His overall energy was one that interested you. He felt your lingering gaze on him and made eye contact with you and smirked. 
You blushed lightly and hurriedly grabbed your package. You rushed since you were just wearing short shorts and a crop top. Avoiding any interactions with the pair, you walk away and miss the eyes of the blonde twin looking up and down at your body. 
Slamming your door shut, back against it you let out a sigh of relief and peek out the window to see the twins walk into the house right next door to you. The blush on your face still burned slightly, your curiosity heightens 
“New neighbors? How interesting”
-
School has ended, yet you found yourself aimlessly walking the now empty halls of Inarizaki. You wanted to avoid going home, as you did not want to be spending anymore time in an empty household and without your best friend you missed dearly. 
Your aimless wandering has led you to the volleyball gym, curiosity killed the cat and you found yourself entering the gym and stepping up at the balcony to watch practice from afar. Your eyes immediately went to the golden yellow haired guy who was apparently also your neighbor.
He sets to his teammate effortlessly and you couldn’t help but watch with amazement of his moves and how he brought out the best in the spiker. His technique was similar to Tooru’s, just a bit different. It was like his own twist. You always watched Tooru play with awe, however this guy’s setting just hit differently within you. 
You stared for a bit too long, as said setter looks up the balcony to see your form. The fangirls nearby you screech for his attention, only for him to send you a smirk and you blush profusely and immediately break the eye contact once again. 
Eventually, you found yourself coming back to the same gym at the same time everyday for the week. You went because of how much the players practiced and played flawlessly, but secretly because you wanted to watch the blonde setter in action of course. And since you were not enrolled in any clubs you killed time after school on that very balcony. 
Blonde twin has noticed you at every practice, every now and then he would nod towards you and/or throw a lopsided smile to you that made your heart jump lightly. 
It was the end of practice and you were about to walk out of the empty gym until you felt a hand grab your wrist, pulling you back. 
“Wait!”
You gasp slightly upon seeing the blonde setter. A little too close for comfort. A tint of pink dusted your cheeks as you gulped and stared into his eyes.
“Miya Atsumu, who are you?”
-
“TOOOORUUU YOU WONT BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED” You jumped into bed and called your childhood best friend with no warning.
“E-eh?? (y/n)-chan are you okay?? Are you finally coming back to mee????” 
“NO SILLY! okay hear me out for a moment” 
You rambled on and on about your interaction with the setter, a hint of excitement in your tone that goes unnoticed by Oikawa.
“(y/n)-chan, you do know that Miya Atsumu is one of the best setters in Japan right?” 
You immediately shut up, mouth open slightly and you noticed Oikawa’s sudden drop in mood.
“A-ah, I did not know that, sorry..” You rubbed your arm out of nervousness as the line went silent for an uncomfortable amount of time.
“You.. you still support me though right (y/n)-chan?” 
“Of course Tooru!”
“You promise?”
“Yeah, of course. I believe in you”
-
Over the next few weeks, you and Atsumu have been interacting a lot more than others would’ve expected. You two slowly got closer to each other, exchanged numbers, walking in the halls together, eating lunch together, even during passing time he would come visit you in your class. Rumors erupted here and there but you would ignore them, all you cared about was the fact that you were getting close to the handsome setter and you couldn’t help but feel a weird sensation in your chest whenever you were around him. 
Being neighbors, you two sometimes catch each other walking by the window and laugh at how both of you were caught off guard. He would even text you about it.
“you looked pretty cute there (n/n)-chan~”
Your heart flutters and you giggle replying back. Then you two would text the whole night away.
One night, you were on the phone with Oikawa as usual updating each other about your lives. 
“And then! You won’t believe it (y/n)-chan, Iwa-chan then threw the volleyball! At the back of my head!! How embarrassing uwaaah” 
You giggled cutely, “But I do believe it!” Oikawa just grumbles on the other side of the line and you continue to laugh. A text message then pops up from Atsumu, wishing you a goodnight. You subconsciously smile and were reminded that you should probably tell your best friend of the recent closeness. 
“Ne Tooru, I have somethings to update you about Atsumu.” It was absolutely silence on the other side, you worried slightly but took it as a sign to continue.
You ranted on about the progression of your friendship with Atsumu, almost in a dreamy tone. You finished and were met with silence which worried you even further.
“Toor-”
“We have a match with Karasuno tomorrow.” You were caught off guard with the sudden subject change. 
“E-eh? That’s Kageyama-san’s team right? And you should be sleeping then!” 
“Yeah, that guy drives me mad. But we’ll be fine, we will win” Oikawa says. You admired whenever Oikawa was passionate and serious about his dreams. 
“Of course, I wish you luck! I’ll watch you guys from home.” 
“Thank you~ Sweet (y/n)-chan” You laugh and cringed at him, but his tone went serious unexpectedly once again.
“Ne (y/n)-chan I have a question for you.”
“I’m all ears Tooru.”
“Do you have feelings for Atsumu?” 
Your breath got caught in your throat. Feelings?
“I- uhm. I think it’s too early to have feelings like that, right Tooru?”
“Mmm.” 
On the other side of the line, Oikawa frowns. 
-
They lost
They lost against Karasuno
You sat on your coach, tears forming as your hands cupped your mouth in shock. 
They can’t go to nationals
You watched painfully as you saw the cameras zoom in on the victors of Karasuno and cuts to Oikawa’s face of disbelief alongside the team members’ similar reaction and a few crying faces. Tears were as of now flowing down your face.
Tooru’s dream
You spent the next few days constantly calling and texting your best friend to check on him and remind him he did his best. He barely replied back, answering with blunt and passive answers that worried you to the core. Oh what would you give to take a train to Miyagi and comfort him. 
You heard a knock at your door, ears perked up and you walk over to answer. 
“A-atsumu??” You were shocked at the sudden appearance of him at your front door. 
“What’re you doing here??” He leans against the doorway, hands in his pockets. His casual attire being fitted black joggers, a green hoodie and a nice jacket over. You couldn’t help but stare. 
“Am I not allowed to visit yah (n/n)-chan. And it is rude to stare yanno. Not even allowing a guest in?” He smirks as you fumble with your words and let him in your home. 
“I was just making lunch, w-would you like to join me?” He smiles attractively as he takes off his coat and hangs it up. 
“Don’t mind if I do.” 
The afternoon was spent with you cooking lunch for the two of you, jokes cracked up and you both laughed and bonded. 
“What do yah mean? You never saw the movie??” You giggled.
“Hah, you expect me to be going out all the time? I’m the loner here.” 
“Nope nope, not with me around. I am taking you out to see this movie right now.” He grabs your wrist and drags you towards your room. Your heart did a thing.
“Go get ready.” You blushed red questioned frantically what was happening.
“W-what? What do you mean? Where are we going? WHat??” Atsumu waves his hands.
“Don’tcha worry about it doll. I’ll pay for your ticket, and it’ll only be the movies. Yah parents aren’t even home and I’ll bring yah back home in one piece.” 
With further convincing you sigh and agreed to his offer. As you slipped on a casual, fitting dress along with a bit of touching up of your hair and makeup your mind wanders to Oikawa. You still worried about him.
“I hope he’s doing okay..” You mumble to no one in particular. 
“Hope whose doin okay?” You jump at Atsumu’s sudden intrusion in your bedroom. 
“N-nothing! Well I’m ready now so let’s go.” Before heading out, Atsumu blocks your path and checked you out real quick. 
“Wow~ You look gorgeous (n/n)-chan” You blushed heavily and ushered him out of your room and the house. 
-
You two arrive at the train station, making light conversation where Atsumu would drop compliments every now and then that would make you redder than a tomato.
Casually strolling side by side, your shoulders bumping into each other. You stop in your tracks as Atsumu does the same, your eyes widening at the sight of Oikawa.
“T-tooru!” 
“…(y/n)-chan” 
Atsumu raises an eyebrow. 
“W-what are you doing here Tooru? Are you okay??”
“I simply just needed to see you… I missed you but I see that I am interrupting something?”
Your eyes widened, you wanted to run into Tooru’s arms but Atsumu was right beside you..
Conflicted
“Well well well, if it ain’t pretty setter Oikawa. How did that game the other day go?” Atsumu says in a taunting manner, you backhanded Atsumu’s chest lightly scolding him. However, Astumu continues 
“I think you should let her go lover boy, she’s mine.” Atsumu wraps and arm around your shoulder. You gasped as Oikawa ticks at that.
“You barely know her, don’t even think about touching her!” Oikawa growls out.
“G-guys please stop!” You felt so conflicted with your feelings. You did recently felt interested in Atsumu. On the other hand, you constantly missed and cared for Tooru. 
“She obviously likes me over you boy, I dunno your problem but I will be taking my lady out if yah don’t mind.” 
“To hell! (y/n)-chan’s been mine.” Oikawa grabs your wrist and pulls you towards him. 
“(y/n), what are you doing out with him? Is this a date? Do you actually like him more than me?” 
You flustered up at Oikawa’s words.
“No! W-well it may seem like a date, but we’re just out watching movies together alone! W-wait that sounds like a date oh my goodness. I don’t even know anymore ugh-” 
You felt so overwhelmed to the point you could not help but break your grasp from Oikawa and run from the two. 
“(n/n)-chan!”
“(y/n)!” 
You kept running, ignoring their calls.
What were you going to do? 
Who were you going to choose?
You did not know anymore
-
a/n: heyhey sorry if that turned out bad ;; i am conflicted on how to end this short headcanon so I was thinking of writing something with both endings where you either choose Oikawa or Atsumu. Only if you guys want so please let me know! And also at that last interaction I made Oikawa seem more serious since I imagine he would still be affected by losing ofc poor boi. Sorry if that seemed too ooc for Oikawa. N e ways, thank you guys sm for the support and reading my writing. PLs let me know if you would like that part two! ily :)
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lavendelhummel · 7 months ago
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Here is the scene I wrote about this, it’s an excerpt from chapter 5 (post) of "Laundry Day“, the mermaid AU in question:
“I would love to show you,” Myka says. “But, it’s not as if we could go so… But yeah, it is a nice event.”
She has just finished telling Helena about the annual local city festival and worried a bit that Helena might think it silly but she didn’t and she still doesn’t when she says, “I am sorry, I can not accompany you. I would like to see this fest myself, but once again this thing,” she frowns at her tail in the tank, “makes things difficult. But, oh, I would dearly like to go out there with you, hold your hand, enjoy the music and be gay and merry.”
Myka frowns. Sometimes Helena’s choice of words is a little suspicious. But here she is pretty sure she really just wants to have fun out together. Well, merry, gay, and together, this is still a small town. And Myka would like to be that person. But she also still owns a small business. And maybe one day, she will get there, but as it is Helena’s fish tail would only be part of the problem. The other one would be looks and comments about the hand holding Helena talked about. 
She tries to explain, but how do you explain to your partner that you would rather not be seen outside with them because of their gender? And how do you stop stuttering around and blushing? Helena, obviously, how could it be differently, doesn’t understand.
“It is not done in humans?”
“What do you mean it is not done?” Is Helena asking if homophobia exists?
“Two people showing their affection in public? You said we could not be like we are when someone sees. So, humans frown upon other humans’ happiness?”
Oh. Oh. Myka sighs. What a description. What to say about that?
“Well. Plenty of people show affection. It’s just this kind of affection, the romantic kind, and physical one.” Oh, why is her face heating up again? She is not a teenager! “Between two women, two men, people of the same gender, that people freak out about and, you know make life harder for,” she rubs her neck, somehow embarrassed by her species, while being affected by its faults. 
“So you know, the two of us, two women, we’d have to be a bit more careful, either way, you having legs or tail, depending on the company,” she finishes her explanation. 
“The two of us, two women,” Helena repeats slowly. “You are a woman, right, of course.”
Myka lifts her eyebrow and nods. Obviously, she is. 
“So, me, you are calling a woman, too?” Helena asks.
“Well, I thought, I mean. Yeah?” Now Myka is confused.
“I’ve read about these concepts of yours, you know.” Helena looks so pensive, saying that. “I didn’t even need to read about it, just any novel uses these ‘genders’ in overflow as plot devices; I couldn’t escape the topic even if it wasn’t wildly fascinating. There was one author, I am sure you know him, who displayed it especially ridiculous. Oscar Wilde, his plays, oh, simply hilarious, ‘The Importance of being Ernest’ and then one, I found referenced quite a few times, but mirroring those images in such a silly way, if you allow me that pun, darling,” Helena pausess and quirkss her eyebrow at Myka in a suppressed smirk, “The portrait of Dorian Gray’, what was that all about, oh and he even named one of them “A woman of no importance”, the guy was funny! Or your gender-thing is, or maybe both,” Helena giggles. 
Myka stares for a while. Helena giggling isn’t a sight she gets to see every day. And her lover giggling about classic literature does more things to Myka than she would like to admit.
Then she asks, “So you don’t? Have gender? You are not a woman?” Even she herself hears how small her voice has gotten. So she is quick to squeeze her hand back, when Helena reaches for hers.
“Surely that is not a problem for you?” Helena says, and doesn’t take her eyes off Myka’s.
Myka shakes her head making her curls fly wildly. “No! No, not a problem. I just… don’t understand?” Again her voice becomes smaller the longer she talks.
Helena chuckles. “Let me explain then. It really isn’t all that complicated. A little unaccustomed for you maybe. We, merfolk, mermaid, really call us as you like, don’t separate between others. We are different, yes. And there are those with chests to nourish children, and the ability to carry them inside them during pregnancy, same as humans, yes? Often those two abilities coincide in a person, but not always. Some people wear their hair like I do, some wear it short, some have it in other places, their faces, chests, really everywhere, but on the scales, that wouldn’t really work, you see? We are just people, just merfolk,” Helena shrugs. “What other funny differences to your genders have that I could illustrate this on?” Myka just stares at her. Her head is rattling. 
Helena goes on. “And when two merfolk like each other very much, like I like you, Myka, my darling, we do like to show it. Not overly, mind you, but linking our tails. In absence of yours, I’d hold your hand, were we to swim through my home streams together.” She lifts their still intertwined hands and presses Myka’s knuckles to her mouth.
Myka stares at her for a moment longer. Then she finally mumbles, “That sounds so simple, when you say it.” 
