beat sidon’s storyline in totk and it was like. kinda dull ngl

How We Got Here

The complete story from Hak/Yona Week 2018 in 1 post.  9K Words 

The battle over Kouka kingdom was finally over and while back at Hiryuu Castle, Yona and Hak reflect on their lives while awaiting the next step of their journey to begin.  This story starts off at the present but jumps back through time in a progression of age before coming back to it; Hak & Yona POV’s.  Some portions are taken from the anime/manga while others are totally made up.  

~~~XXX~~~

It had been 3 years since Yona or Hak had been forced to flee and now they were back at Hiryuu Castle surrounded by their friends, supporters, and the Generals of the 4 other tribes of Kouka Kingdom in the great meeting hall.  Anyone related to the assassination of Emperor Il were either dead or in prison awaiting their punishment.  

But to move swiftly towards reestablishing a sense of normalcy and peace in their kingdom, the Generals immediately approve to reinstate Yona as the Queen.  However, according to their laws, the Kingdom could not be ruled solely by a woman and so it was necessary for her to be married, and soon.  

“My husband has already been selected,” Yona states matter of fact, “Hak will be the King.  Does anyone disprove of my choice?”

The four generals look at each other and it’s Tae-Woo who speaks first.  “We already figured that out, so when’s the wedding?”  The crowd snickers and cheers.

“Little miss,” Zeno speaks up, “might I suggest a month from now?  That should be enough time for preparations to be made and enough time for guests to travel here.”

“That’s true,” she taps her chin, “because I would like to invite Captain Gi-Gan, and Princess Kouren, and Princess Tao, and…”

“We get it,” Geun-Tae laughs heartily, “if there are no objections from the other Generals, I move to set the coronation and wedding to be held one month from today.”  No one objects…

~~xx~~

For as long as he could remember, Hak’s grandfather would drag him to Hiryuu Castle for visits, some time’s lasting days, other times a few weeks at a stretch to train the Sky Tribe’s soldiers or for other official duties as the General of the Wind Tribe.  At first, he didn’t understand why, considering it wasn’t necessary for him to be there, but when he’d question it, was simply advised to do as he was told and to go keep the Princess company.  

They were close in age, she being 2 years younger than he was, but she would often get on his nerves.  Yona could be a spoiled brat and yet other times, sweet and caring.  She’d want to play games, then throw a tantrum if she lost.  She was good at playing the cutesy act to get what she wanted and most of the time he would give in, but not always…

~  

Stalking the young Princess, Hak, crept around the bushes he knew his friend was hiding behind ready to make his move.  The young boy of 7 grinned, as he sees her crouched into a ball and reaches out…  “Gotcha!”

“Ahhh!” Yona jumps up, turning around at both the sound and the way her friend’s fingers jabbed at her sides.  “Hak!” screaming at the boy who surprised her from behind.  “Don’t scare me like that!”

“Then Y-you shoulda…” clutching his stomach as he doubled over in laughter at her flushed and puffed out cheeks, “…hid better!”  

“Omph!” pushing him onto his butt, “you’re so mean to me,” flailing her arms at him in exaggerated swings.

Hak looks up a bit surprised at Yona’s burst of physical retaliation, “Princesses shouldn’t be hitting people.”

“And Princes shouldn’t be mean to Princesses,” crossing her arms in a huff.

“Then it’s good I ain’t a Prince,” he stands up, brushing off his pants with a smug look, “Princess.”

“Oooh, y-youuu!” shaking she’s so angry.  “I really… hate you sometimes!”  Yona storms away furious at Hak for making fun of her while he just laughs even harder.

“No, you don’t!” he calls after her.  “You’ll be begging me to play again!”

Too bad for the young boy that his grandfather had seen the ending of their argument and after a long-winded chastising and a few good cracks, dragged him to Yona’s room to apologize…

~~

Being cooped up behind the walls of the castle, Yona didn’t have any other children her age to play with or talk to so visits by her cousin and or Hak were really the only times she got to just be a kid.  Her relationship with the young Wind Tribe boy was a love hate relationship, sometimes he was nice to her but most of the time loved to tease and toy with her and it drove her crazy.  

