#and I went...hmm...but I like omori...well | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

theblindinfidel · 8 months

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Hey! Here are my Photobomb thoughts I posted as a response on Reddit haha!

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS

Hi! Nice to meetcha! I’m glad you posted this because I’m curious to see what others will say as well!

When I first got into OMORI, I was actually not into any ships outside HeroMari and Sunburn. Sticking to the game and whatnot. It all started when I saw the cutest little meme on Twitter that Shrimp had posted and it featured photobomb. I thought:

“Hmm. I have never thought about this.”

And thus, I went down the rabbit hole and began to really enjoy it, even through watching my friend play the game. I really enjoy the childhood to lovers trope and I can get behind an enemies to lovers trope, though I don’t really see them as enemies.

So we can see the parallels between RW and HS. Sunny depicts a somewhat accurate representation of how his friends were in their childhood- (Aubrey and Kel arguing, Aubrey standing up for what she believes is right regardless of the consequences, Sunny always being regarded as quiet, Kel being goofy and oblivious but still a great friend with good morals, and Hero being the level headed member of the group.)

That being said, I believe there are definitely some truths in how the members perceive each other and their relationships to one another.

I really enjoyed how Aubrey was so worried about him in headspace. Even when his memory was being erased in Sunny’s mind, she would continuously get sad at his absence and grew distraught the longer he was gone. This is, of course, before she forgot him, alongside everyone else. She lamented about how she missed how he’d brush her hair and always gave him positive feedback. From this, it’s clear she cares a great deal about him as her friend.

When we switch into the Faraway segments, we learn she was actually the one to introduce Basil to the rest of the friend group. She grabs his hand and brings him along to introduce him. They are seen in the calendar art to work well together and you learn about them running a lemonade stand together and making fake plant decorations for the treehouse.

He calls Aubrey cute more than once which is neat because it shows he was much more outgoing when he was younger, albeit a little insecure. Now it isn’t specifically a romantic “cute”, but cute nonetheless. He could have been trying to push Sunny to agree or maybe he did like her a little but wanted to support Sunny. When he called her cute at the beach scene, his sprite turned away from her which I thought was a small thing that could be missed. Almost like he was a tad nervous to say it.

Those are all cute little things, but their dynamic is also intriguing.

Something people often miss about Basil is he is actually a relatively mischievous. You can see this from how he plays poker in the flashback, taking pictures of people when they least expect it (like Hero giving Kel some brotherly love), and a general humor in the way he lightly pokes fun but you wouldn’t expect it from him because he’s Basil.

He tends to cheer his friends on and genuinely believes in the best for them. He supports Aubrey’s cause to dye her hair pink which is also sweet.

Basil isn’t an angel, he has his flaws and issues, and he certainly isn’t an UwU flower boy by any regards. He could hold his own, he just doesn’t, he’s more of a pacifist. He DOES get angry and he DOES have moments where he is spiteful. (Bedroom encounter)

Then we have Aubrey. Aubrey in her youth was always nice to Basil and was quick to try and make him feel better about himself and he was receptive to her. It can be assumed or theorized they knew each other for awhile before they met the gang because they were neighbors, separated by a street, and she felt good enough about him to have him meet everyone. Aubrey isn’t the type to drag along some random Joe if she doesn’t feel right about it.

She and Basil both grew up in broken or weird homes and that is something only these two can really understand as opposed to Kel and Sunny (tho later on Sunny will understand the concept.) This is honestly a big deal as a kid because you feel comfortable with people like you. This is more of an emotional thing, a bonding kids don’t usually talk about, only feel. So my idea is they had a pretty solid friendship as kids built on trust and understanding. There was no judgement.

As time went on and the incident happened, Sunny, Basil’s best friend, went incommunicado. Basil, as we know, stayed out and eventually got the photo album back from Sunny even though it was ruined. That had to of hurt really bad. Regardless, he kept it with him and Aubrey eventually found it and BAM, bullying.

Lots of people have wondered why she bullied him so bad over that, but I think there’s a reason and it ties back to their friendship.

Remember when I said a lot of it was trust? That trust was murdered that day she found the album. It was shocking because Basil is Basil, how could he do that? It had to of hurt because she seemed pretty confident he would have at least told her of any anger he harbored. She felt abandoned and angry. Now this doesn’t make what she did right, it was really crappy, but she feels a ton of remorse as shown in the bad ending and to be honest, it takes a lot to apologize to someone when you are in the wrong, in front of friends and a friend’s caregiver at that! This shows she isn’t some demonic force who wants to belittle everyone. Aubrey has a heart, it can be in the wrong place at times and maybe even a little selfish at others, but when she sees she had done something wrong, she is quick to be angry with herself.

In the official art book, she is shown to be crying at the Lake Scene. She didn’t mean to almost kill him, she only wanted to push him away. This of course, parallels Sunny and Mari.

Their dynamic is interesting because Basil is really passive and hides his emotions and tries to stay gentle, although failing at times, and Aubrey being more loud with how she feels and failing when she goes too far. At their core, however, they both care a lot about each other, Basil going as far as trying to talk to her repeatedly while knowing the outcome, and Aubrey breaking down when something terrible DOES end up happening to him. She is shown in the hospital room visiting him which further indicates she really cares and is worried.

Also, big note here. It was Aubrey who recommended to everyone that they stay at Basil’s house the night Sunny has an encounter with him.

To summarize, there is a lot of cuteness and closeness in their friendship. Aubrey and Basil both come from a childhood of turmoil and have the depth to really understand each other in a nonjudgemental way if they wanted to try. The game has shown countless times how much they care for one another, and despite all odds, they end up friends again at the end. (Depending on how you interpret the end, but as far as the themes go, I’d say they do. Basil has been known to forgive quickly, as per the headspace version and pretty much everything else.) She would always stick up for him and would be taken aback by his teases and he’d be flustered and a nervous wreck, but it would be really cute.

They’re both also very nostalgic individuals! (Basil keeping the album, Aubrey then keeping it and returning to the hangout spot often)

In my experience a lot of angsty people take their angst out on the people they’re very close to if they feel they’ve been wronged by then. Hence her reactions to Sunny and Kel as well. She feels alienated in the same way Basil does, as though there is something innately wrong with them and that people won’t like them for them. They go about it differently but I think that would make them more comfortable with one another.

I like the concept of Aubrey having Basil branch out into things that he normally wouldn’t do and Basil just being a gentle person who can help her chill out. I think they’d set each other off or maybe be bad influences on each other, but more so in an innocent way.

I’m more of a timeskip person myself, I don’t think it could happen immediately after canon, but that’s just me.

Sorry for the ramble I’ve been meaning to write all this down anyhow!! Also it’s very late where I’m at so if something doesn’t make sense let me know!

#omori photobomb #wall of text #omori basil #omori aubrey #OMORI #omori spoilers

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mikkokomori · 2 years

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Imma be honest, the hate towards Basil’s Parents is a little undeserved. Before you pull out your torches and pitchforks, please hear me out.