Again Helena chuckles. “It is quite simple. For me, I am merfolk, after all. You are my dearest human, so it might be new and more complicated.” She looks at Myka softly. “You are a woman and I am merfolk,” she states. 
“It sounds pretty stupid, after what you said. Me being a woman and separating and all that,”
Helena thinks for a moment. “It’s not stupid, if it’s your identity,” She pauses and then adds,”It’s just a concept I can't quite grasp.” 
“Right,” Myka says. “Okay.”
“Right,” Helena repeats, “And actually it doesn’t really matter, does it? We have different concepts. What did you say about cultural differences? But we are here together either way. A human woman and a merfolk. You are a woman, and I am a mermaid. Neither understanding the other. And yet!” Suddenly she grins. “Sounds pretty epic to me! We would make a good romance story, darling!” 
Now Myka is laughing too. Incredible how Helena can swing her mood around with just a few words again and again. “You are impossible,” she says, but she leans forward until she falls into Helena and catches her mouth with hers, wrapping her arms around her mermaid. 
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I just posted a link to a fanfic that got inspired by this Art installation by Olivia Erlanger with a few more photos. What I did not put on there, because it deserves its own post, are these things she said, first on her website:
"Mermaids are a kind of pre-gender or genderless archetype, a representation of a chimeric existence that Olivia Erlanger feels we each take of as different environmental pressures affect transformations. When they are presented as female, mermaids bring up many questions of mobility, not only in a physical sense, abut also around agency.
Ariel from Hans Christian Andersen's "The little mermaid" (1837), for example, gave up her voice to walk on land. This kind of psychological voice loss mirrors Freud's patient Ida Bauer, whose diagnosis was the first recorded case of female hysteria. Hysteria is itself a fiction, and yet the trope of hysterical woman persists. (...)."
And second, this part of an interview she gave:
"The beautiful thing about a mermaid's tail is that it is almost a split phallus. I’m sure you know they are very important in terms of trans iconography, especially for young transfolks since there isn’t direct representation of non-binary genitalia. And similarly, the long sinewy tail splits. It is a “both/and'' rather than an “either/or'' shape. "
I have been accused of having a mermaid problem and fish fetish before, yes, I have always had a thing for mermaids because they were fun, but this is cool! I never knew that mermaids are a part of the trans-culture! Yes, there have been these questions of their presentation in fiction, the terminology alone, the question of agency as she says etc. which are interesting to explore but what she says here about gender makes sense (from my not very informed cisgender-perspective - if it does not actually please correct me), and that makes mermaids so much cooler even!
Mermaids are inherently (gender)queer! Who knew they could become even cooler?!
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slytherinprincess03 · 4 years ago
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Loving Gestures
This is my attempt at writing a fic with the prompt: camping by a lake/the ocean, it’s for A Very Harry Potter Summer challenge. Check @hufflefluff-writer ‘s masterlist for the other fics :)
@angelinathebook and @dracosvftie gave feedback and ideas to continue this, thank you both so much!
I tried to make it an all houses possible, but I think being a Slytherin doesn't really fit in. Sorry. 
Pairing: Blaise Zabini x reader
Words: 1442
Warnings: The ‘M’ word. The end is crap and kinda rushed? I really struggled with writing an end to this fic. I apologize for that in advance
(Y/N) - your name
(Y/H) - your house
(Y/N/N) - your nickname
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“Oh come on Blaise, this is going to be fun!” skipping excitedly, you drag a sulking Blaise with you. 
“You know I love you darling, but do we really need to do this?” he complains again ”can't we just stay at one of my families mansions?”
“Blaise Zabini” you glare at him sternly “listen to me young man, I could've easily asked someone else to join me on this trip, someone who wouldn't be complaining all the time. If I remember correctly, you willingly offered to join me, so stop complaining. You want to waltz around one of your mansions? Fine, but I'm going on this trip whether you are joining me or not.”
Before you left your shared flat, you had asked your boyfriend a dozen of times if he was certain on wanting to join you. Of course, you knew camping was something Blaise had never done and you didn't think he ever wanted to change that. After all he was raised in a wealthy pure blood family, one who never did something so common. Blaise was used to wealth and luxury.              To say the least you were utterly surprised when your dark skinned boyfriend offered joining you on the trip you usually went on with your parents. 
Sadly enough they passed away during the Battle of Hogwarts, it took you months to be able to speak about them without bursting into tears, now a year after their passing, you went on the same camping trip in honour of your parents' memory. Now Blaise knew the past year had been difficult for you, after all you were very close with your parents and it absolutely broke your heart when you learned they had passed away. Blaise had been there for you every second of every day, he loved you dearly and that was why he offered going camping with you. He just didn't realize it was way out of his comfort zone.
To say the least, when people found out about your relationship, they were shocked. After all you guys weren't even friends, heck you never even talked to each other. If that wasn't enough shock already, you being a (Y/H) half blood didn't really help. Everyone knew how Blaise was raised, they all thought he would end up with a pure blood witch, just like his mother wanted. She had even already made progress into getting Blaise into an arranged marriage.            When she had heard word of your relationship, she was furious. 
It wasn't as bad if you had been a muggle born or - Salazar forbid - even a muggle, but still. You were a (Y/H) and not to forget a muggle born sympathizer, to put it mildly Blaise's mother wasn't happy with you. 
Of course Blaise already suspected this, so when you first started dating both of you agreed on keeping it a secret. Alas, as with all secrets, people eventually found out about it. When they did, you were scared that Blaise would break up with you. You were convinced he would run back to his mother in order to be married off to some pure blood witch, when you voiced your insecurities Blaise took every moment he could to make sure you knew he would always stay by your side. 
"Are we nearly there yet?" Blaise whines "it's so warm and I just want to cuddle you" he continues while pulling you into an embrace. 
You let out a yelp of surprise and giggle lightly "yes over there at the foot of the hill" you point towards the hill "but we still have to pitch the tent."
"What? We can't just use our wands for that?" Blaise pulls you even closer and plants a small kiss on your lips, while groaning softly at the idea of setting up a tent with the hot summer air. 
"I think we could, but my parents and I never used magic" he looked down at you with pursed lips "let me guess, you want to pitch the tent without using our wands?" You bit your lip and nodded. 
"Do we really have to (Y/N/N)?" you could clearly see he just wanted to be done with it and use your wands, however you wouldn't budge. 
"Please? I love you, you know" you said to him, trying to persuade him, while batting your eyelashes at him. "Yes I know that, love. Fine, you win, but you have to do the work."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After several failures, the tent finally stood in its glory. In total, it had cost two hours and a lot of grunts from Blaise. He eventually caved in and decided to help you after the first few failed attempts. Because of the hard work you did with the high temperature and all, several beats of sweat covered your face. Blaise had noticed this as well and smirked slyly, he had the perfect plan to cool you down. Eyeing the lake, which was a few meters away from your tent, he called you over to him, slowly walking towards the edge of the lake. 
"You know (Y/N), I think you could use something refreshing" he said once you were in hearing distance. "Oh?" you cock an eyebrow in surprise "and what did you have in mind?" 
"This" he grins, for a second you stare at him in confusion, but then he suddenly pushes you into the lake. You yelp in surprise and a wave of water enters your mouth, sputtering you try keeping your head above the water. 
"BLAISE ZABINI" you scream, while glaring at your boyfriend. 
You huff while crossing your arms as Blaise rolls on the grass in laughter "shou- shoulda seen your face" the boy roars while tears stream down his face. 
"Get your bloody arse over here and help me out of the water" you demand, a small smile tugging at your lips.
 Once he is done laughing, he staggers over to you and extends his hand. Instead of allowing him to pull you out of the water, you tug on his hand, and he falls into the water next to you. This time it is you who is howling with laughter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After drying yourself with a few drying spells, you and Blaise lay in the tent. You snuggle into his side and lay your head on his chest, your legs a tangled mess.  'I love you' he mutters in your ear, while playing with your hair. A smile appears on your face "I love you too" you tell him while placing soft kisses all over his face. 
"(Y/N)?" Blaise asks to get your attention after a few minutes of silence. 
"Yeah?" a silence follows and when you tilt your head to look up to him, you notice how he's contemplating about whatever he was going to say. 
"Hey you know you can tell me anything, right?" he hums in respond.        Another short silence follows and you wait patiently for him to get whatever it is off his chest. 
"Marry me" your boyfriend blurts, for a second you think you heard it wrong. 
"I'm sorry, what?" you ask in surprise, completely taken aback by this. "Marry me, please (Y/N/N)" he repeats, while turning to look you in the eye. 
Before you could even utter a single respond, he already starts rambling.            "I don't mean right away, but just please marry me someday. I love you so much, I just can't imagine living without you and I don't give a damn about what my mother thinks. I don't have a ring yet, but if you say yes I'll get you one as soon as possible. Though I understand if you don't-" you cut him off by pressing your lips to his, pulling away you smile softly at him. "Of course I want to marry you, silly" you stroke his cheek lovingly.
"Are you serious?" he jolts up in surprise "Of course I'm serious" you smile sweetly at him "Oh I love you so much" he cries, before kissing you passionately "I promise you I'll find a ring worthy of you once we get back" you give him a small reassuring smile. 
"As long as I'm with you, it doesn't matter to me what kind of ring you buy, I just know I want to spend the rest of my life with you and that is the most important thing."
After your little speech, Blaise shoots you a proud grin, "I'm so lucky that I can call you my fiancée. I love you my dear" "and I love you, my fiancé" you smile at him before you share a passionate kiss, a long night ahead of you.
------------------
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musedblues · 4 years ago
Note
Happy almost 600!!! It's cliche, but could you do a blurb of Joe with "And there was only one bed!" Thank you!
Carrie! Thank you dearly. Order up for one cliche blurb! 
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
You’d been in London for twenty four hours, and you already felt like dying. Not only was this your first major role, and your first major film premier- you had a major crush on one of your costars. Maybe it was Joe’s natural charm, the way he’d walk back the long way he’d left from just to tell a cameraman he really liked his jacket. Joe was easy to like. Everyone seemed to light up when the guy walked in the room whether he paid them any attention or not. And that’s where your problem really was. Joe paid a lot of attention to you. He offered to stay late for a month after every table read, to help you learn lines and feel more comfortable on the intimidating set. He went out of his way like that for other people. He helped other actors with their nerves. You weren’t special, you knew. But you couldn’t help but melt a little, when he told stories about you at event panels. You couldn’t help but swoon over the comments he left on your Instagram posts. You couldn’t help yourself from falling for him, and after tomorrow night's premier, only God knew when you’d ever cross paths with Joe Mazzello again. 
After the last talk show appearance had been filmed, you followed the rest of the foreign cast to the hotel suite the studio rented for you all to spend one glorious weekend in. The premier was tomorrow night, and you were already a nervous wreck. On the lift up to the room, you and one other pal were the only two of your peers with bags in tow. Everyone else got here earlier in the day. God, how nervous could one person be? 
“There’s only one room left, so you’ll have to fight to the death.” Another of your co stars explained, dashing into the suite. While most of your other co stars wished each other goodnight, the only room left was snatched up by your pal who’d raced toward the bed calling dibs all the way. 
Much to your dismay, you found the couch had been taken too, and in the midst of you and a helpful friend brainstorming a space for you to settle, Joe spoke up. 
“You can stay with me if you want.” He breezed by, like his offer meant nothing. And you struggled to hide the way you blushed at the idea. But if your other costar noticed, they didn’t care. They simply shrugged and wished you a peaceful night’s sleep before the big day tomorrow. 
So that was that, you could either follow behind Joe, or stand in the minikitchen and give away just how nervous you were. You sucked in a breath and went on your way.
Joe took his turn in the ensuite first, swearing he wouldn’t use up all the hot water. You chuckled as you tossed your bags in the corner and struggled not to scream in a panic. You found clothes to change into and just kept telling yourself not to think about it. Not to worry. Not to give yourself away. You averted your eyes when Joe stepped out in a pair of pale joggers and dashed to ready yourself for bed. Joe was only being kind. You knew this. But that didn’t stop you from muttering a string of curses as you showered and took too long worrying over your appearance when it was all said and done.
Joe was kicked back on the bed, scrolling through his phone when your time ran out. You shuffled quietly toward the opposite side, switching out the light closest to you. 
“You don’t wanna stay up till dawn and party?” Joe teased, sounding sleepy despite his offer. 
“As much as I’d love to, sleep seems more important. Tomorrows going to be… well you know.” You waved, turning back the covers. 
“Are you nervous?” Joe asked, clicking his phone off and tossing it aside. 
“Yeah.” You sheepishly admitted. Of course you were. While he followed your lead switching out the last light and settling under the covers, Joe promised you had nothing to worry over. He said it was a guaranteed good time, watching the project you’d been working on for months finally stitched together on screen. You hummed, set at ease by his pep talk, for tomorrow, and now. For a moment, you felt fine with a few inches of space between you and Joe, as you settled to fall asleep in the same bed. 
But then he turned on his side to face you, lessening the gap, with more questions to ask.
“What are you going to wear?” He wondered, like a school girl daydreaming with friends. You couldn’t help but giggle as you dared to peer over at Joe, only a reach away. Then you described the outfit you fretted over choosing, happy with the one you’d decided on. Joe listened, you felt his eyes on you, his piercing gaze. You couldn’t look over again until he asked his next question. 
“Will you be my date, then?” Joe wondered, biting his bottom lip between his teeth.
“Why, will we match?” You wondered, trying desperately not to give away how flustered he made you feel.
“I mean, I’m wearing black. So it wouldn’t matter.” Joe pointed. “I’d just like to show up with you on my arm, is all.”
The worst part was that you couldn’t tell if he was flirting because he was so naturally inclined to do so, or if he really meant what he said. So you had no choice but to look at him once more, despite the way your face flushed like you’d been caught red handed in love.
“Do you really?” You asked through a petrified smile. Joe kept his lip between his teeth as his eyes drifted over the features of your face. His brows lifted and Joe gave you a little nod, and your heart threatened to jump right out of your chest and into his grasp if he’d only promise to catch it. And you sifted through about seven million questions as your gaze locked on Joe’s. His jungle colored eyes were still so bright in the dark of the room.
