#yeah this one hasn't gotten up to full steam

[fourstarsoutofnine]

I'm so sorry if you've gotten too many Four requests already, but I SWEAR YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE I TRUST ENOUGH TO DO THIS 😭🥺

anyways! i have this scenario in mind: Four working on fixing/making a blade or he's relaxing and he's wearing a sleeveless shirt, so reader gets to see his arms and holy shit there's no way those arms weren't chiseled by the goddesses themselves so reader immediately gets a dumb dreamy smile with heart eyes and all. So while in their very clear admiration and fawning over Four (Four is the only one that hasn't noticed), when the smith approaches them they end up absent mindedly blurting out a very... not so subtle compliment of what they've been looking at on him for a while now. Feel free to decide what happens next.

whether Four and reader are already in a relationship is up to you but i think it'd be funnier if reader just has the biggest crush on him and he had NO idea gshdjshshdjsjdjsj

A/n:I genuinely think yall are mindreaders bc I’ve been wanting to write this too😭I’ve also been thinking about how he’d be literally so buff👁️👁️also thank you so much for entrusting me with this🫡four is one of my favorites and I always enjoy writing for him so don’t worry!

Forge

Four x reader

You don’t know how you ended up in this situation.

Actually, yes you do. You’re just a little foggy. I mean, how could you not be? Hot room, steam coming from the heated weapons dipped into the water….

Your boyfriend standing there working tirelessly, and doing so while looking effortlessly beautiful.

Let’s set the scene. You’re in the forge, in his Hyrule. He was beyond elated to be back in his own forge again. He figured he could finally make a weapon the champion couldn’t break, and it’s exactly what he was attempting to do now. You had a front row seat to the show, too. Blacksmithing always intrigued you, and even more so after you got with the smith himself, so you were more than excited to see him in action. You just didn’t account for how little you’d actually pay attention.

I mean, how could you? You sure tried, but your mind was so full yet so empty at the same time as you watched him work.

You didn’t understand how someone could look so perfect. All you knew was the strength that lay under his skin could only have been put there by the goddesses themselves. You were just delighted to have seen it in your lifetime.

Sweat beaded on his face, seeping into the headband he kept wrapped around him in hopes both hair and sweat wouldn’t fall into his eyes. He raised the mallet in the air and it came crashing down onto the hot metal in what would’ve been a loud bang, but you were too focused on the way he moved to care about it. Everything was muffled around you and it seemed you two could’ve been the only people in the world. Your heart pounded against your chest from either the heat of the fire or the man in front of you, you neither knew nor cared. He was like a song, you determined. The way the strength of his body was the perfect tune to the lyrics of his wonderful mind and soul would be one you could listen to over and over—and the tapestry of beautiful and poetic sentiments you thought of him was one woven so thick you’d be able to sleep under only it during the coldest of winters.

You’d been stuck in your own head about it for so long that you gained a lovesick smile. The thought of being held by him, kissed by him, or Hylia—even spoken to gave you that giddy feeling in your chest, like the butterflies swirling there wanted to fly out the moment you opened your mouth. He’d been watching you for some time, wondering when it was you’d notice he was looking at you. Finally his words broke through.

“Y/n..!” He laughed. “Hey, I’m talking to you..” he tilted his head to look at you with a quirked smile. “You alright..?”

“Huh?? Oh—yeah..” you sunk in on yourself at being caught daydreaming, face blooming a bright red with the blush extending into your ears and neck. “I’m fine…”

“What’s on your mind, dove? Huh?” He rested his cheek in his hand. “What brought out that smile you had earlier?”

Oh goddess, oh jeez— “uhm—uh—it’s-um—“ your words only became more jumbled as his smile got wider. His eyes filled with that same look yours had been only moments ago. He was just as in love. Your brain hit the panic button. You were no longer in control. “You. Your arms. You’re hot.”

His eyes widened and he leaned back in a loud laugh. Your cheeks puffed up and you looked down, embarrassed. When his laughter died down a bit, he walked over to you. “Oh, goodness, I love you.” He stood on his tiptoes and caught you up in a kiss. You melted against him and wrapped your arms around him, kissing back. His snaked around your waist and held you firmly there. When you pulled away he got a mischievous grin. “So my arms, huh?~”

“Oh shut up!” You shoved him away, covering your face. He just kept laughing. It’d be all too fun to tease you in the future, and you knew exactly what you were in for…

You didn’t exactly mind.

[iamthecomet]

Non horny thoughts for you:

Breakfast in bed Dewther. Which one cooks?

I want to say Dew. Aether always, always takes care of him, and this is one of the ways Dew loves to reciprocate. I think Dew is a great cook, I like to think it’s his greatest skill besides playing guitar and god he loves feeding his boy*.

With him being an early riser and morning person, he has no trouble waking, whipping something up, and waking Aether up to the smell of yummy stuff. Maybe they indulge in the most mind numbingly silly cartoons as they eat together in bed, cozy, and full, and so content.

Try not to think about them feeding each other, and Dew swiping a thumb over some food that’s managed to get itself on the corner of Aether’s mouth. Try not to think about the mundane conversations they have over breakfast now that Dew is back home. They just talk, about anything and everything.

God. This has me thinking of their normal life, how they live outside of abbey responsibilities.