It’s clear that both of his parents are pretty young, meaning that someone their age would have a hard time financially taking care of a child, forcing them to hire Polly and place Basil under the care of his grandmother. Otherwise, they were likely on a business trip that was pretty important on a personal level or possibly job related, as according to Polly, his parents travel a lot, so it would make sense that they would leave their son in the care of both Basil’s Grandmother and Polly, but it would be likely they visit him every now and then.

Considering the lack of information surrounding them, it can’t be proven if Basil’s parents were neglectful or abusive towards him, as they wouldn’t have hired a caretaker nor have him live under the care of his grandmother.

That’s just my take on it though, I’ll still be keeping my expectations low if more lore is added to Omori revolving around Basil and his family.

Very sure Polly stated they left him with his grandmother when he was a toddler and only visited him once throughout the 4 years before the events to Omori went down, so that's really hmm. I wouldn't agree with the they visit him every now and then.

Not saying that I don't think your opinion is invalid, everyone has their own takes, but they didn't really put much effort into at least contacting Basil every now and then-- no effort to actually show up except for one time before leaving again throughout the 4 years. True, they could've been rather young when they had him, but in the end it leaves no excuse for them to walk out on him like that. Just because they provide financially doesn't mean that they care-- if anything, there can also be the assumption that they're just doing it because they have to.

In the end, they put work first before actually taking care of Basil. Maybe you don't believe they're bad people, but it doesn't mean others will think so as well, considering their actions.

And it's true they hired Polly and sent him to his grandmother, but it would still be considered neglect on the parents' side if they don't interact with their child.

Again this is my own opinion, and everyone can have their own interpretation of Basil's parents. I'd say I would be standing on neutral grounds when it comes to them but it's obvious I'm leaning in more towards the dislike.

#actions speak louder than words as they say #in the end you cant really excuse someones actions just bc theyre nice or whatevef #omori #omori basil #johnlocsin asks #miko panta #miko talks

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askhikkoandomarisunny · 1 year

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Well, how do i put this. In face of dangers which is omori and his team,sunny really cant protect himself can he now? No man can beat an entire team alone while needing to protect someone it will come with a sacrifice. Basiclly to what extent are you willing to sacrifice to protect him? Would you sacrifice your own life just to protect him. You do not need to actually answer just been wondering ever since you protected him on your first encounter with him. :>

"Hmm. You know I was wondering this myself..."

He paused, a moment of thought-

"..If it has to come down to sacrifice..I'll be okay with that...but my worries like with how Sunny will emotionally take it..that's the thing. Even if it's sacrifice for the greater good I'm okay with that but I'm not okay with Sunny being emotionally scarred." He rubbed the back of his neck as he went quiet, "I've lost those close to me and I just rather not Sunny go through the same thing. I want to stay alive for him..."

#hikko & omari #asks #off topic #asks: about sunny #asks: about hikko

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justsomeno1s · 2 years

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Basil-Kel Swap Prologue Part 3

[The screen is white. A boy stands at a door. A girl stands at a door. A boy stands at a door. They knock, but the door doesn't shift. The doorknob has been removed.]

[The screen is black. A boy stands at a broken window. A single red eye peers from the darkness, slowly blinking. He turns to look at the person recording, and calls out. The audio is corrupted.]

["What did you do?"]

‘5… 4… 3… 2… 1… GO!’

Hide-N-Seek. A game older than time itself, revolving around the lessons taught so long ago- Hunter and hunted, predator and prey, an unending cycle where the only victories were-

“Omori… Psst!! Omori! Over here!”

Omori blinked. ‘Ah. It seems you were zoning out for a moment.’ He looked around, catching sight of Kel standing behind the tetherball pole. They stared at each other for a moment, before he ran to the seeker’s side, glowing a faint yellow.

“Hey, you found me! Nice job, Omori! Now I can help you find everyone!” he cheered.

Omori stared at him for a second longer, and Kel looked away in a fluster.

“Okay, fine! I wasn’t really hiding. I know you don’t like being alone, right? So I’ll help you out! Just don’t tell Berly, okay? Heh heh…”

He took Omori’s hand, with a grin, sheepishness erased.

“Come on! I don’t know where everyone is, but I know about how they hide! Let’s find everyone!!”

“Hmm… Basil’s normally pretty good at hiding. But he only ever hides near plants! Like, trees and bushes and stuff!” Kel put his hands on his hips, cape flapping. “How’s that for a hint, Omori?”

‘Was that a good hint?’

He was given a thumbs up, ‘it was serviceable.’ and Kel bounced in place.

“Heck yeah! I know my stuff, Omo!”

Basil was sitting behind a bush, staring at a small cluster of flowers growing nearby. With his light green hair, he was almost invisible, except for his flower crown.

“Found you!” Kel cheered, grabbing his shoulders, and Basil jumped, turning gray. His crown spat out another batch of petals as he caught his breath, flickering red. “Hehe, got you good, too!”

“Kel?! Oh, don’t sneak up on me like that!” He huffed, brushing off his pants as he stood up. He gave the pair a once over, and the anger faded away into a comfortable smile. “I guess you two are searching together now? Well, I’ll tag along too then! If you don’t mind, I mean…”

Kel wrapped Basil tight into a hug, grinning. “Of course we don’t mind! The more the merrier! Right?” Omori gave another thumbs up. “Yeah! Now, let’s go find everyone else!”

“Okay! Hero’s SUPER good at hiding! I bet he’s got an awesome spot picked out! Which means I won’t be much help, I guess. Sorry! Aubrey, though…” Kel hummed in thought, bouncing on his toes. “Well, she was eyeing the swingset earlier!”

Basil frowned. “But, that’s where everyone’s going once they’re found, right? Maybe that’s why she was looking at it.”

“Ohh, yeah! That makes sense!” Kel laughed. “Guess I’ve got nothing then! Oh, wait, no! Happy’s pretty small, and really likes to play, right? So I bet-”

‘You stopped listening, and indulged in the moment.’

“TEN-HUT!!” Berly shouted, beginning rollcall and Omori began to zone out again.

‘You didn’t find everyone… But you think you did a pretty good job! Congratulations, you!’

Omori abstinent-mindedly watched Berly smack Kel upside the head for falling asleep, and zoned back in.

“Hey, that was-!”

She smacked him again, and he glowered and shone red for a moment.

“BASIL!”

The green-haired boy smiled and waved. “I’m- I’m here!”

“AUBREY!”

There was no response, and Berly seemed to notice that she wasn’t there.

“Huh? Where’s Aubrey? Hey, Hero’s not here either!” She crossed her arms, flickering red as she looked at Omori. “What’s the big idea! You’re supposed to have ONE winner, not TWO!”

Kel hopped to his friend’s defense. “Hey, Omori found everyone else! So what if there’s two winners!”

Berly huffed. “Ugh. Fine. They went to hide up there, near that tree, right?”

