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goldenkamuyhunting · 3 years

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Ramblings and crazy theory time about GK chap 272 “Ipopte”

New chapter and I didn’t think I would feel so bad for what happens here but I do so sorry if I won’t deliver everything well but this chapter... it was really painful.

The sentence is a reference to Giovanni Falcone’s quote “Gli uomini passano, le idee restano. Restano le loro tensioni morali e continueranno a camminare sulle gambe di altri uomini.” (“Men pass, ideas remain. Their moral tensions live on and will continue walking on other men's legs.”).

Kiro, Boutarou and Ariko’s deaths weren’t useless, they sacrificed themselves to protect other lives. The shame is on those who killed them, not on them.

Anyway...

We start with a colour chapter that basically sums up Sugimoto and Asirpa’s first meeting as it’s the scene in which Asirpa helped Sugimoto to get up after they killed the bear.

In a way it tells us that things are coming to full circle.

We’ve started this way, now we’re really close to see how we’ll end.

The worst part is maybe to see how cute this image that started the chapter is, now that I know how tragic the chapter itself is. And the story might be going on the same track. Everything started so nice and optimistic… and now…

Anyway we begin with a flashback, the flashback of how, during the battle of Mukden, Kikuta and Ariko’s trench was bombed and they had to spend the whole night there before being found, talking each other to make sure they were alive, only a sliver of moon visible (chap 207).

For Kikuta that moment was a really important moment of bonding with Ariko, but we weren’t explained why. Now we’re about to be told about it.

We start the scene with Kikuta checking if Ariko is still alive, which Ariko confirms. They had bandaged their wounds and, apparently can’t move. Kikuta tells Ariko to talk so they’ll know they’re alive. Everything is fine. Trapped there, seriously wounded and forgotten or assumed death, in almost complete darkness with only a tiny sliver of moon visible… their situation is clearly scary.

Kikuta, the officer, realizes they need to talk. To tell each other they’re alive, to distract themselves, to comfort themselves by reminding each other they aren’t alone.

And, since he’s an officer, he asks Ariko to talk because that’s the best way he has to make sure the latter is alive and properly distracted. He’s willing to listen him whatever Ariko wants to say, even if he points out something upbeat would be nice (superior officers normally didn’t listen to soldiers talking about what they wanted).

Ariko says once back home he would like to practice making a Makiri. Kikuta knows what a Makiri is, an Ainu knife. He probably learnt it when they met Ariko’s father, Siromakur, who told them he was making a Makiri for his son.

Ariko explains for Ainu they’re important because girls will accept them as husband according to the craftsmanship of the one they give to them as a present. Kikuta thinks this is because Ariko is afraid to be turned down by a girl he likes.

Ariko explains that’s not the case, the Makiri will be for himself.

He explains some parents might teach in details how to make Makiri to their sons, but his own father thought Ariko could learn doing one just by watching him doing one. Ariko though admits he wasn’t interested in watching him.

The way this scene is structured is good. There are three panels. In one there’s Ariko, in the other there’s Kikuta, in the middle there’s Siromakur.

Unknown to Ariko both of them are thinking to Siromakur as he carved the Makiri. Noda places them in symmetrical position but Ariko’s eyes are looking away from the central panel, as if unable to look at his father as he admits he wasn’t interested in what he was trying to teach him. Kikuta instead seems to look straight at him, straight at the guilt he feels for that man’s death.

Ariko goes on explaining at that time he basically didn’t see any difference between Wajin and Ainu. He would fight who were to make fun of him even if he were an Ainu and he would help who were to need him even if he were a Wajin.

Ariko believed worrying about the Ainu's future is a burden, something he doesn’t care about. Basically he’s saying to him they’re all humans, there’s no Ainu and Wajin, but also that he believes he has no special ties with his traditions and culture and he’s not interested in carrying them in the future.

He probably would prefer to be just a ‘nihon-jin’ a Japanese, without divisions between Ainu and Wajin.

It would be beautiful if everyone could be just like Ariko, if we could respect each other without having to defend our identity and without seeing it being trampled upon or misrepresented, or appropriated, or condemned.

The world though, is not so nice, and sometimes you’ve to fight just for the right to... exist.

Yeah, the world is actually a terrible place.

Ariko doesn’t wish for a conflict between Wajin and Ainu… but the conflict exists and he can’t sit out or turn his eyes away from it… which doesn’t mean to take an extremist position, but just being aware and take a stance.

Still, maybe because when he talks with Kikuta he is a little older than how he looks in the flashback when he watches at his Ainu clothes and thinks the Ainu business is a pain, he is starting to understand the importance of his own tradition, of his own culture, of how sad it would be if it were to go completely lost.

Each culture is precious, when it gets erased is a loss for the whole humanity. We know this now, we clumsily try to protect them, but GK takes place in the past and few had this awareness.

Ariko still manages to realize how his father’s Makiri had a design passed down for generation. It’s a design that ties him to the past generations, to the history of his family. It’s part of his history but, in more simpler terms, it’s also part of what ties Ariko to his father. A line that travel from Ariko to the past of his ancestors, or from them to Ariko as Ariko believes his father wanted to pass it down to him as well... in the hope Ariko would pass it down too, tying past and future together.

Ariko’s father has probably realized Ariko at the time had little interest in Makiri making… but that the interest might come in the future. Siromakur accepts Ariko is young and wants to fit in the world he’s in, instead than just being concerned with the Ainu problems, but he seems to think by growing up Ariko might also grow to understand the importance of his past, of their past and traditions.

That’s why he was making for him a Makiri when Ariko became a soldier, because even if Ariko at the moment had no wish to learn how to make a Makiri, as long as he had a Makiri with himself, he would be always able to duplicate it should he wish to do so.

And, although I think he handled the whole gold thing very poorly, a side of me loves Siromakur as a father.

He accepts and respects his son’s wishes but, at the same time considers Ariko might grow to change his mind and doesn’t want for it to happen when it’s too late.

Ariko doesn’t want to learn to carve a knife now?

Fine, he’ll give him the means to learn to carve one when he will feel ready to do so. I think he genuinely wanted Ariko to learn. I think although he too didn’t want a conflict with the Wajin, he loved his culture and wanted to pass it down to Ariko… but still, he respected Ariko’s will and gave him space.

However Ariko admits his father didn’t make in time to end the Makiri but died while carving it. Siromakur was hoping Ariko would have time to learn through the Makiri he would make for him… but fate is a cruel master and died before finishing the knife.

His Makiri went missing too, so Ariko can’t replicate it and regrets it, regrets what he now has lost and can’t recover. With tears in his eyes he admits he should have watched his father more closely and it’s clear it’s not just about the Makiri that he won’t be able to duplicate.

That Makiri, the memories of him watching his father making one and teaching him, could have been something to whom he could latch now that his father wasn’t alive anymore. Ariko though wasted that time and now his father is dead and he’s left with nothing in his hands.

And his wish to learn to make a Makiri is an attempt to recover what he has lost, to reconnect with his father now that his father is no more. In chap 247 Ariko reminds him as a gentle man who never spoke much.

He can’t believe he was planning to buy weapons and he’s right. Siromakur wasn’t. He wanted to mediate. Maybe the fact Siromakur was silent made Ariko feel like his father was distant… but the fact he was gentle clearly told Ariko he cared.

And so we see this grown man crying because he lost his father… and his pain is real and easy to empathize.

As Kikuta doesn’t comment, Ariko asks him if he’s alive. Kikuta confirms he is and apologizes. Ariko reminds him to make a response once in a while if he’s alive. In answer Kikuta rests his hands on Ariko’s shoulder and apologizes.

He’s clearly not apologizing for having fallen silent but for having been what caused Ariko’s loss. Kikuta regretted Siromakur’s death and now he regrets it even more as he knows he’s responsible for Ariko’s pain. In a way I think Kikuta subconsciously grew so close to Ariko also due to this, it’s as if he wanted to ‘adopt him’ to make up for the loss he has caused him.

We’re back in the present and we’ve another page with a good panel structure.

On the top we see Kikuta, head down, likely still bothered by the situation. I’m pretty sure he can guess what Tsurumi is doing to Asirpa and he’s not liking it… but he’s not fighting it either. He regrets but doesn’t act because it wouldn’t be advantageous to him. Kikuta plays safe.

On the lower part of the page there’s Ariko, Ariko who instead is going to act, to fight. He’s more aware of his position now and he’s going to take a side, to take a risk. Now he’s letting the whole matter affect it. He has grown up and he’s aware he lives in a terrible world and he’s going to take a position and try to fight for the right cause… even if it might be disadvantageous to him. Ariko is going to take a risk.

In the middle the church where everything is taking place.

Ariko gets in the room as Tsurumi, who has heard the code from Asirpa, grabs the skins, tosses them on the ground and scans them quickly, trying to decode the code with Asirpa’s keyword.

Ariko approaches, his arrival surprising Tsukishima who’s still spying the scene.

Ariko claims he’s there to tell him the location of Hijikata’s hideout so they can attack it. Asirpa is surprised but Ariko is actually using that as an excuse to cut Asirpa’s rope with his Makiri. I wonder if that Makiri is the one who stayed unfinished or his father’s one.

Tsurumi easily sees through him and doesn’t even bother move.

Ariko crumbles, clearly afraid, he’s a honest person and a fail as an actor, points his gun at Tsurumi and demands for him to give them the tattooed skin. As Tsukishima takes his rifle, Asirpa finishes freeing herself.

Tsukishima and Koito comes in, weapons in hands, Tsukishima wounding Ariko. Asirpa frees Sofia even if Ariko hurries her to escape.

Sugimoto and Shiraishi, hearing the shoots, run toward the church with the bottle-mobile, Kikuta also runs there while Sofia grabs a bench and tosses it in Ariko and Tsukishima’s direction, causing the door to close. The bench then falls on Tsurumi but he’s so caught up he doesn’t care.

Sofia, Asirpa and Ariko runs out. Sugimoto doesn’t even stop but the trio tries to jump on the bottle-mobile as it’s running. Ariko raises Asirpa so that Shiraishi can help her to climb up, Sofia gets in Ariko… Ariko is shoot in the leg and falls.

Tsukishima and Koito are out. The bullet was clearly shoot by Tsukishima, I’m not sure if Koito also has shoot. Ariko shoots back but gets no one. Asirpa calls him but Ariko urges them to go without stopping. He knows he’s giving his life to help her, he knows he’s entrusting their future to her.

He has no hesitation as he tells her to go.

The bottle-mobile passes in front of Kikuta. Sugimoto and Kikuta see each other and confirm they’re really the vagrant boy and Kikuta-san.

As Sugimoto realizes so, his eyes seem bigger and they’re really clear and shiny. I wonder if the idea is that seeing Kikuta brings him back to a time in which he was younger and less jaded.

Kikuta then sees Ariko on the ground and moves toward him, asking him what’s going on.

Ariko is still on the ground and says his name as he sees him moving closer. Ariko knows Kikuta cares about him, he knows Kikuta wanted to save him. They had a bond in a way.

He trusts him, he doesn’t try to aim his weapon at him.

I don’t think he hopes Kikuta will save him though, I think he’s just sad... but at least he’s not alone...

... he’s not alone as Tsukishima is next to him and shoots him in the heart, killing him immediately.

I would like to think maybe Tsukishima did so because he thought Ariko would have tried shooting Kikuta... but it’s clear that wasn’t going to be the case. Ariko has made no attempt to aim at Kikuta.

Tsukishima is just mercilessly getting rid of Ariko, a man who dared to oppose to Tsurumi and his ‘oh so wonderful goal of salvation for those who bow his head to him’.

Kikuta is clearly shocked beyond belief. His eyes go all white, with no irises or pupils.

Asirpa calls Ariko’s Ainu name, the only name she has used for him, ‘Ipopte’. She’s shocked too although her pupils are really tiny dots.

We can’t see the face of who’s with her. Will Noda draw them in the volume version? Or is the idea she’s the only one who truly cared and suffers, suffers for the loss of a man, an Ainu like her, who gave his life to save her own?

I don’t know but still what Noda does is interesting because he shows Ariko, who believed Ainu and Wajin were no different, mourned terribly by both a Wajin and an Ainu.

There’s no difference in that moment between Kikuta and Asirpa. Both suffer for Ariko’s death. They’re the better world Ariko believed in where people is just people, not Wajin or Ainu but humans.

Sadly they aren’t the only ones in this world.

Tsukishima walks past Kikuta.

For the first time in the story, with the exclusion of the flashback with him and Igogusa/Harumi Chiyo, we can see there’s light in Tsukishima’s eyes.

His eyes aren’t anymore completely black, they’re shining, there’s light in them.

He has killed Ariko, but he’s no more Tsurumi’s mindless executor. He’s a believer now. He believes Tsurumi’s cause with all his heart and therefore Ariko’s death isn’t something to regret, but something he had to do in order to reach his goal.

He can go back to the church, leaving Ariko’s body under the rain.

In a past meta I wondered if Tsukishima would overcome his vice of Acedia and find salvation or not.

Well, this scene feels like an answer to it.

This new Tsukishima… now cares for his goal, but not for the people who’ll have to die for him to reach it. He won’t feel bad anymore, he’ll march on.

He likely now believes his place is with Tsurumi, not out of obligation but because he wants it.

He decided so and his decision gives him life. And, I think, this is Noda’s way to prepare us to when the Tiger’s curse will strike. Tsukishima is no more a victim of his own Acedia. He’s an active and willing participant. And I’m sad.

Because I knew the Tiger’s curse would befall on him but still I was hoping Tsukishima would… I don’t know, find a way to… get forgiven, that he would grow and manage to pull himself out of this situation and toward a better path and instead… he has grown but he also has decided this is what he wants. And this is maybe the saddest thing, that even if Tsukishima changed, even if he grew… well in the end not only it changed nothing but it made it worse.

Still, it makes sense it’s Tsukishima who kills Ariko, because both, in a way, didn’t want to take a position, Tsukishima blindly following Tsurumi even though he didn’t know if he were trustworthy, Ariko wishing he wouldn’t have to follow anyone.

