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haitaniapologist · 2 years

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HOW THE MOST DANGEROUS THING IS TO LOVE. ( chapter ten. )

pairings — bonten!sanzu haruchiyo x assassin!female!reader

word count — 4.1k

chapter song — achilles come down, gang of youths.

warnings — heavy angst, arguments, dr*g use.

☆ previous chapter ! ☆ next chapter ! ☆ masterlist ! ☆ taglist is currently close, but if i know you’re someone who interacts with the chapters and want to be part of it, shoot me a message and i’ll add you <3

haruchiyo took a deep breath. why was rindou nagging him now? at 10pm?

yeah, he knew he had some late paperwork, but could the younger haitani really blame him for staying home? he had been deprived of yours and sachi's presence for so long, he just wanted to stay with his arms around the both of you until he died now. but rindou didn't have a family like his, and maybe he was just jealous. jealous because sanzu had a wife and a daughter, while the younger haitani only had paperwork to do.

“i can't believe married life is making you soft, sanzu.” rindou sneered, and haruchiyo could almost taste the malice on his tongue. he swore the next time he saw haitani rindou, the other would run to his big brother's lap to ask for help to deal with sanzu's wrath. “is y/n your achilles's heel?”

“shut up, rindou. i'm not becoming soft.” haruchiyo answered, looking around to see if you were around. what he was going to say was going to be the biggest lie he ever told someone in his entire life, but he needed rindou to hang up and leave him alone. “she’s no one important, are you listening to me? i’m going to divorce y/n as soon as this mission finishes, for god’s sake.” before rindou could say something, sanzu pressed the red button, sighing.

he hated the haitanis.

but at least he had a beautiful and hot wife at his side and, even though you didn’t love him, you loved the character that he put up every day to deal with others. and that was enough for him.

—

sachi had been acting strange since last night.

you didn’t know what happened, but she seemed more clingy to you, and cold to her father. she wasn’t engaging in conversations with him at breakfast, or kissed his cheek before he left for work. as much as sanzu tried to act as if it didn’t hurt him — she was a toddler, after all, and toddlers always had mood swings — you knew it affected him. you tried to compensate your husband with even more kisses from you, and it seemed to work out. he left for work with a big smile on his face, and you didn’t know if it was because of your kisses or the mind-blowing sex you had in the night.

maybe both.

but sachi didn’t want to leave your side and, since she was on summer vacation, you had the company of a small five-year-old girl for everything.

you didn’t mind, though. it was cute and fun to have her around, her head peeking up whenever she saw something interesting, or her little opinions on what you should buy in the grocery store — but, at the same time, you felt as if something was wrong. her green eyes weren’t shining as usual, and her touches seemed more desperate than a normal child’s would be.

it seemed as if she was expecting you to go away at any minute, and that worried you.

haru told you to never leave him, so what if he changed his mind? what if he just wanted to have sex with you, and then treat you as if nothing happened when the mission was over? it didn’t make sense in your head, and you were probably overthinking and letting your insecurities speak up, but you didn’t understand sachi’s behavior.

especially her happiness when takeomi arrived for dinner.

you weren’t expecting him, not at all. haru had texted you, saying he was going to be late — after all, he had taken a day off yesterday to stay with you and sachi, and he had some late paperwork to do — and while you were disappointed, you understood and replied like nothing happened. when you told sachi, she acted indifferently. you expected her to be sad and even pout, like other times when he wasn’t able to dine with the both of you, but she just nodded. she seemed apathetic, almost, but her reaction to seeing takeomi took you by surprise.

that, and the red roses on his hand.

“uncle omi!” sachi squealed, running from the sofa and jumping right between his arms. you smiled, seeing the two of them interacting — it was almost seeing the past right in front of your eyes. at first, you thought it was your husband coming back from work earlier than he expected, but you weren’t disappointed to see takeomi.

you cleaned your hands and walked to meet him at the doorstep, being taken aback by the bouquet on his hands.

it wasn’t a special occasion — it wasn’t your birthday, and you didn’t know if you did something for him to behave this way. but you accepted it, sighing contently, closing your eyes, when he welcomed you in his embrace. takeomi has always been a comforting figure to you, and nothing would change that.

he kissed your forehead. “the roses are for you and sachi, little one.” you brought them near your nose, inhaling their sweet scent. you never received flowers from anyone — it was a nice feeling.

“thanks, omi. you're so kind.” you replied, walking away to put the flowers in the water. you didn't want them to die — and you would also take some of them from the living room and put inside sachi's room. you were sure she would love the smell and how beautiful they would look inside her four walls.

“it's what my favorite girls deserves.” he winked at you, and you giggled, cheeks more warm than usual.

it was such a childhood crush. takeomi had always been there for you when you were younger — but maybe were just your daddy issues speaking, too. you would never know, probably.

when you turned around, takeomi was already at the sofa, sachi still on his lap, a peaceful expression on his face. “i'll finish dinner, alright? we'll have salmon and potatoes today!” you exclaimed from the kitchen, returning to your task. cooking had become almost a therapy for you — whenever you didn't have many things to do throughout the day, you cooked everything and anything. haru and sachi were your guinea pigs, as always.

you finished dinner to the sound of sachi's giggled and takeomi's lazy words, and you couldn't help but smile. they had such a special bond, and you knew why your husband chose him to be her godfather — but you didn't know why. they didn't seem to have a good relationship, haru always looking pissed and annoyed when takeomi opened his mouth. but you could tell the older man saw your husband like a younger brother, from what you saw of their interactions, and you were glad both sanzu and sachi had such a figure in their lives.

not wanting to disturb their moment, you started to prepare the table. if it was just you and sachi, you both were going to eat on the sofa, but takeomi was there. you knew he was going to scold you — playfully, of course — for not being a good host. you could still hear his scolding because of your and senju's language.

leaving your husband's plate inside the microwave, you leaned against a wall, watching sachi and takeomi together. he caught your gaze, and you smiled — he knew what you were thinking. everyone missed senju.

“dinner is ready!”

—

haruchiyo never expected to arrive home to see his brother stealing his family.

but that made sense, didn't it? takeomi had always been more suited for such a life than him. he was the older brother, the one that took care of him and senju when they were little; even though he once had debts and still smoke like a banshee, a cigarette was better than a pill and he at least acted on his feelings. it took sanzu almost two months to finally say he loved you, and he still felt nervous around you, heart racing and hand trembling to touch you — takeomi seemed so much more smooth with a hand around your shoulders while sachi was seated on your lap.

you three looked more like a family than you, he and sachi.

it was like his worst nightmare coming true. haruchiyo didn't want to work late — he never wanted to miss time that he could've been spreading with you and sachi — but mikey ordered him to finish such papers. and he tried to do it as fast as he could, but apparently wasn't fast enough. he was probably being insecure and doubting himself, and your words too, but he still remembered that day as if it was yesterday.

and what if you noticed takeomi was better for you than him?

it would make sense. haruchiyo was broken and didn't know how to react to people's feelings without being mean to them. his own daughter seemed to hate him now, and he didn't even know what he did to her. takeomi would never be like that — he wouldn't leave his house with his daughter being angry at him without asking first what happened, or even make his daughter angry at him.

takeomi was everything that haruchiyo wasn't, and he always feared the day everyone around him would notice.

but that house was still his home, and he would let his brother take it away from him.

he cleaned his throat as soon as he saw takeomi getting too close to you, and three pairs of eyes turned to look at him — all of them widened, surprised to see him inside his own house. if he didn't know better, he would say takeomi was the reason as to why he was held back at work. he would do that, too, if he wanted his older brother's wife.

“haru!” you exclaimed, voice warm, while passing sachi to takeomi's lap. he watched as you got up and walked towards him, lips pressing against his, on a sweet kiss — but he couldn't find anything in him to reciprocate it. as much as he wanted, as much as his hands almost trembled to hold you and show to takeomi all the marks he had put on your body, to show who you belonged to, he couldn't. you would be happier with takeomi, and haruchiyo knew that.

your happiness always came first than anything else. but could he really live to see you in the arms of another?

he said nothing as you looked at him, the hurt dancing in your eyes making him want to carve his chest open, and he hoped his brother could understand what his eyes were saying — but, even though he felt a rage he never felt before, he was still a little brother that loved the big one.

haruchiyo walked away, trying not to since at sachi's voice calling him. takeomi would be a better father to her, he was sure of it, too — even though he did a lot of mistakes with him and senju, none of them could be compared to his. she would be happier with a more responsible and caring man, too. both you and sachi deserved so much better than what he could give you two.

closing the door behind him, haruchiyo never noticed when the tears started to fall from his eyes. the last time he cried was when he thought you had left after that day, and he couldn't even remember the last time he cried before it. he didn't like the feeling of it — he felt like a little kid again, seeing his best friend's house with signals of sale and wondering where she was for days. it was funny, wasn't it? he only cried because of you.

he thought, he really thought, he could be happy with you. it was frustrating to know that another thing that he craved was too pure for him.

“haru?” your sweet voice took him away from his thoughts, and he didn't even notice when he sat on the bed. you seemed hesitant, voice lacing with worry and a bit of hurt too, and he hated to know that he was the cause of your despair. he felt your hand on his cheek, bringing his gaze to rest upon you. “what happened?”

he shook his head, like a stubborn kid, not wanting to tell you what he was feeling. you couldn't know, because you wouldn't be able to understand.

“is it because of takeomi? you know he's only like a brother t—”

“you said you were in love with him.”

that was it. the words left his mouth before he could think, and haruchiyo knew he'd lost you forever after them.

“wha— i never said that… to… you…” he could see it on your face. when realization kicked in.

—

you could hear senju giggling, making your cheeks even more warm than they were before.

you should have never accepted to play truth or dare with her, haruchiyo, keisuke and mikey. it was a game for older kids like shinichiro and takeomi — you five were a bunch of seven and eight year olds, while the boys were ten years old and more mature. “truth or dare, y/n!” she exclaimed excitedly, green eyes shining with mischief.

“truth.” you answered, knowing that her dares would be horrible. the boys groaned — you hadn't chosen dare in any of the times the bottle landed on you.

“do you love any of my brothers? like, loving as in wanting to marry them?” you almost choked on your own spit at her words. but you nodded, nonetheless — because in truth, your child's heart thought it was in love with the oldest akashi.

she smiled smugly at you, winking. you knew the next time the bottle landed you, anyone would ask who it was.

and when the question left mikey's mouth and you answered takeomi's name, haruchiyo never knew such a pain in his entire life. why couldn't it be him? he did anything you asked, always making sure you were smiling and forgetting the screams back at your home, and he knew you considered him one of your best friends. wasn’t it enough to love him, like he loved you?

why takeomi, and never him?

—

“.... haruchiyo?” you asked, eyes widened, and your heartbeat was the only sound you could hear inside the room.

no, that couldn't be true. haruchiyo was dead and buried six feet in the ground, takeomi told you! that kind and sweet boy from your childhood perished in a gang fight, fighting against mikey and the tokyo manji gang, that was what takeomi said — and you believed him, because why would he lie to you? or didn't make sense. you've mourned him, coming to terms that the boy you've loved your entire childhood — even though you acknowledge your feelings for him ten years later — was gone. he was dead.

but then, why haruchiyo being your husband made sense?

the big green eyes and white lashes that brought the past back to you whenever you looked at them, sachi looking like a carbon copy of senju, takeomi being her godfather — were you that blind? you always thought yours and haruchiyo's souls were made of the same material, that he was the half of it, that you would recognise him by touch alone, by smell, by the way he walked on earth. but he was there in front of you, and you never noticed.

it made a bitter taste come to your mouth. why did he never say anything to you? did he hated you for leaving without warning so much that he wanted to punish you? to make you live with him, fall in love with him, without knowing who he really was?

how could that sweet boy of your childhood become such a cruel man?

however, the words he professed to mikey when knowing you were the one playing the role of his wife made sense now.

“not her, mikey… you know she…”

he never wanted you as his wife, in the first place. you held back a sob — you loved him, you loved him as both haru and haruchiyo, and he probably was thinking about leaving you as soon as he could. were his words just a bluff to make sex easier with you? it made you sick, how easily you trusted him, and you wanted to throw up everything you ate at dinner.

he said nothing, of course. he only looked at you, eyes boring holes on your body. but you wanted him to know the pain you were feeling — it was as if someone was breaking all your bones while you were still awake, purposely doing that to see you whimper and scream. “you knew this whole time that we're… that i…” your throat was dry, and the words couldn't get past the lump inside it. tears were rolling down your eyes freely, and you wished they were small glass pieces to pierce your skin, to make the pain of your chest more bearable.

haruchiyo nodded. the worst thing was that he seemed to be feeling the same pain you were.

maybe he was still half of your soul, after all.

“why? why you never told me anything?” the question left your lips with a sob, and you tried to breathe to not be consumed by your anguish. did you want to know the answer?

you watched as haruchiyo's face twitched in pain. he opened his mouth and closed it, as if he was thinking about what to say — and the more you looked at him, even though he had scars and his face was more mature, he looked exactly like the last time you saw him. you wanted nothing more than to kiss his face and hold it against your chest, and was what hurt the most. you would never be able to be angry at him.

“i…” he started, and you blinked the tears away. “you would never accept me, love me, knowing i'm your haruchiyo.” it seemed that verbalizing his thoughts hurt him physically. “i've changed, y/n. i'm not him anymore, even if you think so.” he gave you a pained smile. “you love sanzu, and not haruchiyo. that was alright with me, until now.” he finished his explanation, and a fire of rage ignited inside you. it was fed by the hurt and grief inside you, and you feared it would consume your body for years to come.

“who do you think you are to say what i should feel?” you choked out, the hatred in your voice making haruchiyo wince. he deserved it, he really did, but he never thought how painful it would be. “i love you and nothing can change that.”

oh, would you never understand? the boss always said how the most dangerous thing was to love. and he was right. you would do anything — you would kill, you would even kill yourself — to stop fighting him, to things to be like they were before, just because you loved him. love was the most dangerous weapon in the world, and haruchiyo held it tight against your throat.

“you don’t, y/n. you love the idea of sanzu, the façade i wear every day, so people can’t see how broken i am.” the same sad smile was still on his face, and you shook your head, not wanting to hear him saying such things about himself. “it’s true, y/n. you deserve so much better than me, and i was a fool for thinking we could’ve been happy together.”

“are you saying our marriage is over?” he tried to ignore the hurt in your voice, but it was too much for him. he needed to get out of this room, he needed to breathe fresh air and forget everything — forget about you, about you two together, about his daughter, about the life you two had. it would be better, he kept saying that inside his head. he nodded, and the sound that left your mouth would haunt him for years.

you tried to reach for him, shaky hands trying to get a hold of his skin to try to make him change his mind, to see how wrong he was — that you loved him and that you would love him forever, but he was gone before you could blink twice. “haruchiyo?” you asked, turning around the room like a lost child. “haruchiyo?” you asked again, running around the house. you had nothing inside your head but him — you needed to hold him against your chest and let him cry all the tears he had been bottling up, making him see that even though he was a broken man, you didn’t mind helping him glue his pieces again.

“haruchiyo?” you let a last cry of his name to leave your mouth, right at the front door, seeing how the shoe rack lack his shoes and his coat wasn’t on its usual place, in the living room’s armchair. he left, and with him, he took all your everything — would he ever come back to your arms?

you stayed still in front of your front door until you felt takeomi’s hands on your shoulders. “i’ll find him.” he left with a kiss on your forehead, and a ‘i’m sorry’ whispered against your skin. as soon as you heard takeomi’s car going away, you wiped your tears, taking some deep breaths. someone else needed you right now, someone that needed you more than anything else. you would be able to dwell in your suffering later — and you thought that was what a mother would be. someone who gave up on their own suffering to make sure their children were happy.

but sachi wasn’t your child, and you didn’t know if she would still be in your life when your husband came back home.

—

it wasn’t difficult to find haruchiyo.

takeomi knew where he would be. it was a place that he was always before sachi was born, and still went some days in the week before you entered his life — the best thing that you did to his brother, in takeomi’s opinion, was to take him away from his addiction. but old habits die hard, and he knew he would find him in one of koko’s clubs, dilated pupils and a lazy grin on his face.

however, even though his younger brother was in one of koko’s clubs, in the vip section, he wasn’t like his usual self. dilated pupils, yes, but no lazy grin — but only a sad frown on his face, and tears falling down his eyes. the last time takeomi saw haruchiyo crying was when mikey inflicted the twin scars on his face, and it made takeomi’s heart to break into small pieces.

“nii-chan?” haruchiyo sounded like his kid self, and takeomi didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around his form on the ground, kneeling to bring his face to rest on his shoulder. it had been more than fifteen years since his brother called him that, and takeomi held back his tears. haruchiyo didn’t hug him back, and he knew he was higher than normal — he feared that if he was a few minutes late, he would lose his brother forever. “you’re home.” haruchiyo sniffed and takeomi sighed. “is senju and y/n back too?”

senju. oh, senju.

they never talked about the loss of their baby sister, and takeomi never thought how much it might’ve affected his brother. haruchiyo never acted as if he grieved senju, nor even visited her grave — that is, until sachi was born. everyone who knew senju could see how much aunt and niece looked alike, both in appearance and personality. it hurt takeomi to look at sachi’s eyes and see his sister in them, but he made sure that he wouldn’t make the same mistakes with his niece. her father seemed to think the same, too.

“yeah, they’re both home.” maybe he wasn’t supposed to lie, but what would takeomi do? if he said the truth, maybe haruchiyo would feel even worse.

“do you think y/n and sachi still love me, nii-chan?” it was something that takeomi couldn’t know, but the tears in your eyes when he left and by the way sachi held his shirt, asking if her mama and papa would be okay, he knew you both loved him as if he was the one who hung up the stars so you could giggle and create new constellations.

“they do, haru.” takeomi answered while he maneuvered his brother’s body, making sure that haruchiyo was holding him tight so he wouldn’t fall while he got up. “let’s get you cleaned up, okay? then you’ll be able to see them again.”

his baby brother nodded, nuzzling his face on his chest, like he used to do whenever he had nighmares as a kid.

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#sanzu haruchiyo x reader #sanzu haruchiyo #tokyo revengers #tokyo revengers x reader #tokrev x reader #akashi haruchiyo x reader #akashi haruchiyo

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shinsmarlboro · 11 months

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Shinichiro headcanons because I can't get this man out of my head, help.

TAGS: sfw && gender neutral reader.

i feel like he's genetically skinny (is this a weird hc lol?), i feel like he doesn't work out too much or maybe he'd just work on his core if he ever chooses to work out. (baby couldn't care less about working on his arms, they're already kind of toned anyways.)

he definitely has a few faint scars on his tummy, he's quite proud of them actually. 'battle scars.' he calls them. (even though he just got them from getting his ass handed to him.)

this man would wrap his legs around you in such a way that it'll be difficult for you to break free. good luck using the bathroom.

his eyes function like a cat istg, they get dilated if you should scare him or if he's anxious but expand when he sees you or is just excited in general.

this man's morning voice is deep and raspy. his voice is already deep and soft BUT LORD, his voice after waking up is just 👌🏿, he doesn't understand why you like it so much,.but he indulges in teasing you about it.

he's the type to glance at your lips occasionally while you're talking to him about something.

he's actually quite patient it's crazy. (that doesn't mean you test his waters until he blows a fuse.)

he gets jealous quite easily when he sees you talking to other men. you have to remind him that you're all his and nothing would change that. <3

definitely touch starved. simply running your fingers against his chest would have that man on cloud nine.

whenever his breath reeks of cigarettes and you point it out either verbally or non verbally, he'd get really embarrassed and offended then act all pouty.

can NOT cook for shit, he tried it once after he time leaped back to the past (even in the original timeline before manjiro died, all he ate was instant foods like noodles.) so he could spend more time with emma since he didn't have the opportunity to do so in the original timeline but instead got scolded by emma and got a glimpse of her smile at his clumsy actions.

if you're foreign and you pronounce a word wrong, he'd jokingly tease you about it (only if you don't mind, he wouldn't want to hurt your feelings.)

likes listening to your favorite songs even though they might not be in japanese, he blushes and thinks about you while listening to them (might even look up the lyrics. )

LOVES when you wear his white tees. (bonus points if you're not wearing anything but panties or boxers underneath.)

(shinwaka headcanon) wakasa is quite protective over shinichiro, he would tell you to be careful with shin as you're his first love.

if he has to babysit the akashi siblings when he was supposed to go out with you and you offer to help him out, shin will simply pass away. he would watch you play with those two cuties. senju absolutely adores you and haru's a little shy baby around you trying not to be too reckless so you don't scold him (baby would tear up if you scold him because he hates it, i mean it's bad enough his big bro scolds him and now you too? :( )

when shinichiro introduced you to his siblings, mikey had successfully embarrassed him by asking you constantly if you were being held hostage by him or if you had a bet with a friend to date him or something like that. but in reality, he's curious to know you who shinichiro would not stop gushing about and wants to know if you're good enough for his big bro. emma on the other hand, would just observe you from behind mikey or shinichiro for a while. when shin tells her to introduce herself to you, she just stares at you, before doing so meekly. if she likes you, she'd greet you with a vibrant "y/n!!" and address you like a younger sister would to her big sister/brother as well as a hug around your legs.

if you're a fashion icon, you bet your sweet ass that your love-struck boyfriend will take pictures of your ootd for your social media or just to bless his phone with your captivating beauty.

it's so easy to flirt with him, man gets flustered at the smallest things like a wink, close proximity, lip bite etcetera. (but don't be mistaken, shinichi has his moments where he's flirting back.)

his posture isn't that perfect but he manages to stand in an 'attractive' way if that makes sense.

shin has the prettiest hands, i'm talking about a couple of prominent veins here and there, slender long fingers, neat cuticles and rough palms.

he's a klutz when he's sleepy. one time while you were watching a movie with emma, he came back from work and through the ajar door leading to the hallway, you saw him yawn while walking then somehow managed to trip on air and stumble down the hall. you almost pissed yourself trying to laugh quietly.

#shinichiro sano headcanons #shinichiro headcanons #shinichiro x reader #tokyo revengers shinichiro #tokyorev hcs #tokyo revengers x reader #tokyorev #tokyo revengers #black dragons x reader #https-shinsgirl

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soranihimawari · 9 months

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A Curse is Cast

A Gojo Satoru x (f!) reader

companion piece to Hope in an Office Crush

Word Count: 3.0k

Pairing: Gojo x reader

Rating: GSA (angsty and sad undertones, but no one truly dies); kind of hopeful ending

Warnings: someone falls into a coma & eventually wakes up; the nanami & reader from HiaOC hatch a plan to have their friends fall “in like” with the other…

Pinterest Link for image below

Pls tag me if you know the og artist! Thanks!