Kel’s gasp of “I was right!” was ignored, as they all turned towards the tree.

“Hero? Aubrey? Are you two hiding there?” Basil called. There was a quiet thump, but nothing more.

“C’mon! You already won, you can come out!” He raced to the tree, then grinned. “Oh, I get it! You two are trying to see who gets found first, right? Well, Omori’s not seeking anymore!”

The tree shook, leaves rustling.

Basil took Omori’s hand with a frown, looking for reassurance. Omori shrugged, and they walked over to the tree with Kel.

“Uhm, are you guys okay?” He glanced at Kel, who frowned, in thought.

“Did… Did you get stuck? It’s not my fault this time!”

The tree slumped forward, falling like a dropped blanket.

“HWEHWEHWEHWEHWE!!” Boss laughed, Hero and Aubrey squirming from where they were being held under an arm each.

“BOSS!! I should’ve known it was you!” Berly yelled. “You good-for-nothing-... Let them go!”

“Yeah! What’d Hero ever do to you?!” Kel yelled, and Aubrey glared at him with an angry “Hey!”

Basil stepped back, eyes wide. “What-what are you doing Boss?! Aubrey and Hero are our friends! You can’t just-”

The Purple dinosaur bully cut him off with another laugh.

“You stupidheads! This isn’t about them!” Boss flexed, trying to look tough, and Hero winced.

“Ow, ow! Too tight, Boss!” Boss loosened his grip, continuing without even acknowledging Hero’s quiet “Thanks.”

“How dare you not invite me to play hide-and-seek! I’m the one who showed you all how to play in the first place!”

“That’s not really a good reason to kidnap our friends,” Basil said, and Aubrey joined in.

“Yeah! That’s right! Tell him, Basil!” She kicked frantically, huffing as she did.

Boss hopped in place. As he did, Mr. Plantegg tumbled to the ground with a squeaky whine, and Hero wheezed.

“MR. PLANTEGG!” Aubrey yelled, at the same time that, Kel flashed red, yelling louder.

“HEY! DON’T HURT MY BROTHER!!”

“Kel, I’m… huff, fine! Just… huff winded,” Hero said, before Boss straightened up, hopping again.

“If I can’t play with everyone, then no one can! This is a Boss-Only Zone now,” Boss puffed up. Basil took a step back in a panic. “And you’re NOT INVITED!!”

‘What will Omori and friends do?’

“Uhm, uhm!!!” Basil winced, looking confused and anxious. “I, I don’t fight! O-Omori, what do I do?!”

Kel rushed in front of him, grinning. “Don’t worry, alright Basil? Leave it to us!”

Basil nodded, still looking uneasy.

‘Kel encourages Basil! Basil’s ATTACK rose! Basil’s DEFENSE rose!’

‘Basil hides behind Kel! Kel gets ready to counter!’

Omori stepped forward, slashing at Boss.

‘Omori attacks Boss! Boss takes 19 damage!’

“Hwehwehwe!” The purple dinosaur laughed. “You weakling! You call that an attack!?”

‘Boss kicks out at Kel! Kel takes 7 damage! Kel counters! Boss takes 24 damage!’

Kel threw his ball at Boss’s face, and they backed up, shaking their head.

“C’mon Omori! We’ve got this, remember? Let’s go!”

‘Kel encourages Omori! Omori’s ATTACK rose! Omori’s DEFENSE rose!’

‘Basil hides behind Kel! Kel gets ready to counter!’

‘Omori attacks Boss! IT HIT RIGHT IN THE HEART! Boss takes 30 damage!’

‘Boss kicks out at Kel! Kel takes 8 damage! Kel counters! Boss takes 23 damage!’

“Hey, that kinda hurt! Hmph!” Boss huffed, frowning as he stumbled back again. “This isn’t fun anymore.”

Aubrey yelled as he regained his balance. “Hey, watch where you're aiming, Kel! You nearly hit me!”

“Oops! Sorry Aubrey!” Kel called back, distracted.

‘Basil hides behind Kel! Kel gets ready to counter!’

‘Omori attacks Boss! Boss takes 18 damage!’

“Grr…” Boss growled, tightening his grip again. “Now you’ve made me ANGRY… It’s time for my special move!” He held his arms out and placed Hero and Aubrey on the ground, before rushing forward. “BODY SLAM!!”

Boss leapt into the air and slammed down the trio.

‘Kel took 100 damage! Kel took 100 damage! Kel became TOAST! Basil took 30 damage! Omori took 100 damage!’

‘Omori did not succumb.’

Kel let out a shocked “Gah!” before he became TOAST, and Basil screamed as he was flung backwards from the leftover force. Omori staggered to his feet, heart beating and a distant monitor beeping in his ears.

Watching Omori get back to their feet, Boss gaped. “HUH!? HOW ARE YOU STILL MOVING!?”

‘Omori attacks Boss! Boss takes 22 damage!’

…

He didn’t go down.

Omori’s eyes went wide.

Boss took a step forward, cracking his knuckles. Then, a familiar jump rope grip whacked him in the forehead.

‘Basil attacks Boss! Boss takes 14 damage!’

‘Omori’s party was victorious! Gained 32 EXP! Gained 22 clams!’

Boss slammed face first on the ground, laying there, completely defeated as Hero rushed to Kel’s freshly unTOASTed side and Aubrey rushed over to Basil and Omori.

After a moment, he stood up, huffing and stomping a foot.

“THIS ISN’T FAIR!!” Boss yelled. “REMATCH!! I WANT A REMATCH!!”

Kel huffed, flickering red for a second as he whacked the bully’s knee.

Basil picked up the dropped toy, and held it out to Aubrey. “Are you alright, Aubrey? Hero and you were being swung around pretty hard…” He flushed. “Sorry about that.”

“I’m okay! Don’t worry about me! Right, Hero?” She grinned at him, and the older brother gave a thumbs up and smiled.

“Safe and sound over here.”

Aubrey’s smile faded, and she chewed on her cheek for a moment. “But you guys took a beating! Are you guys okay?”

Kel bounced on his feet. “Oh? Is Aubrey worried about me~?” He teased and she stomped up and down.

“AM NOT! I was asking Basil and Omori!” She yelled. “Not you!”

Hero shook his head, standing back up and ruffling Basil’s hair.

“You three were very impressive back there. Good job!”

Kel latched onto Omori and Basil, pulling them into a loose hug. “Hell yeah, we were!”

“Kelsey! Language” Hero gasped. Kel just laughed.

“If it weren’t for Omori holding on and Basil’s sneak attack, we all would’ve been toast for sure!”

Aubrey hummed, frowning as she turned to look at Boss. “... Would we?”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Kel asked and Aubrey stepped up in front of Boss again.

“Boss didn’t just drop us. He tried not to hurt Hero, too, and didn’t try to use us as, like, meat shields…” Boss turned away, quietly huffing. She hummed to herself again, then turned to the eldest in the party, smiling. “What do you think, Hero?”

