#yuri train coming through the station!

[pinkglitterglock]

Are you a creepypasta fan? Do you miss cringey wattpad oc x canon fanfics? Do you miss edgy mary sue oc content? Do you like slow burn poly yuri content? Do you also like found family? Well I have the perfect thing for you!

My Life As A Creepypasta is based on old, cringey, probably made by 12 year olds wattpad fan fiction! It follows a girl named Angela as she runs away from her abusive foster parents and gets kidnapped by slenderman and gets turned into a proxy and gets into whacky highjinks with the pastas! There's currently one part out but I'm working on the fourth part currently! Spread the word!! Xoxo -morticia♡

[animestsstuff2]

•Sickly Sweet•

Bakugou Katsuki x reader

Content warning: blood, bullying, cursing, death, fluff, light smut? (Characters are aged up 16/17 but smut would just be kissing if even)

Part 4

Masterlist

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“Hey Yuri!” Kirishima called after you as you walked through the halls. You stopped waiting for him to catch up.

“Hey Kiri, whats up?” You asked, both of you walking to your next class.

“Some of us are heading to the mall after school, you gotta come!” He told you and you smiled, stopping in front of your classroom door.

“Yeah sure, are we meeting somewhere after school?” You asked. There were a few shopping malls near you. A big one and two small ones but they both needed a car or train to get there.

“Yeah we are meeting at the shin train station around fourish then getting the train in” he told you and you nodded.

“Oh! Wait before we go in whats your number?” He asked and you felt your cheeks heat up instinctively. You knew Kirishima didn't mean it like that. Kirishima immediately realised what he asked and his cheeks turned red like his hair.

“N-No not for that reason. I mean so I can call you when im there but I wouldn’t not ask you out!- I of course I mean we are only friends but I dont want you to think thats what im doing. Theres way manlyier ways to ask a lady out!“ You giggled at the poor boys desperate face as he rambled on. You pulled a pen from the pocket of your shirt and grabbed his hand writing your number down. He thanked you sheepishly rubbing the back of his nape.

“Its okay kir-

“Move you damn extras! What are you even doing flirting with her shitty hair! As if you have a chance with anyone” That gruff voice that youve come to just love so much! Ugh not. You turned to see Bakugou standing beside you both, glaring at Kirishima in particular.

“He wasn’t flirting with me Bakugou, not that you would know what that looks like! You scare women away by just your presence” you snapped at the blonde, turning to glare up at him. His eyes flickered over to you and he stepped forward. That familiar smokey caramel scent drifting up to your nose.

“What did you just say you extra?” He growled, leaning down slightly and moving closer. You turned to look for help from Kirishima but to your actual surprise hed left you! So not manly kirishima!.

You felt a slightly nervous grin form on your face as you stepped back only to bump into the wall and you froze. Bakugou stood, leaned over you as his teeth gritted. He had a bad temper and everyone annoyed him but you, you seemed to be the worst. He couldnt get you out of his head since he met you, always looking at you, laughing and smiling with everyone. You were so friendly to everyone and distracting! He could never focus with you in the same room.

“What? Not gonna answer. . . Where did all that confidence go? You sure had a lot; giving Kirishima your number so boldly” he glowered, you just wrote your number down so quickly for the red-headed idiot. You’d only known him for just over two weeks!

“I-“ You couldn’t speak let alone think, after realising the distraction of Bakugous smell you had to stay away. It must be his blood type. . . Not anything else. You looked at him. His blonde hair sticking out over his red eyes. He stepped closer and you stepped back, pushing yourself into the wall.

“Tsk. You’re such a weakling” he snapped and you clenched your fist as you shook your head. You opened your mouth, trying to ignore his strong scent.

“No im not and you do scare girls with your presence! You’re always glaring at people!” You snapped, looking straight at him and his brows raised at your little outburst.

“No im not! Stop lying you stupid extra” he growled. He wasnt some creep always glaring at people, why would he even waste time looking at others.

“Yes you are. You always stare at me!” You stepped forward, poking a finger into his chest as you furrowed your brows at the boy before you.

“W-What? No i dont. You dumb extra!” He snapped, stepping back, did he always stare at you? If he did its only because youre so annoying and loud.

He shook his head, grabbing your finger and hand that was poking his chest pausing when he felt how cold you were, like you weren’t even alive. You froze again, feeling the warmth of his palm seep into your hand. Youd never felt this type of warmth and your eyes flickered back to his.

“AHHHH! Guys look theyre so cute!” Minas recognisable squeal broke you too apart. Bakagou immediately stepped aside and into the classroom.

You turned to Mina and seen Uraraka and Jiro with her. You felt your cheeks warm ever so slightly as they eyed you up. Mina was practically bouncing on the spot as she stepped forward and grabbed your arm.

“M-Mina! We are not cute. We were literally just arguing!” You pointed out, trying to quell her excitement. Her grin only grew.

“Nu uh! You cant lie to me Yuri! I know flirting and youuss were flirting” she exaggerated. You were arguing with Bakugou not flirting. You didnt even like him as a person let alone like like him. You shook your head.

“Um. . Sorry Yuri but I agree with Mina. He was totally jealous of you and Kirishima!” Uraraka piped up and you groaned.

“No Uraraka not you too!” The two girls grinned at you and you looked to Jiro who just smirked slightly and shrugged walking into the classroom.

“You guys would make such a cute couple! Its so obvious he likes you” Mina cried excitedly and you shook your head in protest of the idea of dating Bakugou.

“Yeah Yuri, he is always staring at you and talking about you” Uraraka piped up and your eyes widened, you were curious, what did he say?

“What does he say” you asked, looking at them.

“Well. . . He mainly talks about how annoying you are but its all the time! My mom said when a boy likes you they act like they hate you because theyre too ashamed to admit they have feelings!” Mina explained and you relaxed for some reason youd tensed up nervous of what Bakugou could be saying about you.. what he really thought about you.

“That doesn’t really make sense Mina but anyways, lets go class is starting now” you told her and all three headed in as the bell rang.

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“Hey dad! Im going out with some friends if thats alright!” You called to your dad as you walked downstairs. Aizawa sat at the kitchen table with some folders and paper.

“Who are you going with? and when will you be back? and where are you going?” His quick questions made you roll your eyes. You didn’t really have any friends as a kid being homeschooled up until U.A so this was new.

“With some friends from your class. We are just going to the plaza mall” you told him and his already hooded eyes narrowed more before he nodded.

“Okay, do you need money? Here” his scarf floated and picked up his wallet as he grabbed it and pulled money out for you. You sheepishly thanked him, feeling slightly bad but nonetheless grateful.

“Ill be texting you so make sure you reply quick or ill come and get you” you nodded quickly. He has always been so strict.

You left and headed for the station. It was a pretty warm day which was nice considering it was early April.

You arrived at the train station and smiled as you seen everyone else. Kirishima spotted you and waved his hand over. You grinned and headed over to him as he threw his arm roughly around your shoulders and smiled.

“Hey you came! Awesome” he grinned and you nodded, stepping away from him as he dropped his arm.

You didn’t expect so many. Mina, Uraraka, Kirishima, Kaminari, jiro and Deku. You liked everyone here, especially Uraraka. You both have been close since the villian/hero training a few days ago, ever since shes been sitting with you at lunch and break and in most classes.

“Oh bakugou! You came too!” You froze as Kirishima yelled to the grumbling blonde who joined your group. You sighed, of course Kirishima is too nice not to invite him.

“Yeah whatever. Im only here because you begged me to come” he grumbled and you felt your mood dampen slightly as you turned to glance at him only to find him already staring and you quickly turned away. You immediately thought back to what Mina and Uraraka had said about him

“Okay the train is here everyone!” You chuckled at how Kirishima was acting, almost like Iida as he stood by the door and watched everyone get on.

You took your seat. Kaminari, Jiro, Deku and Mina sat across from you whilst Kirishima took a seat beside you. You smiled at Uraraka who went to take the seat next to you when Bakugou planted himself down and your smile dropped. Uraraka just wiggled her brows at you two and you stuck your tongue out at her as she moved to sit across from Deku and beside Kirishima.

“What are we doing anyways Kirishima?” You asked. You’d been to this mall a few times. Its pretty big with three stories lots of shops and restaurants and even some entertainment establishments like the cinema and arcades.

“Im not sure. Mina was the one who asked me. I think its just a hang out” he explained and you nodded. The train jostled along and you noticed everyone in conversation except for Bakugou. Who sat relaxed against the window of the train staring ahead.

“Are you excited to go to the mall Bakugou?” You asked quietly, if Kirishima invited him he couldn’t always be mean, maybe he just hates school.

“Nah! This is such a stupid thing to be wasting time on but Dunce face and shitty hair begged me to come” he grumbled and you rolled your eyes, huffing back into your seat.

“Of course you’d say that, why even come if you’re gonna be miserable. Is there anything you like?” You grumbled feeling your mood dampen. You were even more annoyed at him for spreading his legs and touching his warm thigh to yours. It was distracting.

“Of course i like things! Just not stupid things like you” he countered and you rolled your eyes at him. He definitely hated everything and anything. You sighed, trying not to let him get to you as you tried again to be nice.

“yeah, like what?” You asked, turning in your seat slightly to face him. His brow raised at your inquisitive tone and change in demeanour, what were you doing?

“Why do you wanna know?” He asked, not fully giving you his attention as he glanced down at you. This was a lie, all he could focus on was were your now two knees touched his thigh when you turned.

“Because we are in the same class and friend group. Its nice to get to know your friends” you were quite literally biting your tongue to not snap at him right now. Mina said if hes mean he likes you so if he acts nice then he doesnt and she will drop it.

“As if id be friends with a damn nerd like you” he quipped and you bit your tongue harder as your hand squeezed your waterbottle tight.

“Fine! Dont tell me. You’re impossible you know! Im trying to be nice and youre just being rude” you snapped as you turned back to face forward, crossing your arms. He opened his mouth to retort but decided against it, what was he feeling. . . Was he feeling bad?

“Tsk, I like spicy food and horror movies. You happy?” He groaned and you felt a smile grow on your face. He was nice! Well as nice as he can be.

“Really? I don’t really like spicy food! Too much heat, whats your favourite spicy food?” You chimed, feeling slightly proud to finally get a proper answer from him. This made you happy for some reason, more so than talking with Kirishima and others.

“Of course. You’re too lame to be able to handle any spice! My favourite is spicy ramen with extra chilli oil” he told you, of course having to add an insult.

“I love ramen too! My favourite is chicken flavour, sometimes the curry one too” you told him. He rolled his eyes at your smiling expression and turned back to face the window before him. You felt good about that small interaction and turned to your friends who all quickly got back to their conversations, hoping You didn’t notice them eavesdropping on you and Bakugou. You also failed to notice the small half tipped smile on the blondes face.

You all arrived at the mall and separated but decided to meet up in a hour at the food court. You went with the girls of course to different shops, going through different clothes and accessories all while gossiping.

“Sooo. . . Yuri! You and Bakugou on the train huh!” Mina wiggled her brows and you rolled your eyes as you looked through the clothing rack trying to ignore her.

“What about us on the train” you mumbled, feeling your stomach twist slightly. You were probably just hungry.

“Oh come on! You have to admit Bakugou is pretty attractive..” she coaxed, pinching your side making you jump as you turned around.

“Mina! I dont like him” you told her firmly, feeling annoyed by her. She only rolled her eyes at you and smiled.

“But he spoke to you! And he smiled after the conversation ended” you stilled. He smiled? You made him smile. You shook your head at your thoughts. Why was he getting to you. You didn’t care if he smiled, probably his first smile since he was born.

“I think yous would make a cute couple” Uraraka piped as she looked at her self with a shirt in the mirror.

“Oh yeah what about you and Izuku” you piped and her face turned bright red as she quickly spun round.

“What about Izuku! Did he say something about me!?” She asked as she grabbed your arm. You were taken aback and you, Mina and Jiro burst out laughing at her.

You all left the store and headed for the food court to meet with the boys. You got some new clothes. You spotted Kirishima which wasnt hard given his spikey red hair. He waved yous over and you all sat around the big table.

“Hey guys! Get anything nice?” Kirhsima asked and you all nodded. He flashed his toothy grin and pulled out a big black graphic hoodie out if his bag.

“Woah thats so nice Kirishima” You smiled as you reached out to touch it.

“I love boys clothing, especially jumpers theyre always so much comfier than girls” you hold him and he nodded agreeing with you.

“So what are we all feeling for lunch?” Denki asked, everyone piped up with different opinions but the food court is huge so everyone got up to get their food.

You were craving some hot ramen. You headed to the little takeaway ramen shop. You could pick your own broth and toppings. You waiting in the line, going onto your phone to message your dad back.

“What are you ordering?” His deep voice piped up behind you and you jumped. You immediately knew who it was. His caramel scent wafting up to your nose as you felt the hear radiating behind you.

“Oh-um, just some tonkotsu ramen” you told him as you turned around. His eyes stared down at you, red circles piercing you and you froze slightly.

“Boring and lame like you” he tsked. His brow raising when You didn’t quickly retort. He noticed your pupils were slightly dilated and your cheeks flushed, were you overwhelmed by all the food smells.

He leaned down his face close to yours as you felt your mind race. His smell so strong; you couldn’t smell the hot food behind you. He rolled his eyes at you. How would you be a good hero when you got distracted so easily.

“Next!” Bakugou glanced up at the employee pointedly looking at Bakugou and you. He grabbed your hand and pulled you forward to the counter. Bakugou ordered for himself, yelling for extra spicy which the employee rolled his eyes at the rudeness of the boy.

“And for her?” The employee asked. He turned to you, seeing you were still slightly dazed.

“She’ll have tonkotsu broth with chicken, egg and green onion toppings” he told him and the employee nodded, handing Bakugou the ticket number. He turned and walked to the collection end, still holding your hand.

“Are you done zoning out yet?” His voice snapped in your ear and you jumped. You blinked a few times and looked up at him, subconsciously gripping his hand tighter.

“Huh? Oh I didn’t order” your eyes widened at your stupidness. He overwhelms you so easily. Your mind raced with thoughts as you turned to go join the line when Bakugou dragged you back by your joined hands which you only now realised. Your cheeks heated as you turned back and looked at them.

“I ordered for you nerd. Its rude you know to make others pay for your food” he grumbled and you immediately felt bad.

“Im so sorry! I have change I can pay you back, how much was it?” You asked as you pulled your purse out and fished in. He grabbed your hand back and you looked up at him.

“Its fine, you can pay me back by stop being so stupid and dont zone out next time” You opened your mouth to argue but his glare hardened and you quickly shut it.

Your number was called and Bakugou grabbed the tray with your ramen bowls on it, bringing it back to your table which all your friends were at again yous sat beside each other and grabbed your bowls.

“Bakugou. Your ramen is the same colour as Kirshimas hair!” You exclaimed, looking at the fiery red broth. The smell was even making your eyes water. He rolled his eyes at you as he began digging in.

You all sat and chatted as you ate and enjoyed your food. You smiled as you watched your friends, enjoying today with your basically first friends unaware of the blonde who just stared at you, slightly puzzled and feeling something else that he wasn’t familiar with. . .

He didn’t like you. You were just an extra in his movie. A person who annoyed him, who he couldn’t get out of his head. . . He shook his head, grumbling as his narrowed eyes watched you and Kirishima chatted. You were awfully close to that red head and it bothered him. It was just you. You bothered him, always on his mind.

You remained blissfully unaware of the blondes thoughts as you all ate and headed home, happy with the day out with your friends.

[shamrockqueen]

Train Delay

Pairing : Mobster Yuri Boyka x Reader

Warnings : Semi-Public sex, Grabbing him in a public space, rough fuck, smut (18 or over only), tearing clothes, spitting

Word count : 2395

AO3 page Link

It’s just an average daily ride on the train. The metal beast hissed to a halt, and all the passengers at the station shambled on. The conductor announced the next stop and it lurched forward as it started back up again.

It’s all like clockwork..more or less.

At 6:15 the train arrives (15 minutes late); at 6:25 it leaves the station. Everyone is to be seated by the time the train has departed, that’s when the men leave the front of the train to take their tribute from all the passengers.

Each person hands over a little wad of cash to the large man as he walks down the aisle, and they are allowed to go about their own business.

The mob has run the train since you were a little girl riding with your mother, and not much has changed other than their going rate.

You could have driven a dozen times over by now, but you choose to take the more dangerous way into town just to see him. The large bear-like man in front of the train car, ready to collect the cash for his boss.

He had been the center of your attention since you’d started taking the train into the city about a month back. Your car battery had given out and you had to catch the next public transport out of town.

You remembered the rules and had some money ready when this beautiful burly man stepped in. His heavy boots made the old metal squeak under his feet as he made his way down the row of seats.

Your hand shook as you curled it around your few dollars. The definition in his muscles could even be seen from where his shirt was clinging to his body from the little opening in his coat. The v at the top showed off the dusting of chest hair, and you knew if you got to run your hand down his torso you’d just melt on top of him.

His beard was well trimmed but still thick, and the same could be said about the line of hair at the top of his head in a flat mohawk with a buzz cut on each side.

When you hesitated to hand him the cash that day; too zoned out, staring at him; he’d barked at you to quit stalling, and your heart nearly leapt from your chest.

By the next day you were back on the train, and the same as every morning he was seen walking down the aisle to collect the money. You’re seated at the back of the train-car as you waited for him to make his way to you.

You hold the little wad of money in your left hand with the aisle of the train to your right.

When he made it to your seat, he huffed an irritated sigh, but instead of asking you to hand it over, he'd begrudgingly leaned in above you to take the cash. His peck brushed your shoulder as he towered over you and it left you holding your breath.

You didn’t know what had come over you at that moment, and in a split second your hand pressed to his clothed crotch. The shaft of his cock was in your very grasp through his thick jeans, and the mere thought of its actual size made you sweat. You hear his voice catch in his throat with a grunt before he looks back at you with his jaw nearly hitting your lap.

Your hand was there for just a moment as your terror filled eyes met his dark gaze. You're basically holding your breath until you quickly let go, but he doesn’t move just yet. He leans back up slowly before twisting his head to the side with a pop from his neck joint.

He shakes himself out of the uneasy headspace, and walks past you to collect the rest of the money before leaving through the door at the front of the train car.

You were terrified. You didn’t mean to do something so obscene, it’s like your muscles were moving on their own. You basically just assaulted a man on the train. A MOBSTER no less, and you grabbed his dick in broad daylight!

Your heart was pounding so hard you could feel it rocking your body back and forth. If it beat any faster, it would pop right out of your tiny body, successfully spraying half the train in a hefty coat of red regret.

You wanted to sink into the frayed pleather of your seat as you fretted for the rest of the ride, not taking notice of a pair of brown eyes staring daggers at you through the glass of the door sitting at the front of the train car.

Even as the old metal creaks and the train shakes on the uneven track, his gaze never wavered.

When you finally arrived at your station it was a lurch of pure relief, and you couldn’t get away fast enough. You practically bolted out of your seat to push at the door before it even opened. Your haste only garnered a few unsavory stares, but by the time you’d rushed out of the train, nobody cared about this strange lady running towards the women’s restroom.

You needed to take refuge in the only small space you could find. You push through the door and grab ahold of the nearest sink. The stalls were empty and the bathroom nice and quiet. You’d think you were finally free to be a nervous wreck in peace, but you’d be a fool for believing so.

Not once did you take notice of the thunderous thumps of heavy boots meeting the stone floor, as a greatly disgruntled entity followed not too far behind.

No, you didn’t realize that the consequences of your actions had walked aright up behind you until it burst through the door. The flimsy wood clacked against the wall and all that could be seen was that big mean mobster, brown eyes on fire as they stared you down.

“You think you can just run away?!” Those heavy boots were almost as loud as he was. Your lips lock tightly together and you can only shake your head in response. He could break you with one hand; a once exciting fantasy now filling you with fear.

Fear that still pooled in your core while making you shake before him.

‘Thump, thump, thump’ is all you here as he backed you right up against the sink “Open your fucking mouth and speak, bitch!”

“No..sir! I wasn’t running from I-I swear!” Oh, but you were, you ran away from the big bad mobster only to lead him to this secluded place where he could crack you over his knee without any witnesses.

“You think that was funny? Is this joke to you? You grab the big man and everyone will laugh?”

He waves his hands at the indication that you’d embarrassed him on purpose for a cheap chuckle.

“No, no. I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me! I swear I wasn’t joking with you!” The terror is more than evident on your little face, as you try not to get yourself broken in half by this Russian thug.

“No joke?” His big menacing body corners you back towards the sink until your dress-clad ass is squished against it. You’ll have to grip the side of the counter just to keep from backing up onto it all together. Your efforts were fruitless as each of his large hands grips you by the back of the legs and pushes you the rest of the way onto the counter.

Your thrown on your side and have to scramble to sit up and face him. Your little sounds of struggle bounce off the tiles walls, and yet each one falls on deaf ears. He just stands and watches as you squirm before him, hands still gripping the sides of your legs to keep you from kicking at him. But, your intentions would never be to push him away.

One of his hands slides from your thigh over the fabric of your stockings to grip your ankle. The other hand travels inward between them, letting his nails dig into the shear pantyhose and tearing at it like cheap strings.

“This what you want?!” His voice lowers, it’s almost a request as well as a warning. A softer side of him that only peers out from behind his prickly exterior. Maybe it’s his way of giving you a chance to run away from the scarier part of him. You didn’t want to run this time, but your silent at first as you knuckles turn white from gripping the countertop.

“Answer!” That softness is gone in a matter of seconds, and you stutter out “Y-yes, please. I-I want this..soo bad.”

You slowly pull your legs apart to nervously invite him in, and each of his large hands rest on your thighs where had had destroyed your stockings. It was an obstacle that needed dealt with, much like your little white cotton panties were to him now.

“Good girl. Saying please. Next you say ‘thank you’?”

You nod, but the words don’t come out. He didn’t expect an actual ‘thank you’ and in turn he doesn’t brutishly scold you this time.

He stands right between your legs, but his hand goes straight for the jugular with a tight squeeze. He leans in and bites at your lips and cheek before stealing a violent angry heady kiss, as he fumbled to unzip his jeans.

Your head is pushed too far to look down and see the shear size of what you once had against your palm. You figured it was long and thick, but now that it was hard, pink, and angry, you would have gasped at its girth and realized you would truly be ripped open.

Your breathless as he squeezes the life from your little neck, and the only sensation is his tongue wiggling around yours as the blood rushes to your head. The hand that isn’t anchored to your throat pulls at the soft white fabric that blocked your entrance in a fist full of panty.

His lips leave yours with an audible smack, and you can feel the soft head prodding at folds as it collected your slick dew before pressing into your needy little opening.

The pain of his stretch was dulled along with all of your senses until his hand unclenches from around your throat and a rush of oxygen hits your lungs and brain. He shoved himself to the hilt, practically tearing you apart just as you took your first breath.

His hand snakes around the back of your neck to anchor you as he drags and pulls himself gingerly, giving you just a little reprieve. Now that your airways were open, a stream of moans and wails erupted from your chest to echo around the small space.

His voice was low, nearly a growl, as he dragged himself along your tight walls and hugged you close. It was like being squeezed by a hungry bear. Soft and suffocating, yet just as dangerous.

Through the dull throb of pain and the twist of sweet pleasure you can feel yourself shiver in his arms. Your core flutters and flexes around his thick cock, the the point that it almost hurts to squeeze around him.

The drag of his cock and the lingering graze of his teeth against your skin makes the dim light overhead turn into a bright white as it creeps into your vision.

His thrusts sputter as he shakes your body to meet his. Hi leans in to bite one last kiss from your lips before bottoming out and breaking past the back of your cunt. His thrusts were now sloppy and wet as he filled a complete stranger full of himself.

He can feel a little bit of it leak around his cock as a shudder runs up his spine. He could feel a chilling sweat that had built up under his coat as the cold world came creeping back in.

His knees nearly buckled underneath him and he had to rest your weight back onto the counter to keep himself steady.

He pulls himself away slowly, mesmerized by the sight of his seed spilling out of you and dripping to the floor. When he looks back up, you're still staring at him with wet needy eyes watching him tuck himself back into his jeans.

You were like a sweet little trubochki, filled to the brim with crème.

You try to plant your feet back onto the floor, but the second you touch the ground your heels go sideways.

He grabs you be the waist to steady you as he’s growling out a harsh but breathy “stand the fuck up.”

You can barely comply, and his hand shoots out to clamp down around your jaw. Your mouth is propped open by the force of his thumb and fingers digging into the sides of your face. His lips pucker slightly and a quick spurt of spit is hawked right onto your tongue.

You squeal a little as the taste of cigarettes and coffee stain your little pink muscle.

“Watch your fucking hands next time, yeah?!” His face is still close and his once booming voice was quiet and yet still dripping with aggression. 

“Yes sir” you answered quickly. It was a miracle you could even breathe, let alone respond. One hand barely holding on to his sleeve; another white knuckling the porcelain edge of the sink when he lets you go. It’s almost like free-falling as your ankles shake from the strain of just holding your own body weight.

You had let go of his coat before he turned to leave you, storming his way out of the ladies room. You could still taste and even feel the wad of saliva he’d spat onto your tongue, and now, as you were alone to savor it, you let yourself take a slow swallow.

‘Next time’ will echo on and on in your head for the whole ride home.