Poem: Have a Coke with You, Frank O’Hara

You were getting ready for another early dinner date with your newly about a month old boyfriend from accounting. You’re currently on the phone with your best friend who is freaking out on her end because you had decided to set your friend up with someone who was close to your own boyfriend once upon a time. You tell your best friend that there is nothing to worry about and through a coffee run earlier this week, you sat her down with your new beau and for whatever reason, your friend was skeptical about the existence of this fabled ‘pretty eyed playboy.’

You’re putting the finishing touch on a simple glam look as you hear her exclaim:

“You set me up?!”

“You were being skeptical about him and when Nanami talked to his friend last time, he mentioned a blind date would be best…I gotta go. Good luck Friday night though!”

You hang up as you smile when a familiar chime goes off from your phone:

Meet me in the lobby, starshine.--Nanami, K (19:44)

***

[FRIDAY, XX/XX; 18:09||Rose Roof Restaurant, Tokyo]

Your friend does her research on both restaurant and even tried to bully you and Nanami about finding the name of this friend on the blind date. At this point, on another side of the city, a six foot, platinum blonde is dressed business casual, in a flower shop. His eyes are covered behind his darkened polarized eyeglasses as he floats between two bouquets.

“Your significant other’s best friend? You set me up with her?”

Walking to the counter, he pays for a small bouquet of gardenias.

“Listen Gojo, there is a lot of evils in the world, the least we could is give these two is a sense of knowing what it feels like to be loved and to an extent safe,” Nanami withdraws a cigarette and as he lights it, he observes you turning in your sleep. A warm smile on his face as the blonde notices the peaceful look you have while you shuffle in his sheets.

“You’re in love,” this sunglass wearer teases his friend as he steps into the next available taxi.

The man on the other line inhales and exhales as he extinguishes his cigarette.

“And may YN’s love protect me,” the wind blows from his dwelling as his blonde streaks tickle his face. He wishes his friend good luck on his upcoming date.

Several minutes later, your best friend waits in the lobby of the restaurant. After many over-thought-out outfits, you help Haru choose formal capris and loose fitting blouse with low heeled wedge boots in case of inclement weather.

Gojo Satoru, in all his years alive, has never been starstruck by a stranger’s modest appearance. The plastic which the bouquet is wrapped in, crinkles a bit as a set of nervous energy leaves his fingertips.

She walks by him twice before he works up the confidence to say her name and she pauses, not believing her luck. The first thing she notices is his playful smile, then his slight tremble when he offers the bouquet.

“These are gorgeous,” whiffs the violets and flashes a smile to him. “Thank you…”

Gojo clears his throat before extending his arm to her: “Shall we Haru-san?”

The host at the doorway to the restaurant calls for the Gojo party and the pair enters.

They did say, “love looks not with the eyes, but the mind,” and here two closed off from love people crack the window to let the other settle in the sun a bit. .

Over dinner, Gojo entertains your friend with international travel stories and your friend, secretly as bookish as you, seems to be able to quote Shakespeare; your friend texts you an update right before dessert arrives. This date goes as pleasantly as one may think, smith the dreadful eyes of several creatures invisible to those around him, begin to whisper just how pretty the ‘strongest sorcerer’s date’ would be with their organs ripped out of them…so, Gojo just smiles as your friend tells him about the time they almost drowned in rip current on a day with no rip current warnings near their grandparents’ beach side residence.

“I was nine,” their voice says so casually. “I hit my head against some coral stone. Luckily there were no starving sharks nearby.”

“Luckily indeed,” Gojo says as he reaches across the table and a quiet, “May I?”

Across from him, your friend simply nods when he tilts her face up and to the side with his fingertips and there above her brow and close to the hairline is a scar of a clawmark. The coral wasn’t a coral after all…a warning at best is what Gojo thinks this story is. Perhaps there is more to your friend than either you or Nanami might know, but for now, considering they can’t see the mayhem about to surround you, Gojo decides to banish them all with a flick of his wrist.

The flowers rest on the table as a lemon tart with blueberries is delivered.

“So, Satoru, on a scale from one to ten,” spoon in hand, the first bite is taken. “How likely is it that you'd ask me out again?”

He has this pondering look on his face, before he clears his throat and answers with a clearer mind as he helps in eating the dessert.

It’s not until the bill is paid for and your friend is escorted by him back to the lobby where he kisses her burning blushed cheek:

“Morikami Gardens is holding a tea party,” his voice is low in a whisper before he gives her the day and time to meet. Gojo grazes his thumb over the moon lit cheek of his date contemplating whether or not this feeling in his chest is excitement or foreboding. He has lost the one person so precious to him, will he be able to handle that grief again?

“A tea party?”

The flowers in her hand sway in the wind.

“I’d love to go…Never been to the gardens at night.”

Hailing a cab, your friend looks over her shoulder at the handsome, not so much a stranger after this one date, “Pleasure to to have met your acquaintance, Gojo Satoru.”

“Such a formal goodbye, Haruka,” he pouts a bit as he ushers her into the taxi.

Although she smiles up at him, Gojo was not prepared to see such a cheeky glimmer in her eyes.

“Pick me up early and I’ll give you a better hello at my door,” she winks at him before the driver pulls away and back into the busy night streets of Tokyo.

The once labeled strongest feels his knees go weak at that.

***

Nearly a month later, you visit your friend and find her in a darkened state. She doesn’t know why the guy she went on a date with would be leaving the country the same week and not tell her anything. You tell her to sit on the couch with your help and you’ll make some coffee for the two of you.

Surely there had to be a reason, work maybe? Is all you seem to think as you trap the send button to Nanami who’s heading out for some light groceries. He calls you instead and as you finish putting the rest of the pot into your friend’s mug, Nanami tells you the truth.

“YN, don’t let her know just yet, but Gojo’s been severely injured on the job: he’s got these nasty looking injuries…”

“What?!” You whisper yell into the receiver.

Nanami pinches the better of his nose as he sighs right before he makes a call for his better judgment and informs you he’s at the hospital right now too (getting stitched up after another fight with a different curse this time).

You drink your coffee as calmly as you can and you tell him to stay where he is—

“I’m coming to get you, stay there.”

You hand your friend her mug of coffee and she asks you if everything in your paradise is alright.

“No, it’s not, but before I elaborate, Haruka, go take a shower and change into something comfortable: we’re going to Ropongi General.”

“The historic hospital? Why?” She inquired.

“I’ll explain when you’re out, just please,” you don’t mean to sound so parental, but she does listen to you.

Twenty-five minutes later, on the drive there, with you behind the wheel, you inform your friend of her date’s sudden ‘disappearance’.

“…you’re kidding.”

You focus on the road ahead silently shaking your head.

Scoffing, “You’re serious? A-and the same people attacked Nanami? But he’s one of the strongest people we know.”

Aggravated, you shift gears as you go uphill to the building with the flickering green and red lights. The red indicates where the parking garage is and the green is for the entrance. You rush first to the Emergency Entrance and are greeted by a rather portly nurse who tries to get you to sign in, but you, instead, cause a raucous bellowing out Nanami's name.

Haruka, thankfully arrives and takes the sign in sheet and signs both your names.

Nanami eventually pokes his stitched head out behind a curtain and he sees you being kindly dragged back to the nurses station so your visitors' badges can be printed.

Calmly, you bare your teeth at the nurse who hands you and your best friend the temporary sticker badges you peel and stick on your clothes, revealing how your bite is most definitely worse than the words you’re about to hurl at your blonde boyfriend from accounting.

“Curtain 13,” the nurse calls out from behind the station.

You growl a thank you and stomp off.

“Sorry about her…she usually has a decent personality,” your friend says as she follows behind.

Inside, Haruka sits in the corner where the extra chair is and you sternly look at the stitches on your boyfriend’s face.

“What’s gotten into you lately?” Your cup his face when he won’t look at you. His face goes from cold to warm when you speak to him. He’s half undressed as you noticed the bruises that had begun to form on his side.

“Bruised ribs?” you whisper and he winces as he nods.

“Y’know on the phone I thought you were here to see your friend,” you continue. “Haruka is here to see him too.”

She rises from her seat, looking dejected yet an odd sense of hope shines in this fluorescent lit room.

“Suite 111, ICU,” Nanami said.

Your friend nods and leaves you two alone.

“She may not want to hear it, but I do. Nanami, what happened?”

Nanami rests his head on your shoulder and although you’re quite smaller than he is, he just breathes, ragged, and slow. How much of the truth about the sorcerer world does he want to let you in on? How many more fights does he have left in him if the whispers the curses said to him are true: Kenjaku is looking for a fight and if it means threatening those close to the small community that is left, then you’re directly going to be in the line of fire…and so is Haruka, so Nanami leads with a bit of truth.

“Gojo’s family is a bit out of touch: they’re old Japanese money rich. Satoru’s name is synonymous with playboy antics and little responsibility—his job, his ‘real’ job involves being in dangerous conditions 99% of the time.”

“…and this is the one time he’s been injured this badly?”

Nanami’s silence is all the answer you need.

“A month, yn, he’d been medically comatose for a month,” Nanami’s voice is serious and strained. He’s had lost one too many friends in the past, it’s why his social circle typically included you, your best friend, and occasionally the menace that was his ‘Senpai’ in high school.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” You pull the chair around to sit and rest your hands against his knees.

“Because I didn’t want them to follow you,” his answer makes sense.

You nod and let him know you’re glad he’s alright.

Elsewhere, your two closest friends are in another room entirely. The sound of a machine helping the once proud Gojo Satoru breathe becomes ambient background noise. Haruka reads the bracelet on his wrist. The admittance date on it reads the Thursday before your affixed garden date.

His vitals register above his head; you finally see the reasons being his long sleeved preference. Scars, keloid ones at that too, from either previous fights with dangerous people or attempts to end it all, litter his arms in every angle. Someone wanted him dead, but the patient hangs on like the quite charming stubborn man he is.

“You can come closer,” a nurse says in a gentle voice.

Footsteps lighter than begin to propel her forward, closer to the bed. The nurse continues to change the wires of the various IV drips he is on.

“Talk to him, who knows? It might be what he needs, isn’t that right Mr Gojo?”

You chuckle at her loving demeanor for an older nurse who seems like she was his mother.

“The violets you gave me finally entered away…,” she begins to say. He’s in really bad shape, the nurse notices how his head is bandaged down and around his eyes. The nurse carries on and right before she leaves, she looks at the two of them.

“…Tragedies and miracles happen everyday…”

The nurse closes the door of the suite to grant them privacy.

“Excuse me?” Haruka turns around to just hear the door close. The whirring of the machines draws her attention back to where his chest rises and falls.

Upon hearing the door click, your friend whispers against his peach-fuzz cheek. She chuckles at the haphazard beard he grows in his unconscious state before inhaling a nervous breath.

“You were supposed to pick me up for the garden tea party about a month ago…now I see why you weren’t able to come,” Haruka isn’t an emotional person really.

She isn’t known to be soft and delicate; quite the opposite really. Loud, rambunctious, funny, those were all a cover to hide the anxious wreck within.

“Normally, no one would be upset going to hospitals to visit those who were knew, but with the increase in tsunamis and the occasional landslide, Haruka doesn’t fair all too well with hospitals overall,” you confess to Nanami when he pulls you up to sit next to him. “She lost so much before we met in college, I think seeing Gojo will either be cathartic or traumatic for her.”

You exhale a deep breath, after he kisses your forehead, yet in the ICU unit, Haruka attempts to calm herself as she peers over Gojo’s bed. She reaches over to hold his hand.

“You’re still warm,” she laughs a bit. “I thought you stood me up you know, but never, never in my wildest imagination would it be because you’re in a coma. If you ever wake up, I’d give you one chance to tell me the truth, ok?…”

There are a million thoughts that go through one’s mind when in a hospital: some are positive and aligning to the living and healing; others are negative, full of grief and despair through the trials of keeping the people alive. Alas, here in the ICU of the notoriously historical Roppongi Hospital, one powerful sorcerer’s willingness to walk back to the world of the living makes him croak out a dry, “ok.”

Haruka, for all intents and purposes, should have screamed for help or at the very least pushed the call nurse button, but she didn't. She looks at the hand holding hers now and breathes a sigh of relief. Friend or not, this was not the way anyone ought to be spending a second, yet highly recommended improperly timed, date and she lets him know that head on.

Several minutes later, nurses and doctor on duty visit the room and do their own tests, conducting a series of “which IV we keep and which we can discard” conversations. Haruka steps outside for a bit of a breather and slides down to the floor with the wall of the hospital as her support. Her hands shake as she texts you about her once blind date waking up within the hour. You tell your boyfriend of the development and help him into his clothes after the discharge papers are signed.

Several glasses of water later, you’re back in the room, Gojo sits up with a relaxed smile on his unwrapped face; the scratches by his eyes are just that, scratches. His eyes are still that brilliant, lightest shade of iced sapphires when he looks at Haruka who just stands at the foot of his bed.

“For what it’s worth,” Gojo scratches his cheek with his free hand. “Hearing you scold me is refreshing.”

He beckons her forth and she obeys, choosing to sit on his right side.

“I suppose you’d want to hear how I got in this bed, injured and all,” he says.

Haruka, for whatever it’s worth, shakes her head to decline.

“Later, Satoru,” and his cheerful demeanor lessens until she walks up to him and pushes his hair back a bit to place a kiss above his brow. “Tell me when I come back after I get something to eat.”

As she glances at him, she notices the flushed color of his cheeks before waving a swift ‘bye for now’ when she steps out the doorway.

However, with her presence gone, Gojo’s mind replays a voice he hasn’t heard in a very long time: “I cursed you a little at the end too.”

#🌻— flying around collecting pollen—queue #sora after hours #sora scribbles 2023 #🎋jjk. gojo x reader🎋

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saang · 4 years

Note

14 for Taang perhaps? 👀

14. “you make every experience fresh and exciting, i can't imagine my life without you.” i had a lot of fun writing this one! i hope you like it!! word count: 1k

It was a tedious task, really. Aang didn’t think anyone would’ve wanted to be in his position, slaved over mountains of paperwork, but it was what needed to be done. Republic City still needed a lot of work before it was ready to be a fully functioning metropolis. He assumed his posture would be permanently damaged when all the finishing touches to the city were put in place.

He turned to Momo who was sleeping on a shelf near his desk. “I feel that buddy,” Aang whispered to the otherwise empty room.

He stretched his arms and rolled his neck. Fully expecting to have to get back to work, when a knock came.

“Come in,” Aang said. It had almost become a reflex at this point. There were so many meetings and he tried to keep up with them all but he couldn’t. He didn’t think he had a meeting, but he’d been wrong before.

“Hey, Twinkle Toes,” Toph said as she walked into his office.

“Toph?” Aang asked. “What brings you here?”

“Well, I was in the neighbourhood.”

“You live in the neighbourhood.”

“Exactly. I was in the neighbourhood and I thought you could probably use a break.”

“This needs to get done Toph,” Aang sighed. “There’s no way I can get out of it.”

“Fine, then maybe I could help you,” Toph sat down in the chair opposite to him.

“I don’t think you want to help me with these Toph,” Aang said. “They’re pretty boring.”

“I already agreed to help, don’t make me change my mind.”

Aang started reading a page, it was about the sewage system.

“Do voices!” Toph demanded.

“There are no characters to do voices for.”

“So? Do voices.”

Aang sighed, but started talking in a comically horrible accent. “The sewage system is subpar at best. There is little to no filtration and it is posing the threat of contamination.” Aang rolled his eyes, he couldn’t believe he was actually using a silly voice to read an official document. “I suggest we invoke the use of semi-permeable membranes. Only the water would be able to make it through, the bacteria would not.”

“What’s the cost of this ‘semi-permeable membrane’?” Toph asked, putting ‘semi-permeable membrane’ in air quotes.

“You were actually listening?”

“Yeah?” Toph said. “Anyway, you didn’t answer my question’ how much does it cost?”

“It would cost 4.8 million yuan,” Aang informed her. “Which is surprisingly in budget.”

“Does it say how effective it would be?”

“Definitely more effective than the system we have in place right now.”

“Then sign off on it.”

“Are you sure?” Aang hesitated. “I mean what if there is a better option lower in the stack?”

“Sign it. Don’t think. Just sign.”

“Okay,” Aang said, he put his signature on the bottom of the page. He grabbed the next page but Toph stopped him before he started reading it out.

“Is it within budget?”

“You don’t even know what it is.”

“Not the point,” Toph waved her hand. “Is it within budget?”

Aang searched for the cost. “Uh, no it isn’t.”

“Then put it into a separate pile,” Toph explained, grabbing the paper and setting it down somewhere on Aang’s desk.

“Shouldn’t we at least look at it first?”

“We’ll look at it after,” Toph shrugged. “It’s out of the budget so it’s not a priority.”

“I guess that’s fair.” The first thing Aang looked for on the next paper was the cost. “It’s within budget.”

“Alright, read it to me.” Toph put her feet up onto Aang’s desk; he briefly considered pushing them off. He just sighed and rolled his eye. “And in a silly voice please.”

“Why?”

“Well, as a Beifong I have been to many a meeting in my time,” Toph started. “I’ve learned to tune people out, but if they sound like an idiot I’m more inclined to listen.”

“You listen to idiots?” Aang asked.

“I listen to you, don’t I, Twinkle Toes.”

Aang scoffed. “I am offended, Sifu.”

They fell into laughter, Toph motioned for him to read. Aang, in his best ‘Angsty Zuko’ impression started reading about the gnu rat infestation.

“I’m sorry,” Aang devolved into laughter. “I just can’t take seriously. All I can think about is teenage Zuko talking about gnu rats.”

“That’s the point!” Toph grinned. “Paperwork is so boring, so you have to make it exciting!”

“You make every experience fresh and exciting, I can’t imagine my life without you,” Aang smiled fondly.

“You’d probably be dead.”

“Oh, and what makes you say that?” Aang leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Well, for one you wouldn’t know earth bending,” Toph started. “And since you wouldn’t have mastered the elements, Ozai probably would’ve killed you.”

“If worse came to worst, I’m sure Bumi could’ve taught me,” Aang said.

“Would you place money on that?” Toph raised her eyebrow.

“Okay, no,” Aang said. “But I could’ve been taught by,” Aang thought to all the earth benders he’d met. “Haru!”

“Haru? Katara’s ex, Haru?”

“They never actually dated.” Aang waved his hand and continued. “I could’ve been taught by, Haru’s dad.”

“Haru’s dad?” Toph asked.

“The Dai Li?” Aang asked, a bit quieter than the previous two.

“You’d learn earth bending from the Dai Li?” Toph was judging Aang. “The people who kidnapped Appa? Oh and that’s another thing, you would’ve died in that library if I hadn’t kept it from sinking.”

“Sorry for blowing up at you back then, I know it wasn’t your fault Appa was stolen.” Aang had already apologized so many times for his action in the desert.

“Appa was the last of your culture, you had a right to be hurt,” Toph said offhandedly. “Besides, I knew I could take it.”

“That doesn’t make it right.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Toph agreed. “But it’s in the past, and the present requires our attention.”

“Yes, gnu rats.” Aang chuckled. “Even the name is ridiculous.”

“Just like yours, Twinkle toes.” Toph smiled.

#taang #toph #toph beifong #aang #atla #avatar: the last airbender #fic #drabble #drabble challenge #atla fic #taang fic #could be platonic or romantic

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valiantly-onward · 3 years

Text

The Serpentine War Ch. 14

Chapter 14: Amass

They were a somber, silent group when they landed in the forest. The cover of trees felt strange after so long in the rocky hills, and it was colder here.

Wu’s dragon vanished just as the Alliance began to gather. Among them, Wu found two injured Masters: Lorin, who appeared to have taken a blow to the head, and Maya, who was rolling her eyes as both Ray and Haru fretted over a cut in her shoulder.

“I’m fine.” She was vehement about it. Haru seemed to be handling the bandages nicely, so Wu instead knelt by Lorin. Lei and Asher hovered over him.

“A Hypnobrai got him as we were heading out,” Lei explained. She looked shaken, but that was a problem for another time. With some effort, she and Asher lifted Lorin to sitting position.

For a dreadful moment, Wu thought the Master of Earth might be dead. Then he lifted his head, groaning.

“This,” he muttered, “is why I always wear a helmet. Where is it?”

Lei pulled it from the grass behind her. “The Hypnobrai knocked it off.”

“Buggers.” Lorin took it from her. He squinted deeply, touched his bloodied temple, and continued, “Where’s Hanna?”

No one replied. Lorin turned his head, dark hair plastered with sweat and blood and dirt. His eyes found Ray. “Ray. Where’s Hanna?”

Ray straightened away from Maya, his expression flashing raw shame. “Lorin, there was an Anacondrai general. I tried -”

But now Lorin was scrambling to his feet, lilting a little as he did. The stones trembled around his feet. He looked very much like he wanted to throw himself at Ray, but Wu stepped in. He would not have his Masters killing each other.

“Lorin.” He caught the brawny man firmly around his armored shoulders. “Calm yourself.”

Lorin disregarded this. “You swore to me!” he roared at Ray. “You - you -”

He swayed on his feet. Wu helped Lei guide the man back to the ground and glanced at Ray with concern. Helplessness flashed across the young Master’s face, and anger. Wu knew this. He had trained this. Ray was furious with himself.

Before Wu could stop him, the Master of Fire stormed off into the trees.

No one spoke but Lorin, who continued to moan under his breath. “She was right there. She was right there.” He ground his helmet into the dirt and growled. “How did this happen?”

“Calm yourself,” Wu repeated, as much to himself as to Lorin. “The Serpentine do not harm their prisoners. Hanna is safe for the time being.”

Lorin fell silent, but the pain spilled out through his gaze. This was a blow with only one cure.

“Well, what do we do now?” Vivian asked from the midst of the other Masters. Her blonde hair danced around her head in a frizzy, lightning-induced halo. She laid her palms flat in the air before her. “The treaty’s broken, Lorin’s village is taken, the Serpentine have made it through the pass, and now there’s nothing to stop them from marching toward Ninjago City! It’s thirteen of us against an army! What do we have? And if you say hope, I’m gonna lose my mind.”

Everyone looked at Wu. Wu looked at Garmadon. Garmadon looked at the ground.