In the end they both took a stance, Ariko decided he would help who’s in need of help, Asirpa, his people, Tsukishima decided to trample over those who would get in the ‘salvation’ Tsurumi claimed he would offer to those who would submit to him.

Ariko dies, but his sacrifice isn’t pointless. He died to do a good thing, to save someone, and by saving Asirpa he will allow others to live.

Tsukishima lives but I’m willing to bet nothing good will come for him or his cause by taking Ariko’s life, because really, nothing good can come from taking a life, especially if it was the life of a good man. Tsukishima can walk away with light in his eyes but, to me, it feels like with this act he has willingly killed what was good inside him. He’s killing the companions he believes Tsurumi would save who can see there’s no salvation in Tsurumi’s words. He’s self destroying his goal and he’s not even realizing him.

He comes to side with the worst of the world. Same as when he took part to the murder of Kiro but now worse. At this point… I don’t think there’s a chance of salvation for him, and while it’s sad because Tsukishima was a character I like… well, Tsukishima has done his choice. And it was the wrong one.

#Golden Kamuy #Ariko Rikimatsu #Kikuta Mokutarou #Asirpa #Sofia #Tsurumi Tokushirou #Siromakur #Koito Otonoshin #Tsukishima Hajime #Wilk #Sugimoto Saichi #Shiraishi Yoshitake #Hijikata Toshizou #Retar #Golden Kamuy Ramblings and Theories

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draven-imani · 3 years

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Journal 3

We met the First Descendants. They’re pretty cool, honestly. You have to get past some of them looking a bit…eh…but they’re exactly what their name says. They remember where they came from. Their leader upon hearing that the Wardstone broke asked that we put in a good word for them, to see if they could return to the surface and return to the fight against the demons to continue what the first crusaders, their ancestors, started. I like these guys.

I should start from the top, sorry, I got ahead of myself again. Listen it’s not every day you find an underground civilization descended from the original crusaders.

So we woke up at the Torag temple feeling refreshed and ready to go. Auriel had finished consecrating the temple, and…it looked nice. Really. I’m glad he did it. I don’t think I actually said anything, but I’m sure Torag and Iomedae were pleased. And I mean Auriel seemed happy with a job well done, so that’s plenty. That’s what the guy who died here didn’t get, so probably a lesson we’re supposed to take to heart. Or something like that.

Then we walked. And walked. And walked. For a long time. Until we came to a room where a bunch of darkmantles dropped on my head, because that’s just my luck, and a crazy dwarf who’d been farming them attacked us. We fought him off and continued on our way.

Not long after that we came upon a collapsed tower, with two people scrambling around it. We quickly realized they were the First Descendants. We decided to approach peacefully and try to parlay. They were nervous at first, worried that we were here to harm them and were with the crazed dwarf, but we assured them we weren’t enemies and that we’d dealt with him. They were relieved, and told us that we could pass through. We asked them if we could help with what they were doing. It turned out that yes, we could. One of their members was trapped under the rubble of the collapsed tower, which had fallen when the earth had shaken when the Wardstone broke. Three days ago. We’d…apparently been unconscious for quite a while.

We decided we’d deal with that later, and for now focused on helping with the rubble. Together we lifted, with Luna taking the lead and the rest of us assisting in removing the large stones, until we’d gotten the hole large enough for their companion to climb out. He was frankly quite the striking figure, a somewhat reptilian looking man with a single twisted horn and large clawed hands, by the name of Lann. He thanked us for helping to save him, and asked that we come with him back to their village to meet with their chief.

As we made our way forward we eventually came upon a cave. The First Descendants hesitated, saying there was a dangerous fungal creature within. However, they believed with our help we should be able to clear it out. We agreed, and the four of us plus Lann and his two ranger companions entered the cave. We found no creature to worry about, it had already been slain. There were two bodies alongside its corpse.

At first look, they appeared to be followers of Iomedae like myself and Auriel, although I was not familiar with the combination of lance and locked gauntlet they wielded. The reason why became quickly apparent when we found an unholy symbol of the demon lord Baphomet on their person.

It would appear we had spies in our ranks, Baphomet worshippers masquerading as the faithful, and they were responsible for setting up the destruction of Kenabres. Lann informed us that there were more false Iomedae worshippers working with a rebel clan of First Descendants, which is what he’d been bringing us to talk to their chieftain about. The rebels were blocking the only path to the surface, which meant one way or another we were going to have to go through them. Auriel and I swore that we would root out these worshippers of the minotaur and destroy them. Auriel even sounded a bit gleeful about it, wanting to see who could kill the most cultists between the two of us. I saw no reason to discourage his little blood sport—these cultists had visited so much death and suffering upon innocent people, I was actually looking forward to Auriel’s little contest.

Before that, however, we arrived at Neatholm, the city hidden below Kenabres. It was floating atop a subterranean lake, and inhabited entirely by First Descendants of countless forms. Like the first two we’d met, most of the members of the city were timid at first, but as Lann assured them that we were friends they began to show more curiosity at visiting outsiders, some even waving and welcoming. Lann led us to their chief, a much larger member of their people with somewhat rat-esc features. This is not me trying to be rude, the First Descendants have literal animal features so I’m describing him objectively. He introduced himself as Chief Sull.

He explained in a bit more detail what Lann had already told us. A rebel offshoot clan had joined with the worshippers of Baphomet in a grab for power, and were holed up in a nearby fortress that stands between Neatholm and the path to the surface. The chief said he was initially going to ask us to clear them out, but as we spoke, before he ever made the request, we already made it clear our intentions to get rid of the Baphomet cultists and get the rebels off his hands. It was our ticket back to the surface, and it was personal to myself and Auriel to deal with the cultists who were besmirching our order.

So he made one other request—the one I already mentioned, that we put in a good word for them up top, if anyone is left for us to report to. Anevia assured him that she would speak to her wife, and that times have changed since the days when they were banished down here. Commander Tirabade is a half-orc and in a position of great honor and renown, when once that was unheard of. I thought of Leto, too, doing so well for himself.

Fuck I hope Leto’s alright. I feel—bad when I think about it.

The chief gave us permission to use any of the town’s amenities we needed, provided us with what few supplies they had available here below ground, and provided a place to rest before heading out. I’m taking a nice rest by the lake writing this before bedding down.

I’ll probably wash my arm before I go to bed. It bled quite a bit the other day, my bandages are stained through. No one noticed of course, enough happened it just looked like all the rest of the blood and injuries. I’m going to change my bandages tonight before we go. I don’t know if it can get infected but that’s the last thing I need right now.

Baphomet first. Tomorrow we’re taking care of his cultists for what they did. Then Deskari’s servants are next.

#journal entry #pathfinder #pathfinder wotr #pathfinder wotr spoilers #Draven Imani

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paintedwithapalette · 4 years

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Monsters Incorporated could be a ticking bomb waiting to happen at times. With its reliance on laughter to fuel their city, it wasn’t entirely uncommon that they’d receive laughter so powerful and potent that it would cause a shortage. This was one of those times. At least, for the upper floors of the massive complex where some sort of outage had taken place, and considering the CEO of the company had Boo with him, he didn’t want to turn her visit into a mess of running from floor to floor like the last time she was there. As much as he and his best friend loved her, they didn’t want Boo slowing them down either. They thought it might be best if she stayed in the lower levels where the power was, thankfully, still intact.

The good news for Mike Wazowksi and James P. Sulliven was that a certain fuzzy exterminator who carried an oversized key was in the neighborhood. Though, this time he didn’t have the one-eyed duck and green dog with heterochromia iridum accompanything him. Instead, it was an unfamiliar girl wearing a stylish pink dress with her periwinkle fur, large paws, four eyes, and horns. It was a far cry from the much more outlandish looks of Donald and Goofy they remembered.

After a quick introduction to Kairi and thanking the two for stopping by to do them a favor, Mike and Sulley scurried off to reach one of the main generators on one of the upper floors, leaving Sora and Kairi to care for Boo themselves, They entered Sulley’s office where the two had left Boo to play with her dolls while they stepped outside to have a chat with Sora and Kairi.

“Boo?” Sora asked no one in particular. The room seemed fairly standard for an office: a desk located in the back with a computer and shelves of books surely collecting dust. “Anyone home?”

As Sora and Kairi stepped further inside and searched the room for any signs of the young girl, Sora accidentally stepped on a doll and carefully picked it up.

“This must be hers,” Sora concluded.

“Do you think she’s okay?” Kairi asked, concern painted on her face.

Sora didn’t say anything. Monsters Inc. was a big place and there was no telling where she could have gone. Boo was a sweetheart but she could be a troublemaker as well if left unsupervised. Sora crossed his arms and closed his eyes, contemplating what their next move should be.

“Boo!”

“AGH!” Sora yelled, wincing.

When the dust settled, he saw the culprit reveal herself from behind Sulley’s desk, covering her mouth with both hands as she giggled at the reaction she was delighted to have witnessed from Sora.

“Whoa, Boo! Where’d you come from?” Sora asked.

Kairi laughed. “Looks like someone got a little spooked.”

Sora cleared his throat and rubbed right under his nose. “Yeah, scared that you’d get hurt,” he excused poorly.

Kairi gave a knowing smirk. “Yeah, sure.”

When Boo looked at Kairi, she tilted her head at the unfamiliarity of her. Kairi recognized the little girl’s uncertainty and hunched over with a friendly wave. “Hi, there! You must be Boo. My name is Kairi. I’m Sora’s girlfriend.”

Despite the validity of her bold statement, Sora couldn’t help but blush with a goofy smile lingering on his face that was only concealed thanks to his fur. Boo wasn’t sure what exactly a “girlfriend” was but she assumed it was something similar to Mommy and Daddy. With a giggle, she ran towards Kairi, talking to her as if she could understand whatever gibberish she spewed as she took her hand.

“You are just the cutest little thing,” Kairi cooed as she picked up Boo. “And probably a lot braver than Mr. Scaredy Cat over here.”

“Whaaaat?” Sora said. “I am not. I mean, okay...” he crossed his arms. “Some of the monsters around this place kinda give me the heebie-jeebies, but... I wouldn’t say I’m a scaredy cat.”

Kairi sent him a teasing smirk.

“What?!” he said defensively.

Kairi laughed, settling into a sigh. “Oh, Sora. Remember when you and Riku would come over and we’d steal scary movies from my parent’s room to watch at midnight? You pretty much hid under the blankets the whole time and couldn’t sleep with the light off for a week.”

“I was seven!”

Kairi shook her head, the smile on her face never leaving. “You haven’t changed a bit. Even your monster form looks non-threatening.”

“Huh? No way! I can totally be scary when I wanna be. Right, Boo?”

The only thing that came to mind for Boo was the unforgettable Funny Face Special that cracked her up the last time he visited. “Scary” was the last thing her developing brain categorized Sora as by any means. She giggled just thinking about it.

“Aww, no. Not you too, Boo!” Sora dropped his head in shame.

“Then it’s settled,” Kairi concluded as she and Boo laughed.

“Hmmm.” Sora folded his arms and looked to the ceiling, thinking to himself until an idea came to him. Maybe if he scared Boo, it would show just how intimidating he could be. With a sinister-looking grin, Sora raised his hands and wiggled his fingers, a low growl murmuring under his breath.

However, what Sora perceived to be a sinister smile came off more as a silly, non-threatening look Boo assumed was meant to be as funny as it looked and once again rewarded Sora with affectionate laughter.

While Sora loved making her happy, he wasn’t sure what he was doing wrong either. He spent the next ten minutes doing whatever he could to make Boo at least a little fearful; he made every face he could possibly muster, but they all resulted in either blank, confused stares or laughing frenzies from the girls.

A lightbulb popped over his head as an idea came to mind. “Stay right here,” Sora requested as he hurriedly turned off the lights, blanketing the three of them in complete darkness.

“Boooooooo,” Sora sang in a deep, haunting voice. “I seeeeeee youuuuuuu.”

Sora couldn’t see it, but Boo’s lips quivered. Thankfully, she had Kairi to hold onto tight, making the dark not as scary as it normally would’ve been. Sora carefully and quietly crept around the office.

“Boooooooooo,” Sora echoed.

“Kitty?” Boo said in hopes of her favorite monster friend coming to her rescue at any moment.

Sora stealthily crept closer to where he pinpointed where Kairi stood and snuck behind her. He lifted his finger, ready to tap Boo on the shoulder in hopes of giving her a good fright, but instead, Boo heard him at the last second and grabbed his finger just before he could touch her.

“Boo!” she said.

“WHOA!” Sora cried, rushing back to turn the lights back on. Kairi howled with laughter at how poorly Sora’s plan backfired. He groaned. Maybe that was what he deserved, trying to scare a little girl just to prove a point. Still, as he watched Boo laugh heartily with Kairi knowing that he was the cause, it did make him feel warm and fuzzy inside. .

“I guess you’re just too cute to be scary, Sora,” Kairi teased. “Just stick to what you do best, okay?”

Sora smiled. Kairi was right. If anything, he was more glad to have been able to bring Boo such joy rather than be the reason she would have a nightmare that night. “Looks like you win, Boo,” Sora said. “You’re tough! Guess nothing ever gets you down, huh?”

Boo only responded with more giggles before she spoke a set of words he wasn’t expected. “Funny Face! Funny Face!”

“Huh?” Sora questioned aloud. To his surprise, she really did remember that from the last time he visited.

“Funny Face?” Kairi asked. “Oh, you mean like when you first met Donald and Goofy, right?”

Sora rubbed the back of his furry head with a bashful smile. “Ah, I guess you would remember that, huh?”

“Yup!” Kairi affirmed with a laugh. “And honestly, I’d like to see it, too.”

“Well, I guess I can’t disappoint,” Sora said. He set his feet, tied his hands behind his back, dipped his head down with an imaginary drum roll playing in his mind before he shot back up with his eyes nearly rolled to the back of his head, showing off his pearly whites.

Just like last time, Boo laughed like a little madwoman. Kairi found the sight amusing as well, it was her first time seeing this face from a third-party’s perspective rather than when she was inside his heart when he first did it.