[zzombiecleo]

you've got my heart (won't you come on in close to me?)

yet another yuri week post! check this story out on ao3 and make sure to follow @mcyt-yuri-week for more!

fandom: hermitcraft smp, empires smp characters: ldshadowlady, pearlescentmoon ship: ldshadowlady/pearlescentmoon additional tags: romance, fluff, dancing, alternate universe - royalty, its not technically empires its just. a different royalty thing ig, knight pearlescentmoon, princess ldshadowlady, flirting, drabble, mcyt yuri week summary: she's a knight in shining armour, she's an elegant princess, can i make it anymore obvious? --- mcyt valentines yuri week day 2: royalty/knight

Pearl has trained to be a knight her whole life. Years of training, of blood, sweat, and tears, years of neglecting everything else to accomplish her goal. And now, it has finally led her to be given the honour of guarding Her Royal Highness, Princess LIzzie of the Great Sanguinepeak Kingdom. From a young unnamed girl living in a territory that barely counts as a colony of Sanguine to Dame Pearlescent of the Everlasting Summit, the capital city of Sanguine. It might be silly but this was all she had ever dreamed of and now that she has it, days seem to pass in a golden-hued blur.

Her days start early with morning prayers to the Lady, a service set at 5 in the morning just for the knights and squires of the Royal Palace. The tired murmurs of devotion and the light shining through the rainbow stained glass windows lets Pearl prepare herself for the day ahead. Then comes breakfast, which starts peaceful and ramps up into a loud affair the more awake everyone becomes. Afterwards she heads for training, though she only stays for half of it before it hits 9 and she heads to Her Royal Highness’ chambers to relieve the early morning guards of their duties.

When the Princess Lizzie steps outside of her chambers, she the most delicate and graceful woman Pearl had ever witnessed, as befits her station. Clothes of light silk, perfect for the summer days, hair beautifully braided back, and jewels glimmering in the early morning sunlight. Every morning, the sight inspires such sheer, utter devotion that not even her devotion to the Lady can come close to it. Somehow, the Princess seems to look more lovely each day.

Though the majority of Pearl’s day is then spent following Her Royal Highness at a distance, ensuring her safety through tutoring and garden walks and all else, once the evening comes, that is when the distance closes. When the light fades and the stars shine, the Princess’ chamber doors are left ajar and Pearl knows that it is an invitation.

She slips inside. Among all the other things her reputation is good for, this is certainly one of the best. Barely anyone checks the corridor with the Princess’ room nowadays, they trust that Pearl has it handled. She supposes she does, in a fashion. Doing this is a risk to the Princess’ safety but those moments they spend together are worth it. By the Lady, they’re worth it. She closes the door behind her as she enters and smiles softly at the sight. The sight of not the Princess, the composed angel of the Sanguine Kingdom, but the sight of Lizzie. Just Lizzie.

The soft moonlight shines upon her, illuminating her soft pink locks and the lovely dress she wore that day. Lizzie giggles when she sees her and the way she looks at Pearl makes every agonising moment spent unable to touch her worth it. But she’s not unable to touch her now. So she steps forward and bends down to press a delicate kiss to outstretched Lizzie’s hand.

Lizzie sighs softly, eyes twinkling, “You look beautiful tonight, Pearl.”

“Oh? Don’t I always look beautiful? What an insult, Your Highness.”

Pearl grins as Lizzie’s face turns red and she splutters out several incomplete answers before simply giving up and walking to her dresser instead. Pearl leans against the opulent bed posts of the bed and watches as she fiddles with a deep brown gramophone. A soft waltz starts to echo throughout the room and Pearl unhooks her scabbard and places it gently on the large wooden chest at the bottom of the bed before walking towards Lizzie.

Lizzie turns around in time for Pearl to offer her a hand and ask “May I have this dance?”

“Of course. You may. You absolutely may.” Lizzie smiles at her, cheeks as pink as her hair.

They step into a slow dance around the room, caught up in the stillness of the night and the feeling of being so close to one another. Slow, steady, starstruck. Pearl lives for moments like these in the wake of achieving her goal. This saccharine sweetness feels like a reward for all that she had to leave behind. Dancing the night away with Lizzie, her love, feels like coming home. It just feels right to look into those glimmering sky blue eyes and see nothing but overwhelming love. It feels like the only possible way this could have gone for them. Like a fairytale happy ending.

Lizzie notices her stare, as she always does, and reaches up to press a light kiss to her cheek. The song changes and Pearl twirls Lizzie in response before pulling her back in and holding her close, smiling herself silly all the while.

“You are adorable. Do you know that?” Lizzie giggles, “I think you should know that. You’re the most beautiful woman alive.”

Pearl laughs and kisses her forehead, “You’ve said that so much that at this point, I think I might even believe you.”

“You should.” Another twirl, “I wouldn’t lie to you.”

“Oh, I know. I just think you forget how lovely you really are.”

“That’s your opinion, Pearl. You’re biased!”

“And you aren’t?” She replies and dips her, just holding her like that, lips hovering centimetres from each other.

“Maybe a little, Pearl. But only a little.” She murmurs against her mouth.

In response, Pearl leans down slightly and kisses her. Truly, she believes that all those years of training would have been worth just for a single one of these kisses. A single one of these nights. Irrational? Maybe. But everything about Lizzie inspires not just irrationality but a sincere devotion that Pearl knows, deep down, she will feel for the rest of her days. No matter what.

[hirik0]

Amber and Deception part 1

Nobel Makarov/Thief Yuri

Staying to long in the same place always is a risk in big city, but also more forgiven then in the countryside. Yuri knows that, but the weather didnt allowed him to leave Saint Petersburg by ship for a week by now and he not willing to take the train. Hes not even picky with the destination of the ship at this point, just out of the country is enough. He knows that several people by now are aware hes still in the city and he really needs to get out. He probably should have looked at where the far destination trains are going too, but he didn't, simply because travel by ship is his favorite way to travel. He also, liked the city, so he didnt mind staying longer then planed no time issues with the next job aswell. Now he's paying the price for beeing stupid, running through the rain. Climbing over walls, fences, boxes and what ever he need to trying to get rid of his fugitives. His breath is coming out in small clouds in the cold evening air he looks over his shoulder not seeing anyone, slowing down and stopping because his legs are hurting. He puts his hands on his knees, taking deep breaths, while he trys to listen for any hints if hes still followed. His heart beat is way to loud and his panting and the rain are doing the rest to cover every other sound. His legs are done with the running and so are his lungs, he goes for the hidden dagger in his cloak, his hand closing around the handel, while he is listening, his breath slowly recovering from the running, forcing his heart rate to slowe down, the sound of the rain getting louder in his ears and the background the bussing of the city, he is close to one of the more populated streets. Perfect to hide in the people hurrying to their destination and for him to get back to the place hes staying getting his bag and then using one of the three train stations to leave the city for now. He hears sombody or something stepping in a large puddel, Yuri is tensing up ready to use the dagger if needed. There is no other sound, just the rain neither Yuri nor the potential fugitive are moving, waiting what the other will do. He hears footsteps aproaching from the direction he wants to run towards. Hes likely trapped, there is nothing to climb on, the wall, to high and wet to try climbing fast enoug to get sway, he either has to run past who ever steped in the puddel and hope they are slow to catch up or hope the person aproaching him is just somebody living or working in the neighbourhood. He tightens the grip on the dagger, before making the desition to move forward. He walks around the corner and is looking at somebody holding a gun towards him, out of the corner of his eye he sees somebody else apraoching from behind, reluntly he is raising his arm, cursing in his head for being so naive to stay longer then 3 days, when he should be staying on the move.

"Smart choice", the man with the gun is saying and Yuri is making a sound of dipleasement in the back of his throat. His arms are pulled down behind his back, a painfull grip around his wrists not impossible to get out from, before he gets pushed to move, the man with the gun is putting it away, leading the way. He is lead to a carrige, looking suspiciously ordinary, as if its just one of the countless one you can hire from the street. The man with the gun is entering first, pulling the weapon again pointing at it the captive so he dont try a last minute way to start running again. Yuri gets in without any complaint or fight, he knows when hes defeated and needs to focus on a way to get away later. The man that walked behind him is entering the last.

"Arms in front." Yuri follows the order not leaving the gun out of eyesight, while his hands are bound togehter, the rough rope cutting in the skin. Smart of them, they would see if he is trying to open the knot this way. Then a sack is put over his head, he hears that one of the man is knocking against the carrige wall, and they start their drive. Yuri closes his eyes, focusing on his hearing, only hearing the rain drumming on the roof of the carrigae and his breath. He didnt even got a good look on the two or the carrige interior. No hints of who he run away from or where they are going. The door of the carrige is opening and another person is entering.

"You got him?", a voice with a strong accent is asking that Yuri never heared before. Barely understanding the man at all.

"Yes, wasnt that easy, he's fast and knows the area", the man with gun in answering. Of course he knows the area well he grew up on the streets of this city.

"Good, the boss is getting impatient and you know what happend if you can't follow his plans." Yuri frowns at this information, water running down his face. He is trying to figure out who these 3 man are working for. Impatient and you know what happends if you can't follow his plans, he feels a name flying around in his head, while his stomach drop. Why can't he can't figure out the name if he has such a strong reaction? He starts to lose feeling in his hands, so he starts to move his fingers, very warry to not touch the rope or the knot, to keep the feeling in them. He feels their eyes on him but he dont stop the movement. Waiting what they are gonna do, what their orders are exactly. Nothing is happening besides eyes on him. The drive is going on and Yuri is pretty sure they are doing some circles so he can't pin point where they are going with the time that is passing. The owner of the carriage is the boss of the three man, what means he's wealthy and they are on the way to some of the wealthy areas of the city, so he dont really get why they are doing this. Sure they also could end up in a warehouse workes payed if to ignore his screams when he gets tortured, but a Nobel or buisness men with a basement for people like him, is way more likely he also had his fair number escapes from basements. His weat cloths are sucking the body heat out of him and he can't supress a full body shiver when cold water is running down his spine. If they get faster to their destination that would be nice. The carriage is stopping and he does hear a gate getting opend, that needs to be oiled, otherwise he wouldn't even know they are passing a gate. The drive is starting again for a short distance.

"Bring him up, depending on how smart he is he mind not need to stay in the basement." Rich neighbourhood it is then. The rain is hitting him again soaking the sack on his head quickly. He nearly falls when he stumbles over a stair leading towards the entrance door, but he gets pulled back on his feet. Warmth is hitting his freezing body when they step in. Their footsteps echoing through the room. This time he kicks against the steps towards the uper floor, carpet on the stairs muting the sounds, getting soaked weet by Yuri and the other man that cased him through the rain. The walk on the uper floor is continuing on carpet, they walk towards the near end of the corridor. A door gets opend and Yuri smells the fire in the fireplace before he gets set down on a chair, waiting for what's happening next. He hears scratching on paper before the pen is put down on the table. The sack is removed from his head and the dimm light is blinding him. He blinks the tears away, before he takes more of the room in and more importantly the man behind the desk. Color is draining out if Yuris face he needs to keep a panic noice down in his throat by swallowing dry. Behind the desk sits Lord Vladimir Makarov and he is in trouble. The Nobel is looking at him with two miss matched eyes rumored to be because he's the bastard son of the Tzar. The the Lord makes an displeased sound.

"You sure that's him?", the Lord asks his three men. Yuri glad that the attention is of him even for a few seconds he uses to pretend he's not genuine affrait for his life.

"Yes." The one with the gun is answering a hint of worry in his voice. Yuri would face palm if he could because how could he not figure out they work for Makarov.

"Expected him to look different, less like he's born by a common whore." Yuri holds back an insult he really wants to say, no need to piss of one of the most powerful man in the city. Makarov stands up walking around the desk, a leather glove lifting Yuris chin up, who is trying his best to not show that he's affrait of the other man.

"No need to bring my mother into this", Yuri says looking directly in the eyes of the Lord. For a short moment the corners of Makarovs mouth are lifting up, before he returns to his neutral expression. Not that Yuri knows her, growing up in the streets stealing to survive as long as he rembers.

"You're runening my wooden floor." Makarov has the gal to complain.

"Could have catched me on a day when's not raining, then", Yuri talks back hearing somebody having to cover laughter with coughing, doing a poor job. Yuris cheek and lip is hurting, he tastes blood in his mouth, after Makarov did hit him for his back talk.

"Thinking you're funny?", Makarov hisses in anger, the more dangerous think is the anger not showing on his face. Dangerous to understand when you cross a line.

"No, just observant, your lordship." Yuri conters, emphasing the last part, ready for the next punch, instead a hand is put around his throat. It's not strangel him, yet, but Makarov can feel that Yuris puls has picked up. Yuri licks over his bloody lip tasting the metalic taste, waiting for Makarov next step, trying to apear calm and unbotherd.

"Thought such a alleged master thief, is smart." Makarov trys to provoke him, smearing the master like its a slur. Yuri just shrugs, not his fault Makarov has wrong expectations of who he is. Yuri notices the slight movement around Makarovs nose, displeased with Yuris response, so there are tells Yuri can work with. He just has to look very closely.

"So Im just here to get insulted?", Yuri asks after several minutes of silence, a mix of water and blood running down his chin. The hand around his throat is squeezing him as a warning.

"You stole from me." Yuris is frowning at the accusation, he is sure he would remember that. Makarov is stepping back for a moment getting the letter opener from his desk and replacing the hand at his throat.

"When?", Yuri asks for a bit more context still trying to figure out what object is meant, being sure he would not be that dumb stealing from Makarov and stay in in the city longer then a day. The Lord is known to be somebody you don't want to have as your enemy no matter your status in society.

"Paris, the auction at Drouot, for jewellery last summer", Makarov is narrowing down the time window. Yuris furthers tavel to France was Lyon because he didn't got a bracelet in Genf. He never was in Paris.

"What did I stole?" Makarov jaw are clenching at this clearly thinking that Yuri is playing dumb when in reality was most of the summer travelling in between Warsaw, Königsberg and Berlin. Before he reaches the conclusion that Yuri probably steals so much he genuinely don't remember.

"The Ember Sun." The blade is presst harder against his throat, while Yuri is thinking about, he vaguely remembers stealing something from a train with the destination to Moscow. The few pieces with gems had no amber, most didn't had any gemstones at all and something as known as the Amber Sun would be something Yuri would not have touched, again.

"Im pretty sure you have the wrong person, last summer I was mainly in Prussia", Yuri explains calmly, the blade cutting in his skin.

"For whom?", Makarov demands information he can investigate and prove.

"I dont talk about my clients. Its bad for the buisness." The blade cuts deeper at this, anger now visible in Makarovs eyes.

"How convenient." Makarovs voice is dangerously calm. Yuri swallows at this, not good. He could say something about what he stole, its a gamble especially because it was nothing well know or from a influencal family, some local low ranking nobels having a fight over some jewelery of a dead woman, a noble woman running away from her husband, a fabric owner feeling entitled to a bracelet. Very unusal testing of security messurs at a store that was way to easy to break into for how they bragged. He didn't even stole any necklaces that summer.

"So you bet for the Amber Sun", Yuri trys to deflected from himself. Genuinely intressted, because he knows where the real Ember Sun is suposed to be.

"Yes, and it got stolen over night out of the building, I was to pick it up the next morning."

"I was never in Paris in my live, the furthers I got into France is Lyon", Yuri give up some information, a thin line of blood running down his throat.

"Well there are not that many thief's that are considered masters and from Russia", Makarov conters, the blade losing a bit.

"There are enough." Makarov smiles at this, triumph radiating from his face.

"Only one is called Magpie." Yuri looks unimpressed, he don't even uses that name himself it's a nickname others gave him.

"So why you think it's me?" Yuri takes the bait, blinking to supress an eye roll. Not in the position to annoy the Lord more. Sombody is aproaching from behind holding a piece of paper and a Magpie feather on his field of vision. Yuri can't hold back his groan. He can't even read what's on the paper just seeing some French words he knows or atleast he thinks he knows.

"I can't write or read French." Yuri states, not to forget he never leaves a note or a feather. Hes so obviusly framed its painfull. He comes and goes like a bird flying from tree to tree stealing shiny jewellery, that's why they call him Magpie. Always stealing from transports from or to action houses never from one. That was not him, not to forget he is pretty confident the Ember Sun is still in Bohemia after he stole it for a family there. So did they sell the original in Paris? Not that its his buisness, but the woman that hired him cryed when he gave her the necklace. Yuri of course could mention this, but why should he? Makarov looks at him trying to figure out if his prisoner guest is telling him the truth.

"So you wasted over a year to catch me, for a crime I didn't comided", Yuri points out the blade again pressed hard against his throat. The cut getting deeper. Big mistake, also that is a really sharp letter opener.

"You ever talked to one of my victims or clients?", Yuri asks further. Because that is not at all like he is working. He forces himself to not look away, to not back down from the rage burning in Makarovs eyes.

"Cut his hands free" Makarov orders giving the letter opener to who ever is standing behind him. Yuri looks at the angry red skin around his wrists carefully feeling if anything is damaged. Makarov is allowing him to do so, before he holds out a pen and some paper.

"Prove your claim then", Makarov simply states and Yuri take the both items.

"You want me to just writte random sentences or the confession?"

"Both, the first 2 sentence of the confession and then what ever sentence your mind comes up with." Yuri is about to say that he can only say a few words, not even able to hold a conversation. He stops himself and does as he's told, he honestly can barely write the Latin alphabet being way more confident with Cyril, but with more work in Preusia he's forst to learn it. So he copies the letter as good as possible. Trying his best to writte as readable as possible so he cant get accused of writting bad on purpose. It takes him a good 10 minutes to writte down the 2 sentence and that was him being fast. Makarov is leaning against his desk, arms crossed, looking displeased. Yuri hopes it's not with him. Right two sentences he comes up with, but his mind is blank. He can say maybe 20 words and he dont think he can make a sentence with them. Most of them being name for objects. He dont know how to writte these 20 words. Blood and water is dripping on the paper. While he writtes absolutly nothing. He risks a short glanze at Makarov. He cant pinpoint if the Lord thinks he s faking it or not.

Makarov is fuming, from just to the two sentences its clear the Magpie is telling the truth. Somebody send him on a wilg goose chase. Only one person comes to mind Phillip Graves the smug american buisness man he out bet. He is thinking, well he has a master thief in his office, stupid to not use him right? He knows Graves will be at his mothers ball.

"Can you steal it back?", he asks swiftly, playing with the letter opener.

"From Bohemia?", the Magpie is answerring his question with a question before covering his mouth. Clearly saying something he shouldnt have because the question caught him absolutly of guard.

"Bohemia?", Makarov asks for clarification. He sees that the Magpie is angry with himself, this is a embarresing beginners misstake.

"Who sold it?", the Magpie is instead asking, good cant he just give out his information, that he accidently revealed part of a contract, theres no need to hide it.

"Some danish family." The other man is frowning at this. "They got it throug marring a Lichnowsky."

"Oh, why did they sell it? The Lichnowsky were so glad to get it back. Cant imagin they give it up again. Its important to them."

"He wanted to punish his wife." Makarov shrugs while the Magpie looks disgusted with this.

"Well if you know where the Amber Sun is i can steal it back, for payment." The Magpie brings the talk back to the original question.

"The US, ever heared of Phillip Graves?" The Magpie shakes his head at this. "You may know him as the Shadow."

The eyes of the other man widen in shock, before he is abel to look indiferent again.

"yes, I heared storys about the man called the Shadow." Its clear the thief is not that happy with this work opertunity. "You two?"

"Hate each other." Makarov ends the sentence.

"And you want the necklace because?"

"I dont want him to own it and I fairly out bet him." The Magpie makes a sound he is not sure how to interpret, dont looks like he really not caring really about his reasons.

"Thats the most rich person answer I ever got to this question." Makarovs feels anger in his blood boiling, his cheeks heating up, Nolan is bitting his lips to supress the grin that wants to creep on his face. Atleast the other two look horryfied by how the Magpie is talking to him. How your suposed to be of your boss. He may need to replae Nolan even if Milena will NEVER forgive him. Honestly a win win for him.

"I can still set you up in the basement", Makarov hisses not notecing that the power dynamic changed. That now that he wants something from his guest, the Magpie has bargin.

"But who steals the necklace for you then?" Yuri is not even trying to hide his smugness. Hearing a chuckel from behinde.

"Their are other master thiefs." Yuri gives Makarov a your full of shit face, registering the iritation and frustration in Makarovs voice.

"But only one that already stole it ones." This son of a whore, how dares he talk like this with him? He should just kill him, for talking to him like this.

"Oh, the moment Milena meets him you will never get rit of him", Nolan comments, looking way to ammused with the situation. The worst his hes right, Milena and the Magpie are way to similar in persenality. He should just let him go, but he also need to hire him. That makes him even more angry, both his options are not to his liking.

"IF i have to go to the United States, that cost extra." The Magpie says keeping his eyes on Makarov, the letter opener is still in reach for the Lord. the chances of getting stabbed are not zero quite yet.

"Im pretty sure that will not be the case if Graves is still himself. He will be in the city in two weeks and will have it with him." He will absolutly NOT pay extra.

"To rub it in your face?" the Magpie is asking not specefying what exactly he means with that.

"No, to give it to him", Nolan is answering the question in the most sarcasting tone. God if he wasent such a good employee he would be dead for that. A short smile is flashing on the Magpie face.

"You", Makarov is pointing at Nolan, who deffently is about to fall out the window, wiht how far he leaned out of it. "You are spending to much time with Milena, instead of doing your work. And YOU", getting his attention back to his prisinor. "Have nothing to laugh about." He sees that the Magpie has to physical stop himself from talking back at him. The audacity this low born has, but he will let it slite, of course a common thief has no manners or dignity.

"So we have a agreement?", Makarov asks wanting to get the man out of his office, but can he let him simply return into the city? Can he rely on a thief, probably not. He needs to keep an eye on him, the Magpie is looking him up and down, clearly trying to get a read on him.

"I take extra payment for how dangerous the victim is." Makarov silently nods at this, money is not really an problem here.

"I only take written agremments, if you break it i steal what i think is worth my agreed payment. I take a third upfront."

"Of course, I only have on condition. You need to live here, for the time of the agreement." The Magpie makes a displeased sound at this.

"Of course." Yuri forces himself, not the first time he has to do this. He just has the feeling Makarov will be a especially hugh pain.

[buddyfunnyspendtime]

HAS ANYONE EVER TALKED ABOUT STYLE SAVVY: STYLING STAR (girls mode 4 in japan) YURI..

rosie storyline spoilers !!!!!

(Ignore the ugly outfits here MARZIPAN SKY WASN'T GIVING ME ANYTHING GOOD)

basically the girl on the left is camilla, she's the classmate best friend of rosie and she acted like she didn't worry about rosie even though she REALLY DID and is her biggest fan to the point of creating rosie (the girl on the right)'s chant

rosie came from the countryside and her story in styling star is becoming an idol to be like her idol angelique and camila comes to basically like. All of rosies concerts and it's genuinely so sweet of her

if I remember correctly though when rosie finally sings with angelique and got really famous camila realizes that she doesn't need to worry about rosie anymore so she just like. Straight up leaves rosie

camila ends up ignoring rosie and rosie gets Worried about HER and then rosie even vents about her worrying through reading her lines in a film she was acting it that was about losing a friendship

so then next concert rosies in she gives a ticket to the protag in hopes they can give it to camila, the protag meets camila at the train station and camila shakes the protag off telling her she's not going to come because rosie Really made it big. She doesn't really need her anymore because she needs to go into the more famous circles she belongs in now And that camila is really just a rich girl (before this she requested a chic outfit, a rich girl outfit, even though she's usually a girl who dresses up in lolita)

but she ends up going to rosies concert anyway DRESSED UP IN A ROCK OUTFIT.. THAT ROSIE WAS IN TO SUPPORT HER.. AND SHE SHOWS UP WHEN ROSIE DOES THE FAN CHANT BECAUSE THE FAN CHANT ROSIE MADE FOR HER THE CROWD IS SAYING IT WEAKLY..

SO SHE COMES AND SAYS IT LOUDER...

I didn't get I would get so attached to. Fashion yuri but I love ethem I'm documenting this post just so I can remember them

(ignore rosies ugly outfit I Have grown sick of making 'girly' outfits. wheres my baby doll fans marizpan sky exhibition hall ost is the only thing saving them)

and for the ending of rosies storyline IT'S JUST THE PROTAG THIRD WHEELING THEM ON AN AMUSEMENT PARK DATE WITH CAMILA SAYING SHE'S GOING TO BECOME AN IDOL NEXT.. I really like how for the the main 3 idol stories it's about them rising to fame but their endings all tie to the people around them it's very sweet to me

[digitaltohru]

The Man in the Uniform ch6 is up!

Summary:

After their chaotic intervention at the Forger’s, Chloe pours her heart and gives Yuri a piece of her mind. In order to fix whatever they’ve gotten into, Yuri must find out why does he keep coming back to her. Taking his heart on her hands, their encounter makes them reminisce the events of a year before, when Ostania’s downfall began.