*not in the kink way

Yes yes, ALL OF THIS YES. Yeah thinking about their normal life is a SLIPPERY SLOPE but it's one that is totally worth falling down. I go back and forth between early riser Dew and not a morning person Dew all the time. I can never seem to pick which headcanon I like better for him. BUT I think Aether always sleeps in if he can--one of the last people to wake up, much less actually get out of bed. So whether Dew gets up with the sun or not--he's up before Aether. And I have always been of the mind that Dew can cook. That he likes to cook (alone mostly. He's not good at sharing the kitchen). It's methodical, meditative. And Dew's love language is for sure acts of service. No one can convince me otherwise. So think about Dew, waking up before Aether. Morning sun pooling into the bed they shared last night. Aether's out. Mouth open, snoring softly, drool dripping from the corner of his mouth. Dew presses a soft kiss between his horns and slips out of bed. He's gone for a while, but he knows Aether won't miss him. He makes coffee, drinks a cup while he cooks. Says good morning to whoever else is up and around. They've all slept a lot more since getting home--catching up on all their lost sleep over the course of touring.

Dew plates breakfast, finds a tray (he glares at Aeon when he snickers and calls Dew a house wife), and loads it up with his and Aether's plates, his coffee, Aether's tea, and back to bed he goes. Aether wakes up when Dew kicks the door closed--a little harder than he means to, but the shock of that wears off when Dew grins at him over steaming breakfast. Dew hands Aether the tray, crawls back into bed. And yeah, they definitely watch stupid morning cartoons, and eat curled up with each other, legs tangled together. They talk about normal shit. What they want to do today (Aether promised Copia he'd help him with some paper work. Dew promised Rain and Aeon he'd play video games with them). Dew tells Aether stories from tour he hasn't gotten to yet (mostly he just complains about how Aurora made them stop and see the largest ball of string). Dew pops strawberries into Aether's mouth as he talks, almost nonchalant. It's so easy, all of it. And when they're done, Dew puts the tray on the floor and lays back down, curling back around Aether with a content purr. Aether looks down at him, sinking his fingers into Dew's hair and scratching along his scalp. "What are you doing?" Dew yawns. "Nap time."

"We just woke up."

"No, you just woke up."

Dew's eyes flutter closed and he nuzzles closer, and Aether thinks that Copia's paperwork can wait a little bit longer.

[victorluvsalice]

AU Thursday: Coffee Shop All Occults AU

So -- this one isn’t really a fully-fleshed-out AU yet, mostly because I’m not sure where, if anywhere, I’d want to go with it. But it’s in my head taking up a bit of space, so I figured I’d get the basic sketch of the idea out so I’d have it on the tumblr in case I ever wanted to poke at it some more. Here’s what I’ve got so far:

-->The inspiration is this post by @prokopetz, which I have reblogged before: Coffee Shop In World of Darkness, where the basic premise is that it’s a coffee shop in a “supernaturals must hide” setting -- where the staff and regulars are poorly-hiding supernaturals (who don’t immediately realize that they’re not alone in this regard)

-->It’s a “Four Victorians On A Roller Coaster”-type situation, with the option for separate Valicer/Vemilia pairings -- either way, Victor, Victoria, Emily, Alice, and Smiler are all involved

-->The occult types are at least semi-based on how the ones we have in Sims 4 work, as I’m most familiar with the most number of occults in that series (like, in WoD, I’m really focused on the vampire side of things, so I’m not great with werewolves and mages in that system)

-->The coffee shop in question is called Sunny Brews (reusing the coffee shop name from the old DGHDA Coffee Shop AU idea), and is open pretty late, with everyone either working or frequenting the late afternoon/evening shift

-->The players and their “splats” are:

Victor: One of the regulars, in university studying business at his father’s behest to take over the cannery (he’s not happy and would much rather be studying art or biology or maybe even engineering, he likes his little robots); his splat is Spellcaster -- he ran across a portal to the Magic Realm, and upon realizing that getting magic was the matter of a simple fetch-quest, got the Rite of Ascension. He’s currently trying to study spells while hiding his new magical abilities from his parents, whom he’s sure would NOT understand.

Alice: One of the two staff on the late shift, generally in charge of the counter, living with her Nanny while trying to get her life back in order after all the bullshit with Rutledge, Houndsditch, and Bumby; her splat is Vampire -- she was unwillingly changed by a rogue vamp (I haven’t decided who yet, though I suppose I could import Fish from “Londerland Bloodlines”), but has managed to embrace a few of the perks. She’s working on getting enough power to up her sunlight resistance, and dealing with the thirst via plasma fruit and plasma packs (though she has stopped at least one near-assault near the shop. . .)

Victoria: Another of the regulars, who comes to the coffee shop to escape the high expectations of her parents and avoid their attempts to matchmake her with someone she doesn’t love; her splat is Werewolf -- her entire family line is aristocratic werewolves, in fact! The Everglots favor restraining one’s fury and being a civilized werewolf, which Victoria can get behind; however, they also don’t believe in fated mates or having ANY fun with your werewolf nature, which she can’t. She likes a nice run under the waxing moon too much! And she does still hope to find that special someone for her. . .