“In case I haven’t made it embarrassingly obvious, I really like you.” Joe nearly whispered. 
And then you really felt silly. For being so nervous, all this time. For still feeling nervous now. But you smiled, a stupid giggle escaping your lips as you peered to Joe, closer than you’d ever been before.
“I’d love to be your date.” You agreed, with glee. 
Joe let his grin widen then, but you only caught a glimpse of it before he was closing the gap to press his lips against yours. His kiss was soft and sweet, better than you’d dreamed it might have been. And when you kissed him back, and reached out to pull him even closer, you weren’t so nervous anymore.
Almost 600 Celebration Blurbs
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gofancyninjaworld · 5 years ago
Text
OPM in 2019, part 2
Yup, this was all too long, so I now have to attend to the manga.  This year, Murata kept his promise from 2018 to deliver regular chapters.  Even the passing of his father only made him take a few weeks off.   
By the numbers.  This year, Murata delivered 24 updates consisting of 624 pages.  It may not be the banner year of 2017 2018, but it still averages out at more than 50 pages a month.  He also drew 113 pages for volume releases in extra chapters, volume-only content and chapter redraws.  We thank you for your hard work, Mr. Murata!  
As to the words and pictures, much more below the cut!
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beautiful and poignant -- probably the best cover this year. 
Be warned: this contains major plot spoilers
Broad Strokes
Last year focussed on the Hero Association response to the Monster Association, gathering up heroes, sorting out battle plans and sending them into the field. In the course of the war effort, the characters whom we’ve been following most consistently all got parked in one place or another.  We turned decisively away from Saitama, Genos, Garou, Fubuki, Bang, and King to focus on what the other heroes were doing, getting to know many more of them.   
This year, we’ve seen the first triumphant contact the heroes made gradually be eroded away as the monsters launch their counter-attack and one by one the parked characters have been brought back into the story to varying effect.  
2020 is promising to be the showdown year that will give us the final denouement, but I can’t promise that.  What I can promise is a closer look at the major themes of 2019.
Orochi
From half-assed plot to bad-ass plan
The first big thing is just how important Monster King Orochi has been to the story. More specifically, it's crazy how vital a linchpin he has been to Psykos’s humanity extermination plan.  The webcomic that doesn’t have Orochi makes her plan a sick joke. Like, seriously, how was Psykos planning to take over the world? In the webcomic, if things had gone to plan and she'd gotten rid of the heroes sent to the Monster Association, what then?  Not enough monsters to kill billions of people and no way to get the monsters that she does have there.  Monsters are also terribly uncooperative and undisciplined. The long-term cooperation to kill billions of people just isn’t going to happen -- without the clear, limited goal that killing Class S heroes was, they’ll just split up.  Society wasn't about to fall into a weeping puddle: we’ve seen both in the manga and the webcomic that there are loads of strong people, and that people are resilient and adaptable. It's like, that was a total idiot plot from the outset.  It’d end in failure as society adapted faster than the bickering monsters (those that didn’t leave) appreciated. 
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yeah, you and what army?
On the other hand, Monster King Orochi makes Pyskos's dream a credible reality.  First, thanks to him, she got the cooperation of monsters like Elder Centipede, who was particularly important in the lead up to the Monster Association’s declaration of war.  It dug enough tunnels that monsters could appear simultaneously in multiple cities throughout the world.  Second, thanks to Orochi, she got millions of monster cells which meant that huge chunks of the population could be simultaneously monsterised in multiple locations, each able to help kill off the rest of humanity.  Their dry run two days previous to the current manga events confirmed that humanity simply couldn't cope with monsters showing up in so many places at once and yes, now they had a shot.  They could kill off the powerful organised heroes and then quickly make civilised life impossible before any credible fight back could be organised. 
This plan works.
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when you realise that it’d only take a couple of hours to replenish the Monster Association’s forces
If that's all Orochi could do, it'd be plenty.  It made a bad, half-assed idiot plot into a real threat. But that's not all.  He's a crazy powerful monster, one Psykos was counting on to deal the death blow to the most powerful heroes, especially Tatsumaki.
Unfortunately for Psykos,  Saitama seems to have given Orochi a bad case of the deads.  And Amai Mask seems to have destroyed her precious store of monster cells.   Unless she have a back up depot of monster cells, her humanity extermination plan has hit a real snag. Many fans do hold out hope that Orochi isn't dead-dead and may Awaken to be real trouble.  But we'll see.
Acceptance
Speaking of Saitama and Orochi, something very important happened to Saitama’s character development that simply hasn’t happened yet in the webcomic.  Saitama accepted that yes, he’s just the strongest being alive.
We’ve seen Saitama struggle with not finding a worthy challenge.  He has bargained with it, dreaming of being weak enough to find the Subterraneans a threat.  He has been angry about it, shouting his outrage when Vaccineman died after one hit.  He has been depressed about it; we saw his whole collapse in the wake of the Superfight which led him to opening up to King.  And now, when he heard Orochi trying to introduce himself, he realised that this was just another useless blowhard like the jerk who’d kicked him to the moon and cut it short.  ‘What makes you so special?’ ‘Come at me then, but I’m expecting nothing.’
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all according to expectation
It’s so rare to see Saitama show any character development, so this moment, small as it is, is really a profound step forward for the character.  We will see what happens as a result in chapters to come. 
Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity
Good luck that is.  And that’s been shining on Psykos despite the setback of losing Orochi.  All the work we’ve seen her put in since chapter 57, observing heroes, sending out monsters to attack them and then seeing how they respond, has finally paid off.  
Between chapters 94 and 112, the manga really showed us precisely why the Class S heroes were so respected as the ultimate answer to the worst of the worst monsters. 
And now, by carefully siccing the right super-powerful monster on hero, Psykos has achieved what looked impossible: defeat Class S heroes en masse.
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and bad luck is what happens when lack of preparation meets a challenge
It’s perfect, save monsters have a long-documented love of savouring their prey and aren’t killing the heroes as fast as they should.  Silly things: they leave the window open to rescue.
Machinations
A cyborg makes wild accusations...
Holy moly, has any hero’s stock risen and sunk as fast as Drive Knight’s has? In the space of a month, two updates, this enigmatic hero went from the new darling of the fandom to at best, a very self-interested ‘hero’ and at worst, the very traitor Metal Knight warned Child Emperor about.
We’ve known nothing about Drive Knight, what he did and just why he had a top ten ranking.  Well, we got a great masterclass in why when with a fantastic combination of power and guile, he defeated the cadre Nyan, making him the first hero other than Saitama to do so.  In fact Drive Knight is so polished in both the type of technology he has and the fluency with which he wields it that he makes Genos look like a glorified garage project. Oh wait... that’s accurate, isn’t it?
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looking like Boros’s long-lost cousin, Drive Knight’s gold splendour
It’s what Drive Knight did next that set audiences against him. First, we learned that he watched the support heroes get cut down while he formulated the perfect plan. Okay, maybe he’s just a cold operator.   Second, the terrifying efficiency with which he pumped Sekingar for information on the vulnerability of the Hero Association, then failed to protect him when G-5 showed up to stop Sekingar from reporting back to the Hero Association.  Third, while we’ve known that Drive Knight is no fan of Metal Knight, accusing the latter of deliberately supplying the Monster Association is another story.  It has left us wondering whether Drive Knight is simply paranoid -- or is looking to deflect suspicion from himself.  What is not in question is that there really is a visitor from The Organisation harvesting the very data Drive Knight is worried about for the very purposes he outlines.  
Drive Knight did not look best pleased when Genos intervened in affairs and destroyed G-5, but handed over (or cut his losses?) peaceably enough.  For some reason, Drive Knight still seems to think that Genos is on his side, still going ‘we’ and making a distinction between them and the rest of humanity when explaining his desire to leave with Nyan. Why?
We have no idea when Drive Knight will reappear or quite what side he’s on, but one thing is for sure: he’s a powerful mover in this world and is bound to pose some dread challenge when he does. 
...but a greedy old man looks set to pay dearly
Top shadenfreude for me: if G5 didn't successfully remotely transmit everything it'd learned about the Metal Knight back, then Bofoi will be in the painful position of having to acknowledge that Genos got his wrinkly little nuts out of the fire. Yup, that guy Bofoi refused to help and left to die the first time he met.  That guy he started a whispering campaign against at the Hero Association.  That one. 
By the time Sekingar gets back and gives his story, Dr Bofoi will have most of the story. Once Child Emperor reports in,  Bofoi will have put all the bits together.  He’ll understand that he dodged a very large bullet as The Organisation had successfully hacked into his robot. And he was lucky their emissary didn't live to report its findings.   
How did Bofoi get in this shitty position?  By getting greedy.  He was so desperate to get a sample of Elder Centipede’s armour that he had his robot cling on and get carried into the Monster Association base.  And then let it sit and listen in. He didn’t budget on Orochi being able to disable the robot before he could trigger its self-destruct sequence. 
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unfortunately for Bofoi, the Monster Association isn’t quite as selfish as he is and had no problem letting The Organisation harvest what it could of the machine they couldn’t themselves use.
It’s super unlikely that the Hero Association will take Drive Knight’s words uncritically, but they’re not stupid people -- they’ll understand that a major security breach has occurred. Suffer a little, Dr. Bofoi.
Old Players, New Roles
This year we have had no new characters introduced.  But we have had cause to re-evaluate several that we thought we knew. 
Sekingar was totally the breakout star here, surprising himself probably more than anyone else in finding that he truly did have what it took to be a hero.  I won’t go into it, full breakdown here.   What I will say is that unlike someone like Suiryu, who is just an ordinary person, Sekingar is very highly  placed within the Hero Association and looks set to be promoted further.  What he has to say and enact about the way heroes operate WILL have a disproportionate effect on the Hero Association, its future and maybe humanity’s safety. 
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heroism is what you find when there are no good options but you do the right thing anyway
Genos continued to develop this year.  Last fight, he’d been devastated at not having been able to save any heroes.  This time out, saving people and showing a real resolve to take the fight to the monsters is front and centre of his actions, finally ending the hostage rescue part of the Hero Association plans.
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it’s one thing to see a hero standing on top of a dead monster, but seeing this tiny guy on an armoured carrier and knowing that he could kill everybody in the convoy effortlessly did more to sell the insanity of Class S to me than many monster fights could. No wonder ordinary men call them monsters.
Two big changes from the webcomic to the manga have been first, splitting Genos off from the rest so he has to act out of his own heart rather than being carried along/supported by others. And second, giving him information about the monsters so he can descend to Hell with open eyes.  If any webcomic readers thought that Genos was being impulsive and naive when he took on the cadres rather than brave, the manga decisively lays that to rest.  This boy is truly courageous. 
Finally, the hero most known for scheming to lord it over others (in order to feel better about herself), Fubuki, closed out the year by showing an amazing side to her. 
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She’s long hated dealing with strong monsters and Overgrown Pochi is her worst nightmare -- a true terror of a monster. She feels it all: inadequate, scared, frustrated, vulnerable.  Accepts that she’s almost certainly going to die.  And then uses her delusion of leading Bang and Bomb as a source of strength to bolster their bodies and protect them from harm for long enough for them to counter attack.
The bloodshot eye, the veins standing proud out of the sheer effort wrung out of her, the blood running down her face as she faces the monster.  No fucks given about decorum or looks: she’s going down swinging.  Bravo! 
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Oh yeah, and Garou woke up.  He seems a bit mad. 
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the second-best cover of 2019
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lloydskywalkers · 5 years ago
Text
turned to smoke
Someday I’ll hit all the days of angst week, but it’s not this year. I did manage to get this one written out though, so here’s “weakness” for @ninjago-angst-week day 6! About Lloyd and Garmadon, because they always come up when I’m writing angst it just happens >:’( 
Being back in Ninjago after spending as long as he did in the Dark Realm is disorienting, to say the least, but not nearly as disorienting, Garmadon is finding, as how much his son has grown since he left.
“—and then Kai — he’s the fire one with all the red jackets, I think you guys had a fight or something? — anyways, he said that Jay was lying, and he couldn’t fry an egg on his sword, and I said why not, and then he said ‘you wanna go, half-pint’ and then we fried an egg on the sword!” Lloyd throws his arms up, huffing. “I don’t know why Uncle Wu got mad, all we did was steal all the eggs in the fridge, nobody died or anything.”
Garmadon’s lips quirk in amusement, even as his head continues to spin. Lloyd hadn’t even been talking when he’d left. “Did you clean up your mess?” he asks.
Lloyd wilts. “We ate one of the eggs,” he mumbles. “The rest were all exploded.”
“Ah,” Garmadon says. “I believe you have your answer.”
Lloyd wrinkles his nose. “That’s dumb,” he says. “We wouldn’t have even been caught if Zane hadn’t thrown us under the bus.”
“Throwing people under the bus is a time-honored tradition in the life of a ninja,” Garmadon says, remembering how many times Wu ratted him out. “It is best to start expecting it.”
“Yeah, like Pythor threw me under the bus,” Lloyd mutters darkly.
Garmadon’s heart does an anxious, angry sort of flip at the reminder. It’s been a day since they rescued Lloyd, and that’s not nearly long enough for the terrified fury he’d been gripped with when Lloyd’s cage was dropped into the lava to fade.
“Pythor threw you into into a volcano,” he growls. “There is a vast difference.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Lloyd mumbles, staring down at his tea.
Garmadon sips at his own tea while eyeing his son, his eyebrows furrowing in concern. As much as he’s grown, Lloyd looks especially small, his clothes a size too big even though they’re clearly too old, worn and threadbare and full of little tears. They’re clean, though, washed free of the soot and dirt that had stained them when he’d pulled Lloyd from the volcano. That thought, if anything, eases his heart a bit.
Wu and his students care, enough for that, at least. He remembers the look in Maya’s boy’s eyes. Lloyd will be safe with these people, he does not doubt it.
“Dad?”
Garmadon realizes he has, perhaps, been silent for too long.
“Yes, Lloyd?”
“If Pythor was just gonna throw me in the lava, why didn’t he do it earlier?”
Garmadon stares at him. The cup in his hands suddenly feels very cold.