“I’m afraid,” Wu began, “that we cannot continue this war without help.” Garmadon finished the thought. “We need to mobilize the villagers as we move north. Lorin’s village included.”

“And the villages left behind?” Maya pointed out.

“We’ll evacuate them,” Garmadon assured her. He unfolded his arms with a glance at Wu. “I hate to split our forces, but -”

“But we must.” Wu let his staff hang horizontal at his side. “Vivian, you and the twins will go before us and evacuate every village from here to the north. Krux, you will lead them. Get all the villagers to Ninjago City. If worst comes to worst, perhaps we can make a stand there.”

There was silence for a moment. No one wanted to even think about what would happen if the Serpentine made it that far.

Lorin climbed to his feet. His gaze was darker than usual, but unbroken, and that was enough for now. “And the rest of us?”

“We will mobilize the villagers, as Garmadon said,” Wu answered. “We will slow the Serpentine down while we find a way to stop them.”

That was that. Wu directed Lorin to lead the women and children partway to the next town - they had a lot of walking ahead of them. He sent Vivian and the twins to talk maps with Haru while Garmadon set some of the Masters on lookout. Maya vanished to find Ray.

“Brother,” Wu said, when all was done. “I need to speak with you.”

Garmadon nodded. They stepped into the trees just far enough out of earshot. Garmadon leaned against a pine trunk and busily brushed dirt off his black tabi boots. “Without Kandoras, the Serpentine are less divided. I don’t know if I can exploit those divisions.”

“Kandoras was an asset,” Wu agreed, thinking of the old snake’s disdain for war, so uncommon among Serpentine. His son, Fangdam, would not be as insistent to stop fighting the ones who killed his father.

If they killed his father.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Garmadon said. “But there’s no way to prove it. For all we know, it could’ve been a human.”

“But it wasn’t.”

Garmadon looked unconvinced. In fact, he appeared entirely convinced of the opposite.

Wu frowned. “Garmadon. What are you not telling me?”

Garmadon took a long moment to respond. “I think I know who did this. But give me time to figure it out. If I can, it may work in our favor.”

The darkness in his tone was worrying. Still, Garmadon had never given Wu any reason not to trust him. If he needed time, Wu would give him time.

“Very well,” Wu replied. “Then we move forward?”

