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queenpiranhadon · 11 days

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ᴅᴀʏ ꜱɪx: April 19th

Syn: You make the cake and decorate for the party.

Pairing: Bakugou Katsuki x Reader

A/N: I'm actually really happy about how this event turned out- all the fics written in this collaboration can be read separately, but it's recommended you read them all in order :) The master list is here, go check out the other writers because they're so amazing and talented AUGH.

Warning(s): Cursing (it's Katsuki what are you gonna do), bad baking terminology, maybe ooc idk, reader is referred to as female like once- Kiri calls her ma'am, reader compliments Katsuki's ass lmao, just fluffy in general though, class 3-A, reader is in the hero course.

This was it. Tomorrow, your plan would finally be put in motion.

It was the 19th of April, and to say the very least, you were stressed.

Stressed might not be the word for it. More like anxiety, excitement and fear into one overwhelming emotion that you couldn't convey into words. Tomorrow was Katsuki’s 18th birthday. And everything had to be perfect.

You sat in your dorm room, thumbing the pages of the cookbook you so loving made him, picturing his own rough hands touching the book the same way when you gave it to him. Your heart warmed at the thought- your boyfriend never ceased to give you butterflies, even without intending to.

Doubt plagued your mind however- what if he didn’t like it? What if he thought it was too dumb, or too simple- should you have done more?!

No, you scold yourself. You needed to trust yourself. You knew Katsuki well- he excelled in the extravagant, but he still found joy in the smaller things.

Still... you couldn’t help but worry. This would be a big day for him-a huge milestone. You didn’t want to mess it up.

Setting the cookbook down, you finally place it into the bag you had for him, jet black with orange stuffing. The small action put the whole situation into perspective for you.

This was finally happening.

But you still had work to do today. Pulling out your phone, you open the messaging app, and click on the contact you needed.

You: Mission Keep Katsuki Away is a go >:)

Kiri🥊: Yes ma’am >:))

Turning off your phone, you pocket it, and leave your dorm room. All that was left to do was the cake.

After slaving through the school day, you all return to your dorms, with the exception of Kirishima and Katsuki, the former dragging the latter away for something he called “a bro date”. You chuckled at his excuse, and left them to their own devices as you returned to Heights Alliance, sending a text to Kirishima as you walked.

You: Hey! What’s your status?

Kiri 🥊: Just got to the bus! I’ll keep him busy as long as I can

You: Perfect!!

You: Thank you so much again

Kiri 🥊: No problem! He’s going to love it, you put so much work into making this special for him :D

You: Aww...thanks Kiri! Fingers crossed 😭

You weren’t terrible at baking per se, but you weren’t no Sato. And you would ask him to make the cake himself, but you didn’t want to ask too much of anyone.

So it was up to you. You wanted to make a small two-tiered cake, it would be enough to feed all of 3-A and hopefully there would be leftovers.

Sifting through the pantry you found what you needed one by one. Cocoa powder, dark cocoa powder, eggs, milk, butter, flour, baking soda, the list went on. You were making a chocolate cake, covered in dark chocolate ganache, drizzled with caramel. Katsuki wasn’t a big fan of sweets, and you knew that, but cake was cake. You also knew that he secretly did have a sweet tooth so he wouldn’t be too upset. Hopefully the bitterness of the dark chocolate would make the rest of the cake a little less sweet to align with the explosive blond’s tastes.

Grabbing three large bowls and the mixer Sato let you borrow, you get to work, mixing wet and dry ingredients separately, cracking eggs, melting chocolate, and whisking like your life depended on it.

While you baked, you popped in an earbud, sweet music, lifting your mood and dancing around the kitchen, in your own world.

And hour later, the two tiers of the cake were in the oven, (not before tasting the batter yourself of course) and you look around at the kitchen, the adrenaline rushing out of you. It was a mess. The was flour in your hair, on your face, and you’re pretty sure the cocoa powder on your shirt is going to stain.

You sigh, taking off your earbuds and pausing the music from your phone. At least the cake was done.

Grabbing the cleaning supplies from the closet, you get to work, making sure the kitchen was spotless so no one (namely Katsuki, for obviously reasons, and Ochaco and the self-proclaimed Bakusquad because they would beg you to have a taste of their own) would know what you were up to.

The cakes were done by the time you finished, taking them out of the oven and sealing the two layers together with some ganache.

You had asked Mr. Aizawa to reserve Gym Gamma for you previously, getting his permission to decorate the space for the party, and so you made your way there now, deciding to decorate the cake in the Gym itself so you wouldn’t have to move it afterwards.

You got Ochako to float the cake and the toppings for it to the gym itself, so in the meantime, you busied yourself with setting up all the food- something you didn’t want to do yesterday as it would’ve gone stale.

You recruited the help of Kaminari, Sero, Mina and Kyoka to help you carry everything- including the mini fridge you saved up to buy to store the food and drinks overnight. You’d take them out the next morning.

When you got there, you were surprised to see Midoriya, Todoroki, Tsu, Iida, and Momo there alongside Ochako who explained they all wanted to help.

You feel your smile stretch across your face, happy to see so many people who wanted to give Katsuki the best birthday ever.

Splitting up the work, Midoriya, Todoroki and Iida went to go find the plates, cups, bowls, and cutlery you bought with Mitsuki - something you thought may have been overkill, but she had planned everything down to a T.

The others flitted around, either helping to put food or drink items into the fridge, or checking to make sure nothing happened to the decorations overnight.

You took to decorating the cake. Pouring the ganache over the first tier, you used it as an adhesive of sorts and you lifted the second layer on top of it. Once you did that, you poured the remaining ganache over the entire cake, evenly, so it created a pretty coat on top that you were sure it would add a nice crunch to the cake itself.

You groaned, stabbing your spatula into the quickly hardening ganache, having to ask Todoroki to heat it up every few minutes so that it wouldn’t harden completely- an annoyingly tedious task, but you knew Katsuki hated the taste of frosting- so hopefully he would appreciate the favor.

You waited for it to harden, then adding drizzles of caramel everywhere, and strategically placing strawberries where you could for a refreshing change in flavor.

And then lastly, adding thin golden candles to the cake, ten on the bottom row, and seven on the top. Momo created a special candle shaped like one of his gauntlets that you put in the center of the circle of seven candles on the top. And finally, you were done.

Momo made another contraption for you, a tall glass dome with temperature settings that you would put on the cake to prevent the strawberry from going bad overnight. After setting the cake on its stand, you put the dome over it, thanking Momo for her help.

It was then when you received two texts.

You open the first one, snorting when you read what it has to say.

Katsu 💥🧡: Oi, I know you’re up to something- Shitty Hair just dragged me to the damn movie theater to watch some stupid Crimson Riot movie.

You: Aww it couldn’t have been that bad!!

You: Can’t the all mighty Lord Explosion Murder God Dynamight survive a short movie date?

You: Plus I told you- I'm not up to anything lmao

Katsu 💥🧡: I call bullshit

Katsu 💥🧡: Plus that movie was three damn hours- short my ass

You: To be fair, you do have a nice ass

You: I KID I KID

You: But I promise you’ll get extra cuddles when you get back my big baby

Katsu 💥🧡: Fuck off

Katsu 💥🧡: Meet me at my dorm after dinner

Katsu 💥🧡: And don’t think I’m letting at comment about my ass go

You can’t stop the amused smile from spreading across your face as you check the other text message, one from Kirishima this time.

Kiri 🥊: Hey! We’re about 15 minutes away- we'll be back around 18:32 PM

You: Kiri jesus christ- you tell me this now?!

Kiri: Sorry!!

You put your phone down, yelling at everyone to finish up and get back to the dorms as soon as possible, people scrambling around to put the finishing touches together before bolting out of the gym, you along with them.

Thankfully, you all made it back in time, flopping down on the couches just at the door opens to reveal a beaming Kirishima and a grumpy Katsuki.

The latter raises an eyebrow at all of you, sending a narrow-eyed glare at you.

“Why’re ya so outta breath?” He grunts suspiciously and you chuckle sheepishly in return.

“Mina challenged Kaminari and Sero to go a piggyback race against Todoroki and Iida.” You laugh, the lie rolling off your tongue as the others nod in agreement.

“We totally won.” Sero says smugly, and Todoroki sends him a confused look.

“But-”

Kaminari cuts him off, slinging his arm around the heterochromatic eyed boy nonchalantly. “It’s not winning if you use your quirk Todo-bro.”

Katsuki rolls his eyes, all interest in the conversation out the window, as he starts making dinner for everyone, something he started doing a while ago when he lost faith in 3-A's ability to not burn the kitchen down.

After you all settled down and ate, you and Katsuki returned to his room, making yourself comfortable in his bed as he joins you, pulling you close and letting his sore muscles melt into your embrace.

You, however, couldn’t force yourself to relax, your body buzzing with excitement as tomorrow would arrive.

Taglist ~

@gina239 @azzo0 @slayfics @zanarkandskylines @cashmoneyyysstuff

@xbabyd0lli3x @lowkeyremi @starieq @angels-fantasy

@ah-mya @food8me @katsuisbaby @meowze4r @bigsimpo343

@seonne @wheezdostuff @berryvioo @icedemon1314 @mystic60

@kit-katsukii @stoned-anime-babe @kukikoooo

@le000xxgrd @tr-mha-fan

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elli3luvs · 1 year

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falling in love at a coffee shop pt. 4 [ELLIE W]

summary: when your favorite barista turns out to have a girlfriend (an ex? you weren't too sure) you got cold feet and ran

genre: fluff/angst

wc: 2.5k

a/n: lord.... im so sorry this took so long and tbh im not happy with it at all LMFAO im thinking either one or two more parts to this as well! so sorry i haven't been updating recently life has come at me hard! im hoping to get fewer hours at work so i can have some free time bc omfg!

part three

The phone buzzing against the desk was seriously starting to distract you. It had been going off incessantly since you left Ellie's house in a rush, and you just assumed it was her wanting to explain her side of the story. To be honest, you didn't really want to hear it. Your heart felt like it was torn into two earlier this morning. But you should've known, someone that attractive and funny and kind had to come with some sort of baggage. You just didn't expect it to be a whole girlfriend.

Your thumbnail was sitting in between your teeth as you slightly nibbled on it. Dina was laying across from you with worry etched into her features. She was usually amazing with words, never having trouble gossiping or giving advice, but when you came storming in with tears about to fall over your lash line, she couldn't quite find the words to console you. She awkwardly stammered until she realized all you wanted was moral support.

The phone had only been silent for a minute before it started buzzing again. You groan, sitting up to finally grab the stupid device. The buttons on the side were squeezed under your fingers until you could swipe to fully cut off the phone.

Now it couldn't bother you anymore.

Dina sits up, staring at you with pity, "Would it hurt to just hear her out, maybe? Didn't you say you heard her say something about breaking up?"

You gnaw on your bottom lip, "I can't," Dina seems upset at your choice, "Seeing that girl, Cat I think, in front of Ellie was like a slap in the face. She could've been lying about breaking up, Dee. I just don't know." You sigh, crossing your arms to try and soothe yourself a bit.

Dina jumps off of the bed and makes her way to you, a grin spreading over her lips as if she just thought of the best idea. Knowing Dina, you had a feeling about what she was about to say.

"Wanna get trashed?"

The bar was packed even though it was a random Tuesday night. Sounds of college-aged people screaming the song playing filled your ears and chatting with their friends filled your ears. Dina had already shimmied to the bar, ordering a drink for you and for her, before making her way to the dance floor. She was gone with the wind now. You only hoped she would make it back to your dorm without you dragging her home. You decided to keep a low profile and hang by one of the back walls. It was better that way.

You didn't feel like dancing away your inner struggles. Realistically, you needed to talk to Ellie about this. But how could you just call her up when you ignored her for a whole day? A shiver went down your spine when you thought about the conversation that was going to have to take place.

A part of you was still mad at Ellie. You didn't want to have the conversation. But you were going to have to be mature about it one day. You couldn't just ignore her forever.

A voice cut your running thoughts off, "Aren't you?" You turn around to meet Jesse's eyes, "Hey, it is you! How ya' doing?" As kind as ever, he gives you a side hug while enthusiastically greeting you.

"I'm good!" You shout over the music. He motions to the cup in your hand and you nod, "Some sort of tequila."

He grimaces, "Oh, lord. You tryin' to die or somethin'?"

You purse your lips, "Yeah. Something like that."

Jesse pats your shoulder while laughing off your statement, "How did things go with Ellie? Man, she was so excited about it." His hands shoot up to gesture, "That's all she could talk about last shift was how you were gonna go over to her place. She was like a kid in a candy store!"

Your heart shatters. It felt awful to ignore her like that and a part of you wondering if you were acting crazy. Ellie said she could explain, yet, you just left her. Then you turned your phone off as if you couldn't give her the time of day.

Your eyebrows pinch, "It was good... until..." The words die in your throat. Jesse was a good friend of Ellie's and you had come to get pretty acquainted with him but was he a good one to confide in?

His face falls into confusion, "Until?" You see a flash of concern before his face returns to the original confusion.

"Until," You bite the bullet. Now is as good of a time as ever to pour your heart out, "Until her ex or maybe girlfriend? Until whatever she was came over. I totally left Ellie after not giving her a moment to explain. I'm starting to feel like a little bit of a bitch about it..." A fake half-laugh comes out to deflect how truly awful you felt.

Jesse's eyes widen and he sets his drink down, fully turning toward you, "Woah, woah. Was her name Cat?"

You nod and Jesse rubs his hands over his face. The loud techno music silents his hushed curses before he grabs your wrist to drag you out of the bar. The drink in your hand flies out as your legs try to keep up with his wide stride. Your eyes scan the room until you see Dina — who is cheering you on? She looks at you with a thrilled expression before giving you a thumbs up.