Emily: The third regular, also in college studying business -- unlike Victor, though, this is her choice, as after a bad break-up she’s pivoting into the small business world and working to start her own bridal boutique; her splat is Mermaid -- Barkis actually took her to the islands to “elope” and try to murder her there, but Emily got away and -- with the help of another mermaid giving her the kelp to transform -- escaped into the sea. Barkis escaped before she could bring him to justice, so she instead chose to return to her home land with her new form. She really likes her new song-based powers and fish tail -- she just hopes it doesn’t weird any future potential suitors out too much!

Smiler: The other staffer with Alice, a master on the actual drink-making machines, just vibing at the shop and trying to give all the customers the best experience ever; their splat is Faery -- the only one not in Sims 4! (Well, unless you use Spinning Plumbob’s mod, which I have looked at. . .) They’re a natural-born fae from the Sylvan Glade on a mission to spread happiness around. Said mission often involves spiking the coffees of people who ask for one of their special pick-me-ups with joy serum. XD They’re also good at commanding people, though they don’t often use that ability -- a little too obvious! They’re staying nearby with some other fae friends (aka the other coasters) while deciding what exactly what they want to do with their time among mortals.

-->As per the original prompt, nobody knows the others are supernatural -- until such time something happens that they’re all forced to fight the same assailants, and they all end up whipping out the supernatural powers. I am open to the possibility that Smiler at least could sense everyone was MAGICAL, but not exactly HOW. They all relax a lot when they realize they’re among fellow “freaks,” as you might imagine!

-->Most of the AU would be just coffee shop shenanigans, with the gang dealing with other late-night customers and navigating their own growing relationships; most vivid other scene I have for it is Victor’s mother coming in and ordering a drink, then berating Victor in full view of Smiler -- who is forced to toss the drink because they reflexively started cursing it. So much that the trash bin starts melting when they throw it away. I dunno if this would be better either before they all find out about each other (Alice: “How hot did you make that coffee?!”) or after (Alice: “. . .you’re way more dangerous than you let on, aren’t you?”)

-->If the Sims 4 fated mates for werewolves are a thing, I’m tempted to make Victoria’s Emily, just because XD

And that’s about it for now. *shrug* I mean, I suppose if nothing else, it’s a good starter set for a potential Sims 4 save file. XD

[batwhimpix]

An Interview with Former Takarazuka Top Star Asumi Rio: The Laidback Personality Behind the Handsome Face

(Translated by me 8/19/2021)

While still a member of the Takarazuka Revue, Asumi Rio was known for her sensitive acting which digs deep into the heart of each role, her crystal-clear vocals, and her captivating stage presence. As the top star of Flower Troupe, she gained an immense level of popularity. Now, it has been one year since her retirement from the company. She has expanded her repertoire from stage to screen, and continues to showcase new sides to her talent. In her first name-bearing variety program, the Hulu Original "Asumi Rio's Atelier," Asumi-san learns new tips and techniques to "step up" both her lifestyle and her design sense. Totally different from her intense onstage aura, this program offers a chance to get to know Asumi-san's soft and relaxed offstage persona.

It's been a year and a half since you left the Takarazuka Revue. How would you describe that period of time for you, Asumi-san?

When I was in the Revue, because I had managed to enter the world of Takarazuka, which was my absolute favorite place, I felt strongly that I didn't want to have any regrets. So I was very motivated to work as hard as I could to polish my craft. I was completely lost in it, but within that, I always had my fans cheering me on, and the guidance of so many around me. In the last year and a half, I've realized all over again just how precious a thing that was.

Until I left, my only experience was on the stage, so stepping into the world on screen for the first time, a lot of totally new forms of expression were expected from me, and I felt a lot of anxiety. Parting from Takarazuka and living as just one individual human, every day is full of challenges. But that said, every day now is also rich with new experiences and new possibilities, so I've come to face that with a lot of gratitude.

While you were in Takarazuka, there was a very clear image, that of a perfect "otokoyaku," to aspire to. Now that you don't have that anymore, what kind of actress are you aiming to become?

There are a lot of qualities I have now precisely because I was an otokoyaku, and I think it's probably okay for me to just embrace that. As top [abbrev. "top star", the starring otokoyaku actress in each troupe], I was in a position where I had to lead the troupe, watch over and guide all the other actresses, and shape each production as the lead actress. I think I've picked up a lot of grit through that experience, and even as a woman, I think having a bit of a masculine edge in your lifestyle and how you deal with things can be a positive, right?

Even when I was playing otokoyaku roles, moreso than aiming for a particular ideal, I came at each role separately, like, this time I'm playing this kind of man, next time I'm playing this kind of man. It was like a gradual broadening of my horizons. Now I'm simply adding female roles to that roster, so it's kind of like the scope of roles available to me has doubled. When it comes to my outward appearance, as my hair grows out and I transition toward a more feminine look, I've been having all kinds of new discoveries, like, "Oh, this kind of styling makes me feel like this." Within my drama roles as well, I like those discoveries like, if I do it like this, won't it be interesting, or if I do this, I can get viewers to say, "Oh!" I want to keep digging to find those little moments where I can really surprise people within each role.

Since your retirement from Takarazuka, what overall on-set experience sticks out the most in your memory?