Hero pursed his lips, thinking quietly to himself. “... that’s true… but he also hurt the kids… but it might’ve been because they were already fighting… but then again, he TOASTed Kel and hurt them…”

After musing for long enough, Hero shook his head and forced a smile. “I’m not sure I can forgive him. But if he behaves himself, then I guess it doesn’t matter. Whatever you want to do, Aubrey.”

She nodded sagely, then turned back to the humiliated Boss.

“Then, here’s what’s gonna happen!” Aubrey declared, and whacked his other knee with her plushy. Then, she pointed it at his stomach like a knight’s sword. “You’re going to sit here for a while and stay out of trouble! And then, you can help Berly and Van out with whatever they want to do! Does that work for everyone?” She glanced back at the group of spectators.

No one objected, so she nodded and walked back to her friends.

Boss huffed in embarrassment. “That’s not… I… TH-THIS IS A BOSS ONLY ZONE! YOU’RE NOT INVITED!”

He grabbed the tree blanket disguise, and hid behind it without another word.

“Well,” Kel whipped around towards the group again, beaming. “that’s enough fighting for now! Let’s go to my house. Come on! Movie night!”

Hero sighed, and smiled tiredly. “Everyone ready?”

Basil cheered, Aubrey grumbled, and Omori gave a thumbs up. ‘Yes’, definitely. Movie night time.

‘Would you like to have a picnic with your friends?’

After the food was devoured, the five broke into smaller groups to do their own thing.

Basil sat in the grass next to the blanket as he wove together a neat braid of small flowers. Next to him, Kel watched, trying his best to imitate Basil’s practiced motion. When he managed to get a chain as long as his spread hand, he rushed to show the light haired boy, practically vibrating with excitement. In his haste, the poor chain gave way, and Basil laughed pityingly as it fell apart and Kel gaped. He grabbed the flowers back up, turning back around to try again.

On the middle blanket, the older siblings were happily chatting. Hero was snacking on one of Mari’s famous cookies, he’d only just been able to distract the younger kids from before they were gone. Mari spoke animatedly, tilting her head towards him, then towards the rest of the playground, gesturing with her closer hand and occasionally stopping to squeeze Hero’s cheek and make him hide his face in his hands. When he wasn’t too flustered to face her teasing, Hero seemed content to just listen to her with adoration in his eyes, occasionally nodding or humming along.

Omori watched them from his place on the far edge of the blanket. When he’d finished eating, he’d sat down away from the others, and Aubrey had plopped herself down next to him, leaning against his shoulder as she chattered about this and that.

“I still think it’s dumb that Kel got the last laugh with that trick! I mean, come on!” She huffed, waving Mr. Plantegg around as she flickered red. “I bet he knew Hero was gonna say we couldn’t set traps anymore at this picnic, so he wanted to get the last laugh.”

Omori shrugged, and she flopped against his side, leaning her full weight on him.

“At least I can rely on you, huh Omori?” She said more than asked, and giggled at him at his blank expression.

“Oh! I heard Sweetheart made a new season of her show! ‘Sweetheart’s Quest for Hearts’ has been going on /for-ev-er/, hasn’t it? It’s weird!”

He tilted his head, and she nodded, as though she could hear his unsaid question.

“I know! It’s been going on for 57 seasons! I still like watching it, but honestly, it’s a bit boring.” She huffed, then gently leaned against Omori’s shoulder. “... I still wanna see the new one.”

Omori patted her back.

‘The curse of hyperfixations. Poor Aubrey.’

#basilkel swap #omori au #long post #no1sy

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lilacthebooklover · 6 days

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18, 20, 23, 24

holy smokesickes anon, you're really going for the kill, huh? /j

18: Most traumatic experience

hmm,, maybe just the entirety of year 9? i became the laughing stock of not only my class but my entire year, bullying was ramped up to an 11 and my only friends regularly hit me lol. i went into a bit of s slump, didn't talk to anyone. i was lowkey emo for a while (plus i was obsessed with the "help" animatic on youtube skfjdkjf). it was straight out of lockdown and i spent like every day not wanting to be in school even though i like learning. but! i got moved out of my sucky class into one with my friend (the one who did most of the hitting, but hey what can ya do) and after that year everyone matured a lot & people seem to like me now?? perks of being inoffensive and polite ig :]. i still have a few habits from back then, like closing off around people my age and resorting to stilted monotone answers, or feeling a little anxious when people other than my close family brush my hair, but i've gotten a lot better since then! it was less "traumatic" and moreso unpleasant, i have a tendency to overdramatise stuff :"). my life just hasn't been all that traumatising. i have a lovely family, a school piano, and most of my overachieving is solely my fault soooo,,,,,

20: What I hate most about myself

there are a couple of things. i don't like how oversensitive & clingy i can be, or how attention-seeking. i want to help people but sometimes that means i don't know when to back off a little. i wind people up when i'm bored to get a reaction. and i'm absolutely terrible at holding my ground around people my own age. i give people sheets of paper from my notebooks & let them borrow my highlighters, i'm nice to the people who used to make fun of me relentlessly, i'm not good at telling people to back off when i feel uncomfortable, i act like i'm superior just because adults tend to like me. it's not great skdjksjd

23: My relationship with my sibling(s)

i'd say it's really good!! my youngest sister trusts me a lot & i read to her regularly, i don't really get her miraculous gacha craze but she is so incredibly smart & i'm really proud of her. she's sweet when she wants to be and i love her to bits and a lot of the bumps in the road are things she'll grow out of when she's older :). there's also my other younger sister!!! we have spent our entire childhood together, and i wouldn't change a single thing about her. she's hilarious and creative and gifted and i have spent countless hours having fun with her. she can be a little closed-off at times and often considers me an embarrassment, but i love her an insane amount too!! and then there's the lovely jpr!! we've gotten really close over the past few years. she's actually the one who introduced me to ao3 while we were washing plates at a caravan site together! i owe a huge part of my life to her & it's been so awesome over the years having someone to write and chat with :)). we watch kids shows unironically and have a chronic au addiction. ily red <33 can't wait to do that omori cosplay at a theme park together next time u come over and try not to lose my wig on the rollercoasters <333

24: My relationship with my parent(s)

great!!! they both care about & support me a lot. they've always got good advice and want what's best for me. sometimes they can be a bit shouty and angry when in a bad mood & there is a lotttt of pressure on me to do well but it's all good! we have awesome family holidays together & i love them both a lot. my dad can be very silly, he likes star wars and terrible jokes and repetitive dj music and toblerone chocolate. and my mum is realllyyy organised, idk how she manages it! she likes cats and potato rosti and the colour blue and shania twain songs. they're the most hardworking & intelligent people i know <3

#ask game #this feels a tad personal lol #might take it down later :]

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dis--parity · 2 years

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meet the mun!

Name: You can call me Aria!

Star sign: Aquarius sun, Cancer moon, Saggitarius Rising!