Additional world building notes for the Down the Wall series ‼️・→

Ch. 6 overlaps with TDYWB -Twiyor beginning to brew (which means there’s hints and spoilers of them in the MITU)

The Mitt incident sparks the events mentioned in Ch. 3 of DTW

Timeline wise, the actual time of this story is around 1969, which means the Mitt incident happens in February of 1968

In this timeline, three years have passed since the beginning of operation Strix and most of the events of DTW haven’t happened yet (so there’s a few spoilers and details about Yuri’s character that make more sense when following this story)

DTW has multiple timelines but MAIN one takes place in 1974

"You can relax, we're not on a date or anything." She spoke. Yuri opened one of his eyes and closed them again. "You're not my type anyway."

"What are you talking about?" He puffed. The loudspeaker announced the next station and they started to walk towards the doors of the train. “You’ve been pretty stiff and you haven’t even looked at me once. Afraid we'll run into your sister again?" Silence. "Yeah, that's what I thought." The doors opened and they began to blend into the flow of the crowd.

A few stairs ahead, they ascended to the exit, now joining the bustling life of Berlint-Mitt, their city center, the main attraction for any visitor interested in Ostanian culture and history. Many of the most important buildings were there, still standing despite having been the target of many attacks during the wars. A lot of money had gone into rebuilding these buildings, and it wasn't hard to imagine how many people were involved in their preservation. Chloe blended in with ease, her dignified face matching the beauty of these structures while showing her ability to adapt and represent a modern era. At that moment, he noticed that she was fighting the cold just to keep up with her fashion choices. In other words, she was wearing her best clothes, but she was freezing just to look the part. A sudden sneeze stopped them both and he sighed in disbelief at what he was about to do. Better to be careful than to risk compromising their mission.

"Here. Put this on." It was Yuri's gray jacket that he had draped over her shoulders. "You look like a popsicle." He added. Startled by his sudden kindness, she just nodded and slipped her arms through the sleeves. It was warm. "Yeah, thanks Lieutenant."

[waitingforsecretsouls]

Assorted Zahard thoughts & ramblings

Ever since I started reading Tower of God years ago, and before he even properly entered the story, the character I was undoubtedly most fascinated by was Zahard (or, reading the official translation on LINE, ‘Jahad’), the famous yet nebulous ‘King of the Tower’. A threatening and oppressive authority in the early story, introduced in its gravity through the RED member Lo Po Bia Ren and his attempted elimination of Anaak intermingled with the basics of the concept of the princesses’ of Zahard, introduced through Endorsi and Anaak (and to a smaller extend, Yuri).

What a welcoming and charming introduction to the guy (courtesy of Ren, of course)! Yet nonetheless, after binging the entirety of the released story and in keeping up with it since, in no small part due to my partialty to villains and anatgonists of most kinds, my initial fascination remained, even as many other sections of the fan community seemed to grow increasingly de-mystified and disillusioned with Zahard as an antagonistic force, or rather, a character. Partly a natural consequence of getting actual in-person appearances as the story moved into the wider world of the Tower and started involving its upper echolons in the plot, but in parts also seemingly caused by many readers misunderstandings of the small glimpses we were given into the Irregulars backstory, continuing on into (imo) misunderstandings about Zahard as a a character. While obviously every reader will have their own opinions and readings of events and characters, this subjectivety only stretches to a certain point, and sometimes reaches an extend at which the subjective starts to contradict what was actually depicted in the story. This wanna-be meta is not an attempt to attack fans who hold these opinions but simply my attempt to, mostly for myself, explain how I see Zahards character and how come it’s so very different from the popular fanon.

Guardian of the Rice Pot and the Floor of Death

While the story makes sure to introduce Zahard early by his reputation and influence, through the princesses and the Royal Enforcement Division (RED), Zahard the individual takes a backseat to the adventures of Bam and his shifting group of friends. While the beginning of season 2 certainly opens question with the introduction of the concept of the ‘Prince of Zahard’ the focus of these theories is the newly introduced Wangnan Ja and not potential character traits of Zahard.

The first glimpse given to us at Zahard the person comes from the artificial being residing in the Hell Train, the so-dubbed ‘God of Guardians’, as he oversees Bams training to find his true self and power. Tempted by said power within himself (dubbed as the ‘Blue Thryssa’ by the fandom) the Guardian silently warns him to ‘ not give in to the power inside of you...You must not become like ‘Jahad’...’ (Tower of God # 251). Given the conversation the reader is being shown between Bam and his inner power in the very same chapter, which consists of the latter trying to convince Bam that he has the power to stand above everyone else to prevent himself from being victimized by them, refuted by Bam himself as meaningless, since it’s based on hatred and trampling over others, the implication is that Zahard himself instead took his powers words at face value and gave in to it, in order to become king. And, as implied, in order to rule over others for his own self-satisfaction and desires.

However, when Bam visits the Guardian once more after his experiences in the Name Hunt Station, asking him to teach him ‘how to become a God’, how to better protect his companions, the Guardian rejects him and denies his request, revealing that the previously set up implication about Zahard does not ring true.

“Boy...Great Power cannot make everyone happy. Long ago, some child asked me something like that. To teach him how to become the ‘King of the Tower’. When I asked the child why he needed such power, this is how he replied.

‘I want to turn this Tower into a place where everyone can live happily.’ 

“I helped him grow stronger, and he really did get stronger. And ultimately, he became the King of the Tower...But in the end, that child failed to make everyone happy. I don’t know exactly what happened...But a lot of things changed after he left this place. I may not know everything in the world, but I’m sure of one thing.

Having tremendous power won’t make everyone around you happy.”

(God of Guardians, Tower of God, #310)

 This little speech both refutes the implication that Zahard (at the time the Guardian met him) sought power for its own sake, to oppress others, and introduces Zahard as the failed idealist: clearly something between sharing his dream with the guardian and its execution went awry, now to find out what happened, something the Guardian himself wonders about (as a side note, I can’t help but find the guardian calling him ‘child’ bittersweet. Yes, when Zahard met the Guardian he was a child and so obviously it’s normal to call him that, as he calls Bam ‘boy’, but the way he frames (and only has the experience to frame) his persona as the idealistic (and arguably naive) child, who ‘failed to make everyone happy’...Idk, it gets to me more than many of the grand and ‘epic’ yet remote revelations and tragedies). It’s with these new excpectations (Zahard used to be(?) a guy who genuinely cared about making as many people as possible happy) and questions (so wtf happened?) that the reader goes on into the next arc, the Floor of Death (FoD), where SIU unloads the most compact and revealing lore bomb to date, in the form of Garam Zahard and the diary of Arlene Grace. And, in many cases, the just a few chapters ago revealed idealistic young Zahard and his motivation seems to go out the window in many minds, overwritten by the new information instead of augmented by it, or serving as a foundation for receiving it.

To go chronologically, ie starting with the reveals about the journey of the Great Warriors instead of the backstory for the FoD, we learn that instead of eleven Irregulars there were thirteen, a man only known as ‘V’ and Arlene Grace, the founders of FUG, who were erased from official knowledge and history. We learn (from Arlenes diary itself, mind you, which to me always gave the information a probably unitended comedic side effect; in the best case through Garam filtering her knowledge about Zahards hidden love, as received from Eurasia Anne Zahard, through Arlenes diary with the benfit of hindsight and reckognizing early signs of that love/crush in her writing about Zahard) that apparently, ‘right from the start’, Zahard had a crush on Arlene, whereas Arlene had a crush on V. Sometime during their climb they began a relationship and then...I’m just going to quote the full thing, since it’s pretty vital to some of my biggest gripes with Zahards mischaracterisation:

“And at the end of their great journey, Jahad announced that he would stop climbing the Tower and become king. V and Arlene, who wanted to keep climbing the Tower, criticized Jahad. Arlene expressed Jahad in her records as being ‘blinded by falsehoods’.

“But Jahad didn’t stop. He made a deal with the administrator to become the King of this Tower and after that, he found Arlene and proposed to her. But Arlene was already engaged to V. Arlene refused Jahad’s marriage porposal and ran away with V. Then the two of them formed an organisation which opposed Jahad and started a war in order to steal the ‘key’ which Jahad had.

“Jahad was also enraged and fought them. In the process, there were many conflicts even among the 10 leaders...But there aren’t many details about this aspect in Arlene’s pocket. What I know for sure is that the 10 leaders sided with Jahad for some reason, and ultimately V and Arlene lost the war and became fugitives.”

“And as she ran away, within Arlene’s body, yet another life was waiting to be born.[...] That child...was murdered by Jahad. Having heard the rumours that she had a child, Jahad had tracked down the child and killed it right in front of Arlene’s eyes, not long after it was born”.

(Garam Zahard, Tower of God #320)

Since this is not (fully) an Arlene and V meta, I’ll cut off here for now, and examine this quote piece by piece. A common, but contradicting the actual text, interpretation of Zahard in this segment and time period is boiled down to ‘Possessive Zahard was on an ego trip, so he made himself king and sealed off the higher floors so no one could become a greater power than him, and high off his own ego he proposed Arlene. When she refused, he entered a blood rage and started a war against her and V over his hurt feelings, and once defeated tracked them down and killed her child because he’s such an incel that he couldn’t stand the thought of Arlene having a child with someone who wasn’t him.’ Safe to say, no part of the revealed information bears out this interpretation, all the more so taking into consideration later reveals. But, as I said, one piece at a time. The first thing that irks me when overlooked is that SIU was very careful not to reveal either sides motivations here: why do V and Arlene want to keep climbing (as the only ones we know of)? We don’t know. Why did Zahard suddenly decide to stop climbing, and not only that, but go so far as to literally seal off the higher floors? We don’t know. What we do know is that Arlene and V ‘criticized’ Zahard, ergo likely had some, at the very least one, big argument(s) about this (no other leaders are reported as siding/arguing with V and Arlene at this stage). Arlene claims that Zahards reasons don’t hold true, she literally describes him as ‘being blinded by falsehoods’, which to me always took the wind out of the sails of the ‘ego-trip’ argument by itself, and any potential malicious/egotistical tint to his motivation (at least if you believe Arlene to be averse to such), because it shows that Arlenes main gripes with Zahards reasoning is that she does not believe it actually applies, not that the reasons by themselves are ridiculous or narrow-minded. This is obviously only going by the English translation on LINE, which is notorious for the occasional slip-ups, but going by this formulation Zahard is depicted as ‘misled’ rather than ‘willfully obstructive to the truth’.

The next big thing is the proposal, which is mainly taken alongside the incel argument as Zahard wanting to have his cake and eat it too, to the point of delusion. However, this is ignoring the obvious and just narrated, dare I say, political divide between V and Arlene and Zahard’s faction (everyone else, apparently). While I’m not going to argue that it’s impossible that his feelings for Arlene played a part in it, I’m just going to point out that a very recent part of the Tower of God story has been about someone trying to bind Bam to his cause via marriage with someone from his ‘faction’, so to speak, as a political arrangement. And it has always been (yes, even before the recent arc) this perspective that informed my view of the proposal. Because Zahard knows that Arlene (and V) are opposed to his current course, we were just told that they ‘criticized’ Zahard, and given how important the issue was to Arlene, I daresay it would have been a harsh criticism indeed. For Zahard to think that would just magically go away, even if Arlene had agreed to his proposal...Sorry, but I don’t buy it, and it doesn’t gell with literally anything we see from Zahard. While he certainly has emotions, it is never these emotions that dictate his actions, or at the very least, he always has logical reasons to act the way he does, even if his emotions are in tune with them and one can’t argue that they don’t factor into his decision. So I always saw it as a last ditch attempt at a political compromise (plus splitting up the V and Arlene team-up): yes, I’ll still seal the higher floors but you (Arlene) are going to get an equal say in how everything is run in the floors up until now. And if you believe V and Arlene (though the one credited is only young!V...) to be interested in the Towers residents and their well-being it would certainly be a way for them to act on that conviction. But aside from Arlene maybe being able to represent V’s at this point of their journey premused still existing and presumed benign ‘interest’ in the normal Tower inhabitants, there’s not a lot of it in this for Arlene, plus she’s already engaged to V, so a no to the offer. Bully. So, what does she do? Runs away with V, forms FUG and starts a war for the key to the higher floors.

 I...sorry? To be clear, my goal here is not to argue something like ‘Zahard is not an antagonist’ or ‘V and Arlene are the true villains!’, but it is, simply put, extremely irritating when this canonical fact gets turned around and people argue and theorize as if Zahard had started the war, which, okay, some people have probably a lot going on and don’t re-read, have the time to-re-read, or the interest, and shouldn’t be blamed for that, but this is still an extremely...relevant part of the lore and how it reflects on the characters involved, and not to start with that again, but this reversal truly seems to feed into peoples perception of Zahard as ‘scorned lover’, so I do feel the need to harp on it a bit. Because if you argue, whether because you truly remember it like that, or because it seems right, since Zahard is the most prominently presented antagonist, that it was Zahard who escalated the disagreement into war-of course he’s going to come off as petty! And at the same time, V and Arlene are robbed of the strenght of their conviction, that made them go ‘fuck it, talking leads nowhere, we’re gonna abscond and build our forces, then attack.’ Which is what they do, and it’s then that ‘Jahad was [...] enraged and fought them.’ If you consider that Zahard was the acknowledged leader of their operation, plus the fact that they all used to be friends, of course he’s going to feel angry and betrayed, even leaving aside the much discussed love triangle. Especially considering that he was going to share the key (or at least the half of it that made the 13 month weapons) among the Great Warriors.

During the war there was conflict among the 10 leaders, which as of now seems to be the main reason he abandoned that avenue (most likely compounded by V and Arlene starting a civil war against him)- yes, eventually they all sided with Zahard, but not so from the start, and who knows how committed once they did? Then of course FUG started to kill their children for siding with Zahard and they all would have started to hate that unpleasant legacy of V and Arlene at least a little, but that’s long after the bits relevant here. So, once all the leaders side with Zahard, V and Arlene lose the war, and become fugitives. They lay low on the FoD and Arlene gives birth to Bam, and then Zahard ruins their newly formed family by coming in and killing Bam (while V was apparently...away? Would he not have felt Zahard coming? I don’t have a firm theory or anything, but we do know there was something suspect about BabyBam from the start, and afterwards V kills himself instead of trying to support Arlene...Hm.). Given everything I’ve written up to this point, safe to say I do not think Zahard killed Bam just because he was sooo overpowered by jealousy at V and Arlene that he entered a murderous rage. We’re not yet at the hidden floor arc, but even just looking at the above quote you can see some suspicious stuff. So, Zahard hears rumours that she has a child...specifically tracks down the child, almost as if he had been, say, on the lookout for news of that kind (and instead of tracking down V and Arlene, founders of FUG, the largest thorn in the side of his empire, who started a war against him and are fugitives, whom, it appears, he could have found whenever he liked, given how little difficulties he seems to have had tracking down BabyBam), kills it and then...again, leaves V and Arlene to their own devices, free to plot vengeance, even. I don’t have a coherent theory or anything, and again, my point is not that babymurder is cool just because there was something off about that baby and that Zahard is not an anatgonist, but to point out why I do not adhere to perhaps more poular interpretations of that chain of events. It’s only sometime after Arlene leaves that he builts himself a temple there, which is understandably seen as a dick move, but if you consider that V and Arlene are the founders of FUG, an organization that is compared at times to a religion (in its difficulty to be stamped out), how V and Arlene are venerated in FUG like Zahard is in the empire, how Sophia Tan considers  Seolhyangwyon sacred simply because Arlene once stayed there (Tower of God #549), it reads more as an attempt to supplant the floors spiritual and symbolic significance to FUG with his own symbol. Again, still a dick move, but easy to see as politicaly motivated. Because Arlene was not some random woman but a political figure of enormous significance in her own right.

Looking at Zahard, the obvious question the reader now has, going into the next arc, is: so why did Zahard decide to stop? Looking at the fallout of his decision, one certainly can’t help asking if it was worth it, what it would have cost him to just keep going? Wasn’t that his goal from the start?

Hidden Floor (and the puzzle’s starting to come together)

 And so we come to the Hidden Floor, and the debut of the young data of Zahard. Remembering the chapters coming out, it’s safe to say that most reactions to him were a mix of bemusement and perhaps even disappointment: who was this little kid that looked like it was playing dress-up? The entire point, I would argue, confirmed at the end of the arc: the entire point of data Zahards character is that he is a young boy playing dress-up, the play-pretend king. Who knows of his outside selfs power and influence, yet none of what it cost, who is proud of the empty glimmer and glamour of the title (yet even he knows something is not quite right, when he meets his older self) he had not yet earned himself. Who, I would argue, tries to rationalize what he learns of his outside selfs path with the discoveries he himself made within himself, of his true power and true self as revealed in the rice pot. Who does not want to be king.

“I also went inside myself with the help of a guardian on the train. It was inside myself that I found out that I have the destiny of a king. Whether I like it or not-I realized that I would become the peak of this Tower and rule over everyone.”

(Data Zahard, Tower of God # 379)

A small part of what can make data Zahard frustrating to analyze is that he was already tampered with by his older self, and so when Bam speaks Arlenes name, he reacts with intimidation and violence, set to start to forget. I personally tend to view, in particular his first encounter with Bam after Arlenes name falls, as reactions as the older data Zahard would have them, implanted in his younger self as an ‘averse reaction’, though unless I overlooked something glaring, it is certainly open to wider interpretation-perhaps beyond classifying Bam now as a potential threat, the young Zahard would have reacted in a similar way. However, his monologue on what it means to be a king, and transformation into a ‘monster’ certainly seem more fitting with the older Zahards total and absolute (arguably to the point of self-destruction, depending on what you believe the ‘princes’ are) identification with his (inescapable) fate as ‘King’.

Regardless of manipulations, we do very much also get to see the young Zahard true to himself: his friendly curiosity in Bam and the other ‘clowns’ that entered the data world, his wager with Edahn celebrated by the latter as a resurgence of the comrade he knew, his enjoyment of combat and others honest courage in facing him, at a good challenge and ultimately, at seeing something completely new in the climax of his battle with Bam after spending thousands of years, frozen, on the unchanging hidden floor: enough enjoyment that he freely concedes the battle and reveals his own plan, to show Bam to his older self to try to reignite the fire in his heart the same as it happened to him, only to be unceremoniously interrupted by said older self making his grand entrance. Zahard (older data Zahard?)  is quick to attempt to redress his errors and miscalculations: Data Zahard tries to give away the bracelet? Better take that into custody again. Bam somehow got resurrected? Welp, time to kill him again. And everyone else he knows, both as a funeral offering and just to be thorough this time around. While this older Zahard is certainly characterised by a certain cold-bloodedness, by itself this is not unpresent in his younger self, if anything the defining aspect of his short appearance is his preoccupation with fate (While data Zahard also mentioned it once or twice, most instances can be safely put down to meddling of his outside self or knowledge of his future occupation, and the other instances refer to the rice-pot, where one learns ones such fate). In reaction to Bams seeming resurrection:

“...Son of Arlene. I can tell just from looking at your eyes. I don’t know how you managed to come back to life...But fate is really toying with us...Son of the woman I loved more than anyone. I didn’t think I would get to kill you again with my own two hands...”

(Older Data Zahard, Tower of God #387)

(also, quite irrelevant to any sort of point, my two cents on the issue: I’m gonna maintain that he reckognizes Bams eyes, because...they’re Bams eyes, and he saw BabyBam when he killed him. Imo it gives the scene more gravitas, since it’s ‘remember how this guy had no issues killing a baby and remembers and is now (metaphorically) going to do that again’, instead of ‘side exposition about Arlene’s physical appearance’. I don’t think even the potential factor of a different soul would necessarily change his eye-colour. I do however certainly understand the alternative interpretation, that Bam could have inherited Arlenes eyes)

And more revealing of his general attittude, his conversation with his younger data self:

“Why are you helping that boy? Tell me, my data.”

“To help you start another adventure!”

“...Adventure?”

“Yeah!! When I first met my future self with the mirror, I was more flustered than happy. You became such a powerful and great king. That body overflowing with divine energy and eternal life. Eyes that penetrate everything. You were an unbelievably perfect being!! But in spite of how flawless you seemed, I sensed a small but massive feeling of anxiety in you. Fearing something in spite of having gotten so powerful. I couldn’t believe it. So on the one hand, I wanted to help you. That’s why I changed this hidden floor and even hid that bracelet for you!! But not anymore! If you really are a king, you have to accept a challenge! Because that’s who ‘King Jahad’ is!! Look!! That boy [Bam] is your new ‘adventure’!!”

“..An adventure, huh? That’s right, embarking on an eternal adventure- if that’s my fate, then I have to accept it. However. Since that day when I began to see all causes and effects from the same height as God...I found out how to play around with fate. Cruel fate.”

“You played around...with fate?”

“That’s right. Being an immature form of data, you wouldn’t be able to understand. But now, I seek to place even fate under my control.”

“What..?”

“You don’t know what ‘that boy’ is. Of course, I don’t fully understand either. When you find out the truth- you may regret your actions today. But I also want to respect your choice. I’m taking this [the bracelet] with me. If that boy is qualified to have this- he’ll appear before me again someday.”

(Older data Zahard and data Zahard, Tower of God #388 & #389)

What is abundantly clear is Zahards view of fate as an inescapable force, and his own helplessness against it- until he found a way to manipulate it. However, even in this manipulation-seeking to establish control of fate-he reaffirms his view of fate as the absolute force guiding ones destiny-you have to manipulate fate, you can’t escape it. We also learn that he discovered these means after a certain point in time, in which he gained a greater perspective over the flow of fate, or however one might call it, a perspective far outstriping the ‘paths’ guides see or even precognitive abilities of people such as Khel Hellam. It also makes clear that Zahard did see something fishy about BabyBam-at the same time his dialogue to Bam could certainly be taken as a certain enjoyment/emotional vindication in the deed, I’m perfectly fine with all perspectives on that one, it’s simpy important to me that it is acknowledges that it was likely Zahards broader perspective on fate that led him to kill BabyBam. Zahard also demonstrates a certain acceptance of the inevitability of Bams path intersecting with his once more, now that he failed to kill him again and for good. Despite his ‘divine’ powers, he certainly seems a far more resigned and exhausted personality than his young self. It seems certain that, quite in line with what the God of Guardians once said: ‘Having tremendous power won’t make everyone around you happy’, this is also the case for Zahard, including himself. What we do learn therefore is: why did Zahard stop climbing? Presumable because of his new ability to see (and manipulate) fate. Still unclear is why exactly Zahard gained this ability: not having reached the true top of the Tower, not a chosen boon granted upon fulfilling a certain challenge or reaching a certain floor, similar to the Great Warriors contracts of Immortality. And equally mystifying-if such was the case, how would Arlene have known his reasons/whatever he might have seen or intended to change to be false?

Zahard himself demonstrates a certain undeniable nostalgia for his youth-intending to have his younger self remain on the Hidden Floor, unaware of what occured between his companions and his own older self, even as he had him delete said comrades young selfs in turn. Intending to respect his younger selfs choice, even as he was in the process of being deleted. And most of all, both his younger self and his older self demonstrate a certain aversity to the concept of kingship, at the very least as applied to and enforced by themselves, that would dominate their later life.

Age of Genesis Zahard and Boo Boo the Fool (Khel Hellam)

Zahard, during the so-called age of Genesis, is gifted with being antagonist to one of FUGs affiliated fighting groups, the ‘Hidden Grove’. After the (voluntary) capture and sealing of its leaders in the Wall of Peaceful Coexistence, marking the decline of the great conflict between V and Arlene-less FUG and the Zahard Empire, Khel Hellam recruited this group for an attempt to assassinate Zahard, confident in the possibility of success due to his ability to see the future. However, Zahards grasp over such matters proved the greater and he confronts Khel Hellam and his allies.

To me what this little monologue does, rather than being some sort of arrogant waxing about his various accomplishments, or being an aggrandizing self-introduction, is to show, again, Zahards preoccupation with the role of King, his fate, his all roads lead to Kingship Rome. He lists his various accomplishments (regardless of how much you agree or disagree with them) in pointed contrast to the ‘But you probably know me best by a different word (regardless of the various other stuff I did)’. His question is not an arrogant ‘Who do you think I am, that you could catch me by surprise with a move like that?’ But an earnest question about how they, these people willing to risk their lives to kill him, perceive him. Of course, he doesn’t wait for them to answer, and instead answers for them in a sort of (bitter) resignation, and to be fair, his role as King is, in fact, why FUG rallied once more, and various kingdoms, to oppose him. It is his defining role in their lives. But it shows further struggle of Zahard with his role, what he was shown in the rice pot was his inevitable fate. When Khel Hellam does not belive him, he then goes on:

Is it just me or could this, perhaps, smell like a bit projection there? I mean, who knows, maybe it is just a little smack talk, I just think it could be likely that Zahard maybe did not immediately have a firm grasp on the new godly perspective over fate and may have made some miscalculations. But who knows!

Aaand more of Zahard tying his role as king to his combat prowess and fate-seeing ability. Good, healthy stuff. Anyway, this is definitely not all that managed to swirl around in my head about this guy, but I feel like this might be a nice place to end the rambling for now.

To sum up the main points of this post:

Basically, since I do very much enjoy Zahard as a character, it is somehwat disappointing when most people’s takeaway from the story seems to be a different guy entirely. No one is obligated to like him, of course, but I feel that disliking a character can coexist with acknowledging them as they’re written, meaning with certain characteristics and character traits and motivations that lead them to their actions. I’m not claiming that my view is the ‘one, true’ Zahard or anything like that either; simply tried writing down how I experience him and some frustrations with more blatant examples of readings that strain compatibility with canon.