Oh my God.

Words of protest spew out of your mouth, trying to get him to just slow down yet Jesse only walks faster. Once you make it to the parking garage he turns back to you. You just hope he ignores the way you are trying to catch your breath.

Jesse starts to fidget with his hands as if he's thinking over what he's about to say.

Your anxiety spikes when he finally asks you what he wanted.

"Is it okay if I take you to Ellie's?"

The ride over to Ellie's house felt as if it took forever. The beating in your chest almost had you sick as you thought of all the possible things that could happen. What if Ellie completely rejected you after this? What if she looked at you with disgust and contempt when she opened her door? What if that Cat girl answers the door instead? You slide down farther into the passenger seat as the anxiety-ridden thoughts became too much.

You were beginning to recognize the area. It didn't make you feel any better — it just meant you were that much closer to having to be mature and talk through what happened. As much as you enjoyed hiding from those complicated feelings, you couldn't do that right now.

Jesse taps his steering wheel while taking in a deep breath, "Look, I know you're nervous and all but... you really shouldn't be," You lift your head to look at him, "She's really into you. I think she will be over the moon that you decided to talk this out face to face."

You purse your lips, "Yeah, but what if she isn't? I left in a completely bitchy way."

Jesse shakes his head, "Trust me, I would've done the same thing if I woke up to Cat's shrill whining."

You were slightly taken aback, "What do you mean by that?"

"I think it's better if Ellie explains that to you."

The air from the vents blows on your face, warming it up. The city lights slowly started to disappear behind you.

"If I know anything about Ellie," His car goes into park. Your head whips to your right and there it was — her house, "She loves giving second chances. Now, go talk this through. I do not wanna deal with a mopey Ellie tomorrow." He jokes around. His words made you feel somewhat better but as you opened the car door and the cool air hits your face, the anxious feeling started to creep up again.

The steps took you a good 30 seconds to get up — stopping every so often to look back at Jesse's car to which he would lift his hands in a supportive motion. Like a father telling their son to, 'go get 'em, tiger!' except he wasn't your dad and you weren't ready to get 'em.

When the large oak door is finally in front of your face, you turn around one last time but Jesse's car was pulling off now. At least he waited until you were fully on the doorstep. It was now or never.

Never sounded pretty good.

Working up courage was never your strong front and god, you wished Dina was beside you to knock on the door but she wasn't. You were going to have to do this. Your hand makes contact with the door producing three heavy raps against the door.

She doesn't answer. She doesn't answer for a while. There isn't even a sign of life behind the door. All you hear is the cars honking faintly where you came from.

You begin to feel hopeless. Deciding to give her one final chance, you knock even louder this time. When you hear rustling on the other side of the door, your stomach lurched.

"Coming..." Her voice sounded solemn. A grimace pulled at your features at the sound. You caused that.

The door swung open, it seemed like she didn't even look into the peephole, and she openly gawked at you for a couple seconds — a dusty pink rose underneath the smattering of freckles on her cheeks. Her socked foot tapped against the wooden floor as she leaned against the door. She finally snapped out of her catatonic state.

"Uh," She voices first, "What are you doing... here?" The words were strangled as they came out.

You take your bottom lip in between your teeth. There was no dancing around this, "Can we talk? About this morning?"

Ellie perks up a bit. There is a look of pain still lingering but she looks more eager to share what actually happened. You were eager to hear it.

"Yeah," She opens the door further, waving you to come in, "Please come in. It's cold."

Stepping inside her house gave you a weird feeling. There was such a great memory inside of here but also one that left you with the worst bitter taste in your mouth. You wanted nothing more than to make more amazing memories in here but you needed to hear what exactly happened this morning.

Ellie guides you to the couch, the couch where you talked for hours, which looked as if she had lived on it for the past 10 hours. There were blankets stacked upon each other while water bottles were littered along the table in front of the couch. You saw the noise cancelling headphones strewn on the table and figured that's why she didn't answer.

You sit down on the edge, rubbing your hands on the front of your thighs. Ellie joins you except she is leaning back on the couch but you can tell with how she's wringing her hands, she's just as nervous.

"I guess the most burning question I have is," Ellie sits up at the sound of your voice. Like she was ready to give you any answer you needed, "Who was she? Why did she seem so hurt by me being here?"

Ellie clears her throat, hands tapping on her leg now as she searches for the right words, "That was Cat, my ex-girlfriend," It would be a lie to say you didn't feel some sort of relief at that, "She is having a hard time coming to terms with that, though. As you saw, she still frequently comes to my house even if I tell her not to." Ellie gives a pained laugh before flicking her eyes over to you to gauge your reaction.

You sigh at that, "How long has it been? Since you broke up?"

"Oh," Ellie scoffs, "A while. It's been around.... 7 months? 7 and a half? Long enough. Jesse calls her a pimple that just won't leave." It suddenly makes sense why Jesse wanted you to come talk to her.

A tension lifts off of your shoulders at that. Ellie wasn't playing you for a fool. She just had a clingy ex. Your hand reaches out to grab hers, which she lets happen without any sort of resistance. Ellie even looks at you while a smile tugs at the corners of her lips.

Guilt settles deep within your chest now. You wanted to smile back but the dreadful emotion was eating at your chest. Ellie notices how your body went from relaxed to tense again. She twists back to you.

"Hey, you've gone rigid on me again," She jokes, her hand soothingly stroking your forearm, "What's wrong? Please, tell me or ask me anything. I'll say it all. I don't wanna keep secrets."

Your eyes flicker over to meet hers, tears brimming your waterline. Ellie shakes her head at the sight as if she's telling you not to cry. But the tears still sit in your lash line, threatening to spill over. Ellie's hand comes up to cup your face while the hand holding your hand squeezes tightly trying to reassure you.

You try to blink away the tears but instead one drips down causing Ellie to coo, "I feel like a bitch, Ellie. Didn't even give you the chance-"

Ellie cuts you off, "I wouldn't have given me a chance to explain either," Her voice wobbles a bit, "I don't blame you, who wants to get woken up by that? I just was scared I, fuck is it too early? Whatever, I was scared I lost you this morning."

You purse your lips at that while you shake your head. Ellie continues, "I know we haven't known each other for a while but I want to continue to see you. I think... I think I really like you." Her face flushes a bright red as she says that. Her palm precipitates a light sheen of sweat while she waits for your response. You can see her mentally preparing for the rejection.

You decided not to keep her waiting. She had done enough waiting today, "I want to continue to see you too."

The beaming expression she gives you clears any guilty emotions you had lingering. Now you just needed to show Ellie how much you liked her.

tags: @ellieismami, @minillie, @dankpunks, @elliesgff, @muthafuckingstargirl, @deafelliewilliams, @pinkazelma, @fairybr3ad, @me-and-your-husband, @intrnetdoll, @kyleeservopoulos, @elliewilliamsmunch, @champagnelovers101, @amelies-a-simp, @gloomychuuu, @s1decha, @ellieapologist3, @wrendermedone, @robinbuckleys-wife, @waywardpiratebird, @parkers myth, @guacala, @pinknightsinmymind

#ellie williams imagine #ellie williams x you #ellie williams scenario #ellie williams fluff #ellie williams x reader

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mdzs-owns-my-ass-i-guess · 11 months

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Mary-go-round... Lan Zhan does not

@sasukimimochi here you go, the ficlet for your prompt <3 writing this made my heart warm, I got to remember so many of my own fond memories with amusement parks and fairs!

Prompt: here

Lan Wangji does not have regrets. He doesn't regret taking up education instead of music as his major, he doesn't regret moving in with Wei Ying after a month (well, 23 days) of dating and, of course, he does not and will never regret falling in love with Wei Ying no matter what his uncle has to say about it.

However, Lan Wangji now regrets something - and the moment the rollercoaster handler fastens the seatbelts and metal bars over his lap, Lan Wangji regrets it even more.

Why did he have to pretend to be brave? He's not. Really, there's not a brave bone in his body - not when it comes to this... contraption that's called something like The Deadly Loop Of Doom and Despair. Very aptly named, yes, but - but the point is that Lan Wangji regrets letting Wei Ying drag him into this.

Of course, if he said something, Wei Ying would have understood and respected it - but Lan Zhan just had to paint himself as this tough man that Wei Ying could always rely on for anything... so now, here is, about to go on the Deadly Loop Of Doom And Despair and probably die during it. So much for being tough and reliable.

He hates heights, he hates loops and spins - and he absolutely does not trust these shoddy safety measures that these very young employees are fastening onto people. Shouldn't there be more engineers around? Safety inspectors? Police? Priests??

Lan Zhan already feels dizzy and the thing hasn't even left ground yet. Well, if he dies at least he's gonna have Wei Ying by his side.

Wei Ying whose face is lit up like a Christmas tree, looking everywhere around, nearly vibrating with excitement in his seat.

Lan Zhan loves him so much - but he's never going to do this with him again.

The ride begins moving and Lan Zhan's stomach drops. This definitely has to be some kind of torture device, he's definitely going to have to check that Geneva Convention again one of these days, perhaps he can sue the park for unsafe practices, human rights violations or at least emotional damage.

The ride picks up speed and Lan Zhan realizes he's going to need to be alive to do those things and he doubts he will be.

---

Wei Ying jumps off his seat like he's actioned by spring, and he begins talking up a storm about how "cool" and "fun" that was.

It was so cool and fun that Lan Wangji can barely keep himself upright, and he's pretty sure he's mentally converted to at least 5 different religions.

"...Lan Zhan? Are you okay?"

Wei Ying looks concerned now, worry on his features much too pretty. Lan Zhan nods and takes his hand, hoping his fingers aren't shaking as much as his knees are.

He feels like a newborn, but in a bad way. No, he doesn't know what that means.

Wei Ying seems unconvinced. "Did something happen? You look a little... haunted."

He is.

"I'm fine."

Wei Ying tries to analyze his expression again, and Lan Zhan hopes his poker face is as good as Nie Huaisang complains it to be when they play cards.

It seems to be, because Wei Ying is back to dragging him around, and Lan Zhan is more than happy with that arrangement as long as there are no rollercoasters around.

---

The boy shoots his last arrow but misses the target miserably.

"Sorry, kid, the bunny plushie stays right here with me!" the vendor laughs and the boy sticks his tongue out at him before running off towards his parents.

Lan Zhan can practically see the idea be born inside Wei Ying's mind when he walks up to the stand and pays for a turn. There are a few kids in line behind him, and he turns to them as he picks up the bow from the vendor.

"In order to be a good archer, you need to have good grip on the bow, like this. Keep your back and shoulders straight."

He turns towards the target and the kids huddle to a side, to observe. "Place the arrow right against the middle point of the string, following the direction of your target."

Lan Zhan watches his form, perfect (and incredibly attractive), and imagines himself in those stereotypical scenarios with an apple on his head, half naked, Wei Ying testing his archery skills on him.

This is so not the place for such fantasies.

"And then, you focus on the target, take a deep breath, and..."

Wei Ying decides to show off, winks at Lan Zhan and closes his eyes, spinning elegantly in place, once. He lets go of the bow string as he stops and everybody watches the arrow fly with baited breaths.

It hits right on target, bullseye.

The children cheer and Wei Ying does a little curtsy their way as the vendor begrudgingly hands him the giant plushie.

"Here." Wei Ying says as he hands it to Lan Zhan. "This is for you!"

Lan Zhan huffs a breath that sounds suspiciously like a laugh and kisses Wei Ying's forehead. "My hero."

---

Lan Zhan is not used to having sugary treats often. When he was little, uncle said he became restless if he had too much processed sugar, so he rarely got to indulge in candy and cakes as a result. The habit was drilled into him, so his interest in sweets remained low all the way through adulthood... until now.

He is on his second serving of cotton candy and he feels at the height of decadence. Wei Ying bites into a candy apple himself, and he looks much like a happy chipmunk chewing on it. Lan Zhan is going to kiss him about it - later, when he's done indulging in this frivolous pink dessert that feels like he's biting into a soft, sticky, sugar cloud.

"You look like you're having a religious experience." Wei Ying laughs. "Last time I saw you like that was the first time you saw me naked."

Lan Zhan half glares at him as he bites into the cotton candy. "Ridiculous."

"No, it's true, you do look like you've made a big discovery about yourself."

And he has. He's starting to understand why uncle didn't let him have sugar as a child - he suddenly feels restless and full of energy, and he knows the sugar crash is going to be terrible after.

But never mind that.

They're selling gingerbread figurines two stalls over.

---

"We need to bring A-Yuan with us next time!" Wei Ying says as he and Lan Zhan walk out of the amusement park, fingers interlocked. "He's going to have so much fun here!"

"No big rollercoasters for him." Lan Zhan says and doesn't only mean A-Yuan.

"Oh, no, he's way too young! That's for grown-ups, only we can handle that kind of thing."

Wei Ying doesn't see the 'speak for yourself' in his lover's side eye as he climbs into the car.

#mdzs #mo dao zu shi #wangxian #writing attempts

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tarisilmarwen · 8 months

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Ahsoka "Fallen Jedi" Liveblog

Let's go let's go let's go let's go let's goooooooooooooo!

Oh I'm so excited for this I already know there are Developments.

Hype hype hype hype.

Oh we're starting off with complete silence are we? Okay.

Sabine trying to raise Hera. :(

Ahhhh yes it's the "Ahsoka and Sabine butting heads about saving Ezra versus stopping Thrawn" convo Sabezra fandom predicted.

"Can I count on you?" Low blow Ahsoka, recalling Ezra's own words.

"I know how much Ezra means to you." *falls into this line, dies*

Oh don't let Huyang get shot, come on now, you already had him get blasted once.

Buncha trailer shots in this episode I'm guessing.