She would complain to her father, but he would just smile and tell her to be nice.  Hak was a boy and boys were often rough and tumble, it was just their way, but he meant no harm.  Yona would still whine and her father reminded her that him being around would always keep her safe and sound.  When she asked why, that was how she learned Hak was training to take over as General someday and that information did make her feel a little better…

~

Yona woke up with a start in the darkened room.  It was another nightmare but like always, she could never remember the dream, only the feelings of abandonment or being left all alone, were all that remained in its wake.  Getting out of bed, she walks to another part of the castle, seeking out the only friend she had.  “Hak,” kneeling next to his bed, pushing on his shoulder, “Hak?”

“UghHuh?” the boy turns over seeing the Princess sitting there, he rubs his eyes.  “What are you doing in my room?”

“I had another nightmare,” she sniffles and wipes the drying tears from her cheek, “I don’t want to be alone, can I stay here tonight?”

Conflicted at how he should respond.  He was pretty sure that it was not proper for a girl, let alone a Princess to be sleeping on the same bed as him, but if he told her no and she complained to his grandfather, would he be the one who gets yelled at for making her cry?  “Um, I guess so,” closing his eyes to go back to sleep.

“Thank you.”  Yona slips under the covers, lying on her back next to the boy.  It was a little weird to be sleeping this close to Hak, but she also felt safer, like he was going to scare away her bad dreams.  She turns her head and notices he’s already closed his eyes.

“Go to sleep,” he mumbles.

How did he know she was looking at him?  “C-could I hold your hand?”

“Ugh,” he grumbles but seeks out her hand and grasps it, “happy now?”

“Yes,” blushing as he squeezes slightly, his hand was so warm, his touch, gentle despite his grumpy attitude, and yes, it made her feel a lot better.  After that first time, Yona would often seek Hak out whenever nightmares plagued her…

~

As they grew up, it became harder and harder for Hak to be around Yona.  Call it adolescent hormones, but every time she was close by, no longer was she just the childhood friend he’d play games with or make snow angels with during winter. Still a spoiled, whiny brat, but as each year went by, her beauty grew along with the feelings bubbling inside him. Problem was, he also knew her heart belonged to another.

It didn’t help that his grandfather would often make comments or not so subtle hints as to whom he’d love to see together.  Pushing, dragging Hak to visit Hiryuu Castle, forcing him to stay for long periods of time under the guise that Yona needed a friend. ‘Get used to it,’ Mundok would say, because soon enough Hak will take his place as General and be one of the protectors of this empire, and of her.

But adding fuel to that fire, he is asked of by Emperor Il to become Yona’s bodyguard.  Was the Emperor conspiring with his grandfather to drive him into an early grave? Hak had declined but Emperor Il was not deterred, ‘think about it,’ was the response as he walked away.  What was there to think about?  Yona didn’t need a bodyguard, she needed a baby sitter!

Speak of the devil but who came running up to complain about the Fire General’s son, claiming he was harassing and trying to court her.  First off, Hak found it amusing, second why did she come to him, as he yelled at her to go tell her cousin and maybe he would help her before skulking away.  Okay that response had a tinge of jealousy, but he knew the clueless girl wouldn’t figure it out.

This was why he told the Emperor no, behaving professionally around the Princess always went right out the window, and any other person would be punished if they spoke to her in that manner.  But, even after she apologized and bribed him with fruit, that only made his head spin more.  No, what he really needed was a place to hide and calm down…

‘Tae-Jun is at it again…’  Hak closes his eyes trying to tune out the escalating argument.  He hears a couple of guards talking nearby, that’s the Fire Generals son, he’s grabbing the Princess, we can’t do anything against him, someone go get Emperor Il…  ‘Damn it… I need to leave it alone otherwise from now on I’ll always…  Exhale.’  The memory of her apology…  He hears Tae-Jun call her cute and that he wants to touch her…  

Hak stands up.

“No!  Stop!” Yona cries out for help, desperately trying to pull away from the older boy...  

It was hard enough to listen to, but the moment he sees Tae-Jun being handsy and rough with Yona, Hak is even more furious.  He knows that kind of reaction would be no good, so as he swiftly strides over, formulating the only plan he could think of, or rather use the one emotion she always created in him.