Garmadon pushed himself off the tree. “We move forward.”

~~~

The Alliance stayed in the Forest of Tranquility for a few days, minus Vivian and the Masters of Time. Wu wished Lorin could use patrol to stay busy, but with Hanna gone, the man struggled to form his Elemental dragon. So it was Sam Pale and Dojin who patrolled the countryside for the Serpentine army behind and the uncharted group of Constrictai out there somewhere in the Western Sea of Sand. If the Alliance hoped to protect Ninjago City at all, they would be fighting a battle from both the south and the east.

Garmadon rallied the citizens of Ninjago. With each village they passed, they gathered more men and women who wanted to fight. It wouldn’t be enough against Anacondrai warriors, and each furtive glance between Wu and his brother betrayed that knowledge. But it was all they had.

At night, they studied the maps. Stretching from the Glacier Barrens nearly to the mountains where the monastery lay, there was one obstacle.

“Birchwood Forest,” Garmadon said, his finger on the parchment. He jotted something indecipherable in the map’s margin - Garmadon always had terrible handwriting, even when they were children - then continued, “If there’s one thing snakes hate, it’s the cold.”

Haru, Master of Ice and their partner-in-maps, smiled amiably beneath his white beard. “And a frozen forest stands between them and conquest.”

Wu leaned on his staff and studied the blotch of white that was the Birchwood. “They’ll be weaker. Unfortunately, weak for an Anacondrai is still very strong.”

“Brother, you underestimate us.” Garmadon smiled and straightened with his fists braced against the table. “Remember that nice man I picked up from that village a few days ago?”

“No?”

“Well, this particular nice man is actually a veteran of the Royal Guard in Ninjago City.” Garmadon tipped his head to the side in a so-so manner. “Give it a week or two, we’ll have the villagers in fighting shape.”

Wu tried not to be dry as he repeated, “Fighting shape.”

“Very.”

“You’re...chipper.”

Crooked Smile Copyright Garmadon made an appearance again. “They’re completely useless, Wu, even more than your Masters. I will make sure they don’t get themselves killed.”

“There he is,” Wu declared. “Just checking. So, Birchwood is our stand, then?”

Haru and Garmadon both nodded. Whatever pipes held Wu’s emotion most of the time, they leaked a little now. He had known these two men for so long - Haru for centuries, and Garmadon for all the long years of his life. If they failed, at least it wouldn’t be for want of trying. And if they died, it would be as true comrades and friends.

Misako was the only one missing.

Wu dismissed himself before this feeling could worm its way to the surface. He strode out of the tent and through the camp, now always crowded - no longer with twelve or thirteen of them, but dozens of countrymen and kin.

Had Misako received his letter? There had been no reply. His heart had bled onto paper, and it petrified him to think it had been in vain. Or worse - not in vain, but in poor timing. A ruined chance. A lost chance.

What a torturous thought. She was safe, at least. Wu didn’t need to worry about her life as well as her heart. But even though Lorin’s wife was lost to them, at least Lorin had her love, and she his. If either of them died, they had no unsaid words between them. Yes, Wu had been right to send the letter. Even if he was killed, or rejected, at least she knew. The secret wouldn’t die with him.

Someone was calling his name.

“Master Wu! Master Wu?”

It was one of Garmadon’s villagers friends, a short, fair-haired man with his hat in his hands. He was looking to Wu expectantly. Other villagers stood anxiously behind him.

“What are the orders, sir?” he asked. “Are we moving out?”

Wu stared at them.

Courage. I would tell you courage, but I don’t know anyone braver.

“Yes,” Wu replied. He raised his voice louder. “Spread the word to pack the camp! We make for Birchwood Forest today.”

@greenygreenland

#the serpentine war #ninjago #ninjago fic #garmadon #master wu

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dailybeastarsthings · 3 years

Text

Chapter 7 - Lunch Date With My Victim 7.1. Eden's Errand Boy

It was awfully quiet. Haru and the boys looked each other straight in the eye but no one said a single word. The wind was gently blowing, mixing the fragrance of the thousand blossoms into the air, gently caressing the animals’ noses. Finally, Haru broke the silence…

‘I don’t usually have visitors in the Gardening Club, so this is really a pleasant surprise’ she said.

The other two were still speechless, sunken deep in thought. Haru was pacing them with her eyes, waiting for them to say anything.

‘My word, they are helpless’ she thought. ‘I wonder what they might be thinking.’

Both boys were uncomfortable with the situation. Legoshi could feel his stomach shake. He just wanted to leave this mess, never to come back.

‘It’s the girl from that night! I didn’t think she’d be so small… I must leave… now!’ he thought. ‘But what excuse do I make…? Stomachache or perhaps emergency bathroom break? How about »I just remembered, I’ve got some errands to take care of!«? Yeah… I think that might work.’

‘Oh, umm… I…’ Legoshi tried to say but Kibi was faster.

‘Oh, I just remembered some errands I have to take care of!”

Legoshi was devastated. Just when he came up with the perfect excuse, it was used against him to leave him in the stickiest of situations. He sent a shocked and angry look towards Kibi. If looks could kill, Kibi would’ve died right then and there. Legoshi crouched down to him.

‘Wait, why are you leaving?’ he whispered.

‘Sorry, I’ll buy you an ant shake, but please don’t try to stop me’ Kibi replied. ‘I’ll leave the rest to you – I owe you one.’ And with that, he said his goodbyes to Haru and left through the rusty green door.

As Haru watched them fight, she thought of two possible reasons, why the other two acted like this. One, they were seriously afraid of girls. Two, this was some sort of act on their sides – perhaps a prank of the Drama Club.

‘I thought you came here to get some flowers for the New Student Welcome Event’ she said, momentarily breaking the tension. ‘Am I wrong?’

‘No, of course not!’ Kibi replied to her. ‘We’re gonna need your flowers… It’s just that I really need to take care of some errands. This friendly wolf knows everything you need to know’ he said with a forced smile from the other side of the entrance. Legoshi sent some devastating glares towards him. He tried his best to make Kibi stay, but all was in vain.

‘Look, I’m really sorry about this’ Kibi said. ‘You need to do this for the Drama Club, okay?’

He could finally gather enough strength and slammed the door on Legoshi, almost jamming his fingers in the process.

There was at least a good half minute of awkward silence before anyone said anything.

‘We’re alone’ Legoshi thought.

‘Well, your friend’s gone’ Haru said, while dusting off her uniform. There was some mud on it from watering the flowerbeds at the back of the club previously. ‘It’s always the bad rumors that spread the fastest. I probably scared him off.’ Haru sighed.

Legoshi was still afraid to say a word.

‘Well, all boys are scared of girls in some respect, so it doesn’t really bother me’ Haru said while putting her hands on her waist. ‘Are you different?’ she asked Legoshi with a soft smile on her face.

‘No… not really’ Legoshi responded – his ears drooped.

‘This can’t be happening right now’ he thought. ‘I literally tried to eat you! Of course I’m scared of talking to you! I don’t have the right to talk to you!’

‘Every club gets busy every year, trying to do something big for the event. What club are you in?’ Haru asked, trying to finally break the ice.

‘The Drama Club…’ Legoshi answered. He really just wanted to get this over with. ‘I’m a stagehand and I really need flowers to decorate the assembly hall.’

He handed Dom’s plans to Haru about the decoration. She inspected them thoroughly.

‘I see. So you want to decorate with roses, huh? Well, you shouldn’t decorate the entire hall with pure red roses. They are very poisonous.’

‘Oh, I see…’

‘I’ve got many other roses of many different colors. I’ll show them to you.’

‘Thank you.’

Haru took the lead from then on and they walked to a huge flowerbed, covered densely in roses of all colors. The rabbit girl was not kidding; every color of the rainbow was there, proudly blooming in the golden rays of sunshine, emitting their incredible fragrance in the air for everyone to smell. It was a sight to behold and a scent to enjoy. But Legoshi still couldn’t escape his thoughts.

‘Her head is so far away from mine. I bet she sees the world in a much different way than I do. This may be the first time I’ve ever talked to a small animal.’

‘See, here they are’ Haru said. ‘You can take as many as you want… On one condition.’

‘What condition?’ Legoshi asked nervously. ‘Damn, I can’t look her in the eye!’ he thought.

‘Well, these plants are like my children and I won’t give them away for free. Could you take those plants over to that other flowerbed? I’ll be perfectly honest, I really care about these children, but a girl can only do so much by herself’ she said while pointing towards a dozen of potted plants.

Legoshi sent a kind of confused look towards Haru, but he still agreed to help.

‘It’s settled then’ Haru said, while grabbing Legoshi’s tail. She squeezed it under his suspenders. The situation was definitely shocking for the shy wolf.

‘What are you doing?’ he asked.

‘I can’t just have you break my plants with this big monster tail of yours. Don’t worry, I won’t chop it off’ Haru giggled.

‘She... touched me…’ Legoshi thought.

Legoshi had never seen a small animal touch a large-breed carnivore before, but to experience it himself was something he would’ve never even imagined in his life. After all was settled, Legoshi picked up one of the pots Haru instructed him to and carried it to its new place: next to the club’s fence.

‘I’m a third year student by the way’ Haru said. ‘Which year are you in?’

‘I’m a second year.’

There were quite many of the pots Legoshi had to carry but it was not a task he couldn’t manage. He actually began to enjoy himself and started to become more open towards Haru.

‘Are there any other members in this club?’ he asked.

‘You don’t have to be so formal. There were two older students before but they graduated four years ago. No one joined ever since.’

Legoshi was surprised and amazed. ‘Wow! She’s been taking care of all these plants for four years all by herself? What’s this if not dedication?’

After putting the last pot at the designated area, he picked up a notepad he found nearby. On it, he found a calendar, on which besides the weather, there was a detailed list of the days’ achievements, and how the plants were progressing.

‘It must be rough to do all this work alone’ Legoshi said.

‘Well, it’s not easy for sure, but there are other events where clubs need my flowers so it all works out’ Haru said, while watering some of the flowers nearby. After finishing, she picked up a pot with a beautiful lotus inside it and proceeded to put it to a place with more sun.

‘These plants are like my children: they need me. And I need them. Perhaps a wolf like you wouldn’t understand, but weak creatures need to live by depending on each other. Acting brave doesn’t do me any favors. Sometimes it could be fatal’ she said with a soft smile on her face.

These words sent Legoshi’s mind running to the events of that night. How he hunted down the rabbit girl, how he caused her injury and how she wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Zoe to break him away from his feral side. He looked at Haru’s arm and gulped. Seeing her wearing all those bandages was a painful sight for Legoshi, knowing it was because of him. ‘Don’t say a word’ he thought. But he couldn’t help himself.

‘What happened to your arm?’ he asked. ‘I know exactly. It was me! It was all me! I’m so cruel!’

‘Well... to be honest, I don’t know’ Haru said. Legoshi raised his eyebrows in surprise.

‘I wonder what it was though’ Haru continued. ‘I know it hurt a lot but I don’t have a clear memory of what happened.’

‘You don’t?’ Legoshi asked in disbelief.

‘Nope. Anyway, I’m sorry if I scared you or anything. I know it’s creepy for a small animal like me to be wearing a bandage now of all times, but I’m doing fine. I’m sure it was just a nightmare’ she said with a wide smile on her face.

Legoshi couldn’t believe what he just heard. Does he tell her, or keep it a secret forever? It would’ve ended horribly anyway – never seeing this rabbit again. He finally decided not to say anything else.

‘I bought some scarlet sage seeds by the way. Would you like to plant some with me?’ Haru asked.

‘Sure!’ Legoshi nodded. ‘Her words don’t fill me with salvation or guilt. I just can’t stop looking at her. I enjoy talking to her so much. I usually rarely enjoy getting to know others… I want to become her friend.’

The work was soon done with all the seeds planted and watered in just a couple of minutes. Gardening, of course however, is a dirty job so it’s no wonder both their hands were covered in mud and dirt.

‘We should probably go to the club room to wash our hands’ Haru said. Legoshi nodded in acceptance. The club room was only a few steps away. When they arrived there, they washed their hands with warm water.

The room was filled with furniture and books mostly. There was a bed in the corner with a desk next to it. A table full of pots and watering cans. Underneath the table were pesticides and on the walls, there were gardening tools neatly placed. Even though it felt quite crowded, Legoshi felt cozy in that environment.

‘Thank you so much for moving all those heavy plants for me! They haven’t been feeling well at all, but now they can recover and have flowers, too. Let me give you a reward. What kind of food do you like?’

Legoshi was surprised by the question. Did that rabbit really just ask him about his favorite foods? Does she actually want to spend more time with him?

‘Well, honestly, I’m not really hungry right now’ Legoshi said. ‘But I’m in the mood for some ant shakes. What do you think?’

Haru nodded in agreement and together, they headed for the cafeteria for their late afternoon snacks: shakes.

#beastars #beastars fanfiction

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teaplease1717 · 3 years

Text

The Stars Guide Us; They do not Bind Us

Ship: Todoroki Shouto / Yaoyorozu Momo

Rating: T

Words: 9,627

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28904745

It’s been a long while since I’ve had a story basically decide to write itself (not since Masquerade) so thank you Haru for creating such beautiful work that I just couldn't stop a plot bunny from forming! The art this story is based on is linked Here!

Also, I'm trying out a new style. Present tense and short little scenes with indirect dialogue. The whole story is meant to be very subtle. Hope you enjoy!

Big shout out to my betas: Kuyashii, and Emberstork.

XXXX

The Stars Guide Us; They do not Bind Us

XXXX

It's useless to dream because nothing ever changes.

Yaoyorozu Momo has come to accept this. The fickleness of fate that young maidens whisper of in wistful voices does not reach her position. Since birth, her destiny, like so many princesses before her, has been inked on vellum contracts and in expensive lineage trees.

So perhaps it is because of this — or despite it — that on dark nights Momo finds herself sneaking out of her bedroom and heading back towards the one wing of the castle where she can pretend, if only for a few hours, that she is the master of her own fate.

Bare feet glide silently as owl wings across cold stone floors. The hallway is empty. There are no tapestries or rugs here, nothing that could mask the footsteps of intruders.

She clutches a golden lantern in her left hand, but it’s unlit. Momo can’t risk kindling the fire until she is tucked away in the safety of the library where the guards can’t find her — where her cousin, the King, can’t find her.

She knows she has to be careful. Her position is precarious.

When the old king, All Might, had died suddenly without an heir, it had left a vacancy that ambitious nobles quickly rose to contest over. During the ensuing five year war, the first and second successors to the throne were deposed.

It was during this time her cousin, Shigaraki Tomura, claimed the crown.

But his position as monarch remains uncertain. The old nobles don’t truly accept him as king. He wasn’t in line for the throne. And with rumors that the third successor is still alive and working with All Might’s illegitimate son as insurgents, the nobility are divided in their support.

That is why she is here. Due to a complicated and convoluted succession process, she is fourth in line to the crown. If her cousin marries her, the lords that keep to the old ways will fall in line.

She is the link Shigaraki needs to hold the throne.

Momo presses up against the bare stone wall at the juncture of the hallway. The stones chill her through her long nightgown, but she ignores the cold as she holds her breath. Her heart pounds in her chest as she listens for the heavy footfalls of the palace guards.

She may be the link Shigaraki needs to win but her life is still that of a pawn. A piece on her cousin’s chessboard, only slightly more valuable alive than dead. And alive has varying definitions. If her cousin catches her sneaking around, he may not take the kinder definition.

In the distance an owl hoots.

Momo waits, listening for a moment longer. The corridor is silent, there are no other sounds besides her heartbeat. She breathes a sigh of relief, relaxing, then hurries around the corner to stop before two large mahogany doors.

The hallway is too dark to make out the ornate trim that details the tales of heroes and kings of old but Momo remembers the curves and cuts of each story etched into the wood. She cracks one of the doors open just wide enough to slip through.

Inside the library is impressive, larger than anything she has ever seen. Aisles and shelves of books with a large spiral staircase lead to a second story with paths running along with more shelves. A railing of ornate spindle work and gingerbread detailing encloses the balcony.

Against the opposite wall, expansive windows are carved into the stone, providing just enough light to illuminate the library in a soft glow.

Momo closes the heavy door behind her and then makes her way over to ascend the stairs.

Shigaraki never allows her into the library without a chaperone, someone loyal and handpicked by him. And even then he forbids her from the second floor, where books on magic, warfare and independence line the shelves.

A princess shouldn’t concern herself with the topics of men, dear cousin.

Her bare feet patter against the stones. The autumn moon is full tonight, illuminating her path as Momo makes her way down the aisles. The thick tomes that line the shelves stare down at her as if they know that she isn’t allowed, but Momo continues on, towards the back of the library, her sanctuary.

She exits a row of bookshelves and a cold wind blows around her, ruffling her nightgown. Momo instantly stills and looks up. A chill rakes down her spine.

The window before her is open.

The windows in the palace are never open.

Her breath feels like lead in her chest. Momo stumbles back. The shadows behind her shift and a hand suddenly darts out of the darkness, grabbing her and spinning her around to pin her against the bookshelf before she can even scream.

The force knocks the unlit lamp from Momo’s fingers. It clangs as it hits the stone floor and rolls away.

She gasps in shock and a rough hand covers her mouth. Instinctively, Momo’s own hands shot up, trying to pull the intruder’s fingers away, but the grip over her mouth is like a vice. She can’t get free.

The wood of the bookshelf digs into her skin through her nightdress as she struggles.

“Be still,” a man’s deep voice commands close to her ear.

Momo instantly freezes.

Her eyes dart up. An intruder in a black robe looms over her. The hood that covers his face seems to blend his features into the darkness but his eyes shine, silver and a brilliant turquoise.

The deadliness in them is palpable. A wolf in human clothing.

The temperature seems to drop around them. A whimper climbs up Momo's throat as the intruder leans forward and plants his other hand above her head. Their faces are mere centimeters apart now. And she can feel his icy breath upon her cheek.

Momo’s skin prickles and she closes her eyes reflexively. She tries to shrink away, but the bookshelf behind her won’t budge. Her chest stutters in tiny, rapid inhalations as she realizes this may be her last few minutes alive.

I don’t want to die!

It’s not fair...

Everything in her life has been taken from her. Fate has taken her parents. Her home. Her freedom. When will it be enough?

Suddenly, Momo is filled with explosive anger. Her hands tremble. Her life is not her own but she’s still a princess. A Yaoyorozu. Even if destiny wills for her to die here, she will not stand before her fate cowering in fear.

Momo’s fingers tighten on his hand. Her nails bite into his flesh; her eyes snap open, and she glares at him with all the fiery rage she feels at her position in life.

Her anger seems to surprise the intruder. He blinks, his eyes flashing momentarily with an emotion she can’t read, before his expression steels behind a cold wall of insouciance. And Momo feels her anger doused as quickly as it had ignited.

Fear washes back over her. She is suddenly acutely aware of how close he is. How his body is pushed against hers indecently. His leg pressed between her own, pinning her to the wall.

Struggling to tamp down on the panic rising inside of her, Momo forces herself to look back up and meet his silver and blue gaze. His expression is masked as he stares down at her as though considering what to do.

“Don’t scream,” he finally says. Then hesitates, as if unsure, before adding. “Nod if you understand.”

Her heart pounds heavily against her ribs.

It’s a bargain; her life in exchange for silence.

It doesn’t make sense. The rational side of her mind points to the fact that it isn’t beneficial for an intruder to have witnesses.

This could be a trap. A false hope that he will spare her when, in fact, he only intends to rape her before silencing her forever. Momo’s stomach twists.

It’s a gamble, but her options are limited. She will have to take her chances and trust him.

Momo swallows thickly and gives a short jerk of her head in assent.

The intruder studies her for a moment longer, then slowly removes his hand and draws back enough to stare down at her.

She breathes in a shaky breath. Now that he isn’t supporting her, Momo can feel her legs tremble under her own weight. She forces herself to straighten. She will not show weakness.

He watches her with those unnerving eyes for a moment longer, assessing if she will keep her promise. Then he steps back and turns, jumping up onto the open window’s ledge and disappearing into the night.

Momo slides down to the floor and sits frozen, trying to control her heartbeat. Her hands are shaking. She watches the window until her heart stops pounding painfully, then rises and returns to her room, shaken.

She wonders if she should tell her cousin or at least one of the guards, maybe Iida Tenya, but decides against it.

She is inconsequential, a pawn only slightly more valuable alive then dead.

It would matter little to her cousin if the intruder had killed her.

XXXXX

It takes two weeks before Momo has rebuilt her courage to venture back down the dark, quiet hallways towards the library. The hooded man isn’t there and she feels the tight knot in her stomach uncoil.

Slowly, Momo returns to her normal nighttime routine.

XXXXXX

It’s a moonless night when the dark bandit returns.

There is a soft click of a latch turning. Momo freezes as the air suddenly shifts and the hooded figure appears in the windowsill of the library. His cloak flickers around him, hiding his figure except for those piercing heterochromatic eyes that shine in the glow of her lamp.

There is a moment's pause as they stare at one another. His gray and blue eyes are wide. It is evident he didn’t expect to see her again.

Momo's heart pounds. She can almost imagine him asking if she is going to scream once more. And part of her wonders if she should. It would certainly be the right thing to do. He is an intruder, a thief possibly but — if she alerts the guards — she will be found out and never be able to sneak back into the library.

More than that, the guard on duty, Iida Tenya, will be punished and it will be because of her. She will lose the only person kind to her.

Momo's fingers tighten around the book in her hands. She holds it up slightly, as if in greeting.

The stranger seems to relax at the gesture. He slides silently into the room and disappears down one of the aisles.

Momo sits silently for a moment. When her heartbeat is normal, she returns to her story.

XXXXXX

The dark intruder comes more often after that. His visits are always irregular; sometimes he visits a few days in a row, other times he shows up after a week or two.

Momo suspects that he must have bribed one of the guards to let him in. A regular intruder without connections wouldn’t be able to get past Shigaraki’s men.

Then again, he isn’t a regular intruder.

He moves through the library like a wraith. His magicked cloak swirls around him, blending him into the shadows as he pores over books but he never steals any. He’s smart enough for that.

The walls are enchanted to alert the King’s innermost guards if anyone removes one of the volumes. It’s ancient magic that only those with connections to the royal family and a few select guards know about.

She wonders how he learned.

Perhaps it comes with the trade.

XXXXXX

He has pulled back his hood to read and it’s the first time Momo is able to glimpse what the dark intruder looks like.

The light from her golden lamp shines, highlighting short hair that is perfectly split between red and white. It is unique coloring and not a surprise that he has to use an enchanted cloak to disguise his features.

Her eyes trail lower over his face. There’s a scar covering his left eye that she hasn’t noticed before. But in the flickering light of her lantern, she can distinguish the discolored flesh.

A curse mark.

Probably meant to kill him, but perhaps miscast or canceled. Incomplete.

He’s lucky to be alive.

XXXXXX

Momo stumbles forward with a gasp before catching herself. The bones of the corset bite into her flesh through the silk undergarments, cinching her waist smaller.

Her personal handmaid - the only maid who never changes - Himiko Toga, stands behind her pulling on the lace strings.

“No pain, no gain,” Toga says in a sing-song voice. “With my help, you’ll be the most beautiful lady in all the land. I’m like your personal fairy godmother! Got to look after my sweet, sweet princess.”

Momo doesn't say anything.

Toga hums happily as she ties the lace along Momo’s spine. While she works, Momo testingly draws in a slow breath before a sharp pain pokes her as the whale bones squeeze her waist.

She can't breathe.

XXXXXX

Her mouth is dry as she stares at the red and orange flames flickering in the intruder’s hand.

Momo doesn’t know many mages. Sorcery is rare and elemental magic even rarer.

It is said that the old emperor of the Northern lands had been a conjurer of flames, his wife an enchantress of ice. His disowned son, Toya, certainly has his father’s fire magic coursing through his veins. Momo has seen her cousin’s right hand man demonstrate his gift enough to know.

But Toya’s flames are blue and blistering hot. Meant to incinerate and strike fear into all who behold them, allies and foes alike.

The intruder’s fire is warm, and Momo realizes she doesn’t mind it.

XXXXXX

Momo settles back into her usual spot on the floor. It gives her the best view of the entire library, while also allowing for her to remain hidden.

“You really have this down.”

Momo looks up at the dark intruder. He rarely speaks.

She licks her lips. “Yes,” she says after a moment. “I have to be careful if I don’t want to get caught. People in the castle aren't stupid. The guards have been trained by my cousin, Shigaraki. The only way to stay ahead is by being smarter.”

He nods and turns back to look down at the table where a new set of books are laid out.

Momo watches him for a few moments before returning to her own volume.

XXXXXX

“What are you looking for?” Momo asks one night.

The dark intruder looks up. The light of his flames reflect off of his eyes making him look ferocious.

Momo forces herself to relax as she approaches and places her lamp on the table. It’s been long enough that she knows he won’t hurt her. She pushes her loose hair behind her ear, avoiding his gaze. “I don’t have anything else to do. I don’t mind helping you search.”

He stares at her and his eyebrows furrow as if trying to read her intentions.

Momo is tempted to roll her eyes but refrains herself. It isn’t lady-like.

She looks down at the table and pulls over one of the books he has discarded, History of Curses and Ailments . She flips it open.

“It’s not all out of charity, just so you know,” she says after a moment. Momo doesn’t need to see him to feel her companion’s eyes narrow. “The faster you find what you’re looking for the sooner you’ll leave, and the risk of me being found decreases.”

She looks up and meets his gray and turquoise gaze. His expression is a mask, and she says. “Think of it as a mutual symbiotic relationship.”

He stares at her, and Momo thinks a faint smile pulls at his lips but it may be a trick of the lamplight.

XXXXXX

“It’s for a client,” the intruder says.

Momo looks up from her book at the sound of his voice. It’s deep and husky, pleasing to listen to. “What is?”

“What I’m searching for. My client asked me to look up a cure for a curse he got during the war.”

Momo nods. Then she tilts her head to the side to study him. “But why here? Surely there are safer places to search in than sneaking into the king’s castle.”

He hesitates for a moment. “I’ve been told this is the best library in all of the country. The old king supposedly liked to collect information on countering dark magic.”

XXXXXX

Momo stares out her bedroom window at the snow now covering the palace grounds.

It’s lonely and cold in her cousin’s castle with nothing to do besides watch the days slip by.

Sometimes Momo has to wonder if it’s her destiny to decay away in her cousin’s palace.

XXXXXX

“Will you tell me what it’s like outside?”

The dark intruder’s fingers still. “What do you mean?”

Momo looks down. “I don’t get news about the outside world. I’d like to know what is happening.”

“Why don’t you ask one of your handmaids? They’d tell you.”

“I can’t.” Momo’s lips twist. “They’re all assigned by my cousin. And Shigaraki changes most of them every few weeks.”