“He was acting rashly,” Garmadon says, picking his words carefully. “I believe his mind was clouded by fear, and foolishness. I hope — he would not have so carelessly thrown your life into jeopardy otherwise.”
Lloyd looks at the floor between his crossed legs, twisting his fingers together. Garmadon is again struck by how small his son is – how young he is. Lloyd knows nothing of the world, not like he does. He doesn’t know how cruel it can be. Not yet.
“He dropped me to stop you, didn’t he,” Lloyd says, quietly.
Garmadon blinks. Something sinks heavy in his heart, like a stone. Perhaps his son is not as naïve as he thought. The thought brings him no happiness.
“Why do you say that?” he asks, slowly.
Lloyd bites his lip. “If you didn’t hav’ta rescue me, you could’ve gotten the Fangblade.” His shoulders hunch up, and Lloyd hooks his arms beneath his legs, drawing his knees up to his chest. The action makes him look even smaller, if possible. “I thought I could help, but all I did was get in the way,” he mumbles, his face downcast.
Garmadon stills, holding his tongue. Lloyd is his son, and he loves him more dearly than anything else in this realm, or any other. But that love….
Garmadon knows evil. And he knows full well what evil is capable of. Garmadon is powerful, and he’s made countless enemies who would jump at the chance to have the upper hand on him. Pythor is merely the first of many that made the connection, and there are far worse enemies than the sniveling snake out there. If they knew how he loved someone like Lloyd, someone that vulnerable…
Lloyd is his son and Garmadon loves him, and the last thing on earth he wants to call him is a weakness. But Lloyd is something to exploit — a terrible, gaping, glaring hole in his defenses, in what should be an ironclad defense built of fear and terror.
Garmadon looks at his son again, head down and shoulders slumped where he sits on the mat in front of his brother’s table. He’s inexplicably reminded of himself, eyes lowered and arms tucked in, talking years and years ago to his own father.
Something in his chest goes tight.
“You did not ‘get in the way’,” he says, decided. “You inspired Kai to unlock his true potential, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, by falling in lava.” Lloyd rolls his eyes, and Garmadon raises an eyebrow at him. Lloyd shrinks.
“You helped Kai realize something very important about himself. That’s something not even your uncle could do, or any of the other ninja,” he continues. A smile quirks at the edge of his mouth. “You broke down a Smith’s defenses. That’s no small feat.”
“Yeah?” Lloyd says, hesitantly.
“And you did not get in my way, either,” Garmadon says, firmly. He remembers the white-hot fury that had gripped him when Pythor dropped his son, the ease with which he’d torn through the Serpentine warriors. “You made me stronger than I could’ve been otherwise, and that was a great help.”
The worry eases out from Lloyd’s forehead. “So I’m not your kryptonite?” he says, hopefully.
Garmadon pauses. “My…what?”
Lloyd’s nose crinkles. “Kryptonite, dad – how do you not know what that is? It’s in all the best comics!”
“I’m afraid they don’t have many comics in the underworld, son.”
“Oh.” Lloyd’s nose scrunches up further. “That’s okay, I guess. I can show you.”
“I look forward to it,” Garmadon sighs, but his voice is fond. Time spent with Lloyd, over silly comics or not, is time well spent.
It’s precious time, Garmadon thinks to himself as they both raise their teacups. Time he doesn’t have much left of. He must leave, soon – back to whatever dark hole he can, wherever he can try to hide himself away from destiny.
Until he’s forced to fight his own son—
Garmadon steadies his heart. No. He will not let Lloyd be turned into a mere weakness for him. Not when Lloyd is the greatest source of strength he has in this world.
* * * * * * * *
The prison is desolate in the wake of the fight, wrecked and ruined, but the girl promises him they will stay there no longer. They have bigger places to move onto, greater buildings to conquer.
Garmadon cares little, but for the sparking power now beneath his skin.
The girl was right. The boy had served his purpose as she promised he would, feeding his fury as the fight had raged on. The more desperate he grew the stronger Garmadon became, his power singing as his blood grew hot, bloodlust a powerful weapon. It was one the boy was no match for, not with his pathetic powers better meant for peace.
Broken stone cracks beneath him as he walks steadily from the prison, the sand dry and gritty under his boots. The brilliant path lit by the dying green light from the boy has long since been snuffed out, but the cracked plaster and concrete he’d smashed through paves the way for Garmadon.
He won’t find him at the end of the path, he knows that. The boy’s companions snatched him from the sand mere minutes before Garmadon could reach him, hauling him away and out of reach. He’s proven correct — the only thing left behind is the scattered rubble left from the smashed walls, and the dark stains in the sand he knows to be blood.
Something crackles beneath his foot, fragile and crinkling. The hint of a frown edges his eyebrows, and he lifts his boot, peering down at the sand. His fingers glance the crumpled paper, lifting it closer. A picture, of sorts, with two people in it.
His eyes drag across the older human in unfamiliarity, but the boy sparks recognition. It’s the same child he sent crashing through the walls a mere hour ago. The picture must be his, then. There are fingerprints of blood on the edges.
Other than that, the picture seems well taken care of. The boy cared for picture, obviously. He cared for the man, too, whoever he was. Garmadon’s lip curls. This is the man the boy mistook him for? How foolish.
And how very convenient for Garmadon, that the boy had such a weakness to exploit.
His fist closes and the picture crumples in his hold, the image balling up and distorting as he lights it aflame with dark purple. It’s reduced to ash in a matter of seconds, slipping through his fingers like the sand.
Garmadon lets his hand fall, soot shaking loose before it’s caught in the wind, drifting and dissipating into the darkness.
It was no more than a fatal weakness for the boy. Garmadon does him well by ridding him of it. It’s not act of kindness, of course, but the boy proved himself a valuable source of strength.
It’s simply a returned favor.
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ghosty-schnibibit · 5 years ago
Text
much earlier in the day than usual taz liveblog! ^o^
the only reason this is going up so early is i haven’t slept yet lmao, i fixed my sleep schedule for about a month and then went right back to being nocturnal.
i've spent the last four nights or so staying up til around ten in the morning binging the magnus archives (i'm about halfway through season three right now) and enjoying the hell out of it. for anyone who followed me bc of my taz liveblogs, rest assured i'm still going to be keeping up with graduation and taz in general :P
without further ado, here we go!
i fucking forgot about “thundermen”
awww, argo made friends with the kitty ^u^
snippers my sweet prince
"i think i take a great deal of delight in that" fitzroy you lil bastard man ilu
clint asking the important questions here lol
you've just described hell travis
did clint already forget the name of the school
jesus that's depressing argo
god i wish i'd had a gary during college to remind me of stuff
i vill tell you the story of melon
i love firbolg and argo so much, they are my favorite best of friends
aww firbolg ; _ ;
fitzroy i am suspicious of where your folks even are
yes fitz get your cloak back you silly boy
i love firbolg so much holy shit
i hope we get to see the boys hang out over spring break, that sounds like a fun episode
"that's good narrative!" travis ilu
oh god the capitalism owl is back
“i vill not do this thing” mood
justin's about to hit us with that sad shit i just know it
called it ; _ ;
... well damn that made me sadder than i expected
i'm still very suspicious about that dog
fitzroy you dumb little shit ilu
make sure higglemis isn't pulling a sazed lmao
you are being very paranoid fitz but that’s okay
"you don't curse well" he's a good sweet boy
jesus christ fitz maybe don't say this to the dude in charge of the school
fitzroy my sweet boy what is your deal, please tell us
... so fitzroy basically wants a venue to prove himself to be a good person that doesn't revolve around performance and artifice. he wants a way to gain power on his own merits without relying on status to boost him up, and felt knighthood was a better way to accomplish that than going to a school where he’s basically being trained to fit a specific role in life
i can see where higglemis is coming from with his worldview given that he's been forced to play second fiddle to his brother for so long
i have a sneaking suspicion that hieronymus thinks he can better manipulate or keep fitz under his thumb in the villian track
fitzroy you dumb himbo baby, my sweet stupid son who i love so much
well that was fucking tense as hell, jesus fuck
yes, on to my sweet boy
c r e e e e e p y
ilu jackyl
why would he want a pocket watch though?
i feel significantly better in argo's ability to do challenge this now that there aren't any life altering consequences
this is going well so far
argo this is such a dumb plan, you are smarter than this my boy
"i'm drawing a word picture" ilu clint
argo this is a dumb and bad plan and you need to roll for this!!!
clint my sweet son
yeah!!! that is how it works!!!
A R G O  W H A T  T H E  F U C K
i cannot fucking believe that worked holy shit
idk if it's just because the creepy voice is gone but i'm trusting jackyl more and more
ARGO WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING
take your caffe back to chicago 
he got a fuckin tattoo holy shit
what is this reference justin
argo is deeply committed and i love it
this whole bit has been so good
oh damn that was quick edit, holy shit, i didn't even realized we were going into the money zone
there we go, there's the regular intro, i missed it
yay! my favorite girl's birthday :D
awww, argo and firbolg being bestest buds is so wonderful
a knight's tale is the only one of those movies i've seen, please juice don’t dunk on me like this
i know i keep saying this over and over but i love their friendship so much, it warms my heart dearly
fitzroy my sweet boy, he cannot cuss for the life of him 
"as partners" y'all
i love them so much, my sweet loves
god this is cute as shit, i am sold, i am sailing away on the fitzrain ship
... argo were you about to give her the same thing???
argo where the fuck did you- oh okay, nevermind lol
oh firbolg my sweet son
oh my god this is the best holy shit
rainier is my sweet darling girl and i love her so much
i need art of this so bad this sounds so cute
argo why are you busking at your dear friend's birthday party
good god argo really is shaping up to be the magnus of this campaign in terms of rolling and bonuses
yay! festo is back :D
what was that noise travis
festo is going to dance with the wee crabby, i love this so
WHY IS THERE DUBSTEP NOW
i need this as a ringtone asap 
i am so bad with names, is buckminster the nice one or the malfoy one??? oh yay good he is the nice one
oh no, what happened to leon? D:
"he wouldn't leave me!" ... are they together?
gross griffin, gross
yes! show love to your sweet crab!
i love these sweet dumb friend boys
oh dang, so the blacksmith professor is in the group too??? interesting
not liking that emphasis on "when someone needs stopping," this is extremely interesting but i'm worried about the narrative implications of this, vís a vís argo being made to turn on his friends
this is so powerful, wow
i'm gonna cry but in a happy way ; u ;
oh snap this is already so cool, wow wow wow
how many teachers are in on this, dang
WAIT WHAT??? why do they want dirt on fitzroy?????
so higglemis was the one who controlled him???
"you may forget" WHAT IS GOING ON
OH FUCK, HIGGLEMIS WHAT ARE YOU UP TO? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SWEET LEON???
dang there was a lot of development this ep, plot and character-wise! i’m very worried for literally all three of my boys, but also very excited to see what travis has planned from here on out now that some conflict appears to be brewing!
see you guys next right thursday~ ^u^
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p-artsypants · 6 years ago
Text
Rage Awakened (9)
This chapter was going to be significantly longer, so I decided to cut it in half to get it out sooner. 
@chachacharlieco @violetstar-writes
FF.net | Ao3
Saying that Sora was uncomfortable would be an understatement. He was wearing borrowed clothes from Ventus; a red jumper with a white short sleeved jacket over it. Sora continued to tug at the puffy pant legs for some relief, but to no avail. The outfit was just a little too small. His undershorts rode up his backside, and people kept slapping his hand away when he tried to pick at it. Not to mention, his sock was falling down in his too-big shoe. He was pretty sure the jumper was picked specifically so he couldn’t drop trou when he finally got fed up with wearing clothes.
“Red suits you,” Kairi had said when she noticed his discomfort. It had helped, but only slightly.
Currently, they were in the courtyard, having just arrived with the borrowed gummi ship, which they would continue to hold onto until Sora earned his keyblade armor.
He looked around briefly, finding solace in the greenery, no matter how manicured it was.
Then there were brooms. Walking brooms. Living brooms. He stared in shock. It was like something out of a dream, or a far off memory.
He followed the others through the castle, as they were escorted to a banquet hall. A large table was set with all sorts of dishes and silverware, heaps of food and decorations. And there were people talking loudly and quickly. He could barely make out the conversations. Frightened, he stood behind Kairi and tried to hide.
“Sora!” A high pitched voice called out to him.
Still nervous, Sora glanced over to where the voice was coming from, only to find a small creature with huge round ears. He stared in confusion.
“Gosh, you sure did grow up! You remember me though, don’tcha?”
Sora’s memory was good, but very selective. He could recall events and faces, but not names or places. This person, he knew. He was certain he did. One that he never wanted to forget.
But the name was just on the tip of his tongue.
There was something about this place that brought a song to his head. And he began to hum it slowly. And then…”M-I-C-K-E-Y…M-O-U-S-E!”
“That’s me! Mickey Mouse! Master Eraqus said you can’t remember a lot of words right now. That’s okay! You’re safe here, okay?”
He wanted to believe that was true, but it was all just so overwhelming and different. So instead of responding, he just stayed quiet.
Kairi however, thanked Mickey for his concern, and then rested a warm hand on Sora’s arm. “You can trust Mickey. He’s a friend, just like Kairi.”
If Kairi trusted him, then it must have been okay.
He was then re-introduced to two more friends from his past. A duck and a dog.
“Gawrsh Sora, We sure missed you! How’ya been?” Said Goofy.
“Still getting into trouble?” Asked Donald, though it was mostly unintelligible.
Sora thought for a moment, and then parroted Donald perfectly, blowing air out his cheeks to replicate the quacking sound. “Still getting into trouble?”
Those assembled, besides Donald, burst into laughter.
“Hey! What’s the big idea?!” Donald quacked indignantly.
“Hey! What’s the big idea?!” Again, Sora parroted him, finding it easier to copy Donald than to copy anyone else.
Kairi, still giggling, said, “I don’t think he’s the best person to copy if you want to relearn how to speak.”
“Oh c’mon Kairi, it’s funny as balls!” Ventus choked, as he continued laughing himself silly.
“I don’t think it’s funny at all!” Donald shrieked, hands on his hips.
“Haven’t you ever heard the phrase, ‘imitation is the best form of flattery?’”
“Aw, phooey.”
“Aw phooey.”
“Knock it off!”