Sora chuckled. “Hey, Kairi, give it a try!”

“Oh, m-me?” Kairi asked.

“Sure! Let’s see how silly you can be.”

“Well, I guess I can give it a try,” Kairi said. She turned Boo in her arms to give her a better look at her before she dipped her head down, imaginary drum roll and all, before she lifted her head with her crossed-eyes pupils and her tongue sticking out. “Neeeeeeeeee!”

Boo was hit with gut-wrenching laughter she couldn’t contain, tears leaking from the little girl’s eyes as the deadly combo of both Sora and Kairi sending her the silliest faces they could manifest was too much for her to handle. Before long, Sora and Kairi noticed the lights in the room beginning to flicker at a rapid rate. They ceased their onslaught of silly faces, but Boo didn’t stop laughing at the fresh memories.

Pop!

In an instant, the lights cut off and shards of glass from the broken lightbulb crashed onto the floor, thankfully out of reach to not hurt Boo but close enough to make Kairi let out a slight shriek.

“What happened?” she asked.

Sora nearly forgot that laughter was what fueled the city of Monstropolis. Having Boo laugh so much must have caused some sort of overload. He chuckled nervously. “I think we might have gone a bit too far.”

Before Kairi could ask a question, they heard Mike Wazowksi’s muffled voice from the other side of the door. “See, Sull? What’d I tell ya? That generator was a piece of cake. Still, where’s the electrician when you need ‘em?”

“You probably could’ve used the exercise yourself, Butterball,” Sulley replied as the two entered the office only to find that it was pitch black.

“Uh, guys? You in here?” Mike asked.

“Yeah, Mike,” Sora said, leading Kairi outside into the light of the hallway.

“You guys playing hide and seek?” Sulley asked.

Sora rubbed the back of his head. “I, uh... think you guys might need a new lightbulb.”

“What the heck is that s’posed to mean?” Mike asked. “What in the world were you two doin’ to make Sull’s whole office pitch black?”

“Making Boo laugh,” Sora admitted bashfully.

“Yeah, like this!” Kairi said, offering a demonstration as she made a similar face from before.

Sora, Mike, and Sulley reached out their hands dramatically. “Kairi, no!” all three said a variation of.

But it was too late. Boo went into another burst of laughter and before they knew it, the hallway lights flickered and after another resounding pop, they stood in the midst of darkness.

“Oops,” Kairi squeaked. “Sorry... I didn’t think her laughs were that powerful.”

“But if the entire hallway blacked out, then does that mean...?” Sora prodded.

Sulley sighed. “You guys think you might wanna take a trip down to the generator in the basement?”

Mike nearly had a heart attack. “OH, FOR THE LOVE OF—”

Fin.

------------------------

Definitely one of my sillier and lighter pieces for this week! Lol the adorable full piece will be posted by @amyhayanora, so check her out!

#sokaiweek2020 #sokai #kingdom hearts #sora #kairi #kingdom hearts fanfiction

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bellatrixobsessed1 · 5 years

Text

Jasmine Days

Azula Week Day 7: Flower/Tea Shop AU

Summary: After a breakdown, Azula’s therapist recommends something like gardening. She ends up working at a flower shop where she meets TyLee.

It is a little soft for Azula’s liking, but her therapist suggests that it will be good for her. She supposes that the scent of lilac and daisy intermingling with herbal tea is at least kind of comforting. A look around shows potted tulips and lilies on each window sill and every table has either a small potted marigold, rose, lavender or clover. One even has a tiny cactus.In each corner rests a potted sunflower surrounded by lavender. The ceiling is what impresses her the most; somehow the shop owners managed to get live wisteria branches to weave into willow and spanish most to create a natural roof. And from the curling branches hang potted eucalyptus bush. She can even see a few handcrafted wooden birds nestled with in. The interior almost has more flora than the exterior. And the bricks on the outside are almost wholly covered in ivy, the groud below a mural of dandelion and chrysanthemum.

She stands in the middle of the the flower-tea shop hybrid, somewhat awkwardly before approaching the counter.

“What can I get you!?” The girl greets cheerfully.

Azula slides a slip of paper across the counter.

The girl claps her hands together. “Oh! You’re Azula!”

Azula nods.

“Follow me, the other girls and Kaito are really excited to meet you.”

Azula slips her hands into her pockets. The scents and the scenery are lovely, but she isn’t sure how she feels about volunteering here. It isn’t exactly her flavor of work, it doesn’t quite suit the personality she has been cursed with. She fights the urge to tell her new coworker that they are going to wish they hadn’t.

“I’m TyLee.” She introduces. “This is Bokwon.” She points at a girl with green eyes and thick curly black hair. “Li-Hara” and to the girl with golden eyes and short, silky, black hair. “Xi-Qui” her finger falls on a darker skinned girl with big blue eyes and bushy brown locks. “And Shinya.” Shinya appears to be the only boy in the room. But this isn’t what draws Azula’s attention so much as the bright pink splotch of dye in his bangs.

“Azula.” She introduces herself rather plainly.

“It’s pretty easy here.” TyLee assures. “You’ll mostly be working with me.”

“TyLee’s super friendly.” Li-Hara cuts in, “you’ll love her.”

“And I usually work with the flowers. Me, and Shinya. Li-Hara makes tea and Bokwon and Xi-Qui usually serve it.”

“It’s just the five of you?” Azula asks.

“For now.” TyLee confirms. “That’s why we are looking for volunteers.” She smiles cheerful.

Azula wonders if the girl is aware of the kind of help that has been sent to her. TyLee motions for her to follow. She pushes a curtain of wisteria out of the way and shows Azula the back room. “This is where we keep all of the seeds. While Shinya and I arrange and sell bouquets, we were hoping that you could plant new flowers and take care of the ones that are already growing.”

That is that nature of her work. Apparently, gardening is supposed to be therapeutic, not that getting dirty appeals to Azula. But, at this point, she is willing to try anything to keep her psyche in a more stable condition. She just wants to be normal again…

She gives a solemn glance to the bright petals all around her. She wishes that she could have her own color back. Lately things have been in shades of grey with shadows weaving ominously in between.

Somehow the thought of the voices and whispers bring her a heightened awareness of the bottle of prescription pills in her pocket.

Either TyLee has been sent a copy of her situation or the girl simply detects the sulleness radiating off of her because Azula feels arms loop around her torso, “it’s gonna be alright, you’ll see!” Azula can hear the smile in the girl’s voice. “I promise that you’ll like it here.”

She has heard that so many times before…

.oOo.

She isn’t exactly lively, but there is a brighter sparkle in golden eyes that were once so blank only a week or so ago. TyLee watches Azula dig a small hole to place bluebell seeds within. The new routine gives her a sense of normalcy and a thing to ground herself with. The sharp perfume of each herb and flower gives something to focus on and latch onto when reality seems to be slipping.

“What kind of flower is your favorite?”

Azula looks up and then back to her work. Just when TyLee doesn’t think she is going to get an answer, Azula softly replies, “lotus or rosemary.”

“Those are pretty.” TyLee agrees. Though Azula can imagine that she loves flowers of all sorts.

“What are yours?” She returns the question. Small talk has never come easy to her.

“I like cherry blossom and jasmine. But poppy is nice too!” TyLee rambles, confirming Azula’s suspicion that she doesn’t discriminate against any matter of flora.

Azula piles the dirt back over the seeds and adds some water. She stands and washes her hands. Planting the bluebells is her final assignment for the day. “I’ll be going.”

“Actually, I was hoping you’d like to join me and and the rest of the crew for our afterhour tea.” TyLee tries.

“Afterhour tea?”

“Yeah, every day we celebrate our hard work with Li-Hara’s best.”

Azula looks at the time, not that it matters, she hasn’t made any other plans. “I guess that I can.” It will probably be good for her to let at least a handful of people get close to her. TyLee seems like a gentle and safe place to start.

The girl’s face lights up and she throws her arms around Azula. She is starting to get used to the girl doing that, and for once she returns the embrace and pats the girl on the head. “Okay, you can let me go now.”

TyLee laughs. She grabs Azula’s hand and tugs her over to the tea shop portion of the building. “Azula is going to be joining us.” She announces.

Azula is rather relieved when no one protests her arrival. For the first time, she truly considers that there is a chance for things to get better.

#Azulaweek2019 #Azula #Avatar #TyLee #Tyzula #Fanfiction #Day 7 Flower Shop

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komorebirei · 5 years

Text

The Water Was Never Afraid - Chapter 9: Promise

(AO3)

“Please, Kagami? You promised.”

Kagami lunged at Adrien; he parried and riposted.

She lifted her mask. “Street festivals are for commoners.”

Adrien lifted his. “That’s the whole point!”

Kagami pursed her lips.

They both closed their masks in tandem and returned to en guarde position, ready for the next bout in their friendly face-off.

“Besides,” Adrien continued, his voice slightly distorted by the mask, “It’s the twenty-first century. There’s no distinction between ‘commoners’ and ‘nobility’ anymore. Why shouldn’t we do something fun?”

“You know that isn’t really true.” Kagami tapped Adrien’s sabre, provoking him to attack.

They clashed again, letting their conversation rest.

Yes, Adrien had to admit that a social hierarchy existed, and he was high on the ladder, but the distinction didn’t have to be so rigid. He didn’t want to consciously hold himself on a higher tier than his friends. Couldn’t he choose to do away with the gap between him and others? He’d managed to befriend fans in the past, like Wayem, and he counted that as a victory.

“You promised we’d go out and do something fun, like normal people,” Adrien pleaded. “Le Goût du Japon only lasts a week and then it’s over until next year. Today is the last day. I’ve always wanted to go!”

Kagami lunged, spearing the tip of her sabre squarely in Adrien’s chest. Her point.

“Your skills have far exceeded mine, Kagami,” Adrien said, accepting defeat. He lifted his mask.

“No, we’re still equal, you’re just unfocused today.”

“I’m at your mercy,” Adrien said with a dramatic flourish and bow.

Kagami lifted her mask and examined his face as she considered. “… Fine.”

“Fine?”

“We can go.”

“Yes! You’re the best!” Adrien cheered and, to her delighted bewilderment, tackled her in a hug.

—

“The yukata looks lovely on you,” Adrien complimented Kagami, leading her down the street that was lined with wooden food and game booths, illuminated with colored paper lanterns.

“Thank you—you don’t look bad, yourself,” she returned.

“Didn’t think I’d ever get a chance to wear this.”

Kagami was wearing a red yukata with an off-white obi, decorated with a colorful floral pattern in fresh greens, pinks, and whites that was simple at the torso and grew increasingly clustered toward the hems. The sleeves flowed gracefully to the level of her knees, and her clipped-up hair was adorned with dangling floral ornaments that echoed the flowers on her garment. Adrien’s yukata was a textured but patternless dark grey-blue with a red obi, a shade darker than the red of Kagami’s.

Her hand was hooked into the crook of Adrien’s elbow, but she hung back, as if embarrassed and loath to be caught participating in the festival.

They hadn’t taken ten paces down the street when Adrien felt a tug at his sleeve. He turned around to see two young girls beaming up at him, clutching twin magazines. They were both opened to the same page which, on closer inspection, was his interview from the previous month’s La Mode magazine. “Adrien Agreste! May we have your autograph?”

He was surprised that these young girls recognized him in such an unlikely setting. Part of him had been thinking optimistically that, ever since he had moved onto managerial pursuits and left the modeling scene, teenage girls had stopped fawning over him. Either these girls were really into fashion, or he was wrong.

Adrien frowned. “I don’t normally give autographs, but…” He looked between the girls, whose faces had begun to fall in disappointment, and his resolve crumbled. “All right.”

Kagami jabbed him subtly in the side.

The girls squealed, and one of them handed him a pen.

Adrien signed his name, finding it vaguely depressing that these girls were so excited to receive his inked name. What was the meaning in it?

He handed the magazines back and smiled at the girls, who ran off shyly, waving over their shoulders.

“Adrien, your lack of a backbone is starting to scare me,” Kagami remarked, only half joking.

“I mean, it’s not like I had any real reason to refuse,” Adrien countered. “It would only be cruel and unnecessary.”

“That is the problem,” Kagami stressed, holding up a finger, “You’re too empathetic. People get to your head, and you agree with whatever they’re asking of you.”

“I thought empathy was a good thing.”

“It is, but when taken to the extreme, it can become Stockholm Syndrome.”

Adrien rolled his eyes. “Let me make people happy! It makes me happy.”

“Fine, fine.” Kagami let it slide. “So, what does one do at a street festival?”

Adrien shrugged, scanning the surroundings for what seemed the most interesting. He spotted a ring toss booth down the street and pulled Kagami toward it. “C’mon, let’s play a game!”

When she saw it, she shook her head. “This is so childish. Why don’t we just buy some taiyaki and go home?”

“Go home? But we just got here!” Adrien pulled out his wallet and paid the young man running the booth, who handed him three rings. “I’m not opposed to taiyaki, though.” He handed her a ring, which she took with the tips of her fingers, as if it were a dead animal.

Adrien tossed his ring first. It knocked over the toy he had been aiming for, but failed to capture it. When Kagami didn’t step up, he threw the second ring, which completely missed the target and rolled away.

“Really, Adrien? You’re embarrassing me,” Kagami teased.

“As if you could do any better, Miss Too-Good-To-Try,” Adrien teased back.

“Okay, you asked for it.” Kagami took her position and tossed the ring, effortlessly snagging a prize.

“You’re inhuman!” Adrien gasped as Kagami accepted her prize with a smug smile.

“Excuse me!”

Adrien spun around at the sound of the unfamiliar voice directed his way, and a camera flashed in his face.

Kagami held up her arms. “No pictures, please,” she pleaded, ducking behind Adrien.

“You heard her,” Adrien asserted, holding a hand in front of his face. “We’re on a date—please, no pictures. We’re on our private time.”

“All right, Monsieur Agreste. Sorry.” The paparazzo hung his head and retreated, but five minutes later Adrien noticed another flash from the bushes. That sneaky little—!