I think that has to be the first show I had the opportunity to take part in, "Ochoyan" [NHK serialized telenovella]. Until I was on that set, I always thought that the stage was the most incredible place in the world. I would never find anywhere else where every member is so unified in their vision, where everyone has so much pride in their troupe and so much love for the production they're building together, as in Takarazuka. Even now, I still think Takarazuka is a very special place, and my love for it hasn't changed.

But on the set of "Ochoyan," like Takarazuka, there were so many staff working to create this thing, who truly loved the work and brought all kinds of skills to the table to bring it to life. Among the cast as well, the atmosphere during recording, where all of us in the Tsurugame Family Theater [the name of the theater company employing main character Takei Chiyo as well as Asumi-san's character Takamine Ruriko] really did feel like a family, wasn't that different from Takarazuka at all. On the contrary, because our time together was limited just to the recording of this show, it felt like everyone valued that time all the more. Being on a set like that was a huge experience for me.

In Takarazuka, you had a very hectic schedule. As soon as one production closed you were already thinking about the next. I'm sure your lifestyle has changed in a big way since then. What kind of feelings do you have about that?

I retired and moved here to Tokyo right around the start of the pandemic. During the lockdown, when I was in my house all day, I realized how long the day really is. Suddenly it was up to me to decide how to spend all this time in the day. I could use it to rest or, if I had some area I was struggling with, I could use it for training too. I had a renewed realization that depending on my own feelings, I could choose to change myself in any number of ways.

These days, how do you find yourself spending the majority of your time?

These days, I'm doing a lot of types of work I'm totally new to, and working on sets with people I've only just met, so I'm still in a place where I spend a lot of time nervous. When I'm on a set I haven't gotten used to yet, my antenna is going in all different directions, so after I get home I try to relax as much as possible. In order to fully refresh myself and go into work the next day in high spirits and ready to face whatever comes, I've been making a conscious effort to be kind to myself.

What activities allow you to refresh your batteries the most?

Zoning out, and eating delicious food.

On "Asumi Rio's Atelier," you gave steaming rice in a donabe [TN: earthenware pot traditionally used to steam rice, supposedly more delicious than steaming in a rice cooker] a try for the first time, but what kinds of things do you eat most often?

As long as it tastes good, I'll happily eat anything. I like vegetables, meat, fish, and I love carbs, too. Ideally, I want to eat a good balance of a lot of different things.

Speaking of that program, how were the topics for each episode decided? Were you able to make requests?

For "Atelier" we had the general framework that I would be trying different activities I was interested in from the onset, so basically they asked me, "What kind of things are you interested in? What do you want to try?" And then...Yeah, first I had about 30, then we added about 30 more, so in total about 60, ideas that we pitched. The program staff wanted to include as many of my requests as they could, so actually, within each episode there are probably three or four different ones. In addition to that, there's an interview in each episode that relates back to that episode's theme. I enjoyed the chance to reflect on my Takarazuka era and memories from my childhood.

On the topic of your Takarazuka era, in your first interview for us, you said, "I wasn't necessarily aiming to become top star." But within the system of Takarazuka, to climb all the way to top star, you must have been aware of something within yourself that made you want to aim higher?

Let's see...Ever since I was an underclassman, I had a strong drive to improve as an otokoyaku. I wanted people to find my performance interesting, and I wanted to be seen as a necessary part of the production. I wanted to act a lot, and I wanted to sing a lot of songs that I love. I wanted to bathe in the spotlight, and I was happy when I got to wear more gorgeous costumes. If I really think back on those feelings now, first in the shinjinkouen junior performances featuring only actresses who have been with the company seven years or less, and then in performances at the smaller Bow Hall theater next to the Takarazuka Grand Theater, inevitably I started aiming for the lead roles that would allow me to stand on stage for the longest every time.

Somewhere along that road, when I was told I was being transferred from the troupe I was first inducted into, Moon Troupe, to Flower Troupe, this feeling that I had wanted to be the Moon Troupe's successor welled to the surface. And since that's the same as saying, "I wanted to be the top star of Moon Troupe," that was the first time I became aware of that goal. Every troupe in Takarazuka has its own character, though, so after my transfer, I was desperate to hurry up and become an otokoyaku befitting Flower Troupe first...

So as you worked to further your artistic development, there at the zenith was top star.

If you were to ask my underclassman self, the Top-sans are unbelievably incredible performers, and the more shinjinkouens you experience, the more closely you come to understanding just how incredible they are. Then as you spend more years with the company and find yourself in a position where you're working directly under the Top-san, you realize how much work they're really doing, and...The more you know, the more you lose the ability to say something like "I want to be the top star" carelessly.

And yet, you bore the heavy responsibility of a top star for five-and-a-half years. It's hard to imagine from your usual laidback attitude, but when it comes to your art, you're incredibly diligent and strong-willed. That gap is captivating.

When it comes to theater, I'm very picky. I mean, I'm way too stubborn for one thing. Especially in productions where I'm playing the lead role, I always have really strong feelings about how I want to perform things, and I'm not in a position where I can hesitate to convey that. It's important to listen to the opinions of various other people too, but when it comes down to it, if I have a clear idea of the direction I want things to proceed and direct things with that in mind, it makes things easier for everyone else, so I always tried to communicate my thoughts clearly and directly. If I'm delivering consistently good work, there's a persuasive power to that. Not only do the underclassmen naturally follow along, but the staff listen and respond to my requests as well.