[alternateafterthought]

Wild Flower (들꽃놀이)

CHAPTER TWO

Summary:

Hana was mated to the Alpha of her dreams. He was everything to her. Then the war came. Uprooting her whole life, Hana moved to Mercy to marry an Alpha who had recently lost his Omega. Becoming the mother of a newborn and pregnant with her own, Hana moving out west was only the beginning.

Namjoon was stressed. Losing his Omega to a sickness. Not being able to take care of his pup. Being offered a marriage and mating with an Omega in a similar situation, Namjoon too it.

Life together was a second chance, as free as wildflowers.

Word Count: 2405

After two days' travel, Hana welcomed the train station at Salvation, a few hours trip from Mercy. The station was relatively new, fully equipped with a tearoom, a lady's lounge and four station hands that were well dressed. Salvation had better facilities then Darie, where her journey started, but not as good as her stop in the city. 

Though stepping off the train, carry bag clutched in one hand, the other making sure she didn’t fall, Hana was just glad to be on solid ground. The smoke of the train filled her lungs, coughing into a handkerchief, Hana tried to look through the small buildup of people. She was searching for Yuri, Evander’s omega sister, who was expecting Hanson the 11 o’clock train from the city. 

“Hana Thompson?”

Turning at the sweet voice, Hana was met by a beautifully tall omega, smelling of fresh baked goods and syrup. This was obviously Yuri. She and Evander shared the same dark hair, the same dark eyes, the same half smile he always gave her when he was listening to her speak. 

“Mrs. Kang?”

“Please, call me Yuri.” She moved towards Hana, taking her slim hand into her warm one. “We are sisters, even if…”

Both of them seemed to swallow around a lump in their throats, nodding in acknowledgment of what it was that tied them together. Instead, Yuri turned and had someone fetch her trunk and load it into the carriage waiting for them. Still standing on the platform, Yuri smiled at Hana, both of them smiling through shared tears. 

“Mr. Kim is waiting for us at the church.” Yuri took Hana’s arm, both of them walking through the station and towards the carriages. “I thought it better for his pup to stay indoors until you travel home.”

With a nod of understanding, Hana was helped into the carriage by Yuri’s footman, who had strapped her trunk to the back, bowing slightly before Yuri was perched next to her. It was an uneventful little town, from the carriage window at least, Hana had seemed to stumble upon. The carriage jerking as they took off, leaving the edge of town and moving slowly down the Main Street of Salvation. 

Though small, it was lively and packed with store fronts and smiling people, pups running around and their parents laughing fondly at their antics. Hana could make out the church, a tall white building, a large gold cross on top, situated in the middle of town. She thought they were headed there, so it was a surprise to Hana when they came to a stop a few buildings before the church, Yuri taking her hand happily. 

“I couldn’t be there for you and Evan… and it’s one of my biggest regrets.” Yuri smiled sadly, her sweet scent souring a little. “But I can be here for you now. Would you allow me to buy you a dress to marry Mr. Kim in?”

Hana thought of refusing, the words on the top of her tongue, instead; “Thank you, Yuri. I would truly appreciate it.”

Yuri gave a squeal of excitement, wrapping her thin arms around Hana before both of them were out of the carriage and bounding towards a dress shop. Hana couldn’t help smiling at Yuri’s obvious excitement, causing warmth to spread through her at her sister's affection for her. She may be marrying another alpha, but that doesn’t mean she’d lose all of Evander, Hana may get to keep more of her alpha. 

“I had come ahead and talked to the seamstress; she should have something for you.” Yuri stage whispered as she opened the door. 

“Ah, Mrs. Kang,” a short woman with graying hair and glasses on the tip of her nose didn’t bother to look up, obviously having scented them. “I’ve just finished your order, would you like to come, and see?”

“Thank you, Mrs. Singer.” Moving through the shop, Hana admired all the fine silks and intricate lace material, resisting the urge to reach out and run her fingers over them. “This is Hana. My sister.”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Singer.” Hana smiled politely at the elderly omega. 

“The pleasure is all mine, dear.” Mrs. Singer finally looked up, assessing Hana. “Yes, the measurements weren’t too far off, I’d say I have to take it in barely an inch.”

Hana was soon whisked away and out of her travel clothes, which she had folded neatly into a small pile, and was dressed in a beautiful off-white satin dress. It was beautiful, and Mrs. Singer had been right, she’d only needed to take it in an inch before Yuri sat her on a chair in front of a large vanity. The omega worked on her hair, making sure Hana was ready, her salty sea breeze scent seemed to be producing more of the sweet milk at the omegas care. 

“There.” Yuri pinned the veil into Hana’s hair. “Perfect.”

“Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me.” The slim omega smiled warmly. “We’re family.” The two omegas stayed like that for a moment, Yuri’s warm hands sitting on Hana’s shoulders, before they both took a deep breath. “Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

Yuri helped Hana to stand, fussing over her dress as they waved at Mrs. Singer, going back out onto the street, but not towards the carriage that waited for them; “We’ll walk from here.”

Hana nodded and took Yuri’s arm, pushing her shoulders back, feeling everyone in town's eyes turning towards them as they walked from the dress shop to the church. A few people stopped them, speaking to them both, congratulating Hana on the obvious wedding about to take place and speaking with Yuri. Though Hana’s attention was on the three tall men that stood outside of the church, talking amongst themselves while watching Hana and Yuri. 

As they got closer, Hana realized the three men were in fact omegas, each one as strikingly beautiful as the next, sending her soft smiles. The tallest of the three smiled wide and boxy, reaching for a pup who was running carefree around the church garden, chasing another pup. Another spoke to another pup, obviously the omegas pup and a few years older from the running pups, both of them with the same full lips and eye for detail at their beautiful clothing. The third omega was the shortest of the group and holding his protruding belly, having completely foregone anything too formal to wear over his large bump, though still smiling wide, eyes half-moons. 

“Mrs. Kang, hello.” The shortest omega finally spoke as they approached, the running pups stopping to stare wide eyed at Hana. “And you must be Mrs. Thompson?”

“Mr. Min, it’s wonderful to see you again.” Yuri smiled politely. “Hana, this is Mr. Min, Mr. Kim and Mr. Kim.”

“We are friends of Namjoon’s. We live out in Mercy as well.” One of the Mr. Kim’s offered a blinding smile. 

“Yes, we are a tight knit community out in the middle of nowhere,” Mr. Min rubbed at his belly. “We look forward to welcoming you into that community.”

“Thank you.” Was all Hana could say. 

“Well let us not stand around gossiping, making our alphas wait any longer.” Yuri laughed a little along with everyone. “We have a wedding to attend.”

The omegas rounded up the pups, who were all still staring up at Hana in wide eye admiration, ushering them along to their alphas. One of the Mr. Kim’s stayed behind with Hana and Yuri, speaking softly to his elder pup with a loving smile. They watched the pup run off, skirt pulled up slightly, so she didn’t step on it, only to return a few moments later with flowers.

“Go on.” Mr. Kim nodded encouragingly.

“Mrs. Thompson,” The pup shuffled towards Hana, who smiled softly at the nervous pup. “Papa and I thought you’d look beautiful with these. They are from our garden.”

“They are rather beautiful.” Hana only smiled wider at the pup’s own wider smile. “Thank you very much.”

“I wrapped it myself.” She spoke with a little more pride in her words. “Papa let me pick out the ribbons, and I made it all by myself.”

“Did you? Well this is one of the most beautifully wrapped bouquets I’ve ever seen.”

A blush rose on the pup’s ears and neck, handing Hana the rustic and beautiful bouquet, before moving back to stand next to her Papa. Hana watched as the omega leaned down to whisper to his pup, obviously telling her how proud he was before she was off inside the church. The tall omega stood a little straight, smiling thankfully towards Hana, stepping a little closer towards the two omegas.

“Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for accepting her gift.”

“Of course, Mr. Kim.”

“She was nervous about giving it to you.” Mr. Kim looked back into the church. “When she heard that her Uncle Joon was being remarried, she prayed to every goddess that you would enjoy flowers.”

Hana brushed her fingers through the soft petals with a longing smile; “I love flowers. I had a garden back in Darie that I always loved.”

“She will be excited to hear about that.”

“Jinnie. Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Kang,” Mr. Min called from the church doors. “We’re ready for you now.”

Those words seem to make time go faster. Hana was walking through the church, down the aisle and standing next to Mr. Kim, who stood tall and commanding as any alpha she had ever met before. He was pleasantly handsome, and smelled strongly of a forest after the rain, except for the slight hint of peaches she could smell.

It took no time at all before Hana was, once again, married. Though this time, somehow to her own amazement, she was also a mother and a mother-to-be. 

Signing the marriage certificate with Mr. Kim, Hana took his offered arm as they exited the church, being joined by the rest of their party. Hana was soon introduced to everyone, though she wasn’t able to retain much of the information thrusted at her. Not when her new alpha was giving a small bundle, smelling like the sweetest peaches, and wide awake as they stared at their alpha father. Their party had all turned away, obviously giving them some form of privacy, as Hana and Mr. Kim finally gave introductions.

“Hana, please.” She spoke softly after the alpha called her by her first married name. “We are married and are to be mated at some point. It only seems fitting to use my maiden name.”

“Namjoon.” The alpha’s voice was deep and dreamlike, just as his stare at his pup. “And this is Maya. Named for her mother.”

“It's a beautiful name.” Hana looked down towards the pup, who seemed to be reaching towards her. “You have been blessed with a beautiful pup.”

“Would you like to hold her?” Namjoon offered the pup towards her.

With a determined nod, Namjoon placed the pup in Hana’s arms, who sighed happily to be in the arms of an omega. She had obviously been passed around each omega’s arms, no doubt having spent time in Mr. Min’s arms longest, as his milky scent was strongest. Maya yawned, stretching her small hands, before nestling against Hana’s chest, effectively falling asleep in the omega's arms.

“I guess she’s comfortable.” Namjoon couldn’t help laughing in disbelief. “I haven’t been able to get her to sleep so easily.”

“I have no doubt you have done everything you could have.”

Namjoon gave a small smile, Hana noticing dimples as he did, before they were interrupted by Yuri, offering them a meal before they were to be off. They made it to a cafe, which had been closed for the day as per Yuri’s request, for their party to file in and take the seats provided. Maya slept atop Hana, even as she tried to eat, though she gave up after a while, so as not to wake the sleeping pup who was obviously tired. It caused Namjoon to offer to help her, lifting food to her mouth, never letting her linger on anything too long, merely swallowing before he had another sandwich ready for her. 

“Before we leave,” Namjoon spoke quietly to Hana, both of them watching their guest laugh and speak loudly. “Would you like to change? It’s a rather long journey and I’d rather you were comfortable.”

“Yes, thank you.” Hana looked down towards the sleeping pup, taking the shawl from her shoulders and scenting it. “Wrap her in this, I’m sure she’ll stay calmer with it.”

Namjoon looked touched, nodding as he took the shawl and then opened his arms for the pup; “Would you like help getting out of that dress?” Before Hana answered, Namjoon was waving Mr. Kim over. “Jin, would you mind helping Hana change for the trip home?”

“Of course,” The omega smiled. “Were your things still on Mrs. Kang’s carriage?”

“Yes, I’ll have Yuri come with us, if you don’t mind?” With an affirmation, Hana gestured for Yuri, who smiled and came towards them, Hana standing and reaching for the bouquet, setting it before Namjoon. “Hold onto this please. I want to keep it.”

Namjoon merely nodded, Hana missing the softening look of Seokjin as the three omegas left the cafe to help Hana change. It was easy enough, the three omegas taking a change room in the dress shop, Hana dressing back in her travel clothing and having the wedding dress packed safely. Hana waited as Seokjin called for a few of the alphas to move her trunk and dress to Namjoon’s cart, her carry bag being placed into the back as well. Hana gave Yuri a long hug, promising that once she was settled, she’d invite Yuri out for tea, or she’d come into town if she were allowed. 

One of the Alpha’s helped Hana into the back of the cart, Namjoon lifting Maya into her arms once she was settled into the back. Hana was only mildly surprised when Mr. Min was helped into the cart, clutching his stomach as he sat next to her, along with Mr. Kim and the two pups that had been playing. Once they were all comfortable, Hana saw three alpha sit in the front, Namjoon took the reins, a smaller alpha to his left and a female alpha to his right, and they were off. 

PREVIOUS / NEXT

[obstinaterixatrix]

I dreamt I was looking through releases for manga and one company actually did have a significant amt of yuri to the point where it was just as much if not more than the bl they were releasing and I was like oh? so I started reading through, then the dream shifted to the story I was reading. it was about six warriors/knights protecting one… princess? priestess? sacred maiden? something? as she traveled through the land, but at one point she just disappears in a city and a little girl goes like ‘do you think the princess will wish me happy birthday 🥺’ so one of the knights (who is the only woman of the bunch) on impulse dresses up as the princess and sings happy birthday (terribly) and it turns from an escort mission to a search and rescue mission (and also they want to keep the public calm) and the group travels for 2 years before getting to. some kind of haunted carnival type setting. And the knight dressed as a princess catches sight of the princess and runs after her with all the other knights and they eventually catch up at… uh… either a carousel or inside a train car… or beside a train car…? Also there’s a russian blue kitten with an electric blue undercoat while they were all following, and then when they caught up at the final area the kitten shows up with the tail looking like a glowing ember and the knight was like oh my god what happened to the poor thing and the princess was like oh no it’s a new one, [???] just keeps making them. there’s also something like the knight says they’ve been searching for her for two years but the princess says she’d been there for six years, and when they get to the final area the princess gets the knight to help her open a series of… they look like the maintenance things on the floor but the size of a trapdoor and there were layers under it, and when they got to the last door to open it was like. wheels. but like the motor thing. like you know how for some things it’s a small wheel. also now that I’m typing this out this was the last part of the dream, the first part of the dream was that it was super cheap to go to japan and I was like omg sister let’s go and get BLAZAR MERCH!! and we went to some kind of tsupro store and got a decent sized plush of blazar then we went to the one at tokyo station and were really excited to get the little. it’s not the tsumtsum plush but it’s the official little chibi plushies they sell and they’re so cute. then I don’t remember if this happened in-between the dreams or… actually it must’ve happened in between, I think tango somehow got into my room but I was still half asleep so I was reaching up to pet him buy I also reached out the pat the teddy bear next to me and I remember thinking something like. ‘fluffy…’ (still thinking about ultraman plushies?) but then tango jumped right next to my head to get to the top of the tall dresser and I jolted up like NO MY MERCH because the reason he’s not allowed in the room is he knocks everything off and all the tops of dressers are covered in various kamen rider merch. so I get him to jump off the dresser and he runs under the bed and I’m standing there until he comes out and then I usher him out of the room, but I don’t check the phone bc I know it’ll get in the way of going back to sleep and also I feel like it’s crazy early and then I manage to pass out again. but remembering this, I have legit no visual memory of it, which is weird because it’s not like the room is pitch black, but I remember the sensations and the vague sequence of events, so now I’m like. was that a weird dream interlude…?

[mamadoe]

👢 Showbird - Chapter 4

Summary ||

When Akira moved to Fukuoka to pursue her dancing career, life was easy. However, when her father has an unexpected health crisis, she needs consistent work in the worst way to help support her parents back in her hometown. A day job lined up at one of the Hero Agencies promises good pay for the time being, but she didn't expect not only to meet but get to know the Pro Hero the agency is named after.

Follow Akira's perspective with some of Keigo Takami's sprinkled in.

~~~

Complete Masterlist

Also on AO3

Pairing || Keigo Takami (age 22 at start)/Akira (Fem OC, age 23 at start)

Warning || none that I can think of atm

WC || 4155

~~~

If he hadn’t been making direct eye contact with her, he would have thought she was joking. When his eyebrows shoot up and he tilts his head down, hand still over his mouth with a look of, “are you serious,” she nods.

“Remember the last time you flew, little chickadee?” he teases from behind his fingers before finally letting his hand fall. “I don’t think you can handle that.” Of course, his tease lights a fire in her, like it always does, but she stands firm.

“I need to make it to the evening train. I won’t make it if I have to walk to the train station, get to my neighborhood, get home, pack, return to the station-,” he laughs lightly with a nod.

“I hear you, and it’s a good plan, a really good plan, but are you going to throw up on me if I do?” He continues to laugh as she seriously considers it but gives him another nod.

“I should be fine. I haven’t eaten yet this morning. I just need to go downstairs and grab my bag, talk to HR-,”

“Don’t worry about that,” he cuts her off firmly, “I’ll handle it. It’ll burn time you don’t have. Just grab your bag and come back up.” Resolutely, she nods and heads for the door but stops and glances at him.

“Thanks, Keigo.” And with that, she disappears through the door, leaving him reeling on his heels, hands dug deep in his pockets as he looks to the sky. What has he gotten himself into?

It doesn’t take her more than a few minutes to hurry down to her cubicle, log off her computer, grab her bag, and call an apology over her shoulder to Yuri after she brushes him off and hurries back to the elevator. As she waits for the elevator to ascend back to the roof, she pulls her phone out of her pocket once more and texts her lead dancer that she won’t be there tonight, losing out on what is expected to be really good money. She doesn’t let her mind linger on how she will pay her bills while away. Hawks - Keigo - is right. She needs to be at her parents’ side right now. Everything else she will just have to figure out later.

Upon hurrying back up the stairs, at first she doesn’t see Keigo, but upon a second glance, she finds him perched on the railing that faces the direction of her building, blinders already pulled down over his eyes and headphones over his ears, ready for flight. As she approaches he glances over his shoulder with a grin.

“Ready, little chickadee?” His light, playful chime has returned brighter than ever, and she nearly groans as she steps closer to the railing.

“Shut it, you pigeon, now’s not the time,” she says before she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth as she takes the hand he offers, earning his laugh.

“I promise, I’ll go easy on you this time,” his feeble attempt at comforting through his tease falls on deaf ears as he turns and offers his arms to pick her up. She hesitates but knows she will be fine in his hold. He’s already saved her in more ways than one - handling the press, making these long days manageable by lifting her mood, even today as he guided her through her breakdown. He has gone above and beyond to prove himself. She knows logically she will be unequivocally safe. However, the idea of seeing the ground below cements her feet to the rooftop.

“You promise to keep it slow? Nothing like last time, right?” His shit-eating grin is back and that groan from earlier dislodges from her throat.

“Of course, I promise. Come on, let’s get you home.” His arms are around her, and he pulls her flush against his torso, her face reuniting with the tear-stained shoulder of his jacket. “It’ll be easier on you if you can’t see the ground at all, right? Hold on, okay? I’ve got you.” At first, she doesn’t know where to put her arms, awkwardly switching from his waist to around his neck, and his smirk mere inches from her face makes her blush.

“This okay?” She asks as she clasps her hands on her opposite arms, securing herself to him.

“Of course, chickadee, whatever is comfortable,” his voice is too close to her ear as he brings her to be anchored flush against his torso, balancing their weight as he stands tall on the railing. A small squeak of fear slips from her lips, her feet dangling freely as she fully trusts him to keep his hold. Her heartbeat is already prominent in her ears as the adrenaline hits. Keigo can’t help but chuckle. He knows she must be absolutely terrified, and yet here she is, facing one of her biggest fears. He admires that. They stand at the edge for a few moments as he gives her time to adjust to the feeling of being held while he moves one arm firmly around her waist, his other hand cupping the back of her head to keep her face firmly planted in his shoulder. Even through her coat, she can feel how his fingers sink into the flesh of her side, and while it’s subtle, he makes note that she is noticeably slimmer than she was the first time he flew with her. His wings extend and stretch back, already catching the wind.

“Here we go!”

The next moment, the sky is tilting before her eyes, and she feels them falling, but she doesn’t let herself see much else before she clamps her eyes shut and buries her face in his shoulder once more. The wind gusts and whips her hair, and in this position, she can hear how the wind almost whistles through his feathers before he catches an updraft, and they’re gliding through the air. The wind is nearly deafening, and then suddenly it’s not. The wind is much calmer higher up, and Keigo relaxes into a gentle glide, keeping their speed steady.

“How you holding up, little bird?” He mouths against her ear. Even though the air up here is colder than she expected, it’s the touch of his lips against the shell of her ear that makes her shiver.

“O-Oh, you know, fantastic,” she half-heartedly attempts to play their usual game, eyes still screwed shut. He laughs and gives a strong, steady beat of his wings in response.

“No worries, we won’t be long. It’s never rush hour up here.” If she weren’t holding on for dear life, her knuckles turning white from the effort, or if she wasn’t so terrified, she would have laughed with him. With his excellent vision, he can make out the top of her building from here, but he promised he would be gentle and slow, so he reels in the urge to dazzle her - or terrify her - with speed and tricks. Maybe another time, but for today, a simple flight is what she wants, and he’s happy to oblige. Akira, if only for a moment, considers opening her eyes just to see the sky, but her fear snuffs that thought out when she remembers that her legs are hanging free. Her breath hitches as she nearly panics and presses her face into his neck, pushing his collar back in the process. The wisps of her hair flick and tickle his skin, and he squeezes her side.

“Are we almost there?!” She cries out and trembles in his ever-present hold.

“Just hold on, chickadee!” She can feel her stomach lift slightly as they descend, and the sound of the traffic below barely carries over the wind. Timidly, she peels her face from his throat and cracks her eyelids open if only slightly. Tall buildings are growing on either side of them, appearing to be shooting skyward, and the illusion turns her stomach over aggressively. However, before she even gets the chance to hide once more, they are slowing to a near stop before his feet land on the railing of her balcony. Her breath comes fast and ragged, and she can feel his soft laugh against the side of her head, the way he nuzzles into her hair. “Good little bird, you did so well,” he praises as he lets the back of her head go. Even with the feeling of nausea beginning its onset, heat rises to her cheeks. However, she doesn’t give herself the chance to linger on the thoughts that are conjured from his praise.

“Heh, careful, Keigo, you shouldn’t be handing out praise like that,” she rasps as she slowly unravels her arms from around his neck, but he keeps his other arm securely around her waist as he jumps down to the solid ground of her balcony. Only then does he let her out of his grasp, his hand caressing across the small of her back, lingering a moment to make sure she doesn’t lose her balance like before. He takes in the pallor of her skin. At least this time she isn’t turning green. When she doesn’t wobble on her feet, he takes that as a good sign and tucks his hand back in his pocket.

“Hm, why’s that? You got a praise kink?” His eyes darken as he raises a brow, and she lets out a sharp laugh.

“Pfft, you wish.” He expects her to pull out her keys to open the door, but to his surprise, she just slides the door open.

“Hey, it’s not safe to be leaving your door unlocked like that, even without a fire escape,” he scolds, which she answers with a snort, before he follows her into the main living area. She’s already left her flats by the sliding door and discarded her coat over a small chair before disappearing into her bedroom, lighting lamps along the way.

“Go ahead and sit,” she calls while rifling through the back of her closet to grab her small suitcase, “this shouldn’t take long.” He can hear her padding around her room before she heads into the bathroom, the rattle of a bottle and dribble of running water signifying her taking something for her nausea. With a sigh, Keigo kicks off his boots to keep her floor clean before taking a seat on the end of her couch, giving her main living area a slow once over.

He has been to her apartment before but only on her balcony. On an occasional night, he would be on night patrol, he would sometimes find her sitting on her balcony after her exhausting nights of dancing, unable to sleep. Even though the nights were still bitterly cold, she said the shock of it helped still her mind enough to finally sleep. He could understand that - for him, the feeling of being enveloped in warmth would melt away the tension in his body like nothing else.

Akira’s overall aesthetic is simple but cozy. She has lived here almost the entire time she’s lived in the city, and it shows. A couple of books shelves stand cluttered with various decor and books, a few picture frames highlighting her post-performance with her dance team. Art hangs on the walls over the couch and tv. A small, well-worn rug sections off the living area from the small kitchen near the front of the apartment, and her entryway is cluttered with various shoes, most of which are her dancing heels she ditches the moment she crosses the threshold. Akira has talked about her dance work before, but he’s never seen her perform. Every time he’s brought up surprising her at the dance hall, that familiar blush rises up her neck, the unfamiliar scent following and catching him off guard. He’s still not sure what that means. She practically begs him not to do that to her, that she wants to keep her work and friendships separate after losing friends over trying to blend her two worlds. He had stuck his tongue out in protest but understood and respected her boundary. His eyes linger on a particularly high pair of heeled boots, well-loved and scuffed but repaired, and wonders what her legs must look like with them on.

A sudden thump and a sharp hiss draw his attention toward her room.

“You good?” He goes to her doorway but pauses, not wanting to impose too much on her private space. Akira’s on the floor holding her foot with one hand. From where he’s standing, he can see how beat up her feet are - bruised, blistered, and red from the abuse she’s put them through recently.

“Yeah, I just stubbed my toe,” she groans, squeezing her foot before returning to packing her suitcase with the clothes she had laid out on the floor beside her.

“Damn, Hatori, how can you even stand?” He gestures to her feet. “Guess I can see what you meant when you said you’d rather break your fingers than fly again, shit!” He leans on the door frame, watching her pack. She only gives him a passing glance before rolling her eyes, keeping her hands moving.