“Let’s go,” Kagami urged. “I can’t get caught out here. Mother will be furious.”

“Hmm… I have a better idea.” Adrien grabbed her hand and dragged her to a booth with a wall of cartoon character masks footed by a gaggle of children jumping and pointing. “Which one do you like?”

“No,” Kagami said, shaking her head emphatically. “Those are for kids, Adrien.”

“C’mon, Tiger, you’re no fun!” Adrien unhooked a Hello Kitty mask and tried it on. It was a little small for his face, being made for toddlers, but it concealed his features well enough. “Perfect,” he declared. “What about you?”

Grimacing, Kagami reluctantly picked a Pikachu mask. “See how much I love you?” she muttered, slipping the elastic band over her head.

“Very cute,” Adrien approved, lifting Kagami’s chin to inspect her masked face. He could barely see her amber irises through the punched-out eye holes. “Suitable character, too. You would be too stubborn to stay in your Pokéball.”

Kagami hit Adrien’s chest playfully with a backhand. “You, on the other hand… Hello Kitty? Seriously?”

Adrien lifted his mask just to grin and wink at her. “You still have a lot to learn about me, Tiger.” He slipped the mask back on and held out his hand. “Now, you mentioned taiyaki? Shall we look for some sweet fish to eat?”

—

The masks afforded Adrien and Kagami a few minutes of anonymity, but the news that Adrien Agreste had been spotted with his girlfriend at the street festival had spread like wildfire, and the masks started to act as more of identifying features than invisibility cloaks. Before long, they ditched the masks.

While Adrien was used to the attention, Kagami was starting to get paranoid.

“Even if they don’t get my face, Mother will recognize the yukata. And you’re too recognizable from any angle,” she murmured, moving to Adrien’s other side when a group of teenagers leveled smartphones at them, squealing. When Adrien snorted in amusement at her skittishness, she protested, “You don’t understand, Adrien, if she saw me at a festival like this—it would be like your father catching you at a club.”

“All right.” Adrien sighed. He did understand, all too well. He wished he could transform into Chat Noir and just whisk Kagami away somewhere they could hang out and have fun in peace. “We can go somewhere else, if you want.”

“Please.”

Suddenly, a realization hit Adrien.

Growing up, he had always felt isolated and trapped in his room, and by extension, his house—being alone or indoors for too long made him feel antsy. Like a caged lion, he always wanted to go out.

But as soon as he was out among people, so often, he found himself wanting to run away to somewhere private.

So, the problem was not being alone, or being in public. He —Adrien Agreste—was the prison.

“Adrien? What’s wrong?”

Adrien realized he had stopped dead in his tracks. Returning to the present, he swallowed and refocused his eyes on Kagami. “Nothing. You wanted to go home? Let’s go.”

“Really?” Kagami leaned closer, her brows scrunched in concern. She could clearly sense that his mood had changed. “Are you okay? What happened?”

Adrien shrugged slightly, his heart heavy, as if it had been filled with stones and was slowly sinking to his feet. “We’ve pretty much seen everything. Let’s just go.”

Kagami put a hand on his cheek, looking heartbroken that he was upset. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring down your mood. We can stay—I’ll just tell Mother it was a one-time thing.”

Adrien shook his head and started walking back up the road, toward where he had parked his car. Kagami, still holding his arm, followed a pace behind him, dragging slightly.

“Oh look! Dango! Have you ever had it?” Kagami exclaimed with affected chipperness, pulling on his arm and pointing at a booth.

“You don’t have to try so hard,” Adrien said in a monotone. “You didn’t even want to come with me.”

“Don’t be sullen, Adrien!” Kagami chided. “It’s not that I didn’t want to come! It’s just—In Japan, our family is well-known, and it would have brought down our image to indulge in festivals like these, so I was never allowed to go.”

“Doesn’t that make you enjoy this even more? We’re in France, not Japan.” Some feeling had returned to Adrien’s countenance, though he still felt depressed.

Kagami guided him to the dango booth. “It’s my Mother. You know she’s been getting stomach-aches lately, and if she saw me doing something she disapproved of…” she frowned.

They heard the sounds of cameras clicking again, and Adrien’s heart sank further when he saw how Kagami tensed involuntarily. This wasn’t fun anymore. This was why he liked visiting other countries, where he wasn’t recognized as easily.

“Dango, then we’re going home,” he sighed, resigned. It wasn’t Kagami’s fault. It was stupid to think they could spend a carefree night out. “Wanna watch Coffee Prince?”

“Sure.” Kagami smiled sadly. “I’m sorry this didn’t go as planned, Adrien.”

Adrien shrugged. This was his life.

He should listen to Kagami’s advice and just accept it.

#MiraculousLadybug #Miraculous Ladybug #MiraculousLadybugFanfiction #Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction #Adrigami #Marichat #The Water Was Never Afraid

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softethan · 5 years

Text

No (pt.2)

James knocked on the door to the twin's house, his overnight bag in his free hand. He stood for a moment before trying the door — unlocked. One of these days they're going to regret that, he thought as he dropped his bag, toed off his shoes in the entry room, and wandered through the house looking for Grayson. He paused and leaned against the doorway when he saw the boy stirring vegetables in a wok. James watched Grayson for a moment, admiring the way his blue sleeves looked rolled up his tanned arms, how the muscles in his shoulders threatened to break out of his shirt.

He plucked an edamame from the bunch next to the fridge and snapped the ends off, popping the crisp green bean into his mouth and savoring the way the flavor broke out of it when he bit down.

Grayson looked up at the sound and smiled, turning the heat on the wok down before he grabbed James' waist and pulled him close.

"Hey," he whispered against James' neck. Bumps scattered across James' arm and his hair prickled up at Grayson's hot breath on his neck.

"Hi," he whispered back. He shivered and smiled and tucked his face into Grayson's neck.

"You look pretty." Grayson's fingers brushed across James' bare face, over his blushing cheeks, carded through James' hair, and stopped at the top, tugging slightly and smirking when James' whimpered in pleasure.

"Can't wait to fuck you, J," he whispered before he let James go and shooed him into the dining room.

James gapped but followed Grayson's direction and sat down at the bar across from the kitchen. The curtains were open and he could see the sun setting behind the mountains as it cast an orange glow over the pool.

"Gray?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we go skinny dipping tonight?"

Grayson's spoon paused in the bowl and he turned to look at James perched against the bar.

"James, what?"

With a smirk, James fluttered over behind Grayson and wrapped his arms around his waist. His chin rested on Grayson's shoulder and he pressed a gentle kiss to Grayson's neck.

"Will you go skinny dipping with me?" He questioned, mind already made up— he just had to convince Grayson to come with him.

"I— I, uh," Grayson stuttered, vegetables forgotten in the pan as they sizzled.

James turned him around, a manicured hand pressing into Grayson's hip to guide him, and he stroked Grayson's face with the other.

"Gray, it'd be so much fun. And it's so pretty out. Please," he fluttered his lashes and the pads of his fingers traced Grayson's facial features. Grayson shivered.

"Okay, Okay. After dinner we'll swim."

"I said skinny dipping, daddy," he pouted.

"I'll think about it, J. Can you set the table?"

"Of course, kitty girl," James replies, a hint of challenge in his voice and Grayson nearly regretted not agreeing to James' request. Nearly.

He poured the meat and sriracha sauce into the vegetables and stirred them again before he dumped it onto a plate and brought it over to James. For a moment Grayson's heart constricted because he knew they were only pretending; he'd never be able to do this for James, for real. He'd always go home after, even if he stayed for 2 or 3 or 4 days.

James would always leave, and Grayson would never tell him. As he sat down across from James, he realized that he'd absolutely chicken out. He'd never be able to tell him how he really felt.

Whatever.

Grayson scooped out a portion for James and portion for himself before he poured them both glasses of water from the pitcher his mom had sent with them the last time they were in Jersey.

"Do you want a lemon?" Grayson asked, glancing up from the cup of water.

"No, thank you."

"How was Canada?" Grayson asked, picking through the stir fry to find the carrots. James loved, so he put them in.

"It was okay. The mall was crazy and I didn't get to talk to very many fans, but I had a really good time." James pushed his plate out as Grayson dumped the carrots onto it.

God, they were fucking married, weren't they.

Grayson nodded and started eating, small bites that he could chew quickly in case James wanted to talk.

"Is E with Emma?"

Grayson shook his head.

"He's our with some girl he met last week. They've gone out every night and he told me not to wait up. Do you think they're over for good?"

James shrugged and pushed his food around.

"She's really upset. She thinks he's not serious about them. I tried to tell her that E's crazy for her, but she wouldn't listen. They just need time. They'll come back to each other eventually."

"Do you think they love each other?" James glanced up and met Grayson's eyes.

"I don't think they know it, but yeah."

"Do you think you always know it, that you're in love with someone?" Grayson asked quietly. He put his fork down and took a sip of water.

James mirrored him, but he was quiet for a long time.

"I think it's really hard to know for sure. But I think there always something the back of your mind that tells you you're supposed to be with them." James took a deep breath and his face fell into a frown.

"It's so hard. Love. You let one person into your heart and suddenly you can't think about anything else." James places his napkin and fork onto the plate and got up, taking it to the skin. Grayson watched as he scraped the excess food into the garbage and pulled his sweater over his head.

"C'mon, babe, enough of this. Let's swim. Please."

Grayson only nodded and left his plate on the table. He followed suit and pulled his long sleeve ever his head before he kicked off his jeans. He helped James out of his shorts and picked him up by his thighs. As James wrapped his legs around Grayson's waist, he carded his fingers through the younger boy's hair and smiled down at him.

"I thought you said no skinny dipping."

"I never said no, I only said I'd think about it, and you know I love any excuse to get you naked," he murmured, holding tightly to James' brief-clad ass as he carried him down the steps.

James squeaked, surprised at Grayson's words but excited by them. He wiggles out of Grayson's arms and shucked his briefs before he hopped into the pool. His head bobbed up a moment later and he folded him arms on the edge of the pool.

"The water's very nice, Gray." James winked.

Grayson rolled his eyes but chuckled while he pulled off his own boxers and placed them on top of James'. He ran from where he was standing and hopped in the pool, flicking his hair back when he swam back to the surface. He paddled over to James and scooped him up to his chest, holding him close as they bobbed in the water.

"You're so pretty in this light," Grayson murmured, hands clasped tightly together around James' stomach. James' necklace floated on top of the water and he swished at it with his hand.

"You're just saying that so I'll let you fuck me," he mumbled, blushing even as he said it.

"I might be, but would you stop me?" He asked, twirling James around quickly so that he was wrapped around Grayson. His shaft poked into James' thigh and James moaned quietly at the feeling.

"Prob— probably, not," James whispered, voice catching while he grinded onto Grayson's dick.

"Can I fuck you? Right here? Where anybody could see?" He whispered, nipping at James' ear. He pressed a finger into James' hole and moaned he realized James was already prepped.

"Please, Gray. Fuck me," he whimpered, nails scratching at Grayson's back as he pushed in.

Grayson thrusts we're short and choppy, both of them needy and ready to cum already. He hadn't fucked James in weeks, and the feeling of James around him was enough to have him in the verge of cumming quickly.

"You feel so good, J," he murmured, biting at James' neck as he thrust into the older boy. James eyes were closed and he was holding tightly onto Grayson's shoulders as he tried to meet Grayson's thrusts.

"Harder, Gray, please," he moaned, clenching around Grayson as his orgasm neared. His dick, pressed between their bellies, rubbed against Grayson's abs and he was nearly crying at the sensation. The water sloshed around them and out of the pool as Grayson pulled James' head in for a kiss. James whined into Grayson's mouth and came onto their bellies, shots of white cum trickling into the water as Grayson came not long after. He thrust once more before he pulled out and sat James on the side of the pool, bare ass on cool blue tile.

James laid down and rested his arm over his forehead, panting while Grayson laid down next to him and pulled two towels over them from the basket beside them. They sat like that for a moment, Grayson drying James off softly.

He was looking James intently when his phone rang from inside and he cursed internally when he got up to get it. A towel wrapped around his waist, he walked through the glass doors to answer his phone.

Ethan. Fuck.

"Hello?"

"Is James at the house?"

"Yeah, why."

"I was on my way back and saw his car. I'm going to Emma's, Gray. I can't do this. The date was shit. The food was shit. The girl was shit. I've gotta talk to Em. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Uh, okay. Be careful."

"James has a nice ass, by the way."

"I hate you."

"Love you."

Grayson sat back down by the pool, in a daze. James had wrapped a towel around his body and pulled it under his armpits when Grayson got back.

"That was E."

"I gathered."

"He's going to Emma's."

"Shit, really?" James' face lit up and his mood instantly changed. "Sis, we totally spoke that into the universe."

"Maybe we should try that with us." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, James' face fell.

"I— James, that's not what."

"It's not what, Grayson? Please tell me that's not what you meant. I know you're in love with me, Gray."

Grayson stopped and sighed. The towel hung low on his hips.

"Were you just not going to tell me? Were you going to keep fucking me and make me wait for you to one day get the balls to tell me that you're in love with me? Don't think I didn't see how jealous you got when I told you I was getting tested. You've been so— God. Sis, you've been so damn sulled up about everything lately and I've been waiting, God have I been waiting for you to just tell me you're in love with me—"

Grayson lunged across the backyard and kissed James. They'd only kissed a few times, usually when James needed to be cheered up or Grayson was getting into his slumps. It was special, their kiss. Because it was real.

"James, I love you. Okay? I should have said it 6 months ago when I realized it. But I can't change that. But what I can do is tell you that I'm sorry. And that I love you. Because you're so kind, and you're beautiful, and you call me out on my shit. You made me realize what I can be, you make me a better person. And your ass is probably the best one I've ever seen," James swatted at him. He cupped James' face, serious again.

"I love you, J. I love you so fucking much. Please say you love me too," he whispered.

James only nodded and kissed him again. A moment passed, and he stopped and murmured against Grayson's lips, "I love you."