But when you're making this kind of production, you do have to be pretty strict. But then, the real me is more of a people pleaser. I want everyone to like me, or more like, I don't want to be disliked. I didn't want the younger underclassmen to feel like I was unapproachable or like they couldn't talk to me because I was the top star. I wanted them to think of me like family. So outside matters relating to work, I tried to give off as relaxed a vibe as possible. Definitely, I think there was quite a gap between "on" and "off" for me.

Are there a lot of differences between "Asumi Rio the otokoyaku" and "Asumi Rio the actress?" How about between your stage name persona and your private self under your birth name?

I've lived under my stage name for so much longer than my birth name that I feel like, at this point, the parts of myself that belong to my real name are few and far between. I do have the feeling that, in some respect, I've grown up together with my stage name. In essence, while I was in Takarazuka, I didn't worry too much about creating a separate persona. Thanks to the kindness of my fans and the environment I was in, I felt like I could leave my otokoyaku persona on the stage and stay pretty close to my natural self everywhere else. I guess the only thing is, when I'm alone in my house, I revert to goblin mode. (laughs wryly) Like I'll have trouble getting myself to go take a bath, or I really should clean but my back hurts, etc., etc.

By contrast, now that I've graduated from being an otokoyaku, a lot of the things I'm doing as an actress are total firsts for me, so I think I feel more discomfort with my presentation now than I did then. There are times when I get really nervous, and then I get disappointed in myself for feeling that way. Like, until just a little while ago, I was in a position where I was responsible for keeping everyone's morale up. I would get up on that stage like, "It's alright, just leave it to me," so what am I all anxious for now? I often think about how much I still have to learn, and how badly I want to hurry up and learn it so I can show the results of my efforts.

Is there a particular ideal you're currently pursuing? What kind of actress do you want to become, and what kind of woman?

Since leaving Takarazuka, I've had a lot more opportunity to meet all kinds of new people. On every set I've been on, each of the actresses I meet has their own unique aura, and seeing their acting up close, I'm blown away by each of them. Among the staff as well, there are so many different kinds of professionals of all ages, and I often find myself inspired by their work ethic and lifestyle. I'd like to continue to enrich my life by learning from the amazing people I meet and experiencing many new things, and work to become a more fully rounded human being.

*Bracketed notes not marked "TN" (Translator's Note) were present in the original article.

[mr-walkingrainbow]

LITERALLY??? DOES THIS BREAK NO ONE ELSES HEARTS????

Robecca hasn't seen her dad in so long, and hes been lost for over 100 years, and people probably assume he's dead. and she could have been with him if she didn't miss a stupid train home.

and this, this isn't even her dad, this is a past version of her dad who's never even met her.

but she completely forgets about that as she runs towards him. How he picks her up immediately and swings her around. It's gotta feel like he's real, like he really is their and he's loving her. and she hugs him and says how much he misses him.

(which by the way, wouldn't Hexiciah pick up on this? Wouldn't he wonder what happened to make her miss him so much? Wouldn't he spend the rest of his days wondering, until he finally gets lost himself and he finally understands why she missed him so much?)

and then he compliments her a bunch, and then moves on to that Victor kid or whatever.

(and can I just say for the record, Frankie was INSANELY selfish in Freaky fusion. She has a Loving Mother and Father who are still alive and healthy and are with her. She even knows the name of her Grandpa.)

And Robeccas doing her family report on the only person she knows. Hexiciah steam. her dad. which is the only family she has.

who's been missing for 100 years.

some probably even call her an orphan or something.

like and then Frankie has the actual nerve to ask her to search her already really frazzled brain and find her FATHERS WORSHOP? Like dive back into probably extremely painful memories just so she can see if she can find something about her GRANDPA???

Like how gut wrenching must it be for Robecca, when she finally arrives in the place. How hard must it be to have all these memories and not have her dad to share them with, cause he's either lost or presumed dead and she doesn't know. And she just misses him so much????

Literally, she feels so lonely, in her Freakh fusion diary, she makes a comment at the very end on how she's sad she'll be seperated from Draculaura cause it was nice not feeling alone for a bit.

OUR ROBOTIC GHOUL IS HURTING AND NO ONE CARES OR NOTICES???

and then at the very end when Hexiciah and Victor go back into the portal.

the "Miss you already dad"

BROKE ME.

cause she knows it won't last, she knows he's not real. And now the only glimpse of her father She's gotten for so long is gone and you can NOT TELL ME SHE DIDNT HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF SOME KIND WHEN HE LEFT.

she wasn't just happy and went along with all her friends Cheerinh for (Frankie????) after they performed some weird ass ritualistic cult type thing to bring her to life again.

(Yeah yeah, great story, apparently the spark made of love and happiness CAN run out)

technically, Frankie isn't the spark. Robecca is. Robecca was the OG spark an it was literally Hexiciah who realized this first and Victor got it so much years later after thorough teaching from him.

but then she's just fine??? no the hell way, her eyes are STEAMING TERRIBLY. FULL ON CRYING. And she's just frozen in the spot she was when he left with her arm raised still cause she's breaking inside and doesn't want to be over and RA! Whag the F ing hell was this screwed up happy go lucky, only things happen to Frankie, bullshit???