“What can I say, I have a high pain tolerance. I kind of have to when my feet bleed sometimes.” Keigo winces through his teeth. Before he goes to turn to give her some privacy, however, her open wardrobe catches his eye. It still looks full considering how many clothes she is packing. Most of the clothing left hanging is short, black, and in various types of fabric, some fabrics catching the light just so and keeping his attention. Try as he might, he can’t help it when his mind slides to more salacious thoughts, what she would look like wearing them. She doesn’t miss his hesitation to leave, so she gives him a look before following his gaze to a particular pair of tight pleather leggings with laces down the sides that she wears often.

“What got you into dancing?” He asks suddenly. At first, she is unsure what he means - what got her into dancing, or what got her into this kind of dancing? She decides to kill two birds with one stone as she stands to grab some toiletries from the bathroom, speaking to him over her shoulder.

“I grew up loving music, but when my parents realized I wasn’t a musician, they took me to a dance class. Ironically enough, it didn’t come naturally, but I loved it, and I loved seeing my parents smile,” her tone shifts to nostalgia as she returns with a toiletry bag in hand, “But I got older. I wanted to try something different, so when I moved to the city, tried out for a couple different studios, but I really liked the dance hall’s approach. There’s something… really freeing, empowering about it, a feeling I haven’t gotten dancing elsewhere. I’ve been there ever since.” Keigo nods slowly, trying to understand the jump from being a cute little dancer for her parents to an adult entertainer. Then again, he realizes it’s not that big of a jump. He followed a somewhat similar path with hero work. He nods before turning back and giving her couch another appraising look before flopping to lie down while he waits.

“Put any thought into what you’ll do about your apartment while you’re gone?” He shuffles his wings, getting more comfortable before crossing his arms behind his head. She doesn’t answer at first, but when he looks toward her doorway, his eyes sweep over her backside, her business casual slacks and blouse swapped for leggings and a t-shirt. She’s pulling a large knit sweater over her head. He quickly glances away, but the slope of her back and how her leggings hug her shape linger, making him blush ever so slightly.

“Um, no, not yet, but,” she pauses to adjust her sweater, pulling on it to let it hang loosely and cover her backside before kneeling to pull on thick socks to stave off the cold. “I have the first check from the agency. I can tap into that-” His sharp laugh cuts her off.

“Ha, absolutely not! You’ve worked your ass off for that check. Don’t waste it like that,” he gestures around vaguely. “That’s for your parents. Don’t do that to yourself.” She stills for a moment, considering what he means.

“But if I’m gone for a month-”

“I will take care of it,” he says as if it’s already done. Her eyes widen as she stands to stare at him.

“You don’t have to do that,” she whispers, fiddling with the hem of her sweater and glancing away, a picture of shyness. This is more than just talking to HR for her, more than she is comfortable with. “I don’t want you to. You’ve-... You’ve already done so much. I won’t be able to pay you back, not for a while.” He considers what she says and the meaning between the words she chose before taking a deep breath. He knows he just stepped on her pride.

“No, I’ll handle it. You don’t need to be worrying about this place when you’re already so worried about your parents. I won’t even notice the money is gone anyway. Don’t worry about it.” One of his loose feathers is between his fingers as he speaks, twirling it. He’s smart - she knows that. He’s probably already figured everything out before he even brought it up. “Consider it done, no strings attached, I swear.” He says as he sits up, giving her a stern look. Akira almost wants to cry under his gaze and what he’s offering her, her lip quivering slightly.

“You’re too kind, Keigo,” is all she musters in a weak voice before she wipes her eyes with her sleeve.

“Hey, listen, you’re my friend, yeah?” His brows furrow, his glare intensifying. “I’m sick of seeing you waste away, Akira. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.” A tremble passes through her - it feels nice to hear him say her name for the first time but in his stern tone, it grabs a hold of her insides and squeezes. She tries to keep herself from crying under his watchful eye and nods. It’s true, she has lost weight, lost muscle mass due to lack of sleep, an unbalanced, sparse diet, and overworking her body. She doesn’t eat enough to keep up with her rigorous schedule, and it’s manifesting - her clothes have begun to fit looser, her skin bruises from barely bumping into things, and she’s always hungry yet too deep in the day-to-day grind to allow time to enjoy proper meals. He’s right, she knows that. Yet under his intense gaze, she feels stripped away and is the most vulnerable she’s ever felt. To know he has seen her slow decline in the past weeks, making note without making a big deal over it aside from encouraging her to go on lunch with him, it’s almost too much for her to bear. Her heart swells, and that unfamiliar warmth in her chest rises up her neck. After thickly swallowing back her tears, she sighs.

“Thank you, Keigo, I-,” she’s wringing her hands anxiously when she finally makes eye contact again, “I don’t know what to say.” Her honesty puts a smile on his face, and it shines like the sun.

“Don’t mention it. Now hurry up, or you’ll miss the outgoing train.”

-*-*-*-

Keigo offers to fly Akira all the way to her parents’ house as a courtesy, but with her fear of heights coupled with the fact that he’s been ignoring his incoming calls for a couple of hours now, he knows it’s not feasible. He could already feel his agent’s impending wrath as he stands on the train platform with her awaiting the train. His intention is to see her off, but try as he might, his presence is drawing attention. While he doesn’t hate the attention, he doesn’t love it either, and during times like these, he wishes he could be more discreet. Several civilians have already pointed him out and called out greetings upon their landing. He’s glad he managed to convince her to do one more short flight with him to the station to save time. It gave them just a little more camera and gawking-free time. Though he’s pretty sure she kept her eyes firmly clamped shut this time to avoid the repercussions of vertigo. With a sigh, he steps away to give her some space and talk to the growing group of fans who have approached, absolutely starstruck.

Akira appreciates him trying to keep her out of it as she stands holding the handle of her suitcase in one hand and scrolls on her phone with the other. Of course, Keigo’s feeble attempt means nothing since several people have already taken photos of them together upon arrival. Already he’s scheming how he will spin this whole situation to his agent and the public tomorrow, once she’s far from here and safe from the press’s prying eyes. He mingles with the small crowd, signing his autograph, taking photos, and accepting their praise for all his hard work; however, when he picks up the sound of the approaching train before everyone else, he dismisses himself back to her side with his hands in his pockets.

“Should have expected some of that, sorry,” he says under his breath as he looks down the tracks.

“You’re a popular guy, what can you expect?”

“True, but sometimes it would be nice to have a moment that’s my own, ya know?” She nods and gives a small smile.

“People love you, Hawks, as they should.” He grins at her flattery and rubs the back of his neck. “Besides,” she continues under her breath, “I know you love it deep down - the fawning, the swooning, the praise.” Her lip quirks into a smirk as if she just read him for filthy.

“Listen, just because you don’t have a praise kink doesn’t mean I don’t,” he teases in return, keeping his voice low and making her laugh.

“Oh, you don’t say?” Her sarcasm is thick, and she gives him a nudge, making his eyebrows shoot up. His laugh is loud and strong. He returns her push playfully, but the sound of the train approaching the station kills some of his joy. Akira hears it, too, and pulls her ticket from her pocket. “Guess this is it, right?” She nods and glances at him. Her face heats when she sees how many people are watching them from over his shoulder.

“Yeah, this is it.” She sucks on her teeth a moment, giving the people a passing glance, Keigo immediately taking notice and nodding at her.

“I’ll take care of that, too,” he gestures back toward them casually as the train pulls to a stop and the doors on the cars before them open.

“What’s one more thing on my running list of debt to you, huh?” She sighs but gives a quick nod. However, she hesitates to step away. He almost protests, but his gaze catches on how her eyes track over his face, like she’s looking for something, and he takes a moment to do the same. Her eyes are so terribly puffy and red from crying, her dark circles prominent and her cheeks slightly more hollow than they were a few weeks ago. Even the sheen of her dark, curly hair has dimmed with time. Regardless, her dark brown eyes captivate him, and if he weren’t under the scrutiny of the other people at the station, he would pull her into a hug and take a whiff of her hair one last time. But the moment passes just as quickly as it began; Akira lets out a sigh and gives a nod to a question he didn’t ask, and she’s stepping into the train car, but she only makes it a couple of steps before she turns back to him.

“You better be careful, you pigeon! I don’t want to hear about you getting hurt on the news, okay?” Again, he’s surprised by her tone, and it conjures a genuine grin.

