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justaz · 13 days

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post magic reveal, post magic ban lifted, arthur gets to see merlin in all his glory and somehow falls deeper in love with him than he ever thought possible. merlin who is free and accepted and loved and ecstatic by it all, but there's that thought lingering in the back of his mind that only half of their destiny has been fulfilled. magic has returned to camelot but albion is still fractured in many different kingdoms, many of which are still holding onto the hate that uther spread which is seeping into the very fabric of the earth itself. druids and magic users and even magic creatures are still persecuted all across the realm and yeah camelot opened her arms to them but not everyone trusts it (justifiably).

arthur who is choking on the sheer amount of love he has for merlin and promising himself that he'll tell merlin, he'll confess, even if he feelings aren't reciprocated. merlin will know. merlin who has been chewing on an idea for some time now and is planning on bringing it up to arthur. its night as merlin is dressing arthur for bed and they're both quiet and tense. they break at the same time and end up speaking over one another. arthur allows merlin to go first since his nerves are eating away at him. then merlin speaks of leaving.

arthur feels his nerves rot and decay and fall into a bottomless pit. merlin is rambling about how every magical being in albion is still being targeting by various kingdoms and as the prophesied emrys, magic incarnate, druid king, should he not be doing more to help? he doesn't want to leave arthur's side, but he does want to help his people. he's seen only a fraction of the atrocities committed against them and he wishes to protect them, give them somewhere completely safe, a kingdom of magic so to speak. he promises that he'll only be gone for as long as it takes to establish a kingdom (a year? two? three?) but he promises to write and visit often...as long as arthur gives him permission and allows him to leave his service for the time being.

arthur of course agrees, half unhappy about it but completely understanding. surely, out of everyone, he is the one who can understand the weight of responsibility weighing on merlin's shoulders. he mentions that merlin will need someone with experience wearing the crown to guide him. plus, balance. merlin was always there for arthur, guiding him on how to be a better man, a great king, someone worthy of the praise he constantly spewed. it's only right that arthur gets to return that by helping merlin establish a safe haven and home for his people. and politically, camelot being the first kingdom to recognize merlin's and establish some trade agreement or treaty with them will strengthen merlin's kingdom's status and send a message that camelot stands with magic.

merlin smiles wide and asks what arthur was going to say. the king hesitates before biting his tongue and requesting that merlin bring up the honey cakes that had been prepared earlier that night. two of them. since merlin was no longer in his service, he didn't have to stand by and watch arthur eat - not that he ever did, the idiot loved to steal his food. shamelessly!! he never even tried to hide it. they both sat at the table in his chambers until late in the night, nibbling away at the sweets, chasing it down with wine, and chatting away.

arthur wasn't able to confess, but it did not change his feelings. if anything, merlin's heart and the decision he made only added fuel to the raging inferno of love and devotion within arthur. he knows that merlin will keep in contact and will return to his side one day. he gets through the tough days/nights by rereading merlin's letters and imagining seeing him again in royal garb and donning a crown.

#when they finally wed it completely solidifies that camelot is a safe space for magical beings #camelot and whatever name merlin settled on for his kingdom sort of merge together with the marriage as well #which is only the beginning to the prophesied unified albion that they were meant to build together #i just think that merlin shouldve built something for his people #like theyre being prosecuted at every turn #theres no safe place for any of them to reside #theyre always looking over their shoulder #merlin aka emrys aka magic itself should've looked out for his people #his devotion to arthur got in the way of that tho which ig is romantic but also like bro. cmon now.#plus king merlin>>>>#bbc merlin #merlin emrys #arthur pendragon #merthur #angst sort of #its a happy ending if you read my tags LMAO #fic ideas #fanfic #fanfiction #headcanon #head canon #hc

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perrypixellette · 1 year

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This is why Hunter wasn’t allowed to see titan Luz

#LUNTER DECRIMINALIZED HUZZAH #lunter #goldenlight #goldenluz #huntceda #hunter x luz #luz noceda #luz x hunter #toh hunter #hunter deamonne #<< finally settling his last name (bless u WAD)#toh spoilers #toh fanart #Toh art #my art #perrypixellette art #digital art

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not-poignant · 4 months

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Hi Pia! You said that you need another vacation after this vacation, so I am not sure, how puppy situation, even if it partual custudy, affecting you ( may be you in panic when he is there and then recovering when he is not, and then round and round? ), but really, If you need another vacation, I hope you know we will be here to support you for it!