ROBECCA DESERVED BETTER

[femmeslash]

saiibo for the winter prompts. nobody even requested this i just thought it was cute and fitting for them and i wrote it in a berserker frenzy

75. our first date is spent walking around our small town holding hands and talking as soft snow falls around us

Shuuichi can't bring himself to be excited about winter break the way his classmates are. He's sat through at least a hundred conversations about vacation plans, and had to brush it off when the topic came back to him. Ah, I don't know, I guess I'm not really doing anything...

The truth is, Shuuichi is staying at the academy for break. He'd gotten permission from the headmaster, and it's not like he'll be the only student there - Fukawa-senpai never goes home, and Angie usually stays too, not wanting to fly back to the Philippines for such a short time. But it will be a lonely thing, seeing the academy so quiet and empty. Lonely, but much better than having to be on constant guard around his mother and uncle.

Well. He'll take loneliness over that any day.

After everyone has left in the early evening, Shuuichi decides to wander through the academy's silent halls. It's ghostly calm, making Shuuichi uneasy. He feels as though he's out of place, somewhere he is not supposed to be.

"Ah!"

"Uwaah!" Shuuichi stumbles back, not expecting to have run, quite literally, into another person. "...Kiibo-kun?"

"Saihara-kun!" Kiibo puts his hands on his hips. "Please be more careful when walking alone!"

"Ah, yeah... um, what are you doing here?"

"My professor was unable to come and pick me up for break this year... the only other option was to have me placed in the plane's luggage compartment, and I would not stand for that!"

"I see... That's understandable."

"So I will be spending my break here at the academy!" Kiibo grins, a small puff of steam escaping from his collar plate. "What are you doing here, Saihara-kun?"

"Oh, I'm..." Shuuichi quickly decides to spare him the full story. "Just spending my break here too."

"You should go home and be with your family! Or - ah, do you not have anyone to...?"

That stings. "Umm, it's complicated..."

"I see..." Kiibo seems to deflate a little. Not for the first time, Shuuichi's struck by how remarkably human Kiibo's gestures can be. "Well, I will be off, then! I hope to see you around so we can make the best of this break together."

"Yeah... Thanks, Kiibo-kun."

* * *

Kiibo proves to be quite the companion over the two-week break. Not a day goes by where Shuuichi doesn't see him, and it almost feels as if Kiibo makes the time go by faster. When the break is almost over, it dawns on him that he hasn't felt lonely at all. Rather, he feels... warm. He finds himself looking forward to seeing Kiibo each day, wishing they could spend more and more time together.

So that's something he's trying not to think about.

In the morning of the day before everyone will be back at the academy, Kiibo takes Shuuichi by surprise. "Saihara-kun!" Kiibo says, suddenly and expectantly, as he watches Shuuichi drink coffee in the otherwise-empty cafeteria.

"Ah, what is it?"

"May I ask you a question?"

"Um, sure. I don't mind." Shuuichi braces himself to explain any number of uncomfortable things: his family situation, the chest binders Kiibo has undoubtedly seen in his room, the antidepressants Kiibo just watched him take. All challenging, but manageable.

"Since today is the last day we will be able to spend together uninterrupted by our classmates, I've been considering..." Kiibo steadies himself. "Saihara-kun! Please go on a date with me!"

Shuuichi makes a small strangled noise and chokes on his coffee. "Uwah!"

"Are you okay?" Kiibo says, snapping to attention. "Deep breaths, Saihara-kun!"

"I'm fine, you just startled me," Shuuichi manages. "I mean, are you... sure?"

"I am absolutely certain! I had a video chat with Iruma-san last night, and she was the one who suggested it."

Oh. Miu put him up to this. "Ah, that's, that's fine, but... you know what a date is, right?"

"Of course! I have extensive knowledge of courtship rituals." Kiibo smiles brightly, and Shuuichi's breath catches in his throat. "I like you very much, Saihara-kun."

And so, as Shuuichi's head reels and his heart pounds, he accepts.

* * *

The sky is a pale grey when they leave the school, snow falling lightly and sticking to the ground in sheets. Shuuichi has to admit, it's beautiful. As the two of them make their way out, Kiibo offers his hand with a murmur of Shuuichi's name, and Shuuichi gladly takes it. Kiibo is warmer than he'd expected, and their fingers lace together naturally.

"Is there anywhere in particular you would like to go, Saihara-kun?"

"Umm, I hadn't thought about it... Usually, the person who asks is the one who plans things..."

"I see! I will remember that for next time, then," Kiibo says, making Shuuichi's heart flip at how casually he says the words next time.

"It's fine! Don't worry, I mean, I'm fine just walking around with you," Shuuichi hurriedly assures him. "It's... it's nice."

"I agree! I must say, this is my first time being outside in the snow... The cool air is very nice."

"Yeah..."

The two of them leisurely stroll around the campus in silence, still holding hands. The snow falls, catching on Shuuichi's hair and clothes before quickly melting. Occasionally Kiibo will give his hand a small squeeze, and each time it makes Shuuichi's heart stutter.