Gender: I’m girl

Height: 5 feet, 11 3/4 inches and yes I will be specific about that

Sexual orientation: Pansexual panromantic bay beeeeee

Favorite color: fuckignf purble

Time right now: It’ll have just hit 1 PM when I put those, and then I’m gonna take a nap bc I’m sleeby unu

Current location: TERF Island hellscape England, in a lovely city called Liverpool

Average hours of sleep: ahahahahahahahahahah... uhhh it depends on the day. i normally stay up late and sleep in if i don’t have anything to do the next morning but my work sometimes demands i get up early and i usually chug along on about 6 or 8 hours of sleep in either case

Number of blankets I sleep under: Just one! I haven’t really experimented with more than one but I get hot really easily under a fluffy blanket sooo

Favorite fictional characters: Hmm... at the moment, not counting my own characters or other peoples’ OCs, my top three right now, in no particular order, are Sado from The Hex, Mari from OMORI, and of course my all-time fave, Drizzt Do’urden from R.A. Salvatore’s books

Favorite book: I don’t really read too much any more,,, and I’ve already mentioned my love for R.A. Salvatore’s books so that’s cheating. I’ve been really into this book I bought called To My Trans Sisters, which is a collection of letters to trans women from trans women that’s been really uplifting

Favorite artists/bands: khai dreams, Mother Mother, Muse, Bleachers... call me basic lmao

What I’m wearing: wouldn’t you like to know ;) ... nah at the time of writing this I’m just wearing my PJs

When did you create your blog?: This blog? Uhh... I think it was around the middle / beginning of 2020? My first ever blog was all the way back in 2016 though!

Do you have any other blogs?: Only my incorrect quotes blog and my nsfw sideblog!

What made you decide to get a Tumblr?: I couldn’t tell you. I can tell you all about the story about how the FN.aF fandom got me into the RP scene but I’m not sure what prompted me to move to tumblr since it was so, so long ago. I guess I decided to just do it! Made some friends along the way, most of which are gone now, but... hey ho, I’m here now.

Do you get asks on a daily basis?: Somewhat? I tend to reach out to a lotta people and reblog a fair amount of memes, I just don’t get too much unprompted stuff which sucks. It’s always a pleasant surprise when someone is invested enough in my muses to send little questions, and I really wish it happened more! Now, as for actually answering those asks...... uh, this question is over--!

Why did you choose your URL?: It’s kinda the theme of my story and the muses, at least it was back when it was just Alex, Yeong-Hui and Garis, but it still kinda fits. The whole idea is that their story and experiences are reflective of the way people from totally different backgrounds and with totally different life experiences can find unexpected solace in the little common ground they have with one another, and conversely how people who go through the exact same situations can turn out so, so differently. The prime cases of this are of course with Alex & Garis with what they each went through and how their relationship blossomed, but not it’s extended even further with Theo’s backstory situation, and Souji being a bit of an outlier to the entire thing yet still being everyone’s friend, more or less! That, and I really can’t think of a better URL. I’m not going back to something like hearts-of-coal, but spectrumbound was pretty good... ah, well.

TAGGED BY: @arslivitia THANK U LIVI I CARE YOU MWAH MWAH

TAGGING: uhhhhh i don’t wanna clog up anyone’s notifications so if you wanna do this then go ahead!

#[The Voice From Beyond] OOC #About Aria;;#{ you may perceive me this time }

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pseudofaux · 6 years

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Real (6)

CONFESSION TIME :D :D :D

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Autumn, Omori

After all the dishes had been carried out and back in from the feast, Tsumekusa cleaned the kitchen with the cook (who was named Junshi), and Matsuko. Her time with them had shown her that servants were treated well in Omori, and they were very fond of their Lord. Junshi had served Lord Shigezane’s branch of the Date for most of his life, and he shared stories of what things had been like in Omori during that time. It sounded like Lord Masamune had always been quiet, but he liked climbing trees and playing outdoor games as a child and had always been gentle with animals and nature. Tsumekusa smiled to think of it, how some things changed and some things did not.

It sounded like Lord Shigezane had never been without the gregarious nature she knew. Junshi’s stories made her smile all over again. Her cheeks were tired but she was so comfortable and happy she barely noticed.

With three sets of hands, kitchen cleanup was quick work. Tsumekusa’s new friends invited her to stay and enjoy the warmth of the kitchen and a drink, and tell them some of her own stories.

So she told them about her family and the restaurant, and how Lord Masamune encouraged her to write and receive letters so she could remain connected to them. About Umeko’s steadfast friendliness, and how the cooking styles differed in the north from in Kyoto. When she hinted delicately at the state of Lord Kojuro’s study at the castle, Junshi and Matsuko both howled with laughter.

“Having a party, hmm?” asked a familiar voice from the door, amused.

Tsumekusa bolted up from her seat. Junshi and Matsuko did not.

“Lord Shigezane,” she said, bowing. He looked at her like she was a bit silly, and the coziness of the kitchen shifted to something uncomfortably quiet.

“Having a bit of a party,” Junshi volunteered after a beat.

Lord Shigezane smiled. “Well, that’s always good,” he said. And then he turned to her and asked “Ready for bed, Tsumamekusa?”

The rapid tumble of emotions caused by his attention no longer made her dizzy, but it still confused her. Embarrassment at the intimate implications he didn’t mean. The fondness that he would show her to her room himself. Worry he was shirking duty to do so. Her own desire to disregard all of it.

And all that as she was moving to him, eager as a child to see his smile and try to return to their special time in the castle from this afternoon.

“Your room is a nice one,” he promised cheerily, “but unfortunately that means it’s on the other side of Omori.”

She just managed to stifle her groan. This had been a marvelous day, but she was weary at the end of it and very ready to go to sleep.

“Hey!” Junshi said, making a shooing gesture. “Out of my kitchen. I don’t like your implication.”

Lord Shigezane laughed, and Junshi smiled.

“Forgive me. Finest kitchen. Finest cooks! Not the finest place to sleep.”

“Speak for yourself,” Junshi shot back, wiggling comfortably on the bench he was sitting on.

Unsure how long their friendly banter would go on, Tsumekusa walked to the door. She hid a yawn behind her hand.

“I’m off, my very fine cook,” Shigezane waved. Junshi snorted.

Lord Shigezane pointed the way they should walk, and because his sense of decorum was unlike any other lord’s, he walked beside her.

Nighttime in Omori was crisp outside the kitchen. It was chilly and clear, and there was a swath of haziness in the sky Tsumekusa didn’t think was a cloud. The scent of the surrounding trees gave every breath a clarity she had rarely experienced. She took in a deep breath through her nose and allowed herself to revel in the cool, pine-perfumed air.

“It smells really nice here,” she told him.

He agreed.

“Do you miss it when you’re in Yonezawa?” she asked.

“Here’s your room!” he said, sounding overbright. His eyes were closed over his big smile, and his hand was touching the back of his neck. He looked nervous. Maybe he was tired, too?

“Thank you, Lord Shigezane,” she said quietly. She slid open the door.