When it was time for dinner, Sora was ushered to sit between Kairi and Riku, though he kept his hands under the table, afraid to touch anything. He sat quietly as everyone talked, catching up on all that had happened in the last week. Though most of the conversation was lost on him.
“Wow, Sora! You lived in a tree?” Asked Daisy.
Sora glanced over to Kairi for help, but she urged him on.
“Y-yes…” he nodded. “Big…big tree.”
“That’s amazing! What did you do when it rained?”
He waved his hands over his head. “Leaves…lots. Stay dry.”
“Oh I see! What kind of tree was it?”
He frowned, perturbed to have to repeat himself. “Big tree.”  
She simply laughed, and the conversation moved onward.
More brooms arrived, with carts of trays of food. Sora could smell it, and buzzed in his seat with excitement.
But, King Mickey stood on his chair and raised a glass. “I’d like to make a toast.”
Everyone took their glass and raised it as well, including Sora who looked around to make sure he was doing it right.
“To you, the keyblade wielders. For all your hard work this last year. We still have much work to do in order to defeat Maleficent and banish the darkness, but thanks to your efforts, no more worlds will be lost. And that is an incredible accomplishment. On behalf of all the worlds I visited, thank you. And, I’d also like to welcome home: Sora. Someone very important to our cause whom we’ve missed dearly all these years. To us!”
“To us!” The group sang together.
Sora watched as everyone clinked their glasses together in celebration, and then decided it was safe to do the same. Without warning, he slammed his glass into Riku’s, shattering both of them.
Sora yelped out in fear at the sound and Riku’s recoil, and then began to cry.
“It’s alright!” Mickey packed quickly. “Accidents happen!”
A pair of brooms were quick to clean up the mess and get new glasses for the boys. Sora, still feeling ashamed, sat on his hands and refused to touch anything, even when the food was presented.
The assembled dug in, not noticing Sora’s plight until Kairi spoke up. “You okay?”
He said nothing, but stared at his plate and licked his lips.
Rick nudged him, getting his attention. Then he took a fork in his fist, and brought it down to stick into a piece of broccoli. “See? Easy.”
Sora grabbed his fork, just like Riku showed him, and went to stab an olive. It rolled away, and he struck again and again, missing continually, until he stabbed right through the plate with a crack. He moaned in frustration, pushed away from the table and laid on the floor.
“Aw, gee Sora, there’s no reason to be upset.” Said Goofy. “Why, I think you’re doing’ just fine! I break plates all the time!”
This was of some comfort, and Sora returned to his seat, as the brooms cleaned up his dinner. He wasn’t that hungry anymore, but another serving was placed in front of him.
Again, Riku nudged him. When Sora looked over, he made a great show of setting his silverware down. Then he scooped up some mashed potatoes in his hand and ate it.
Kairi saw, and did the same with a handful of peas.
One by one, those around the table switched from fine dining, to eating like toddlers. Sora was immensely thankful, and dug into his own food.
After dinner, the group retired to the library.
“I just want to thank you guys again for all your hard work,” Mickey said as they got comfortable among the couches.
“Your Majesty, it wasn’t that hard. Sure, there were days that actually felt like we were struggling and doing work, but other days sort of felt like a vacation.” Said Terra.
“Yeah,” agreed Ventus, “it was cool to travel all over the place.”
Mickey smiled, “well, I’m glad you guys had fun out there too. Most people your age aren’t fighting to survive everyday, and some go without ever being in a fight at all! So, a thanks is required.” Then he stepped over to his desk. “Now, I have a favor to ask. I have the royal Chronicler here, and I would like to document everything you guys can recall from your travels. Facts about the worlds, people you encountered, everything and anything you can think of. I know it’s a lot, and we won’t get through it today, but it’s a start.”
“I wrote down everything I did in a notebook,” said Kairi. “It’s back at the Land of Departure, but I can bring it next time.”
“Great!”
“Where is the Chronicler?” Asked Terra.
“Over here!” Called a voice from on top of the desk. “Cricket’s the name, Jiminy Cricket at your service!”    
Sora was particularly interested in him, coming close to the desk to stare at him. He’d never seen a talking cricket before.
“I’m very fast at taking notes, so you all can take turns sharing stories, and I’ll record it all!”
“Terra, let’s go first.” Urged Aqua. “After all, we were the first ones to see Maleficent in The Underworld.”
“Right, so let’s start there. Are you ready Jiminy?”    
As they began their story, Mickey nudged Riku. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Sure, what’s up?”
“Come with me.” He beckoned to the door.
In the hall, the two travelled next door to Mickey’s private study. A small room, with much fewer books. There was a desk with two chairs in front of it, both occupied. A desk lamp was on, as well as a fire in the fireplace. Overall, the room may have been much more cozy than the library, but tonight, it just felt dark.
Perhaps it was the presence of two very powerful individuals that made the room feel forbidding.
“Oh, Master Yen Sid, Ansem the Wise. I didn’t know you were here.” Riku said as Mickey closed the door.
“I’m sorry we were unable to greet you sooner. We took dinner here in the study, as there is much to discuss.” Answered Ansem.
“About what? And why only me?”
Yen Sid stood, offering his seat. “Because, there is a traitor in our midst, and you are the only one we can trust at this time.”
That was startling. “Me? Only me? What about Kairi! There’s no way—“
“Kairi is not a Master, so she will not be burdened with this information.”
“I...I guess...but I still find it hard to believe that Terra, Aqua, or Ventus could be traitors...”
“They are not suspects either.”
Riku frowned, now thoroughly confused. “Perhaps you should explain everything to me...”
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fallen029 · 6 years ago
Text
Inspiration
There's never a truly quiet day at the guildhall. That's what Mirajane giggled to Levy when the other woman implied the day was such. The barmaid only refilled her drink and said she was sure that, eventually, something would happen. A rowdy team would return, maybe more than one, two members would get into a disagreement, maybe more than two, and as the day wore on, so did liquor, after all, so they were due a brawl soon enough.
Levy agreed, but didn't seem as thrilled at the idea as Mirajane did. She seemed to thrive off the chaos that the bar provided, perhaps as a replacement for the lack of it she had currently in her own. Mira once lived the exciting life of a mage that Levy currently held and, while she knew that the oldest Strauss was most in her element behind the bar in those days, she imagined that there was some draw, still, to her former life.
She couldn't do it, at least, the letter mage couldn't. Not go on jobs. It wasn't as if she took the most exciting or thrilling ones, or even felt as if she contributed much when the guild was going through it's typical crisis that befell the land at least, what, six times a year? Still, the idea of having no true bearing on things was unimaginable. Worse yet the idea of having to actually come into the bar each day.
She loved the guild dearly. It was a second home to her. But it (and it's typical regulars) could really wear a person down.
Not that day though. No one of interest seemed to be about, honestly. Even Lucy, who she'd planned to meet that day, had to cancel on her when Natsu and Gray somehow managed to both want the same job up on the board and, after a quick argument, decided they'd go on it together, again, which meant Erza had to go to mediate and was it really a Team Natsu job if they didn't force
Lucy and Wendy along with them in their inevitable shenanigans? Levy wasn't too mad about the cancellation though. She knew her friend would probably have more fun out there with her team, on a job, than she would sitting around the drafty bar all day.
It was difficult though to truly get into the book before her, Levy was finding. It shouldn't be that way, considering the bar was relatively silent that day, but she worked better somehow, when it was more bustling, providing a steady hum as a backdrop. For some reason, it aided in her concentration rather than act as a disruption. The guild definitely felt much calmer when it was packed and boisterous. Even slightly less and it felt off.
"Readin', huh?" And she was joined then, at the table, as someone sat down right beside her. With little care, they shoved the large book she had laid on the table before her to the side. "Well read this for me, eh? I need your help."
Levy made a face at Gajeel as he only sat there, staring at her in complete seriousness.
"That's kind of rude, you know."
"Only kind of? Huh? I'm improving them."
"Gaj-"
"Look at this for me." He tapped the new book he'd sat before her. "It's real important, huh?"
"Is it for a job?"
"Personal reasons."
"What personal reason could you possibly have for reading this?" she questioned as she eyed the title. "It's what? A collection of poets? Why would you ever-"
"I ain't ever, is when I ever."
"Uh-"
"I'd never read this." He even snorted. "That's how come you're gonna read it for me, huh? It's not like I couldn't read it. Understand it. But I'd much rather have you do it for me, huh?"
"You want me to read the whole thing?"
"Ya can if ya like, I guess, but I mostly just need help with this." He was reaching over them to flip the book open to a specific page. "Starting here, see, it's all this one author's stuff. A whole bunch of it, see? I need ya to read them all. Break 'em down for me."
"Why? Gajeel? What are you-"
"It's important."
"But-"
"So what'll it take ya, huh? To read through it?" He was picking his nails then as he took a few harsh stares around the hall. No one of interest seemed to be about though. "A few days? It's tough stuff, ain't it?"
"Well, it won't be too hard." And she was moving to produce her special glasses then. He regarded them with a glare. "But is there something specific that you're wanting to get out of this?"
"What do you mean?"
"Am I supposed to tell you about the themes? The prose? Do you want to know about symbolizm or-"
"Look, shrimp, I'm not appreciatin' you tryin' to show me up with all these big words, but-"
"I didn't exactly appreciate you just slamming down beside me and making demands either."
"Demands? He snorted heavily. "Hardly. I'll have you know that I asked ya. Did you miss that part? Do you know how many people I make requests of? Rather than just demands? And you're all pissy about it."
"You haven't even explained why you want me to do it though. Or what you want me to do."
"To read it and understand it," he complained. "Then to explain it to me."
"Even though you could read and understand it-"
"But don't wanna," he agreed with a nod. "Yeah."
"How deep is this writing then? Huh? That you need me to explain it to you?"
"Extremely."
"Well, what do I get then?"
"What do you mean?" He frowned at the suggestions. "Why would you get something?'
"I mean, you're basically hiring me."
"No." And he reached over to pat at her head, grinning toothily from the thought. "You're gonna do it outta the goodness of your heart, huh? Since we're such great friends and all."
She wasn't nearly as thrilled. "And all."
"Besides," he went on as, finally, he was getting to his feet. "What else are you gonna do all day?"
He had a point. Not to mention, her curiosity was piqued now. Since, apparently, there was no request involved in this, Gajeel, for 'personal reasons', really was tasking himself with reading poetry. Though he was being secretive for the moment, she had a feeling if she did as he wanted, the man would eventually divulge his reasoning.
It wasn't like he was just made of brains, after all. She could no doubt trick him into it, if she had to. Something told her though that she wouldn't.
There was a lot though. A lot. The book was a collection of works spanning many different authors, but she didn't even have a chance to look at any of the others. Just the one he'd wanted her to dive into. And she did. It was just a bit more consuming that she thought.
"Already?" Gajeel grumbled a bit when she turned up at his apartment the next day. "What'd I say about showin' me up?"
He invited her in though, regardless, and the woman had been there a few times by that point, so it wasn't really that awkward. They weren't too close or anything, but she'd stopped by in the past. Just for a few minutes. She wasn't so sure that this time was going to be so brief, however.
"Where's Lily?" she asked, glancing about for the Exceed as the man flipped through the notebook she'd handed off to him where he notes were. "Is he-"
"Out," was his curt answer. "And hey, shrimp, what the fuck is all this, huh?"
"What do you mean? I did what you asked."
"I asked you not to show me up," he complained. "Explicitly."
"How is me doing what you wanted showing you up?" She stood at his side with a frown as she glanced at the paper as well. "I broke down each stanza, so that if you just open the book, you can read it, you know? And then read what I wrote. And then at the end of each one, I wrote what the overall theme was-"
"This is just too much." He growled too,, frustrated it seemed as he went to toss the journal down on the couch behind them though, just as quickly, he was falling into it. "Fuckin' stupid."
"Uh, Gajeel-"
"Not you. It's just… A lot, is all, I guess. More than I thought."
"Why did you want to do it anyways? And what is it?" She had a lot of questions and, well, not wanting to ask them as she lorded over him, the letter mage tentatively moved to pick up the discarded journal before taking it's place beside him on the couch. "What are you doing, Gajeel?"
He was pretty snarly then, but still only shrugged as he said, "It was supposed to help me with my music."
"What do you mean?"
"You know," he insisted then, "it's a thing, ain't it? That people say? Or think, I guess. That writin' music is just writin' poetry, ain't it? So I thought… I thought that if I just read up on it, on this guy, that I would improve. Get better, you know." His face changed then, dark once more as he clinched a fist. "But it's just too much. It-"
"Slow down," she complained with a frown of her own. But there was some amusement behind it as well. "You hardly even gave it a chance."
"I gave it plenty of a chance."
"Gajeel, do you wanna improve your skills or not?" she complained. "I mean, you wouldn't just give up on this if it had to do with your magic, would you? So why are you giving up on this? Huh? I thought you had more tenacity than that."
His growl was one of determination then and, jumping up, she had the sudden realization that he was going to get his guitar and great, she was going to have to listen to him actually play it…
Curiosity definitely killed the cat.
Still, she forced herself to endure as they sat together, on his living room floor, him with his guitar in his lap as he tried for a good few minutes to tune it before giving up and, instead, just strumming on it as is.
For some reason, it sounded even less in tune than it had before he started toying with it…
"Now," Levy started, anyways, as she opened both the book and notebook, "what if I read it to you? Huh? And you kind of strum along with it, maybe? Or I can even read you what I thought about it, after each one. Wouldn't that be easier for you? To hear me say it and explain it than just you reading it all on your own?"
Anything was worth a shot.
It felt kind of silly, in a certain way, to Levy. Just sitting there reading poetry aloud. With Gajeel of all people. And when the man eventually quite fiddling in vain with his strings, instead only sitting and listening, she blushed a bit. His eyes were on her though, with interest, and he didn't make any smart remarks or grumble about misunderstanding. Only sat there and listened.
They must have went through a good number of the poems.
It was her that finally broke as, looking over at the man, she met his eyes as she questioned, "Why do you wanna change your music, Gajeel?"
"Eh?"
"These poems are all very...romantic and…"
"I can't be romantic? I can't have feelings? My songs are full of feelings!"