“That’s enough,” Hak swoops in, pulling Yona away from the man’s grasp.  “Who gave you permission to touch My Princess?”  Both Yona and Tae-Jun are shaken.  “The Princess and I made our life-long pledge to each other when we were kids.  Right Princess?” cuddling her close and teasing her hand, “What’s the matter Princess?  Don’t be so shy.”

She laughs nervously with an honest blush, partially caressing his chin, “Not in front of other people.”  And when she is asked if she loves Hak, responds with a straight face clutching at his arm, “Yes, I love him.  I really love him.”  Now Hak is the one blushing in surprise at how serious she sounded, almost wishing it had been true.

But Tae-Jun refuses to believe it could true, stating his own position with the assumption this boy was nothing special, and demanding to know who he even was.  “I am the Wind Tribe’s next General, Son Hak,” he asserts with more authority in his tone.  But, even after Hak states that the Emperor himself asked him to be her exclusive bodyguard, Tae-Jun challenges him and pulls a sword.  Thank the gods that the Emperor showed up at that moment and forced the Fire tribe’s son to back down and make a hasty retreat.  

Now Emperor Il turns to address the two kids now parted and standing several feet away from each other, questioning their true relationship. Of course, they both deny it, Yona with just denial and Hak his usual indifference that he thought the idea would keep the suitor at bay.  Now with Hak in a vulnerable state of mind, Emperor Il asks again, and the boy finally accepts the position formally, promising to always protect Yona.

Hak reflects on that afternoon later in the evening when he is all alone.  Despite their protestations, did the Emperor now believe that his daughter and the future Wind Tribe’s general may have feelings for each other?  He couldn’t tell by Emperor Il’s expression what he thought since he always maintained a smile.  But one would think that if he didn’t want Yona to be so close to someone like him, he wouldn’t have offered the position again, right?  

‘Ugh,’ this was exactly why he didn’t want it in the first place!  Yona’s presence always flustered him, made him loose his focus, and his mind.  The first time the Emperor had asked it was just him and his grandfather present but when Yona was around, he didn’t think twice about accepting.  It was bad enough that the girl he loved, was in love with another man, and now he had to live in the castle, watching over her.  Yup, he had lost his mind alright.

Hak flopped onto his bed with his arm over his face, grateful that his grandfather had returned home shortly after hearing the news.  The old man had been over the moon that his grandson was getting even closer to the royal family, not just because of nobility gains, but simply because it warmed his old heart.  Yona was like a grand-daughter to him, and to know that Hak would be there to protect her made him feel so much better.

Not that it made is grandson feel happy.  Hak had been trying to bury his 15-year-old’s emotions and hormones for the Princess and now, that was going to be ten times harder than it had ever been before.  

Once he had taken the position at the castle, and pledged to protect Yona, that promise became both his curse and his salvation; if he could manage to keep his emotions in check.  Sarcasm became his way of dealing with the Princess.  Hak knew she hated it, but what would be his alternative? Admit to being desperately in love with her and when she turns him down shattering his heart into a million pieces, run away to commit suicide, maybe jump off a cliff or run his own blade through his chest? Sounds drastic, yes, but a possibility when you know deep down there will never be another woman for you like her.

This situation was the ultimate torture that you could ever put any man through and not expect them to go insane.  Every day, week, year that goes by and you are forced by your title and position to be around the one person that your heart desires and the one person you believe you’ll never have.  To sit back and watch them fawning over another that wasn’t you, have to listen to them talk about it, ask you about it and why, because you are the only one they’ve told this secret to.  

Hak told her that he would be happy for them, would serve them for as long as he lived, and said that enough to where he had tricked himself into believing it too.  Her cousin wasn’t a bad guy, a little strange and airy, but they had all grown up together, played together on the castle grounds, and if it made Yona happy, then that was all he wanted for her.  