It's been nearly 4 weeks now since we got Toby so I feel like I can talk about this with a bit of a clear head.

(Talk of like an actual PTSD meltdown beneath the read-more, including self-harm mention - nothing graphic. There's zero obligation for anyone to read this, especially for folks who don't think authors should ever be honest about being people with issues):

So, I've been kind of quiet about aspects of this, but I have like severe treatment-resistant PTSD and C-PTSD, and puppies specifically are one of my triggers (especially if I'm responsible for them). The reason for that is kind of awful, and I don't really want to talk about some of the things I've experienced/been through that led to that, so let's just move onto the next part. You're kind of right anon, there has been panic while he is here lol.

As a result, I had a severe meltdown the first time I tried to adopt a dog many years ago now. Could not last 24 hours, needed weeks/months to recover.

But I've always wanted to share my life with a dog and I've been in a somewhat better space over the past year or so, and I thought I could maybe handle it better. I told myself 'if I can just get through that 24 hours I'll realise it's okay and it will all work out.' Anon I cannot tell you where this thinking came from, but it was wrong. Idk why past me was kind of naive enough to think this way but here we are.

No, after that 24 hours, it got temporarily better, and then I slammed into consecutive meltdowns, each one worse than the next, until the people around me were afraid for my life. I am still recovering from some of the harm I inflicted on myself during the last three weeks and likely will be for some time to come. The combination of a really intense PTSD relapse, as well as not being able to handle (as an AuDHD person) intense changes to my schedule basically compounded and I broke.

I made the decision to rehome Toby, and first contacted the people around me. Glen's mum said she wanted a dog, and had been specifically looking into dogs like Toby anyway, and so we decided this would be best because then I could still be involved (I love Toby to pieces).

After getting some space, I finally started to adjust, and have gone back to having Toby about 4~ days a week, with a view to going to about 6 days, with one day spent with my mum, or Glen's mum.

Today is the first day I was able to handle having him on my own for around 9.5 hours. And I'm here and able to write about it, so that's progress. He'll be here all day Sunday, and then Tues-Weds-Thurs-Friday. And from there a decision will be made as to where I'm at with my mental health etc.

I'm a bit more hopeful now that I might be able to keep him, but my PTSD is still very very bad. I'm having some nights where I'm simply not sleeping until 7.30am (even if he's not here), and my hypervigilance is crazy. Like, I am having so many auditory flashbacks it's stupid. So this is why I've been saying this break hasn't been very restful or productive. Because my mental health tanked like I detonated a landmine inside myself.

I didn't actually plan the two week break for Toby! That was just a coincidence honestly.

Unfortunately I have a lot of health conditions that respond very poorly to stress, so I'm dealing with those now too. And then additionally, in all of this, I had a breast scan / mammogram / ultrasound that has confirmed a suspicious lump I found a couple of months ago (breast cancer runs in the family), and I suspect I'm going to need a biopsy. I'll find out on Monday if that's the case. That's been in the background and hasn't been helping.

There's some other stuff going on that's not really worth talking about because these are the main things, but that's a good picture I think. It turns out 'just getting through the first 24 hours' doesn't magically make a severe PTSD trigger go away. And that forced exposure is not 'exposure therapy' - that's just reinforcing a trigger.

Anyway! I feel like I'm through the worst of it, and I am seeing glimpses of how my life could be richer if I keep getting through this. But...that's why I think another break. *smiles tiredly.* I have to wait a bit now for the PTSD / C-PTSD symptoms to settle down, and I also need to see what's kind of worsened after this. Realistically, with a relapse to this degree, it could take between 3-6 months to really start recovering, or to at least get back to where I was before December.

I hope with all my heart I can get there with Toby by my side. I love him so much.

(I want to add that Toby has never ever been in a position of harm at any point, and in fact I probably put myself in harm's way for his sake, because I wanted to provide solid continuity of care - in case anyone was worried about that).