But she did not move to enter the room.

“Everything look alright?” he asked.

“Umm… yes,” she said slowly.

“Alright, then. Everyone else has probably turned in for the night. See you in the morning?”

She tore her eyes away from the room.

“Ah… yes. Lord Shigezane, are you sure this is where I’m supposed to be staying?”

He frowned and leaned in to look over her and into the room. She smelled more pine, smelled salt, felt more warm—felt so much more warm—and more nervous and more relieved. There was the dizziness, back again. As tired as she was she whimpered at the rush of him flooding her senses. The tiny sound came out through her nose.

He looked down at her without moving away. “Yeah. This is your room, Tsumekusa,” he said, so very, very softly.

He didn’t move. She felt a wave of goosebumps rise on her skin, another following it. Her skin was a shore and on the other side of it was a great sea she did not understand.

She couldn’t order her thoughts with his body that close to hers, with his eyes on hers looking so soft.

Suddenly, he said loudly, “So, goodnight!” and he stepped away. She felt… something. She was too tired to quite know.

“Thank you,” she told him again. She was nearly swaying with fatigue, and before she could think better of it, she had offered a sleepy “Goodnight. Sweet dreams.”

His face relaxed.

“Sweet dreams,” he murmured.

She went inside her room, her tired and overstimulated body protesting another moment in the presence of anything but a futon.

Bereft, she realized, as she dressed for sleep. What she had felt when he stepped away was bereft. The feeling was still there in the back of her mind, even as she slid into the most exquisitely plush bedding she had ever touched. It suited the room.

Before sleep claimed her, and it could only have been a moment or so, she told herself to be careful. Then she remembered the fun of being shown the castle shortcuts that afternoon, and she gave herself over to sweet, incautious dreams. But mostly to the sleep her body desperately needed.

Almost everyone in the castle ate breakfast in the hall the next morning. Lord Masamune made minimal but polite conversation when they saw one another there. Lord Kojuro responded when she greeted him but said nothing else and excused himself as soon as he had finished eating.

To fill the silence left in Lord Kojuro's sudden absence, she asked “Lord Masamune, where are the members of Lord Shigezane’s family?”

Lord Masamune looked thoughtful.

“We are each other’s family,” he said quietly. It made her smile until he followed it with “His parents are…”

“Oh,” she said.

He nodded.

“But his—”

“I need to… go,” Lord Masamune said, interrupting her and shuffling back from his breakfast.

“Of course. I will bring you your lunch, milord.”

He nodded and gave her the expression she knew meant he was trying to smile but having a hard time with it. She gave him an easy smile in return.

When breakfast was finished, she visited the castle town with Matsuko for ingredients. The rest of her day was quiet, and she was even allowed time to nap in the afternoon. She knew she should take it and get back to that glorious futon but she chose to cut into that time by looking at the dense woods surrounding the castle until she had her fill of the sight.

That night, her last night in Omori, Lord Shigezane came to the kitchens again. She wanted to get her fill of the sight of him, too, so she said a quick goodnight to Junshi and left the kitchen with the lord of the castle.

Lord Shigezane had smiled when he greeted her, but he was quiet now, and walking slowly.

“Are you tired?” Tsumekusa asked.

“Hmm? A little, maybe,” he said. He sounded distracted.

“What did you do today?” she asked softly.

“Meetings. Out with Masamune and Kojuro after lunch. Had yummy food,” he said, pepping up a little and shooting her a grin.

“I went into town this morning. The people there really like you,” she smiled.

He did, too. She caught another tiny smile pulling at his mouth.

After a moment, she offered “I can see why you would want to stay here,” into their companionable silence.

“Why’s that?”

“It smells really nice,” she repeated last night’s thought, smiling around a deep breath.

He smiled back, full and real. Her heart thumped.

“Omori is a beautiful castle and I’m sure you and your family are happy here,” she said, words coming from her spine, from her good sense.

“…family?”

She blushed, but stopped walking to turn to him. “Family…?”

He laughed. It was not his usual joyful laugh, and the bitter sound hurt to hear. She tucked her head down to try to hide her deepening blush at the mistake and started walking again.

“I thought you were staying here because you had a baby,” she said. Everything felt very uncertain all of a sudden.

At that, or possibly at her expression, he guffawed. “NO, doll. No babies. Not, um… No. I’m kind of the baby, I guess. Haven’t found the right person yet.”

“…You’re not even married?”

“Don’t you think you’d know if I was? Masamune keeps me kinda busy, y’know?”

Look ahead, look down, do not look at his face

“I just expected that you were, that’s all.” No. “You’re a noble. And you’re so… friendly,” she said lamely. Stop. “I’ve never met anyone as friendly as you are.” Wanting to make sure he understood she wasn’t judging him, she looked up to meet his eyes.

To see precisely why she shouldn't have.

Shigezane was looking right at her face, his own a study of incredulity and hurt.

“You really thought I was married.” His voice was flatter than she had ever heard it.

“I… I did. Now I know that was wrong, and I’m sorry. It wouldn’t be a bad thing to be married, and it’s not to not be married! I’m just surprised, is all! I really thought you were, and that was part of why we were coming to you, instead of you… coming to Yonezawa… Because… you haven’t, in a while…” Her words tapered off into silence as she saw his face become increasingly miserable.

“Lord Shigezane, I’m sorry. I can see my mistake upsets you and I’m sorry, I don’t ever want to upset you—”

Tsumekusa dared to take a step toward him, but he held out a hand to halt her. She blinked at his stiff fingers, feeling horrified. They had only been close a few times, but she could not remember him ever indicating he wanted her away from him. It felt like frost was settling on everything inside her.

“No,” he muttered, pressing fingers to his forehead. “You wouldn’t ever want to do it.”

“I wouldn’t,” she insisted softly. “I’m sorry.”

He just sighed. Shook his head. He scratched behind one of his ears.

“Tsumekusa. I know that your name is Tsumekusa.”

She smiled a little. Yes, she had known that, despite his silliness making it seem otherwise. He always knew it and used it when her name really counted.

“I have always known that your name is Tsumekusa. Every time I’ve called you something else I’ve been trying to get you to correct me, yell at me, talk to me, anything. I’m desperate for your attention, doll.”

She blinked at him, not quite daring to hope. “But aren’t you the same way with everyone?”

“No!” his howl was so sad and immediate it hurt her heart.

“I’m sorry,” she said, voice trembling. She reached for him again despite his earlier rejection. But he flinched from her hand and she let it fall, feeling like there was no ground beneath her feet. She had been so careful and things were all wrong anyway.

“I’m sorry. I thought that you were kind like this,” she gestured between them, “to everybody. That you flirted with everybody. I didn’t think that there was anything different about…” she touched her chest and splayed her hands in front of herself. She couldn’t even say it. That little something hopeful and stupid was blooming in her heart and she wanted to shut it up but she had to make him understand first, so that he wasn’t so unhappy.