“Of course, little chickadee! Do what you gotta do. I’ll hold down the fort until you get back.” He tries to keep the sadness out of his expression as he gives her a wave. Seeing her go, not knowing when she’ll return, it’s squeezing that small, weak part of him that wants to go with her. With a quick wave, she steps farther into the car and goes to get her ticket handled. Keigo watches until the train car fills and it’s hard to spot her through the people, and then he is gone. The longer he waits on the platform, the more likely he will be caught by the press, and he’s already going to be swinging in conferences, meetings, and paperwork over the past five minutes alone.

~~~

Previous Chapter --- Next Chapter

[emohee]

he's a monster - 심재윤

- ,, pairing : violent yandere!jake x fem!reader

- ,, genre : yandere

- ,, tw : heavy yandere themes, dead bodies, violence, forced abortion mention, domestic violence, strangulation.

- ,, request :

"I've always been reading angst and yandere stories where jake is cute, can you write jake a bit more rude, aggressive and cruel? Thank you very much in advance."

- ,, word count : 1.6K

- ,, yuri's note : idk i'm not really satisfied with this, but i still decided to post it since it was requested and i don't want make people wait too long for me to write their request :(, anyways enjoy! + the part 2 is probably coming soon!

You ran away from jake

He yanked you down the street regardless of the passers-by staring at you

"When we get home I'll show you what it means to disobey me"

Instantly you froze, and stood still, jake tugged on your arm harder,

but you stood still and sat on the sidewalk,

you would have caught the attention, jake would have done something violent to move you, people would have seen him, would have stopped him, they would have asked you if he often hurt you, you would have told them everything, everything you went through

Jake seeing you sitting, tugged on your arm with even more harder, making your shoulder move as well.

Seeing you unresponsive he ducked down and whispered to you

"Don't make me even more angry, if you get up now, i'll pretend nothing had happened, and i will turn a blind eye to what you just did and the punishment will not be that painful"

You stayed there, you weren't going to listen to him

Jake's face became serious

he picked you up and started walking very quickly, he had to walk only about 50 meters before reaching home.

generally the area where jake lived was very quiet and you could think that jake lived there completely alone, so you had absolutely no opportunity to go out and tell everything to the first stranger and have him call the police to report jake

but that day, that day was FULL of people, and you couldn't miss this opportunity

so you wriggled from jake like a snake and he was forced to hold you tighter and walk even faster, almost running, to not let you go

"Not today" you repeated in your mind

You tried to slap jake but he didn't seem to give any reaction, you wriggled even more

No result

You couldn't lose your life like that, you had to fight for survival, like an animal

You scratched jake on the neck, he was forced to let you go because of the pain, you fell on the sidewalk, and wasted no time getting up and running away as fast as possible

You were never good at running but that day you could have even won a bronze medal at the Olympics for how fast you ran

You ran and at one point you saw your aunt

A wave of happiness overwhelmed you

“AUNTIE KYUNGAH! I AM HERE” you yelled as you ran to her

she turned right away, she smiled, but when she saw you her smile faded away

"Auntie, please take me to the police, please do it now, i'll explain everything later" you said in a desperate tone

She looked you up and down in disbelief and then took your hand and started walking towards the police station

"Okay honey, but how come you are reduced like this?" she asked

It was understandable that she was so shocked, the last time she saw you, you were beautiful, with your beautiful skin without any scars or bruises, with shiny hair but most importantly with the smile of a girl who loved her life.

And now ... your face was sad, your eyes furrowed with dark circles, formed when jake left you alone with your mouth taped up and handcuffed to the light pole of a odd train station located somewhere, I had to stay awake 2 whole days, paying attention to what was happening around you, because creepy men passed around you, and they could have raped you if only they wanted to.

Your body, on the other hand, was full of scratches and bruises, due to Jake's constant abuse,

he beat you for everything, even for fun

seeing the bruises and marks caused by him excited and pleased him then led him to do others for his own satisfaction.

Jake loved to push himself to extreme limits with torture, he hurted you so much that you cried and begged him to stop, he loved that pathetic desperate expression.

He loved to think about the fact that you were crying for him, your life was in his hands now and you begged him to keep you alive even though at this point you would rather die than live with that monster.

At your aunt's question you were silent

Your aunt immediately understood, because when she was young, auntie kyungah had married a man, he seemed the perfect man, kind, intelligent, rich, from a good family and with many good acquaintances

She could never have imagined that he was a psycho

He often beat her, he even whipped her, he just liked to make her suffer

One day auntie kyungah got pregnant but not wanting to hold the child of a monster in her womb she aborted it, his anger became immense and that day he whipped her so much that she still has the red streaks caused by the whip.

Then the aunt could not take it anymore and she ran away deceiving her husband, and she went to tell the police everything about her, showing the injuries her husband had done to her.

As soon as auntie kyungah remembered everything she had been through she quickened her pace

"Y/n every now and then look around and tell me if he's following us"

"Okay auntie, thank you so much" you said starting tearing up

"You will thank me later, now you just have to think about how to get at the police station as fast as possible"

You nodded

the way was quite short, you arrived at the police station in less than 10 minutes, as you passed, people stared at you, the kids stared at you, then whispered something to their mothers.

Wouldn't you have been impressed too if you had seen a girl covered in very visible bruises all over her body?

In a short time you arrived at the police station, the young policeman who had listened to his aunt when she told him about her husband's abuse was still working there.

"Hey kyungah, how are you?" the policeman said smiling

"There is no time for chatting woojin, let's go in immediately, my niece is in danger" she replied almost whispering

The policeman became serious and nodded, and led you two into the interrogation room.

"So, what do you have to tell me"

"Woojin, do you remember my story?"

The policeman nodded

"I think my niece may have had the same experience as me, honestly I don't even know what happened, so I'll listen to what she has to say too"

Then he turned to you

"Ok y/n, we are listening to you, please tell us what happened"

All the bad memories with jake went through your mind, the pain you felt and the sweet words she said to you as he beat you to blood came to your mind

Without realizing it, you began to tremble strongly and weep.

When you realized it you tried to compose yourself but you started shaking again

The policeman then said kindly

"tell me what's his name"

"J-jake s-sim" you stammered

"Jake sim?" repeated the policeman, noting

"Yes" you replied

"Where does he live?"

"He lives in the big house opposite the carpet shop, I don't know the exact address, but it's house number 16"

"all right"

The policeman paused

"Would you like to talk about what jake did to you?"

You didn't answer

"Nobody will judge you, you will feel better when you'll tell us everything, trust me"

Those words touched your heart so you took a breath and started to tell you about the horrible things jake did to you

Your aunt looked at you horrified, instead the policeman listened but he was visibly disgusted by so much brute violence

At the end of your long story you burst into tears, your aunt hugged you, she was crying too.

The policeman instead came out of the room to talk to his colleagues about what you just told him.

Soon after the cops brought Jake to the police station, you began to tremble and you were mentally ready for his punishment.

Fortunately, they immediately took him to another room to question him.

It took them an hour, and you spent that hour in the arms of your aunt who consoled you.

When they released jake from interrogation they asked you to stand aside, jake and your aunt had to go out and talk privately at jake's request.

"Be careful aunty," I said to your aunt just before she left

"Quiet y/n, I may be old but I know how to defend myself" she replied jokingly

You tried to smile but felt a bad presentiment

Your aunt and jake stayed out for quite some time, after about 40 minutes the cops went to check what the hell was happening jake and your aunt weren't there.

Your heartbeat stopped.

It was around 6pm, and you had to stay at the police station until 11pm, until they found jake unconscious near a large waste container not far from the river, he was bruised and had various injuries, including some that were still bleeding and that had stained his clothes making him look stabbed or something.

The police decided to search in river as well, in which they found your aunt's corpse at the bottom, she had signs of aggression too, but also signs of strangulation.

The doctors instantly assumed that she was first beaten, then the aggressor tried to strangle her and thrown her in the river, where she drowned.

The news regarding her death arrived to you at 3 am the following day.

As soon as you heard those words you started shaking and you couldn't stand up, you fell and passed out.

[nurvuss]

I Watched the First Episode of Every New Spring 2021 Anime Airing on Crunchyroll

Hey, are you like me, and feeling like you're not getting the most out of your Crunchyroll subscription? Sure, there's stuff on there that you know you like. But whenever I look at the big long list of simulcasting shows, my eyes glaze over and I don't even know where to begin.

I wanted to change my habits and see if there were any shining gems that I should be watching. So, as per the title, I watched the first episode of every new Spring 2021 anime on Crunchyroll. And guess what? There’s a lot of crap! But indeed, there’s some stuff that’s worth your time.

Some clarification: I've only watched shows that began their first season in April 2021.

Backflip!!

Show Link

The Lowdown

As Futaba Shotaro comes to the end of middle school, his interest in baseball has begun to wane. Soon he notices the Ao High Boys Gymnastic Club and becomes enthralled, especially after seeing them perform. Once he learns they're down two members, he chooses to sign up and pursue the art of gymnastics. The club is also joined by Misato Ryoya, a star solo gymnast looking to expand his technique through teamwork.

Our Thoughts

Pretty formulaic shoujo sports anime: you've got your himbo, your thug, your ladies' man, your stoic guy, with Shotaro rounding out the cast as the shy and awkward audience surrogate. It looks wholesome enough, and the choreographed routines employ CG in a way that's quite convincing without being hideous.

Who It's For

Fans of  FREE, or Yuri!!! on Ice, or any similar shows about cute boys who succeed at athletic feats. 

Borscht Rating

Burning Kabaddi

Show Link

The Lowdown

Legendary high school soccer star Yoigoshi Tatsuya has given up on sports! That is, until he's blackmailed to join the high school kabaddi team, under threat of his online persona being leaked to the entire school. Although Tatsuya initially writes kabaddi off as stupid, the unexpected happens as he begins to have fun.

Our Thoughts

Kabaddi is kinda like competitive tag, or dodgeball but with your body instead of a ball. Burning Kabaddi is basically the shounen alternative to Backflip!! above, replete with nosebleeds, pratfalls, and dudes punching each other. The main cast don't seem to like each other very much; that probably changes as the show goes on but at first blush it's a dynamic I always find annoying.

Who it's For

Fans of Haikyuu!!? Maybe?

Borscht Rating

CARDFIGHT!! VANGUARD overDress

Show Link

The Lowdown

The newest series based on Bushiroad's collectible card game, featuring character designs by the beloved collective CLAMP. Petit middle schooler Yu-Yu just doesn't know how to say no. As his older students dress him in drag to use as live makeup practice, he suffers a panic attack and flees into the streets. After being accosted by a pickup artist, he's befriended by Megumi, who invites him to witness a Cardfight match at the local abandoned amusement park. However, Yu-yu is too shy to tell Megumi he's actually a boy…

Our Thoughts

What an unexpectedly weird concept for a show about a card game. Our hero spends the whole episode in drag, whimpering and simpering at the sight of any conflict. Then they show off the latest series of cards, which all seem to be giant buff knights with names like "Bad Steve" and "Violent Bruce". Your guess is as good as mine.

Who it's For

Cardfight!! lovers, Japanese gender studies majors, or the most desperate fujoshi. 

Borscht Rating

Cestvs: The Roman Fighter

Show Link

The Lowdown

The year is 54AD, and Nero has taken the throne as the youngest emperor of Rome. At the bottom of the population, Cestvs is a young slave training to be a colosseum boxer. Reluctant, his only choice is to fight or die.

Our Thoughts

Seeing Nero depicted as a gentle little twink is pretty funny. It's also pretty funny that the central character is named after a Roman boxing glove. The animation style transitions to some very uncanny CG when a major fight takes place, and I didn't like that one bit! This seems like a pretty average tournament anime but with a historical setting. It's currently unknown if any of these dudes are fucking each other. I'm gonna say probably.

Who It's For

The venn-diagram of Greco-Roman history buffs and lovers of tournament series?

Borscht Rating

Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro!

Show Link

The Lowdown:

Hachioji Naoto is a nerdy, introverted student who spends his time studying and avoiding socialising. When pages from the fantasy manga he's drawing fall out of his bookbag, they catch the attention of a younger student named Nagatoro Hayase. Nagatoro begins to tease Naoto for his otaku interests and awkward demeanour, peppered with some suggestive flirting.

Our Thoughts:

What would you do if a younger girl flirted with you? Would you cry? Piss your pants maybe? Maybe shit and cum? Don't Toy With Me… attempts to barely conceal its BDSM fantasy with its comedic elements, but it's incredibly apparent as Nagatoro always wipes away Naoto's tears as a sort of aftercare. It's like a lighter, comedic version of Aku no Hana, but lacking any of the ponderings or danger that made that work so special.

Who It's For: 

People who search Pornhub for "bratty sister femdom".

Borscht Rating:

86 Eighty-Six

Show Link

The Lowdown

The Republic of San Magnolia and the Giad Empire, have been at war for nearly a decade. Using advanced military technology, the frontlines are fought by giant mecha drones called Juggernauts, controlled remotely by Handlers. Major Vladilena Mirizé is one of the military's most talented Handlers in the 1st District, and one who is constantly teased by her peers for the humanity and empathy she shows her squadron. The government line is that drone warfare has kept casualties to zero, but unbeknownst to the public these "drones'' are piloted by 86ers—the lowest class of citizens, forced to live in military internment camps in San Magnolia's 86th District.

Our Thoughts

This is incredibly my kind of thing. We've got a dual narrative being set up here: Vladilena as the kind, reluctant officer of a fascist regime, and the Bad Company-esque antics of her new ragtag squad, Spearhead. The first episode is split pretty evenly between the two, with each story converging at the end as Vladilena "meets" Spearhead for the first time through her comms station. It's an explosive and enticing first episode, and I can't wait to watch more of it.

Who It's For

Fans of Fullmetal Alchemist, Psycho-Pass, Gundam, or any number of anti-imperialist war stories.

Borscht Rating

Fairy Ranmaru

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The Lowdown

In a quiet corner of the city sits Bar F, a modest drinking establishment staffed entirely by five hot young men. Unbeknownst to the general population, these men are a crack team of fairies sent to the human world to gather the latent energy of "attachment". They do this by solving the problems of young women, taking their hearts in the process.

Our Thoughts

Hubba hubba, a little something for the ladies! It's Weiẞ Kreuz with a bar instead of a flower shop, fairies instead of assassins, and some pretty revealing outfits. There's definitely a little Persona 5 inspiration here too, from the punctuating phrase "Take your Heart!" to many of the visual cues. Make of that what you will.

Who It's For

Fans of Weiẞ Kreuz, slash fic authors.

Borscht Rating

Farewell, My Dear Cramer

Show Link

The Lowdown

Onda Nozomi was once the star player of her middle school football team. Completely unmatched, she no longer plays as there's no opponent she deems to be on her level. Meanwhile Suou Sumire far outpaces her teammates, causing her frustration. By a twist of fate, these two girls find themselves joining the scrappy Warabi Seinan High School FC as they begin to learn the value of teamwork and friendship.

Our Thoughts

I don't know sports. And I really don't know football. I had to look up what the title meant, and now I barely know who Dettmar Cramer is. I'm really not the best person to judge this, but it seems like a pretty good female-driven sports anime. 

Who It's For

Fans of Ace o Nerae! or other sports manga/anime about those ever burning bonds between young teammates.

Borscht Rating

Gloomy, the Naughty Grizzly

Show Link

The Lowdown:

Pitty lives with his pet Gloomy, a massive pink bear. Can a boy and a bear truly get along?

Our Thoughts:

This is a series of minute-long gag episodes in which Gloomy mauls Pitty and blood squirts everywhere. It's definitely meant to be a morbid parody of Sanrio or San-X; it might be a Rilakkuma parody in particular? Gloomy is the kind of thing you might laugh at if it came on in between shows, but it's pretty slight to go through the trouble of putting on.

Who It's For:

Gag anime fans with one minute to spare.

Borscht Rating:

Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took in a High School Runaway

Show Link

The Lowdown

After a night of drinking in Tokyo, slovenly salaryman Yoshida encounters a teenage runaway sitting under a lamppost. She offers to sleep with him in return for letting her spend the night in his apartment. Yoshida refuses her offer but allows her to stay. The next morning the girl, Sayu, reveals she's travelled all the way from Hokkaido, sleeping with random men in return for lodging and money. Feeling responsible for her safety, Yoshida agrees for Sayu to stay indefinitely in return for handling household chores.

Our Thoughts

This is kind of the inverse of Koikimo (see below), but without a scumbag character and from a male perspective. It's not nearly as nauseating as that show, but it's still a fantasy about living with a busty teenage girl.

Who It's For

Libertarians.

Borscht Rating

I've Been Killing Slimes For 300 Years And Maxed Out My Level

Show Link

The Lowdown: 

Office lady Aizawa Azusa dies of overwork in her early 20s, and finds herself standing before a lecherous goddess. Allowed a wish as compensation for her untimely demise, Azusa wishes for an endless life of leisure. The goddess reincarnates her as a 17-year-old immortal witch in an RPG-coded fantasy world. Thrilled, Azusa lazes about, brewing potions for her neighbouring villagers, and kills a small amount of slimes each day to supplement her income. After doing this every day for 300 years, she inadvertently finds herself at Level 99. Her peaceful life is soon upended as adventurers and dragons come from miles around to challenge the legendary witch.

Our Thoughts:

I'm not really an isekai fan, and that goes double for series which aren't set in an RPG, yet use RPG mechanics. Levelling up, grinding stats, min-maxing, as if it's a part of the fabric of the setting. I don't get it. I like watching numbers go up as much as the next dork, but I don't need to watch numbers go up in absolutely every piece of media I consume. Just play a fucking video game, Jesus Christ almighty.

I thought this might be setting up a fun series in which a layabout is reluctantly called upon to undertake a dangerous quest, but I don't think that's what's going on at all. When the red dragon Laika wrecks Azusa's house, she transforms into a cute young girl and the two begin living together, teaching each other the pros and cons of hard work and slothfulness respectively. The trajectory of the series might be as laid back as its protagonist in the end, which, ultimately, would be fitting.

Who It's For:

Isekai fans, slice-of-life fans. The twain have met!

Borscht Rating:

Joran: The Princess of Snow and Blood

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The Lowdown

In alternative history Japan the Meiji Period continued well into the 1930s, and the ongoing Tokugawa Shogunate has brought technological prosperity to the nation through a magical energy source called the Dragon's Vein. Sawa Yukimura runs a bookshop where she lives with her little sister by day, but by night she's an assassin for Nue, the shogunate's secret police. As the terrorist group Kuchinawa deploys transforming beasts in an attempt to topple the shogunate, Nue springs into action with their own abilities.

Our Thoughts

There are a lot of concepts competing here, and a few too many flashy transformation sequences for my taste, but I'm really into it! Nue are made up of sex workers and street musicians, often overlooked and therefore easily able to blend in. There's a supernatural Standalone Complex vibe to how the team operates, and they're almost assuredly on the wrong side. Worth a shot!

Who It's For

Fans of alternate history science fiction, Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex, Demon Slayer.

Borscht Rating

Koikimo: Koi to Yobu ni wa Kimochi Warui ("It's Disgusting to Call This Love")

Show Link

The Lowdown

Amakusa Ryo is a womanizing salaryman concerned with nothing but his own base desires. As he slips on the train station stairs one morning, he's saved by the swift action of Arima Ichika, a kind-hearted high schooler. When it turns out Ichika is friends with Ryo's younger sister Riou, he decides she's his soulmate, and begins to pursue her no matter how many times she refuses him. Comedy ensues!

Our Thoughts

Yeah, OK groomer.

Alright look, Korikimo is written by a woman and told from Ichika's perspective, so this is obviously meant to be a lighthearted "older man" shoujou romance. As an older man, all I saw were the adventures of a paedophile and the teenager he's stalking. Fuck off.

Who it's For

There's probably other stuff like this, right? If you like that, here you go.

Borscht Rating

Let's Make a Mug, Too

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The Lowdown

After the death of her mother, Himeno and her father relocate from bustling Tokyo to quiet Tajimi City in Gifu Prefecture. The former salaryman opens a quiet cafe using the remarkable mugs made by his late wife, while Himeno follows in her mother's footsteps and joins the school pottery club. Although her first project ends in disaster, Himeno makes fast friends with the eccentric pottery enthusiasts who make up the club.

Our Thoughts

It's no Eizouken, but I guess it's probably not meant to be. I'm not a big iyashikei genre fan, but if that's your thing, you might enjoy the wholesome non-adventures of three girls trying to make a mug. It's worth noting these episodes are only about 12 minutes long, with the remaining runtime segmented into live action episodes where the voice actresses tour Tajimi and unconvincingly pretend to be interested in Gifu's famous mino-yaki pottery. I think this must be a tie-in with a local tourist board. 

Who It's For

People who enjoy stuff like Aria, actually.

Borscht Rating

OddTaxi

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The Lowdown

In a Tokyo populated by anthropomorphic animals, a solemn walrus named Odokawa spends his nights driving his cab around the bustling metropolis, spending his free time drinking with his pals. Odokawa soon finds his quiet life disrupted by a caper involving a missing girl, some crooked cops, and the animal yakuza. 

Our Thoughts

A deft blend of working class slice-of-life with mystery, cute animals, and striking visual design. OddTaxi might be the sleeper hit of Spring 2021.

Who It's For

Fans of existentialist film noir with absurdist comedy, Polar Bear Cafe, walrus lovers.

Borscht Rating

Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won't Lose

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The Lowdown

Suehiro Maruo Sueharu Maru has his heart set on Shirokusa Kachi, the hottest girl in school. When she begins dating a young actor, Sueharu confides in his childhood friend Kuroha Shida, who's openly in love with him and he rejected in the past. Kuroha suggests the two get revenge on Shirokusa by pretending to be in love. Will Sueharu fall in love with Kuroha for real, making her dreams come true?

Our Thoughts

Give me a fucking break.

Who It's For

I don't know and I don't care.

Borscht Rating

SD Gundam World Heroes

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The Lowdown

The newest instalment of the SD Gundam media-mix franchise. In a world populated by super deform mecha, a burning meteor lands in the middle of Captain City. From it launches a terrible mechanized beast: Naughty Lion. When the police are powerless to stop it, a crack team led by Zhuge Liang Gundam and Liu Bei Gundam sorties to bring Naughty Lion to justice. When the beast stops rampaging, it transforms into Sun Wukong Gundam, a youthful amnesiac mecha horrified at the destruction he wrought. The Three Kingdoms Gundams welcome Sun Wukong into the fold to make sense of this mysterious event.

Our Thoughts

I'm an 80s kid, I know a 30-minute toy commercial when I see one.

No, seriously though, I'm aware of SD Gundam's merchandising—they're cute designs, and I even used to have a bunch of the gum rubber mini figurines. I've played the SD Great War Super Famicom games, they're fun! This is a vehicle to get kids hyped up about the latest toys, which are...based on  a hodgepodge of Journey to the West and Romance of the Three Kingdoms this year? There's even a little SD Guan Yu Gundam with a big long beard!

I kinda wanted to like the idea of a bearded robot, but the mechas are super busy and overdesigned. I guess there's only so much you can do to make your next series of toys bigger and better, so these guys are all decked out in gold accents, capes, horns, and antlers, and half the time I couldn't parse what I was seeing.

I'm so glad I don't have to watch any more of this. 

Who It's For

Very, *very* young mecha fans.

Borscht Rating

Seven Knights Revolution: Hero Successor

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The Lowdown

Long ago, the Dark God Nestra ruled the world through fear. Standing against him were the Seven Knights, seven brave warriors chosen by the Light Goddess Serrass. With their powers combined, Nestra was defeated and the lands returned to peace. Hundreds of years later the wicked Physis Cult seeks to revive Nestra, summoning undead beasts to ravage the countryside. With the Seven Knights long dead, the Granseed Academy has risen to train the next wave of heroes to combat this threat. Using special cards, the students of Granseed are able to call upon the power of the Seven Knights to guide them in battle.

Our Thoughts

As soon as the opening started with its transforming heroes and lovingly depicted weapon cards, I realised this must be based on a mobile game. Indeed, this is based on a free-to-play gacha from Korean developer Netmarble. Even before I was able to confirm this, Hero Successor failed to draw me in, eschewing details on the nature of its world in lieu of a glamourised marketing push for its source material. What's here is incredibly slight, and likely to be of little interest to anyone who isn't deep into this game.

Who It's For

Seven Knights whales, I guess.

Borscht Rating

Those Snow White Notes

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The Lowdown

Sawamura Setsu mourns the death of his grandfather Matsugorou, a talented shamisen player who refused to pass his secrets on. Not knowing what else to do, he leaves his remote village for Tokyo, taking nothing but his shamisen along with him. Soon he finds himself wrapped up in the complicated life of aspiring actress Yuna and her scuzzy rockstar boyfriend Taketo. When Setsu opens for Taketo's band, he stuns the audience with the raw emotion of his playing. However, his heart is still tumultuous. 

Our Thoughts

An entertaining first episode of a speciality music series, which is the kind of thing I have a place in my heart for. I couldn't shake the feeling of some latent misogyny that suggested the role of a woman is to inspire a tortured artist, but I might be wrong. The final few minutes take a twist by introducing Setsu's weird, horny mother who seems to have her own personal SWAT team, and it looks like the series becomes a more conventional high school anime from episode 2 onwards. Don't know about that!

Who It's For

Fans of Kids on the Slope, Sound of the Sky.

Borscht Rating

Tokyo Revengers

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The Lowdown

Former delinquent Takemichi is unsatisfied with the way his life turned out, living alone in a paper-thin apartment and working a minimum wage job under a boss who doesn't respect him. When watching the news one evening, he learns that his highschool sweetheart Hinata was killed, alongside her little brother. On the way to work the next morning, Takemichi falls in front of an oncoming train and wakes up 12 years in the past. Armed with foreknowledge, he attempts to turn his life around and save his onetime lover.

Our Thoughts

This is drawing from a lot of sources; the whole train sequence is lifted straight from Gantz, while the story itself initially seems like a Life on Mars kind of deal. In fact, Tokyo Revengers sees Takemichi jump back and forth between the present and the past, seemingly making small changes until he achieves his desired outcome. It feels like a very video gamey depiction of time travel, and one that's not super interesting.

Who It's For

Steins;Gate fans, maybe? Delinquent manga (Shonan Junai Gumi, Crows, etc.) fans, maybe? It's pretty self-serious compared to any of those.

Borscht Rating

To Your Eternity

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The Lowdown

An immortal being in the form of an orb falls to earth and becomes a stone. Years pass, an ice age sets in, and a white wolf stumbles onto the tundra and dies. The orb, able to take the form of anything that leaves a strong impression on it, transforms into the wolf and slowly learns how to use its newfound ambulatory body. The creature treks back through the tundra where it meets a boy living alone, after the rest of his village left in search of a better life. The boy recognises the wolf as his beloved pet, Johann, and the two begin living together in the harsh, lonely wastes.

Our Thoughts

I'm being a little coy with the synopsis here, and there's a major shake-up at the end of this debut episode. This one's based on a manga by the critically acclaimed Yoshitoki Ooima (A Silent Voice), and it's a depressing, compelling, and exciting start to a series. Lots of potential here!

Who It's For

Fans of NieR, Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon, Last Exile, Kino's Journey.

Borscht Rating

So, there you have it. I'm hoping this will be of use to anyone who experiences a similar sense of dread when faced with so many choices. Maybe we’ll do this again during the Summer 2021 anime season.

Also, please don't get mad at me if I'm snarky about your new favourite show! It’s just TV and I'm a big idiot anyway.

[stargazer-sims]

Journal Entry #30

Victor

Hey, everyone! Check this out! Selfie with my mom!

I guess that's a dead giveaway as to where I am right now, isn't it? We're standing in front of her house in our mother-son photo, so you've probably already figured out that I'm in Willow Creek.

After nearly two years away, coming home feels odd. In some respects, it's as if I never left, but in others it's like I've stepped into a place I no longer recognize as mine in the way I once did. The strangest part is, I can't put my finger on any specific thing that's different. I guess maybe it's me that's changed.

Even so, I’m glad to be here. It’s great to be with my mom and the dogs, and to sleep in my old room and to reminisce about times when my life was far less complicated than it is now. I’m looking forward to the chance to relax.

Don’t get me wrong; our stay at the hotel in Kyoto was a welcome escape from what was happening in Mt. Komorebi. It did have its moments of relaxation, but it’d been such an eventful, emotional roller coaster of a week that I’d be grateful if nothing much at all happened while we were staying with Mom. And, seeing as we’re now in Willow Creek, where nothing much ever happens anyway, I'm hopeful that I’ll get my wish.

We went back to Mt. Komorebi after checking out of the hotel on Saturday morning, and then spent the remainder of the weekend doing household chores, finalizing our international travel plans, and unpacking and repacking our suitcases. I want to say it was almost life as normal, but it really wasn’t, because even though a lot of the stuff we were doing was ordinary and mundane, we did it all with the cloud of our ongoing problems hanging over us.

Yuri has been down ever since he found out that his mother is going to the States for six months. That news was a shock to both of us, but he's taking it particularly hard. Yuri and his mom are a lot closer than I realized, and although we haven't talked about her impending departure all that much, I think he's scared by the idea of being without her for that long. I can empathize. Aside from her visit back in the summer, I've been away from my mom for way more than six months, and sometimes it's really hard. Like, sometimes you just need a mom hug, and when she's not there, it can feel pretty lonely no matter who else is around.

I know we'll talk about it when Yuri's ready, but for the time being, I have to let him work through everything in his own mind. Whenever he needs me, I'll be here.

As for me, my biggest worry over the weekend was my meeting with Tomiko and our General Manager, Mr. Ogawa, on Monday morning. Yuri and I discussed it, and we decided that if Mr. Ogawa continued to insist on me speaking to the police, then I should. I didn't want to, but in the end I understood that it probably was the best choice.

I need not have worried so much about the meeting with my boss, as it happened. Mr. Ogawa is a reasonable person, and he wasn't angry that I hadn't reported what happened with Ren in the training room. He was genuinely concerned that I might've been seriously hurt, and if he was angry with anyone it was with Ren himself.

Mr. Ogawa told me that Ren had been permanently banned from the fitness center, as of Saturday, and that he and his figure skating coach would have to find somewhere else for him to train. I was glad that Ren would never be coming back to my workplace, but at the same time, I was scared that he'd blame me for getting him kicked out and try to find some way to take it out on me.

On Monday afternoon, Yuri went with me to the police station. Mr. Ogawa had given me the name and number of the officer in charge of the investigation, and we asked to speak to her. She took me into a little room, where it was just me and her and a digital video camera, and she asked me a lot of questions about the incident and recorded everything.

Yuri wasn't allowed to come into the interview room with me, and being on my own was actually more terrifying than giving my statement to the officer. I really wished he could've sat with me and held my hand. Instead, we were compelled to worry about each other from a distance.