The intruder seems to consider this. “Don’t you have any friends?”

Momo shakes her head. “There is a guard who is kind to me. Sir Iida. But we don’t speak much. He’s the reason I’m able to sneak in here at night. If he spots me I’ll get a scolding but he doesn’t tell Shigaraki.”

The intruder studies her. “What about your parents? They don’t bring you outside?”

Momo looks down at the page open in front of her. “My parents died a few years ago. The insurgents supposedly attacked their carriage on the way home from the capital.”

The dark intruder is silent for a few moments.

“I’m sorry,” he says.

Momo drags in a shaky breath. “It’s okay. It was a long time ago.”

XXXXXX

Snow drifts down slowly outside the library window.

Momo’s eyebrows rise in surprise. “Socks?”

The intruder shifts. “Your feet are cold, aren’t they?”

Momo blinks and curls her toes against the stone floor. She has gotten used to wandering the castle barefoot. Her wardrobe is in the room next to the maid Shigaraki has assigned her. There is no way for her to sneak out any garments without Toga Himiko knowing.

The intruder must take her silence as objection. “If you don’t want them I’ll take them back.”

“No,” Momo says quickly, shaking her head and reaching for the woolen pair of socks in his hand. “Thank you. You’re-you’re very considerate.”

He shrugs and looks away. “It's winter and you’re barefoot. If you’re worried about your handmaids finding them, I can bring them with me when I visit.”

Momo fingers the pair of socks. They’re nicely made. Thick wool of high quality. She looks up and gives him a small smile. “I’d like that. Thank you.”

The back of her neck feels warm.

XXXXXX

“There’s been rumors that Lord Aoyama, from the south, may be... sympathetic to the bastard’s side. Maybe even housing some of the bastard’s men.”

“Oh?” Shigaraki raises a brow, and a small smile curls on his lips as he picks up his golden chalice. “We better invite Lord Aoyama to come assure us of where his loyalties lie.”

“Of course, my liege.” The knight bows his head, but doesn’t move to stand.

Shigaraki’s eyes narrow slightly. “Is there something else?” he asks, looking over his cup.

The knight hesitates; his eyes glance towards Shigaraki’s left where a man with dark burn wounds sits pushing around the food on his plate.

Todoroki Toya — her cousin’s right hand man and the Lord of the North.

Momo finds it interesting that her cousin keeps him around. He would have been the heir to the throne if not for his father disowning him and naming his youngest son his successor.

But then again, her cousin has always liked violence and Toya has a disposition for it.

“You can speak freely, knight.” Shigaraki’s voice is light, but there is a hint of impatience laced in his words.

The man lowers his head. “Of course, my king.” He clears his throat. “There have been rumors that the Lord Toya’s brother is among the men.”

This catches the burned man’s attention and he sits forward in his chair. “Oh? Is that so...And you’re sure of these rumors?”

The man nods. “One of the spies identified a man with a curse mark that is identical to the one my Lord gave to his brother.”

Momo doesn’t have to see Toya’s face to know the maniacal gleam in his eyes. Even she knows of his hatred for his younger brother. “I better have a look myself then.”

Shigaraki waves him away blithely.

“Do you hear that, dear cousin?” he asks, once the men are gone. His smile is a little too wide. “We’ll catch those traitors who killed your parents. I swear to you that I’ll make sure your parents are avenged.”

Momo lowers her head and dips a spoonful of steaming soup, but it tastes cold on her tongue.

XXXXXX

“Are you not researching the curse tonight?”

Her companion’s fingers still over a leather bound book. Momo notes that he seems more haggard tonight. Dark circles sit under his striking heterochromatic eyes and his red and white hair is unbrushed.

It’s the first time he’s visited in a while.

“I’ve… gotten a sudden urge to read about Hizashi Yamada,” he says slowly.

“The war general?”

He doesn’t answer and instead pulls the book down from the shelf.

Momo swallows thickly as she watches him leaf through a few pages. Her hands tighten around the sides of the books in her arms, and she looks away. “Yamada — he always gets the most attention, but he was just a peacock in uniform. My favorite general is Tsunagu Hakamada, for his tactics.”

She can feel her companion’s eyes on her. Momo licks her lips and wavers, for a moment, before moving towards a bookshelf further towards the back of the library. She can’t hear her companion’s footfalls but knows he is following her.

Momo stops in front of one of the shelves. Her eyes run along all the spines before reaching up and pulling a plain book from the shelf. “Yamada had a good publisher, but his strategies weren’t all that sound. Tsunagu is the better strategist.”

Her companion raises a brow as he stares at her, and Momo gets the impression that he is coming to a new conclusion about her. “I didn’t know they taught war strategies in Princess class?”

Momo shifts. Her cheeks feel warm. “They don’t.” She looks down at her feet. “I have a lot of free time.”

“I’ll take your advice,” he says after a moment.

XXXXXX

Momo stares blankly, trying to disassociate from the scene. The rowdy crowds. The wooden stand. The line of the usurper's men kneeling before the blade.

She is dressed in her best; Shigaraki wouldn't have her in anything less when he is trying to make an example. Her mother's prized golden necklace with a Phoenix tear hangs around her neck.

Shigaraki curls his hands into tight fists on the arms of his chair. His knuckles are white.

The majority of the usurper’s men have escaped, and her cousin is craving vengeance for the embarrassment. The golden crown reflects off of his white hair like a halo, and he smiles, his eyes shining in malicious glee.

The crown sitting atop her cousin’s head is gold adorned with rubies and diamonds.

It is a symbol of power. A symbol of the prosperity and richness of their nation.

Momo thinks it’s hideous.

She crosses her hands demurely in front of herself to hide the shaking. She knows if she shows any emotions that she will pay for it later. Her cousin doesn’t like weakness.

Shigaraki raises his hand and the crowd roars. The executioner raises his sword.

Momo hopes in her next life she can be someone strong enough to save others.

XXXXXX

“What are you doing?”

The night air shifts behind her and Momo can feel her companion looking over her shoulder. Her stomach curls slightly but she ignores the feeling.

“Coming up with a cure for your client,” Momo says without looking up as her quill scratches out a point. “We haven’t found a counter spell to your patron’s dark curse, so I’m inventing one.”

“Do you think you can?” He sounds almost curious.

“We’ll see, but I think I can.”

XXXXXX

The glass smashes as it hits against the wall. Her cousin paces up and down the room trembling in fury at the news that the usurper's men have not been caught. His hand travels up to his neck, and he scratches himself until blood runs in rivulets down his pale skin like red streams.

Momo stares silently at the floor and imagines that fate has made her someone else. Although she knows it is useless. Dreams aren’t meant for princesses.

XXXXXX

“I wish I were a man. Then I could do whatever I wanted,” she says at the end of one night.

“What would that be? A pirate?” She can almost hear the hint of a smile in his voice. And she can’t help but feel pride for being the one to change his mood.

He’s been quieter and angrier than usual.

Momo leans forward to poke him, but he dodges away easily. Momo huffs. “Do I look like a pirate to you?”

“No, you’re too clumsy.”

She goes to poke him again but, as if the universe wants to prove his point, her nightgown catches on the side of the table. Momo stumbles. Her companion catches her arm, steadying her.

Momo feels her face warm. She looks away as he releases her and bends down to deftly untangle the edge of her nightgown from where it’s caught.

“Thank you,” she mumbles.

He nods, straightening. The playfulness has dissipated from the room. They collect the books from the table and begin to reshelf them.

There were more deaths that week. More insurgents from All Might’s illegitimate son’s army. She had stood there as they burned, unable to do anything to stop it, unable to make her cousin reconsider their sentence.

She is powerless and she hates it.

“I-I think in my next life I’d like to be a knight,” she says quietly as she pushes the last book back into place and settles back down onto her feet. “I’d like to be someone who can make my own destiny. Maybe I could even leave here, roam the land, protect those in need.” She turns and leans against the wooden bookcase. Her throat feels tight. “It…it feels very confining to be a woman, and a princess most of all.”

The cloak casts dark shadows over her companion’s face but Momo can feel his attention on her. She licks her lips and turns to lean back against the bookcase.

She’s never told anyone these dreams before. Men don’t want to listen to a woman’s silly thoughts.

Her companion is different. He has never judged her for her mind but it is still awkward to voice her dreams aloud, like touching a fresh cut. You never know how bad the sting will be.

And she is ready for the sting. He stares at her for so long Momo is about to recant her ideas when he says. “If you’re a knight, maybe I’d be a princess and you can protect me.”

Momo blinks at his strange answer and then laughs. She can’t remember the last time she laughed. She has forgotten how freeing it is.

“I think I’d like that.”

XXXXXX

Momo isn’t a romantic. Someone in her position in life does not get that luxury. She will be married off for political stability. But sometimes, in the dead of night, as she watches her companion’s long fingers flip through pages of old worn books with gentle tenderness, she wonders if this is what it would feel like if she were to be in love.

She pushes those thoughts away quickly. Thinking about something that isn’t for her, won’t do any good.

Her fate has been set since the moment she was born, and nothing will change it.

XXXXXX

“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to break it.”

Momo stares at the ruby that has fallen out of the golden crown. She swallows thickly and kneels down next to the maid with short brown hair.

She reaches out and covers the woman’s hands with her own. They both knew the maid shouldn’t be in the throne room. “It’s okay. I’ll handle it.”

“But my princess!”

“It’s okay. I’ll tell my cousin it was me.”

“But—he’ll be furious!”

Momo avoids the maid’s gaze. “It’s okay. I’ll think of something.”

The woman looks up at Momo with a mixture of relief and fear.

Momo reaches out and strokes her short brown hair. This is the only way Momo can help. If her cousin knows who ruined the crown, the maid will be beheaded. The only way to save her is to take the blame.

Her life may be a pawn but she is more valuable alive than dead…for now at least.

XXXXXX

“What’s that?”

Momo’s hands still on the page as light footfalls draw closer. She drops her hand holding the lantern by her side and looks down, hoping her long hair and the dark of the library will hide the ugly purple bruising climbing up her neck and splaying over her cheek.

He stops in front of her. Then warm fingers grasp her chin. Momo flinches slightly at his touch, but her companion doesn’t seem to notice as his hand gently lifts and turns her head towards him. “What happened?”

The words almost sound angry.

Momo stares at his chin. A small, bitter smile curls on her lips. “I did something I shouldn’t have.” She tries to pull back, but his fingers tighten. Not painfully, but enough to keep her in place. “It's nothing.”

The room is cold, even for it being the beginning of spring. She can see her breath in the air.

Momo reaches up and touches the back of his hand, but he doesn’t remove his fingers. His flesh, just moments before warm, is now icy and rough, like rocks.

“Does this happen often?” Her skin prickles as his breath ghosts over her skin. A shiver runs down her spine.

She thinks his voice is lower and darker than usual, but it could be her imagination. There is no reason for him to care.

“Sometimes,” she says after a moment. Her opposite hand curls tighter around the lantern handle. “When I anger him.”

Her companion stares at her for a moment longer, before releasing her and stepping away. He pulls his hood up, hiding his expression and the dark stones that have started to protrude from his skin.

He’s quiet and leaves soon after. It is probably for the best. Momo shouldn’t get her hopes up that he cares.

Dreams aren’t meant for princesses.

XXXXXX

“Here. I brought you something.”

Momo looks up from the book she is poring over, surprised.

Her companion steps closer. Momo holds out her hand, and he drops a pouch into it. It’s unremarkable, a brown drawstring bag that feels weightless in her hands.

He steps back and stares at her. His expression is carefully masked, but something in his posture almost seems uncertain. “It's not much, but I thought you’d like it.”

Momo stares at him for a moment then slowly opens it. A small object no larger than a pebble falls into her hand and her breath catches.

She feels her heartbeat quicken.

The stone is small, an oval the size of a pebble, but it's radiant.

Her hand shakes. Carefully, she holds it up. Glowing reds and golds shimmer forming dark clouds that morph into luminescent fog. The remnants of ancient magic linger along the smooth edges.

Momo can barely breathe. “A creation stone,” she whispers, voice quivering.

“Do-do you not like it?” he asks softly from next to her.

Her vision blurs. The stone can only be mined in her family’s lands; there haven’t been any found in hundreds of years.

She shakes her head. “It’s beautiful.” The words don’t give it justice. It’s like starlight—an entire nebula—caught inside a stone. “Why?” Her voice trembles.

“I thought you’d like it.”

Momo wants to cry, instead she smiles and holds it up to the moonlight. It gleams and Momo can almost imagine the magic shimmering around it.

She closes her eyes and makes a wish, even though she knows that it’s useless. The magic has left the stone a long time ago.

XXXXXX

“I finished.” She hands him a piece of paper. Her throat is tight, like the words are bitter honey sticking in her mouth. “This is a list of ingredients your patron will need for the reversal spell. Most of the ingredients are easy enough to find but...”

Her companion takes the slip and scans it. His face grows ashen. “A phoenix tear?” His hands tighten around the piece of paper until his knuckles are white. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Momo avoids his gaze. “I did the calculations and formulas a number of times. It’s the only way.”

His shoulders slump forward. “It would take forever to find a phoenix tear — There must be another way.”

Momo doesn’t say anything. Sometimes there is only one way. Destiny isn’t that kind.

XXXXXX

Her companion continues to visit, looking for an alternative spell to counter the curse. Momo wonders every time he leaves if that will be the last time she will see him. She doesn’t understand what drives him. Why is finding a cure so important?

XXXXXX

“I was thinking it was about time we married. The summer solstice is coming up…that seems like a good time. What do you say, my dear cousin?” Shigaraki turns to her, his eyes dance with cruel glee.

Her stomach twists.

I don’t want to marry you.

The words echo in her heart, but Momo doesn’t say them aloud. Her fate has always been to be queen. She folds her hands respectfully in front of herself and lowers her eyes. “As you wish, my king.”

He smiles; it’s the response he wants to hear.

XXXXXX

Momo stands before her window looking out at the moon kissed grounds beginning to bloom with summer flowers – hydrangeas and hyacinths.

The creation stone feels heavy in her hands. She brings it up to her lips and presses the rock to her mouth as she says a silent prayer.

Then she goes over to her jewelry chest and opens it. She locks the stone back into its secret compartment. Then takes a deep, steadying breath and pulls out her mother’s phoenix necklace and slides it into her nightgown pocket.

XXXXXX

“I wanted to say goodbye. This is the last time I will be able to see you.”

Her companion looks up sharply.

Momo opens and closes her mouth several times before she is able to put the truth into words. “I’ll-I’ll be getting married in two weeks. On the summer solstice.”

There is a resounding silence, as her companion stares at her. His turquoise and gray eyes shine brightly, like fallen stars.

She sees his hands curl slowly into fists at his side.

“How do you feel about that?” he asks after a moment. There is a faint tightness in his voice but his expression is masked.

She opens her mouth and hesitates. “I’m scared,” she finally admits in a soft voice barely above a whisper. She looks down at the stone floor as her vision begins to blur. Her feet are covered in the woolen socks. “I don’t want to get married.”

From the corner of her eye, she sees her companion move closer until he stands near enough that his dark robe almost brushes against her gown.

Momo swallows. Her hands twitch by her side. If she reaches out, she can grasp onto his cloak. But she knows she shouldn’t. If she touches him now, she worries she won’t be able to let go.

Her fingers tremble. She brings a hand up to curl over her heart as she bundles her courage and looks up to meet his gaze.

“May I ask a favor before you go?” Momo whispers.

He stares at her intently, and she takes it as a sign of acceptance. She inhales slowly.

“Would you kiss me?”

His eyes widen marginally, and Momo continues before she loses her nerve. “It’s silly, I know. But I want my first kiss to be with someone I choose. Someone not my cousin.”

She can see her dark companion’s jaw tighten. His expression flashes for an instant. A myriad of emotions flicker behind his heterochromatic gaze so fast she doesn’t have time to read them before his mask slips back in place and he stares at her.

Momo looks away. Her chest hurts. She thinks he is going to reject her when he takes a step closer, planting a hand above her head. She can feel the heat of his body through his robe.

His other hand comes up. His fingers brush against the column of her throat before his thumb slides up to nestle under her jaw and he gently lifts her chin, leaning forward. Momo’s heart stutters, and she closes her eyes as his lips skim against hers.

It’s a chaste kiss and so gentle her heart aches.

And it doesn’t last long enough.

He pulls back slightly and Momo opens her eyes. He’s staring at her, his expression intense. “Run away with me. Right now. I’ll protect you.”

Momo’s heart skips a beat as his breath brushes over her lips. Hope and longing fill her chest.

It would be so easy to leave and forget everything. She could create her own destiny. But — she is a princess and her cousin, nor would fate, ever let her go so easily. Someone always has to pay.

Momo draws in a quivering breath and shakes her head. Her chest hurts. “I-I can’t.” Her voice breaks slightly.

The necklace in her pocket is heavy. She swallows and reaches into her dress and slides a finger over the curve of the pendant before pulling it out.

“I brought you something to say goodbye.” Her voice is small. She holds out the golden necklace and places it gently in his open hand. “It was my mother’s. The phoenix tear in the middle should be the last piece you need for the spell.” Gently, she closes his fingers over the pendant.

Her fingers are shaking and she withdraws her hands quickly to curl behind her back. There is a sharp tightness in her chest. “Remember your patron will need about a week or more to recover. Having been cursed for so long will take a lot of energy to undo. Make sure he only has his best men around him during that time.”

Her companion doesn’t respond. He continues to stare at her, his gaze piercing as if he is trying to memorize what she looks like, but perhaps that is just her own reflection shining back at her.

He doesn’t come again after that night.

XXXXXX

The palace is in an uproar. The usurpers have planned well.

They attacked the northern lands drawing Toya away before staging the main assault on the castle, the day of her wedding.

Momo stands in her room, dressed in rich silks. Her hands shake and she clasps them together over her chest as she listens to the shouts and the clang of steel that echo throughout the palace.

Toga Himiko stands by her side. Her eyes shine, but Momo has a feeling it's not from the same emotion as the one making her own heart rate spike.

The screams draw nearer. Momo’s lips tremble and her eyes dart to her dresser and the jewelry case sitting on top. Her creation stone is locked securely in its compartment but she wishes she were holding it.

“Looks like the usurper is here,” Toga says thoughtfully. Momo looks back at her and the maid’s eyes flash and suddenly Momo is on the floor. Her head rings from the impact against the stones. There is something wet in her hair.

Toga straddles her. A knife flashes down towards Momo’s throat and instinctively she reaches up and closes her hand around Toga’s, trying to push the steel away from her jugular.

For being of smaller stature, Toga is strong and gravity is on her side. Her maid laughs. “Stop struggling, my princess. Your king doesn’t want his precious cousin to be defiled on her wedding day by these cruel, cruel men. This is the sweeter way out.” Her smile is deranged.

The blade lowers.

Momo strains. Years of inactivity weigh against her. Her arms begin to give.

The knife inches lower. A drop of liquid rolls down her throat.

Bang!

Suddenly the door of her room slams open and Toga is gone; a woman with short brown hair is standing over her, breathing hard.

The maid from the throne room, Momo realizes.

The woman’s expression is ferocious as she holds up her short sword covered in blood. When it is clear that Toga won’t be moving, the maid kneels quickly by Momo’s side and helps her sit up. There is a sharp pain at the base of her skull, and when Momo touches it, blood covers her fingertips.

“Are you alright?” the maid asks. Her eyes shine with unfiltered worry.

Momo doesn’t know. Her heart is racing in her chest. She stares past the maid at Toga’s slumped form against the wall. The maid notices, and her expression hardens. Her fingers tighten around Momo as her chocolate eyes meet hers.

“I won’t let her harm you. I won’t let anyone harm you. This time I’ll be the one to protect you. I made a promise to him.”

Momo doesn’t dwell on what the woman means. Hope is a dangerous thing, and dreams haven’t ever been for princesses.

XXXXXX

The battle ends. Her cousin flees, and All Might’s illegitimate son, Izuku Midoriya, takes the castle.

Celebratory singing fills every corner of the palace.

The once quiet dining room is alight with laughter and feasting. Midoriya sits in her cousin’s seat. Flanking his left side is a blonde man with beady red eyes and Sir Iida. On his right is the maid, Ochako Uraraka - who it turns out, isn’t really a maid but a lady from a small southern province that has sided with Midoriya.

Momo sits next to Lady Uraraka, who chats happily about the future.

Momo tries to listen but can’t. She can barely eat. Her stomach keeps twisting as she unconsciously glances around the room.

Uraraka reaches over and squeezes her arm. “It’s okay. He’s fine. You don’t need to worry. Todoroki’s strong.”

Momo wants to ask who Todoroki is, but then the towering doors at the other end of the hall open and Momo’s heartbeat jumps as a man with red and white hair strides in.

He’s different from her memories. The black robe is gone, replaced with a blue uniform but it’s him - her dark companion.

She wants to be shocked to see him or at least surprised but she isn’t. She realizes she’s known for a while — perhaps for months now — that he is a fighter in All Might’s illegitimate son’s army. She just has never acknowledged it.

His heterochromatic eyes scan the room and Momo’s breath catches in her throat as he glances towards her. It’s slight but something in his shoulders seems to visibly relax as their eyes meet. Then he looks away as he moves closer.

“Lord Todoroki!” Midoriya says, his smile widening as he stands.

The man on Midoriya’s other side growls. “What the fuck are you doing here half and half? What about the north?” — Captain Bakugou, Uraraka whispers to her — “You didn’t just run with your tail between your legs did you?”

Todoroki stops at the edge of the table. Up close she can see his blue uniform is haggard. He still has the curse mark over his left eye, but now Momo also notes he has a new burn wound on his right cheek. She clasps her hands together on her lap to stop her fingers from twitching.

“It's secured,” Her dark companion — Todoroki says. His usual husky voice has a slight raspiness to it that makes Momo’s chest ache. No one else seems to notice as the hall erupts in cheers and loud banging of cutlery. “I defeated my brother. I came to report and...” He trails off and Momo thinks she is imagining it as his eyes flicker towards her.

Midoriya's eyes shine and he nods. “Of course, there will be plenty of time to talk after dinner. Join us.”

XXXXXX

The moon is high in the sky when dinner ends and yet the dining room is still packed. Momo tucks behind a column as the men and women of Midoriya’s army clear the tables to make space for dancing.

Across the room Uraraka sings drunkenly with a group of men and women. Momo smiles faintly. Then turns and leans back against the pillar, closing her eyes.

She breathes deeply. Her fingers twitch. It’s been a long time since she has experienced an event like this.

“Yaoyorozu.”

Momo eyes snap open and she looks up. “Lord Todoroki,” she says, straightening. Her cheeks warm. It’s strange referring to him as anything but as her dark companion. “I was just taking a moment.”

She wants to touch the creation stone that now hangs on a pendant beneath her dress but forces herself not to.

“I see.” His expression betrays nothing as he moves closer. He stops in front of her and his eyes roam over her face before narrowing. “Your neck…” He reaches out slowly as if to touch her.

Momo feels her face warm and her hand instinctively reaches up to her throat and the shallow cut running across her jugular. “It’s nothing,” she says quickly. “Lady Uraraka saved me before anything could happen.”

Todoroki drops his hand and inhales slowly.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” he finally says. His voice is rough, as if the words are hard to say. Perhaps they are. Her gaze lingers over his face, noting the scars and burns along his skin. The frayed edges of his uniform.

The battle up North must have been difficult.

Her heart clenches as Momo mets his eyes. “I’m glad you’re alright as well.” She swallows and gives him a small smile. “And congratulations on your victory. I expect you won’t want to wait for your coronation.”

His expression hardens. “No,” he rasps.

Momo blinks. “No?”

“I’m not going to be king.”

“You’re not going to be king?” Momo repeats slowly. Her heartbeat quickens.

Todoroki straightens as he looks back at her. His eyes shine in the candlelight. “No. I’m not.”

“But why?” Her eyebrows furrow. “Men kill for the crown. My cousin killed for it.” She reaches up and curls her hand over her chest, she can feel the creation stone underneath the rich fabrics but it doesn’t provide her the strength she is used to. “You were next in line.”

He breathes deeply. “I know.”

“I don’t understand.” There’s a sinking sensation in her stomach.

He swallows visibly and looks away. “I’m tired of all the fighting.” His hands fist at his side. “I want to live quietly; I will still serve but, the duty, the responsibility, the politics of the crown - I don’t want it. The crown should go to the one most qualified. I think a piece of me even resents it.” he says. There is a tightness in his jaw

Oh.

Her mouth closes. The sentiment stings with familiarity. It’s a thought she herself has had but never put into words. She wets her lips. “Then...who?” she forces out.

“Midoriya.”

Momo inhales slowly through her nose. “I see.” There is a lump in her throat that makes it hard to breathe. She folds her hands together in front of her. “He seems kind and clever enough.”

Todoroki nods and looks back at her. “He’ll make a good king.” His voice is filled with conviction.

He truly believes it.

She swallows thickly. “So you’ll leave again after the coronation?”

Todoroki’s expression flickers and he almost looks regretful. “Before.” He slides his hands into his uniform pockets. “The north has always been harder to control. Midoriya needs someone he can trust up there, and Bakugo’s personality isn’t the right fit. Our summoner, Majestic, is bringing me back tomorrow.”

A bitter taste fills her mouth, but Momo ignores it. “Is that how you were always able to visit the library? Your summoner transported you across the country?”

Todoroki nods. “Yeah, as long as you've been to a place before Majestic's magic can teleport you there and back again. That’s how I was able to get here tonight.”

She drops her eyes to stare at the stones under her feet. “I see.”

A lute starts up.

“Yaoyorozu.” She looks up and meets Todoroki’s eyes. He’s staring at her intently now. “Thank you.”

Momo gives him a small smile. “I didn't do anything to be thanked for. You’re the hero of the North.”

“That’s not true.” His voice is firm and he steps forward. He pulls his hand from his pocket and hesitates for a moment, before reaching up and pushing loose strands of hair behind her ear. Momo’s breath hitches as his fingers skim against her cheek.

“You saved me. You created complex magic to break my curse. Gave me the phoenix tear. You helped devise battle tactics that saved countless men and women. And you used yourself as a shield to protect Uraraka. You can’t say you didn’t do anything. Out of all of us you’re the hero.”

Momo gasps and her breath hitches in her chest. She presses the back of her hand to her mouth and looks away.

He is standing close. As close as he had the night she had requested for him to kiss her. Momo keeps thinking he will move away, but he doesn’t. After a moment, she feels something brush against the back of her hand and she looks down as his fingers slide against hers. “What will you do now?”

Her chest aches. Momo opens her mouth and then closes it. “I don’t know,” she finally says. Her voice wavers. “I’ve been here for so long, this is all I know.”

He regards her silently for a moment then looks away and clears his throat. “Perhaps, you can visit the North someday. I—”

“Lord Todoroki.” Momo jumps back and turns as Midoriya pokes his head around the column. “We’re going to meet now.”

Todoroki’s expression betrays nothing. He nods. “I’ll be right there.”