Most days he could keep his heart in check, and then there were days that the cliff sounded like a better alternative.  It was like being in an out of control carriage on a very hilly road and you wonder should I jump now, then talk yourself into believing that it will eventually get better.  He wasn’t sure what Yona saw him as, maybe a big brother by the way she behaved around him, but when she would act all cute and innocent, say things that could be misconstrued…  Yeah, those were the days he wanted to jump…  

~~

After Hak helps Yona to get on her cousin’s horse, she makes a comment about his handling of women and that he must be entertaining many at home… “Don’t get the wrong idea,” Soo-Won tells her.  “We’ve been discussing who I’m going to be engaged to.  But, let’s stop talking about this, I can’t talk to you about this sort of thing.”

‘What!!!  And he’s still treating me like I’m some little kid!’   “Well,” trying not to seem flustered, “I’m about to be engaged too.”

“Huh?  To whom?”

“To Hak.”   ‘Did that just come out my mouth!  And Hak needs to stop staring at me like I’ve gone crazy, even if it’s true!’

“That’s great!  Congratulations...”

Once the horseback riding is over, and her cousin leaves them alone, Yona is sulking with Hak standing nearby.  “To think he’d believe such a lie,” she drops her head onto the railing.

Hak mumbles to himself, “You’re the one who’s cruel. And annoying…”  She has no idea how much those kinds of statements hurt him…

~

“But father this hair!  Why is it so red?  Even my mother had flowing black hair.  It makes me look weird.”

“It’s not true.  Right Hak?”

“Yes, Emperor Il, nobody has said that the Princess’ hair is strange.  But if I may be so bold to say, there’s definitely something wrong with her head.”

“Shut up servant!  Father do something about this guy!  Even though he’s my servant, he’s so arrogant!”

~

From all the work she put into preparing for her cousins visit, being harassed by Hak at every turn, being told by her father that she couldn’t marry who she wanted, scared by some strange stalker, and being somewhat rejected by the person she loves, Yona retreats into her room for the evening. She was confused, angry, conflicted, and frankly tired that everyone was treating her like a little girl, ‘I’m turning 16 in less than 5 days, I’m not a little girl anymore!’  Flopping onto her bed, part of her wants to cry, maybe scream, definitely scream but that would only bring people running to check on her.

What her father had told her had scared her as well, being the Princess, she would always be a target so whomever was around her could get hurt too.  Could she have been seeing things when she thought there was someone following her? Maybe her father’s words were still messing with her mind?  Yona curls her legs up, this was easier to deal with when she was younger, because whenever she was feeling scared she’d run to Hak and crawl into bed with him cause he would hold her hand and make her feel safer.  

‘Hak!’  Speaking of that man, ‘how dare he say I had a strange head?!  He’s always making fun of me, teasing me, taunting me…  Why is he so mean to me when we’re supposed to be friends!  I just don’t understand it.  I mean, he’s always been blunt and never holds back what he says, but the older we get the worse it became and now he’s such a sarcastic ass!

Ugh and now Soo-Won thinks we’re engaged no matter how I tried to say otherwise.  Okay, I guess I can see how it seems believable because Hak’s always with me, but that’s because it’s his job!  Great, that makes two men that think Hak and I are in a relationship, not that I care about what Tae-Jun thinks…  That’s totally not the point!  He didn’t even try to disagree when I said it, just stood there with his mouth hanging open catching flies!  Where was his stupid comments when I needed it?!’

She sighs, and closes her eyes, there was nothing more she could do tonight but hope that things will change...

~

In all his short 18 years, through fighting, political bickering, and battles with his own heart, never had anger or pain risen to the level of pure hatred, and all he could see was red as swords pointed at the girl he lived for.  It didn’t matter that these were soldiers he had fought with, trained, or that the man ordering their execution was the one betraying them all because in that moment, all that mattered was her.  The girl he had sworn to protect, she who held his heart, and more than his own life… he would kill for.  

Every, last one would die by his hand if need be, because Yona was the only one that mattered, the only thing so precious in his life that if she were to die here and now so would his soul, withering away like a dying flower in winter.  By the luck of the gods they still had at least one supporter and he managed to spirit the Princess away to the forest.  

“Princess Yona, do you need to take a short break?”

She sits down to rest.  “Hak, did Min-Soo die?  I wonder will I die too?  Will Soo-Won kill you too?”

“I’ll never hand my life over to that asshole.”