Er so yeah! But I've picked up my writing again this week and have been able to do some like...things I'd been neglecting, and I feel more human again, I just hope I get some sleep tonight

#asks and answers #personal #tobermory the cavoodle #that's also why i haven't always consistently been sharing photos #realistically he's spent about 4 days away from us?#and that alone has been enough to kind of help me sort my head out #when i realised it was PTSD that helped too #because i've been able to spot the severe hypervigilance for what it is #and sometimes just being able to name a thing helps #and finally intensive training with toby #has adjusted some of his behaviours very quickly #and he is now a very calm and well-behaved dog already #we just need to do more separation training and then i think i will finally start #settling a bit more #our vet's super happy with where he's at #but...um...you know it's never nice to make your mum cry #because she's scared for you :(#administrator gwyn wants this in the queue

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scorpiusmalfoylovesoscarwilde · 5 months

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trying to figure out whether the "scorpius malfoy-potter" and "albus malfoy-potter" in a fanart is because theyre drarrys kids or because they married each other 🕵‍♂️🕵‍♂️🕵‍♂️🕵‍♂️🕵‍♂️🕵‍♂️🕵‍♂️

#why is it pretty much always cause hes drarrys kid 🤧#its because drarrys more popular but still #i dont like when they change the ship but keep the childs name #like when people make Teddy Wolfstars kid as if he wasnt literally named after Tonks' dad #i headcanon that astoria actually picked his name. that her favourite class was astronomy and she knew all about the constellations and #the history and scorpius was one of her favourites #obviously they settled on a constellation because of the black family tradition but i like to think she made the final choice #also mild headcanon that hyperion is astorias dads name #albus severus is different because it is absolutely clear no one but harry was involved in that naming process 💀#scorpius malfoy #albus potter #scorbus #hpcc

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creepyscritches · 5 months

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There was something kinda freeing abt being in the hipster-type bucket in 2011 bc no one asked what genres your favorite artists were (also...you didn't have any good answers lol.... 'bog water?' 'tired grass??' 'country as well'). Spotify flooded the ecosystem w sub-genres and it was better when I couldn't put my finger on a sound. Anyway. If spotify is going to tell me a band is stomp and holler mountain music, it better be.

#Creepy chatter #It was usually smth 'indie-like/rock-like/folk-like/etc-like' and we were grateful #'Postal service is like fleet foxes pitched to owl city' and you couldn't do anything else #What the hell does spotify mean by 'emo'#Postal service??????????? It's owl city with basil and a nappy. Idiot.#Did people finally settle on pop for bastille now that they use guitar frequently #Blissfully ignorant.. I went 10 years of daily listening before I learned any of their names. I only know the singer is Dan Smith #But that's to find his weird little side projects he posts #Knowledge is a curse just get an ipod w pirated songs and custom album art and come meditate brainlessly w me

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sonknuxadow · 4 days

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somebody tell me what to name him

#caption is partially a joke partially serious i really dont know what to name him lmao #Hes a shark btw for people who didnt see him the first time i posted him #and also i know his design looks a little different every single time but i think ive finally settled on somethign this time #well. for the base design anyway. still unsure on outfit #my art #adn yes i just changed the colors on the drawing i already had . im lazy okay

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elviragrey · 6 months

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Breaking up my Strahdposting with another OC. This time its Pancake

#he was originally my neverwinter mmo character but i decided to make him real for avernus #his whole deal was that his parents were big ol heroes who settled down after their big mission and decided to have a kid #so they named him something dumb since the 'final session' never has consequences #and went on another big campaign and left him at home. so now he hates them #and his one goal in life is to become god #hes a mystic. i made him literally the month before they stopped working on mystics #he doesnt talk he just beams words into peoples heads like saiki k #dungeons and dragons #d&d #original character #dnd drow

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plushpile · 1 year

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Reaper's enjoying the sun before it's supposed to storm 🌤️

#finally got my boy and hes PERFECT im a little obsessed w/ him tbh #and i think ive finally settled on his name :)#mine #c: reaper #squishable #deaths head hawk moth #moth #moth plush #bug plush #plushblr #plush community #allplush #sfw plushblr #spider.pile

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sysig · 11 months

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New shapeshifter lad, Dahlia (Patreon)