When I asked the officer what was going to happen to Ren, she said she couldn't confirm anything, but that it was likely he'd be criminally charged for assaulting me. She asked me if I wanted that to happen, and I said yes. As much as I wanted to avoid any further conflict and drama with Ren, I also didn't want him to get away with injuring me and threatening Yuri. I suggested to the officer that she might want to speak to Hana as part of her investigation too, and wrote Hana's number down for her. She thanked me and said she'd follow up.

Remembering what Tomiko had told me several days before, I asked the officer about an order of protection. She told me that the police don't initiate things like that, and we'd have to petition the district court, but the fact that Ren might be charged with assault would help convince a judge that Yuri really does need an order of protection. She told me that we should look into it when we come back from Canada, if we continued to feel it was necessary.

One more item to add to the list of things to think about, I guess.

Anyway, bright and early on Tuesday morning, we left the country, once again doing our best to put our troubles behind us.

In real time, the journey itself takes around twenty-one hours, which includes about fifteen hours of time in airplanes, and several more hours of layovers between connecting flights. It'd been a long transit for us, involving multiple planes and plenty of wandering through airports, trying to decipher confusing signage. For his first international trip and his first experience on an airplane, it may have been almost too much for Yuri.

To our dismay, we discovered that Yuri gets airsick. Let me just say, the worst time to find out something like that is on the first leg of an international flight. He was miserable for most of the voyage, even after we managed to track down some over-the-counter anti-airsickness tablets at a duty free shop during our first layover, and by the time our last flight landed at Willow Creek Airport, my poor husband was looking more than slightly worse for wear. I had to help him down the portable stairs they brought out for everyone to disembark from the plane. No fancy tunnels at our humble airport, unfortunately.

Since we'd reached our final destination, we had to pass through Customs so Yuri could have his electronic travel authorization checked. He's allowed to visit Canada for ninety days without requiring a visa, but we assured the border agent that we're not going to be here that long, so it was all good.

I wanted to laugh at the way he was admiring his first passport stamps. He was so pleased over that, one might've thought he won the lottery or something.

Mom was there to meet us in the arrivals area, right after we collected our luggage. As soon as she saw us, she started to run toward me, arms outstretched. I had to brace myself, because she literally didn't stop until we were in each other's arms, hugging as tightly as we could. We might've stayed like that for almost a minute, and by the time we finally stepped back, both of us were crying.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Mom said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I know it's only been a couple of months since I was with you, but it feels like forever."

"For me too," I said. "Sorry to spring this surprise visit on you, though. The opportunity came up, so we had to take it."

"Of course you had to," Mom said. "I don't mind surprises like this. What mother would ever be upset about having her son and her bonus son around?"

Yuri smiled, a little shyly. "I like that you call me that. Your bonus son."

"Well, you are," Mom said. "And I'm just as happy to see you, Yuri."

"Thank you," he said.

"Would you like a hug, too?" she asked him.

I was proud of Mom for remembering not to touch him without checking if it was okay with him first. After the day he'd had, I honestly expected him to say no, but to my surprise, he took a step forward.

"Yes, please," he said. "Just a small one, though."

Mom smiled at him. "Don't worry, sweetie. I know how you like them. Short and to the point."

"I promise I'm working on that," he said.

"It's okay," she said. "I'm not going to expect more than you can cope with."

"Thanks."

Four or five seconds was his limit, but it was progress. When they let go of each other, Yuri quickly came back to me. I put an arm around him protectively, and he leaned against me. He was trembling, and I couldn't tell if it was because of anxiety or because he was exhausted and not feeling well.

"You okay?" I inquired quietly.

"Not really," he said. “I’m still feeling a little sick, but I don’t know if there’s something wrong, or if it’s just because I’m so tired. I need to lie down for an hour or so, I think."

“Are you in pain?”

“Yeah. A little bit.”

"Let's go home, so you can rest," Mom said. "After this summer, I can certainly appreciate how long and tiring a trip it is. Have you boys got all your stuff?"

I counted our bags, satisfied that all five — my one big suitcase, Yuri's three, and our shared carry-on — were there. "Yeah," I said. "We've got everything."

"I'm going to grab a baggage cart," Mom said. "Neither of you look like you're in any shape to carry anything. You both look like you could use a shower and a nap."

"And tea," I said. "I could really go for a nice hot cup of tea. The stuff they give you on the plane is lukewarm and gross."

Mom laughed. "I remember airplane tea. I'll make you a decent cup when we get home. How about that?"

"Sounds awesome," I said. I angled my gaze down at Yuri. "How about you, my famous husband? Are you in the mood for tea, or do you just want to go to bed?"

He rested his head against my shoulder. "Can I drink my tea in bed?"

"I think we can let—“ Mom began, but then she realized what I'd said. I could see in her face the exact moment my words registered in her brain. "Husband?"

I'll confess, I was grinning like an idiot. "That's what I said."

"Victor! Did the two of you get married? When did this happen? Why wasn't I invited?"

"It happened last Thursday," I said. "Nobody was invited. We eloped."

"Last Thursday? And you didn't think that was something you should've told me right away? I've been talking to you every day since then."

"The reason I didn't tell you is because we wanted to see your reaction in person," I admitted. "Sorry, but now I know it was absolutely worth waiting for."

"Victor Nelson, you are the living end," my mom said.

"It's Okamoto-Nelson now, actually," I said. "We couldn't decide which of us should take the other one's surname, so we just went with both."

"The living end," she repeated, shaking her head. But then her face broke into a huge smile and she tried to pull both of us into an impulsive group hug. "Congratulations!"

Yuri whimpered, but bravely endured my mom's enthusiastic display of affection for the amount of time it lasted. I think it's fair to say we were both relieved when she released us; Yuri for obvious reasons, and me because I could tell how stressed he was from the unexpected contact. I felt bad for him. He looked like he was on the verge of tears.

"Mom, we should get going," I said. "Yuri really needs to rest, and I'm starving. I'll tell you all about our trip to Kyoto on the way home, okay? And if you let me drive, you can even look at our wedding photos on my iPad."

"You eloped, but you have wedding photos?"

"Yeah, funny story about that," I said "We planned to get our pictures taken before we decided to get married. They weren't really supposed to be our wedding photos, but they are now. Come on. Give me your keys. We can continue this in the car."

"Okay," Mom agreed. She fished her car keys out of her coat pocket and handed them to me before trotting off to get a baggage cart for our stuff.

Our ride from the airport was uneventful. I drove, and Mom sat in the front and chatted with me while Yuri napped in the back seat.

Even that brief nap must've done Yuri some good, because he looked considerably better by the time we got to Mom's house. It was apparent that he was still tired, but he'd gotten some colour back and seemed more relaxed. The three of us mutually agreed that we'd have our tea first. Then, I'd show Yuri my old room downstairs and help him settle in, and afterward, Mom and I would bring in all the suitcases from the car.

The minute we stepped through the front door, we were greeted by a stampede of dogs, if you can say two chihuahuas and a boxer are enough to constitute a stampede. Taz, the tiny pack leader, made a beeline for Yuri, and I held my breath in anticipatory dread. The way I remembered, Taz has never been a fan of strangers, and I fully expected him to start freaking out. To my astonishment, however, Taz jumped up, placing his front paws against Yuri's leg, and wagged his tail furiously as if he'd just found a long-lost friend.

For his part, it was like Yuri instantly forgot his exhaustion. "There are so many!" he exclaimed "And they're all so cute!"

He bent and scooped Taz up. That would normally trigger a fit of insane howling from the resident four-legged drama king, but Taz settled comfortably in Yuri's arms, looking like he was always meant to be there.

Meanwhile, I was delighted to find that my Rosie hadn't forgotten me, even after my long absence. She was dancing around on her hind legs, yipping excitedly, demanding to be picked up too. Unlike Taz, Rosie is almost always ready for cuddles, and far be it from me to have denied her. I lifted her up and nestled her against my shoulder, loving the familiarity of how well she fit there.

"Looks like the Tasmanian Devil's mellowed out since the last time I saw him," I commented to Mom, gazing in wonder as I observed a side of Taz that I barely recognized.

"Not really," Mom said. "He still growls at your Uncle Stephen, and he completely loses his mind every time Julian comes over."

"Probably because Julian is the one who took away his boy bits," I said. "I mean, you can't blame him for holding a grudge, can you?"

Yuri was staring at me. "Excuse me? He did what?"

"Julian neutered him," I said. "Mom and Julian don't treat their own animals. It's kind of like how doctors don't perform surgery on their own spouses or kids."

"Yes, I get that, but it's the kind of surgery he performed..." He looked like he was going to be sick. Lowering his head, he buried his face in Taz's fur. "Poor baby. No wonder you hate him."

"It's a routine operation," Mom said. "And it's the responsible thing to do."

"That's easy for you to say," Yuri retorted. "That's an important part to wake up without."

I smiled. "I think we've got a few more things to talk about before we adopt your fur child."

Mom looked intrigued. "Yuri, are you getting a dog?"

"Yes," Yuri said. "Victor says I can finally have one."

"He's been asking me about it since before we moved out of the old house," I said. "He's wanted one for ages, but it never seemed to be the right time."

"What kind of dog are you thinking about?" Mom asked.

"A small one. One like..." he trailed off, looking a little distracted. "Oh! One like that."

Confused, I looked in the direction he was looking. Peeking around the edge of the Dutch wall next to the washing machine was a little white ball of fluff. The small dog emerged slowly, the battle between nervousness and curiosity plain in its body language.

"Mom, who's that?" I gestured at the small white dog with my free hand. "Did we acquire a new family member you forgot to tell me about?"

"No," Mom said. "She's a foster. I've had her for about three weeks."

"She's adorable," Yuri said. "What's her name?"

"She doesn't really have a name. Everyone at the clinic was calling her Mop, because that's what she looked like when she came in, and it seems to have stuck."

"That's awful. Mop isn't a real name." Yuri knelt down and set Taz carefully on the floor. He held out his hand toward the white dog. "Come here, baby. I'll tell you what your name is."

"Did her owners give her up?" I remembered Mom had gotten Taz that way. His previous owners left him at the clinic, and Mom ended up fostering him. He became so attached to Sugar that she decided she couldn't rehome him and opted to keep him herself.

Mom sighed. "I wish they'd surrendered her to a shelter or that they'd come in person to ask us for help," she said. "Julian found her in the parking lot, in a taped-up cardboard box, when he came in to work one morning. We had to give her the full course of parasite treatments, and she was in desperate need of the groomer."

"Why do people do that?" I wondered aloud. "By the look of her, she's barely past the puppy stage. How could anyone have a dog for a year and then randomly decide they don't want to keep her any more?"

"Unanswerable questions," Mom said. "And yes, we think she's around a year old. She's in good health generally, although she does have some dietary restrictions."

I glanced down at Yuri. "Kind of like you," I said. "Small and cute, with dietary restrictions."

He gave me a withering look. "You're not funny, you know."

"I'm trying."

"Try harder," he said. The dog had made her way over to him and was ambitiously licking his hand. He was petting her with the other one. "Dr. Nelson, what kind of dog do you think she is? She looks like a Pomeranian, but her fur's too short."

"She is a Pomeranian," Mom told him. "She's had her hair done, that's all. Having her fur shorter makes it easier to maintain."

"Her hairdo is called a teddy bear cut," I added.

"Poms need a trim every six weeks or so," Mom said. "They're high-maintenance."

"Also kind of like you, Yuri." I said.

"Still not funny."

Mom made an exasperated sound, halfway between a groan and a laugh. "For goodness sake, Victor..."

"Sorry," I said.

Yuri was clearly ignoring me at that point. "So, she'd need someone with lots of time to take care of her fur," he mused. "Someone who pays a lot of attention to personal grooming."

"She needs her nails done regularly, too," Mom told him. "Small dogs don't wear their nails down as much as larger ones, so you have to trim and file them, or get a groomer to do it."

"Like a dog pedicure?" He reached out, as if he was about to pick the dog up. "I could handle that."

Mom tried to forestall him with, "Be careful, sweetie. She doesn't like to be picked—"

But, even before she finished the sentence, it was too late. Yuri had gathered the dog in his arms and was cuddling her, and she was tentatively licking his cheek.

"You'd like to have a day at the dog spa, wouldn't you, Sango-chan?" he said. "You'd come out looking so pretty."

"Sango-chan?" Mom's brow furrowed, trying out the unfamiliar Japanese words.

"Sango. It's her name," said Yuri. "You can't keep calling her Mop. It's insulting."

"Sango means 'coral'," I explained to my mother. "You know, the stuff in the ocean?"

"Thank you. I know what coral is," she said. "That does seem better than Mop. One of you will have to teach me how to say it properly though."

"I will," Yuri said. "And I can show you how to write it."

"That's a lot harder than it looks, just so you know," i said. "I still suck at writing kanji, but at least I can do all the hiragana now, and I'm getting a lot better at reading."

"I'll teach you the kanji too, then," he said. "Tomorrow, we'll have a lesson." He held Sango up to his face so that their noses almost touched. "You can help us, Sango-chan. You can inspire us by being cute. I think that'll be the perfect task for you."

Sango's response was to dart her tongue out and lick the tip of his nose. He laughed, and so did I.

"Why do I have the feeling we're going to be going back to Mt. Komorebi with this dog?" I said.

"You know how it is," Mom said. "Once you name them, they're yours. But, if you want to leave the country with her, you'll need medical clearances, and she'll likely have to be in quarantine for a week or two when you get there."

"It's lucky we know a vet who can issue a health certificate," I said.

"Are you serious?" Yuri asked. "Can we really take her home with us?"

"I'll tell you what," i said. "Why don't we see how you and Sango get along for the next couple of days, and then we'll decide, okay? Then, we can take her and Rosie to the clinic and Mom or Julian can certify them to travel."

"You're planning to take Rosie as well?" Mom said.

"I’d like to, if you don't mind," I said.

"She's your dog."

"Yeah, but is it going to be weird for you, not having her around?"

"You know how it is around here," she said. "This house is dog central. I'll miss her, but with just Sugar and Taz, that'll give me the ability to have two fosters at one time. The more dogs I can help, the better."

"All right," I said. 'I guess that's settled, then. We'll be going back to Japan with at least one dog."

"It'll be two," Yuri said. "I have a really good feeling."

Watching him happily sitting on the floor and playing with Sango, I had a good feeling too. As much as he'd talked about wanting a dog, I had to acknowledge that I wasn't totally confident he'd be comfortable around them. As it turned out, my doubts were unfounded, and it was one of those times when I didn't mind being proved wrong.

There's lots of work involved in caring for a dog, and I knew there'd be a learning curve for him, but I found myself less worried about Yuri's ability to take on dog ownership than I had been previously. I was impressed with how calm he was with them, and I'm sure they sensed his benevolence.

Training and grooming and cleaning up messes are things he can learn how to do. Kindness and patience, on the other hand, aren't so easily taught. Dogs are smart, and they're great judges of character. They know who they can trust, and Sango had seen Yuri as a good and safe person right away. Even notoriously antisocial Taz had been won over by his gentleness, and that's saying something.

Later, as we were settling in for some much-needed sleep downstairs in my room, I could tell Yuri was still thinking about his dog. He was lying on the bed, while I undressed, but he wasn't really paying attention to me. He was staring at something in his imagination, it seemed, and he had a dreamy little smile on his face.

"Hey," I said. "Okamoto-san, where are you?"

A slight pink blush appeared across his nose and cheeks. "Oh. Sorry. Lost in my head, I guess," he said. "I was wondering if we should've brought Sango and Rosie down here with us for the night."

"If I know Rosie, she'll be down here before the night's over, anyway," I said. "Be prepared to share the bed with her. Or not share, more like it. She's great at pushing people out of bed."

"She's... what? Three kilograms?"

"Maybe two and a half. Don't underestimate how big a chihuahua's attitude is, though. She thinks she's bigger than Sugar."

"Do you think Sango will be like that?"

"My guess would be no. I think Sango is shy and gentle, like you, but we’ll just have to wait and see.”

I climbed into bed, and Yuri immediately moved over to snuggle against my side. We were quiet for a while, and I was starting to drift off.

I thought Yuri was nearly asleep too, but then I heard, “Victor?”

“Yeah?”

"I'm really happy we came here," he said. "It's only been a few hours, and I already feel at home."

"I'm glad," I said. "I wanted you to like it, and I'm happy you do."

"This house has so much of you and your mother in it. Even without knowing anything beforehand, I'd have recognized it was yours as soon as I walked in." He slipped an arm around me and laid his head on my shoulder. "I hope our home can be like that someday, that people will know it's ours the minute they come through the door. That's the kind of home I want to build with you."

"Me too," I said. "Our house already feels like home to me, but I know what you mean."

"I think the dogs will help."

"I'm sure they will," I said. "They'll be part of our family."

"You really meant it when you said we can bring Sango home with us, didn’t you?"

"Yes. I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it. I still want to make sure the two of you will get along all right before we commit to anything, but honestly, unless something major happens that changes the situation, I think you'll be fine."

"How could someone have just left her in a box on the street? It's cruel, and it's sad." He tightened his arm around me and turned a little to hide his face in the crook of my neck and shoulder. "She's so beautiful and perfect, but she seems so vulnerable, and... I can't imagine ever abandoning her. She could never take care of herself. She needs someone to protect her."

"Well, now she's got you, hasn't she?"

He moved his head in a sort of nod. "I didn't think instant love was a thing," he said. "But, now I believe it is."

"Sometimes it's like that," I said. "You meet someone small and fragile and your heart just fills up with this overwhelming need to take care of them and protect them and give them whatever they need to be safe and happy."

"Thank you," he said.

"For what?"

"For loving me," he said softly. "For protecting me, and giving me what I need to be safe and happy."

"Know what?" I said. "I didn't believe in instant love either, until I met you. We both know good relationships take time and effort, but sometimes you meet someone and you just know. Like, you understand right away that you're willing to put the work in, because you know they're going to be worth it."

"I'm not sure I would've called it instant love when we first met, but it didn't take me long to realize I was willing to make the effort," he said.

"Maybe I wouldn't have called it love right then and there either," I conceded. "But, in hindsight, I think it's fair to say I knew there was potential. And I was right. You were the best risk I ever took."

"I'm glad you took a chance on me."

"I'll take a chance on you every single time, Yuri Okamoto-Nelson. You’re absolutely worth it.”

[bgyuus]

"ı Ɩơ۷ɛ ყơų"  

suna rintarou x fem! reader 

i just wanted to write some fluff but it got bad :( 

cw: badly written fluff, some smut in the end, soft sex, public sex, angst (?), fluff, suna is kinda like the quiet type in here, just two teenagers dealing with their hormones, unedited writing. 

"Hey y/n, he's staring at you again," 

Your blonde friend, Rika, leaned in to whisper into your ear. You took a glance behind your seat. Both of your eyes widened at the sudden eye contact. You quickly turned your face away, praying that he didn't saw your cheeks burning in embarrassment and shyness. 

"Is y/n blushing? Wow, never thought you'd be flustered over something- or someone," a very familiar voice rang from the right side of your seat. You turned to face him and nearly yelped at how close your faces were. You felt your face burning up again. Ugh, how you hate this one cocky bastard. Atsumu smirked at your flustered face. "Staring at Rin-rin again, aren't 'cha?" he asked with a teasing tone, the smirk still not leaving his face. "What?! I wasn't staring, he stared at me first," you stated, crossing your arms. Atsumu laughed at your outburst. He opened his mouth to say something but the bell cut him off. "Y/n, let's go eat outside for today!" two of your female friends came and dragged you away, without giving you any chance to say goodbye to Atsumu. (not that you wanted to anyway lol). 

"So, I heard Suna likes you, y/n," the blonde said, nudging your side playfully. "N-no, you've must be mistaken, plus Yuri likes him, don't you, Yuri-chan?" you asked, trying not to sound nervous. Yuri glances at you from across the table. "The hell- why would I like him, I like his friend, Osamu better," she shrugged as she continued to eat her lunch. "Well, he's not my type," Rika said, stuffing her face with some bun. The two started to talk about who's taste in men is better. You sat there, listening and debating with your two friends. 

Sooner or later, the school period was over. You were packing up your things when you felt a presence standing beside you. The height and the soft smell of his cologne made you tense up. Slowly glancing up to face him, your eyes widened. Ugh, how you hate making eye contact with him.  The both of you stood there, staring into each other's eyes until you cleared your throat, breaking the awkward silence. Suna raised an eyebrow at your action. Your cheeks were tinted with red hues (he can see that y'know) and your hands were fiddling with the hem of your skirt. Were you feeling uncomfortable with him? Probably all of that staring caught her off guard and now she thinks I'm a pervert, he panicked silently. 

"Wanna go back together since we live nearby," he said, rubbing the nape of his neck. Your cheeks continued to burn up, which is definitely not helping you to calm down. Without saying a word, you nodded as an answer. Suna's expression softened but quickly tensed up when you looked up to face him again. You both walked down the stairs in silence- it was a different type of silence now. It was a nice type of silence, the comfortable one. Your heart was still beating fast, you swear that it could burst any moment now if there isn't any way to escape this. "Oh, Y/n! Suna! Can you help carry these back to my table?" a sensei called out. "I'll do it!" you quickly volunteered, leaving Suna's side. The taller boy looked at you, telepathically asking "need a hand?" You smiled and waved him off. "You can go now, Suna. I've got this," you smiled as Suna nodded and walked in the opposite direction. 

As you were carrying the books back to the teacher's lounge, you breathed out a sigh of relief. The rapid heartbeats began to calm down, now thumping at their own normal pace. Your heated cheeks finally cooled down. After placing the books and exiting the office, your heart started to quicken its pace again. There he was, leaning against the lockers, eyes glued to the screen of his phone. Your cheeks started to heat up again as the boy's eyes trailed towards you. "Finally, it took me a year to wait for you," he teased, making you cross your arms. "Well it's not my fault this school has many pathways," you shot him back. Suna stifled a laugh at your remark. With only that made your stomach burst with a thousand butterflies. "Hey, come on now, let's go home," he said, handing out his hand for you to take. 

Your eyes widened at his action. Suna cocked an eyebrow at you. "If you don't want to then fine," he said, bringing his hand back to his side. The hurt tone coming from his voice made your reflexes act up. You quickly grabbed his hand and rushed out of the school grounds. The both of you walked in silence as you reached the station. Suna glanced at your interwinding hands and smirked. "You like me that much, huh?" he asked in a teasing tone. "Wha-," with widened eyes, you swiftly let go of his hand, cheeks burning up in embarrassment.  Suna laughed, gaining attention from some of the people nearby. "Aw, they sure do look cute together! They've gotta be a couple!" a lady gushed to her friend. Upon hearing that, you stomped on Suna's foot, making him yelped in pain. "Shut up," you said, annoyed and embarrassed at what had happened. 

As you both were waiting for the train, the previous lady's voice rang through her head. "They've gotta be a couple!" You lowered your head as your cheeks burned up at the thought of you and Suna being one. Glancing towards the taller boy, you took in his image. He was definitely tall, just the height that you've always wanted for a boy as your boyfriend. His posture is- isn't that bad. His brown hair shining in the sunset evening. His shoulders were broad and you silently bet that he has abs, he's the school's volleyball player after all. His hands, oh my god his hand. They were even bigger than yours. His skin looked so smooth, you didn't realize that you were holding his hand right now. Suna gave you a puzzled look as you quickly let go, bowing many times and saying that you were sorry for being such a weirdo. 

The boy chuckled in response. You were about to stomp on his foot again when he suddenly pulled you closer to his chest, hands placed on your back, trapping you against him, not wanting you to let go. Your cheeks were now heating up at an alarming rate, your heart was as if it was racing in a 100-meter race. He was hugging you. The light smell of his cologne surprisingly calmed your rapid heartbeats and your burning cheeks. You slowly wrapped your arm around his body, hugging him back. A smile plastered across Suna's face. He didn't know how he got himself into this mess actually.

"She's cute," Atsumu said to his group of friends, which Suna is in it too. The brunette glanced at the way his friend mentioned. There she was, y/n, the well-known polite girl of his grade during middle school. You were walking with Rika and Yuri, chatting away. You both locked eyes for a moment when you shot him a smile and walked off with your friends. At that moment, Suna didn't really quite understand why his heart was beating fast. When he explained this to Atsumu, the blonde only said "You have a crush on her! Go on ask her out or something!" he excitedly said. Suna winced at the thought of you turning him down but you wouldn't know if you don't try, right? 

One evening, he walked up to you, but you were occupied with none other than Atsumu. He waited for you to deal with Atsumu when he heard the blonde said: "Will you go out with me?" Suna's stomach dropped. Why would he- "Oh, I'm sorry Atsumu, but I'm busy for the rest of the week," you answered honestly, bowing lightly and walked away. Suna was about to call out to you but you turned into another hall. 

Honestly, he really wanted to confess to you but there was always something bothering the chance for him to do so. Like how you're always surrounded by your friends. You're always in everyone's attention. It's not like Suna can blame you though, you were popular back in the days anyway. But that doesn't stop his feelings from liking you. Now that he's in the same high school- and in the same class, he can finally confess. 

The boy let you go with his hands now cupping your cheeks. His green olive-like eyes stared into your (insert eye color lol) ones. His thumb caressed your cheeks gently wiping away a tear. Wait, what is this feeling, you thought. Suna's eyes darted from yours to your lips. Your heart skipped a beat as he closed his eyes and leaned down towards you. You closed the gap between you and as your lips were on his, everything started to move in slow motion. The sakura flowers moved around in the breeze making the scene as if you were in a movie. Suna bit your lower lip gently, making you slowly opening your mouth for his tongue to explore. 

His left hand moved down under your skirt, gripping your ass ever so gently. You yelped softly, pushing Suna off of you rather harshly. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Suna apologized over and over again. You looked at his flustered face. His eyes were clouded with want and need. And you couldn't help but slowly look down towards his pants. Ah shit, you cursed silently. There was a tent growing in his pants and you couldn't help blush at the dirty thoughts going through your head. "Oh, y-you don't have to worry about this, I'll just handle this myself," Suna laughed it off as the doors off the train opened. Your cheeks burned red again. Suna laughed as he grabbed your hand and entered the train. You frowned at his actions and dragged him out from the train to the nearest bathroom. 

"I'm sorry, y/n, it's just-" he got cut off by your lips smashing into his. Both tongues fighting for dominance. Suna pushed you, your back hitting the nearest wall. A breathy moan left your lips, hands reaching and gripping his hair, deepening the kiss. Finally letting go in need of oxygen, Suna rested his forehead against yours, saliva connecting at both of your mouths. "I can't," he panted, breathing oxygen back into his lungs. Your hand caressed his cheek. "It's okay, I- let me help you,"  you offered in a small voice. The boy's eyes widened. "Eh? No no, it's okay! You don't have to!" it was his turn now to be flustered. 

Never would you thought you'd be in a position like this. Never at all. Skirt hunched up to your stomach, back placed against the bathroom mirror, and Suna's dick deep inside of you. Not to mention that your first time was with your crush and in a public bathroom. If someone found out, you both will be in deep trouble, no shit. "Y/n, 'm gonna cum," the boy panted after multiple times thrusting into your pussy. He pulled out and released his seed onto your thighs, slowly panting for air. He kissed your sweaty forehead, lovingly. 

"I love you," he said and he did. 

[philliamwrites]

The Dawn Will Come [Chpt.4]

Fandom: Fire Emblem Three Houses

Pairing: Dimitri x Reader, Claude x Reader, Edelgard x Reader, Yuri x Reader, Edelgard x Byleth, lots of minor pairings

Tags: #gn reader, # platonic love byleth & reader, #reader is a tactical unit, #angst, #slow burn, #subplots, #unreliable narrator, #pining, #remporary amnesia, #reluctant herp, #canon divergence, #lost twin au, #many chapters, #original content

Words: 7.7k

Summary: Waking up in a forest without any knowledge of your past and who you are, you join the house leaders of the Officers Academy to search for a way to return your memories. Unfortunately, the church has different plans for you, and Fate places you in the centre of a cruel game with deadly stakes. It certainly doesn’t help to fall in love with a house leader who is doomed to be your demise.

Notes: Chapter 3 | Chapter 5

Chapter 04: Demands of the Faithful

I stretch lame hands of faith, and grope, And gather dust and chaff, and call To what I feel is Lord of all, And faintly trust the larger hope.

[Alfred, Lord Tennyson, In Memoriam A.H.H.]

    “I’m glad you could make time,” Byleth says, carefully placing her fine cup on the small bottom plate. If she notices how uncomfortable you feel, sitting in the centre of the yard, drinking tea, she ignores it. “Let’s think together about what we want to teach during the mock battle.”

    “This is a bad idea,” you say, nibbling on your cup. “A very bad idea.”

    The late afternoon hours are quiet, but it certainly helps that the tea arrangement is tugged away in a far off corner in the courtyard, hidden behind tall hedges that allow privacy. The sweet smell of chamomile tea and strawberry pastry is a nice exchange from the usual savoury smells you’re used to in the cafeteria. All around you, the high, spiky roofs of the monastery’s towers stand out against the fiery, orange sky, throwing longer and longer shadows as the sun sets behind the mountains. The clouds are soft, pink cotton-candy, blushing at the warm touch of the sun.

    “I think it’s a good idea,” Byleth continues, cutting through a piece of cake with her fork. “We’ve seen what the house leaders are capable of. It’s time to see what the rest of the students can do.”

    “Don’t take me wrong. I think a mock battle will help them grow,” you agree. “I just don’t really understand why it’s me who has to lead the Blue Lions.”

    “I think Professor Hanneman is not present at the day of the mission,” Byleth explains. “It seems on the last day of Lone Moon he always leaves the monastery for a private reason. And I assume Lady Rhea means to see the extent of your power.”

    That’s what you expected as well. In the last couple of days you realised your power is a muscle, to be exercised daily, never to be pushed to the extreme. It was a strenuous task to try out how much is too much; where there’s still room. Under the keen eyes of Hanneman, you two practised day after day, trying to figure out how much your body can take before exhaustion sweeps over you and renders you immobile. Crests usually don’t have a limit; depending on their nature they grant a permament boost to the bearer’s abilities. Muttering under his breath, Hanneman had made quite a show to remind you what a curiosity the Crest of the Herald is. Like you wouldn’t know.

    “Since we’re going to be on the field as well, you might want to get more practice with the sword,” Byleth proposes, and you groan. She has a way of being brutally honest, and so far no one’s been spared to get the brunt of it. “I’m not letting my students hold back. Not even against you.”

    “You really are a voice of confidence, you know.” Shoulders drooping like someone took the wind from your sails, you throw your head back and drink the rest of your tea. Byleth’s expression doesn’t change, and you wonder why you even try being funny around her.

    After clearing the table, Byleth accompanies you to your next lesson hall. It’s nice in theory, but her vigorous way of trying to drill sword techniques into your head on the way doesn’t hide her true agenda. Only slowly, you begin to realise that is maybe her way of caring for someone. Brutish in appearance, but once you look past the first impression of indifference, Byleth’s silent demeanour speaks louder than words.