Midoriya glances at her and gives Momo a tentative smile, before disappearing back behind the column.

Momo’s chest tightens as she drags her gaze back to Todoroki. She presses her lips into a thin line. “I guess this is goodbye then.”

Todoroki’s expression flickers. He reaches out and his fingers skim down her arm to catch her fingers and he brings Momo’s hand up to press a kiss to the back of her skin. Momo’s heart stutters. He straightens and his expression is serious as he meets her eyes.

“You're free now, princess. You can do whatever you want,” he says, letting go of her hand.

XXXXXX

“Lady Yaoyorozu?”

Momo blinks in surprise and turns from the window to see Midoriya at the edge of the library staircase. “May I join you?”

She drops her hands from where they twist in her necklace and curtsies. “Of course, my king.”

He blushes and his hands fidget. “Not quite yet, but I guess that means you’ve heard that Lord Todoroki is stepping down from the line of succession?” He laughs awkwardly and scratches the back of his neck.

Momo’s expression hardens and she looks out the window at the men gathering below. “Yes. Lord Todoroki told me last night.”

“I see,” Midoriya says.

Runes are drawn in the dirt. Portals to bring them back north.

“Do you have anything in mind what you’ll do now?”

Momo looks back at him. “Aren’t we to be married?”

“What?!” Midoriya’s voice cracks.

Momo stills. “Was that not why you requested to join me?” Her mouth is dry.

Midoriya’s face turns red and he sputters. “I don't - That’s not - We aren’t getting married. That’s not what I was coming out here to talk to you about."

“Then,” Momo’s eyebrows furrow, confused. “What may I assist with?”

Midoriya smiles shakily. The redness starts to fade from his cheeks. “I was wondering if you have any plans now for your future? And I don’t mean getting married to me!” he adds quickly.

Momo’s lips thin, and she shakes her head. “No.” She reaches up and rubs her opposite arm. “I don’t have any family left or a place to call home. I thought - but if we aren’t...” she trails off.

Midoriya smiles sympathetically. “Well, we could use your expertise here if you are willing.”

Momo blinks. “Lord Midoriya?”

He stares at her, his forest green eyes serious. “Your operations and strategies led us to victory countless times, and Todoroki told me you were the one who discovered how to break his curse. We could really use your help as an advisor to the crown. I mean – only if you want to.”

Momo is silent for a moment. Unconsciously, her fingers reach up and touch the creation stone hanging from the pendant around her neck. “Thank you but I - I don’t think I want to stay here. The palace – this place has been my prison since my parents died. I don’t know where I’ll go but,” she hesitates and swallows. Todoroki’s words from the night before echo through her and settle in her chest. Momo inhales a shaky breath. “I’ve come to resent my position in life,” she says softly.

Midoriya’s green eyes soften. "I understand.” He looks back down at the men below the library window. “But you don’t have to be here to advise the crown,” he says after a moment.

“My lord?” Momo tilts her head.

Midoriya smiles wistfully. “The road to reconciliation is going to be long and we could really use your assistance. The country is big. You don’t have to stay here. Is there anywhere you’d like to go?"

Momo’s throat feels tight. Outside, sunlight reflects off of red and white hair as Todoroki walks amongst the men, preparing for their departure.

Her fingers tighten around the creation stone.

Her heartbeat quickens as a foreign feeling fills her chest. “If – If I may, I think I know where I’d like to go.”

XXXXXX

“Lord Todoroki, wait!” Momo calls as she hikes up her dress and hurries through the crowd of men gathering in the yard.

The sun shines down brightly from a cloudless sky.

Todoroki looks up. "Yaoyorozu!” He steps forward as she stops in front of him. “I was looking for you,” he says, his gray and blue eyes study her face. “I wanted to see you once more before I leave."

Momo shakes her head and smiles. “I’m going with you.”

“What?” Todoroki blinks, owlishly.

“I’m – King Midoriya has asked me to be an advisor to the crown and gave his permission for me to assist with the northern reconciliation” She raises her head and juts out her chin. “I’m going with you.”

Todoroki opens his mouth and then closes it and his lips thin. “Are you sure? The north is harsh and they keep to the traditional ways. There are easier lands to help reconcile.”

“I know.” Momo hesitates.

Does he not want her to join him?

She licks her lips and summons her courage to meet his gaze. “But you’ll be there,” she whispers.

Todoroki’s eyes widen a fraction, then his expression softens and it’s like ice melting in the summer sun as he smiles. "I see.” His eyes are silver and turquoise as he stares down at her, and for the first time it feels like she is seeing the real him. “I look forward to working with you then."

Momo’s heart clenches. An unknown feeling rises in her chest. “As do I.”

The world fades away around them.

He stares at her for a moment longer, then straightens. “Go get a few items that you’ll need. We can come back for the rest later, once we’ve settled in.”

Momo shakes her head. “I don’t need anything. I can go now.”

Todoroki tilts his head. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Her smile widens, and she reaches up to touch the creation stone around her neck. “I have everything I need.”

His expression flickers down, and then a faint smile pulls at his lips. “I see.” He holds out his hand. His turquoise and gray eyes shine in the sunlight. “Let’s go then. Don’t let go of me.”

Momo slides her hand into his, her fingers slotting between his. Her heartbeat quickens. His palm is warm, and he holds her hand as tenderly as she had once only imagined in her most forbidden dreams.

In the distance, bells ring signaling noon.

Todoroki squeezes her hand once, and they step into the center of the circle.

The ruins carved into the dirt begin to glow a fluorescent blue.

Magic crackles around them and for the first time it feels like the future she chose for herself.

#todoroki shouto #Yaoyorozu Momo #todomomo #todoroki x yaoyorozu #My Story #My writing #boku no hero academia

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babie-azula · 4 years

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kya lives??

ok this was totally random but, what if Kya was alive still? The events of the raid on the Southern Water Tribe still occur but Kya isn’t killed, she’s captured.

Azulon starts raiding the STW because he believes the avatar died during the Air Nation Genocide and reincarnated as a waterbender. Therefore, it is in his best interest to find the avatar and capture them. If he kills them then he’ll have to search the earth kingdom and they are still slowly gaining territory. It’s not feasible to begin capturing earthbenders and not have the resources to contain them away from coal and earth. Do they have the wood for that?

So when the Southern Raiders attack the STW when Hakoda is chief, they capture Kya as the last waterbender. They would keep her alive but barely in a private prison made specifically for her. Hama was most likely in her early 20s when she was captured and she seems to be in her late 70s when we see her in season 3. She was the only survivor from the larger camps. I think they would add her cell near the capital prison that help Iroh but close to underground tunnels that are apart of the palace so Azulon is able to extract information and potentially use her power for himself (if he believes she is the avatar).

Hakoda is dead set on revenge but Bato has to hold him back. Hakoda’s grief I think would be the same as before but he hates himself for letting Kya suffer. He should have been able to protect her.

Sokka and Katara don’t know for sure if their mother is alive, but from Kanna’s stories of Hama they assume she had died. It’s worse when they grow up and hear the horror stories of what happens to water benders when they are captured by pirates or the Fire Nation. The siblings assume their mother suffered through dehumanizing torture and died in a cell without her family and no hope of going home. It would increase their rage against the fire nation and the ability to bring up their mother is worse. Her name is associated to what could happen to Katara when she find out she is a waterbender. This would hinder her ability to train because she knows her mother had to suffer because of her.

I think her fight with Master Pakku would be very different because she will yell at him that her mother suffered in the Fire Nation prisons because her daughter was a waterbender and he doesn’t care enough to help defend the female students. I would assume the NWT will also hear the same horror stories because of trade networks. At least from Kyoshi Island and other island villages that need resources.

Now for Kya’s escape. This happens during the Day of Black Sun after Zuko stands up to his father, He would have a plan with his war balloon when he wrote his letter to Mai suggesting this was planned ahead. I’ve always headcannoned that Zuko brought with him a big bag of gold incase he needed to bribe or buy anything of importance. While he ran from the treasury, to break his uncle out, he is cornered by guard and has to change direction. This leads him to Kya’s hidden cell. He doesn’t know who she is but recognizes that she is Water Tribe. He decides to free her, because she reminds him of his mother. Kya doesn’t know who he is, but he’s busting her out (blue spirit style ;D ) so she trusts him enough to get her out. Once they reach the war balloon, cue the awkward conversation.

Kya ask’s him who he is, and Zuko tells her he used to be the crown prince and he wants to help the avatar defeat his father. Kya tells him that she was captured from the SWT as the last waterbender and then Zuko realizes that this is Katara and Sokka’s mom (holy shit right). Then things get even more awkward when Zuko tells her that he knows her kids, and might have accidentally been chasing her kids for the last few months. This will not settle well with Kya but I think sharing war stories with one other during their flight will warm Kya up to Zuko. She recognizes the fact that he his an abuse victim (it’s clear from the way he handles himself and the multiple scars/ bruises he has). I sense bonding while and at one point his scar will definitely be brought up. It’s a lot easier for Zuko to open up because Kya is very similar to Ursa, she is nurturing, kind, and sacrificed herself for her children. She feels safe to him.

Once they reach the Western Air Temple, Zuko will set up camp and find the TOAD. Yes, the toad is still here and he practices what he’s going to say to said toad. When Kya finds him after cleaning up, she decides to give him some pointers on how to introduce himself. She tells him, why not explain why you were chasing them in the first place, but Zuko will not agree because he doesn’t want to give excuses for his actions. This will make Kya tear up, she is very proud of her adopted child. So they both wait for the Gaang, Kya hiding while Zuko introduces himself until Toph notices that there is another heartbeat. Zuko assumes the group think’s that he was going to try and capture them again and freaks out, Kya recognizes this and goes to help him. This blows her cover and she sees her kids for the first time in 5-6 years. Very tearful reunion, both Siblings don’t know how to feel about this. Zuko who chased them around the world and helped kill Aang, but who also saved Aang once and brought back their Mother. This would help Zuko intergrate more and avoid burning Toph’s feet. But, the siblings spend a lot of time with their mother so Zuko bonds with Toph and Aang instead. This would help establish their relationship for The Firebending Masters and expand upon Zuko and Aang’s friendship.

The Boiling Rock would be the same episode except once they come back we have SWT family reunion. This would be very hard for both Toph, Aang, Zuko, and all the other people in the Temple. Everyone is happy that Kya and Hakoda are here and they’re a family again but it hurts so much. Toph wishes her parents cared about her, Aang misses Gyatso and the Air Nomads, Zuko wishes he had loving parents (Ursa is dead in this au), The Duke misses the freedom fighters, Teo and Haru both miss their dads. It’s a very bittersweet moment and Zuko has to leave early because he has a lot of unpleasant memories that are brought up. Toph goes to comfort him because she can relate to parents that don’t believe in her.

Zuko is terrified of Hakoda. Toph, Kya, and Hakoda notice and know exactly why. It’s hard to bring up without causing him to spiral so Hakoda decided to talk to him alone during dinner to reassure him that he will not hurt him or his own children. It’s your standard Zuko and Hakoda bonding. This will end up with the SWT parents pseudo adopting the rest of the Gaang.

Suki and Kya bonding over their dudes. They would also share their experiences in prison, helping each other cope with the trauma they’ve been through. Suki and Hakoda have a lot of things in common and hit it off really well.

They will get separated once Azula finds them but instead of finding who killed them Katara and Zuko find the people responsible for taking her mother away. Then we have Katara and Zuko bonding (no shipping this is pure gen. besides Sukka). We stan a healthy ride or die friendship.

This was kind random but I thought it would be an interesting idea. I only thought of this for the Kya and Zuko bonding. I swear to god, Kya and Hakoda would totally adopt the feral firebending child.

#atla #kya lives au #alternate universe #kya is alive and had adopted the gaang #but she adopts zuko first #then toph and aang #she is a warrior and a mother #kya and sokka are actually very similar #hakoda and suki friendship rights #they would be the scariest daughter-in-law and father duo #swt fam are pure af

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jentlemahae · 3 years

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hi! I am here to inquire about the plot of dream verse 💓

under the cut bcs i got carried away

EP 1: Dive Into You

It is no secret that 20-year-olf Park Jisung was born in luck. He was the full package – tall, handsome, smart, good-hearted, skilled at sports, and extremely rich. His family had found wealth 25 years before, when his grandfather (Park Haru) started the hot sauce business that would become the most successful hot sauce business in South Korea – DREAM FLAVOR. No one knew exactly how he had done it, as it seemed to have happened in the blink of an eye – people always asked him, but all he would do was wink and say, ‘I just had a spark of good luck’. But no one knew how true that was.

Jisung always looked up to his grandfather, and trusted every single word that came out of his mouth. His step-father (Jae-yi), however, had a much different opinion on the old man. He thought Haru was a total nut case, always nagging him obsessing over that damn candle. Truth be told, he did sort of have a point. Haru had a candle he was extremely secretive about, which he kept in a locked room beside his bedroom. You know, the “normal” place where people keep candles. As he was growing up, he always told Jisung that the candle was actually far more precious than it seemed, and that he should never let it blow out. A bunch of popicocks, as his father would say, but Jisung never forgot it.

He still didn’t forget it on that cold day of early May – that is, the day his grandfather died. Some people say death isn’t lonely, but that’s exactly how Jisung felt. Haru was not just his grandpa – he was his role model, his teacher, and most of all, his friend. On his will, he decidedto give Jisung a key to the candle’s room with a note that said, ‘I’m giving my spark of good luck to you and ONLY you. Use it well’. Jisung was torn because he wanted to trust that the last words his grandpa said to him were meaningful, but he couldn’t help but think, ‘What’s this old nut saying?’. Nonetheless, he took the key and went into the ominous room, with nothing but hope as his company. The candle was burning in the center of the dark windowless room, untouched and unsettling. It was just a normal candle you could find at a local market, yet something about the flame made it impossible to look away. Unsure of what to do, he decided to just leave and go home to try to forget about the whole thing. Yet, the trembling flame kept haunting his dreams for the entire night.

The next day, Jisung’s father decided it was time to move into Haru’s house and turn it upside down, with no care to the fact that the body of Haru was almost not even cold yet. He wanted to clean each room, but he couldn’t get into the candle room. Jisung was unsure of what to do – he did think his grandfather was bananas, but he also didn’t want to disrespect the only legacy he had left him. So, he refused to give up the key, and instead offered to clean the room himself. After dusting every inch of the area, he opened the door to let some air in. But as the wind was roaring outside, a sudden violent breeze came through the door and blew the candle out. Jisung rushed over and then ran to get a box of matches, to try to light it up as quickly as possible. However, no match seemed to work, as the fire appeared to refuse to burn again. With a wretched feeling in his gut, he immediately left and went back home to take a nap, trying to tell himself that it was nothing big. Boy, was he wrong…

When Jisung woke up from his nap, the sight that welcomed him was not what he expected – a young boy with blue hair and a green hoodie was sitting on the floor across from his bed. ‘Hi, I’m Mark’, he said – simple words that scared Jisung to his very bones. Raddled and very confused, Jisung decided to call his 5 friends – Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, and Chenle – and asked them to come over, hoping that together they would be able to make sense of the situation. But alas, they did not. As they watched Mark ravaging Jisung’s fridge as if he hadn’t eaten in a decade, they tried to come up with a game plan.

However, quick-tempered Haechan quickly lost his patience, and told Mark either he left on his own, or they were going to call the police. At which Mark looked at Jisung in disbelief and asked him if his grandfather hadn’t told him anything about him. Utterly confused, the boy shook his head, and so Mark told his story to the 6 googly-eyed friends…

Mark was 500-year-old spirit, born under the Joseon dynasty. Once he died, a witch bounded him to the candle – whenever someone lit it, Mark would bring good fortune and money to their family as long as the flame was burning. If it was blown out, the fortune would stop and Mark could wander the earth freely until someone new lighted it again.

The 6 friends exchanged a look and knew they were all thinking the same thing – they had to light that candle up once again.

(end of ep 1, now I’m gonna go more quickly omg this is so long I’m genuinely sorry)

EP 2: Rainbow

Mark overhears a convo between the others and becomes aware of the fact that they want to put him back inside the candle, but obviously he doesn’t want to. So he makes a pact with them to have 3 days of freedom, and he plans on stealing the candle in the meantime. He wants to go to the beach, so the 7 of them go on a road trip.

The 7 of them do some bonding and Mark tells them more of this story. He was born in a family of slaves and had grown up seeing all the injustices inflicted upon his people by the hands of the hierarchs. So, one day he decided to take matters into his own hands and began retaliating, by stealing from the royals to help his family. But his anger for revenge couldn’t stop at just stealing – he wanted the blood of those who had hurt his people. So, when he died, the witch put him there as a punishment for the murders.

They find out he’s a nice guy so they don’t want to put him back into the candle, as they realize he should have a chance to live too. So Mark tells them there is a way he can be out but still have access to his powers – they need the help of the witch who put him there. Obviously she’s dead by now but her power ran through her family, so she must have a descendant who is able to help them.

EP 3: Diggity

The witch who put him there was called Man Wol Lee and, as they find out, was an ancestor of Haechan. He doesn’t have magic but his twin sister – Hae-soo – does. So they go to her and try their best to convince her (Mark is the only one who manages to get through to her). In the meantime – Haru’s business (who is now in the hands of Jisung’s father) begins to go into trouble + Mark is staying as Jisung’s house (as he’s usually by himself anyway since his parents both work a lot) so the two have a lot of talks and stuff (e.g. Mark explains that when the candle is lit, he is stuck in a limbo called the Dreamverse – i.e. a place stuck between life and death where he has to face his own worst nightmares + tells him how he had met Haru). Anyways, they get Hae-soo to try something witchy so she channels Man Wol’s spirit with a spell book they found (and that Mark translated since he knew old Korean). They find out Mark and Man Wol used to be lovers (uh) in the old times, and she was the one who killed him and then forced him into the candle because she wanted to stop his lust for blood. She tells them the only way to free Mark is to bind someone else to the candle, to replace him.

EP 4: Irreplaceable

(+ Mark starts being mean to Hae-soo bcs he’s mad at Man Wol) They conclude the person they lock up should be a bad person + they don’t wanna kill them so they should find someone who justdied. So they go to the hospital but don’t find anyone (un)worthy enough (they know bcs Mark see what someone has been like while they were alive bcs of a spirit thingy).

*some shit happens*

They discover the candle got stolen. They search for a while, but then Mark disappears – someone must have lighted the candle again.

EP 5: Be There For You

Hae-soo does a locator spell so they’re able to find the candle, and discover that it’s now in possession of Vincenzo Cassano, one of the biggest mafia bosses in South Korea (he had heard of the candle’s powers and he wanted to use it). The 6 boys go to him to try to blow the candle out and free Mark, but they get caught and are taken hostage (they are taken to a storage area near Vincenzo’s house). Thankfully, Hae-soo followed them and blew the candle out, so Mark goes to free them but when he’s about to kill Vincenzo to protect Hae-soo, he can’t bcs spirits can’t kill the people who used to “own” them, so Jisung throws himself in the middle and gets shot instead. To stop him from dying, Hae-soo puts him in the candle.

EP 6: All Night Long

They realize Vincenzo has fled and has taken the candle. So there are two “realities” in the episode.

On one hand, there’s Jisung who is in the Dreamverse. There he sees a world exactly like his true reality BUT everything goes wrong – his grandfather is alive but tells him he’s a disappointment + his mother dies at Jisung’s hands + Jeno, Jaemin, Renjun, Chenle and Haechan force him to kill Hae-soo + they then try to kill him so he has to run away.

*BACKSTORY: Jisung’s father died before he was born + then his mother re-married but then she dies as well when he was 16 + Jisung never got along with Jae-yi and even less after the death of his mom

On the other hand, the others are trying to figure out how to bring Jisung back. Hae-soo and Mark contact Man Wol to ask her more information – she tells them they can enter Dreamverse (with her help ofc) and can help Jisung find an “exit”, which Mark couldn’t use since Man Wol made it impossible for him to access to ensure he would not escape. Jisung can use it bcs the prison world was not created for him. Jaemin, Jeno, Renjun, Haechan and Chenle go to Vincenzo’s house to try to find something to track him down (since the locator spell doesn’t work). But when they go there they find Vincenzo’s dead body and no trace of the candle.

EP 7: Rocket

Two “realities” again.

Mark and Hae-soo go in Dreamverseto rescue Jisung (they find him first and the two mend fences). They convince him they’re real (bcs he’s kinda going bananas and can’t distinguish the Dreamversefrom reality) + they take him to the exit which is a door located in the middle of Dreamverse – the door is the door to the ‘candle’s room’ at Haru’s house. They go there (struggling bcs the others try to stop them + it takes a lot of energy for Hae-soo to keep them inside so she’s weak) and manage to get out (yay!).

Jaemin, Jeno, Renjun, Haechan and Chenle look at the CCTV (Haechan hacks into it) but they can’t see who killed Vincenzo (bcs there’s no cameras in that room) BUT there’s one in the garage so they can see the car of the person who killed him à the car plate! They recognize it so they know who’s the owner. They go back to Hae-soo’s to find them all out + tell them who is the killer (and has the candle) – Jisung’s step-father, Jae-yi.

EP 8: Hot Sauce

Jisung is out BUT he’s not human – he’s a spirit, both alive and dead at the same time (so he can’t feel touch and stuff, that’s important for later). + Jisung has a talk with Hae-soo to thank him for saving her life and apologize for putting him in that situation. He replies that he’s the one who’s thankful bcs she saved his life. They kiss <3 but Jisung can’t feel anything so :(

So Jisung, Jaemin, Jeno, Renjun, Haechan and Chenle go to Jae-yi’s (which is actually Haru’s) house and try to find evidence of him being linked to Vincenzo – Jisung still doesn’t wanna believe it, but they find evidence. Mark and Hae-soo contact Man Wol and explain to her the situation and ask if they can put Jisung’s father in there without killing him. She tells them there’s a way to do with just a drop of his blood + explains the spell to Hae-soo + tells Mark she forgives him. So they go face Jisung’s step-father: there’s a fight and yadiyadiyada but they manage to put him inside so yay!!!

The “owner” of the candle is now Jisung. He decides to use the fortune to continue Haru’s hot sauce business – he puts it in a box (the one from the life is still going on mv). Mark is a human now so he can go anywhere but decides to stay in Seoul and experience life as a normal college student. Jisung and Hae-soo kiss again <3

EP 9: Life Is Still Going On (BONUS EPISODE)

It’s 7 years into the future. Everyone meets again at a dinner thrown by Jisung.

Jisung is the CEO of DREAM FLAVOR and the company has grown even more + he’s engaged to Hae-soo who is doing her medical residency to become a surgeon + Haechan and Chenle are now starting a tech company together (about keeping you safe from hackers etc) + Jaemin is a surgical resident as well + Jeno is now a soccer player in the national team + Mark is getting his second Bachelor’s

They eat and chat + Jisung tells Haechan and Chenle he’s giving them the candle bcs they need the luck more since they’re starting a new business. So he blows it out + the episode ends with Haechan lighting it again.

-FIN-

Thanks for reading omg this was fun :DDD

#im not crazy i just like writing #if anyone reads it.........ily <3 #btw this has not been proofread + i wrote it bcs i was bored right after hot sauce #<3 #anonymous #sophie ask

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datenightfright · 4 years

Text

Infamous

This story is dedicated to Oiwa. Thank you for allowing me to share your story, may you one day find peace.

Previous/Next

Pairing: Kayako Saeki x WOC Reader

Warnings: Mentions of blood, stabbing.

As always, thank you to @mlmdarkfiction and @doodleferp for letting me rant until I figure things out and giving me the best ideas to work with. Your help is indispensable.

Things were strange nowadays. Somehow, someway, you had become more famous than your husband. When the news of your husband’s strange death hit the media, news crews were outside of your house immediately to bombard you with questions. Did you think it was the work of Kayako? Would his new book be published posthumously? Did you notice anything strange about the house? Did you have any idea who murdered Haru? You did what the police advised you to do. You made a blanket statement to the media at a press conference stating that you hoped your husband’s killer felt remorse and that they would come forward soon, and that you hoped, with time, you’d be able to find happiness once more. You even managed to sound perfectly broken up about the whole matter.

Some people said you were the one that had done it. Well not, physically, but you’d hired a jealous lover to off him. Thankfully those people were in the minority. The prevailing theory that was some crazy fan had felt slighted by him and decided to end his life the moment he stepped foot outside his house. The theory among his fans though...that was closer to the truth than you’d like to admit. They were adamant that the house had killed him. That the ghost of Kayako had offed him and chucked him out a window. The hole in that theory, however, was why you and your daughter still lived. Didn’t Kayako kill everyone that entered her house?

When you’d told his mother over the phone, the normally stern, composed woman became a wreck of lamentations for her lost son. You helped you father-in-law arrange the funeral, as was your duty, and decided to hold the viewing in their home, since yours had such awful rumors hanging about it. The funeral had been a quick one, but tiring nonetheless.

Now you were alone in your house, letters and presents from fans stacked about the place, wondering what the hell you were going to do with your life. You had to get a job. Being able to feed yourself and your daughter was of the utmost importance to you. Luckily, it wasn’t such a pressing matter, as Haru left everything he had to you, which was a sizable amount of money, and being his widow meant you got all the royalties from his book. But still, that money would dry up eventually, then where would you be?

You hum and splash warm water over your daughter. She giggles as you do so. “Clean baby!” You coo, rinsing the soapy water from her feet. “I have a clean baby!” When you’re finished, you pick her up and bring her to your chest, despite her soaked state. She giggles as you place kisses to her cheek. You turn to gather the towel, managing not to yelp when you find Kayako standing directly behind you, towel already in hand.

You ignore what looks like Kayako wanting to hold your baby, and instead simply take the towel from her. “Thank you,” You say, wrapping your baby up. “Clean baby,” You start to sing again, “I have a clean baby.” You shuffle past Kayako, holding your baby close as you go.