After a long while of comfortable quiet, Kiibo speaks up. "May I kiss you, Saihara-kun?"

Shuuichi's face heats up despite the cold, and he stops in place where he stands. "Ah! Umm, yeah... Yeah. You can."

"Okay, then..." Kiibo murmurs, as if he's preparing himself. He leans up and presses his mouth to Shuuichi's. His mouth is cold, but so is Shuuichi, so he hardly minds. It's electrifying nonetheless, and Shuuichi finds himself cupping Kiibo's face in his hands and kissing him over and over under the gentle snowfall.

* * *

Their classmates start to trickle back in that evening, one by one. When Miu arrives, she immediately makes a beeline for where Shuuichi and Kiibo are sitting in the cafeteria, still together several hours later. "Fucking finally!" she shouts, in lieu of a greeting. "Keebs! How ya doin'? You guys have fun, yeah?"

Kiibo beams, and Shuuichi feels his heart swell with affection for the hundredth time that day. "Yes! Saihara-kun has been a very agreeable date companion!"

"Kiibo-kun," Shuuichi says, half-laughing.

And when they part, and Shuuichi's back in his room alone for the night, he still finds himself unable to stop smiling.

[winter prompts!]

[shall-we-imagine]

Alternatives. (Edgar x Reader *AU I guess*)

Genre: Fluff.

Summary: If plan A doesn't work, there are still 25 letters left.

(Second person point of view)

"I can't believe we're that unlucky!" You groan, watching the heavy rain run down the streets. "First, you had to work late, so we couldn't go out, and now it's raining!"

"I'm sorry." Edgar wraps an arm around you, soothingly rubbing your arm in an attempt to comfort you. "I know it was supposed to be just the two of us celebrating our anniversary, but I was given heaps of work at the last moment."

"It's not your fault." You sigh. It really wasn't; you just couldn't help but feel a little disappointed either way.

A long moment of silence pursued as Edgar stared down at you with guilt. You wanted to assure him that you weren't blaming him for anything, but you didn't have time to do so; he suddenly spoke up. "How about we have our date inside for today? Then tomorrow I can make it up to you."

Your eyes brightened with excitement. "That would be wonderful!" You embrace him tightly, earning a bashful chuckle.

"So, movie night?" He smiles after you let go.

You nod but pause, slumping your shoulders, after a disappointing realization. "We don't have any snacks. Not even popcorn."

"We don't nee-"

"A trip to the supermarket it is, then!" You nod, cutting off his statement and walking off towards your shared closet to pick out an outfit for your late night trip to the supermarket.

"Are we really going to the supermarket at 12 am? In the rain??" Edgar almost pouts. He was probably tired after a long day at work, but he really couldn't say no to that innocent look of excitement on your face.

"My god, it's still pouring!" You shuffle closer to Edgar under the umbrella he was holding for both of you.

"You know it hasn't been longer than 10 minutes since we stopped looking out the window, right? Were you expecting the rain to have stopped?" He laughs in amusement, making you blush lightly.

"Hey, I'm just saying!" You defend, while knowing full well he had a point.

"Sure." He ruffles your hair then begins leading the way to the supermarket, careful not to rush ahead of you and give you a free, unwanted shower in the middle of the street.

As Edgar struggles to close the old umbrella, you marvel at the view in front of you. It's been ages since you've gone to a supermarket at such a late time, so the lack of people and the immense quietness were captivating in a way.

"Look! It says buy two for the price of one!" You tug at Edgar's sleeve, distracting him from reading the contents of some ambiguous canned product.

"Those are just two plastic jugs?" He raises an eyebrow.

"But it's a good offer!" You argue, lifting the colourful containers to his face, as if causing him to cross his eyes by how close the objects are to his face will somehow convince him it's a good deal.

"But we don't need them!" He laughs lightly, pushing them away from his face. "Come on, we haven't even bought the snacks yet; let's go." He places the alien canned food on the shelf and places what you called a wasted good deal on their shelf as well, then proceeds to push the cart towards a different aisle, dragging you along with him to ensure you don't pick up some other good deals.

"Okay, we'll buy popcorn and maybe some other snack, but that's it, okay? No going crazy and buying an entire shipment of some Thai candy you thought looked interesting, okay?" Edgar only notices your disappearance after receiving no response, "(Y/N)? (Y/N), where did you go? Were you even liste- come on." His palm immediately flies to his forehead when he sees you approaching him with a plushie.

"It's so cute!" You hug the small rainbow unicorn closer to you. "It's not even expensive; can I please have it?" You ask, pulling off your best puppy eyes.

Edgar struggles for a few moments before sighing, "Fine."

Letting out an excited mixture of a squeal and a thank you, you run up to your fiancé, placing a quick kiss on his cheek. He embarrassedly touches his cheek, a little startled by the gesture, but it made him momentarily forget about having to pay for the unnecessary toy.

"Now can we go buy the stuff we came here to buy in the first place?" Edgar grabs the cart and pushes it forward while walking, carefully checking the categories written on top of each aisle.

"Here!" You rush in between rows and rows of various types of chips.

"Weren't we buying popcorn?"

You pull two large sized bags of chips and add them to the cart. "If we're having a movie night, we need to do it right!" You lift a fist and display an exaggerated determined expression, receiving a laugh from Edgar as he shakes his head in disbelief.