#Doodles #Original #Ft. Willie because surprise! Dahlia's a Squirrel shapeshifter and Will's inspiration was a squirrel originally :)#For the record tho Will and his entourage are not part of the Shifter universe - Dahlia only shares a world with the BBBs #I just thought it was a fun inspiration source crossover lol #Plus Dahlia and the Squirrel Boys have similar classes but for different reasons haha #Anyway! The Squirrel boy(s) barely feature! To Dahlia! Lol #Been thinking about some of my Favourite Tropes yet again and just indulging in making some new concepts lol #There's a trope that I've liked for a good long while that I'm sure has a name but I've just been calling it ''Platonic Transformation''#Which hey - I've got a shape-shifting (et al) universe to make characters in lol #Doesn't feature Just yet but shock among shocks she comes with another character because I can't just make one new concept ever lol #But for now! She! She's cute I like her hehe #You can see I went through a few design iterations before landing happily - you might even notice it with her arm #She was born that way :) No pain just frustration! Body not doing what she wants it to!#Honestly working on her hairstyle reminded me a lot of making Tala haha ♪ They're about the same age! Give or take a year or two #Now that I think of it Tala could probably be in the BBB universe as well haha ♪♫ Not to stay but she'd be a very cute guest #I was very set on the little floof-swoops for Dahlia's final design - it's even there in her first doodle!#I'm glad I settled on the bun/braid combo :D #Cute feature lad ♪ Tooth gap and likes peanut butter sandwiches and likes to climb and jump around but isn't as graceful in human form hehe

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thiswaycomessomethingwicked · 1 year

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‘I have made inquiries,’ Eothain approaches. ‘I was told that such creatures you’ve read of are only found far off the coast, in the greatest depths of the ocean. From here to Sahure in the havens the most we’ll see are seals, cormorants, gulls—that sort of thing.’

‘Have you been?’ Grima asks.

‘To Sahure? Never. You know that.’

‘No, to sea?’

‘No…which I know you also know.’

‘Then I shall reserve judgement and not trust a source whose veracity you cannot verify yourself due to your lack of ever having been west of the White Mountains, let alone on a boat on the ocean.’

‘I don’t know why you’re nervous. If we start drowning your strange old god can come save you, at the very least.’

Grima gives a withering smile but makes no further response. He can think of many, valid reasons to travel by land rather than water. The superiority of horses aside. And these reasons he has enumerated to Eomer who remains fixed on this mode of travel, a terrier with his teeth in the body of a rat. It isn’t helped that Safan ab Hifir, the one Aragorn made parlay with during the war, has arrived to welcome the Éomarc contingent southward into his home country. Safan, to Grima’s horror, has made it plain that he is keen on boats, sea-life, was once a sailor himself, and is so very pleased to be taking the Horselords on their first voyage.

Third, Grima had replied beneath his breath. But his first two were on rivers, they hardly count, he was swiftly informed.

Grima + Eothain continue to have the best banter. Eothain continues to wonder why he is always saddled with Grima whenever they travel anywhere.

Eomer: I trust you to keep an eye on him. Keep him out of trouble.

Eothain: I’m not a babysitter.

Grima: and I don’t need babysitting!

Eomer & Eothain: yes you do.

Anyway, this was supposed to be short but now it’s becoming ‘Eomer is off to meet his future bride and Safan, everyone’s favourite from Cycles of Song, has made a stunning reappearance.’ I’m very pleased about Safan coming back.

#he's the best #this needs a name so I can tag it #swimming through fire #it's part of that alt universe #I shall ponder #grima wormtongue #eomer #does this mean I've finally settled on a name for his future wife? yes #yes it does #thank fuck #Dihya daughter of 'Azaba #Safan is her uncle on her mother's side