"Stay together. You always did better that way, in my opinion." Ha ha ha this would be a sweet line if we had ever actually SEEN Ahsoka and Sabine working together. *grumbles*

Hera going off by herself to go help Sabine and Ahsoka lolol. That little face she makes when she says, "Watch me."

Baby Jacen is still super precious.

The GHOOOOOOOOOOSSST!

This sequence would have been the perfect spot to drop Zeb in, you know. Just saying.

Go girls go, go, go, you need to get on that ship before it leaves!

And it's my favorite new villain couple.

If Shin could have a bit more personality she'd be more interesting but "feral" is wearing thin.

OH AND NOW WE HAVE A TICKING CLOCK DEVICE.

There were people complaining that this moment where Ahsoka wipes Marrok was lifted from "Twin Suns" but in context... no it's just Dave's usual thing for cool samurai finishers.

Oh wow Shin looks extremely unnerved at Marrok dissipating into green Nightsister mist.

Did... Morgan take all the guards and droids with her? Just leaving Baylan there by himself to handle Ahsoka huh? What a bitch.

"One must destroy in order to create." Nooooooooo they really don't Baylan, that's grade A horseshit.

And stinks of Empire and Sith apologism.

The map is gorgeous. Wish they'd turn the saturation and contrast up just a smidge more so the colors could POP.

Oh this music cue is great!

YES! LET BAYLAN CUT LOOSE. Man is a beast.

Ahsoka's trying to disengage long enough to get the map. :((((

Ha ha, nice. Mandalorian trick.

Ooooof the map burned Ahsoka's hand?

Ahsoka where's your shoto blade?

Right, like Sabine's dinky little blaster is gonna do anything to that map, sure Ahsoka. You just burned your hand on how super overheated it was and all it was doing was generating hyperspace coordinates for a cross-galactic jump, you think a shot from a small firearm is gonna pierce it?

Oooooh that angle-back closed-eye look from Baylan... he's telepathically reading her like a book isn't he?

"Your family died on Mandalore because your Master didn't trust you." WELL I'M JUST GOING TO PATENTLY IGNORE THAT BECAUSE NO FILONI, YOU CANNOT JUST DROP THAT IN LIKE THAT.

Getting real tired of character motivations being reveals and not outright stated from the start.

ALSO WHAT EVEN THE HELL IS HE TALKING ABOUT???!???

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY NICE TO ACTUALLY SEE, OR YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT BEFORE THIS MOMENT.

Anyway as I said, excising this bit entirely from my personal canon, Clan Wren is fine, they're just in hiding like all the other Mandalorian clans.

"And I... to serve a greater good." Ohhhhhhhhhhh I see what you did there, nice paralleling Baylan to Thrawn.

SABINE CHOOSES EZRA.

(I mean I knew it was coming because I was spoiled but still.)

Sabine, Sabine, my poor heartbroken babygirl, this is such a human choice, it's not the choice a Jedi should make but then Sabine isn't a Jedi, I maintain that this is all still playacting and cope that Ahsoka is indulging.

Sabine is falling into the classic Attachment trap but also there are no good choices here. She could try to destroy the map, but I seriously don't think it would work, and then Baylan would just kill her and take the map back anyway.

Maybe she could run but with their ship damaged she wouldn't make it far, she'd have to hide in the woods and avoid Shin and Baylan and whoever else she's stranded and fight them all off by herself for who knows how long until maybe Hera gets there. And she has no way of knowing if Hera's coming.

Oh ouch, I thought Sabine was having a "What have I done?" reaction to handing Baylan the map, but no, Shin is just choking her.

HERA MADE IT.

See it takes Baylan deliberate sustained direct contact with his lightsaber blade to destroy the map, no way was Sabine's blaster gonna do shit to it.

SABINE DID NOTHING WRONG, I WILL DIE ON THIS HILL.

Again, guys, this would have been the perfect sequence to have Zeb in.

Uhhhhhhhhh I would move away from the ring if I were y'all.

HO JEEZ.

OH BOY.

WELP.

Chopper sounds really unnerved.

THE WORLD BETWEEN WORLDS. THE STAR VOID.

Unless it's a weird-ass Force vision lol. Which is still possible.

Yeeeeeeeah I'm going with Force vision, Anakin should be blue and glowing, shouldn't he? Unless things work differently in here.

The Imperial March is not reassuring.

Okay well... that was a thing.

I'm starting to wish Deborah Chow had been showrunner for this, Filoni is doing... okay-ish (not really) but I really think this story needs and deserves a director willing to go all-in on the emotional resonance and beats of the story.

Which isn't to say the Kenobi show didn't have its problems (ho ho boy could I list the nitpicks and writing issues I had with it) but Ahsoka isn't quite reaching the highs it needs. Everything is way more subdued that I think it should be. I don't know how much of this is the writing, how much is the short mini-series format, how much is the cinematography or the directing.

THAT BEING SAID I AM HERE FOR SABINE MISSING EZRA SO MUCH SHE SACRIFICES HERSELF AND THE MAP FOR THE CHANCE TO FIND HIM.

See everything about her motivations makes so more sense if she's in love with him, sorry Filoni, the ship is still sailing.

Baylan got a bit more characterization here and got marginally more interesting, while Shin just... continues to be wet paper. RIP Marrok we hardly knew ye. Hope they explain the green mist shit soon.

Natasha's shoulders must be sore from carrying this show lol. Someone please let Sabine hug Ezra, she will feel so much better.

#i'm late i know #and have been spoiled to hell #but i am so here for all of this #well... some of this #star wars #ahsoka show #liveblog #spoilers #sabezra

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mirror-to-the-past · 9 months

Text

More (Apparently) KH3:Remind and Melody of Memory Stuff

Spiritually pounding on the windows of the Square Enix building- what do you MEAN I find out via YouTube that there's story cutscenes locked behind those egregious Data fights?? (That I'll personally beat... someday...)

(I also just went ahead and watched all the cutscenes for Melody of Memory, because I didn't want to play through a $60 rhythm game, sorryyy)

But first, Re:Mind and its sneaky, sneaky cutscenes...

Everything with Yozora has me Bonkers. I can't believe they've done this. Echoing Sora's first line in the series "I've been having these weird thoughts lately" through his own side of the story, him saying that he doesn't look like how he appears, the 'why do you know that name,' the "save Sora" while immediately drawing a gun on the man in question?? I'm just... *screaming noises* They're bringing everything together with the fiction versus reality stuff they have going on, and guys, I get SO excited when some games go meta. I'm squealing like a little girl; I'm ecstatic. Despite Sora being in (what I now know as Quadratum) and the background of the Yozora fight reflecting that, I can't help but wonder if it was another internal fight due to the arena switching to Sora's Heart Station for a second, akin to Roxas' fight in KH2.

And the music was so pretty... Yozora has a gorgeous theme. The prettier the battle theme, the more insane the KH fight, I say.

Also Riku was dreaming of Sora for a year. Lmao. He just... didn't say anything about it, while everyone was busting their asses. I'll be honest, literally the only way I could take that is that he dismissed his dreams as irrelevant- ah yes, dreaming of Sora? Nothing crazy to see here. Oh, Riku.

Also more importantly than Riku's angst deal- KAIRI WAS LAUNCHED INTO SPACE WHEN SHE WAS A PRESCHOOLER TO ACT AS A KEYBLADE WIELDER HOMING DEVICE, JESUS CHRIST. Kairi 🤝 Megamind 🤝 potentially Superman (I'm not a comics guy):

Getting launched out of their home planets into space in order to escape the destruction of their worlds, given vague and confusing scenarios and instructions to adapt to once they find a new planet, but they really just wanna chill and be loved and keep people safe.

And she's gonna train with Aqua! :D Another professional at getting launched into other worlds (realms). I hope she bonds with Ventus, as I've recently been made aware of their similarities in disposition, and how they are treated by others (hearts of pure light, designated by their groups as "the one who should stay home/be protected", wavering self confidence in their own abilities and self worth). Additionally, the hilarious potential scenarios of Kairi being like "yeah, and my favorite color's actually-" and Ventus interrupts with "Purple. I know," because the man essentially vicariously lived Sora's childhood. I'm super stoked for future Kairi screentime! Loved when she saw Xehanort in her memories and was like 'I don't care if you're a memory, data, manifestation of my heart or any other thing- I hate you, get out of my life forever. Hugs and kisses, die.' Like, 10/10, girl. Fair. Kairi's a volcano wrapped in a sweet package ready to snap at someone.

Riku's like "Y'know Ansem, I'm gonna miss you... 🥺"

And Sora's like "Xemnas, stooop all the violence. How can you take advantage of people with hearts? You should feel your feelings. You're valid, bestie. ☺️"

Kairi's no bleeding heart for baddies, she just wants everyone to get off her damn case, lol!

Also LOL at the fairy godmother of all people being the one to ship Riku off to Quadratum after Sora. My Cinderiku jokes (as well as my previous KH3 post's blurb about Riku determinedly walking into the ocean to find Sora) may not be completely unwarranted, now. Like, Miss 'specialty in dreams?' Miss "If you'd lost all your faith, I couldn't be here. And here I am." Not even to mention "a dream is a wish your heart makes," a very relevant lyric for this set of circumstances, if I do say so myself. I guess that's just gonna be another song I love and sing to myself that now makes me think of KH. 🤷 There's worse things I suppose, for example, like Buddy Holly being stuck in my head for three days straight and making me feel like I'm trapped listening to my uncle's records (thanks, Good Omens).

I ended up re-watching "Cinderella" for the first time in a while because of that part of Re:Mind and MoM. The KH association of the part with Fairy Godmother's appearance is now semi-heartwrenching, given the context of her appearance in "Cinderella," as well:

You have the vocalizing chorus throughout the opening of the scene acting as a callback to Cinderella's "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" song as well as reflecting her inner thoughts, and she has a dialogue with it while she sobs alone in the garden:

Chorus: Whatever you wish for, you keep...

Cinderella: "Oh, no... no, it isn't true."

Chorus: Have faith in your dreams and someday... your rainbow will come smiling through!

Cinderella: "It's just no use. No use at all."

Chorus: No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing...

Cinderella: "I can't believe! Not anymore..."

Chorus: The dream that you wish... *lyric trails off, unfinished*

Cinderella: "There's nothing left to believe in... nothing..."

[Fairy Godmother materializes next to her]

FG: "Nothing my dear? Oh, now you don't really mean that."

Cinderella: "Oh, but I do-"

FG: "Nonsense, child! If you lost all your faith, I couldn't be here, and here I am!"

[the violin and cello come in to finish the last part of the lyric] "...will come true."

Beautiful scene, really. The chorus assisting the animation is delightful... I watched Bambi and Lady and the Tramp (Bella Notte <3) a lot growing up because I loved that old-timey choral work. So dreamy...

Additional funny/sweet bit: I like how Mickey was freaking out to the point of being pinned down over Riku being unceremoniously dropped into Quadratum via Fairy Godmother's spontaneity and enabling.

'You sent my son to the big city ALONE?! He could get mugged, he could get lost, he could get hate-crimed, he could-'

*jump cut to Riku, and he's trying to gauge the value of Earth Money by spying on hot dog stands. He sheds his first known tear of the series by trying to figure out public transit routes*

Anyway, in the words of Cid:

"But what happens next?!"

#kingdom hearts #kh3 #melody of memory #kh3 remind

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asena-graywolf · 1 year

Text

Click here for previous part

Italic texts mean “sign language” dialogs and “texting”

————————————————————————————————————————

Unfaithful II

Kuro had practiced quite a bit in sign language in front of the mirror for his speech to you.

She had worked long and hard on how to express that she had finished the song she had prepared for your duet, and that she would always like to sing with you from now on.

The lyrics he made up for the song were actually describing his love for you. Even though you may never hear this song, he wanted more than anything to sing it for you.

Chaine-des-coeurs… you were expressing your feelings that you could not express by speaking to Kuro at that moment, by playing that song with your guitar.

That song you never heard while playing, every time you touched your strings, you had your love for Kuro. You were touching the strings of your guitar as if you were touching Kuro's heart.

You were so excited to spend time after school tomorrow. There was also a music lesson tomorrow. You could also talk about a duet with Kuro.

Kuro volleyball team brought the subject to you while texting in Whatsapp group

"Guys, don't you think we need a manager?"

Yamamoto was the first to answer this question.

“If you're going to bring up that deaf girl again, don't even go there. That girl is just trouble for us. Lemme tell you"

“Y/n may be deaf, we may have difficulty communicating with her, but do you think the whole problem is communicating? She is a good girl and I think she will help us a lot.

I gonna talk with Nekomata coach for this”

“I don't think the coach would take kindly to this situation. We don't have any issues with y/n, we would like to have a manager, but…sorry but Yamamoto is right Kuro,” replied Yaku

“Even though, i gonna talk with him. Let Nekomata coach and y/n decide for the best”

Kuro knew you could be a good manager and wouldn't see your hearing impairment as an obstacle. He believed in you and had full confidence in you

The next day, in music class, you saw Kuro talking to the teacher while you continued to play your guitar in a corner. When he came back to you, you asked him what he was talking to the teacher in sign language.

Kuro replied to you by writing on a piece of paper

I talked to you about the duet we wanted to do. We can give a little concert together. It would be a great activity for other students in the school as well. I want everyone to see your skill

You took out your notebook and wrote the answer to him.

Really? Oh Kuro-kun! You are so sweet. So what did the teacher say?

He wrote it back and showed you

The teacher also supports us. He will set the day for us and let us know. He asked us to find a few songs to sing. Let's work hard together for our concert y/n-chan. I'm sure we will do a great job

You replied by writing it back in your notebook

I believe we can succeed. Did you finish the lyrics of the song?

He showed you the answer he wrote

Yes. It's a special cut for us. I think we should play it as the final cut. We'll meet at the exit. i show you

You wrote your answer on paper

I wonder what you have wrotten.