#james #grayson #James/grayson #grames #jayson #rachewrites

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drinking-coke-in-hell · 5 years

Text

7. Syyskuuta. 2019 (2/3)

“There’s mich to catch on. Would you like to tell me.” Till said to Alex, holding out his hand to be grapped on. Nea wondered if it is the same thing that Alex did to her in the classroom yesterday.

“I don’t think it’s tolerant to do this here.” Alex answered. Till gave him a hard look.

“Last time i did this to Nea the convulsion was pretty hard. I haven’t really been active on my powers.” Alex told. “She is a regular human so no wonder. I can also go in and read.”

“No way. Okay. No hiding, everything out.” Alex said and took Till’s hand. Nobody paid attention to them. It was casual to close friends to vaihtaa kuulumiset this way if they hadn’t seen in long time. Nea waoted for the same show that happened in class. This time only eyes went black and veins were slighty seen black. Again it was over in matter of seconds.

“What the hell…” Till breathed out. He had worried, almost scared expression on his face.

“Wow. You’ve had a nice few years.” Alex smiled, it seemed fake but she said that in true means.

“What the fuck did they do to you?” Till asked.

“Don’t wanna talk about physically nor by mind so yeah. Mind getting me a drink?” Alex answered brushing it off. Till shrugged and went to get himself a shotnand Alex some lemonade.

“Mitäs vittua?” Nea hämmästeli. “Onks tää joku julkimo meet and greet.”

“Ei. Mähä selitin sulle eilen sen*. Mä ja Till ollaan tunnettu vuosia iha privaatissaki ja Codynki.” Allu selitti.

*Mitä julkkiksista sanottiin introssa

Till came back with the drink and handed it to Alex who thanked in Deutsch.

“Waait.. Are you and Till like you know…” Cody tried to hold back a laugh with a smile, “Or like have been. I mean like no shame I can totally see you two being that because you both are so damn wicked but like holy shit that size differense.” Cody rambled but quit smiling as Alex looked at him with black eyes.

“Just that.. Krhm…” Cody viittasi siihen kuinka Tillin (omg tilli) kösi oli Allun lantiolla.

“Oh well yeah there has been few encaunters with me and Alex by those me-”

“None of any of yours business okay.” Alex was getting red herself and punched half play fully Till’s thigh for saying too much.

“You two seem like a couple eh?” Till said looking at Nea and Cody.

“We just met but thank you.” Cody smiled and put his hand on nea’s shoulder, Nea blushed and looked down.

“Krhm! May I have your attention please!” A tall man in expensive suit said in strickt voice. Everyone quieted down and turned to look at him.

“It’s amazing to see all of you here. And I’m happy that more of you have taken your loved one with you. My name is Mr Quinton. I am your host this weekend. (nyt on siis perjantai). I’d like to clear out our schedule if I may.” Quinton said and took a folded paper from his pocket and opened it.

“Tonight will it be free for all of you. It is always good to catch up with friends and collagues am I right. Just a slight reminder with pure love to everyone new in these circles to follow our etiquette outside your private rooms and respect the fact that these walls aren’t soundproof.” The man gave out a small laugh and almost everyone chuckled too, other’s bit embarassed by the note.

“Saturday, 8.30 is breakfast privately in canteen for an hour. Ten o’clock we all, comapnions including, will meet in conferense room three, for 45minutes. 11 o’clock the Elite will meet in said room for two hours. Other members and companions can spend their time in hotel’s spa, here in this room or in your own hotel rooms. 13.30 Will be lunch privately in canteen. 15.15 to 18.00 will be Elite and other members meeting in room 3. 18.15 will be dinner again privately in canteen. Then rest of the evening is free, but don’t drink yourself to hangover. We will discuss sunday’s schedule tomorrow. You will have a copy of dresscodes and schedule in your rooms. I would like to thank you all for your time and wish you a glad evening.” Mr. Quinton ended his speech and the room filled with soft applaus.

“Onks toi niiku joku iso pomo? Ja mikä määrittelee Eliitin ja muut jäsenet.” Nea kysyi hämillään, Cody ja Till vaihtoivat sanojaan heidän vieressä.

“Ei ole. Quinton on ‘Iso Pomon’ oikea käsi, joka toisin sanoen esittää pomon asiat ja niin edelleen. Iso pomo ei ikinä näyttäydy ja ketään ei tiedä kuka se on. Paitsi...No ite oon kerran tavannu sen codyn kaa. Ja siis se ei oo saatana. Pikemminkin saatanan läheisin maanpäällä tallaaja.” Allu selitti nealle joka nyökkäili vieressä ja otti allun juomalasin hörpäten siitä.

“Eliitti on nimensä mukaisesti Eliitti. Siihen kuuluu vaikutusvallaltaan ja ‘voimaltaan’ vahvimmat. Toisin sanoen viisi maailman vaikutusvaltaisinta liikemiestä, Quinton, kolme vahvinta ‘demonia’ ja sitten lol antikristukset minä ja cody.” Allu naurahti sanalle.

“No mites sit ne muut jäsenet ku tääl on aika paljo porukkaa. Eiks Lindemann oo eliittiä?” t nea nyt vttu

“Ei ole. Muut jäsenet on ns. Sielunsa myyneitä elämässä paljon saavuttaneita porhoja, julkiksija jotka omaa demonisia voimia ja ovat tärkeitä avaimia pelastukseen. Till on itseasiassa top 5 voimakkainta demoo mutta ei silti eliitissä. Ja siis näitä voimia omaavia on itseasiassa aika vähän. Ja satun henkilökohtasesti tuntemaan ne kaikki.” Allu selitti ja sanoi viimeisen lauseen nauraen.

“Okei. Aika hankalaa. Mut kiintoisaa.” Nea hymäili. Allu otti lasinsa takaisin ja joi loput, ojentaen sen ohi kulkevan tarjoilian tarjottimelle.

“Anyone interested to kidnap few bottles of wine and soda (looks at alex and nea) and go to one of ours room to, talk bit more loosely.” Till asked. Cody agreed and Alex laughed at Till’s correction/add.

The four took a bottle of vintage wine bottle (only one) and sixpack of coca-cola from under the buffet table. Dammit allu.

They all went to Till’s room and sat down on the couch. Till and Alex automatically undressing out of the top formal wear and sighing as they threw them on the bed and sat down too.

“Mikäs se oli!?” Nea said laughing as she and allu openeed their cola cans. The men looking at each other and shrugging. “we all gotta seemingly have our own secret language.” Cody laughed.

“Yeah totally. Me and nea have finnish, with Till I have Deutch, Cody and Till have their alpha language (vitullinen nauru kohtaus kaikille).” Alex said

“And- And Cody and Nea will have the unspoken language of love am i right.” Till alkaa vituulisen räkätyksen allun kaa ja nea on vitun awkward ku cody vaa hymyilee ja siemailee wiiniä kattoen neaa.

Allu- Huomaa codyn katseen neaa kohti. “Till can i sleep here tonight.” allu nauro viitaten että nuorella parilla ois villi yö

Till- “Oh yess you can i won’t mind a bit.” naurua ja wannabe flirtti ääni

Nea- “why couldn’t i be in cody’s room tho.” nea sano viattomasti katsoen allua ja tilliä (fhoewjgow äää) kuin heidän välillään ei missään nimessä voisi olla mitään.

Cody- “Because I'm sharing a room with my close actor friend.” Taas perus hymy vittu mies sä oot mysteerinen.

“oh” nea said and drank cola. “Till I'm still a lazy bastard do you have any pants i could borrow for a while, these leather ones arent the most comfortable pair.” Alex asked already standing up.

“I like them on you. I mean they aren’t really most comfortable to me neither if ya know what i mean. “ And till slapped alex butt. It was hared slap than a person woud jokingly give to other but it was till and alex so it was verrattavissa to small pet on butt. Alex slapped till on the back of his head and went to go thru his luggage.

Cody- “Is it always like that?” Cody asked half seriously but still laughing too

Till- “Well... Yes kind of.”

Allu tuli takaisin itseasiassa pelkällä isolla t-paidalla takaisin.

“are you fucking serious you iterally dont have any manners.” Till said and checked alex out.

Allu: “Well all your pants were like bed sheets for me. Nea has seen me in my underwear million times even as i was literally vomit drunk so doesn’t matter.”

Till- “Yes but there is a another male in this room. Who happens to be almost as powerful as you.” Somehwat jealousy and a need to own someonedrpped thru his voice.

Allu- “key word Almost. And he doesn’t have time to look at me with AnOtHeR wOmAn in this room.” ouuuuuu

Nea gave alex a glare. “Hei mä yritän vaan saada sulle munaa dont blame me.” Allu sanoi ja nea ei pystynyt edes esittämään vihaista.

Nyt venyy kyllä jo kolmi osaseks huhuh...

#vaikee selittää

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bubblegumwitchswriting · 6 years

Text

The Currency We’ve Spent: Chapter Two

Main Pairing: Will/Nico

Other Pairings: Jason/Piper; Percy/Annabeth; Hazel/Frank; Leo/Calypso

Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15934799/chapters/37506278

First Chapter (Prologue): here

Previous Chapter: here

It had been long enough since Jason had inadvertently betrayed them and or (depending on the point of view) accidentally brought their father down on them, that the wounds had healed over. When Jason and Nico came back in, Percy stumbled to his feet and launched himself at Jason, giving his friend a huge hug. Nico stayed just out of arms length - Percy drunk was a lethal combination of absolutely no coordination and no sense of strength and Nico had come close to death by strangulation more than once. Jason, pretty used to handling Percy drunk extradited himself with ease, and let Percy pull him back into the party circle.

"You're late Jason," Percy complained. "Like really late."

"I know," Jason said. "There was traffic. And I had to pick a couple of people up."

Nico turned rapidly to Jason, alarmed by the "couple". Who else was Jason hiding? Nico couldn't take any more surprises. It had to be bad for his health. Could he get Will to write him a note somehow? Dear universe, Nico has been through a lot so please excuse him from further surprises or other unpleasantness. Thanks (soon-ish to be) Doctor Solace.

The universe probably wouldn't pay the slightest bit of attention.

Nico was frowning at Jason trying to silently interrogate him on who this mysterious other person was, and if were any more sudden siblings Nico hadn't known about or seen in years he really would scream. Percy missed the entire thing, Jason just looked confused.

Nico's worries were assuaged anyway, when the door banged open and Leo appeared, blowing a party tooter.

"You can start the party now!" he called cheerily. "I am here!"

Leo was attacked in a death hug that nearly had the two of them on the floor.

"I thought you couldn't make it!" Percy was saying.

"Wouldn't miss this," Leo was saying. "Ooh are we playing games?"

Leo and Percy went back to the circle, Leo grabbed a shot from the bar on the way.

"How do you not drink at these things?" Nico demanded. "It's so stressful."

Jason gave him a wry smile.

"No more so than usual with you lot around," he commented. "Besides you can drink. Nothing stopping you. I honestly thought you'd be out of it by now, telling me all about the benefits of nihilism and orange juice or something."

Nico crossed his arms.

"I don't do that," he said.

"Uh-huh," Jason said.

"You know it must be nearly time to meet the girls," Jason continued, completely ignoring Nico’s glares to glance at his watch. Then he frowned distractedly.

"Hey," he said. "Where's Will?"

"Had to pick up a secret brother," Nico said. "He'll be here soon."

"Nico -" Jason began warningly, but Nico cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"I'm not over-thinking," he said.

"I'm not," he added when Jason seemed unconvinced. "I promised Reyna after all not to be a moron in relationships."

"So you'll listen to her?"

Nico scowled.

"I listen to you all the time. Like when you convinced me my boyfriend was a spy -"

Jason held up his hands in defeat and acceptance.

"Only for Russia and even then only at weekends," a familiar voice said. "Hey Jason."

"Hi Will," Jason said. "Will you tell Nico to stop-overthinking and start drinking?"

Will gave Nico a smirky kind of grin. He was stunning of course, but far from bowling him over like it used to it drew an internal eye roll. And okay maybe a small observation about how the colour of his smart-casual shirt really drew out the colour of his eyes. But over-all he was completely jaded to Will's superficial beauty.

"Go get drunk babe," Will said. Pet names and smirks were Will's weapons of choice in sarcasm and arguments and it was unfair they were so effective.

"Why are you still not drunk?" Will continued. "Have you not been to one of these before? Do you need me to explain what a stag do is for? Because they seem to be largely for getting everyone really drunk."

Nico stared at him.

"Why don't you tell Jason about the text you got from Luke, honey."

Will's smirk flickered back but then he looked more serious.

"Luke," Jason asked. "You've heard from Luke?"

"Only to say someone called Thalia is in trouble."

Jason went kind of pale, eyes flashing to the door as though he could see into the foyer beyond. Nico nudged Will pointedly.

"Thalia's his sister," he explained in a stage whisper.

Will closed his eyes.

"Well you might have mentioned that before, sweetie, in which case I might have been a bit more gentle with that news."

"It's fine," Jason said though he didn't sound especially fine. He sounded tired, even more tired than he'd been over the last month. "I'm fine. I guessed it must have been something bad. Thalia doesn't usually fall apart like that."

"No," Nico agreed with only a little sulleness. "She gets mad not sad. Anyway you can appreciate why I'm currently still alarmingly sober."

Will gave him an understanding smile.

"When do the girls get here?" he asked Jason, and how did Will know more details about this party than Nico? Were his boyfriend and best friend in cahoots now? Nico wasn't sure he liked that. Next they'd be ganging up on him about his relationship with vegetables or something.

"Any minute," Jason said, glancing at his watch again.

"Percy seems to be having fun at least," Will commented. "Why are all the shots blue?"

"Don't ask," Nico said.

Wil raised an eyebrow.

"Okay well, I don't mean to be insensitive but Luke's message didn't make it seem like danger was imminent. And Percy has been gesturing to us to go over for the last like minute so maybe we should act like we want to be here not aiming that at anyone specific but certain people here have expressions more suitable for a funeral. Not everyone. Certain people. It looks great on you, Love but maybe not the most appropriate."