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poptartmochi · 7 months

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agustín tbh

#my leetel guye... :]#Tav is what he goes by for his mercenary work‚ and what he introduces himself as to Everyone #but then he meets wyll + is like omg blade of the frontiers 🤩 bc he is ofc familiar w the folk tales and greatly respects wyll #so. when will is like 🤷🏿‍♂️ u can also call me wyll 🍻 agustín is like oh! word! you can call me agustín 😇#and everyone else immediately goes *VINE BOOM SOUND FX* *WHIP NOISE* 🤏🏻🕶️🤨 are WE not good enough for ur first name?! 😒 interesting 🤥#anyhow i have figured some more things out.. not sure what his original surname is‚ BUT. agustín's mama's last name is tavriil #so. the tav comes from that! but the timeline goes augusta [REDACTED] -> augusta rustrian -> agustín rustrian -> tav #once he tells wyll his name he's like ahh i guess y'all can call me that too 🍻 but mindwormies ONLY.. everyone else has to call him Tav bc #that's what his reputation is tied to+ also because he's technically wanted by the law under the name Agustín 🤓😰#but eventually the statute of limitations for murder passes or what have you. in the end he gets to stop playing hot potato w his names #and he finally settles down as agustín dekarios hehehe 🦖 but we're a long ways off from that right now 🧍🏻‍♀️#hmm what else abt mr. dino.. AH YES #i decided he has a much older brother who inherited their father's land when dino killed their dad before he got married 🚶🏻‍♀️#and he is like. The Only One who Knows abt The First Murder 🧍🏻‍♀️ but both of them hated their dad more than they hated each other so he's #like. well cheers mate better u than me lol! 💫 but anyhow i think they are able to reconcile once agustín goes into exile #but.. whoo. rotating them in my mind.. we love a frigid family relationship :] anyways i love agustín that guy can fit so many great comet #characters in him lol! i would say war and peace characters but.. I don't know them like that 💔#sriracha.txt #🦖

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rumble-aint-a-rumble-without-me · 1 year

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I love Two-Bit, but his name is a nightmare to tag, I just hate typing up tags for him

#dillo talks #i've finally settled on how i want it done #two bit mathews #and #two bit mathews x reader #he's got two spellings of his last name #some people separate his first name #some people don't #i just went through every piece with him and retagged it #my fingers hurt

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antirepurp · 2 years

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went on a run with my jojo interpretations this weekend hee hoo

#purp doot #my characters #mallory varjoranta #iisakki varjoranta #im pretty settled on the names so i think i'll tag them yea #the influences are very present but i think that's ok for now #i just. couldn't let go of the buns i love drawing them sm...#but yeah uh deets?#mallory sounds a bit like mallard so she got that as a nickname. she's also called duck sometimes i think #american mom i have yet to finalize much for but i have a general idea for her #unsure if mallard grew up in the states or finland but i think she's living in finland with iisakki atm #she's also Very prone to accidents and small cuts and stuff #iisakki has big old man vibes even tho he's like. middle aged still lol #he's a surprisingly good cook! tho he prefers to cook like. very traditional dishes #lots of potatoes and dill and fish. meatballs and all that good jazz #not sure what the source of his bigger scars are but i'll figure it out later when i get to story beats and shit #prolly all i have atm? all i can think of anyway #saltwater #<- i'll make that the tag for whatever this setting is #(yes i used it on ao3 for a jojo fic series yes i still plan on writing it)

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molotovmetro · 2 years

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New blorbos from my brain just dropped

#i finally got around to making them a little picrew lol #i like this one #oc: teddy #oc: joshua #after i finally settled on his name i realized i already have an oc called joshua but we're gonna ignore that #because it got attached to it.#theyre their own guys but i like giving canon characters little family members #so they double as that #just for me <3 #teddy accidentally became a jessie pinkman kinnie /j #and now im rewatching brba thank to it 🧍‍♂️

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goldenshrine · 2 years

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nimbus

yoshimitsu is hurt during a mission. he has a hard time seeking comfort.

content warning: minor depiction of blood/injuries !

word count: 1.6k

Autumn washed the sky kettle-gray. The air was fresh and earthy. And cold. Yari pressed their lips together to keep the chill from coating their teeth. They went about their chores, setting moments aside to note how rain had collected in leaves that studded the porch—if fortune spoke with fingers uncrossed, she’d promise another storm that night.

River-dark cloth entangled in their basket before draping one-by-one over bare hedges. Once the laundry was treated, they’d recover the tatami mats to wipe clean, sweep the ranma, and prepare the chabudai for Yoshimitsu’s arrival. They rocked softly, proudly, back and forth in a small breeze carried from the garden. It’d claimed eight and a half months of their sojourn-turned-domicile, but now scarcely did his native language wring their tongue. Writing was—to their frustration—much more elusive, but Ukon was a stubborn man. Another season, he’d promise, one more and they’d be fluent. If only it were that easy.