I'm excited already. Also do you know? My doctor hearing aid. He said I can use it. My father also ordered the best device from abroad. Coming soon and I can hear you lip-reading

Kuro was overjoyed at this news. The possibility that you could hear him, even as a hum, excited him.

You both met after school. Kuro bought you your favorite strawberry sandwich from the grocery store. After getting yourself a snack with two drinks, you went to a place where you can talk comfortably. A place that can be considered a rural area was suitable for you

You started eating the snacks you bought at the grocery store. You thanked him for getting it in sign language.

After eating your meal, Kuro came to the issue he wanted to talk about. He took the piece of paper with the lyrics he finished from his bag and handed it to you.

Look at it. How many nights did I spend on this? How do you think it happened? he said to you in sign language

You studied the words and even though you understood what he really wanted to tell you, you still wanted to hear it clearly from him.

Words…I can't believe it. You wrote it perfectly, Kuro-kun. You're almost like a songwriter

So who made me a songwriter? Or rather, my inspiration?

The gestures he made with his hands while talking to you had changed the rhythm of his heart. Your heart almost stopped with excitement. Your palms were starting to sweat. You felt your face flushing hot.

Why?

My feelings for you are written in that song y/n. I've wanted to tell you for a long time. I thought day and night about how I can express this to you in the most correct way. I finally gathered my courage. i love you y/n

Kuro's sign language rehearsals in front of the mirror had worked. You couldn't remember ever being this happy in your life. While your heart was beating and the feeling of happiness was rushing to all your veins, you couldn't stop a few drops of tears flowing from your eyes.

Kuro's face suddenly changed when he saw you cry

What happened? Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?

Ever since you were little, you hadn't dared to open your mouth and say a word. Because whenever you talked, you could see people laughing at you. You thought the way he spoke sounded strange to them because he couldn't hear his own voice. Since then, instead of speaking, you have decided to express yourself either in sign language or by writing in a notebook.

"No…! I love you too"

Hearing his voice for the first time, Kuro froze as if he had seen a ghost. But the fact that you said it out loud to him made him fall in love with you even more. Because you showed the courage that every deaf person could not show.

I can't believe y/n! You spoke

You're back in sign language

I guess people find it awkward when I talk. Whenever I spoke they would laugh at me. But because I thought you wouldn't judge me, I wanted to say it out loud.

Kuro took your hand, your fingers intertwined with his. He brought his hand to his lips and placed a kiss on it.

Then you took out the notebook. You were too lazy to express what you were about to say in sign language.

My mother took me to the doctor when I was 5 months old. Worried about the abnormally insensitive formation. So much so that I did not respond to any sound. The doctor did a few tests on me and unfortunately that's when they learned the bitter truth. I had permanent hearing loss due to the medication given to me when I was born. That's how I accepted myself and I'm happy with my life. Being deaf is part of who I am. Although it was difficult, I managed to make peace with him. I have never rebelled. I guess now I'm rewarded for making peace with myself. Because now i have you

Kuro turned the page of your notebook. He gently took the pen from her hand and wrote down his answer.

I will be your ear. I will hear everything you cannot hear, every sound. I will listen to all the songs for you. I'll sing the songs you can't sing, I'll sing the lyrics you can't hear. Now you can hear

You were very impressed with your words. You hugged him tight. You rested your head on his chest. Kuro was stunned for a moment, but he wrapped his arms around you tightly. He put his chin on your head. When you felt his warm breath on the top of your head, you knew you were inhaling the scent of your hair. And you inhaled her scent down his neck. It smelled of fresh mint.

You stayed like that for a while. Later, Kuro talked about being a manager for the volleyball team.

The volleyball team needs a manager. And I thought you might be the best fit. We asked many people but no one cared. I will also talk to the coach. If it's okay with you, come be our manager.

But Kuro…I am not a manager to you, but a hindrance. How good can a deaf manager be?

You don't need to understand or hear us. I'll teach you what to do. I think you can learn in a short time. After the training, we will rehearse our songs together with you. What about?

I dunno…

You think. I'll talk to the coach about it tomorrow. i will let you know

But what if I'm ridiculed of your teammates? What if they make fun of me

If they do something like that, i would mess them up. Okay? don't worry.

Alright. Lemme think then

After having your first moments as lovers, Kuro dropped you off at home. He kissed your forehead and nose as he said goodbye to you.

He waited at the door until she saw him enter the house, and then he with a big grin, walked towards the house.

—————————————————————————

It will be continue Part 3

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zorilleerrant · 2 months

Text

I like to think that Rose makes fake infomercials for all of her products, and has roped all of her family, friends, and neighbors into making them. which means, eventually, The Doctor gets tapped to star in one, where he gamely holds up toys and talks about their fantastic qualities. now he's pretty charismatic, and he loves teddy bears and all, so I think he'd get very enthusiastic about this, and become very popular all over the internet.

so we know he always calls himself The Doctor, even in contexts where it doesn't make sense, but in a channel of fake toy infomercials (with real handmade toys to buy) I don't think people would question it too much. they even get him to say "trust me, I'm The Doctor" and other catchphrases like that by leaving comments. he develops a cult following, and, owing to this, Rose puts him in even more videos and gets him to talk up all of her most popular products. she's doing great business out of all this.

one time, he tries to show off a talking bear. the bear says something normal, like "I love you", but it's advertised with the ability to email Rose your own audio files and she'll record them for the bear. except this one doesn't turn on immediately - so The Doctor has to sonic it better. works pretty quickly, the bear starts playing music, and he goes, see, what a fascinating product! which, of course, makes the bear very popular after the video goes viral. what else does it do? well it makes people want his sonic screwdriver.

now I don't think almost anyone thinks it's an actual device, they think he was just being funny, but it means that Rose gets to design a whole bunch of novelty penlights and they start selling really well, too. (just cheap bulk ones and she sculpts decorations onto them, well within her wheelhouse.) and The Doctor, by popular demand, starts using them to give the plushies 'checkups' and make sure they're all feeling their best.

so, because he does silly little skits like that, and he's called The Doctor, people think he's a toy doctor, and start sending in their dolls and bears and toy cars and everything to get patched up. Rose can do that easily; that's the same sewing, stuffing, painting, etc. that she's already been doing when she makes things by hand. maybe she learns some new techniques, which I think she'd be excited to try, but most things I think would be very quick repairs and send all the toys home happy and healthy. except it's odd that it's happening so much, because no one has put together that people think The Doctor is, like, The Toy Doctor yet.

but The Doctor has also noticed this influx of orders and is all, well, if people are going to be sending so many in anyway we might as well add a separate order form, and while we're at it let's make our own site, that'll be cheaper and more convenient. and Rose is all do you even know anyone who can make a website because all my friends are, no offense, kind of bad at it, and you shouldn't believe them when they say they know how. and The Doctor's like of course I know someone, it's Mickey.

and Mickey's like, oh sure, I'll do you a favor, and drops by the house to help set up Rose's website because he wants to install some design software for her to make it easier to do mockups and such, and he gets to explaining, and then The Doctor finally comes home, and at first Mickey's like, hey, and keeps explaining, but then he finally looks at The Doctor and he's like. why do you have a different face that's the same face that I thought you already didn't have anymore, and The Doctor has to explain.

and then Mickey's like. I thought you lived with Martha now and also what happened to the version of you who looks like me, did you just abandon Martha? and The Doctor's like. I don't think that part has happened for me yet it's probably yet another version of The Doctor who isn't really The Doctor but just looks exactly the same because that's happened really a lot of times now. or else it's a future version of me! and Mickey is like. right well enjoy your website

and then Rose asks Mickey to do infomercials for her toys and since Mickey thinks the toy monsters are really cool he's very enthusiastic about them and then his videos go viral too

also Mickey is the only one who realized why people think he's The Toy Doctor and has to explain about toy hospitals

#look i said something #don't mind me I'm drunk right now #doctor who

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scarlettlillies · 10 months

Note

Sorry I'm kinda late to this but 💞 and 🌿 for the writer asks? Also 💌 but only if you're comfortable with that of course ;v;

No worries! You're actually the first person to send me an ask about this! :D

From this ask meme

💞what's the most important part of a story for you? the plot, the characters, the worldbuilding, the technical stuff (grammar etc), the figurative language

That's a tough one! All of them are pretty important to me but I think I'd have to pick the plot. I often go into my stories with just a vague idea of what I want to happen so it's very common for me to write my sections out of order. I then try to find a way to tie the pieces together, either through worldbuilding, extra prose, or new plot points. Sometimes it works, other times not so much!

🌿how does creating make you feel?

I feel many different things. There's a lot of positive feelings like joy and excitement. I daydream so much about the things I want to make! But my anxiety takes over very quickly and the desire for perfectionism keeps me from finishing anything. I nitpick at every sentence and I've tossed out stories at the moment when something goes wrong. There have definitely been times when I didn't feel good enough to create the things I wanted. It's very difficult to get out of that mindset. :c

💌share something with us about an up-and-coming work (WIP) that has you excited!

I recently just started writing again! I'm starting slow so I revived a 10+ year-old story and turned it into a ficlet! I'm hoping I can post it within the next few days. It's just a simple fic about Est and Ned bonding over gardening. Whether their relationship is platonic or romantic is really up to the reader. It still needs some cleaning up so please ignore anything wonky. ;w;

No matter how many times Netherlands stopped by Estonia’s home, it was always a shock to see him covered in dirt.

Their friendship was very new. His impression of Estonia was slick, neat, and modern. When their paths would cross, he was always well-dressed in expensive suits and noticeably owned the latest devices available on the market. Estonia seemed to be stunned when Netherlands shared his observations about him over coffee. It was their first time sharing a table together during a brief morning recess at an EU meeting in Paris. Estonia admitted he had a bad habit of changing his devices regularly and was struggling to break it. Being known as an IT nation was important to him. He had convinced himself that being seen with a device that was more than a few years old would tarnish his reputation. His clothing, however, he insisted was fairly cheap. He was no different than anyone else; he shopped at one of the local malls nearby his home and bought what was within his price point. Netherlands found his words hard to believe but when he wanted to press him for more questions, they were called back to continue with the day’s agenda.

That was some time ago. Five? Maybe ten years ago? He doesn’t quite remember. Time was always a strange concept for their kind anyhow.

Over their short time together though, Netherlands has learned more things about him. He had an interesting palette for alcohol, was a natural when it came to music and technology, liked the outdoors, but most importantly he was business-orientated. He knew how to sell you on anything—whether it was a wacky dish at his favourite restaurant that you just had to try out or you needed help selling your hand-made crafts at the local marketplace—making a quick buck seemed to come naturally for him. Netherlands liked that in a man.

But when he found out that Estonia liked to garden, he was skeptical. They had been sharing drinks in a Brussels jazz bar after a long meeting and thought Estonia was just trying to make conversation. He didn’t look the type (then again neither did he), especially to those outside of his main friend group. Even when Estonia shared his knowledge on botany, he chalked it up to just being the intelligent guy that Estonia was known for.

“You should come to my place in the spring! I think you’ll like the setup that I’ve got.”

He took him up on that offer. To his surprise, Estonia was correct. He definitely liked what he saw.

#Asks #replies

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winterproductions · 1 year

Text

CHAPTER TWO

Disclaimer: This is an idol!Jungkook and OC fanfiction, preferably for my POC queens but anyone who reads can envision themselves in the character, if they like

Word count: 972

CHAPTERS: 01 02 03 04

___________________________________________

Amara vented to her mother about her discovery the next day, she was beyond intrigued at the kpop musical culture. It differed so much from the western but simultaneously, it was the same. She used a cake analogy, everyone has the exact same ingredients but their techniques differ. "There are bad cakes, good cakes and questionable ones" she explained and her mother laughed. She pouted at the laughter and her mother reassured her that her laughter was directed at her passion on the topic.

"When I'm out after new years, and we get situated in our new home, I will let you show me all your Korean boys. She nodded as her thirteen hour day almost come to a close. Amara mom health had an improvement, but she's still fragile considering the heart pacer, spirometer and the dozen of pills she has to take.

Another lonely night turns into another night of an internet adventure. Her spiral into this new world happened so quickly, wanting to simply learn names and remember faces became more than just that.

Her phone rang and she stared at it for a moment before answering. "Hello? Who's this?" She heard an overexaggerate gasp before the voice she knew all too well finally spoke. "I know it's been a minute but how could you!" She giggled softly at the voice of her best friend. "Emmy, your parents finally allowed you to get a new phone." Amara asked and Emerald subconsciously nodded before realizing she can't be seen "yeah, girl you should see me nodding like I'm in front of you." They laughed and caught up on each other's lives.

"Oh BTS? I saw them on the twitter and fell in love!! They are so cute!" She felt Emerald's excitement through the electronic device as they spoke about the foreign entertainers. "I'm so happy you like them! No one at my school seems to appreciate their greatness. I mean I've seen some people listen to kpop and speak about k-dramas but I'm nervous to approach them. They always have earbuds on or a very standoff aura." Amara vented and she realized Emerald has the same experience at her school.

"Do you want to spend the day together tomorrow?" Emerald suggested. "You sure your mom will allow that?" Emerald looked at her closed door then her window. "Whether she does or not, ok coming to see you. We need to catch up more and I need to see our mother. I'm happy to hear she's doing better."

The two hour long phone call came to an end and the research she suddenly attach her happiness to continued as she watched their variety shows, performances and skits.

•∆•

The girl chose to meet at the central mall and the moment they saw each other they both collapsed at the tackle they both attempted at the same time. Their hug tightened as they rocked side to side. "Never again will it take for me this long to see you." Emerald commented and got a nod in response from Amara.