Nico hit him in the arm, but he had a point. This was Percy's night.

Nico let him and Jason pull him down to where Percy and the others were still playing Percy or Annabeth.

"Last question," Connor called. "And the newcomers and party poopers - looking at you Nico - can join in on this one. Jason I know you don't drink so we got you some blue Gatorade."

"Thanks," Jason said. "I think.”

"Right for the win, who does Annabeth think is the most irresponsible?"

No one even bothered writing.

"Percy!" everyone chorused.

"Hey," Percy protested, but then he shrugged.

"Yeah," he said. "Okay."

The games over, Leo cranked up the sound on the speakers.

"Let's hit some pinatas!" he yelled.

If his self from a year ago had been told that one day he'd be having fun at Percy's stag do for a marriage that wasn't to him, with a boyfriend in tow there was no way he'd ever have believed it. Things had changed a lot, but maybe they were for the better. Mostly for the better anyway.

Will had glitter on his cheeks and in his hair from the pinatas. He presented Nico with a small packet of haribo. It was largely made up of rings.

"Are you proposing?" Nico asked as he took them. He was sitting up on the bar refusing to dance, and Will was in front of him dancing distractedly as he tried to convince Nico dancing would be fun. Leo had put the playlist together and some of the songs made Nico frown slightly but Will had professed that Leo had good taste which was practically grounds for divorce.

"Proposing?" Will asked, sounding innocently surprised. "So early into the relationship? We have to write letters to each other for at least another two weeks and then you'd have to ask my papa's permission."

"Oh shut up you southern belle," Nico said. "And you don't even know who your papa is."

Will put a hand to his heart, mortally offended.

"How could you say such a thing?" he asked, teasing and over-dramatic. "At least my father is not a criminal overlord."

"That is a very good point my dear," Nico said with a straight face. "But then at least I didn't actively work for him."

Will laughed.

"Come on," he said. "Come dance."

Nico sighed but he actually recognised the song, and Will was so pretty under the flashing lights, glitter sticking to his cheeks like extra stars in the constellations already clustering his face. He slipped down off the bar, bringing a shot with him, letting Will pull him onto the dance floor.

"So what's this one?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"The song?"

"I thought you knew it," Will said. "You started dancing the second it came on."

"That's a lie your honour," Nico said automatically. "Besides you can know a song without knowing the name."

Will shrugged an acquiesce at that. Before he could answer, however, the door burst open and Piper appeared.

"We're here!" she called. She had on a pretty top and a nice pair of shorts over which she wore huge underwear emblazoned with a generic superhero symbol. She had a cowgirl hat all neon pink and bright splotches of cow print lopsided on her head.

"Looks like the girls have been having fun," Will commented wryly. Nico smirked. He'd been around a drunk Piper only once but it had been an experience. He thought the drunk men she'd been hustling drinks out of at the bar were going to kill her when they finally caught on to the fact she was playing them.

"Don't make or take any bets around her," he warned.

Annabeth appeared in the doorway next, a princess crown and veil placed on her head equally lopsided.

"Percy!" she yelled. "Look who's here."

Thalia was close behind, smudgy make up still smudged, hair still ruffled but looking festive in a bright blue feather boa Annabeth had wrapped around her shoulders. Nico might not have gotten on particularly well with her but the glee with which Annabeth introduced her friend made Nico kind of glad she'd shown up, though the circumstances could have been better. Percy scrambled to his feet, rushed over to Thalia.

"Sparks!"

"Water Works," Thalia said. "Heard you were getting married. Notice I didn't get an invitation to the wedding."

Annabeth laughed.

"We had no idea where you were!" she said accusingly. "You're a good one for disappearing. But now you're back you can have the place of honour."

"Hey - " Piper broke in with a cheeky grin. "I thought that was going to me."

"You can have a joint place of honour with Piper. And we can have another hen night. Maybe in Europe. Should we go to Europe? Maybe Paris, I haven't been to Paris. Hey Percy let's go to Paris."

"Sure," Percy said cheerfully, without a real clue about what was going on. "I'll add it to the list."

The rest of Annabeth's friends had intermingled with Percy's. Shots were poured out and taken around for the girls.

"We were dancing," Will said, gently pulling Nico back by the arm.

"That was when I knew the song," Nico said.

Will fixed him with an unimpressed look.

"Everyone knows What is Love."

Nico couldn't really deny that.

"You know I hate dancing," he mumbled but he let Will pull him along anyway and somehow he stayed until the next song and the song after that. He didn't drink much after the first shots and joined Jason on the blue gatorade. Though Will thought Luke didn't think there was much danger, and didn't pose a threat, and though Thalia had shaken off whatever was upsetting her and was dancing happily with Annabeth and Piper, there was a small part Nico couldn't quite relax. Will, he noticed, followed his lead and didn't drink much at all. That was like a knife in Nico's chest: painful and making him go weak at the same time and it made him smile at Will and keep dancing. Will was a good distraction.

At some point Percy and Annabeth's outer circle of friends left, leaving him and Will, Jason and Piper, and Leo, and Thalia. They all sat out on the fire escape, wrapped in coats and various items of fancy dress that had been strewn around the bar. Nico sat back against Will's legs, listening to the music that still played, though more quietly, and watching as the sky turned pale blue and then tinged pink.

The others were talking - reminiscing, making plans - but he was content to listen, Will's fingers intertwined with his.

Tiredness was catching up with him. The others were starting to feel the effects too, but no one wanted to end the party. At some point Nico fell asleep woke again when Thalia and Piper, who had very quickly become best friends, starting singing Country Roads Take Me Home To The Plaaaace -and planning to quit their jobs that second and take a road trip. Leo was going on about all the best things about road trips when Nico's eyes shut again.

Will nudged him awake again when the sun was a yellowing disc just above the horizon.

"Time to go," he said softly.

The others were getting up, collecting their things. In the foyer Jason was organising taxis, trying to count them all and figure out who would be best to ride with who.

"Where are you staying Thalia?"

"With ussss!" Piper said enthusiastically, to both Thalia and Jason's surprise though both accepted it.

"Okay so that means the three of us in one taxi," Jason said.

"Nico you better go with Percy," he continued. That was usually Jason's job but Nico just shrugged.

"And then Will with you as well obviously but then that leaves Leo and Annabeth. Wait where are you staying Leo?"

"He's near me," Annabeth said. "That works."

Jason stared at the both of them, doubtingly. Leo had on a pair of sunglasses and though he was leaning against the wall he was tipping and tilting and he keeled over. Annabeth was swaying happily and in complete contrast to her sober self did not seem very with it at all.

"I'll go with them," Will volunteered, catching Jason's eye with a slight smile. "It's sort of on the way."

Will glanced at Nico and Nico shrugged and nodded.

"I'll see you at home."

Will left first with Leo and Annabeth who were looking most worst for wear. Him and Percy were supposed to be next but then Percy, who had been fiddling with his engagement band, lost the ring and was crawling around looking for it.

"You go," Nico said. "I'll get the ring and the groom into the next taxi."

Jason smirked.

"Practice for the wedding?" he asked.

"I freaking hope not," Nico answered.

Jason grinned and wished him a good night, taking his drunk girlfriend and tipsy sister with him. Nico watched Percy scrabbling around the floor for a moment and then with a sigh got down on his hands and knees and began searching.

"Found it!" Nico said extracting the ring from under the counter. "And that sounds like the taxi."

He handed pulled Percy to his feet and handed him the ring.

"Don't lose it again," he instructed sternly, but his attempts to be authorititive just had Percy giggling.

"You don't do that as much anymore," Percy commented as Nico dragged him towards the door.

"Do what?" Nico asked distractedly.

"Frown," Percy said.

Nico stopped dead, but Percy was too drunk to notice any significance in that.

"I don't know what you mean," he said quietly. He pulled himself together, pulled Percy onwards.

"I frown all the time," Nico continued. "Look I'm frowning now because you're not walking properly and you're going to pull us both over."

"Sorry," Percy said automatically.

"I'm glad you have Will though," Percy said, apparently reaching the soppy stages of his drunk pattern. Nico was surprised he hadn't gotten there sooner. Nico glanced at his friend, who was frowning in his attempts to put one foot in front of the other. There was no way Percy would remember this conversation in the morning.

"I'm glad too," Nico said softly. "And I'd quite like to get home so if you could hurry it up that would be great."

Percy gave him a sappy grin.

"I love you Neeks," he said. "You're like my favourite little brother."

"Great," Nico said.

Percy frowned.

"Ugh," Nico said. "I love you too. Now for goodness sake the driver is going to drive off without us at this rate."

Percy did make a concentrated effort to hurry up, for all the good it did their pace. It wasn't far to the door but Percy managed to turn it into a marathon. Luckily the car was still waiting, back door open. Nico poured Percy inside and got in after him, yanking the door shut. Nico gave Percy's address and driver moved off without a word.

Nico's eyes were getting heavy again and he kept thinking of collapsing in bed. He had to keep jerking his eyes open, glancing over at Percy to make sure he wasn't making trouble, before sinking back into a sleepy daze. Because he was so out of it, it took him far too long to figure out the car wasn't going the right way.

He frowned, just faintly puzzled at first. They weren't that far from where they should be. Maybe there had been a diversion. When the car took a right when it should have been a left, Nico felt the thrills of dread.

He didn't know what to do, and Percy was too drunk to be any help and drunk enough to be a huge liability. Did he say something to the driver? Maybe the driver had heard the address wrong or -

Or this was deliberate.

He swallowed and pulled out his phone. His battery was flashing low, down in very last dregs of red. He'd taken too many pictures of Percy and Leo for bribery purposes. That would teach him. He would probably only have time for one call, or one message. Who did he reach out for? The police? Jason? Will? They should really have a group chat for these kind of problems - help we've been kidnapped.

An incoming text from Jason made up his mind. Jason was clearly by his phone.

He tapped out a quick message - probably incoherent in his hurry to get it sent before the battery died. After it was sent he opened up his and Will's thread but the screen went black, the little charge symbol taunting him when he stabbed at the screen.

Nico glanced at the driver, a dark figure behind the glass, and then to Percy. He was staring out the window, apparently oblivious to everything, half mumbling half singing. It was that song, the one he'd first got up to dance to. Will had never gotten to tell him what it was. What if Nico got murdered now and Will never got to tell him and he'd die not knowing and Will wouldn't know what happened to him.

No need to panic though.

He nudged Percy gently.

"Have you got your phone?" he asked.

Percy rummaged in his pockets then shook his head.

"I think Jason might have had it. Or Annabeth. Or Leo took it at one point and was recording some monologue about -"

Nico tuned out. Great. Just great. They were trapped in a taxi with a possible mad-mass murderer and/or one of Luke's minions or someone from Jason's father which all really probably amounted to the same thing. And neither of them had a working phone.

Though he could still feel tiredness, it was held at bay by the tension coiled in him. When the car stopped he threw open the door, intending to pull Percy out with him, to make a run for it. Percy was entangled with his seat belt and didn't have enough urgency for it to work. As the driver opened his door, Nico raced around the car, opened up Percy's door.

"This isn't my house," Percy observed, reasonably calmly though there was an undercurrent of awareness rising to the surface. He was beginning to look alarmed.

"Hurry up," was all Nico said.

Percy turned back to his seat belt. Nico sensed someone behind him and he turned, too quickly. They'd come to a stop on a dirt driveway, muddy and slippery and his foot had caught on a rock. He went down, trying to catch at the door to save him but it swung in throwing him even more off balance. He was aware of a sharp pain as he hit his head on something and then there was black.

Next chapter

#the currency we've spent #Will solace #will/nico #will solace/nico di angelo #solangelo #Nico di Angelo #percy jackson #Percy Jackson and the Olympians #percy/annabeth #annabeth chase #jason grace #Jason/Piper #Piper McLean #thalia grace #luke castellan #Leo Valdez

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royal-writer · 6 years

Text

Do we need more futurevision, hopes and dreams stories? Probs not but I’m gonna make em anyway hurrhurr

Gotta get my FIX somehow

Gowns sucked. Why did aristocrats insist on these damn things? They were so ineffective and stiff. Chest aching with a tightly strung corset, feet sore in narrow dainty little shoes. You could hardly dare to move your legs more than a shuffle or fear falling from the weight or heavens, show a slip of ankle.

Instead of feeling like a person, you felt like a display doll. Pretty and perfect.

Resisting the urge to breath their her mouth, Essätha nodded simply and politely to the chatty maiden and her escort speaking. Gods she wanted to nibble on the thick stain of lipstick on her mouth, or brush off the damn powder everywhere that made her want to sniffle.

The only satisfaction she got was knowing she wasn’t the only one uncomfortable. Rava seemed to be the only one truly enjoying the sport of showing off in fancy attire. Abernathy pulled off the look with sophistication, but was weary of his movements not to rip the suit dawning him; and Penimra was more arrogant than ever to show off his mannerisms and high-class status.

That left her, Adela, Cackle, and Sul in varying degrees of the most miserable guests at this high-court meeting.

Of course, she would insist upon being the most uncomfortable. At least the other’s weren’t hopping from foot to foot trying not to dance in place to relieve the pressure from aching lack of arch support.

Thank goodness everyone else was there to pay attention as the man gestured, waving them to follow to- somewhere- because she couldn’t pay him a lick of attention in this state. Hopefully taking them somewhere she could sit down. Or- well, maybe not. What if this stiff piece of shit ripped? Wasn’t she supposed to push it down in the back when she sat or something so the flowing bottom didn’t hike up? Christ, this was the worst-

A hand lightly pressed against her lower back. Essätha gave a sideways glance up to the dark eyes peering down at her.

Amon smirked. Briefly.

Ohhh dear. She swallowed, marching forward a few paces to where they had been ushered. The warmth of the guiding hand against her back driving her crazy.

She fell short from the rest; standing back and mostly out of sight as the clip of Amon’s heels came to an abrupt stop. Fingers massaged in to the fabric in slow circles.

Gods, she couldn’t even feel those rough fingers. Who decided having clothes like this was worth it when you couldn’t even appreciate a man’s touch, honestly. Such poor design. Terrible taste.