Floorboards whispered under their sandals, the scrape of teeth on wood gossiping idly of its master’s whereabouts. Yari adopted his tune. His halcyon-gold tilde was difficult to replicate, so they swelled bronze instead, a meek ebb and flow that followed them through the house. Half an hour, a quarter until, an hour swept harmoniously beside them. By the time they finished their chores, the walls and floors winked tremulously with that metallic shine.

Their song was smudged by a sudden rhythm—quiet at first but stirring. A steady trod in beats of four. A horse! Rather… three of them. Yoshimitsu and his subordinates had returned, helmets shimmering in the distant sky. The innkeeper’s hand bloomed outward to meet them. It snapped just as quickly as it had flourished, as though someone had cleared their stem with file-honed shears, and their eyes flexed wide, moon-bright and filled with panic. Sakon was yelling. His voice was too heavy for the wind to shoulder, too fast for the nattering wood. But it was loud enough for the nearby houses, whose lips parted to free a handful of armored soldiers. They’d all gathered in a crescent-shape to seize his frenzy.

“Move,” he hissed, dismounting and shoving the leather of his horse’s reins into whoever’s reach connected first. “Get out of the damn way. Move!”

Ukon was less than a footstep behind him, his own commands lessened in frigidity but ever urgent. One hand relinquished hold of his steed while the other caught onto the damp sleeves of his superior. They paled. Then he was gone, Sakon’s arm around him.

The moment pulled back into focus around Ukon’s outstretched palm. It enveloped their arm and squeezed it tightly, tighter still. Yari blinked. Slowly, slower still. They felt their eyelashes sweeping color back into their cheekbones.

“Wh-What—is he—what happened?” They asked, wavering despite themself.

“An ambush. We’d only meant to gather intel on a fragment from one of our patrols: a smaller group, less than half a dozen soldiers but there wasn’t… not a person in sight. We were flanked. Red eyes, blades curled and bloodied with malfestation. Servants of Soul Edge. Never thought they’d come out this far east,” he laughed. “We rid the area of those disgraceful beasts of course, but the chief… bastards got a few slashes in, that’s for certain.

He’ll recover, but… we should’ve been more vigilant. I should’ve been. I’m sorry.”

Yari paused. They shook their head. “You—couldn’t have known something like that would happen. Any of you. And I pray for your people’s safe return. Ah, but, how to say…” Their hands flitted together, flexing, rubbing each other raw. “Why are you apologizing to me? I bear no authority in this situation.”

“Come now,” said Ukon with another titter, “do not mistake me for a fool, gaijin.”

A fool, he’d said. Yari didn’t quite understand, but their gaze dropped to the hand that had moments ago knotted desperately in Yoshimitsu’s haori and shelved it for another time. They clenched their jaw, tried to swallow around the fever of words they didn’t know how to say.

Ukon’s palm weeped a thin stripe of red along his pants, pomegranate snagging on the rugged fabric, and flinched. When they’d first arrived in Japan, Sakon likened him to a child who’d been caught trying to hide something already present in their parents’ field of vision. He still hadn’t learned.

“Sakon brought him to a clinic at the end of the clearing. Right-hand side. Wait for him to leave before you check in, though. He’s even more of an asshole when he’s stressed, if you’d believe it.”

They rolled their eyes, half-hoping it’d spin away the fire that was two blinks away from pouring over.

What little sunlight day beckoned had long since fallen when Yari slid up the wind-whipped stones to the clinic. Plumed clouds were snaking along the darkened sky, thick and bruised gray and purple, crooning. Yari inhaled sickly-sweet freshness, some wry joke about a silver lining tousling the back of their head as a small gem of water shattered behind them. They poised motionless on their toes. They entered the clinic.

A masked man dressed in a sparsely patterned kimono led them through several rooms, each of which were bare and intimately-sized. He was peculiarly tall in proportion, the horns of his helmet barely scraping the ceiling, and they held their breath every time the two passed a door frame, waiting for it to scratch.

When he opened the panel to the last room, their eyes caught fire again. There lie Yoshimitsu, cradled in a wiry futon, chest strung together by linen dressings that were already freckling blood. They lingered on his missing arm. His prosthetic had been propped against a corner of the room. He looked so… vulnerable, so unnaturally small that they felt a certain discomfort creep over their frame. To see him like this suddenly felt more like an intrusion than a privilege, and they resumed choking their fingers digit by digit, joint by joint.