“You’re different,” he said as he looked up to the heavens, sounding so exhausted she did start to cry.

“Lord Shigezane, please don’t make me watch you suffer without letting me do something,” she begged, taking a small step closer to him. “Please look at me.”

He sighed, shrugged. But he didn’t move when her hand went for his again, and he did look down at her. When he met her eyes she saw surprise dawn on his face, and then further misery. His own fingers brushed her cheek, cutting off the track of a tear.

“Please no tears. I don’t want to make you unhappy. That is the last thing I want.”

“Then you know how I feel! I’m only unhappy because it feels like we aren’t understanding one another!” she cried.

He sighed again and gathered her in his arms, brought her against his chest. This was not what she had in mind when she had asked Shigezane to let her comfort him. But… she was going to take this for herself. Just a minute of it, she told herself. One minute. Count. One minute.

Tsumekusa turned her face so her cheek and her fingers pressed against his body and tried to calm herself down. How had this gotten so terribly mixed up? The smell of him, those salt and pine scents from yesterday and, this close, the warmth of rice and the sweetness of dried grass, was even better than the forest air. She drew in a greedy breath through her nose, trying to get more of it and trying to calm down.

He misinterpreted what she was doing.

“Hey. Shh. I said no tears,” he said quietly, rubbing a circle behind her shoulders. “Can I just hold you for a minute?” he asked into her hair. His other large, strong hand held her head to his chest. Pressed like this, she could hear and feel the low thump of his heartbeat against her cheek. She nodded. The pressure on her head increased slightly.

He was murmuring something, his voice so low she could not parse the words. Tsumekusa brought her face up, brushing his chin with her nose. Think about all of it later. Live this now. There isn’t much time. “What?” she asked.

“Saying I dream about this. Not like this,” she could feel his shoulders moving and imagined him pantomiming an exaggerated crying face. “But this.” He squeezed her.

This…us?” She was trying to keep her voice quiet and steady, make him stay, keep them both safe.

“Yeah,” he said. When she heard his voice, faraway and sad, her heart hurt anew. She would give anything to make him smile again, be happy enough to smile again. She decided the risk of being bold was worth that effort.

“Shigezane,” she said, leaning forward and fitting her chin on his shoulder. Omitting the “Lord” made her feel like she was in some precarious place, but this whole conversation did that, so… she decided to try. She resisted the urge to press her cheek to his ear and instead tried to keep her voice calm and her face ahead. She breathed and wet her lips with her tongue. “I want this,” she dared, squeezing the fabric of his kimono in her hands. Deep breath. Deep, deep breath. “I—want to be with you.” There. Her declaration was out. He went very, very still.

After a moment of stillness and its accompanying silence, she warily leaned back to glance at his face.

He was staring at her, mouth agape, eyes wide as she had ever seen them.

“…Really?” he asked, voice higher than normal. He sounded so hopeful. He cleared his throat and repeated himself. Now he was a pitch lower. Could he not sort himself out, either? That made two of them.

Except about this part.

“Yes,” she said on a laughing cry of relief, and buried her face into his shoulder. “Really.”

“Me,” he said, more thoughtful than questioning.

“You!” She insisted into the cloth covering his shoulder, feeling that both of them were very silly. The pace of all these emotions was dizzying yet again. Maybe it was just him. At least this was a happier kind of dizziness.

“Please don’t laugh,” he said, hands on her shoulders moving her back, then going to her cheeks and bringing her forehead to his. He sounded like he might cry himself. This would not do at all.

“Shigezane,” she said softly, trying to catch his eyes with hers as she was catching his own cheeks to cup in her palms. “I laugh because the idea of it being anyone but you is laughable. I only... you are the only one, like this. No one el—mmph!”

That was the right way to put it, then, she mused, closing her eyes and smiling and settling into Shigezane’s kiss, as insistent and as sweet as a kiss could be. He was pushing his entire body against hers, an arm going around her back and one hand staying to cradle the side of her face. He might have been shivering; the thump of her heart when he kissed her made it hard to tell. Had he been as worried as all this? Perhaps she would need to belabor the point in the future. She would worry about that when his fingers were not beginning to thread through her hair and his tongue was not so, so gently sweeping into her mouth, putting salt and sweetness—the taiyaki from dessert!—and the thrill of lust on her tongue.

He was cherishing her with every touch, she could feel it. She really did want to be this close to him always. After the frenzy of the last few minutes it was soothing just to be this near to him. Shigezane’s body was solid and strong, and she believed he would yield for her instantly if she asked it of him. His touch was gentle but reflected an enthusiastic desire for her. He made her feel special. Warm. Real. Home.

She wanted to make him feel the same things.

“Tsumekusa,” he murmured against her lips, and then he smiled, and then he laughed. He was so much himself again that rightness slid across her heart. “I love you,” He continued. “Not like anyone else.”

Her eyelids fluttered down, and from deep inside her body feelings of safety and desire swooped up and around like kites.

“I’m so glad,” she breathed against his mouth. And she was. She didn’t even care about what that would mean in the future. So she kissed him.

Moments later they sat close together, looking up at the sky, sharing his haori. The warmth of his body and their shared happiness made her feel cozy, even in the chill. His arm was around her, holding one of her hands against her chest with their fingers laced.

“Don’t go back tomorrow,” He said. “Please.”

“I think I have to,” she replied softly, letting the regret she was feeling come out in her words. “I have to go back to Yonezawa, and Lord Masamune will need food on the way.”

“What if he stayed, too?”

“Well then… I suppose I wouldn’t have to go back tomorrow.” A silly grin was splitting her face. He was so sweet to even want this to last.

“Good,” he huffed, and squeezed her. “That’s settled.”

“I’m not sure it is,” she laughed. “But I hope it is,” she added quietly, and pressed a kiss to his hand. And because this time was magic and she wasn’t thinking of what might or might not be, but she no longer had to not think of how she loved him, she leaned to kiss his jaw, too.

WELL. There's that. NOW what are these two going to do?

#samurai love ballad party #date shigezane #slbp fanfic

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pseudofaux · 6 years

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Real (4)

Setting up a change of setting...

1 | 2 | 3

Autumn, Yonezawa

It had been awhile since Lord Shigezane’s last visit to Yonezawa. Tsumekusa knew that he had his own castle, but Lord Masamune had been right: his cousin was here with them often. Often enough that it seemed quiet without him. Not unhappy, but less cheerful. Maybe a little dull. She wanted him to come back.

Oh, dear.

She was not sure how, precisely, she wanted to see him, and every time she caught herself thinking about it she summoned that image of Lord Kojuro’s face to berate herself. But she couldn’t condition herself out of missing Lord Shigezane’s lively silliness, and… and his compliments on her food, and even whatever game it was he was playing with her name.