"I'll leave it up to you then." He seemed to have given up on restricting your choices, and now he's just amused by how many items you can buy apart from what you actually needed to buy.

A few (scratch that; they were certainly more than a few) useless items later, you'd finally gotten the stuff you needed and payed for them.

"Still raining?" Edgar's eyes widen slightly. After all this time, you still can't get used to how adorable that expression is; it was your second favourite expression of his. It looked so innocent and pure, always making your urge to kiss him triple. Alas, you had to keep the desire to yourself for now.

"Yeah, it's strange how it hasn't stopped until now." You muse. You grab the umbrella, since both of Edgar's hands were busy with grocery bags, and attempt to open it.

"Okay, what's wrong with this thing?" Your eyebrows furrow, as you battle with the button on the handle. No matter how hard you push and press, the button wouldn't budge.

Edgar places the grocery bags on the floor. "Let me see?" He takes the umbrella from you and tries to open it himself.

Praying you won't have to swim your way back home, you watch as he fumbles with the ancient umbrella that you honestly don't even remember buying; it seemed to have always just been there.

With a few violent jerks, Edgar opens the umbrella. Or more accurately, Edgar breaks it. The troubled, guilty expression that takes over his features leads you to smile in awe, and as if under some mind control effect, you find yourself automatically pecking his cheek. Your gesture relaxes him, and he smiles at you.

"I guess we'll have to hurry home if we don't want to get too soaked then." Edgar jokes, picking up the grocery bags again after disposing of the now useless umbrella.

"First one home gets to shower first?" Giggling, you take your position, ready to semi-sprint back home. You weren't very fond of the idea of breaking your back bone or something, so you knew you weren't gonna use your full power to run.

"Already too slow!" Edgar sprints past you, sending you into panic mode for a few seconds before you begin running to catch up to the cheater.

"Hey, that's not fair!" You yell, realizing you had no chance of catching up let alone beating him.

Not even looking behind him, Edgar yells back. "You're only saying so because you're losing."

It was true. You'd done that to him so many times that it was only fair for him to take his revenge. But with the rain soaking you and the mud splashing beneath you, you really dreaded not being able to shower first.

"I win." Edgar beams proudly, patting your head once you reach the front door.

Since you were panting, the only response you could give was a glare, which he seemed to find adorable, for he simply chuckled at you and kissed your forehead.

Seeming to be in deep thought, he stares at you for a few moments then places the bags on your porch, away from the rain. He proceeds to take the rest of the plastic bags from your hand and places them next to the ones he'd placed on the porch. Without saying a word, he takes your hand in his and pulls you towards the middle of the empty street.

You let out a little laugh, "Edgar, we're already soaked; what are you-"

Your statement was cut off when he stopped walking, faced you, and gently placed his hands on your cheeks. Eyes shut, he closes the distance between your faces, and you find yourself following his lead. He presses his lips, which were relatively cold, onto yours, but the temperature difference didn't matter, since the gesture was enough to warm your entire body. Your hands grasp at his jacket, yearning for the familiar feeling of your bodies pushed together as one.

The rain wasn't making things easier, and you were sure both of you were to end up with a cold or even a fever, but both of you were already drenched anyway, so you had nothing to lose.

Your eyes flutter open when you both pull away, and you were greeted with the expression you so loved to see. Your favourite expression of his. It was one where his lips were pink and swollen after your shared kiss, one where his cheeks were a deep shade of red, one where he seemed to be blushing but still smug and proud of himself. This was your favourite expression; it was so beautiful to look at. It would've made you kiss him one more time if it weren't for the rain.

"I saw it in a movie, and..well, I wanted to try it, but I always felt bad and didn't want to have you get sick; however, since we're already wet, we might as well try it." He smiles, his gaze shyly escaping yours.

"I loved it." You squeeze his hand in assurance. "But we should get back inside now." Laughing, you both walk back into your house, trying your best not to make it look like a sea monster just broke in and sort of flapped its limps everywhere.

As your deal stated, Edgar got to take a shower first. While waiting, you placed your items in their correct places and prepared a movie.

"Finally!" You cheered when Edgar came out of the bathroom. Steam clearly filled up the space inside, and it lured you inside immediately; you were desperate for the hot water to make up for the cold shower you were forced to have because your umbrella decided to die on you.

The hot shower relaxed the muscles you hadn't realized were so tense. It was a magical feeling; no matter how many times you try it, it never ceases to impress you.

After eventually convincing yourself it was enough, you get out of the shower and dress yourself in some comfy pyjamas.

"Time for the movie!" You announce, walking out of the bathroom, but Edgar was already passed out on the bed, his mouth slightly open- something he only did when he was extremely tired.

Smiling to yourself, you grab the duvet and pull it on top of him and tucking him in. "Good night."

You turn off the large screen in your bedroom and eagerly make your way to your side of the bed. Careful not to disturb his sleep, you slowly slide beneath the cover and shuffle closer to the peacefully sleeping Edgar, basking in the warmth of his body.

Perhaps you didn't get to have your originally planned date, but being by his side would always make you happy. Therefore, anything can count as a good date if you're doing it together. Maybe even sleeping.