"No, I just meant, well… Why did you decide on this author?" She found that question much easier. Still, the best she got from the man was a slight shrug. Frowning, she insisted, "Did you come up with the idea on your own? Or is there...someone that you're-"
"Mirajane."
"Mira?" Levy repeated her name slowly, but nodded. Of course. She thought of the slightly older woman then and it made sense. She had the eye of most the guys up at the hall. "I didn't know that you… I mean, well-"
"She's the one," he went on though, "that told me to look this guy up. This author. To read his stuff."
"What do you mean?"
He was the one uncomfortable then, in his own home even, as he couldn't quite keep her gaze.
"I might've, kinda, gone to her, you know? She plays guitar too. Good enough, I figure. She's okay. I guess. If you like that kind of thing."
Actually playing in tune? Most people did, Levy was pretty sure. But she stayed silent, not wanting to allow the moment to slip away. She ad a feeling if she teased him, it just might.
"So I thought… If I wanna improve, maybe I could go to her." He snorted. "But she's got all these suggestions and things. Like I don't know hwo to play or something. Been playing my whole life. Who does Mirajane think she is? Huh? The fucking she-devil, I guess, because we got in a bit of an argument over the whole thing."
"You did?" Levy asked with wide eyes, but he only shrugged.
"The next day though," he went on, "she came up to me at the hall and I thoguht she was gonna try and get onto me again, but she only handed me that book, yeah? And said she can't help me, not with my technique, because I'm not a very good student- What the fuck does she know?"
Again, a lot, but Levy stayed silent.
"She said though," Gajeel continued to grumble, "that it's some of her favorite stuff to read, these poems right here, by that specific guy. That inspires her. And that the music isn't just, you know, the instrument. It's more than notes. It's feeling, you know? And I agree. On that, at least. Then she said that maybe I should try and read up on some poetry myself, you know? See if it spoke to me. If I learned anything. That she still did it, you know. Studied others. Listened to others. Read others. To improve her own stuff. But..."
"But what?"
He only shrugged. "It didn't say nothin' to me. Don't get me wrong, shrimp, I sure liked listening to ya read it, you/re real good at keepin' my attention, but the words just kind of go over my head and I don't think I ever want to sound like that. When I'm writin'. All flowery and stuff. It's not me."
"It's not," she agreed with a smile. "But it's Mirajane, maybe. And that's why she likes it so much. Why she can draw from it so much. But you're not that way."
"Clearly."
"She had the right idea though," Levy insisted to the man. "Gajeel. And I mean, you probably do it when you write already, huh? You find something that inspires you and then you write about it. But Mira was just trying to tell you to dig deeper. Like… You love Lily, don't you?"
"I guess it depends on what you're implying," he asked with a frown back at her. "But sure, he's my cat. What of it?"
"You wouldn't just say that in a song, would you? Just flat out inform someone listening that he's your cat, huh? You'd...you'd tell a story or a metaphor or give an antecedent about him. That's what Mira meant. If your technique is lacking-"
"Which it ain't."
"But if it was," she insisted, "then, if your lyrics meant something, if your words were conveying real emotions, then it wouldn't matter as much. Your chords and notes could be simple because what you were saying wouldn't be."
He considered this in silence for a few seconds before whispering, "I guess she ain't so bad. Mirajane ain't. If that's all she was trying to tell me."
Nodding, Levy said, "She meant well. But these poems just don't speak to you. Don't mean anything to you. Maybe none of them in this book do. Because that's not what gives you inspiration. Not what;ll make you dig deeper. But that's okay. You don't have to get it from the same place that Mirajane gets it, you know. You just have to find what makes you feel that way. The way she felt about these poems she gave you. There's gotta be something."
He just stared at her though, for a few long moments, before looking off and saying, "I guess you can finish, you know. Reading them. If you wanted. I like listening, like I said. Even if I don't get it all."
She blushed some, but nodded as she looked back down at the book. "Of course, Gajeel."
Eventually though, she had to head out and the man just walked her to the door, left behind with the book and notebook to go over, she said. Before he gave it back to Mira. Just to be sure that nothing spoke to him.
"You can only improve," she assured him at the door and the man nodded. Then they parted ways for a bit.
Jet was back from a solo job by that point and she, him, and Droy were gone from the hall for a bit. When she returned, it was to find it back to it's noisy norm as not only had Team Natsu returned, but most everyone else, it felt like. Levy was actually enjoying listening to Lucy tell her all about her adventure as the pair sat alone, save Happy, who was mostly avoiding the scolding Erza was handing down to Natsu at the moment.
It was on her walk back to the dormitory though that she ran into the man. He and Pantherlily were just arriving back from a job of their own and though the man hung back to speak with her, his Exceed only flew on, calling over his shoulder he was too hungry for formalities.
Gajeel was too, honestly, as they hadn't eaten in a good solid few hours, but he found himself walking the woman home.
"Have you found it yet?" Levy asked after he went on, just a bit, about his job. "With your music? Something to, like, get you motivated?"
"I read some more of those poems, if that's what you mean."
"And?"
"And I don't like it," he told her. "It's like I said. They only sound good when you read them, I guess. Or like how you said too. That it's easier to make out, when it's being told to me."
She smiled with a glance up at the man, not bothered by the dry expression he had in return.
"You'll find it eventually." She even giggled. "Everyone has something."
"But you'll come over again?" he asked. "I mean, if you wanted. To read the poems. You don't gotta, but-"
"Of course, Gajeel."
And she did. A week later, she arrived at his home to do as she'd done before, reading from the book as the man mostly pretend to understand how to tune a guitar (it was becoming increasingly clear to the woman he was just flat tone deaf). They sat on the floor of his living room, this time with drinks, and it was more relaxed, even, now that it was something of a habit.
"You can't keep Mira's book forever, you know," she told him at one point and the slayer only grunted as he watched her down her drink. "She'll want it back eventually."
"Yeah, well-"
"And can I ask you something?"
"What?"
"What made you go to Mirajane in the first place?"
"Eh? I thought I told you that-"
"You said that you went to her to get better," she agreed. "But I already know that you think you're way better than her, anyways, on the guitar-"
"We're even. On a good day. For her."
"But why did you want to improve then? And on what?" She stared at him from across the floor and he only snorted, looking back down at his guitar. "I'm serious. What made you wanna get better?"
"Maybe," he stared as he glared off, "I wanted to write somethin'. But it just never came out right. Maybe that's it."
"Maybe," Levy agreed.
"And hey, I thought you were supposed to be reading to me. How am I supposed to ever retain it if-"
"Gajeel."
"What?" He snorted again. "And stop lookin' at me like that. Give me a complex or something."
But she only continued to as she asked, "Can you show me what you were trying to write?"
"How? Huh? It ain't finished."
"But-"
"It ain't," he insisted, "finished. Hardly even started. It just all sounded wrong and… Why do you care so much? Huh? You're more into it than me, it feels like."
"You're the one that sought me out," she reminded him. "Each time."
"The first time, maybe, fine, but the second time was pure chance."
She rolled her eyes at him though before they fell back to the book in her lap. Sighing, she asked, "Did you want me to keep going? Or-"
"What do you do, huh?" he asked instead as, setting his guitar to the side, he only moved to pick up his beer. "When what's, you know, makin' you wanna write and making you wanna feel somethin', is what's making it so hard? What if the same thing I can't put into words is what inspires me? Mira didn't think of that, did she? When she gave me this book?"
"I think Mira was just trying to be nice to you," Levy told him honestly. "You do make that a bit difficult."
"She told me to practice scales. Scales. Do I look like a chump who practices scales? Fuckin' barmaid gonna tell me how to play guitar."
"You did ask her though," Levy pointed out.
"What a mistake." Then, slowly, he shrugged. "Wasn't all bad though. I did get this book outta it. And you to read me from the book out of it."
"But neither of which have helped you with your original problem," she reminded and he groaned, when she did, because man, she was right.
"I guess it's just not easy," he whispered finally as she continued to look on. "When you're writin' somethin' so deep. I bet it took that guy his whole life to write all that. His poems. Not all of those couldda been easy. And Mirajane, she thinks she's so great when, what? All I ever hear her play is the same song, every time, up at the guild."
This didn't make sense to Levy as Mirajane knew many songs and played an array of them for the others. Then she realized that was probably because, in a fit of rage, Gajeel probably stomped out before she ever got passed that first one she tended to play. Sounded about right.
"It'll come to me, I guess," he gave in finally, "when it does. You can't rush genius, after all."
"That's true," she agreed because, yeah, the statement was. She wasn't so sure about the application. Still, as her eyes read over the line of the next poem, she asked, "Do you want me to go on now?"
And the man only nodded.
That time neither was out on jobs, but rather just caught up in the daily grind. Gajeel trained a lot and Levy had other things to worry about than counseling him through his never ending musical woes.
"You," she complained when, inevitably, she found herself back at the apartment to, once more, assist the man, "have got to give Mirajane her book back."
"If she wanted it, she'd ask for it."
"She's too nice to do that."
"Sounds like a personal problem."
Still, Levy only took her place and this time, he didn't even bring out his guitar. Instead, in the dark living room, he laid flat on his back, eyes shut, as she read from the book to him.
"I guess that's just what I don't get," he complained after she explained a certain part to him. "There's so much that they just want you to infer, you know? With this kind of stuff. I don't want no one to have to infer nothiin' when I sing for 'em. I want them to get it right off the bad."
"There's poems like that. There's songs like that."
"Then-"
"But you still want it to sound nice," she insisted. "If it was as easy as just writing out your thoughts, then- Oh, Gajeel!"
"What?" He sat up fast enough that his head spun (though this might have a bit to do with the beers he'd been downing). "What's wrong?"
"I got it." She was slamming the book shut then. "What we need to do."
"We?" he asked with a snort. "And what do you mean anyways, shrimp?"
"You should write it all down."
"Eh?"
"Your thoughts," she insisted. "On...whatever it is that you're so stuck on. You should write them all out. Then I'll read them and tell you what I think. Doesn't that sound like a good idea?"
He only frowned as he said, "No," before falling back down.
"Gajeel-"
"Why would I want you readin' all my feelings and thoughts and things? Huh?"
"Why wouldn't you?" she challenged back. "We're friends, aren't we?"
"I guess."
"You guess?"
"But," he kept up though he stayed down, "these would be my deep inner feelings. I have those, you know."
She'd always figured, anyways.
"You can't," he insisted, "just let anyone read those."
"But if they were going to be in your song anyways-"
"But covered up with clever, uh, what were those things again? Metaphors. That's it. Allusions. Illustrations."
"Probably not the last one."
Whatever.
"You let a person in on one portion of your creative process," he grumbled, "and suddenly they think that they're your manager or something."
"I'm just trying to help."
That hung between them for awhile, but she didn't move to start reading again. She didn't move to get up to leave though either. So they only stayed where they were, on the floor of his living room, as time ticked away from them.
"It's just different," he finally broke the silence. "Once it's a song. Once I'm singin' it. If I wrote down how I...felt, or thought as I tried to put it together, that would just be too..."
"Raw," she finished for him. "And that's okay. I was just trying to-"
"But it's not okay." He sat up again then just so he could stare over at her. "Levy."
They just sat there for along while, staring at one another in the darkness, before she told him, "You should write it out then, Gajeel, just for yourself. That would help. Do you not do that already? You should."
"This is the kind of advice I wanted from her. Mirajane." He sneered then. "Scales. Fucking scales."
"I'm going to give her back her book," she told him then. "Today. I think we've kinda done all we can with it. Don't you?"
He nodded before fall onto his back once more. "Yeah, I guess we have."
"They're not really giving you any inspiration or whatever, anyways, I don't think."
"No. They weren't."
"I'm actually kinda surprised that Mira's into this kind of stuff. I mean, I don't want to be mean, but-"
"Levy?"
"Yeah?"
"You can still come over, you know, sometimes." He probably would have shrugged, were he not laying on his back. "If you wanted. We don't just gotta read stupid poetry, but-"
"Yeah, Gajeel." She got to her feet then, finally, book in hand. "Any time."
The bar was packed that night when she went in, which meant Mirajane was definitely on duty. Before she went to take a seat where Jet and Droy were arguing over something, she stopped off at the bar to hand the woman her book back.
"Oh." Mira seemed confused at first, but just as quickly was excited. "So you've spoken with Gajeel?"
"W-Well, yeah, he's been kind of greedy, keeping your book, so I thought I'd bring it-"
"So he played you the song then?" Mira asked and she was being called from across the bar by someone, but she only kept her bright blue eyes on the woman before her. "The one that he wrote for you?"
"What?"
"Did he not? Yet?" She frowned, Mira did, but now she had multiple people calling out for refills and Kinana was off that day, so it was all falling on her shoulders. "Oh, Levy, I didn't- Just forget I said anything, okay?"
She had to rush off then, Mira did, and Levy only stood there for a moment, confused only long enough to feel the blush creep up her cheeks.
"What's up?" Jet asked as she took her seat beside him, but she could only shake her head and, well, they need her then. To settle their argument. It was hard to get into though for the woman as all she could think about was…
It made sense, of course, and as she laid awake that night thinking about it, as she had been the entire night, all of it fit together so perfectly. Gajeel needed help writing a song for her, but given he was so irascible with everyone else, had no one to turn to help him with this and had to go to her. But unable to say what he really wanted, he had led her on this entire goose chase that ended in...what?
Her going back to his apartment with him, of course, a few days later, when he asked. He'd gone out, he explained, and bought another book of poems and maybe those could help him?
"If you read 'em to me, I think, and we work through them together this time," he kept up as they walked together to his place, "then maybe… Well, I dunno. Maybe something will click. I just gotta like someone's style, the way I see it, to have them influence me. Show me the way and all. Then I'll have songs flowin' from me like a river!"
She knew she should say something, but she couldn't. It almost felt wrong. Almost. But it would be more wrong, wouldn't it? To take it from Gajeel? The game he was playing was hurting no one, really, and it would only be better if it met it's natural conclusion rather than her throwing down the information that Mira gave her.
So she went. Each time he asked. If she were free. Sometimes she wasn't. He had to navigate the waters himself and, though she felt nervous each and every time, convinced that it was gonna be the day, he was gonna tell her, finally tell her, anything, really, Levy knew she had to stay the course. Else she risked tossing the slayer right off it.