"So, three months until our graduations. We should visit south Korea during summer break." Emerald suggested and Amara side lip frown as she liked the suggestion but was unable to fulfill it. "I'd love to but...you know, mom." Her friend understood and nodded. "One day, one day." Emerald held out her pinky and they made a silent promise before eating their food they ordered from the Mall's cafeteria.

"Amara?" The female turned her head in a 360 motion as she heard her name being called from somewhere around her. She heard a small laugh before seeing her crush, a boy name Daniel, whom she shared music, literature and language classes with. "H-hi Daniel" she stuttered in a soft voice as the male stood in close proximity to her. "It's nice to see you here, how's your mom? May I sit?" She shook her head then nodded, "you can sit, and my mom is getting better."

Amara didn't miss Emerald's coy smile as Daniel continued conversation with her. "I'm going to the bathroom, Mara I'll be right back." The look Emerald gave her gave her the insight she needed, she's giving them alone time. "We barely speak in school." You chuckle and he blushed "I always wanted to speak to you but you were very quiet and to yourself, then I found out about your mom and the situation you're in so I never wanted to bother you. You seemed to want to be unbothered."

Her jaw dropped as he categorized her as one of the people she described to her best friend earlier. "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry. I'm just very introverted." She explain before continuing "well that's what I've been told." He smiled and sat closer to her as they suddenly became friends. "so, see you at school Monday?" She nodded as he left and headed to his brother who was waiting on him.

Emerald sprinted back to the table and leaned over to her friend "who is that and give me all the details, now!" Amara blushed and explain to Emerald who the boy that approached her was. "He wants to Major in Music, and is an amazing musician." She ended her description and explaination of her classmate, crush and now friend. "Eep, get that sis!!" Emerald screamed gathering attention before calming down.

"Let's go see mom, visiting hours soon begin."

A/N: you guys just met Amara's best friend, her love interest and witnessed the renewal of a missing friendship and a new potential relationship! Hope you guys continue, the introduction of BTS isn't too far now.

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teetlestansecond · 1 year

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i haven't been productive at all and even though nobody asked for this i'm thinking about my ocs and until i can be productive and work on my fic or my inbox we'll just be talking about my characters so!!

more oc headcanons !!

artemisia! 🛍️

she's the person in a group that will order the closest thing to chicken tenders on any menu, even at the fanciest restaurant.

lo-fi queen, if she isn't listening to her usual music she'll play one of her lo-fi playlists.

she's developed an intricate tagging system for her wardrobe so she knows what color, fabric, and style each item is.

she rarely wears sunglasses out, but when she does it's a very specific, hot pink pair that she claims makes her feel like barbie.

a firm believer in aliens and even firmer believer in making friends with different species. she was utterly devastated that the first aliens they encountered were so set on violence.

atari! 👾

if you let her choose your hangout activity, she will take you bowling.

believes beyond a shadow of a doubt that there's a queen song for any situation you can think of.

she set different ringtones for each of her contacts, even if it would have been easier to not do that.

instigates the stupidest fights ever between leo and donnie because watching them argue over the pronunciation of "gif" brings her more joy for the hour they go at it than she gets in the rest of her week.

she could live in a thrift store, she loves them so much.

as a firm believer in the medic leo headcanon, i know she gives leo all her notes and textbooks from her nursing classes.

rhys! 🛼

believes in his heart that going to get korean barbecue is one of the most luxurious things you can do.

he's a chronic movie hopper and he's good at it, he'll pay for one movie and end up watching three.

could not keep a surprise secret if he wanted to. genuine secrets aren't a problem but he gets so excited about surprises that he'll end up giving it away accidentally.

he's a dancer at heart, but he's also a talented drummer and considers sheila e. his idol.

fashion king, can and will put together the most iconic looks you have ever seen in your life.

talise! 🔮

they have a massive collection of journals and almost none of them have been used. the ones that have are nowhere near being filled, aside from the ones they're using as their grimoire.

they always carry a piece of selenite in their purse, they're not going anywhere without it.

they have seen every 90s sitcom and will force others to rewatch their favorite episodes as a bonding activity.

secretly an even bigger comic nerd than the boys, but they almost exclusively read superhero comics.

they love a good slasher movie or thriller, but won't watch outright horror movies.

vinny! 🧪

she has a cloaking device disguised as a scrunchie and a false identity, both of which she used to obtain a driver's license and a car. sometimes when she's not having a good time she goes on night drives and finds the most obscure little places to distract herself.

she will force someone to sit in the kitchen with her whenever she cooks so she can pretend she's on a cooking show.

she watches old cartoons more than she watches anything else and will physically fight people who give her a hard time about it.

a little bit obsessed with architecture and interior design and rants often about her dislike for postmodern design.

she has never been able to pick a favorite color, but gives everyone different answers to confuse them.

#zennie's ocs #rottmnt oc #rise of the tmnt #rottmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #save rottmnt #unpause rottmnt

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vivi-mire · 2 years

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So what did you think of the G-Witch trailer? I already have an HG Gundam Aerial and Figure-Rise Suletta pre-ordered. Also RG Burning/God Gundam, but that's unrelated.

It looks so pretty!! and the music creates such a cool vibe. the animation style is very pleasing to look at, and the mechs so far look like they'll make for some great fight scenes. That one part where the Aerial is holding out it's hands.... very Unicorn reminiscent lol. I'm very excited to see more of it. I also like the few glimpses of characters we have so far- that shot where the two girls are causally waving at a suit and it turns to look at them... I love the atmosphere

The suit is a monoeye too.... It looks like it might be some sort of training suit, just from the blocky-ness and how basic it looks.

I really do like the artstyle for this one- the shapes all look so nice plus the hair movement has been great. Plus I love characters with distinct eyebrow shapes and this series seems to be rife with them. And the colors!!!! the colors have been so pretty!!!

the red and blue lighting!! and her expression!! Suletta is so cool!

the short fight scenes shown definitely give Unicorn vibes- which is nothing but a plus in my book.

one thing that struck me was how in the beginning, Suletta isn't the one piloting the Ariel. She's watching it reach out to her. Does she get inspired by seeing it Setsuna style? she has what looks like luggage and some sort of mobile device floating around her, so it could be a rescue of some sort- but she also has her helmet off so it might not be anything that dire. Speaking of helmets, we get to see the smallest bit of normal suit in that shot! I'm a sucker for the chunky normal suits so hopefully the final product is something I'll enjoy.

I'm jumping around a bit, so bear with me- but during one of the fights shown we see this guy:

Now that's a familiar design! A heaping spoonful of Zaku, a bit of Ginn with those shoulder shields, and honestly a bit of Kastrysha with that body type and head shape.

LOOK AT HIMMMMM!!!!!! He's so pretty! that beauty mark isn't playing fair... I can tell I'm either going to love him or hate him. But right now I love his energy and general vibe. He's got a big old pink beetle mech and I love him for it.

And how could I forget her! Miorine!!! Honestly I do think she will be more of a rival character and not the char clone- she just seems to be too close to the mc, if that makes sense? Like not in a friend way more like in a proximity way lol. If I remember correctly, on the website she does not have a mech associated with her, which is interesting. Is she there only for the education part of the school? She's the daughter of the chairman so she has some major association with it. My own theory right now is that she pilots the Ariel first and ends up having to share it or even give it up to Suletta, causing a divide between them. Ariel is a very nice mech so it would make sense that the chairman's daughter would be the one to use it. Can't wait to see what's up with her.

And lucky!!! I hope to get my hands on the Ariel hg some day. The god gundam is pretty sick, just in general. I can't speak for the rg but i do have the mg, which is pretty sweet

#riya speaks #ask #thanks!#gundam #gundam the witch from mercury

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dailyaudiobiblechronological · 6 months

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11/1/2023 DAB Chronological Transcription

Matthew 20 - 21

It’s the first day of November, welcome to Daily Audio Bible Chronological. It's a brand new month and it's exciting, Because we have been journeying through the Bible every day in chronological order For 10 months and there's two to go and we will have been through the Bible together and individually In an entire year. I'm Jill. It's so great to be here with you. I'm humbled to be reading God's word on this journey for us together. We're going to come around together, center ourselves, quiet our spirits, block out all Of the distractions for anything, that is Tapping at us, nagging at us, competing for our attention, just for the next few minutes so that we can allow the Word of God to speak to our souls, our spirits/ open our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our hearts to receive all that God would like to say, do, and speak to us through His word.Today we're reading the book of Matthew, chapters 20 and 21, and this week we're reading the English Standard Version. Matthew Chapter 20.

Prayer

Father, we thank you once again for your word today. Thank you for these stories, these parables, these lessons that Kind of shock our system. They even offend our intellect because we Find the weird doing things In the wrong manner from which you did things, and if we are striving to be like you, Then we have to be like you. Which means we sometimes have to go against what our brothers and sisters would even say or think about us. Because we get real caught up in following people And take our eyes off of you. Holy Spirit, Helper counselor, Which you bring the things to mind That which we are doing on our own, that we should be consciously striving to be more like Christ if that is the goal. Then help us, Disrupt us, And change us from the inside out, we pray And we pray this all in the name of the Father and the Son And the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Announcements

Daily Audio Bible that is home base. You can check it out if you have not, that's the website. Take a look around the store. There's some great resources there and they are intentionally designed to enhance your journey through the Bible. If you like the music you're listening to in the background, that is the brilliance and the giftedness of my husband Brian. It's available there. There's journals, there's pencils, There's wonderful coffee teas I I'm a coffee and a journaler You know, listening kind of Gale. So that's sort of my my perfect DAB Trinity, if you will. Anyways, check it on out if you so desire. If you'd like to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, we Thank you, because we could not do it without you. And that's the honest to God truth. If you're giving by mail, DAB PO Box 1996, Spring Hill TN 37174 or you can hit the give icon. It's just at the tip of your finger tip on your mobile device. And it's also just a click of your fingertip.That's probably what I was trying to say on the website if you need prayer. If you're reaching out to pray for someone that's previously called in, you can do so 800-583-2164.Or you can click the red circle button, it's up at the top right hand corner of your mobile device as well. Make sure you hit submit and then just turn that little wheel to chronological and it will get to the right place. That's going to do it for me today. I'm Jill, we turn that page together.Tomorrow. One day closer, As we journey through the word of God together and one year in, the Bible is not just the goal. We're not going to do it perfectly. We are not. We are not going to get this completely right. I am a perfect example of that. I have Made many mistakes along the journey this year, but what we're going to do is we're going to do this together no matter how we come at it on our journey, because that is the journey of life. We all come at it from a different Viewpoint. We all follow different formulas. We all hear different things. We all see things different way. We all have different theological views. But Our belief in God. Our faith in God Is what unites us here together and the ultimate goal on this journey through the Bible in a year Is to be in deeper relationship with Almighty God. That is my prayer.That is what's happening here for me and I pray That this is not just a checklist. It's not just a habit, not just a routine. That we appease our daily calendar and we can see the little check mark to say I did it, but that we sit and take time and meditate. Let it seep into our spirit. Let it Ooze into our pores. Let it offend our mind to reveal the truth. What's in our heart. Which brought all Only turn us around back to God. Father in your mercy Hear our prayer.That's it for me today. I'm Jill. We will turn that page together tomorrow, And to I'm humbled, Grateful And honored To be on this journey with you. Until then, Love one another.

Community Prayer Line

Hey, my tremendous DABC fam, this is Kingdom Seeker Daniel. Family, Let's pray God I come on behalf of your daughter, our sister Chastity from Kansas, who recognizes that she's been holding on to some childhood trauma. And needs to take responsibility. God, we thank you so much that you have been able to reveal that to her. Oh God, would you help her to be able to lean into you concerning this childhood trauma and give her the release that she needs emotionally? Psychologically and physically, God, and most of all spiritually God, we thank you for the healing that you are bringing To chastity and her life, we give you praise for her life, thank you for how she cares for your people, and praise for your people. Lord, now God, would you meet that need in her life in Jesus name. And then for Ted, from SoCal God we lift up our brother. We thank you that he has a concern about his friend who is in need of a kidney Transplant God. We're praying that you will let peace prevail and a successful surgery at the appointed date. What we pray? That you would let everything come together for this friend. That this kidney transplant will be completely successful. That he would heal and recover well and.Jesus Name, and therefore our sister Don from Ohio. God, we thank you for her heart, for your people, and I pray in agreement with her Lord, that you are moving on behalf of your chosen people. Lord, I pray that you would help us all to remember the apple of your.As we are watching things unfold in Israel, draw that nation to come to her Messiah. In Jesus name. Amen.

Hi, this is daughter of the Silversmith. I'm asking for prayer for Christian and Jake for their marriage.Umm.If they are separated right now and he is.Law acting like the man that we both knew him to be, the godly man that led his wife to church, and just a sweet friend.He needs some common sense bad. Please pray for him. And I know Kristen needs some kind of sense too, but he is just outwardly denying what he should be doing.That the Bible says so. Please pray for Kristen and Jake. I love you all.Hi, this is Pamela.Resting in the Lord from Pennsylvania, calling in for Sheena from Saskatchewan.I know that you're going through something very hard right now and.I am as well so.You are not alone.Umm.We we are all walking through something.But some of us have heavier trials at different times, so I wanted to encourage you and let you know.That I'll be praying for you.Umm.And I'm very encouraged that you still have your faith and you still believe in the hope of the future that God has for your family.Cling to that and don't let go of it.Once in a while I watched some things that people share with me on YouTube or Facebook and recently I received.It was just one of those little clips.Umm.A young woman was asking.Different people.A question if you could ask God anything, what would it be? And there was a fairly young black man who very confidently said.Can I be honest? I don't think I would ask God a question.I would just give him thanks.I used to ask why, but guess what? Why stands for?Who hurt you?Why also stands for who helped you and why also stands for who healed you?Keep your hope alive and look for the healing in your life. I'm praying for you, sister. Amen.