What was he doing that he had gone so long without a visit? She did not know of any campaigns, and the rainy season had ended, thankfully, so his travel should not have been halted. Was he sick? Was there a baby in Omori? Fathers didn’t usually have the opportunity or inclination to stay long to enjoy their new children, but perhaps for a lord it was different. And who could resist a chubby-cheeked ever-smiling baby with gold-brown-gray eyes who made everyone around him happier, or perhaps a surprisingly serious little girl, with her father’s face…

“Tsumekki?” An older maid, Miwako, was trying to get her attention.

“I’m sorry! I was daydreaming,” she confessed with a smile. “Yes, Miwako?”

“Lord Masamune is asking for you,” the maid said. “He’s in Lord Kojuro’s rooms.”

That was very out of the ordinary. Hmm.

“Do they want tea?” she asked, reaching for supplies.

“No,” said Miwako, looking perplexed. “He asked that you come straightaway.”

“I’ll go now, then. Thank you, Miwako.”

“Good afternoon, Tsumekusa-san,” Lord Kojuro greeted her, his manners faultless as always.

“Milords,” she said as she tilted her head down, trying to match his formality. “How may I serve you?”

There was a long silence, and then Lord Masamune spoke.

“We will be traveling to Omori for a few nights,” he said, quietly.

She waited for more, trying to calm the sudden spike of her pulse. There probably was a baby! They could be going for a feast! And they were probably telling her this because they wanted her to go, too, right? She was a good cook. Even Lord Masamune liked her food.

She tried, tried, tried not to fidget, or to press Lord Masamune with her eyes. That made him nervous.

The men exchanged one of their looks. Lord Kojuro cleared his throat.

“I would like you to go with us,” Lord Masamune said, the admission sounding guilty. Had he just been prompted? “Shigezane’s househould is in good order, but I need to be able to… trust to eat.”

“Of course, milord,” she answered with a smile. Not too big, that made him nervous, too. A small, happy smile. “It is always an honor to prepare food for you. Should I pack ingredients from our kitchen?”

Lord Kojuro beamed and she felt herself relax a little further. He could be stern, but he was a nice man. He liked it when people tried their best for Lord Masamune, certainly. And she saw his angry face so often in her own head lately that it was good to be reminded he didn’t always look severe.

The men exchanged another look. She was used to this now, and waited patiently. She allowed herself to wonder how long it had taken them to develop this ability to communicate without speaking. It was really something.

“…Yes,” Lord Masamune said finally. “Enough for the meals of three days. A group of four of us will travel together. That number includes yourself. We’ll eat lunch here tomorrow and then depart.”

She nodded. “Is there anything in particular you would like me to prepare?”

Lord Kojuro flashed her a small, kind smile. Directly, this time.

“No,” Lord Masamune answered quietly. “Whatever you make will be fine.”

“Thank you, milord,” she said, with a small smile of her own. Now that she was almost a year into service here, she could read him well enough to know that this permission and reasoning were given because he meant his answer, not because he could not be bothered.

“Is there anything else I can do?”

“No, Tsumekusa-san. Thank you.” That was Lord Kojuro, who she now realized had not spoken since he greeted her. She could not remember the last time Lord Masamune had done most of the talking when Lord Kojuro was also present. She knew he was kind, and had made an effort to be less rigid after her first month here. He always thanked her politely for his meals. Maybe he was getting more comfortable around her? She would like that.

She bowed to both of them and excused herself.

Omori!

Their journey was easy. She was very grateful to already have been taught how to share a horse. It would not have been as easy a trip if she had been new to the activity. Lord Masamune rode alone, of course, cutting a noble profile despite his simple wardrobe. When she asked Lord Kojuro, as politely as she could manage, if she would have the honor of riding with him, he made a curious sound and immediately directed her to the other retainer who was traveling with them. That was odd. But the weather was pleasant, the hakama she was wearing allowed her to sit comfortably, and the retainer she shared the horse with was respectful.

The party traveled faster than she thought they would.

When they arrived, there were two men stationed at the gate of Omori. She recognized the face of the larger one.

“Hello,” she mouthed to Shiromi with a wave. He inclined his head just enough for her to be sure he’d done it.

Lord Kojuro told the men who they were, and the men moved aside and they walked through the castle gate. She clutched her bag of ingredients and tried to keep close to the Lords she knew. After the deep forest that had surrounded her all morning, the clear space of the courtyard seemed enormous. As she thanked the taciturn retainer who had brought her here on his horse, someone touched her elbow.

“Hello there, are you the cook? I can take you to the kitchens,” offered a woman.

Tsumekusa looked to Lord Masamune. He nodded. So she went.

The woman was a maid, and her name was Matsuko, and she was very kind. A basin of water had been prepared for Tsumekusa to use to wash her face and hands before entering the kitchen proper. The cook of Omori was a jovial man who had been told to expect her, and he had prepared generous space for her to work. He told her she could keep her ingredients in her room and buy more in the castle town whenever she liked, but she would need to leave her knives in his care.

Matsuko, still in the kitchen, let them know that Lords Masamune, Shigezane, and Kojuro would probably be ready for refreshments soon. When Tsumekusa looked back to the cook, he nodded indulgently. Then he patiently showed her the location of everything she needed as she worked to ready a tray. She was used to carrying her work to Lord Masamune herself. She didn’t want a maid to be overwhelmed by something too heavy, but wanted to provide the lords with choices.

Surveying the final spread on the tray, she nodded and lifted it by the handles, ready to give it to another castle servant. Matsuko was waiting with a tray of drinks, and smiled at Tsumekusa as she asked, “Ready?”

“I get to take it?” she asked

“Isn’t that what you usually do?” The cook sounded amused.

“Yes,” she told him with a laugh. “But I’m not sure where to go…”

Now Matsuko laughed. “You’d better follow me, then,” she teased.

They chatted amiably on the way, every corner they turned revealing more of the beautiful castle. The air here smelled like forest and fresh water. It was a lovely place.

And then Tsumekusa heard voices she knew, and Omori suddenly seemed even lovelier.

Matsuko grinned. “Do you like the lords you serve?” she asked.

Tsumekusa nodded enthusiastically. “They’re very good men,” she said carefully. “Lord Masamune is strong and noble, and he…” she puzzled over how to put it respectfully. “He is always concerned with the well-being of the clan. I am proud to serve him. Lord Kojuro is always concerned with the well-being of Lord Masamune, but he is the most capable person I have ever met.”

Matsuko’s smile widened. “Lord Shigezane is the same! Strong, kind, good. He is very loved, and he has earned it.”

Tsumekusa thought that was the perfect time to ask about his family and possible reasons for their visit, but Matsuko stopped walking beside a door. The voices she’d recognized were coming from behind it. Kojuro sighed dramatically just as Matsuko set her tray down to kneel and announce them.

A laugh came from the other side of the door. It was warm and friendly and it set her heart at ease just before setting a thousand birds into flight in her stomach and under her skin.

What VERY CURIOUS BEHAVIOR we seem to have here. Whatever could Kojuro be up to? Does the cook in Omori ship it?!

#samurai love ballad party #date shigezane #slbp fanfic

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