But it didn't come. Not in those nights that she sat up there in his apartment with him.
They didn't just read poetry together. She could tell he wasn't nearly as into that as he pretended. Honestly, neither was she. They searched for things to inspire him. From real books to movies on a lacrima to other music, even. There had to be something. Something that gave him a breakthrough.
"Yeah," Levy whispered as they stared down at art in a magazine that sat in his lap while she was at his side, on the couch. "Something."
The song reveal came though in the worst way possible. Or maybe the best? She wasn't sure. Only that she wasn't expecting it. She was actually busy not doing much of all, talking with Lisanna and Lucy about something. Boos though drowned out the sound of what her friends were saying though and when they all glanced up, it was to find that Gajeel, once more, was taking his way to the stage, much to the protest of the others.
"This is important!" the slayer insisted to the others and yeah, maybe it was, but what about their hearing? Sure felt it weighed out whatever he thought was so crucial. "Fuckin' ingrates."
But Mirajane didn't seem to be stopping him for once and it took a moment to connect for Levy. Honest. She wasn't sure what he was going to play when he got up there on the stage, but she didn't think it would be so…
It was weird. To know something. In a room of a hundred people. Be one of only two who knew it. That was the kicker, too. That it was so revealing and personal and yet, seemingly, no one noticed. At all.
"Are you okay?" Lucy asked her with a bit of a giggle when she noticed how stricken her friend looked. "He's not that bad. It almost sounds in tune this time."
Almost was key.
Which Gajeel was not singing in.
Still, Levy only muttered something about needing air before exiting. It was easy to do with little notice from the others as they all seemed very content with letting Gajeel know he was bad and should feel bad.
Fairy Tail was equally the most supportive and critical guild around.
"There are."
He came and found her after he finished informing the others that they just had no taste, hanging around outside of the building. Gajeel had come out rather sour, guitar still in hand, but the look faded as he approached her into something else. Something…
Something that was close to the same nerves that she could feel then as, the second he was close enough, she just did it. He was a lot taller than her, so she had to lean up as far on her toes as she could do so, but still, she pressed a kiss to his lips and the slayer almost felt the same heat she had, when she first realized what he was singing up there on the stage.
"Hey," he complained, but just a bit as he took a step backwards. "What was that-"
"How did you do it?" she asked instead. "Gajeel? How did you finsih your… You said that you couldn't, that you didn't know how to, but-"
"I guess," he grumbled as, with his free hand, he reached up to scratch at his head, "that I was getting it, you know? Inspiration or whatever? I thought that it was all getting blocked or confused, when you'd hang around, but ti wasn't. I just wasn't filtering through it correctly. But the more you came around, trying to help me, it just… It wrote itself." He laughed too, just a bit, after he said that. "I guess it is that easy. When you know what you want."
Finally processing that she'd just, quit impulsively, kissed the slayer, Levy could only let out a long breath as her eyes fell to the ground.
"Yeah," she agreed finally when he reached out to pat her on the head, being rewarded with her glancing up at him once more. He still looked kind of uncomfortable which she resented some, considering he'd been the one to put this all in motion, but still, through her blush she found herself smiling as she agreed, "It is easy, isn't it?"
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ohholyfanfics · 6 years ago
Text
Forelskelse|Harry Styles
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Title: Forelskelse
Song(s): None 
Warning(s): None 
Summary: The story of how he came to love her. 
Word Count: 2.7k
Florelskelse: is a Danish word meaning ‘the intense, almost unreal feelings that come with the beginning of love; when you start to fall in love’
He knew who she was, he knew what she looked that; but if you were to ask him anything about her he’d run short. Harry Styles, like to beam himself the most selfless person always taken into consideration what his friends likes and dislikes were, yet when it came to the young woman across the room he would run short. He simply couldn’t tell you the little things about her other than basics, which included: her name, age, and profession; other than those details he knew nothing else. 
He couldn't tell you what her favorite color was or what wine she ordered each time they all went out. Harry simply couldn't answer any question about her because he didn't know, he liked it to think it wasn’t that he didn’t think she was important. That simply wasn't it, no no. Harry valued each and every single one of his friends but there was something about her, something he couldn’t grasp. It made him feel useless in a way, he felt like he should know more, in fact, he knew he should know more. 
She, on the other hand, could tell you from the east to the west about him, she deemed it was simply because they were acquainted with one another. She knew a few more things than an average person, but she’d always been rather observant, though her close friend who blame it on her rather large crush on the man. Each time she shook it off simply stating she wasn't someone he’d be interested in. 
She never understood how it worked, how fair was it that she fell for the one person who never seemed to give her the time of day. The feelings she felt weren't something she wanted, let alone something she ever wanted to admit. It all felt silly, as she spent her days and nights wondering why she couldn't even grasp the slightest bit of his attention. The aching need of just a simple hello during inside each time the gang would get together. 
Now she stood before him, a glass half empty and mouth dry. Her eyes staring back at him almost as if he had grown an extra head, his feet tapping lightly as he waited for her response. He knew it. was a long shot but there was just something about her that drew him in. “Excuse me?” she finally spoke as he cleared his throat. 
“I just wanted to know..” he started again trying to find the right words to say, the last thing he need was to ruin a friendship before it even began. “if you’d like to hang out.” 
“Why?” 
She didn’t mean to off rude or standoffish, but she was shocked. How was it fair that after she had promised herself to give up on him, he finds it alright to come crashing into her life. The alcohol was starting to run its course, as she felt a bit light headed. 
“I want to get to know you better.” 
Harry was a man on a mission the moment they entered the small corner cafe, which turned out to be one of her absolute favorites. He couldn’t help but smile and mentally pat himself on the back for the smart decision into coming here instead of dinner. He knew dinner was maybe too formal and hanging out at his place would most likely be a tab to awkward. 
“What would you like?” 
“A Chai Latte is fine.” she smiled softly as he nodded his head asking her to pick a table as he walked over to the front. His hands shaking lightly at the situation, he had known her for years and yet she felt like a complete stranger to him. 
Sitting down, she couldn’t help but chuckle lightly at the situation she was in. Just a few months ago she had promised herself to stop trying to chase someone who didn’t want her, though she wasn’t really chasing. She was longing for his attention and now that she had it, it was all a bit too much. 
“Wait so that’s where you’ve been?” he asked out breathlessly, it was then that he realized there was more to her than meets the eye. From her always kept together appearance to the soft smile on her face. She was truly a wonder and he couldn’t understand why it had taken him so long to reach out to her. 
“Yeah, I just got the promotion.” she nodded while twirling the wooden stick in her drink. She had devoted her free time into proving to her boss she was more than capable in being head of a department. She always wanted nothing more, but being the head of the children's department and lunching it with book by one of her favorite authors was incogitable. 
“Have you always wanted to do that?” 
“Be an editor?” 
“Yeah, you just don’t seem like the kind of person to me,” he stated with a soft smile as she chuckled softly leaning back in her seat. 
“Well, you don’t seem like the kind of person to be a businessman.” 
It’s been two weeks since their first little hangout and Harry couldn’t wait for the next time he’d see her. She was beyond busy since finally launching the children's department, having her finally agreeing to hang out with him he knew just what they both needed after a stressful week. 
“What’s her favorite wine?” he spoke into the speaker as he waited for Niall to respond. The rest of the group is no help, making him turn to the one person who knew just as much as he did. 
“She likes sweet wine,” Niall mumbled as he wrecked his brain trying his best to remember what wine was is that she said she liked. He knew Harry had recently made it his mission to know every single little thing about her. 
“That’s very helpful Niall.” 
“Oh, Moscato d’Asti.” 
“You positive?” 
Setting everything out, he clapped his hands and turned on the music slowly. It was a simple dish but one of his favorites, he knew it would also be on of her’s. She had explained to him how deep her love for Alfredo was. Halfway through the dish, he heard the doorbell ring. 
“Hey.” she chuckled softly offering him a bottle of wine, the same bottle of wine he had just stuck up on. “I brought some wine.” she giggled softly as he pulled her in. 
“Moscato d’Asti?” he asked with a smile as she nodded her head. Peeling her coat off, she placed it on the counter along with her bag. “Would you like a glass?” 
Taken the glass from his hand, she smiled softly following him into the kitchen. His smile was bright as the two fell into an easy conversation, the sound of laughing filling him with a warmness, the whole night had gone fantastically from her compliments on his cooking to the bottomless glasses of wine. 
“At this rate, I won’t be able to drive home.” she giggled softly, the alcohol beginning to have an effect as they sat on his couch, a random movie playing but neither of them paying attention. 
“You can always stay the night.” he breathed out as she looked back at him with a soft smile. As appealing as that sounded she knew it wasn’t a step she was ready for. Harry was nice, he was extremely giving even, but she knew for her own sanity she needed time before crossing that step. 
“I better get home.” 
He frowned slightly as she stood up, it wasn’t that he was offended. He wanted to spend more time with her, it was early and he believed everything was going great, perfect even. It was silly that he was feeling this way, it wasn’t like this was a date, in fact, it was nothing more than two friends getting to know each other. 
“Everything okay?” 
“Yeah, I just have a date tomorrow.” 
That was a little over a month ago, the time he had with her was already short, but now it seemed even worse. Every single time he had tried and reached out to her, Y/N would politely decline stating she was either busy with or work had plans with Connor. Connor that was the name of the guy she had a date with the last time they had hung out. 
Harry didn’t notice just how much he loved the friendship they had built till everything had recently stopped. He relied on Instagram and Twitter on how she was doing, his texts constantly going unanswered. Tonight whoever he would be doing all in his power to talk to her, seeing how she’s doing and hopefully get to root of her disappearance. 
“Heard she’s being that lad around.” Jim breathed out as he and Harry walked back to the table. Harry shrugged not knowing what to even think. “Have ya talked to her?” 
“Nope..” he breathed out with a soft sigh, not wanting to say anything that could remotely give whatever he was feeling away. Gemma had managed to sneak her way into his head explaining that maybe he just had some sort of feelings for her. “Haven’t talked to her since earlier this week.” 
“Well look like the lad is here.” 
Connor was something, he was everything that she wasn’t. From his perfectly styled blonde hair to the way his smile bearly even met his eyes, Harry didn’t like him. He made the conclusion so maybe it is the fact that he didn’t know him, or maybe because he just wanted what’s best for her. In his eyes, Connor just wasn’t the person she needed, well the thing that was certain was he wasn’t the person she wanted. 
Rushing into the cafe, she smiled catching sight of him waiting for her. Taken the seat before him, she thanked him for the coffee. It was silent for a while before she finally spoke. It was heard not managing her career, social life, and a sorry excuse of a love life. Connor was great, truly but what he had her feeling come nothing to what Harry did, but Harry wasn’t her’s to take. 
“How’s Connor?” he asked, though he couldn’t care much about him it was more than common courtesy to at least ask, even if he didn’t care. He wanted to be a good friend, not a jealous friend. 
“He’s okay.” she wasn’t sure why, but she felt comfortable. Maybe that’s why now they both sat there as she poured her heart to him, maybe she confessed a bit too much but it felt good. He listened not once judging her, not even when she explained that she had hoped so dearly that Connor would help her get over the guy she had bee sorta pinning after. 
“But does he make you happy?” he asked trying his hardest to let go of that fact that there was someone else. Someone who had managed to capture her heart in a way, that made him envy. 
“In a way yeah.” 
“She missed another hangout.” he breathed out trying his best to not let it bother him, suddenly he found himself thinking of her more. Wondering if Connor was living up to her expectations or if the other guy was finally giving her the time of day he knew she desired and deserved. 
“She went to the one mid-week.” Niall reminded him but Harry shrugged knowing that wasn’t necessarily a hangout.
“That was more of a last minute thing.” 
“Mate cut the bullshit, ya like her.” 
“Niall it doesn’t matter can we drop it?” he huffed looking back at the documents before him. The last thing he needed was to have his mind clouded with feelings that he knew would never be returned. “Plus she likes that other lad.” 
Niall let out a loud groan in frustration not understanding how Harry could be so dense when it came to this girl. They all knew she liked him, hell she might even be in love with him. He wasn’t one to wiggle his nose in others business but this was something he thought would benefit them both. 
“Did you ask her who he was?” 
“Nope.” 
“Stupid.” 
“Excuse me?” 
“It’s you, you wanker.” 
The look on her face said it all as he stood across from her, god this wasn’t going like he had expected it would. Her jaw was clenched and her eyes widened in that certain way it did when she was angry. He didn’t know what had possessed him into showing up at her office asking to see her. Now he knew he had to face the consequences of his actions.
“You came here to tell me that I like you?” she spoke slowly as the words finally hit him. Ridiculous, that’s what this was. She wasn’t sure what she was feeling at the moment but one thing was certain. She was beyond aggravated. “Are you fucking with me?”
“No!” He shouted as his hands went up in front of him. He was more than ready to define his actions. “Niall just came over and he planted-“
“So it’s Niall’s fault your here?”
“Well no, but he might’ve given me that push?”
“So you decided it was a fantastic idea to barge into my place of work and make a scene?” She scowled.
“Fuck, can't you see that I’m trying to tell you something!”
“Tell me something! Harry, you came here to basically say something you heard.”
“Tell me it isn’t true.”
“I’m with Connor.”
“No, you’re not!”
“How would you know that?!” She shouted completely ignoring the fact that the whole floor could hear her at this point. “How could you possibly know that if just the mere thought of him gets you frowning!”
“That’s not true.” 
“Harry I’m not having this conversation with. Can you please leave.” 
She hadn’t gotten the courage to face him, the truth being out wasn’t something she was willing to admit. It had taken her so long to reach where she was now with him, the last thing she wanted was her feelings getting in the middle of that. Six group outings she had missed since the incident at her office. 
“I’m sorry.” she breathed out looking over at him, his hair a slight mess as he moved to the side allowing her in. 
“Why?” 
“Why, what?” 
“Why have you been ignoring my phone calls?”
“Becuase it’s true.” 
His mouth felt dry as he stood there before her, his brain seems to have lost all sense as he waited for her to speak. He needed more, God he needed so much more than that. He wanted her to explain, explain why she kept it from him.