Clearing his throat, Amon leaned down close to her. The heat of his breath washed over her neck, sending goosebumps down her arms as she shivered.

“I’m going to tear that damn unflattering dress off you as soon as we’re out of here.”

Oh, gods. Her knees were shaking.

Teeth scraped her ear and she choked back a moan, swallowing as he whispered, “I bet I can make you beg just riding my knee. Pelor you smell so good-”

The hand against her lower back slipped down, cupping her ass. Essätha jumped suddenly, letting out a startled cry of alarm that had heads turning back towards them.

Her face was searing red. Brighter than Sul’s scales as her legs wobbled, an ache between her legs and humiliating dampness between.

She dared a glance at Amon. Standing poised, completely stoic in complexion with arms behind his back.

That piece of shit.

“Everything alright, miss?” the gentleman escort inquired, his eyebrows furrowing.

“Yes- yes fine I uh- I’m sorry to interrupt I just need to use the restroom-”

“Ooh, by all means. Down the west wing, three doors down on the right side.”

“Right. Thank you-”

Stiffly, she pivoted to hurry as fast as the painfully pinching shoes would allow. A glance back as she made her way to the corner, and most everyone had put their attention back on the chatty couple.

Amon’s were on her, however. Smug and satisfied, before turning his eyes back on the two speakers.

“Filthy fuck,” she hissed to herself as she stomped down the corridor. Enjoying the rise out of getting her aroused and leaving her wanting. At an event she could do nothing about, of course! She couldn’t relieve herself here in this fancy shitdick estate.

Oooh but the very idea was there now. On the fancy beds of silk, on the table, leaning on the expensive sculptures, against the doors and in the bigass tub this place probably had and all over this expensive, luxurious house. Dirty, graphic, lewd images danced in her thoughts in a conga line. One after another, flashing before her mind’s eyes. All the position, all the moaning and groaning, Amon’s fingers digging into her hips and oh gods-

“Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck,” she whispered hoarsely, placing a palm to her forehead and smearing some of the powdery makeup.

Ah hell, how much longer did they have to put up with this shit before she could pin that snarky rich man into a bed and have her with him?

LATER…

“Hey, Essätha, where’s the bathroom here again?”

Blankly, the yuan-ti stared over at the elven child.

“How should I know?” she asked. “I don’t live here.”

“But you… had to use the restroom earlier…” Rava trailed, frowning with confusion.

Whoops. She’d forgotten about her little fib to escape Amon. Coughing into the back of her hand softly, Essie shuffled quickly past Ravamora’s skeptical glance to catch up with the other’s.

Gods, maybe she should have tried swiping something when she’d taken off. At least that would have been a good, believable cover. Now she just looked like an idiot avoiding a question.

Stepping past Amon, she caught a quick flash of a grin come and go on his face as she passed.

Smug fuck. He was going to see just where that cockiness lead him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

No way. There was no way.

“Essätha?”

That voice. She knew that voice. It fit the illusion before her perfectly. The manifestation of her imagination; eerie black eyes on a red face with bright blue hair spiked in tall tufts.

When she ran forward, it only took a second after for the tiefling to move too. They collided painfully; forehead smacking together and arms awkwardly clutching clothes.

“Sol!”

“Oh by Shar’s love, Ess’, you’re okay!” Solace sobbed, clinging to her so tightly that her fingers hurt.

“Come here come here, let me look at you! Look at how tall you’ve gotten- look at you oh Shar, oh gosh, you made it you’re okay, you’re okay just look at you!”

Startled laughter bubbled up from Essie’s chest. She reached up, wiping at her tearful eyes as Solace held her away at arms length to inspect her.

“I didn’t know- I had no idea where you’d gone and what happened to you, I only hoped-”

The tiefling’s voice cracked. Her teeth snagged her lower lip as she blinked swiftly, tears collecting in her eyes.

“You look healthy,” she choked. “You look… you look wonderful.”

“And look at you!” Essie announced in heaving, sobbing gasps. “You’re fucking glowing!”

“I know! I got new clothes!”

“You always have new clothes,” Essätha laughed between ugly, chest-heaving sobs.

Hands came up, gently cupping Essie’s face. She blinked past her tears of relief, grinning as Solace pressed her forehead against her own.

“I’m so happy to see you, Ess’. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you,” Essätha countered, holding her friend tightly.

They stood there, embracing each other tightly for a moment. So different but so much the same.

Essätha realized she was taller than Sol now. But where she had grown in height, Sol had grown where it counted, of course. A narrow waist, wide feminine curving hips, and much more bust. The lucky bitch.

She tugged herself back a bit, smiling eagerly down at her friend.

“Come here, I have some people to introduce you to,” she eagerly stated, looking behind her at the baffled faces staring her way.

Solace appeared briefly confused. She looked behind Essätha, her eyes suddenly lighting up.

“Oh… please!” she gasped. “Yes- please do!”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Ooohhh Green Bean is just the most darling little baby in the whole wide world!” Solace cooed. “You adopted a kid Ess’, congratulations! I can’t believe you raised a child without having them meet their aunt. I’m crushed, really.”

“Oh shut up,” she snorted, rolling her eyes.

“At least she has better looks than her mom.”

Essie jabbed an elbow into the tiefling’s side, narrowing her eyes.

“You know I’m kidding, reptile.”

A drawn out ‘hmm’ escaped Essätha, unable to wipe the smile from her face as she watched Sol stroke the green serpent. Bobbing her head up and down, Green Bean followed the motion of Solace’s free hand as she wiggled in front of the serpent’s face.

Solace leaned back slowly then, cracking her back as she looked around the campsite. She pointed to each individual in turn, speaking softly to Essie as she did so:

“Abernathy, Ravamora, Penimra, Sulhad… Sulha… Sull? Whatever- Adela, Cackle, Ilamin, and Amon?”

“Right.”

“They seem like a lovely bunch,” she observed, watching the large group wander the camp in quiet discussion.

A soft smile formed on Essie’s mouth. She felt a squeeze in her heart as she nodded.

“They are.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she could make out Solace watching her. There was a critical stare upon her; hyper observant.

“What?”

“Look at you,” Sol chuckled softly. “You’re so… happy. You’re glowing!”

A dark hue of red entered Essie’s cheeks.

“Well- I mean- I’ve been traveling with them for a long time- you get used to them-”

“Mmmmhm,” Sol drawled, waving her hand. “So- tell me, what are they like?”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll get to know them with time,” Essie laughed breezily. “Sir Abernathy’s very kind and very nurturing. He’s pretty much tied with Sul over there in protecting the lot of us. Rava’s a brat I’ll be honest, but maybe I say that because in a few ways, she reminds me of me. Penimra is trash but he’s our trash- and he’s getting a lot better at not being such a judgmental cock.”

“Promising,” Solace observed, laughing softly.

“Heh- yeah. Ilamin’s a young sweetheart; you wouldn’t meet a more caring boy. Adela’s cool; she can swap between being a stick-in-the-mud like Abernathy to the most boisterous, adventurous person. She’s taken by the way- I see that look. So is Abernathy.”

“Cackle over there is loud,” she pointed out, wincing. “Very loud, at times. But she’s a trip. A lot of character. If you want a hug though, there’s no better with all that fluffy down feather.”

A deep sigh escaped her. Watching the bunch as they gave her some space for now with her friend, gathering firewood and preparing what they had on hand for dinner that evening.

Jerking her head, Solace indicated to the last, unmentioned individual of the group.

“What about moneybags over there?” she slyly stated. “Steal anything good off of him? Does he owe you guys a debt?”

Essätha cleared her throat roughly.

“No, I haven’t stolen anything off of Amon… Correction: anything I didn’t give back, anyway.”

“Whoa. You gave something back?”

She shrugged, trying to play it off. “He’s… had a lot of things to work through. I felt bad.”

Essie didn’t like the look Sol was giving her. Not one bit. But, gratefully, she turned her gaze back on to Amon with a smile.

“What- what is it?”

“Is he single?” she sang, eyeing the Briarton lord hungrily.

An ugly, foreign feeling fluttered in her stomach.

“No,” she said flatly.

“Oooooh I see how it is,” Solace purred. “Shakking up with moneybags over there, hmm? That’s why he’s here, ey? Can’t get enough of that tail~”

She rubbed her elbow against Essätha’s side teasingly.

Offering a strained, false laugh, she responded faintly, “His name’s Amon, Sol.”

That same, curious look appeared on the tiefling’s face.

“Right,” Sol cued softly. “Amon.”

“Arf!”

“ACK!”

Wheezing, Essätha tried to declaw Solace talon-like grip from her shoulder and side.

“It’s okay, Sol, that’s just Caesar.”

“That dog is huge!” she whined. “Does he bite?”

“I mean, obviously?” Essie laughed. “But you’re good, as long as you don’t force Amon to send him after you. Here, you can touch him. He’s friendly.”

Nervously, Solace reached out to boop the mastiff on the nose. He sniffed curiously, licked her finger, and proceeded to sneeze.

“Oh gross!”

A sharp, wheezing laughter escaped Essätha, gripping her sides as Solace hugged to her side with a pouty face. Tears streaming down her face as Caesar wagged his tail, head tilted with confusion as to what was going on.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

She caught Solace staring a lot after that.

That night, while everyone ate, she commented and laughed and told stories with the rest of them. Getting to know Essätha’s party of friends as they got to know a bit more about her.

But the later the hours got, she became quiet. Essie could almost see the clockwork moving in her head. It was the same way the next day, and the day after that. Still polite; answering questions, offering a helpful hand where she could or was asked. Asking her own questions, smiling.

But she seemed worryingly gone from her.

It left Essie feeling confused, and dreadfully sad.

Solace watched without comment or question, most of the time. She seemed most keen to watch when Essie’s orbit moved around Amon’s and his hers; following each other in circled paths unseen that always made their way back towards each other. Eyes leaving longing gazes against each other like the imprints of hands.

The staring made her nervous. However anxious she was though, she refused to bring it up.

Whatever was on Sol’s mind, it would come out with time.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“You’re leaving?”

The pain of the words struck a cord in her soul. All Essätha could do was stare, helpless, her heart aching.

“Don’t take it the wrong way, Essie,” she soothed, reaching out for her hands. “I love you plenty, kid. But you don’t need me, you know? I know you’re okay now. I know you’re still out there. I know I can find you again; all I have to do is search for the big superstar and her group of explorers out there, protecting the world.”

“But… why?” Essie asked hoarsely. “You can stay…”

The tiefling gave a shake of her head. “No, I can’t. We’re family, but they’re your family too.”

“Besides,” she went on, giving a bit of a sad smile. “I’m… no good for you like they are. You live a different life with them. They make you better. Having me around would complicate things in the end. It’s better if I’m just a visitor to the photos, not part of the album. You have your own life now; so different from the one we had when we were children. I can’t impeach on all of this. You’ve changed but maybe I… maybe I haven’t changed enough.”

“Sol, there’s no reason to go. They like you; you don’t have to-”

A finger touched her mouth gently, silencing her.

“It’s my choice,” she stated, firmer this time. “And I’m sticking with it.”

The hand dropped from her mouth as Sol sighed, smiling. “It’s not ‘goodbye’, Ess’. It’s ‘see you later’.”

“Feels like a goodbye,” she muttered.

“I know, reptile. I’m sorry.”

They stood there, awkward in the prolonged silence. The sound of crickets chirping and early morning dew on leaves, dropping to the ground, a louder echo in the silence than their breathing.

“What are you going to do, about that Amon fellow?”

“E… Excuse me?”

Solace looked up at her, a serious complexion now.

“Ess’, when have you ever bothered learning a lover’s name before?”

“That’s not-”

“How long has moneybags been traveling with all of you?”

“Well, since we started-”

“How long is this going to last?”

“Gods, Sssol, I don’t know!” Essie hissed, her face red. “It’s just good sex, okay!”

She regretted the words instantly. They burned in her throat; made her heart instantly throb with pain. It was an ugly, hurtful lie and even if he wasn’t around to hear it, the fact she’d even voiced it was damaging to her soul.

But that’s all it was. That’s all it was ever going to be.

There was a shape of pity in Solace’s face. She spoke softly then: “I’m sorry.”

Essätha stared at her silently. She didn’t have anything to respond with. Even if she did, she wasn’t sure she could voice it without her voice cracking.

“I better be on my way,” Sol cut in, glancing off to the side. “Wouldn’t want your family to think I’m kidnapping you.”

“You’re family too, Sol. You said so yourself.”

“I’ll find you again, don’t worry.”

The tiefling leaned in, giving her a peck on the cheek.

“Stay safe.”

“R-… Right,” Essie muttered. “You too, demon spawn”

Shouldering her bag, Solace gave a wink. She turned to take a few steps, sighing. Her eyes glanced over her shoulder.

“I’d watch out for that lord, Essie,” she said gently, a small smile. “I think he might be a criminal.”

“W-What?” Essätha babbled, confused.

Solace turned away, walking down the trail. Her voice carried as she sang out the next phrase:

“I think he might have stolen something very precious from you, dear.”

The next words were muffled, and Essie couldn’t make them out as Sol stated to herself while moving away, “I just hope he decides to offer a replacement just as grand for what he’s taken.” (If he didn’t, Sol mused venomously to herself, she could always find him and gut him for hurting Essie’s soft pure heart.)

The words rang in Essie’s skull, but even as she watched Sol’s figure grow smaller and smaller as she headed over the dips of the road, she couldn’t make any sense of them.

Tiefling bullshit riddles. What the fuck did that even mean?