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mybukz · 1 year

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Fiction: A Shot of Love and a Cup of Health by Vanitha Thurairasu

Priya sat quietly at a corner table in a hipster cafe, enjoying her favourite aromatic coffee in the bustling city of Penang. The cool breeze, accompanied by the scent of freshly cut grass, wrapped around her like a cozy blanket, refreshing her senses. She savoured the evening sunlight and enjoyed the hot beverage sip by sip, allowing it to roll over her tongue, to appreciate its unique taste.

She was dressed in a neatly pressed black saree, draped and pleated with intricate precision. In between sips, she adjusted the saree pleats into perfect alignment, artfully covering her tight-fitted black blouse that revealed a hint of her womanly curves. The elegant embroidery on the blouse accentuated her feminine grace.

"Hi. Can I buy you a dessert?" a deep, croaky voice struck her eardrums as she daydreamed, looking at the high clouds through the window. She turned in curiosity and noticed the voice came from a manly-looking guy standing next to her, smiling. The man stood tall and confident, a ruggedly handsome figure with broad, tough shoulders.

"Err... Hi... Yeah, but... I'm not really hungry," she replied, her eyes widening in surprise and curiosity. She was taken aback, unsure of what to make of this unexpected interaction. Intrigued, she tried to gauge his intentions and motives for approaching her.

"Why not give me a chance?" He pulled out a chair without screeching noise. "Let me help you feel less devoid of appetite."

Priya moved to the edge of the chair but was still able to control her excitement of wanting to know who this mischievous guy was. "I'm full, but you can join me for a drink," she replied in a low pitch. "Nice. Anyway, I'm Shiva," he said, leaning his muscular body on the chair. "Don't worry. We aren't really strangers. We bumped into each other months ago, but my face was shielded with a face mask," he continued while nodding his head to the waiter at the edge, requesting the menu booklet.

His muscular body was evident beneath his loose semi-transparent white cotton shirt, with the first few buttons undone to reveal a glimpse of his hairy chest. Her eyes were drawn to his well-rippled pectoral muscles, too sexy to be handled in modest admiration. Priya gently pushed away her thick strands of wavy, silky black hair that covered her face as the wind picked up in strength. "It's interesting to know that you know my name," she said, as she tilted her head to listen to what he had to say. "Go on, Shiva. I'm all ears now," she urged him. She revealed a relaxed posture as she was comfortable in her own skin.

"Yeah, so..." Shiva began enthusiastically. "Yes, sir, how may I help you?" interrupted the waiter whom he had forgotten to acknowledge a while ago. Donned in full black attire, the waiter was ready to take their order using the gadget he held in his hands.

The restaurant was one of the most sophisticated tech-forward eateries in the city. It had high-speed WiFi, charging corners for electronic devices, automated espresso machines, as well as traditional coffee-making counters with modern furnishings and futuristic designs. The in-house ambient lighting created a welcoming atmosphere, with laid-back jazz music in the background. "One hazelnut coffee, no sugar and without whipped cream," answered Shiva without looking at the menu list in front of him. "Hot or cold, sir?" the waiter questioned monotonously.

"I like my coffee HOT," said Shiva, fixing his gaze on Priya's hair curls that rolled over her saree pleats. The waiter left the table, giving them the space and privacy to continue their conversation, which he assumed to be intimate and romantic. As the wind blew gently, the curves of her breasts were hinted at, but not overly exposed, lending an air of subtle allure to her appearance. Shiva's gaze zeroed in on her feminine bodily features, as if he were trying to drink in every detail of hers with hidden desire.

"Arghh, just another lecherous man!" Priya mumbled to herself in irritation as she had noticed his fixated eyes and inappropriate reply to the waiter. Her initial excitement of wanting to explore his masculine physique did not last long. As a middle-aged woman, she wasn't interested in conversations about infidelity. She quickly took her last sip of coffee, emptied the beautiful ceramic cup, and searched for her car keys in her synthetic leather handbag while thinking of an excuse to leave the cafe politely.

She was no longer drawn to his prominent Adam's apple beneath his partially shaved beard. "I think I need to leave," she said firmly. She could already imagine the wild thoughts and fantasies running through Shiva's mind. Her gender-centric assumption was based on her past experiences with men and their sexual obsessions. Shiva's face turned into a mask of confusion as the woman he had been talking to suddenly announced her intention to leave. He wasn't sure what had prompted her sudden change in demeanor.

"But I have an important matter to discuss with you. Could you spare just a couple of minutes, Dr. Priya?" Shiva requested humbly, furrowing his eyebrows. He had already raised his gaze to her eyes, randomly assuming that his unintentional blank stare at her chest must have caused the discomfort.

Priya was taken aback. As soon as Shiva referred to her as "Dr.", her expression dipped in puzzlement. She cocked her head slightly to her right, as if trying to figure out how he knew her profession. Her narrowed eyes and raised eyebrows studied Shiva's facial expression for any clues. She started querying, "How did you know about my profession? Who are you actually?" Shiva calmed himself and answered, "Yeah, that's what I was about to open up to you."

His frustration vanished all at once, replaced with a sense of respect and acceptance of her right to know his identity and purpose of approach. He pulled his chair forward and tilted his body closer to Priya. He cleared his throat, ready to explain. "My name is Shiva. I moved into your neighbourhood a couple of months ago. I heard from people there that you are a doctor attached to a government health clinic nearby. And, thankfully, it came to my knowledge that you do a lot of charity programs related to women's health aimed at the local community. I truly adore your dedication and kindness!" Shiva poured his heart out to Priya enthusiastically.

"Here's your hot coffee, sir," a sudden interruption of voice broke his train of thoughts. It was the same waiter who had arrived with the order. The steaming cup of coffee was laid on the table, and he seemed to smile with tightly sealed lips. His well-rounded cheeks uncovered his teasing and assumptions that they both must be a new couple. "Ma'am, would you like to add an order?" he asked Priya with mild chuckles.

"No thanks," Priya answered in a posed manner, unwelcoming, and denying his false predictions about them. The sound of the saucer hitting the table caused her to let out a contented sigh. Shiva pretended as though he did not notice her reaction. Moreover, he could already sense the presence of the little droplets of water vapor on the cusp of his nose as the coffee aroma was gently inhaled through his nostrils. His olfactory nerves got turned on, for he was known for his craze over caffeinated hot beverages.

The waiter nodded and left. Unknowingly, Priya once again fixated her attention on Shiva's masculinity and got lost in her thoughts. She couldn't resist staring at his jugular veins as they bulged intermittently while he took sips from his drink. Despite the momentary annoyance of her hair falling in her face, Priya remained unfazed and calm. "Let me continue," Shiva broke the silence. With a flick of her wrist, Priya quickly tamed her wild strands of hair and returned them to their rightful place.

"I'm in love with a girl," Shiva began. "She lives in a shared room just a stone's throw away from my house. Love at first sight, I would say. I proposed to her instantaneously only to find out that she had been living a promiscuous lifestyle for the last two years. She went through a horrific experience when her drug-addict single father abandoned her. It was a broken family, and that's what led her down this path," he sighed.

"Wait, why are you sharing your personal matters with me out of nowhere? Why me?" Priya couldn't contain her curiosity. She seemed hesitant to listen further, but her expression was a mixture of amusement and surprise. Her lips curved into a half-smile as she laughed to herself, trying to make sense of Shiva's story and how it was connected to her.

"No, let me clarify your doubts," Shiva replied, shaking his head. His thick, straight hair bounced on his forehead as he spoke. He paused and took a deep breath before continuing. "I want her to get out of that life. When I fell in love with her, I didn't care about her past," he explained patiently.

Shiva's lover was incredibly beautiful, with long, luscious curly hair cascading down her back in glossy waves. Her features were glowing, with a high forehead, sharp and slender nose, and sculptured cheekbones. Shiva described every detail of her beauty to Priya, noting her deep, soulful brown eyes that held a world of mystery and her full, plump lips with a soft pink hue that looked almost kissable.

"That's interesting, but Shiva, if you're looking to enhance or freeze her youthful beauty, then you should know that I'm neither a cosmetic surgeon nor an aesthetician. My field of expertise is different," Priya clarified with utmost clarity.

Shiva smiled gracefully and responded, "Dr. Priya, I'm aware of that. Your field of expertise is exactly what I'm looking for. Sorry for going on about her beauty for too long. I always get drawn to it involuntarily," he added, taking another sip of his coffee and glancing at Priya's red leather handbag on the edge of the table. "You know, during the earlier days of our friendship, I bought her a luxurious leather handbag, but she refused to accept it. She believed that leather products were a symbol of animal cruelty. She always had a soft spot for animals, and her kindness extended beyond the average level of humanity.

She was involved in various charity events and always felt the urge to give back to the community. Despite her unfair fate that led to her dark side, she's a lady of a golden heart with a great spirit of generosity. That touched my heart deeply. Her name is Samantha," Shiva explained with full-blown love visible in his tearful eyes. He continued, "Hence, I made the decision to marry her. I want to take this relationship to the next level. But before that, I want some medical advice. How can I screen her for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)?" he asked passionately.

Shiva's hopeful eyes portrayed a burning desire to reach the light at the end of the tunnel. Priya was touched by his pure love and intentions, and her mind was conflicted with questions confined to her heart. She felt embarrassed as she had gross assumptions about Shiva earlier and had falsely generalized him with other nasty men she had come across in life. Her disbelief popped out uncontrollably as she spoke, "Well, that's really noble love that I haven't seen for real. But what if she is proven to have contracted any STDs? Will your love favour detachment then?" Priya exhibited some sarcasm in her tone and posture, firmly believing that soulful love was too poetic to be true.

Shiva quickly put down his cup on the saucer, and the loud hitting sound proved that he almost forgot something. He dug into his shorts pockets hurriedly and retrieved a few papers folded in four. He laid them on the table while trying to neatly press the crumpled paper. "Dr., see this. I almost forgot that I've already screened her for common STDs," he explained. Priya was convinced that Shiva was serious about his relationship, and she carefully examined the lab results. A sense of relief washed over him when Priya confirmed from the documents that Samantha was free from STDs. "She is clear, Shiva," Priya reassured him with faith. From that very moment, Priya completely trusted Shiva's devoted love for Samantha.

"Thank you so much, Dr!" Shiva sounded excited. "I am aware of that, but I wanted reassurance because my knowledge on this is based only on Google. But a good friend of mine told me about another important test, especially for those who have been sexually active: the cervical cancer screening test," he replied with confidence.

"Alright, so you are here to ask me about the test?" she questioned him, to which she already knew the answer. "Yes. You are right. Samantha felt anxious and scared to discuss about this with anyone. We did watch some videos on YouTube. The explanation freaked us out a little," he narrated in a cracked voice. The frown on his forehead became very obvious as he revealed his fear of medical devices.

"I can help you with that. I'm amazed at your willingness to support her through this," Priya complimented him heartfully. She further explained, "The test is called Pap smear. Don't be deceived by the shapes of the medical instruments you saw on the internet. They aren't as scary as you think." She continued as she pulled out her striking handbag. "It's not really a painful procedure. Probably a little discomfort but it doesn't take much time. Most importantly, it's lifesaving," she concluded.

Shiva listened eagerly while maintaining eye contact with her. His unblinking eyes exhibited genuine interest in the health topic. He then patiently watched Priya unbuckling her delicate handbag. "This is my card. You can call this number to fix an appointment for a consultation session," she explained softly while grabbing her car keys and handbag. "Bring Samantha along. Don't come alone. There's no way I can screen you for something you don't have," she cracked a lame joke and giggled modestly.

"Dr, I owe you my gratitude. Thank you so much. Yes, sure. I'll bring my love of life to see you soon," Shiva replied with a long smile. His face looked bright. He closely watched Priya as she stood in front of him, adjusting her saree pleats that had always been in precise perfection. "The treat is mine, Dr. Please allow me to pay for your coffee," Shiva requested genuinely.

Priya smiled back pleasantly and left the cafe. Along her slow-paced steps, her mind was overwhelmed with Shiva's goodness, great compassion, and pure love. She was eager to meet Samantha soon, and even planned to recruit her for her health campaigns in the near future. It was indeed a memorable day for Priya, for she had met a true gentleman.

Bio:

Dr. Vanitha Thurairasu, is a medical doctor, who aims to raise awareness about community health. She enjoys writing and traveling to various places. She loves learning new skills and meeting new people.

#malaysian fiction #short story #malaysian literature #fiction

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sirthisisa-wendys · 3 years

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Spoils of War (Part 4): Ran Haitani x Fem!Reader

synopsis: a general, a priest, and a prince walk into a church...

wc: 1.6k

tw: fluff

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song recommendation:

"Taiju Shiba."

"King of the Andelands, and oldest of three siblings," you recite, demonstrating your knowledge. Senju tosses you a sweet mint - your favorite - and tosses up her arms in excitement.

"And who are his siblings?"

"Hakkai and Yuzuha Shiba." Another mint. You swallow it greedily, adding it to the other four mints in your mouth.

"What about Manjiro Sano?"

"Head of the Huttan Army, which resides in the mountain range east of Eir."

"Friend or foe?" Senju wonders, holding the mint in her slim fingers.

"Depends on the day." Your answer is satisfactory, and she tosses it to you over the desk, sending it soaring way over your head. Just as the mint is flying through the air, the door opens, and Rindou enters, his hands full with an instrument you'd never gotten the chance to see or hear before.

The mint hits his face, and Rindou sneers at Senju, who sinks below the table, her blue eyes wide with regret.

"Sorry."

"Ran wants to see you in the throne room," Rindou announces, ignoring Senju entirely. Before you reply to his request, you point at the stringed instrument with curiosity.

"What's that?"

"Oh, this?" Rindou holds the thing up, looking down at it. "It's a harp."