    Students linger in small groups in front of the class rooms, their exhausted faces from a full day of lessons and hard training visible in the way they carry their bodies. If you had a say in it, you’d cancel the evening lessons and let them rest; a reoccurring debate inside the faculty that doesn’t go anywhere. Byleth stops in front of the class room, surveying the students with a cool gaze, when suddenly Claude and Hilda jog towards you, and by “jogging” they decided Hilda to be the only one running while carrying Claude bridal style like he weighs nothing. As they pass you, Claude tips an invisible hat in your direction, calling “Hey, teach,” and then immediately “Bye, teach!” as they cross the courtyard.

    Your gaze follows them. “What just happened.”

    Byleth doesn’t even bother to look. “Claude and Hilda happened.”

    Heavens, you don’t know if you’re able to handle them later.

    After exchanging goodbyes with Byleth, you tackle the next forty minutes with a belly full of sweets and a mind occupied with worrying about everything you might do wrong next week. Forming two groups, you hand out two different manoeuvres you dug out of books, and present the task, “Work out the pros and cons of each battle tactic, and present them to the class. Explain where you would have done things differently, and why.”

    Sylvain raises his hand.

    “Yes, you can leave to bathroom breaks without asking me,” you say.

    Sylvain drops his hand. Then raises it again.

    “No, you can’t bring animals you find on your way back to your seat,” you say.

    He drops his hand. Beside him, Ingrid fails to stifle a groan.

    Twenty minutes later, the first group stands in front of the class. Mercedes’s steady hand draws the perfect copy of the manoeuvre on the chalk board while Annette recites every step flawlessly. They’re a powerful combination, and that’s only half owed to their friendship. Mercedes is soft; she’s the silk hiding the dagger that Annette’s sharp mind is. There’s strength in kindness, and both have honed this ability to a razor-sharp weapon. There’s still a pouch of unfinished cookies Mercedes has baked for you left in your room, something to keep in mind for the next tea hour with Byleth. Felix and Dedue don’t add much, and you’re a little afraid to ask, seeing how Felix’s eyes burn holes in the back of Dedue’s head. There’s been rumours going on about a dispute, but no details, and you gladly leave that sort of teacher-student business to Hanneman.

    The remaining students do their job almost just as good. But the thought of children being so confident in ways of war and killing leaves a painful twinge in your chest. You wonder what will become of them all in a few years, what battles they will win. What battles they will lose—this fear lingers at the edges of your consciousness like an ever-present shadow. To push it away, you try to refocus on the task at hand.

    “Look at the battalions you have,” you advise, tapping a finger against the cool surface of the board. It comes away white with chalk, leaving a white smudge on your robe as you wipe it off. “Where are they placed?”

    Ashe clears his throat. “Two Lance Soldiers, that’s Infantry. One Magic Squadron, also Infantry. The latter is stationed far northeast on that island. Two Pegasus Corpses, which are Flying Types. We put them behind the mountains to ambush the enemies on their way to one of our Infantries.”

    “A good idea in theory,” you acknowledge, and don’t miss how Ashe exhales in relief. “And where are you enemies?”

    “They’re facing our Infantry and the Squadron,” Dimitri steps in now. “The Flying Unit engage from the back. After their victory, Infantry and Flying close the last opposite unite off on the bridge, and join the Magic Squadron in fighting.”

    “Okay, okay,” you nod. “And now look at the terrain of this last unit you want to take on from the front and back. The one on the bridge moving towards the Squadron.”

    The room is quiet for a minute, and then a silent “Oh” from Ashe.

    “Yes. Oh. The Magic Squadron moves slower through the woods. You’ll lose them. And one of the Lance units is probably the next to go.” You draw sharp lines across the board with red chalk, changing the battalion’s movements. One goes across the whole board, crossing out the word Sea. “Wouldn’t it be smarter to have your Pegasus Companies move this way across the water, join the Magic Squadron and then close in from the right to join the Infantries?”

    “But Herald.” Ingrid raises her hand, but doesn’t wait for you to pick her. “If Infantry and Flying take out the first enemy, we’ll still win. The remaining unit will be trapped on the island without a possibility to retreat. Wouldn’t it be wiser to sacrifice the Magic Squadron just for that?”

    “I agree with Ingrid,” says Sylvain. He’s sitting on a desk, and swings his legs back and forth. “With or without them, we won the battle, and that’s what matters.”

    You turn back to scan the manoeuvre one more time. They’re right—blocking the enemy’s escape routes off proves a solid guarantee to win, and yet you’ve somewhat hoped they wouldn’t settle on this option. There’s a bitter taste in your mouth, turning your lips upside down as if you’ve bitten into a lemon.

    “Sometimes, you don’t want to win the battle,” you start slowly, the thought blossoming from a dark place deep inside you. “Sometimes you want as many as possible to live.” Which is easier said than done, and no one in the room agrees on your statement because they know just as much that such a choice isn’t always granted. Before the silence stretches on too long, you quickly add, “I guess it is more important to know there is no right or wrong answer. You make decisions later on that will either grant you victory or death, and you will have to live with those decisions.”

    Unanimous murmur sounds from the students, a topic nobody wants to dwell on too long, and you grant them that wish; this precious little time they’re still allowed to be children and make mistakes before responsibilities catch up to them. The rest of the lesson flies past without disturbances, and when the bells announce the break, they jump from their seats and scurry outside.

    “Don’t forget there’s going to be a test after the mock battle,” you call after them, knowing they’ll forget anyway and then boycott. The Lions are finally done with lessons, but there is the Deer House who have the misfortune to attend the last period of the day. As you prepare their unit of instruction on different terrains, Dimitri approaches you, his expression a mixture between confidence and tension.

    “Herald.” He stops in front of your desk, shoulders squared into a declaration of deference. “I have prepared instructions on everyone’s weaknesses and strengths. Please, do consider to take a look. Since one of the rules is that only six units will be stationed on the field, I hope this will make your decision easier who to choose.” Placing the papers with outmost care on your table, Dimitri hesitates a moment before continuing, “What you said earlier … truth be told, I think the same. To limit the loss of lives as much as possible should be a priority to a leader as well. To hear that from someone like you … I was quite glad.”

    “Someone like me,” you repeat, but you’re more surprised to feel your fingers itch to take the papers and get a first read on everyone. After going through similar notes from Linhardt, you’re now excited to learn more about your proteges, and with luck someone from the Golden Deer students might provide you with a first survey as well.

    “Someone responsible for tactics and strategy,” Dimitri quickly clarifies. “Someone tasked with bringing absolute victory.” He gives you a look that is somehow both caressing and calculating at the same time. “I understand that those sometimes compete with one’s own beliefs regarding the value of life. One’s conscience is as much of a weapon as a sharpened blade. If it breaks, what use is there to a person.”

    “Those are … some mature thoughts.” You don’t know where this observation goes. Of course he is mature, he has to be as the successor of a noble lineage. “For someone your age.” You press your mouth into a thin line, cursing your inability to think of a better response. But Dimitri simply smiles—a smile that is like a light suddenly being turned on in every room of a dark house.

    “Oh, but I do not want to bore you with such matters. I just wanted to add, I really do look forward to have you on our side during the mock battle.” He gives a little courtesy bow. “Let us discuss the details on the day before the mission. A good evening to you, Herald.”

    Dimitri leaves with a little bounce to his step. It’s probably better he’s in high spirits, even though you aren’t sure what exactly made him happy. It would be a real shame to extinguish his excitement by being an utter failure during the battle, so you make sure to read whatever he managed to put together about his classmates as soon as possible. There’s still some minutes left before the first Deer students will enter. Exhaustion lulls you into resting your eyes, and the moment your head is cradled in your arms, you doze off.

    It’s the third time you have this dream after joining the Officer’s Academy, though calling it a ‘dream’ is a stretch—there is nothing happening, nothing to see. Only white, as pure and unblemished as a young lily blossom in early spring. Only this time this picture—maybe a memory, but of what or where you can’t say—is different.

    Wake up, a voice whispers, barely recognisable and dull, spoken behind a wall of water. Wake up.

    Your hands weigh a ton. Unable to reach out and grasp it, the dream blurs, slipping through your fingers like sand.

    Wake up.

    “Herald, wake up,” Claude persists. “You’re drooling on my test papers.”

    His hand brushes your shoulder and you jump, all focus on the dream dispersing. Multiple voices fill the room in a shower of sounds, not helping to regain your senses of where you are. It doesn’t help that your right eye throbs dully, and as you rub it to somehow reduce the sensation, white spots dance across your vision.

    “So sorry, Herald,” Claude smirks with his hand still hovering over your shoulder. “Didn’t mean to wake you from your beauty rest, but Hilda planned to draw obscene things on your face, and we can’t have that now, can we.”

    “Liars never prosper, Claude!” comes Hilda’s response from somewhere in the back of the room. You groan, narrowing your eyes at him. Going back to sleep and stumbling about to try and figure out what’s going on sounds more pleasing than dealing with Claude’s shenanigans.

    “Man, what a bummer you won’t join our House during the mock battle,” he continues as if Hilda hasn’t said anything. “If someone asked me, I think to have you fight for the Blue Lions is cheating.”

    “But no one asked you?” you offer, indulging him with a weak smile.

    “The audacity, right?” Claude rolls his eyes towards the ceiling, leaning against the teacher’s desk. “Just imagine the brilliant schemes we two could work out. Oh, I have an amazing idea. How about you ask Lady Rhea—”

    “I’m not asking to be by your side during the battle.”

    “Ouch.” Claude places a hand over his chest, right above his heart. “Immediately shut down. Who knew our dearest Herald would be such a heart breaker.”

    You shoo him away, not only because he’s getting on your nerves, but there’s also Ignatz and Raphael standing in line, waiting for your attention.

    “We’ve heard the students from the other Houses gave you some insight in their abilities,” Ignatz says, tugging a stack of papers to his chest. “We decided to give you one as well.”

    “I’m sure you’ll like them,” Raphael chimes in, looking more excited than usual. “I gave Ignatz instructions on how to make our report the best. Forget boring words, Herald, we’ve prepared the real deal!” He rips the papers from Ignatz’s hands and slams them on your table. A crack sounds on the underside, and Raphael leans his whole weight upon the surface, completely oblivious to the protesting creak of the wood.

    “Here, we started with Claude, since he’s the big shot and all that,” he explains, opening the first page. It shows Claude, a surprisingly accurate portrait of him, if not a little bit scrawny. He’s wielding a bow, nocking multiple arrows. Seems like Raphael wasn’t the only one giving instructions.

    “And here is Leonie, and there’s Lorenz, and oh! That’s us working together as a team!” Raphael beams as he turns the page. In this picture, everyone is assembled, fighting against angry looking soldiers and horned monsters. There’s Lysithea and Marianne shooting lightning bolts from their hands, zapping their opponents. Raphael is carrying a huge stone, on top of it stands Hilda, wielding a mighty axe.

    “These are the most accurate file reports I’ve seen,” you say for lack of better words. “It really is a shame I can’t join you for the mock battle.”

    “There’s gonna be a next time, no worries!” Raphael gives you a thumbs up, then retreats to his seat, Ignatz by his side. They’re a funny duo, not just because of their different build. Their personalities seem the complete opposite, and yet strangely fit like a child’s box to sort blocks into the right shapes.

    The difference between the Golden Deers and Blue Lions, for one, is the noise level. Instead of waiting for you to call them up one by one, they love to shout answers whenever they see fit. Judging who was the first isn’t really easy when four people scream at the same time, so you’ve given up on that—Claude’s policy whoever screams loudest didn’t help all too much as well. Maybe it’s time to ask Byleth about some tips how to handle them. When the bell tolls for the last time for this day, announcing everyone to be relieved of their work, the student clear out faster than during fire drills, leaving you with a turmoil of thoughts and worries and two little voices bickering about how much of a disaster next week is going to be.

    After seven days and nights of restless sleep and vigorous training under the vicious supervision of Byleth, the green fields stretching before you end boarding on lush woods, its treetops protruding into the sky. It’s a wonderful day you would enjoy much more without knowing this is a battle field, and the people behind you wait for your command.

    “Black Eagle and Golden Deer are in position. Captain Jeralt said the mock battle begins in roughly ten minutes.” Dedue gives you an expectant look, and you give him a curt nod, your mouth dry.

    “Thanks. We’ll have a last briefing. After that, we’ll deploy our units.”

    Dedue joins his classmates, leaving you to your troubled thoughts. With luck, none of your opponents will reach you, and you won’t have to fight. It’s as if you can feel Byleth’s taste for your blood all across the field, even though right now she’s just a blurry, dark blob in the distance, surrounded by her students.

    “Do not worry, Herald.” The hard metal of a gauntlet on your shoulder makes you flinch, backing away from Dimitri. The worry on his face is a mirror of your own, albeit for different reasons. “Everyone will do their best to follow your orders, and fight with everything they've got. Your leadership will lead us to victory.”

    “Oh, yeah!” You don’t meet his eyes. “For sure.” Zero pressure and all that. You don’t say that, seeing that most of the students don’t appear to be as nervous as you. Confidence is key, and even though you see none of it in tangible proximity, you can at least fake it until you make it.

    Six minutes left. With a deep breath, you try to get hold of yourself, and face the Lions.

    “Since we don’t know who will be deployed by Manuela and Byleth, prepare for everything. I want to split the group. Dimitri, Dedue and Mercedes move to the northern forest. Felix, Sylvain, you’re moving west with me.”

    Felix pulls a grimace, but before he can say anything, Sylvain throws an arm around his shoulders and leans on him, gracing you with a full grin. “We got your back, Herald.” He earns a whack on his back from his friend.

    “Why are we splitting up if our plan is to take out each group separately?” Dedue inquirers. “Isn’t that what we agreed on before?”

    “I think the Herald plans to let our opponents think we plan on taking them both on at the same time.” Dimitri throws a quick glance at you. “We’ll draw them in our direction, and once they are near, we close in from both sides.”

    You nod. “Precisely. We know the Black Eagles will start far north from us. The Golden Deers are northwest. As soon as one of them moves towards us, we’ll have to defeat them immediately. It will be easier fighting one House, not both at the same time.”

    “Look at you, Your Highness.” Sylvain pats him on the shoulder, looking proud. “Someone’s been paying attention in class!”

    “Sylvain—” Dimitri’s chiding meets deaf ears as Sylvain already turns away, checking his lance for a last time. But he does beam a little, you think. Or maybe it’s just the sun making everything look much brighter. It’ll go into your report nonetheless. Chances of a victory look good—even if you have to retreat, the Blue Lions might make it on their own.

    The bressy sound of a horn echoes across the valley, reverberating in your bones. The mock battle begins.

    The weight of the wooden training sword hanging from your hip is foreign; it’s as though you only expect to trip over it. Determined to keep it in its holster, you approach the grove, flanked by Sylvain and Felix—and not a minute too soon. Moving towards you is the first line of enemies, Ignatz, Lorenz and Marianne.

    “I think they didn’t see us—” Sylvain starts just as the first arrow flies past his head and hits the trunk beside him with a thunk. For safety purposes, all arrow’s tips are wrapped up in stiff cloth, not intended to leave permanent wounds but surely still capable to deliver nasty bruises like the training swords and lances.

    “I think they saw us—” Sylvain’s brilliant new observation ends in a yelp as Felix shoves him out of the line of fire.

    “Get down, dumbass!”

    You three duck behind bushes and trees, cautiously observing how the others advance, their weapons drawn.

    “I’ll go for Ignatz,” you say. “Felix, you’re fast enough to reach Marianne and take her down before she starts healing everyone.”

    “Fine, we’ll try your plan.” Felix has his sword drawn already, gripping it tight enough his knuckles turn white. “Try not to get kicked out too soon, will you.”

    You blow a strand of hair from out of your eyes, squinting at his back as he jumps out of cover. The last couple of weeks you’ve put in some extra hours of sword practice with Felix. As an exceptional swordsman, noble and diligent in his training unlike anyone else—safe maybe for Dimitri—you imagined no one could teach you as much as possible in the short amount of time until the mission. It took some convincing, but the decisive argument that sold him was your desire to become better to finally have at least a chance against Byleth. If she is stern during practice, Felix is vicious, exploiting the tiniest opening you give in order to make you learn from your mistakes. Your body was a medley of pain and aches after every evening, but now the memory of that very same melody is your marching song towards battle. Then there’s always the knowledge that if you three can distract them long enough before the rest of the Golden Deer students arrive, Dimitri and the rest will close in on your position, and taking down your opponents won’t be difficult.

    “Sylvain, Lorenz is yours.”

    He answers with a simple salute, grip tight around his training lance, and as you both follow Felix out in the open, an image flickers before you, there and gone like a flame going out with a last glint. An arrow, headed straight at you. Your body moves in instinct, dodging the projectile not a second too late. Judging from the direction of its origin, Ignatz must be just beyond the rocks only a few hundred yards away. You throw a MiasmaΔ in his direction, the black ball carving its path across the grasslands. It hits the stone, chipping parts away and revealing Ignatz, crouching behind it. He looks up, dirt on his cheeks, and adjusts his glasses before ducking out of his cover, another arrow already ready on his bow.

    Another arrow hits him on his back, hard enough to get him down on his knees. Mercedes’ accuracy isn’t as good as Ashe’s, but the determination carved into her face makes up for lack of skill. Dimitri and Dedue are right on her heels, but a single look thrown over your shoulder shows that Felix and Sylvain have everything under control. Coming out victorious as well, save for Sylvain pressing a hand against his ribs, they were still complete. The knowledge of that makes you sigh in relief, a new surge of hope soaring inside you.

    “I knew we shouldn’t have listened to Claude’s dubious plan.” Lorenz’s bickering is still audible, even as the three proceed to leave the battle grounds to meet up with Jeralt. You’re really curious to see what exactly Claude had in mind, but diverting your focus for just a second could become dangerous. Instead, you turn towards the students.

    “Stay close,” you order, waiting until Mercedes is finished checking Sylvain's injuries. “We’re going to move further towards the Golden Deers and eliminate them first.” Flexing your fingers against the slow growth of getting used casting spells, your group begins to move further north.

    Out of the corner of your eyes, you notice Dimitri buckling and unbuckling his spear from his back. Out of lack for the right words, and because the first rush of adrenaline still courses through your body, you jostle against him, wearing a grin on your face.

    “Look lively, Your Highness,” you advise. “All that nervous fumbling isn’t what a leader is supposed to do.”

    A tiny gasps leaves him, more an exhale than anything else, but he turns towards you, slightly flushed. Bringing his hands to his sides, it’s too obvious he’s tensing his body so they don’t stray again—like a statue that’s on the edge of shattering at the tiniest movement.

    “You’re right, of course.” He lowers his head a little. “I just keep thinking that the Black Eagle students wait for us in that direction as well. Some are surely moving towards us as we speak.”

    “Are you worried about Byleth?” you wonder, and more as an afterthought add, “Or Edelgard?”

    “Anyone who is not worried about Byleth is a fool, if you ask me,” he replies with a crease between his pale eyebrows. “And well, this is our first chance to prove ourselves, being the heirs to the ruling factions. I know Edelgard is exceptionally strong. And Claude surely has an ace up his sleeve. You are right, Herald. Nervousness is a sign of hesitation, of weakness. I will be better than that.” A new fire comes alive in his eyes as he strides onward, catching up to Mercedes and Sylvain to compliment her on the excellent shot from before.

    The epiphany really comes only now, fast and hard like a lightning bolt, that these children will drink in everything you have to offer—advices, orders, simple words of encouragement—simply for the title that is strapped around your neck. The weight of that responsibility slows your steps, which allows for another worry to quickly catch up: has everything you have taught them so far been right? Do they really know how to exploit the advantages certain classes have over others; will a strategic retreat even occur to them in the right time before it’s too late.

    Doubt is like poison, slowly eating you from the inside. This mock battle won’t just be a lesson for the students. It will also test if you have put them on the right path, and the realisation unfolds a new conviction inside you, breathing new wind into your sails.

    You quickly catch up to them, another rush of encouraging words on your lips when another image flickers on and off, painting your sight red. You freeze, raising an arm, hand formed into a fist.

    “Halt!” you shout, processing what you just saw. The students pause, forming a loose circle around you. The throbbing from before settles back in, more persistent now like someone’s knocking against the back of your skull to get your attention. You try to ignore that and focus on categorising every student’s ability in alphabetical order.

    “Linhardt,” you gasp, eyes wide open and glued on Dedue.

    The students exchange worried glances. Sylvain is the first to speak. “No, Herald,” he says. “Linhardt’s the pretty boy with all the books, you know. Who sleeps just about anywhere, like a cat. That’s our Dedue here.”

    “No, I mean Linhardt has Nosferatu,” you quickly explain, flailing your hands in hope to express yourself better. It doesn’t look like it helps. “Linhardt is the only one left who can use Nosferatu, and he’s going to land a good hit on Dedue. And with good, I mean bad. If he hits you, you’re down, Dedue.” Because only that makes sense, as Marianne is already standing on the sidelines and you haven’t heard about anyone else learning the skill. Undoubtedly a Nosferatu will hit Dedue if you don’t change course or take the spell caster out first.

    Dedue steps forward. “Should it give us an advantage against our enemy, I will gladly face the opponent and go down if it means it won’t interfere with our progress towards the Golden Deer students.”

    “Sacrificing yourself for a mere praise from the boar, is that what you hope for?” Felix demands, or more like snarls, his handsome face crumpling into an ugly look of contempt. “Pathetic.”

    “Sacrifice is a big word to throw around during a mock battle, don’t you think,” Sylvain unhelpfully throws in, his posture a little too relaxed in the light of the conflict that’s about to break out.

    Dedue shakes his head. “I am simply fulfilling my duty,” he states. “Anything that will bring His Highness victory.”

    “You would also run head first into an ambush and get yourself killed, is that it?” Felix grimaces. “Blindly following orders—”

    “Okay, okay, that’s enough!” Your raised voice makes them pause, and you use that second to grab lead of the conversation. “We don’t even know if Linhardt is going to be alone or joined by other Eagle students. What do you think will your little act accomplish, Dedue?”

    He sets his mouth into a grim, hard line, unable to come up with a satisfying answer that isn’t a repeat of what he just said.

    “You’ll have a tough time going against Black Eagles with all their magic users, so stay with Dimitri. Go and deal with the rest of the Golden Deer students. And you—” You meet Felix’s glare with narrowed eyes. “A battlefield isn’t the place to throw around petty disagreements. You would do well to remember that.”

    “Understood.” He rips the training sword from its holster. “But let me go take down that mage. I’ll cut him down swiftly.”

    “We’ll go together. I’m not leaving any of you on your own. Take care of Claude,” you tell Dimitri, showing with a nod that you fully trust in his leading ability. “We’ll meet east from the barricades in exactly one hour.”

    He doesn’t shy away from you glare. “Understood. Take care you two.”

    Felix takes the lead with long, eager strides. As you follow him, you rub your eye, wincing at the pinprick-like pain. The dull throb doesn’t cease this time, and if you had to take a guess, there’s only once left for the Crest to activate before you reach your limit. So far, nothing has helped you to ascertain when exactly a foresight occurs, and leaving it to pure chance is like grasping a loose rope in hopes that it is tied to something somewhere as you take the leap. Maybe Hanneman will make more sense of it laters.

    “You should have stayed with the others,” Felix says after a moment, scanning your surroundings for any sign of the enemy. It sounds more like a simple statement than an accusation. “I can handle someone like Linhardt on my own.”

    “I said before, we don’t know if he’s alone. I highly doubt it.” It’s like Dimitri said before: Underestimating Byleth will surely end in casualties and defeat. You don’t consider it far-fetched that she has sent a non-magic class with Linhardt, but who that will be is left to be determined.

    “No matter how many accompany him. Be it two or three or all of them, I will take them down.”

    “It takes more than one person to win a war.” Though you don’t doubt Felix might try it by himself anyway. “You’ll notice soon enough that you will rely on your comrades.”

    “I will rely on them as long as they don’t get in my way.”

    “So charming,” you mumble to yourself as you two round a mound. It really is none of your business, but you're actually curious about what is going on between him and Dedue. The moment you finish outweighing the pros and cons of trying to go down that rabbit hole, the air around you changes, barely noticeable save for a change of wind—it completely stills for a second, but that is enough to realise what’s happening.

    “Felix—” you manage before the Nosferatu explodes in front of you, knocking you to the ground. Before the mock battle, all magicians were instructed to weaken their spells; no lasting damage should befall any of the participants. Only because of that you manage to climb back on your feet, only left with dizziness that makes the world spin. The jarring sound of metal clashing against metal clears your mind a little, and when you turn around, Felix and Ferdinand are clashing blades.

    You turn further, and there he is, a hand raised in your direction. “Sorry, Herald,” Linhardt says. He doesn’t sound sorry at all. “The professor threatened with extra homework if we would hold back against you.”

    “Of course she did,” you mumble, grabbing your sword with sweaty hands. Two against two is fair, and you have no doubt that Felix will hold his ground against Ferdinand. The only solution to your little problem named Linhardt is to get as close as possible, and make use of your advantage in meagre sword skills.

    Another Nosferatu is sent your way, but this time you dodge, the hair on your neck standing on end. Somehow your body automatically shies away from Faith magic like a cat fleeing from water. Just one more hit will surely be enough to throw you out of the mock battle, and you can’t have that, not when the picture of Dimitri’s resolute expression is carved into your mind.

    You close the distance, all nerves tensed in anticipation, completely focused on trying to feel where the next spell is going to land. As Linhardt retreats into the woods, his sight obscured by trees, you dive after him, shoving twigs out of your way. A shadow moves through the undergrowth; every muscle in your body locks up, but you plunge forward, sword raised—

    Linhardt gasps when he finds himself pressed against a tree, your sword at his throat. With both hands up, he doesn’t move an inch, simply blinking at you. Somewhere above you, a bird cries out; a branch breaks. Linhardt makes a face like he jammed his foot in a door he slammed shut himself.

    “I surrender,” he says. “Getting beat up and spending time in the infirmary doesn’t sound as good as reading tomes in the library.”

    “You sure?” Your heart beats so loud in your chest, it’s a miracle it doesn’t break through your ribcage and fly off. “Byleth might drown you in homework for that.”

    He shrugs. “I call it a strategic retreat. I’ll just have to—” A yawn. “—convince the professor.” Another yawn. You begin to see the ulterior motive behind his surrender. Squinting at him, you proceed to bind his hands with a dark spell. Black shackles appear around his wrists, locking them tight together. As you make your way out of the grove, you hope Felix had the same success.

    That thought immediately dies when you return to the plain and see Jeralt heaving an unconscious Felix on the back of his horse, a battered Ferdinand by his side.

    ���Ah, Herald.” Even though beaten up black and blue, Ferdinand still manages a smile. It looks a little lopsided with his swollen cheek and the dried blood on his upper lip. “I don’t mean to offend, but I hope you return because Linhardt defeated you in mighty combat?” A second too late he sees the magic binds around Linhardt’s wrists. His face falls. “My, Linhardt.”

    “You don’t quite look so good yourself,” Linhardt throws back without any heat in his voice. He sounds rather bored. Tired.

    “Excuse me, but what happened. What’s wrong with Felix?” you ask, turning to Jeralt. Before he can answer, Ferdinand chimes in, “He fought splendidly! Though I had no doubt in that, he is a noble after all. Yet, after ringing me to the ground, he lost consciousness. By my honour as the heir of House Aegir, I cannot take advantage of that. We both shall step out of battle.”

    “He passed out?” Now that you take a good look at him, he’s still pale, unhealthily so. Slick sweat glues his dark hair to his forehead, and the skin beneath his eyes shimmers slightly blue—lack of sleep.

    “Overexertion, I guess,” Jeralt says now. He pulls Linhardt to his side, and gives his shackles a thoughtful look. “I’ll take these three with me. You go and continue the mock battle, Herald.”

    “But…” It doesn’t feel right to leave Felix alone. Even though he technically isn’t, you imagine it would be better to wake up to a friendly face.

    “He’ll be fine.” Jeralt gives you a strange sideway glance. “The other brats rely on you right now, don’t they? Go to them.”

    He’s right, of course. The mission isn’t over yet, and with a strong combatant like Felix missing, victory has just slipped from your grasp.

    There is the meeting point. There it is, and no student from the Lion House is in sight. The minutes pass in long stretches, ticking away until it’s impossible to tell if time moves on or holds still. Holding out between the trees, you look in both directions—for your comrades and the enemy. For whatever reason, Byleth has decided not to advance to your position, and you aren’t sure what that’s supposed to mean. More minutes pass in aggravating silence, heavy and oppressing, and then—

    “Herald!” Dimitri’s voice rings through the woods. Your head snaps to him, and there they are, the Blue Lions tearing through the woods, a yellow flag with a deer on it waving behind them.

    “You did it!” Joy and relief spreads through you as you stumble towards them. “You guys really did it!” They shuffle around you like kittens searching for warmth, and something tight uncoils inside your chest. Is this what Byleth always feels when she’s in front of her class?

    “Hilda and Claude were mighty opponents, but nothing we couldn’t handle,” Dimitri reassures, but then a shadow jumps over his features. “Unfortunately, Mercedes had to leave. We couldn’t reach her in time to step in.”

    “Step in,” Sylvain repeats, muttered under his breath as he brushes red locks from his sweaty forehead. “I want to see you stepping in when Hilda swings that axe like a lunatic and not scream like a little girl.”

    “Where is Felix?” Dedue inquirers, ignoring Sylvain.

    Your shoulders drop. “Well, Linhardt was accompanied by Ferdinand, and while I pursued Linhardt, they fought. None of them emerged unscathed, although I feel Felix drew the shorter straw.”

    “Felix?” Dimitri repeats. He sounds as if you just tried to convince him it’s going to rain butterscotch pie later. “Our Felix lost?”

    “Not exactly the fight, but I’m sure his pride took a hard beating.”

    “Well, that leaves four against four.” Dimitri brings a hand up to his chin, a worry crease between his eyebrows. “And they still have Edelgard and the Professor.”

    “And we got the Herald and you!” Sylvain beams. “I say we wrap this up and celebrate our victory with a nice dinner and maybe some ale? How does that sound?”

    “Sacrilegious.” Your voice is drier than the crisp leaves cracking under your feet. “Aren’t you too young for alcohol?”

    “Too young and irresponsible,” Dimitri agrees with you, looking tired of Sylvain’s antics. “But I don’t object to a celebratory dinner.”

    “That is, if we win.” Dedue reads your mind, and brings the conversation back on the right course.

    “I assume the Black Eagles are holding position. They’re waiting for us,” you say, briefly checking everyone’s state. Safe for dirt and scratches, they’re still doing good, though having fought already, the Blue Lions are on a slight disadvantage. You can only hope some of Byleth’s students dropped out facing the Golden Deers.

    “We shouldn’t keep them waiting then.” Sylvain winks, playing with the grip of his lance. The smile that flirts with his lips is threatening.

    “Keep your guard up.” Dimitri shares a single, meaningful glance with every one of you, then leads your little group out of the forest. Whatever Byleth has planned, you hope that you’ll be ready for it.