#eci artz #Essie rw #amon illiad #essamon ship #my dnd campaign #solace dnd

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jetzelda · 6 years

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Naruto x Katekyo Hitman Reborn! Crossover

Naruto is Skull. The Sage of Six Paths once said Kaguya had traveled from another world. It was mostly correct. It was more accurate to say she had been banished from another dimension, and had traveled to this dimension in search of more power to get revenge upon her siblings, only to be distracted by children and war and such. Fast forward to the final battle. In a moment of panic Obito unleashes a Kamui that doesn’t send the Team 7 to a pocket dimension, but unfortunately flings them randomly across the dimensions. Naruto awakens in a strange dimension, with strange technological advances, an entirely unfamiliar world map, and no ninja! At Kurama’s urging, he integrates himself into this world, until he could find a way back home. So he Hides himself with seal covered jewelry, dyes his hair a radical color, and donns himself a new outfit to match the daredevil machine he decided to try. The circus was just too fun to resist. But Kurama was right, he should have been far more suspicious of the checker faced man’s offer. He was pulled through a wild, completely confusing new ride. It was all someone else’s story, up until his skull was smashed in and his sealed jewelry was lost.

Skull had every intention of getting out of the hospital as fast as possible. All his injuries were already healed. The curse was broken; he had felt it. The moment Enma’s guardians left him alone, he kicked off his blankets. His bedside table held what was left of his helmet. All of his jewelry was lost. He would have to make new seals. The makeup was just barely there still. His only saving grace for hiding his appearance was his hair dye and makeup. But his chakra signiture was now free for all the world to sense. He’d been in this dimension for years now. He hadn’t seen hide nor hair nor felt any other ninja here. But he wasn’t going to risk Kaguya somehow tracking him across dimensions. Skull grabbed his helmet, and quite easily booked it out the window. Not that he wasn’t grateful to Enma, or Tsuna. Those boys were some of the kindest people he had met in a while, and were destined for great things. But it was time for Sull to disappear. He liked learning about this underworld, and flames. Those flames would come in real handy. But he was very done with being a lackey. He was going to a safe house, fixing his seals, and getting back to his normally aged body with Kurama’s help.

That was the plan anyways. That checker faced bastard in his normal person suit just had to show up two streets from the hospital. Skull would be more angry if he wasn’t unsettled by that cold look in his dark eyes and that malicious smirk on his face. “Hiding under my nose all this time, pretty clever of you.”

Skull was rigid. “Hiding? Skull-sama has noting to hide from!”

“I felt you enter my dimension decades ago.” Kawahira ignored Skull’s proclamation. “I was about to find you when you suddenly vanished. I don’t know how you did it, but I’ve found you now.” A crowd was drawing. A man confronting a toddler would. Enma’s guardians were near, and no doubt contacting the others. “You’re not welcome.” Kawahira growled before Skull could reply. “Nothing of hers his welcome here.”

...Not the direction Skull was really expecting. “Her? Her who?” He asked. He dodged with a yelp when spikes protruded from the ground. Mist constructs.

“Enough playing the fool.” Kawahira sneered. “I can feel her flames intermingled with yours. You carry her very essence. I don’t know how you hid it before.” He stood perfectly stationary as his constructs attacked Skull. “You are either her spawn or another creation of hers. Her banishment is not welcome, neither you or she is welcome here.”

Skull was dodging spikes, tendrils, and any monstrosity Kawahira threw at him with growing agitation. The Arcobaleno were here now. They hadn’t scattered to the four winds yet. And not a single one was lifting a hand to help him. Tsuna and Enma looked as if they wanted to, but Reborn held them back. The prick was more interested in the show. Skull gritted his teeth. He was real sick of this kind of shit. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about!”

Kawahira scoffed. “I’m sure Kaguya told you to say that. But my sister is not welcome here.”

The answer froze Skull to his core, enough for him to miss a dodge and be stabbed through the chest with a tentacle. There were various exclamations of shock and horror from the crowd. But Skull missed every one, his mind too busy piecing together this new information. Kaguya was Kawahira’s sister. The bitch trying to destroy his world was Kaguya’s sister. His world was being torn apart because this bastard banished his sister instead of dealing with her.

His world exploded in red. He launched across the clearing, not feeling the mist construct being ripped from his chest or noticing it dissolve in the red aura around him. His clawed, tiny hand still managed to grasp Kawahira around the mouth. The man was in too much shock at this new change in Skull to react immediately.

“Are you saying-” Skull snarled a new, deep, guttural voice in Kawahira’s face, baring his tiny, yet intimidating fangs. “-that the reason why my world is being ruined is because you had family issues you couldn’t deal with?!”

When Kawahira didn’t answer right away, and Skull ignored that his hand probably stopped an immediate answer. He dug his claws into Kawahira’s face and raised his other clawed hand to rip him to shreds.

A jarring impact later, and Skull was on the ground, rubbing the growing bruise on his cheek and glaring hatefully at Kawahira with red, cat-slit, eyes Kawahira straightened his clothes, looking more ruffled than anyone had managed to get him during the past days. “Well,” Kawahira began, sounding more composed than he looked. “Perhaps we should have a calmer chat. In private.”

On cue, mist made shadows rose up from the ground and swallowed the two, leaving nothing for the crowd in the street to see.

As the civilian crowd dispersed, The Arcobaleno could only look on at the empty street and wonder how the weakest among them could hide a secret like this. The next time the duo was seen was at the celebration of the broken curse. A party Reborn bullied Tsuna into throwing. It was quickly devolving into a fight among guardians once more. Mukuro and Hibari still could not get along. Takeshi was goading Squalo. Belphrgor was goading Gokudera. Tsuna was at his wits end when the shadows rose up from the floor, and vanished, leaving Kawahira with the former Cloud Arcobaleno as if they had been there the whole time. “I said I didn’t want to be here, old man.” The toddler groused, arms crossed petulantly. The room couldn’t help but notice his appearance change. While he still sported the purple hair, instead of make up his cheeks were adorned with whisker marks.

“Nonsense, parties are always fun.” Kawahira smiled, eyes closed behind his glasses.

“I doubt we were invited.” “All the more fun.” Tsuna stepped forwardly timidly. “Have you two worked out your problems..?” For being such a badass, the kid was still kind of a baby. A Baby badass. “Hm? Oh yes.” Kawahira chuckled. “My, that seems so long ago now.” “Not really.” Grumbled the apparent Cloud. “Yes, well, as it turns out,” Kawahira led on. “Naruto here is technically a distant relative of mine, and carries another relative with him.” Kawahira here smiled as the bomb impacted the crowd. “Relative?!” “Skull’s related to you?!” “Hahaha!” “What do you mean ‘carrying another?’“ “How can someone so weak be someone so strong’s relative?!” “No freaking way, lackey!” “Is that the reason for his storm flames?” The now revealed Naruto’s eye twitched at the comments flying through the room. And somehow, his gaze landed on the black eyes of the fedora wearing baby on Tsuna’s shoulder. Reborn quirked a brow and smirked. “You’re name’s fishcake, lackey?” Naruto narrowed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and growled at Reborn. That was all the warning the room got before Naruto seemingly appeared on Tsuna’s shoulder and punched, actually managed to hit, Reborn off Tsuna’s other shoulder. Reborn manage to flip and land on Dino’s head. He wasn’t smiling anymore, and only the tiniest widening of his eyes gave away his shock to those who knew how to spot it. Naruto raised his fist at Reborn and shouted. “My name’s Naruto Uzumaki! And if you call me lackey again I’ll punch you again, dattebayo!”

#Jzprompts #Naruto #katekyo hitman reborn #Naruto Uzumaki #skull #Naruto is Skull #reborn #reborn khr

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stregacorvina · 4 years

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Belle Ballgown - Live Action Version

Welcome back! Another entry about the Belle Ballgown, this is the last one I swear XD Today I will show you the Live Action Version as well, made more or less around the same time of the other BJD Belle dress. (You will find it here in my Etsy Shop)

I admit that I do not like this dress so much, even the movie was not so great in my opinion, but as I am a huge Beauty and the Beast fan I decided to give it a try anyway! I am sorry but I really can’t picture Emma Watson as Belle, even if she’s a great actress and her acting was good during the whole movie, but I really did enjoy the castle and the Gaston character as well, I am really looking foward the see the new mini-season about him and Letont on Disney+.

As I never had the request to make this Cosplay before I did some research for shapes and materials to be sure to choose the right pattern....and I end up making another new pattern again XD (You can find this pattern in my Etsy shop as well)

As you can see is bit more shaped that the previuos one and gets up to the shoulders, this time I drew two princess seams in the front and two in the back for a total of 11 pieces. I decided to make a new pattern instead of using the previous Belle corset pattern because of the shoulders and the pleated sections on the corset, but I admit that I do not follow the movie shape exactly because of the smallest size. (i.e. the organdy ruffles "corner” on the back as you will see in the next pictures)

For this corset I use the same materials as the previuos Belle Ballgown, yellow satin and yellow organdy, and the making of it was pretty much similar to the other one.

I started with the corset: I made only 7 pieces for the lining layer, joining together the extra princess seams, to avoid too much seams on the inside. Then before moving to assembling the fashion layer I started pleating the organdy on the front center piece. (I decided to pleat the vertical sections directly on the corset once it will be assembled) Toooo many seams for a corset soooo small!!

I do not take (again :( ) any pictures during the making of so I will show you the finished corset and the skirt right below. I made a stripe of organdy with 4 pleats on each side, from front to back along the shoulders. I hide the usual velcro fastener between the pleats on the back (you will see later on) then I sew 4 loose stripes of organdy on the back of the dress. As I said before I did not follow exactly the original design as the back piece was too small, and also I cannot make the wavy edges on the organdy because it was fraying too much :(

I hope you like how it turned out! I think is the most similar I can achieve with such a small corset! I enjoyed studying this dress soo much that I will probably make a summer dress for myself following this design! I will have a couple of events this summer so it may be done sooner or later...

And this is the final combination corset-skirt, what do you think? I do not have much organdy left so I need to make smaller skirts unfortunately but I think the result is quite good (and as you can see I did only two layers of organdy instead of three in the skirt)

And this is the final dress! I added the golden decorations on the hems with Photoshop this time because during the pandemic I cannot buy the right textile pen to draw them, I will probabily do in the future if I sell this dress.

And this is the final reveal!

...as well as some flat pictures!

I hope you like this version as well! Let me know what do you think, and if you have any questions about this dress fell free to ask!

See you on Thursday with another BJD set..I think! I have not decided yet!

Chiara (StregaCorvina)

Bentornati! Ed ecco un altro post sul vestito di Belle, è l’ultimo ve lo prometto XD Oggi vi farò vedere la versione Live Action, realizzata più o meno intorno allo stesso periodo dell’altro abito di Belle per bambole (che trovate sempre qui nel mio negozio Etsy)

Devo ammettere che non mi fa impazzire particolarmente questo vestito, mi piace molto il corpino ma la gonna mi sembra troppo “semplice” paragonata al design Disney originale; anche il film non era niente di chè secondo me, ma essendo una grande fan della Bella e la Bestia non potevo non vederlo! Mi spiace ma proprio non riesco a immaginare Emma Watson come Belle, anche se è un’attrice bravissima e ha recitato benissimo nel film. Mi è piaciuto però molto il castello e come hanno rappresentato il personaggio di Gaston character, non vedo l’ora di vedere la miniserie su lui e Letont su Disney+.

Siccome nessuno mi aveva mai orginato questo Cosplay prima d’ora ho fatto un po di ricerche per analizzare le forme e i materiali giusti....e ho finito per fare un nuovo cartamodello di nuovo XD (Come sempre trovate il cartamodello nel mio negozio Etsy)

Come vedete è molto più sagomato dell’altro corsetto e arriva fin su le spalle, questa volta ho disegnato due fianchetti davanti e due dietro per un totale di 11 pezzi. Ho deciso di fare un cartamodello da zero invece di usare il cartamodello del bustino precedente per via delle spalle e delle sezioni con le pieghe, ma ammetto di non aver seguito fedelmente il design originale (soprattutto sul dietro - lo vedrete meglio nelle foto seguenti) perchè era davvero troppo piccolo per tutti i dettagli necessari!

Per questo vestito ho usato gli stessi materiali dell’altro abito di Belle: raso giallo e organza gialla, e anche il processo di realizzazione è stato abbastanza simile.

Ho iniziato dal corsetto: per la fodera ho semplificato il modello facendo “solo” 7 pezzi per non avere troppe cuciture, unendo i doppi fianchini sia davanti che dietro. Poi prima di assemblare lo strato esterno ho plissettato l’organza sulla parte centrale, invece le sezioni plissettate laterali ho deciso di farle direttamente sul bustino assemblato.

Anche questa volta, purtroppo, non ho fatto foto del processo di assemblaggio eprciò vi mostrerò solo le foto del corsetto finito. Ho fatto delle strisce di organza che ho plissettato 4 volte su ogni lato, dal davanti al dietro passando per le spalle. Ho messo del velcro dietro nascosto dalla plissettatura e ho aggiunto 4 strisce di organza libere sulla schiena. Come ho detto prima non ho seguito fedelmente il design originale perchè era veramente troppo piccolo per realizzare tutti i dettagli, nello specifico l’ “angolo” dell’organza sulle scapole e tutte le decorazioni dorate e ondulate sulle strisce di organza.

Spero che vi piaccia comunque! Penso tutto sommato sia molto simile ad design originale considerando le dimensioni ridotte! Mi è piaciuto davvero tanto studiare questo modello e credo proprio che mi realizzerò un abito estivo prendendo spunto da questo corpetto visto che ho un paio di cerimonie questa estate...

Ed ecco la combinazione corsetto-gonna, che ne dite? Purtroppo non mi era rimasta abbastanza organza per fare i tre strati sulla gonna come avrei dovuto, perciò ne ho fatti solamente due.

Ed ecco l’abito finito! Ho aggiunto le decorazioni dorate che vedete nelle foto con Photoshop (perchè durante la pandemia non sono riuscita a recuperare una penna per tessuti dorata) ma sicuramente le realizzerò nel caso dovessi vendere il vestito.

Ed ecco l’abito completo!

...e alcune foto dei singoli capi!

Spero che vi piaccia anche questa versione! Fatemi sapere che ne pensate e se avete qualche domanda sono a vostra disposizione!!

Ci vediamo Giovedi con un nuovo post su un set per BJD...credo! Non ho ancora deciso XD

Chiara (StregaCorvina)

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