You don't want to seem stupid by asking the question, but Senju pipes up, excitedly reaching her hands out for it.

"Is it fixed? Can I play it?" Rindou nods, striding over to the table and handing her the silver-stringed, wooden harp. Senju strums her fingers across the instrument briefly, bringing a sound that is melodic and beautiful forth. You eye the device with curiosity, but Rindou's voice brings you back from your trance.

"Ran's waiting on you."

You follow the younger brother down two flights of stairs and into a carpeted hallway, and images of gods and goddesses you don't know are placed in the hallways like looming figures watching you with careful eyes. They all stand there as your reminder:

Foreigner.

You shake the feeling off as you approach the doors of the throne room, Rindou in front of you, but another feeling easily replaces that one.

"How many times have I told you?" Ran's raised voice catches you off guard, and as Rindou orders the caretakers to open the doors, you catch sight of the prince towering over a man in chain armor. Takeomi. "Reinforce the outer walls or you will have no job! And last I checked, you have a family to feed." Takeomi grunts once, kneeling before Ran like a beast beaten down by the years of orders, head hanging low.

But for some reason, when Ran's head raises and his purple eyes catch sight of you, you feel the aura in the room shift.

"I brought her down, just as you asked," Rindou sighs, and Ran straightens his spine, lips spreading into a smile. even Takeomi seems to notice the prince's lightened mood, his violet eyes sliding to your figure by the entrance.

And for a moment, he wonders if it's witchcraft.

But the way you stand near the statue of Beomir - the goddess of war and justice - is too benign. You're too soft.

"My love," Ran announces, holding out his hand. "I'm sorry to interrupt your lessons with Senju." You approach the throne without haste, pressing your hand into Ran's and letting him kiss it tenderly. "I wanted to take you out to see the surrounding city. Show you around, maybe?"

"I would love that," you exaggerate, but Ran's eyes betray nothing of his knowledge if he caught on, crinkling at the edges like Kenshin's used to.

_____________________________________________________________

Music.

Noises.

Excitement.

You're a foreigner in plain sight, but somehow invisible in the crowd of men and women and children in the market.

"This is amazing," you whisper, taking in the sounds and sights with wide eyes. "Do they always play music here?"

"Every day," Ran replies, looking at you from underneath his hood. He brought you a matching one, the grey fabric plain and unremarkable. But despite this, you're holding his hand so you didn't get lost in the chaos and cacophony of human life.

A sharp staccato of clanging catches your attention as Ran is perusing the variety of shellfish, his eyes downcast and fingers loosening from yours as the music accompanies the sound.

"What's that?" you wonder, angling your head over your shoulder as Ran mumbles something, but not well enough for you to hear it. So instead of waiting for him to repeat his answer, you let go of his fingers and walk through the crowd, following the sound of the metal striking something... something...

You find the source of the noise a moment later, stumbling upon the dancing women and stalling in your tracks.

Fire-haired, raven-haired, snowy-haired, and umber-haired singing females are whirling in a circle, their skirts and feet twirling as they beat things with wooden handles and metal rings that clap together. You stare at the sight with wonder, trying to keep up with the colors and sounds, fascinated with the display, and so distracted that you can't even hear the approaching hoofbeats of the crowd-shy horse.

"Hey, look out!"

You look to your left, and the world slows down to a crawl as the horse raises up in the air, casting a long shadow over your face, and showing you its full underside.

"Wow," you breathe in awe, unused to seeing untrained beasts in public, but a hand reaches out to grab you, pulling you out of the path of the hooves that would have surely landed on your face.

"Fight the urge to stop and stare," Ran's voice whispers into your ear, and you nod, heart catching up with your head as you realize what might have happened to you if Ran hadn't pulled you to safety.

You exhale suddenly, panting almost, and turn to the prince, who is still holding you close. Ran's eyes are full of wild, untamed fear, but you're more astonished by his quickness.

"How did you--"

"Come on. We have to get to the shore before nightfall," Ran interrupts you, looking over the crowd. "I'm sure you'll be excited to see this more than anything else around here."

_____________________________________________________________

Sand rolls between your toes as you look at the gathered group of people, their faces hidden behind brown hoods just like yours.

"These are priests?" you ask, and Ran hums once.

"And priestesses. This isn't all of them, though. These are the ones from the city, unlike Rindou and his assistants - who live mainly on the palace grounds. The city is full of many people who choose to become servants of the gods in a more literal sense, though we are all beholden to their whims and fancies."

"What are they gathering here for?" you wonder.

"They're honoring those who lost their lives in the war," Ran whispers softly, trying not to overwhelm the sounds of voices rising in a sweet, sorrowful song. "This is the first night of many that they will come to the shore to bid the spirits a peaceful journey to the afterlife."

You lapse into silence as the song carries on, every word foreign to you, but meaningful somehow. You can feel the emotion in the words despite not understanding a single thing.

And when the priests and priestesses light small paper boats, sending them out to sea with a slight push, emotions overwhelm your sensibilities.

"Did you lose someone you loved in the war?" Ran inquires, not looking at you, but at the paper boats winking out as they drift away, one by one. You think of your brothers, their bodies carried back on oxen-driven carts, and shake your head.

"No one. You?"

"No one." The sentiment - echoed with a single word - makes you shiver in the evening air. "I always come here to watch them, and every time I wish I could feel the same pain of those who lost people they loved. Just so I could empathize." The admission leaves you speechless, so you just reach out your hand, holding the man's fingers in the sand while the ritual continues on.

When you return to the palace afterward, Ran leans over to you and pulls you close, enveloping you in a scent that's like the forest - full of fresh and woody scents, and promise.

"I'm thankful you came out with me," he whispers, resting his chin on your head. "I know you didn't see much, but I'm hoping over time that this becomes your second home."

"Thank you," you reply, holding your hands on his upper arms. "I will try my best to become accustomed to Eir." Ran pulls back and smiles, leaning down to brush his lips against yours again, soft and inviting and --

“Tell him about me. Won’t you, little sister?”

The recollection comes back unbidden - and you gasp as you pull away, Kenshin's voice loud and demanding in your memory.

Ran's eyes zero in on you, and you try to look away, shaking your head slowly. "I... I have to go." The memory of Kenshin's words rattles your mind so bad that you press your fingers to your forehead as you climb the stairs, trying to avoid speaking about your oldest brother to your future husband.

Kenshin's death - unlike your other half-brother's deaths - wasn't his fault. There's no point in bringing him up. Not now. Not when you needed to appear strong enough to be a prince's bride.

Not when you needed Kenshin's memory to fade even faster than it had when you were eight.

#ran haitani x reader #ran haitani #tokyo revengers x reader #tokyo revengers #Spotify

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mindofasupernova · 3 years

Text

The Inventor Part 2

Kaz Brekker x reader

Description: A killer is on the loose, eliminating Kaz's informants. In a desperate attempt, Kaz meets a certain inventor that has his mind racing, trying to figure out the complex puzzle she is.

Hope you like it, let me know what you think.

Kaz

A corpse? That's what she wanted? Did she think that he just kept all the bodies of his deceased workers in his room? How the hell was he supposed to get his hands on the corpse of one of his poisoned informants?

One day after meeting the young inventor, Kaz had sent Inej to gather answers to the Y/LN Manor. And just as promised, the girl had already identified most of the compounds, but due to "careless and messy manipulation", clearly referring to Kaz's pouch, she had been unable to determine a specific substance that acted as a catalyst. Inej returned to the Slat with Y/N's message asking for a meeting and a request Kaz wasn't exactly expecting.

According to Y/N, it was of the utmost importance for her to examine the body if she hoped to pinpoint the missing compound not to mention it provided a perfect opportunity for Kaz to tell her about how the poison had captured his attention.

Inej had returned later than usual, smiling and carrying a small brown bag that wafted a sweet and delicious scent. When Kaz had raised his eyebrows in question, Inej had told him Y/N had given her some recently baked cookies. He grunted in response and kept working, but his mind kept drifting back to the cookie bag and what that small act meant.

Inej was cautious but he also knew that she always searched for kindness in people. That snack could have been simply just a gift but Kaz wouldn't have made it this far if he considered all people as kind-hearted. Y/N was a stranger, a rich stranger from the highest of ranks of society who probably didn't care if Barrel rats like him lived or not. Y/N hadn't asked for a favor nor did she need money, she just wanted to know, that unsettled Kaz more than he liked to admit.

He had spent the day gathering information about her, her personal life, hobbies, and all the rumors he could find. He had found absolutely nothing that could give him an insight into the girl's intentions, he had finished empty-handed with the information he already knew: she was the only daughter of one of the richest men in Ketterdam, the perfect personification of a wealthy royal daughter, an innocent and pious little thing that went to Church with her family. Kaz scoffed at that, the defying look she gave her at their secret rendezvous accompanied with her enthusiasm for carving a corpse open proved she was far from innocent.

No, until he had more facts he wouldn't let his guard down. And yet, a small part of him yearned for her actions to be good-intentioned. Stop, hope is a dangerous thing. He had already made the mistake of hoping when he was nine and look where it got him.

Kaz returned his gaze to the papers in front of him, huffing in annoyance, he started writing down orders to get a corpse for Y/N.

_______________

Y/N : One day after the meeting

Y/N was quietly sitting at her vanity, a soft smile adorned her face, gaze completely lost on her new device when Inej, soundlessly crept inside her bedroom.

After Kaz Brekker had left the shop near the Church of Barter, she no longer felt the giddy spark she had when she left her manor. She couldn't blame Mr. Zhang for telling Mr. Brekker about their association, he was an old jumpy man who wished no trouble upon no one. She had left all the concoctions that Mr. Zhang had order, but she didn't show him her latest joy, she no longer felt as excited.

This new invention she had come up with consisted of a music box. But it was no ordinary music box, far from it. Y/N had noticed how most of the music boxes got damaged with time when the metal rusted and the music no longer sounded like a melody but more like a haunted house. So, instead of depending on metal to play music, why not use water vapor. Yes, she had spent four days perfecting the pressure at which each piston released the water so it was a perfect copy of one of the melodies in the Komedie Brute. Four days making sure that the amount of heat the flame distributed was enough to transform the water into vapor but not so fast it was gone before the song ended. And now, here it was, a vapor-based music box with a decorative firebird in the center that literally caught fire, warming the water below.

Mind too caught up on the mechanics of her own work, that, when the Wraith materialized from the shadows behind her, Y/N sent a rain of screws and nuts toppling down the floor when Inej's hand landed on her shoulder.

Wide-eyed, Y/N turned around to face the apparition in her room. The Suli girl raised her hands, to show she intended no harm and in a kind voice spoke:

"I'm not here to hurt you. Kaz Brekker sent me to check up on your progress."

With a sigh of relief, Y/N straightened relaxed her posture. "Why, of course, should have assumed Mr. Brekker would send someone. Please, take a seat. " with a small smile, she gestured to a plush burgundy armchair.

"As promised, I have successfully identified most of the compounds. However, I fear identifying the catalyst agent won't be possible unless I conduct a thorough autopsy on the unfortunate victim. The needle I was given was in an atrocious condition, too many foreign compounds had already interacted with it." Y/N answered, finishing with a hopeful tone.

Inej nodded her head and responded, "I'll let Kaz know, thank you Marchioness Y/LN." Inej turned around, making a bee-line for the window.

"You must not be thinking of going out in this beastly weather. Please, stay until this horrendous downpour ceases." Y/N quickly called back, wrapping her silk shawl around her petite frame, as if the thought of stepping outside was enough to send a chill running down her spine.

Inej hesitated, directing a fleeting glance at the crying sky outside, she resumed to her previous seat.

"Would you like a piece of Cinamon-coated Pavlova? I guarantee you won't regret it, the caramelized peaches are sinfully appetizing!" and before the Suli girl could respond, Y/N was rushing out of her room, the dainty patter of her heels clicking down the stairs.

Her room was exactly what Inej had expected: luxurious and overly grand. But there was something about it that Inej couldn't quite place, her room was tidy to the extreme, all the expensive perfume bottles lined up, gaps between that appeared as if they had been measured with a ruler. Nothing in her room showed a preference or indication of what she truly liked, at first sight, the room would have seemed like the perfect fairytale but now, upon close observation, the room looked generic, hollow, and cold. The spy wondered if all the riches were worth living into a life as impersonal as hers.

Y/N returned, carrying a tray full of fancy desserts Inej couldn't even pronounce.

"The baker proclaims himself a master of crème brûlées. I prefer his fruit-stuffed truffles, though. Mouthwatering" Y/N commented, gingerly placing the tray on her small mahogany table.

Y/N waited for Inej to take a bite out of the coffee tiramisu, after the Suli girl let a soft hum of appreciation, Y/N smiled and questioned: "I hope I'm not being too invasive, but how did you manage to climb all the way to my window? There are no nooks where you could have possibly held onto, you must have an incredible balance to perform such a feat."

And that's how Inej told her about her life as an acrobat, proudly sharing brief glimpses to her past, seeing no harm in the girl next to her. Y/N was more than happy when Inej started talking, she was glad the bronzed-skinned girl didn't treat her with timid whispers afraid of offending her royal title. It felt nice to have a normal conversation, being able to share honest opinions instead fake smiles and condescending words at galas, afraid that if the wrong statement slipped they'll become the next party gossip.

____________________

The morning after, Inej returned bearing Mr. Brekker's message agreeing to a nightly meeting where she'll be able to examine the corpse.

Saying that Y/N was thrilled, was an understatement, apart from a chance to put her brain to good use, it gave her the perfect opportunity to try a device she had specifically designed for creating an alibi while she was sneaking outside at unlikely hours.