You continue to sing as you dry Sakura off, dress her, and feed her. Today was going to be a big day. Today you were going to meet with someone that might be able to help you with your problem. You might be able to rid yourself of Kayako once and for all. If not for your sanity, then for the sake of your daughter’s ability to lead a normal life.

You feel her presence as you put on your shoes. She was always there at the door when you put on your shoes. Her death rattle soon to follow. This time, she grabbed your arm, startling the hell out of you. She was cold, so damnably cold. You look into her eyes. Normally they’re empty pits of black, but now they look...panicked almost. “I’ll be back,” You find yourself saying. “I don’t know when, but I’ll be back.” You give her a shaky smile. She seems to find that an acceptable answer as she lets go of your arm after a moment’s hesitation. Without another word, you slip out the door.

You try not to rush out of the shadows of the house, but you couldn’t help it. All the time you could get outside of that damnable place was a moment of fresh air and sunshine. Gloom hung eternal around the home, and god dammit you needed to breathe every once in a while. You turn on to the main road, feeling yourself relax more the further away from the house you got.

You make it to your mother-in-laws house with little problem. Parking on the side of the street, you get out and gather your baby. Before you shut the back door, your mother-in-law is rushing down the drive to greet you. She pulls you into a hug before taking Sakura from your arms. Ever since Haru died she’d been more...tolerable of your presence, sometimes going overboard with affection. It was still awkward for the both of you, but neither of you said anything about it. Perhaps it was because you were the mother of her last connection with her baby boy and she understood that you could take all that away from her. Ironic, really.

You hurry up the drive behind her as she babbles to the baby about how much fun they were going to have. You both stop in the doorway, you huffing at your slight exertion, and your mother-in-law giving you that infuriating expectant look. Some things never changed. “Here,” You say, shoving the baby bag to her chest, not caring how rude it was. She didn’t have Haru to bitch at any more, thus, you didn’t have a care in the world. “I’ll be back tomorrow evening,” You say, giving your baby a quick kiss. “You be good for Grandma ok?” You say as she giggles.

Waving bye to her you enter your car once again, you blow kisses before your line of sight is cut off by a closed door. You were silently thankful for your mother-in-law, even if you still didn’t like her. One night to get this shit figured out, one afternoon meeting. You were hellbent on riding yourself of this curse, or die trying. A momentary skip of your heartbeat as you thought of your baby. Would she go down with you? If you played your cards right, Sakura would at the very least be safe from the curse.

You try to speed your way to your destination, but find yourself lost in the maze that is Japan. Looking over and over at your list of directions, you were lucky enough to park with more than enough time to make it to your meeting.

You fix yourself as you hurry towards the building. Professor Ibuki Sato had agreed to meet with you to discuss your current circumstances. Well, alright, he hadn’t agreed to meet you, more like begged. He was a professor of the paranormal at a community college and had been one of your late husband’s most ardent fans. He emailed you days ago, wanting to know what really happened. You didn’t trust him one bit, so you were going to monitor your story as much as you saw fit and gauge his reaction from there. You only wanted help for one thing, and you were going to go to hell and back to get it.

You easily find your way to the professor’s room. You knock lightly, trying to adjust your outfit again. You couldn’t understand why you were so nervous. The door opens and one girl comes out, looking bored and irritated. There was an aura around her that reminded you of the house. It was so strong, you had to take a few steps back. She looks at you curiously, but says nothing as she walks away. You watch her as she leaves.

“Mrs. Kubo!” A loud voice interrupts your rude staring. A disheveled man looks brightly at you. “Come in!” He says, holding the door wide open for you. “Thank you,” You mutter, bowing to him and hurrying in.

“Please, have a seat.” he motions to a chair. You sit, sinking right into its squishiness. It would be comfortable if not for the fact that you were so nervous. Professor Sato sits across from you, a smile flitting across his face. It wasn’t a perverted one at the very least, just a bit awkward. “I’m so sorry about your husband,” he says. You nod, making a non committal noise. “He was a pioneer in the field,” Sato said awkwardly, “I mean he, he-”

“Can we cut to the chase?” You ask gently. The professor looks relieved. “Is the house really haunted?” He asks. “Yes,” You simply say. “But it’s weird.”

“Weird? How? Haven’t you lived in haunted places before.” You snort. “None of them were haunted.” You tell him. Shaking your head, “Not like this anyway. Kayako…” You pause trying to find the right words. “It’s been three months,” You say, exasperated. “Three months and she’s done nothing more than jump scare me by standing behind me when I least expect it.” Sato frowns at your explanation. “She cooks breakfast most mornings, and dinner, she does the dishes. She’s even done the laundry once. She’s always hovering like...like she’s waiting to help or something.” You continue to ramble for nearly ten minutes about all the things she did. Making the bed, arranging shoes neatly by the door, even putting papers in neat, organized piles. Sato listened without interrupting.

“It sounds like she’s in love,” He says blandly. The statement shocks you so bad you physically jump. “Excuse me?”

“Think about it,” Sato says, “Making food, cleaning up around the house, it all sounds like she’s trying to take care of someone she’s in love with.” Your brow furrows, your brain somehow not able to puzzle it out. “Who the hell could she possibly be in love with?” You mutter. Your husband was dead, and the last man she was married to killed her so violently she still haunted the mortal realm. Sato looked at you, highly amused. “You,” He says through a chuckle. “That’s absolute bullshit.” You deadpan. This causes him to throw his head back with laughter. “Is it?”

“Yes!” You say, standing up in indignation, “It is! There’s no way in hell she’s in love with me. She’s dead!”

“In Japan, the dead are thought to be born from high emotions, to feed off them. Hatred and rage are two of the most powerful, but so is love.” Sato explains, “Here, I want to show you something.” Sato moves towards his desk and you follow him. He brings out a journal and hands it to you. “It’s Kayako’s journal,” He says, pride obvious in his voice. You don’t even want to begin to think about how he’d gotten it.

You take the journal but don’t open it. “Well?” Sato says, obviously excited. You grimace. “I don’t think it’s right,” You say, putting the book on the desk. Sato looks at you with confusion. “You said it yourself, she’s dead.”

“Yeah, but you don’t have to live with her ghost.” you mutter. Sato nods in acquiescence. “The journal describes her life from the time she was eight years old to the moment of her death.” Sato explains, taking to book up again. “It serves as the counterpoint that tipped the balance in her disfavor. It seems as though she was obsessed with someone during her lifetime.”

“Obsessed?” You murmur. Sato nods. “She followed him everywhere. Watched him. His name is written all over the pages of her book.” He holds the object in question in the air. “It’s possible that, by some miracle, her curse has changed from vengeance, to one of unrequited love.”

“You’re damn right it’s unrequited! I want her out of my life! She makes me miserable, I don’t-” You stop, gaining control of yourself. “I don’t want my baby to grow up in that damned place,I want her to survive this stupid curse. But I don’t have many options.”

Sato presses his lips together. “I’ll have to do some research.” He tells you honestly. “Can I give you a call?” You huff, running your hands through your hair in frustration. “Fine,” You say, “Fine. You know how to get in touch with me.” You turn on your heel to leave but pause. A familiar flash of black moves across a picture frame. Kayako. Shit. She heard everything, of that, you were sure.

You lived in fear. Any day now Kayako would extract her extreme revenge, you just knew it. You wince at a creak sounding off somewhere in the house. Yes, any moment now Kayako was going to come out of hiding and end your life.

You huff and roll over, hoping she would just do it already. The suspense was making you a nervous wreck. Another creak, another wince. Was it windy outside you wonder? The house is usually as silent as a tomb. Perks of it being haunted you guessed. You groan and flop over on your back. You were getting nowhere. “Kayako?” You called out, for the zillionth time. And for the zillionth time no response.

Two weeks, it had been two weeks since your fight with Kayako. If you could even call it a fight. After your meeting with Sato, you’d come home to a completely wrecked house. Furniture upturned, papers everywhere, pictures on the walls hung askew. You had tried calling for her, and at first, she hadn’t come out. Not until you reached the master bedroom where she had scared the living daylights out of you.

You had yelled at her. Fear had given you the push you needed to voice your opinion. She scared you, and no one could really blame you. She was known for her merciless killings. She was toying with you, and you hated that. You wished she would just get it all over with. But spare you baby, please God spare your baby. With your confessions hanging in the air, she disappeared. You hadn’t seen her since, despite trying to get in touch with her.

Sato seemed unreachable as well. Phones in the house didn’t work, whether it was because of Kayako, you didn’t know. But your computer worked just fine. You’d send him several emails, wondering if he got anywhere, but no response from him. You were worried, but too scared to track him down. What if he died because of your visit? You really didn’t want to find out.

Just as you were about to drift off into a fitful slumber, Kayako’s death rattle started up. You screamed and flung yourself away from the door, off the bed and to the floor. This is it, you think, she’s going to kill me now. Thank God Sakura was with her grandmother for her weekly visit. The door bursts open and Kayako begins to crawl in, her black hair obscuring her face. “Come on,” You whisper, fear rooting yourself to the spot. “Come on, come on, come on,” Tears begin to run down your face. You’ve accepted your fate long ago. You were ready even if you were scared.

You let out another screech as the sound of a cat’s cry meets your left ear. You throw yourself against the night stand. Toshio was sitting in his usual position, crouched with his hands on his knees, mouth wide open. He looked...terrified to you. Not like the empty soul he usually looked like. But genuinely scared. A grating sound rips your attention away from him. You look over the bed, Kayako has stopped moving towards you. She was now moving backwards...no...that’s not right...she was being dragged backwards, her nails digging into the wooden floor, leaving claw marks in their wake. She looked to you, her face also screwed into one of terror. “Kayako?” You breathe, wondering what the hell was going on.

You scream as furniture begins to shake, a great rumbling tears through your home. You’re convinced for one moment that the house is going to rip itself in two. “Kayako?” You yell over the cacophony of it all. Motherly instinct overcomes you, and you drag Toshio to your side, he clings to you as though his life, or lack thereof, depends on it. Kayako continues reaching for you. She’s jerked, once, twice, three times before you spring into action. “Kayako!” You leap over the bed and grab her wrists.

You now know something is wrong from the way she clings back. You play a strange game of tug of war before you’re jerked forward. Your grip on her is so tight you’re dragged right through the doorway before slamming into the hall’s wall. The shocking force of the hit loosens your grip a fraction and Kayako is pulled from you. “No!” You run for her.

Down the stairs you go, stopping only when you get to the living room. Why the hell did everything exciting happen in the living room? “What the ever loving hell are you doing?!” You screech. A figure in the middle of the room turns to you. “This is the only way!” They yell, from the sound of it, they were male. “You don’t have to worry anymore!” He continues, “I know how to really get rid of her, once and for all, there will be no more Kayako!”

“No!” You scream, lunging for him. He easily brushes you off, throwing you to the ground. You watch in horror as the man reaches behind him. Your horror turns to confusion when he brings out what looks to be a small child rather than a weapon. The tiny thing struggles against him, to no avail. “With this sacrifice, Kayako will-” The man doesn’t finish his sentence. Aiming for his knees, you tackle him to the ground. He falls on you with a soft ‘oomph’. Luckily, you were prepared for the inevitable catch and rolled him off with little hardship. You scramble to your feet. Grabbing for the child, you’re met with no resistance as you run off into the house. “Come back here, you bitch!” The man thunders.

You race back to your room, slamming the door behind you. What the fuck? What are you going to do? Somewhere in your panicked brain you shove the child into the closet, hoping Kayako doesn’t pull one of her nasty tricks and kill the poor thing. They cry out, reaching for you, just as scared. You hush them, “You’re ok,” You say, “You’re ok, I won’t let him hurt you. Hush now, hush.” You shut the door to the closet as they fall silent.

Your door rattles as the man rages on the other side. “You bitch! I’ll kill you!” He yelled, throwing himself against it. You look around your room for something to defend yourself with. You had a bat, but for the life of you, you couldn’t remember where you put it. You don’t get the chance to search for it before your door bursts open with a terrifying crunch. The man, half crazed in the moonlight, is huffing, staring at you. “You dog,” He hisses, “You will not stand in the way of my revenge.”

“Why are you in my house?” You cry, legs shaking. “I’m here to kill Kayako!” He yells, “I’m going to end her miserable curse! You aren’t going to stand in my way!” He lunges for you, but misses. Still, he has you cornered in seconds. “I won’t let my daughter’s death be in vain! You won’t stop this!” He grabs for you once more, stumbling over one of Sakura’s toys. This allows you the precious seconds you need to dodge and run back down the stairs.

He roars with rage, hot on your tail. You’re cornered easily once more in the kitchen. You whirl around to meet your attacker. There’s no way you’re going to get out of this alive, you’re sure of it. Maybe this is how the curse works? You think Kayako drives others to do her dirty work then picks the last one off. No, that wasn’t right, not in this instance. Kayako had been scared, Toshio too. This guy was the real deal. “You’re dead!” The man yells, stumbling forward.

His hands wrap around your neck. You flail knocking everything on the counter over. You go down, he goes down on top of you. In the back of your mind, you’re reminded of Haru. Just a few months ago he tried choking you to death too. Kayako had saved you then, she wouldn’t now. A strange sense of calm overcame you, a sense of clarity. This was how you died. Unable to watch your precious daughter grow into a young woman. Unable to watch her fall in love for the first time, to have children of her own…

The man lets you go, slapping you hard. You taste blood in your mouth and spit it out. Your head is still reeling from the smack when his hands close around your neck again. That’s when you see it, a silver glint, a sliver of hope. A terrible rage overcomes you. For months you’ve lived in terror, for months you expected to die, night after night, in the most terrible of ways. You’ve tasted the brink of death more times than you wanted to. You’d had enough quite frankly. Moving automatically, you hand grips the knife, swinging it with all your might you instantly feel the pressure on your neck ease, then disappear altogether. Something warm drips onto your face as the mystery man slumps over, then finally topples off you. You lay there for a moment, taking in deep breaths of precious air.

You close your eyes for a moment or two, trying to come to terms with what just happened. The rumbling of the house settles, things fall silent once more. You only open your eyes when you feel something brush against your face. This time, when you meet Kayako’s eyes you don’t flinch. She looks concerned, for what? You? You cough, spitting out more blood. Kayako rattles softly, touching your face. “I’m fine,” You croak, “I’m ok.” You sit up gingerly.

Coldness overtakes you as Kayako presses herself behind you, her hands rest on your shoulders. When you don’t push her away she takes it as an invitation to get closer to you, wrapping you up in her arms, resting her cheek on your shoulder. You smile, running your fingers over her soft skin. You smile, because for the first time in a long time, you felt alive. And baby, it felt good to be alive.

#the grudge #ju-on #kayako imagine #kayako x reader #infamous

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pulaasul · 3 years

Text

Phantom Thieves at the Battle of Hogwarts

The final battle is at hand, the Phantom Thieves assist Hogwarts's combatants in repelling and fighting against Voldemort's horde of Death Eaters and Dark Creatures.

[ FFN ] [ AO3 ]

---------

Anne, Makoto, Haru, Yusuke, and Morgana crossed their paths as soon as it was apparent that the Death Eaters were attacking, they discussed a plan of action before going their separate ways.

"Makarakarn!"

All five of them raised layers of reflective shields on top of the shield charms that Hogwarts's staff erected around the school to buy everyone enough time to do what they needed to do.

For the lower years and those who don't want to battle to evacuate the school's premises.

For the combatants to finish laying down the traps for the would-be invaders.

Voldemort's faction was momentarily sent to panic as a number of their spells were reflected towards them, some of them were even hit by their own spells while others were quick enough to block all of them.

Voldemort himself shrugged off the spells that returned to him by simply recasting the same spell a few more times.

Eventually, the shields went down and Voldemort's forces invaded Hogwarts grounds and battled against the school's teachers, students, and staff.

---------

Makoto pointed her wand towards the number of Death Eaters coming her way and cast a single spell that blew her enemies to the school's walls.

"Mafreila!"

The Ravenclaw continued to cast the same spell and put all of the Death Eaters she was facing to the walls unconscious.

----------

Haru was surrounded by several Snatchers, all of them were grinning thinking that she was the meekest and weakest witch they were faced so far.

"Myriad Arrows."

Haru calmly uttered her spell as a myriad of arrows appeared behind her floating.

"Oppugno"

Haru smiled as the arrows she transfigured to appear behind her started to fly towards the snatchers that surrounded her, even to those who were behind her. Sooner all of the snatchers she was facing were now stuck to walls courtesy of the arrows, some were dripping with blood as some of the arrows grazed parts of their body.

-----------

"Maragidyne!"

Pillars of fire appeared in front of Anne as a combination of dark creatures tried to approach her. Most of the creatures that went through the fire pillars were burned to cinders while others swerved and evaded the pillars that appeared before them.

"Maragion!"

The werewolves and other dark creatures that managed to escape a fiery death from the fire pillars were greeted by smaller explosions to their faces that badly burned their faces, leaving them screaming in pain.

----------

"Mediarahan!"

Futaba was at the Great Hall, being the first of her group to arrive as soon as everyone was informed of Voldemort's plans, casting multiple target healing spells left and right to keep every Hogwarts' combatants from gaining a critical injury that would lead to their deaths. She kept it up until a few werewolves made their way towards her.

"Flippendo! Depulso! Bombarda!"

Futaba cast three spells in succession, successfully throwing the werewolves coming towards her outside the Great Hall where they were knocked unconscious by the snatchers that fell on them.

"Mediarahan!"

Futaba continued to cast the healing spells to help everyone fighting the side she was on.

-----------

"Mabufula"

Yusuke uttered the spell calmly as he froze the limbs of the Death Eaters coming his way. He also managed to freeze the Death Eaters' wands and were effectively disarmed of their weapons permanently.

"Mabufu"

Yusuke cast another spell as the small ice he summoned towards his frozen opponents lulled them to unconsciousness.

-----------

"God's Hand!"

Ryuji exclaimed as he swatted several of Voldemort's army out of his way easily with the golden hand he conjured in front of him.

"What are you waiting for? Go!" Ryuji ushered the children that were stopped by Voldemort's army earlier.

The students, who were as old as fourteen years old nodded and ran towards the direction of Hogsmeade.

Ryuji soon noticed that a few Death Eaters managed to escape his God's Hand spell and chased after the children anyway.

"Mazionga!"

An electrical arc was shot out of Ryuji's wand that diverged into different directions, hitting and paralyzing every Death Eater who decided to chase after the young children.

-------------

"Magarula!"

Morgana was busy summoning the wind to blow away any would-be invaders that would dare approach the infirmary, where a lot of the wounded were stashed.

He knew that the casualties and injured were reduced significantly as soon as Futaba provided support and cast healing spells towards every combatant in the area.

His duty was now to keep the wounded safe, so that all of Futaba's efforts weren't in vain.

"Magarula!"

Another few snatchers were blown towards the broken window.

-----------

"Avada Kedavra!"

Akechi seemed to point his wand at a downed student but the light of the killing curse hit the Death Eater that was a few paces ahead of him.

Akechi was part of a force designated to infiltrate the school through the Quidditch field. This worked in his favor as he can cast the killing curse on his supposed fellow Death Eaters and eliminate many of their numbers while he can pretend to cast the same curse that would have hit the school's combatants.

The Death Eaters who witnessed everything did not bat an eye when a fellow Death Eater died under the killing curse as they mostly continued with their mission.

"Hamaon"

Another Death Eater fell as soon as he stepped onto a paper that momentarily glowed yellow.

-----------

"Maeiga!"

Ren pointed his wand at the Death Eaters approaching the castle as red-colored skulls shot out of his wand and hit blew the approaching Death Eaters back towards where they came from.

-----------

The battle raged on between Hogwarts's combatants and the army under Voldemort's command. It raged on until the Dark Lord began speaking in their minds for the surrender of one Harry Potter.

Ren, Ryuji, and Anne were frantically trying to find the boy in question but to no avail, even the boy's closest friends were unaware of his whereabouts after they were separated.

As the Hogwarts's combatants licked each other's wounds, with the former Phantom Thieves casting healing and revival spells on anyone that needs them, Voldemort strut towards the castle with a captured Hagrid carrying the lifeless body of one Harry Potter.

"Look alive," Ren whispered to his teammates. "It's not over yet." He glared at the Dark Lord as they mocked Neville for standing up against them.

----------

"Never underestimate a mother's protection." Ryuji nodded as one Molly Weasley killed Voldemort's right-hand person.

"You know, if she were here, I don't think the Death Eaters would stand a chance," Futaba commented.

"No!" Voldemort exclaimed as he witnessed Bellatrix's death.

A shockwave of magic blew everyone near the Dark Lord away from him.

"Protego Totalum!"

Both Ryuji and Futaba cast the protective charms, defending everyone behind them but they were still forced to back away while keeping the protective charm in place due to sheer strength behind the shockwave.

As soon as a good radius around Voldemort was cleared, Nagini's slay at the hands of one Neville Longbottom happened right in front of the Dark Lord. In fury, he immediately pointed his wand at the Longbottom and cast the killing curse.

"Oppugno"

A table intercepted the killing curse that was meant for Neville as Ren revealed himself to the enemy.

"A boy managed to intercept the killing curse, impressive." Voldemort praised.

"Before you start, you don't want me," Ren cut the Dark Lord off. "I'm a muggleborn and you'd soon kill me as soon as you knew."

"Tell me boy, from whom did you steal such powerful magic?"

"Avada Kedavra!"

Everyone was stunned that the killing curse was cast and it was going straight towards the Dark Lord, who just sidestepped the curse and let the audience that surrounded him, take a hit.

"Oppugno"

Makoto was quick to react and sent a slab of concrete that used to be a part of the castle to intercept the killing curse that Akechi cast.

"Oh please stop with that drivel about muggleborns stealing magic." Akechi removed his mask.

"You really didn't have to infiltrate his ranks."

"Unlike you, I am willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish the job," Akechi rolled his eyes. "If it weren't for Potter's good acting and someone else betraying the Dark Lord, we would've failed.

If I wasn't there I wouldn't have the chance to save the boy had everyone there were loyal to this sad excuse of a human being."

"Good try, Akechi was it?" Voldemort grinned.

"Ren, let's leave this to Potter," Futaba voiced out. "I don't know how to explain it, but Voldemort's wand is giving me weird vibes."

"That's the Elder Wand!" Anne gasped. "I thought that was buried alongside Headmaster Dumbledore?!"

"The most powerful wand in existence."

Before anyone else could even respond, Harry stepped forward and faced Voldemort once more.

"Nagini's dead, there are no more Horcruxes. It's just you and me now, Riddle. Neither can live while the other survives, and one of us is about to leave for good."

"One of us? You think it will be you, do you, the boy who has survived by accident, and because Dumbledore was pulling the strings?" Voldemort scoffed.

With the discussion out of the way, both wizards cast their respective spells that met at the center. Voldemort cast the killing curse while Harry cast the disarming charm.

It took both Voldemort's and Harry's concentration to keep their spells intact as they dueled for dominance.

A few more moments passed with just Voldemort and Harry batting it out for dominance. The Potter's red beam of disarming clashing with the Dark Lord's green beam of death.

Soon after, the red beam began to overwhelm the green light before Voldemort was promptly disarmed with his wand.

The light of the killing curse briefly wrapped around the Dark Lord's form before Voldemort was on his knees.

Unbeknownst to everyone, Ren and his friends quietly surrounded the pair as they dueled.

As soon as the Dark Lord was on his knees, Akechi immediately pointed his wand at the fallen Dark Lord and uttered one spell, in such an insidious manner.

"Die for me!"

"Akechi!" Ren and his friends exclaimed.

Seeing as there was no stopping the spell, the former Phantom Thieves turned their backs on the fallen Dark Lord and pointed their wands at the crowd in front of them.

"Protego Totalum!"

A dome of layered protective shields was erected and protected everyone else from the spell Akechi cast.

As soon as the dome was erected, animated stuffed bears and giant playing cards with limbs fell from the sky and exploded as soon as they made contact with the dead Dark Lord.

That was when Ryuji realized that Harry was still in the line of fire from the ultimate curse spell, he immediately made a beeline towards Potter and pointed his wand in front of him.

"Protego Horribilis"

Ryuji cast a protective charm for both himself and Harry, protecting them both from the ultimate curse spell's destructive effects.

"Akechi! That was overkill!" Ren growled.

"Naïve as always Amamiya," Akechi scoffed. "What insurance do we have that he'd stay dead this time?"

"Still dude that was overkill," Ryuji handed Harry towards his best friends. "A simple mudoon would have done the job."

---------

Unfortunately for everyone, the people who perished during the Battle of Hogwarts remained dead, even with the help of their recarm spells, too much time had passed since they were killed for the spell to take effect.

Not to mention that most of the fallen were hit by the killing curse, making their revival spells moot.

Ryuji punched a wall so hard that his knuckles bled, once he saw the corpses of the Creevey brothers. Haru rubbed the Hufflepuff's back, in an attempt to comfort her grief-stricken former phantom thief.

"Why did they have to join the fight?!" Ryuji growled.

"We both know the reason Ryuji," Haru comforted. "It's the same for the both of us, for the Phantom Thieves, because it was the right thing to do."

"They didn't have to die."

"I know Ryuji, I know."

"First Cedric, who never cared that I was friends with Ren and everyone else now the boys who I viewed as little brothers."

"You bonded with them while you were on the run, didn't you?"

"If you want, I'll tell their parents." Ren offered.

"No dude, I need to man up and do this," Ryuji shook his head. "I promised to protect them and I failed, I should face them."

"We're with you all the way Ryuji." Morgana squeezed Ryuji's shoulders.

"Thanks, Mona."

#persona 5 #harry potter #ren amamiya #ryuji sakamoto #anne takamaki #morgana #yusuke kitagawa #makoto nijima #haru okumura #futaba sakura #goro akechi #voldemort #story #PTBOH

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mizutoyama · 4 years

Text

HPHM OTP Playlist

(Inspired by @drinkyoursoupbitch & @carewyncromwell )

Alice Beaumont x Charlie Weasley

It’s a long one... Sorry 😅(Been writing down songs that reminded me of Charlie and Alice’s relationship and its evolution for some time now...)