"God Harry I couldn't just tell you that I liked you." she breathed out not once meeting his eyes as she let out a cold chuckle. "Do you not understand how underlining crazy that would've been."
"But Connor?"
"Connor is sweet, he's so sweet." she breathed out not knowing how badly her next words were going to affect him. "Do you know how badly I want to make things work with him?"
"But-"
"No just listen! God just listen for one fucking second." she rushed out in a panic, she needed for him to listen. e had to listen to what she was feeling it was only fair that he allowed her that. That he knew just how long she had liked him and how much Connor had helped her. "I wanted so badly to make it work, to forget about you. It took me so long to even find someone to make me feel half of what you did."
"I like you okay." he breathed out causing her to stop what she was doing. "Jesus it happened so suddenly and I don't regret any of it. I just wanted to get to know you better as I had said. But you, God you are amazing from you dedication in rebuilding the children's department to all that you do for everyone. Without even meaning too you had me so deep in your spell and I don't think I ever want out. Just give me a chance can you do that? Can you give me a chance?"
"I would love to do that Harry." she giggled softly as he tugged her into his arms.
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godess-ofthe-underworld · 6 years ago
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See You Again (A Harry Hook x reader story)
woo next part finally! 
Part 7
Summary: When Hadley, Daughter of the feared ruler of the Underworld Hades, is sent along with her 4 best friends to Auradon Prep she must leave behind a certain pirate who stole her heart.  Will she be able to keep the promise she made to him or will it all go up in flames?
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters in Descendants.  Hadley and the plot between her and Harry are mine.
Warnings: mentions of abandonment 
A few days later 
After a failed attempt to con Jane into letting Mal see the wand, the five desperately needed to come up with a new plan.
Hadley sat in Mal and Evie's dorm helping Evie make a new dress, something the two loved doing together.  Carlos was there too sitting at the foot of Mals bed with Dude, the campus mutt,  somehow Ben got Carlos to like dogs.  It made Hadley a little jealous.  She may not have enjoyed her time in the Underworld but she did enjoy the company of her father's three headed guard dog Cerberus, who stood guard at the entrance to the Underworld.  She missed him dearly.
Jay came crashing in showing off his new jersey.
He walked over to Mals bed.
“ Did your plan with Jane work? Are you going over to see the wand?”
“Do you think that I would be going through every spell in this book if I hadn't completely struck out?” Mals voice rose as she spoke.
Jay held his hands up in defense.
“Someone's in a bad mood.” Carlos said from the floor.
“ My mom is counting on me! I can't let her down.” Mal said flicking the back of his head.
“ Look we can do this!” Jay raised his voice causing the rest to look at him. “ If we stick together.”
“ And we won't go back, until we do” Mal stated looking around the room at the others “Cause we're rotten”
“To the core” the four finished.
“ Oh yeah, I found out that fairy godmother blesses Ben with the wand at coronation and we all get to go. I have nothing to wear of course!” Evie sihde.
Just sas Mal was about to say something there was a knock on the door
“Hold that thought.” Mal said rolling off her bed to answer the door.
Ben was on the other side asking how their day went.
The found out that only Ben, his parents, FG and his girlfriend where aloud upfront.  Which hatched an idea in Mal's head.
“I think it's time Benny-boo got himself a new girlfriend. And i need a love spell.” Mal clapped and Carlos threw her spell book at her.
Later that night the five stood in the schools kitchen preparing the love spell in the form of cookies.
“It says we still need one tear.” Hadley pointed out in the recipe.  She had been demoted to reader after she accidentally hard boiled two eggs in her hands.
“Well I never cry so..” Mal trialed mixing the batter.
“Then let's chop up some onions” Carlos offered from his spot on the counter.
“No. It says one tear of human sadness. And this love potion get the best reviews so we have to follow it exactly.” Mal stated.
“A tear's a tear.” Jay sighed exasperatedly.
“ That's not true Jay they both have antibodies and enzymes, but an emotional tear has more protein based hormones than a reflex tear.” Evie piped from next to Mal.
“ Listen to you!” Hadley praised.
Jay stared wide eyed before relaxing and shrugging nonchalantly.
,”Yeah I knew that.”
“You did not.” Carlos slapped Jay on the arm.
“Okay well someone needs to cry.” Jay stated.
“ someone start talking about Hook. That'll get us a tear.”
The smile faded off hadley's lips turning into a deep frown.
The other three looked in shock at what Jay had said.
However before anything could be said, Lonnie, daughter of Mulan, came bouncing in the door to the kitchen. Her new long soft curls, courtesy of Mals spell book, flowing behind her as she shuffled her way across the floor in her bunny slippers.  
“there you are mal!” Hadley snapped out of whatever trance she was in and quickly covered the book in front of her.
“you all the girls want you to do their hair.” Lonnie looked to the bowl in front of the three girls.
“ midnight snack hu? Whatcha making?” she questioned working an eyebrow before dipping her finger into the batter.
The vks all shouted and told her to stop but she'd already eaten it.
“ what? Guys I'm not gonna double dip.” she stared wide eyed at the five in front of her.
“ feel.. anything?” Evie looked a little concerned.
“yeah, like maybe it might be missing something?”  mal asked.
Jay hopped of the counter, stopping in front of Lonnie, smirking
“hey there" he flirted pushing back a piece of his long hair.
Lonnie stared at Jay for a second before giving a tight smile and shrugging.
“could use some chips.” Lonnie shrugged walking over to the fridge.
The looked confused for a second before sighing in relief.
“and those are?” Hadley asked as mal resumed stirring .
“chocolate chips. Only the most important food group.” she said excitedly throwing a small handful into the bowl.  “didn't your moms ever make you chocolate chip cookies?” The five looked at her “ like when you're feeling sad and they're fresh from the oven with  a big ol’ glass of milk and she just makes you laugh and just puts everything into perspective.” Lonnie smiled.
Hadley lowered her head. She'd never known her mother.  From what her father always told her she was dropped off in the underworld not long after she was born.  Her mother was too busy to raise a child.  The only mother figure she really had was the Evil Queen when she and Evie met and even that wasn't that great.
“ Why are you all looking at me like that?”
“ Things are different where come from.” Mal piped up.
“ Y-yeah I know. But I just thought that, even villains love their kids.”  The frowns already prominent on their faces grew darker, Hadleys eyes even began to brim with tears.
Lonnie looked around at their frowns before grabbing Hadleys hand.
“ How awful.” Her voice cracked as she spoke and a single tear fell from her eyes.
Mal noticed and reached over quickly wiping it away and flicking it into the bowl.
“yeah well, big bummer but we have to get these into the oven so thank you so much for coming by really really have a good night” Mal said as she escorted Lonnie to the door.
“Evil dreams!’ Mal waved as she left.
“Okay! Boys Cookie sheet! Hadley oven!” Mal pointed to each of them as she turned around and walked back.
“ You know what guys, I think I'm going to head back to the dorms.” Hadley spoke looking anywhere but them.
They stopped what they were doing and looked to her.
“Hey you okay?” Evie placed a hand on her shoulder, which she quickly shrugged off.
“ Yeah just feeling a little tired.” She nodded her head placing a small fake smile on her lips.
“ Okay.” Evie called as she walked away and out the door.
Hadley wrapped her arms around herself as she made her way back through the drafty, silent castle,  The floor echoing as her heeled boots hit the hardwood.  She knew Jay didn't mean anything by what he said, and there was no way Lonnie could have known about her family life but it struck a chord in her chest.
When she entered her dark room she, made her way over to her bedside table and kicked off her boots before grabbing her notebook with her sketchings and a pencil.  She walked over to her big window that overlooked the isle.  Opening up to the page she'd drawn Harry. She opened the window a crack to let in the cool night air.  The wind blew slightly, pushing her blue and white locks around.  The ever present storm cloud over the isle seemed darker and more violent.  
She thought about what Harry was doing at that moment, he could be sleeping as it's late but Uma could have him on watch.  She wondered if he'd thought about her since she left but knew it was silly to even think that.  She knew he'd never see her the way she saw him, he was a pirate after all.  But still, she couldn't help falling in love with her best friend.
(Hadley)
Wise men say Only fools rush in But I can't help falling in love with you Shall I stay? Would it be a sin If I can't help falling in love with you? Like a river flows Surely to the sea Darling, so it goes Some things are meant to be Take my hand, Take my whole life, too For I can't help falling in love with you Like a river flows Surely to the sea Darling, so it goes Some things are meant to be Take my hand, Take my whole life, too For I can't help falling in love with you For I can't help falling in love with you
A single tear fell onto the page.
thank you all for reading. if you liked this part and want part 8 please like, comment or reblog!  also if you want to be tagged in this series to know when its updated please message me!
Tag list: @sexyshortie-universe
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xxbyimm · 6 years ago
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THORIN OAKENSHIELD - 30 days writing challenge - Day 8 - Piñata
Day 8 of @deepestfirefun ‘s writing challenge! Now this was a tough one, especially that first prompt. It took me a while to figure this one out.
“So in order to kill one, you´ll have to make one but first you´ll have to make one in order to kill one…?” “How´s that going  to be working, exactly?” “It´s complicated, I know,”
 Enjoyyyy!!!!
  Piñata
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‘So, this is my idea.’ Enya beamed while unrolling a large piece of parchment. Thorin watched his queen in amazement, not really paying attention to what she had been saying. Her brown hair was glowing in the light of the torches and her pale blue eyes sparkled with joy. He loved her so dearly. She was everything he ever had wanted, even with the weird new things she brought from her world. And although the court sometimes had a hard time adjusting to their queen, Thorin found her ideas refreshing. And sometimes quite… unheard of and… How would she put it in her own words? Oh, right. Crazy as hell.  
A special committee, consisting of a few dwarves and composed by the queen herself, had gathered in the council room of Erebor. Enya and Dís were organizing a party and his queen kept coming with crazy ideas to make it a smashing success. Thorin couldn’t be more happy that the two most important dams in his life were getting along just fine, sometimes even to the point where he felt the outsider. ‘What in Mahal’s name is that?’ Kíli muttered, pulling Thorin from his thoughts. ‘It looks like a…’ ‘Horse.’ Fíli added. Thorin furrowed his brows together as he too finally turned his attention to the parchment on the table. Yes. It was a horse, but it didn’t look like normal one. It consisted of bright colored stripes.
 Enya heaved a sigh. ‘It´s complicated, I know… Don’t you guys know anything? It’s supposed to be horse! It’s a piñata.’ ‘A what?’ Thorin muttered to himself. It seemed like his queen still was capable of learning him something new every single day. ‘I want to facepalm myself so hard right now.’ Enya snickered. ‘A piñata is a container, filled with candy. It’s a fun activity for kids. They try smash it to get to all the candy.’ ‘So in order to kill one, you´ll have to make one…’ Thorin mused.  ‘But first you´ll have to make one in order to kill one…?’ Enya laughed and gave her husband a bright smile. ‘A delightful paradox, yes.’
Thorin winked at her and she shot him a warning glance. Even after a few years of a relatively easy life in Erebor, the sensual tension between them never faded.  ‘How´s that going to be working, exactly?’ Dwalin huffed, arms crossed. He was the only one who had to be dragged in for every meeting. Thorin didn’t know why Enya added him to the group anyway, but she insisted the dwarven warrior had to be present. ‘When he have precured the piñata, we will fill it with candy. Then we need a strong rope and hang it on…’ she waved with her hands in the air. ‘Something. Then we give the dwarflings a stick and they can in turns try to break the piñata to get to the candy.’ ‘And you’re sure this is safe?’ Dís enquired. ‘I wish we had this game when I was little.’ Kíli murmured, clearly disappointed by the fact he wouldn’t be able to compete. ‘We’ll make sure it’s safe enough.’ Thorin nodded at his sister. ‘Everyone will be fine.’ ‘Especially if my youngest son will keep his paws of the candy…’ Dís joked, eyeing her lads with a smile. Kíli shrugged. ‘Can’t promise anything.’
‘But why a horse?’ Fíli questioned. ‘It could be anything… right?’ ‘In theory, yes.’ Enya admitted. ‘But think of the symbolism of a horse…’ she bit her lip. ‘I mean, it’s a bit like a trojan horse, but then the ending is a lot more happy, I suppose.’
She then was quiet for a minute, staring off in the distance. ‘Troy?’ Dís snickered. ‘As in… Brad Pitt’s Troy?’ Enya bit her lip, a giggle escaping her lips. ‘Yes… one and the same. With the…’ ‘Mhmm.’ His sister agreed. ‘With the…’ She glanced at Thorin and coughed. ‘Sorry, my king. This is no topic for this meeting.’
Thorin heaved sigh, rolling his eyes. Women…‘It’s settled then…’ he decided. ‘We’ll go with the piñata, it’s a good idea. My queen, will you leave instructions how to make one? Then I’ll get someone to work on it tomorrow morning.’
Enya looked up, her cheeks lightly flushed. ‘Oh, yeah. I can do that.’ ‘We’re done for today.’ Thorin told everyone. ‘Thank you.’ He watched his queen leaving with his sister, both giggling as they disappeared in the corridors. ‘Brad Pitt?’ Thorin asked Dwalin. ‘No idea. But he’s probably handsome.’ The dwarven warrior reasoned. ‘They did that silly women thing.’
Thorin knitted his brows together. Who the fuck was that Brad Pitt?
The question was still bothering him when they had long gone to bed and he was staring at the ceiling. ‘Uzfakuh?’ he purred while sliding his hands around Enya’s waist. ‘Are you still awake?’ ‘Barely, but yes.’ she breathed while turning around and snuggling her face in the crook of his neck.   ‘Who is Brad Pitt?’ Thorin asked softly. ‘Do I need to worry?’ Her laugh started with soft giggles, but she couldn’t control it and soon she was laughing out loud,  struggling to breathe normally. Thorin shot up, feeling a bit unsure of the cause of this sudden fit. ‘Are you mocking me?’ ‘Oh, my king… no!’ she beamed. ‘God no. Dís and I were just joking… Compared to you he’s just so… bland.’
 And with that she kissed him passionately, telling him exactly what he needed to know. That Brad Pitt wasn’t someone to be weary of at all.
 Still, that left the question… 
‘But who is he then?!!!!!’
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