Y/N hated piano. Don't get her wrong, it wasn't the instrument, it was the music, her music. Because for an unknown reason, her fingers seemed to have a mind of their own whenever she tried to. She admired the focus and dedication of musicians, she really did, but her mind easily got distracted thinking about her latest reading material instead of focusing on the notes. So, she had created a system capable of pushing the tiles as if her own fingers played the music. She knew it was wrong to fool her parents in such a way but it gave her a perfect cover to go in secret missions her parents would never approve of.

Proper ladies don't get excited over knowledge, much less probe in repulsive matters such as corpses. Look at you, Y/N, what would future suitors think if they discover you all cheerful over someone´s murder? The scandal! Zia Francesca's reprimanding voice resonated inside Y/N´s head. But she could care less about what the whole Ketterdam thought about her, science was her passion, and she would abandon it until the day she died.

Already outside, a navy blue scarf wrapped around her head to shield her delicate features against unwanted attention, Y/N waited for Inej at their chosen meeting point.

The sly girl slipped into view, with a grace greater than the one of a feline, leaving the shadows as if she and the night were one. With a brief nod, Y/N followed the girl into the awaiting hands of darkness. Leading her towards the Barrel, a place where monsters lurked behind every corner impatiently waiting to pounce any minute. Nonetheless, Y/N felt ecstatic, warm excitement pulsing through her veins, a river waiting in anticipation to break the thin modest facade she kept up to let her curiosity resurface in search of enigmas to solve.

When they arrived at a place named "The Crow Club", Inej went to get Kaz and some "others" and told her to wait. Y/N observed the lively atmosphere, seeing customers from different countries around the world when her eyes landed on a familiar head with wild red curls.

"Mr. Van Eck?" Y/N questioned in disbelief, the boy perked up at the sound of his last name, locking eyes with the hooded girl.

Never would she have imagined finding Wylan Van Eck down in the Barrel. She was shocked, Wylan supposedly should be in a music school outside of Ketterdam. Both belonging to affluent families, Y/N had met Wylan Van Eck at several parties. She hadn't gotten to know him very well, but she liked the quiet boy who shared the same look of misfortune Y/N had every time they were thrown into a classy social event. When his father had announced he was leaving to study abroad, Y/N was happy for him although she would miss being silently miserable together. But it appeared Wylan had been doing something far from studying, now sitting next to a tall Zemeni boy with his arm slung around his shoulder.

"Marchioness Y/N, I never imagined...W-What brings you here?" replied round-eyed Wylan, confusion, and astonishment written all over his features.

But before Y/N could respond, steps and the tapping of a cane interrupted their little meeting, Inej small silhouette trailing behind Mr. Brekker.

"So, you know Wylan?" he interrogated in that characteristic rasp, coffee eyes scrutinizing Y/N's form.

"Yes, Mr. Van Eck used to come to our social gatherings."

Wylan just nodded shyly while his long-limbed companion kept drowning shot like they were water.

Dirtyhands humphed in acknowledgment "Nice, know that we are all together let's go to...Jesper, I don't pay you to drink the bar dry. Get your ass down here and let's get moving so our dear inventor can examine the body, shall we?

"Wait, she is the contact you talked about?" the Zemeni, Jesper, questioned. Eyes going from Kaz Brekker to Y/N, as if this was some kind of joke.

"Wylan called her Marchioness? You asked for a royal's help?" Jesper asked, an incredulous mocking smile on his face. "Who are you and what have you done with Kaz?"

Mr. Brekker scowled at him and without another word turned around not even waiting for them to follow.

"Well, nice to meet you, my lady. The name's Jesper Fahey," he said, bowing down and kissing her hand, sending her a mischievous wink.

"Very nice to make your acquaintance, Mr. Fahey. And please, there's no need for formalities, just call me Y/N." she comforted, as they finally reached the others. Glancing at the rest while finishing her last statement, prompting the rest to call her by her first name.

________

Kaz

Y/N radiated waves of elation, her whole face lighting up at the thought of an adventure, a star amid the tumultuous dark waters of Ketterdam helping him find his way to the shore.

Kaz wore an amused expression at Y/N's amused gaze roaming the dirty streets of the Barrel, a new unknown world full of carnage and sins. She isn't fit for the Barrel thought Kaz, her eyes dancing in amusement at every little detail that caught her interest despite her efforts to put on a serious face and regal posture. She probably saw wonderous adventures while Kaz saw the Barrel for what it really was: a ravenous, savage beast waiting to swallow the weakest whole and drain the lives of the ones who survived its ghastly bites. And somehow the concept that she didn't belong in this world, his world, made Kaz's heart wrenched a little.

During their walk, Kaz shared the details about the latest killer on the loose and his dead informants, all the while, Y/N remained quiet, evaluating every one of his words.

When they arrived at an abandoned building, a single man was stationed outside, leaning on the tainted wall with a tired look in his eyes. Kaz nodded at the guard who gave him a set of keys and trotted out of sight. Kaz guided them inside, careful no prying eyes had followed them. Kaz turned on the lights, briefly disconcerting his companions, and pointed to a table with a big bulk covered by a dirty cloth.

"As you requested, the unfortunate victim" announced Kaz as Y/N placed a small suitcase she'd brought with her forensic equipment and tenderly pried the cloth covering the thing that once had been alive.

Y/N didn't bat an eyelash when she saw the corpse's face, not even when Jesper started gagging or when Inej turned around and started quietly mumbling prayers to her saints. Kaz focused on her face, the calm inquisitive look of a scientist, he had expected a gasp at least. Kaz was impressed by her cool analytical demeanor when a simple glimpse of the man was enough to send Kaz back to the ocean, rotting flesh beneath his fingertips. Kaz shuddered at the thought, forcing down the vomit rising in his throat.

"If you need an assistant, Jesper is willing to help" Kaz stated, stabilizing his voice so it wouldn't show his true feelings.

"What?! Me? Umm..no...I...Helping isn't a Jesper talent." Mr. Fahey said, a fearful look in his eyes, face white as a sheet. Kaz hoped he didn't look as terrified as him.

Y/N stopped her scan, looked up at the two boys, and with a small smile spoke: "I appreciate it, but there's no need. I'm certain I can handle it on my own."

Quickly discarding her coat and scarf, pushing back the sleeves of her rouge-colored blouse, and pulling long laboratory gloves over her hands along with a white apron over her head, she set up to work.

Kaz stared at her features, as she transformed into an eager forensic, light illuminating her face, falling in the right places giving her an otherwordly glow. Rebellious strands of hair framing her forehead, a pink hue staining her cheeks indicating her joyous state. The sight before him would have put any masterpiece to shame, Kaz wondered how she could stare at a corpse and find glee in such a morbid image. But Kaz liked it, the brilliant gleam her eyes portrayed, her childish joy at the promise of adventure.

The spell was broken when she started pulling out scalpels, syringes, and other items Dirtyhands couldn't bother to learn the name of. Pulling the flesh taught beneath her fingers, Y/N made a Y incision, skin splaying open.

Cold lifeless hands gripped Kaz's throat. his brother's icy whispers brushing his skin. He turned his head away and as if perceiving his discomfort, Y/N's bewitching doe eyes stared back at him.

"You can wait outside if you prefer to, I'll notify you when I'm done." her gentle voice reached and Kaz couldn't have been more grateful.

With a sharp shake of his head, Kaz limped towards the exit, Jesper, and Inej quickly following his movements.

--------

After Y/N finished, she eagerly started explaining her findings, a prideful gleam emanating from her.

"Well, Mr. Brekker I must admit this case is a peculiar one. The simplest ones always prove to be the most challenging."

"Here I thought that after years of fancy tea reunions you'd know the meaning of a vast number of words. I'll be sure to buy you a thesaurus." mocked Kaz, a wolfish smirk creeping onto his face.

The inventor frowned at his comment, racing her chin higher, and started her rant, thoughts racing to prove her point.

"Oh no, Mr. Brekker do not confuse simple and easy. Simple is straightforward, plain facts to the observer. Ordinary details are hard to pinpoint, effortlessly found everywhere, which makes it harder to find unique characteristics that could serve as means of identification since their nature is so elementary." Y/N spoke swiftly, pacing around the room, eyes never faltering from Kaz's.

"And that's exactly what happened in this case. As I had mentioned, my extraction wasn't entirely successful, for an essential reactant was missing. However, it wasn't the only reason why I insisted on examining the body, no, a very simple and ordinary substance appeared when I separated the poison: Helianthus annuus or more commonly known as sunflowers." Y/N paused glancing at their surprised faces, clearly pleased with their reactions, she continued, the corners of her lips tugging upwards.

"You can imagine my surprise when I found sunflower pollen as the main component of the poisonous agent. I ran several more tests and the result remains the same, our killer is using these lovely flowers as a weapon. Now, back to the catalyst, the easy part of the equation. This component isn't as fastidious as the previous one, why, you may ask. Well, its vast majority consists of average materials but a small percentage of it contains alloys that are only produced in Ketterdam, that combined with the peculiar way they were fused, suggests a Grisha alkemi made this solution." Y/N concluded, grabbing a piece of paper and hastily writing before she handed it to Kaz.

"There are no signs of struggle, meaning either they knew the attacker or they were taken by surprise. A swift prick to the femoral artery, a clear pathway for the poison to reach the bloodstream, infecting the body within seconds."

"It shouldn't be very hard to find the alkemi. They aren't very popular and most of them are indentured. Here is the list of all the reactants, the specifics, and where I believe you might find them. " finished the girl, looking at the trio expectantly.

"If you don't mind, I have taken a sample to examine more carefully at my house. I'll try to find any details I might have overlooked."

Briskly reading the list, Kaz frowned and then pocketed the small scrap of paper. "First thing tomorrow morning, ask around for an alkemi who might have bought these materials. "

Kaz turned to look at his fellow crows, content with their nods of approval, grabbed his cane, and sauntered towards the door. Her chemistry knowledge was astounding, a marvelous domain of anatomy, and an even more gifted engineer from what he had heard. Hers was an indeed beautiful mind, not that he would ever tell her.

"Mr. Brekker?" her light voice shattered through the gloomy night. Kaz craned his neck, gaping back at her in question.

"Is there perhaps a place where I might be able to tidy myself up?" Y/N questioned, Kaz finally looking at her messy red-stained apron and her exposed arms displaying strokes of red all over them.

Kaz hesitated for a moment, unsure if he should bring the girl back to their home. "You can use the restroom back at the Slat." The girl had risked her reputation sneaking out on ill-advised affairs to help them, it was the least he could do.

"Thank you" Y/N replied as she carefully peeled her apron, attentive at not brushing her arms against her blouse.

___________

Once she had freshened up, Y/N stumbled upon the young Van Eck talking with a couple. The green-eyed girl was about Y/N's age, a generously carved complexion, holding the hand of a tall Fjerdan.

Y/N inclined her head as a form of salute, "I never pegged you for the rebellious type, Mr. Van Eck. I never thought you hated music lessons that much to run away." she told him in a joking tone.

"And I never thought you were the type to sneak out at ungodly hours just to play detective. " Wylan replied, a grin beginning to form on his face.

"Well, I suppose everyone has secrets."

"You must be Y/N, Inej told me you were the help Kaz so desperetly needed. I'm Nina, he's Matthias and well you already know Wylan."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Inej had briefly mentioned them, she knew now that Nina loved food, maybe next time she'll bring those exquisite truffles she had so eagerly talked about. If there is a next time Y/N reminded herself, she desperately hoped so, but now that her work was done she wasn't so sure Kaz Brekker would ever seek her again.

"Well, you have saved me the introductions." Kaz sarcastically glowered at the green-eyed girl, Nina kept talking as if she hadn't heard him.

It was one thing for Kaz to admire her intelligence, it did not mean he trusted her, though. Pieces were still missing to the intricate puzzle she was and until that changed Kaz did not like the way she rapidly befriended his crows, her intentions were still blurry to Kaz, and even though he would never admit it he cared deeply about their well-being.

"You should stay a little longer, we could go for waffles as a way of thank you." prompted Nina.

"Your offer is very tempting, but I'm afraid I'll have to pass. I should be returning home." Y/N declined, grinning at Nina, blissful someone had invited her for waffles.

Kaz stared at her and wondered how many times someone had done something similar, not to thank her but rather to use her, so that such a simple gesture put her in a joyful state.

"Scared of what your parents may do if they found out the truth?" Kaz quipped once his crows had left the two of them alone. A teasing tone masking true concern.

"Terrified. Someone may notice I've been playing the same four songs for the last couple of hours, always missing the same notes every time and they might get ideas of checking up on me," she confessed, mischief coating her features.

"Good night, Mr. Brekker. I'm happy I could be of assistance. Please, let me know if you find your killer or if my experience is needed again."

Kaz just bowed, signaling for his Wraith to get Y/N back to her manor in one piece.

Both girls disappeared into the night, leaving Kaz pondering what the hell she had meant with playing the piano.

___________

Y/N

Almost two weeks had passed, no signs of Kaz and no visits from the Wraith, well not that she was aware of. Y/N caught herself glaring at no point in particular, she readjusted her expression and plastered a well-practiced look of keen interest, trying to focus on Lady Stathos' rant about the attractiveness of the Viscount of Chagny.

Y/N politely excused herself, with no intention of making a fool of herself if Lady Stathos posed a question related to her gossip.

Too busy drowning in her own sorrow, knowing that Kaz had probably captured the culprit and was happily celebrating his success and no longer needing Y/N's help, that she stumbled forward, barely catching herself when someone bumped her from behind.

When Y/N turned back around, searching for that someone, she was met with a sight she had only seen once in an abandoned warehouse late at night. One that made her mind scream: Helianthus annuus.

Mercher Dupont's eyes were deranged, veins gruesomely popping and blood spilling from his lips, before toppling in the middle of the dance floor, taking his final breath.

#kaz brekker x reader #kaz brekker fic #kaz brekker imagine #shadow and bone #imagine #six of crows

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