The order, while not perfect, is important. We start with Charlie realizing his feelings for Alice, followed by Alice’s own (very) slow realization, them dating through highs and lows, them breaking up, after the break up, until they finally find their ways toward each other again.

You came into my life

And I thought hey

You know this could be something

Two Is Better Than One (Boys Like Girls, Taylor Swift)

Oh I feel overjoyed

When you listen to my words

I see them sinking in

Overjoyed (Bastille)

Hey Juliet

I think you're fine.

You really blow my mind

Maybe some day you and me can run away.

I just want you to know.

I wanna be your Romeo.

Juliet (LMNT)

I remember the day we first met

The shy smiles and the spilling sunlight

I knew, just by looking into your eyes

Neverending story (Stray Kids)

She watches the sunset slip out of sight

She points to the lilacs in bloom

Her eyes filled with wonder

And my eyes they do the same

Just looking at her face

Looking at Her Face (Tyrone Wells)

What could a guy like me

Ever really offer?

She's perfect as she can be

Why should I even bother?

She’s so High (Tal Bachman)

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

Enchanted (Owl City)

I think you're pretty

Without any makeup on

I think you're funny

When you tell the punchline wrong

Teenage Dream (The Rescues)

New and a bit alarming

Who'd have ever thought that this could be

True, that he's no Prince Charming

But there's something in him that I simply didn't see

Something There (Beauty and the Beast)

How can I love when I'm afraid to fall

But watching you stand alone

All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow

A Thousand Years (Christina Perri)

You might need time to think it over

But I'm just fine moving forward

I'll ease your mind if you give me the chance

I will never make you cry, c'mon let's try

Beautiful Soul (Jesse McCartney)

So this is the miracle

That I've been dreaming of

Mmm, mmm

So this is love

So This Is Love (Cinderella)

'Cause lovers dance when they're feelin' in love

Spotlight's shinin' it's all about us

It's all about us

And every heart in the room will melt

This is a feeling I've never felt but

It's all about us

All About Us (He Is We)

Remember those walls I built

Well, baby, they're tumbling down

And they didn't even put up a fight

They didn't even make a sound

Halo (Beyonce)

You've got me seeing stars brighter than ever

Shining just like diamonds do

I know that in time it could be all ours, brighter than ever

Your love is such a dream come true

Seeing Stars (Børns)

You’re already in my radius

My eyes are already a pair of binoculars

Other guys are outside my vision

Only you are growing bigger

Adrenaline (Girls’ Generation -TaeTiSeo)

As I looked up into those eyes, his vision borrows mine

And I know he's no stranger

For I feel I've held him for all of time

Ordinary Day (Vanessa Carlton)

It's a new world it's a new start

It's alive with the beating of young hearts

It's a new day it's a new plan

I've been waiting for you

Here I am

Here I Am (Bryan Adams)

I've got somewhere I belong

I got somebody to love

This is what dreams are made of

What Dreams Are Made Of (Hilary Duff)

You're the fire and the flood

And I'll always feel you in my blood

Everything is fine

When your hand is resting next to mine

Fire and the Flood (Vance Joy)

Do you feel the lightning inside of you

Will you follow through if I fall for you?

Don't look down

Up this high, we'll never hit the ground

Don’t Look Down (Martin Garrix)

And I'm racking my brain for a new improved way

To let you know your more to me than what I know how to say

You're OK with the way this is going to be

Must Have Done Something Right (Reliant K)

I can show you the world

Shining, shimmering, splendid

Tell me, princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?

A Whole New World (Aladdin)

When you're near, I hide my blushing face

And trip on my shoelaces

Grace just isn't my forté

I Do Adore (Mindy Gledhill)

She calls me sweetheart

I love it when she wakes me when it's still dark

And she watches the sun

But she's the only one I have my eyes on

I Must Be Dreaming (The Maine)

And Edison would spin in his grave

To ever see the light that you gave

Don't wanna take it nice and slow here

Don't wanna waste a minute more dear

Warmer Climate (Snow Patrol)

There's something about you I can't describe

If only you could see yourself through my eyes

There is nothing I won't do to show you why

You cannot hide, you're simply one of a kind

Something About You (Lucius)

Never knew I could feel like this

Like I've never seen the sky before

Want to vanish inside your kiss

Everyday I love you more and more

Come What May (Moulin Rouge)

My wildest dreamings

Could not foresee

Lying beside you

With you wanting me

As Long As You’re Mine (Wicked)

Make your fingers soft and light Let your body be the velvet of the night Touch my soul, you know how Andante, andante Go slowly with me now

Andante, Andante (Mamma Mia 2)

You be the Beast and I'll be the Beauty, beauty

Who needs true love as long as you love me truly.

I want it all, but I want you more

Wonderlands (Natalia Kills)

If I lay here

If I just lay here

Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol)

You're the reason that I feel so strong

The reason that I'm hanging on

Mess is Mine (Vance Joy)

There comes a time you need to let me know

We'll fight your demons

When they start to show

Circles (As Tall As Lions)

And when you're needing your space

To do some navigating

I'll be here patiently waiting

To see what you find

I Won't Give Up (Jason Mraz)

So give me hope in the darkness that I will see the light

'Cause oh that gave me such a fright

But I will hold as long as you like

Just promise me we'll be alright

Ghosts That We Knew (Mumford & Sons)

I don't want to talk right now

I just want your arms wrapped around

Me and this moment before it runs out

Eavesdrop (The Civil Wars)

You're a wreck and you know

You've got me wrapped around your finger

Like a boy tangled in vines

But I've figured you out

Daisy (The Maine)

You tell me all the things you do

Tell me that it's up to you

Crying in the peaceful night

Telling all the things you hide

But out there in the future

Maybe you're the rainbow

A Song About Love (Jake Bugg)

All I want is to keep you safe from the cold

To give you all that your heart needs the most

May I (Trading Yesterday)

Tell me that you'll stay

Even when I'm far away

My voice will carry through

Until the end it's me & you

We can make it if we try

Silhouette (Active Child)

Pain or tears, let's change them into stars.

Light a light that will shine on our tomorrow.

Though we may waver now and then, let's do this together;

We'll find that forever, glittering brightly with stardust.

Let it out (Miho Fukuhara)

And when you cry a piece of my heart dies

Knowing that I may have been the cause

If you were to leave and fulfill someone else's dreams

I think I might totally be lost

The Girl (City and Colour)

I don't know where you're going

And I don't know why,

But listen to your heart

Before you tell him goodbye

Listen to Your Heart (DHT)

Can I embrace you one last time?

Can I bid farewell for the last time?

Just please don't forget those loving, happy memories

Driving Me Crazy (Master’s Sun)

But it was not your fault but mine

And it was your heart on the line

I really fucked it up this time

Didn't I, my dear?

Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons)

If I was a burden to you

If I was a baggage

I should’ve left you earlier, I’m sorry

Happy (2NE1)

It's been seven hours and fifteen days

Since you took your love away

I go out every night and sleep all day

Since you took your love away

Nothing Compares to You (Stereophonics)

Sometimes I find myself sittin' back and reminiscing

Especially when I have to watch other people kissin'

And I remember when you started callin' me your miss's

All the play fightin', all the flirtatious disses

Littlest Things (Lily Allen)

You said this was all for me

Like a lie, you coldly turned around

Why? Why? You’re gone away

Come Back Home (Unplugged Ver.) (2NE1)

The time when anything made us happy

Looking at each other

You were my strength

When you trusted me

LUV (Apink)

I will miss you the more I erase you

I will shed more tears than today

Like fate, I won’t ever have anyone like you

Good bye my love (Ailee)

I'm sorry that I hurt you

It's something I must live with everyday

And all the pain I put you through

I wish that I could take it all away

And be the one who catches all your tears

The Reason (Hoobastank)

Well, you only need the light when it's burning low

Only miss the sun when it starts to snow

Only know you love her when you let her go

Let Her Go (Passenger)

I tossed and turned in the end

With no one to talk to

I searched again and again

But I never found you

Up All Night (Owl City)

You didn’t say anything, and it was over

I didn’t say anything too, that was our end

The past was still clear

MILK (f(x))

But now the sun shines cold

And all the sky is grey

The stars are dimmed by clouds and tears

And all I wish

Is gone away

To Wish Impossible Things (The Cure)

Et au sud de mes peines j'ai volé loin de toi

Pour couvrir mon cœur d'une cire plus noire

Que tous les regards lancés à mon égard

J'ai tenté de voler loin de toi

C'était salement romantique (Coeur de pirate) (Decided not to put the translation ‘cause the one I found was bad.)

Don’t look back and leave

Don’t find me again and just live on

Because I have no regrets from loving you,

so only take the good memories

Haru Haru (Big Bang)

Even if you easily turn away,

easily get farther apart

I know I won’t easily forget you

If you see me, still the same, still like this

You will call me a fool

And One (Taeyeon)

The one person who appears even when I close my eyes

The person who is next to me even in my dreams

Do you even remember me?

Do you even think of me?

I miss you, please

The One Person, You (Jessica)

It's always times like these

When I think of you

And wonder if you ever think of me

Cause everything's so wrong and I don't belong

Living in your precious memory

A Thousand Miles (Vanessa Carlton)

Come up to meet you

Tell you I'm sorry

You don't know how lovely you are

I had to find you

Tell you I need you

The Scientist (Coldplay)

I just wanna love you again

Please come back to me girl

We just broke up but we need each other

Come back to me, you feel the same way

Wanna Love You Again (2PM)

Tired of being tangled in this mess and I

I'm ready to wish you the best tonight

Let me let you go

Let Me Let You Go (Namie Amuro)

Whoever I'll be gazing at, whoever I'll be spending time with,

a day when I can forget you won't come

I'll keep loving you in my heart,

but we can't be together anymore

Cause life's no love story

Love Story (Namie Amuro)

Think of all the things

We've shared and seen

Don't think about the way

Things might have been

Think of Me (Phantom of the Opera)

Now she's here shining in the starlight

Now she's here suddenly I know

If she's here it's crystal clear

I'm where I'm meant to go

I See the Light (Tangled)

Why are you looking down all the wrong roads

When mine is the heart and the soul of the song

There may be lovers who hold out their hands but

He'll never love you like I can

Like I Can (Sam Smith)

And I will swallow my pride

You're the one that I love

And I'm saying goodbye

Say Something (A Great Big World)

If I would have known that you wanted me

The way I wanted you

Then maybe we wouldn't be two worlds apart

But right here in each others arms

Almost Is Never Enough (Ariana Grande)

Why kiss another frog

You're the only one I want

It's obvious, Why can't you see?

Wontcha Take me to the place we used to meet

A Place Called You (Emma Stevens)

Can we start it all over again, this morning?

I lost all my defenses, this morning

Won't you show me the way it used to be?

Morning (Beck)

I will love you unconditionally

There is no fear now

Let go and just be free

I will love you unconditionally

Unconditionally (Katy Perry)

If you’ve gotten this far, congrats! And thank you! While this playlist has many songs, it’s only the tip of the iceberg.

#charlie weasley x alice beaumont #alice beaumont #charlie weasley #otp playlist #hogwarts mystery #hphm #hphm mc #jacob's sibling

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nabigeshonidol · 3 years

Text

Escape

Rise never knew that it was possible for a human to reach this level of exhaustion. Once the battle finished, she had collapsed to her knees to conserve such little energy she had left. Despite not going through a true Awakening, it sure felt like she did. However, she remembered everything about that year in Inaba. Her kidnapping, her Shadow, Izanami-no-Okami, and most importantly the Investigation Team. A tired smile was on her lips as she took her right hand and placed it over her heart. She could tell that Himiko was stronger than before, yet not at full strength. Even if there were still gaps in her memories, she could remember a majority of them and for now that’s all that she could ask for. However, Rise couldn’t sit her and reflect on that forever as the Palace started to shake.

“Comeon we gotta go! It’s coming down on us! Fox! Can you carry her? She’s completely wiped out.” Rise blinked for a few moments as she processed what was going on. She was helped to her feet and then onto the back of Fox. She instinctively wrapped her slim arms around his chest as he supported her weight with his arms. She knew that everyone was exhausted after that fight, but she could barely keep her eyes open at this point. If she had tried to walk by herself, she would slow the entire group down. She knew that she had to focus on staying awake until they were safe.

Once she could feel the breeze of the outside air Rise looked around and saw that the cruise liner was indeed sinking. “I think can run for now, I just need one of the energy drinks.” She was feeling a bit better after that short break and Fox allowed her to slide off of his back. She lifted the mask from her face and placed it on top of her head. Oracle was freaking out beside her and Panther got the drink that she requested. She opted to chug it down while the others were trying to figure out how to get out of this situation. Mona would be no help in the middle of the ocean. Rise knew how to swim but she had no idea how that would effect their escape back into reality. Though her thoughts were cut short as someone pointed out the life raft in the distance. She didn’t dare speak up about trying to reach it, there was no way in hell she would be able to reach it in time. Though Skull quickly volunteered and jumped down from where they were standing.

Rise looked on with admiration as Skull made the dash to reach the life raft. He’s mentioned a few times about his Track and Field time, and to see him in his element was awe inspiring. “GO Skull!” She cried out in encouragement, everyone’s safety was riding on his skills. After this, she was definitely going to check with Inoue to see if he knew anyone who might be able to help him out. Personally, she hated running with all of her might. However, if she was able to help him out by being his running partner she would definitely do it. Once he lowered the life raft, she cheered with joy as she hung back allowing the others to manage the boat. She was among the last into the life raft and once everyone was inside, the group headed towards where Skull was hanging. They didn’t get very far before a violent explosion rocked the ship.

In a blink of an eye, he was gone.

Something like this only happened in stories, yet here she was... watching the love of her life disappear from her very eyes. She tried to scan for his signal, but with the Palace coming down, there was too much interference for her to track his signal. Shifting to the edge of the boat she scanned the water, looking for his blond hair to pop above the water. “RYUJI!” Codenames be dammed. The pure horror, despair and anguish running through Rise’s heart was clear for all to hear. “RYUJI WHERE ARE YOU?” She cried out as tears pricked the corner of her eyes. It was only by Joker’s firm grip did she remain seated in the boat as the group made their escape into reality.

Once the group was back outside of the Diet building, Rise fell to her knees once more. She couldn’t hold back her tears. It wasn’t fair! He sacrificed everything to save them and she couldn’t do anything to save him! “Why?” Her voice was barely above a whisper as she continued to cry. Her heart felt like it was torn in two. He was the sole reason she got this far in this journey of her’s. His smile, his support, his contagious energy. Without him, Rise wasn’t sure if she would have had the courage to walk into the TV World that day. “You are the only reason I got this far! Ryuji! Why did you have to die?” She rubbed the tears out of her eyes.

“Why do palaces have to blow us so damm much?” A familiar voice spoke up that drew Rise’s attention. She looked up to see Ryuji walking towards the group. She rubbed the tears out of her eyes as she stared at him in awe. He was here! He was alive! “Whats goin on? Why is everyone cryin? “

“We thought you died!” Haru spoke up moments later after rubbing the tears out of her own eyes.

“Don’t scare me like that again!” Rise yelled at him as she forced herself to stand up. She walked over to him and brought him into the tightest hug that her limited energy stores could muster. “I thought I lost you.” She told him before burring her face into his shoulders.

A frown came onto the Chariot’s face as his expression softened and wrapped his arms gently around Rise. “I’m sorry. I wanted to make sure everyone got out safely. After the explosion, I blacked out and I woke up face down in the grass.” He stroked her back gently trying to get Rise to calm down.

“Your grounded.” She mumbled into his shoulder, squeezing his back a bit tighter.

“Whatcha say Rise-chan?“ He looked down at her with confusion on his face.

“Your grounded at my house for the next two days... unless your mother needs you.” She pulled away from him just enough to lock eyes with him. Her eyes were red from all the tears.

“Okay, okay. I’ll stay at your house for a few days.“

@crossxskulled

#ლ Maybe the truth to missing memories lies here «au phantom thieves» ლ #ლ Even idols have the chance to learn and grow «headcanon» ლ #crossxskulled #(Two drabbles in one day what tf this never happens)#death tw

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ro-visiting-the-bureau · 4 years

Text

So, You Summoned the Ghosts of Your Ancestors... - TCR Secret Santa 2019

@deadbonessinderhellaton, I was your Secret Santa this year! I decided to go for your prompt “Ghosts are like relatives. Once you let them in, they never leave.” Enjoy, and a very Merry Christmas to you!

Haru didn’t quite burst through the door of the cafe, but she did push it harder than she usually would and was through it before it open all the way. She swiveled her head and spotted Hiromi sitting at a table by the cafe’s fake fireplace, a mug of hot chocolate cradled in her hands. The strawberry blonde looked up as Haru approached and smiled. “Thanks for coming so quickly.”

“You left me a message saying ‘We screwed up’ and asked to meet me here asap,” Haru said, taking off her gloves, scarf and hat as a waitress came over to take her order. He asked for a hot chocolate and a small plate of pastries and then turned back to Hiromi when she left. “What happened?”

“Well, you know Tsuge and I have been clearing out his grandmother’s old house so we can move in after the wedding.” Hiromi played with the sapphire engagement ring on her hand. “We found a old journal in the attic, and flipped through it. It was written by Tsuge’s great-great grandfather, and he was a big paranormal-supernatural nut. Wrote down all these rituals that supposedly let you communicate with the dead.”

Haru didn’t need to hear another word to know exactly where this was going. She rested her elbows on the table and put her head in her hands. “You didn’t…”

“Well, we didn’t think they were really real, and Tsuge thought it’d be funny to try it.”

“You’re best friends with a paranormal investigator and you didn’t think there was a chance it was real?” Haru shot Hiromi a glare, making her curl up a bit and give a weak smile.

“Well…”

Haru sighed and folded her arms on the table. “What happened?”

“Well, we found one that was supposed to bring up a old homeowner, and figured, ‘you know what, let’s see if we can learn home more history about this place that Grandma didn’t know’. So we grabbed some old playground chalk, drew one of the sigils on the ground, lit some candles…

“Is that the right shape?” Tsuge asked, kneeling over the circle and checking the sigil drawn on the inside.

“I think so,” Hiromi said, looking from the book to the shape. IT was mostly straight lines, with a few circles, and had particular instruction on how to draw it. Next to her was a old compass and a motley collection of candles, from from the same trunk as the book and compass, the rest dug out from closets and cabinets in the house. “Do you think it’ll be effected by us using the scented candles?”

“I’m not running out to grab tea lights in this weather.” He pointed out the window, where the snow was flying, not storming, but enough to encourage people to stay indoors unless you had to go out, or were a kid wanting to play. “Besides, it’s not like it will actually do anything.”

“Yeah, guess you’re right.” Hiromi shrugged and picked up the compass, holding it over the center of the circle. She took the two white ritual candles and put them at the north and east-northeast positions, which were the most important for the communication aspect they were looking for. Then they placed a small cinnamon candle at southeast, a large pine candle at south west, and a rose-scented tea light at west-northwest. Then Tsuge struck a match and used it to light a stick of incense, which he then used to light the candles in the same order they had been placed, before blowing it out and placing it in the center of the circle with a stand. He and Hiromi stood on opposite sides of the circle, holding the book in both hands over the center of the circle. Tsuge cleared his throat and started to speak.

“Mortuus pacificus invocabo. Siquid erit vobis dicerem nobiscum hac nocte nos sacri.” His pronunciation was not too bad, but any Ancient Romans who might have heard it would find his accent horribly thick and-

( “Well, it wasn’t your first mistake, but your biggest is that you never do an incantation without practicing the correct pronunciation until you can be clearly understood. You’re lucky you didn’t summon a demon with that.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure…” )

The couple watched in shock as the ritual circles actually began to glow, a blue-white light that started softly, then grew until it almost hurt to look at. Then a breeze started tickling their ankles, flowing into the center of the circle. Streams of light spun with the breeze, creating a vortex over the sigil. Hiromi gasped as it started to rise and grow up, spinning faster and faster and it climbed past their knees, and almost to their waists. Tsuge quickly read the book, and recited the next line of the spell. “Mortuus: venite, et locutus est ad nos, sic fiat semper.”

The vortex stopped growing, but increased in speed, it’s light almost blinding. Then a low note, separate from the whipping wind, started to grow, louder and louder, until it was recognizable as a scream. Another joined it, soft and then louder, then another, and another, until the strident calls was so loud it was hurting their ears. Then, something slingshotted out of the vortex, just missing Tsuge’s nose, then another buzzed Hiromi’s ear, and more flew out around them and the room before impacting the walls and seeming to disappear. The vortex slowly lost power and sank down to the floor, sending out one last whip of wind which blew out the candles before disappearing completely, and the glow dimmed to nothing.

Hiromi and Tsuge stared at each other for a long moment, before stepping back and letting the book fall to the floor.

"That was…" Tsuge trailed off, completely flabergasted.

"It worked. That was an actual spell." Hiromi raised her hands to her face. "Harry is gonna be so mad." ( "You're darn right I'm mad!" ) "She always says this is not something to take lightly."

"Hey now," Tsuge said, coming over and placing his hands on her arms and rubbing them soothingly. "Maybe it's not so bad. Maybe it's Grandpa, and he'll go away once we have a pleasant conversation with him."

Hiromi sighed and was about to speak when a man's voice behind her cut her off. "Kami, what are you wearing!?"

Hiromi and Tsuge turned and saw a figure by the wall. It was a man, maybe in his mid fifties, hair in a topknot and wearing an old fashioned kimono. "This is not a bathhouse, put some clothes on!"

Hiromi looked down at her sweater and jeans that covered her from neck to wrist and ankle, and then Tsuge's t-shirt and jeans (he always ran warmer than her). They were even wearing socks, so you couldn't see their feet. "Um, sorry, but these are perfectly modest clothes for these days. Can I ask your name, honored ancestor?"

"Modest indeed,” the ghost huffed, coming into the room. “I am Kaneda Fujimaro, and these are the lands of my family. We have lived here for over a hundred years, and I now ask what you are doing here?”

“Can’t you see, you old man,” a new voice said, and a woman came through the wall, maybe a few years younger than Fujimaro, holding a cane, and wearing the same style of kimono. “They’re obviously our descendants, or can you not see your jaw on that young man’s face?”

“Of course I can see it, woman, I’m not blind!”

“Well, you could have fooled me.” The woman floated - actually floated ( “Well of course she did, she’s a ghost!” ) - over to the couple, and reached a hand to touch Tsuge’s face. Tsuge flinched, but turned his head as the woman directed him to, and she gave him a critical eye.

“Yes, you have my husbands jaw, but these cheekbones… they look just like the Yasui family. And I had hoped Naozane was not fool enough to go through with that betrothal.” She patted his cheek and stepped back.

“Now see here, Etsuko” Fujimaro said, “Yasui Sozui was a fine man, and his son was just like him.”

“A fine thief, you mean,” Etsuko turned, raising her cane a little at her husband. “The whole village knows he only got to rich from those ‘trips’ he took to Edo and yet no one has ever gotten a straight answer as to what he did there.”

“A man’s financials are not the business of other men.”

“They are when your granddaughter will marry into that man’s family!”

Etsuko and Fujimaro started bickering, and Hiromi and Tsuge glanced at each other, growing more uncomfortable and awkward by the second. The movement in the doorway caught Hiromi’s eye, and she looked to see another ghost, a younger man maybe in his thirties, waving from the doorway. He made a “come here” motion, and with the only other option being to remain next to the old couple until they remembered they had an audience, the young couple quickly did so.

Once they were in the other room - the younger ghost having moved back to give them room to enter - the ghost breathed a sigh of relief. “I am so sorry you had to deal with my grandparent’s first. They love each other, and the family, but in their old age they constantly got on each other’s nerves. Or at least, I was told by my father, I was only a child when they both died.”

“And who was your father, honorable ancestor?” Tsuge asked.

“Yasui Taroemon, his father was Yasui Sozui. I am Yasui Norio.” He turned and a woman about his age seemed to just appear at his elbow. “And this is my wife, Kaneda Hisae. We’re your… four times great-grandparents?”

“Six times,” Hisae said, and when she smiled, Hiromi could see her fiance in it. “Tetsuo told us he’d had a newborn great-grandson the last time we talked. Tsuge, right?”

“Y-Yes, Nashito Tsuge. And this is my fiance, Takanori Hiromi.” He and Hiromi both bowed, and Norio and Hisae bowed back.

“It is lovely to meet you both,” Norio said. “Though it could have been under better circumstances.”

“I’ll say,” Hiromi said. “You two don’t seem surprised by this.”

“Oh, we’ve done this plenty of times,” Hisae said. “Tsuge’s great grandfather Kentaro loved to talk with us all the time. We had several visits with him, sharing family stories and such. He wrote quite a lot of them down, they should all be in his journals.”

“Mother always wondered about that,” Tsuge said. “She and everyone else assumed he was transcribing for another family, but kept the journals for some reason.”

“Well, you see, when our son Sotan was a baby, we were all here visiting my family when a fire broke out. We were all trapped, but we managed to hand Sotan to his sister and the two managed to escape. Unfortunately, Naoko died from her burns a few days later, and Sotan was adopted by a lovely couple who you know as your ancestors.”

Hiromi suddenly remembered. “Wait, there are four of you here right now, you two, Etsuko and Fijumaro. But I know at least five ghosts were thrown past me from the vortex, and more past Tusge so where are they?”

“Scattered over the neighborhood, probably,” Norio said. “Most of this valley used to belong to either the Yasui or Kaneda families, so they could appear anywhere on the lands. But they’ll all come back here soon, since this is where the summoning happened.” He narrowed his gaze. “Though with how you messed it up, I don’t know the state they’ll be in. The ritual is supposed to only bring back those who were at peace when they died, like Hisae and I, but the different candles might have causes a change to it. They might even be stuck here.”

Hiromi and Tsuge paled at the thought of over a dozen potentially angry ghosts appearing in the house they were going to move into, and the couple looked to each other.

“Call Haru.”

“Right.”

“...And here we are,” Hiromi said, giving a very strained smile. “Tsuge is trying to hold down the fort with Norio and Hisae, but I don’t know how well that’s going.”

Haru pinched the bridge of her nose between her hands, taking a deep breath. “Okay, this is going to be way too big a job for just me. I need to call in the whole team.”

Hiromi’s eyes widened. “You think it’s that bad?”

“Ghosts are like relatives, Hiromi. Once you let them in, they never leave. And you have the unfortunate case of them being actual relatives.” Haru drained the last of her hot chocolate and stood, putting her coat back on. “Come on. You’re gonna be the one to explain to Baron why we need to pull Sephie and Louise off the Osaki case.”

Hiromi gulped, and Haru felt a little pity for her best friend, but it was overruled by irritation. This was not how she wanted to spend her winter vacation.

#TCR Secret Santa #Deadbonessinderellaton #the cat returns #my fics

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