Yari perched beside the foot of his bedding. They leaned in closer, overcome with some clumsy desire—to do what, they hadn’t the slightest articulation—before remembering themself and more saliently, Yoshimitsu’s reputation, and erecting.

“I’ll be outside should you need anything, chief,” said the tall man. Yari’s breath hitched as he crossed the threshold.

“I assure thee that it shall take more than a few scoundrels to expel the great Yoshimitsu,” the ninja said: calliope voice laced with utmost sincerity despite his theatrics, because he was the great Yoshimitsu, the soul of the Manji clan, a demon running wild, and they shouldn’t have—couldn’t have expected any different.

They laughed.

He tilted his head, humming. “Laughter suits thine face far more than tears, my friend.”

Half cupped in his hand lay a string of prayer beads. They jostled one another gently, singing: ch-ch, ta-click. Yari reached out to roll one between their thumb and forefinger, marveling at its cooled smoothness against their calloused skin. Ta-click. One swipe, two, three, and their fingertips hooking over his knuckles. His weary squeeze in turn.

“I was,” they murmured, “so worried about you.”

Outside the translucent paneling, Yari could hear tidal waves husking the porch. Whistling threads of pampas grasses and white light. Even the silhouettes of pheasants busied themselves in their nest, seeking refuge from the storm with their feather-song.

But inside the clinic it was completely silent. The chatter of the rain down below and the faraway hiss of malfested stayed partitioned on the other side of the frame. No sound, no movements, besides the rise and fall of Yoshimitsu’s chest with each breath. It felt separate from the rest of the world, two lives momentarily set apart from 400 million others.

Yoshimitsu traced his thumb over the back of their tattooed hand. A circular motion, mimicking the wheel that’d delicately faded after years in the coastal sun. “Tsk, ‘tis hardly necessary. But for causing thee grief, I apologize—truly. Remind me once more of this symbol’s meaning?”

“Yoshi…”

“Surely thou can spare me this one indulgence, treasure.”

“Kolo,” said Yari, indulging. “Dance. It represents, ah, unity in the community.”

“And you received it as a child, yes? How enchanting!”

“Yoshimitsu.”

He studied them curiously. “Suffering of the ages cometh in infinite forms,” he recited, then fell quiet; his mouth worked itself into a circle behind his helmet. A long silence. “The heavens bear witness to the suffering I’ve endured and endured have I far worse than this morning.” He tightened his hearth-warmed hand in theirs. “But, I…” Their hand was like hoarfrost, even now. How could that be? “I think of my missing officers, of Soul Edge’s presence corrupting my land, and I…”

“Are you frightened?” asked Yari.

“I am consumed.” By the shadows of his rage. He knew every centimeter of them, could have cut one out of mulberry paper, furled it, and run it up a sashimono’s pole—his banner. Perhaps that frightened him. Fear was protective; it was what kept one from wandering into the hungry bear’s den. But rage… pulsing rage, dizzying rage, requital, self-cannibalizing rage, rage rage rage—

Yari’s free hand brushed over the lining of his bandages, guiding him back onto the floor. He’d forgotten how solid it could feel beneath him. “I’m with you, Yoshi. I can’t imagine the burden you carry, and for circumstances to treat you so unkindly... it’s terrible. But I’m here. What can I do for you?”

“Stay. At least... until the storm passes?”

They smiled as though the thought of leaving hadn’t once flashed across their mind. “I’d hate to catch a cold, walking home through such heavy rainfall.”

“My,” said Yoshimitsu, sighing. “Fortune favors me then.”

And the two settled together, soft, in spite of the downpour having calmed shortly after.

#my writing #🪶👹 heaven knows your name #I THINK....that even though sakon + ukon are yoshimitsus trusted confidantes...his chieftaincy takes precedence.. n so he has trouble showin #vulnerability around them. so when yari settles within the clan long enough for the two to really bond they nurture a space where he can #finally unpack some of that grief..... and once u get past all of his riddles + flamboyant projection ur faced with a person who just.#has lost SO much. he pours all of that anguish into something fruitful: rebuilding his clan and helping those less fortunate.. and that #anger / need to act / need to pushpushpush keeps him steady.....but the heartache remains. + no amnt of meditation can will it away.#and i think that sometimes he just needs to talk it out... n be held.. nd sometimes...... thats enough. uknow ;_;

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