“Don’t die, Hak…” her eyes slowly closing, “because if you die, I will never forgive you…”

But now what?  As he watched the broken girl resting against the tree, Hak needed to focus on his survival instincts to get them through this, but his own heart was aching.  He loved Yona, but he thought he had loved Soo-Won too, and the Emperor.  He may have felt the Emperor Il was a little weak or naive but such a kind soul and to have been assassinated, in front of Yona.  ‘Leaving her all alone, you good for nothing King!’

Part of the aching was the guilt that he hadn’t done his job of protecting the castle.  The King had been killed and Yona was left unprotected.  Why hadn’t he investigated sooner when things started to seem uneasy around the grounds, the unsettling quiet that had descended.  ‘I promise you,’ he wipes her dirty, tear stained cheek, ‘one day we’ll be back at your castle…’        

‘Yona…’  The Princess was what he needed to worry about, especially since she had become a doll simply being led along with no mind of her own.  Told when to eat, to sleep.  If there were ever a time he was needed, it was now.  Hak clenched his fist.  Is this what Soo-Won had wanted?  Had he planned all along to draw her in close only to kill her and her father to take the throne by force?  

He was all she had in the world, the one semblance of normal still left in her life and he’ll do everything he can to protect the last of her innocence.

~~

“Fire at the Princess!”  Upon those uttered words Hak stepped in to block, taking an arrow to his back.

“Hak!!  Hak! Are you alright?!  Hak…”

“Please don’t concern yourself, it’s making me uncomfortable.” Leaping away, he takes her to a secluded bush.  “Hide here, and please stay perfectly still.”

“Hak,” seeing blood, “You’re bleeding.”  ‘He was injured protecting me…’  Yona waits but, overhears that they are going to kill Hak. She is torn as to what to do until she remembers why she left Fuuga…  It was wrong to expect Hak to always protect her, she needed to do something.

Rushing out of hiding she slams into the soldier aiming for Hak and confronts Tae-Jun with a renewed fire in her soul.  All the domino effect of pain that Soo-Won’s actions had started, and now seeing Hak, a man she had once thought invincible being struck down… Yona grabs a sword and frees her hair from Tae-Jun’s grip before rushing to confront the soldiers with Hak dangling from the cliff.

“Get Away From Hak!!” swinging at them.  He screams at her to run away but she refuses, clutching at his arms.  “No! Never!  Hak…  If you die I won’t forgive you!!”  Tears stream down, dripping onto his face and it stops his resistance, but as the soldiers close in they slip off the cliff… falling…

The next thing Yona knows, she is waking up in a house of some sort, bandaged.  “Who are you?” she asked the boy sitting next to her and is reminded of the cliff. ‘Cliff…  Hak!’  “Hak! Where is Hak?!”

As she listens to boy named Yoon prattle off Hak’s injuries, what he has done to try to mend him, and that tonight will be critical to see if he even survives, Yona prays.  “Please save him!”

“That’s what I’m doing…  Don’t you think that helping you is what I’m supposed to do?  You still haven’t given a single word of gratitude…” Yona sits glassy-eyed as Yoon berates her.  “…Have you ever even said a word of thanks to this guy?  Even though he goes this far to risk his life to protect you?”  Yona thanks Yoon and apologizes, but even with Ik-Su’s assurance that this wasn’t Hak’s time to die yet, it left her worried…

She awakens in the early morning hours to find Hak missing and in a panic runs into the forest searching for him but trips.  Sitting up, tears rushing down her face, he finds her screaming about him.  

“…You seem fine,” he smiles, “what happened?  Did you have a bad dream?”

But she was too furious with him to deal with his sarcasm.  “Even when you’ve been hurt badly you still over do it!  I thought you were going to die!  Please,” more tears pooling, “don’t just leave on your own!”  Wiping at her face, “You’re the only one that must be by my side…”

And she meant what she said.  It may still be selfish of her but Yona never wanted to be without Hak.  She knew she didn’t understand what was going on, her naivety meant she needed him more than he needed her just to survive but frankly, it would feel strange not to have him around anymore…

~~

“Hak!”

“An earthquake!”  Hak jumps to his feet as the wall of rock tumbled down, blocking the entrance to the tunnel.  ‘Crap!’ He had heard her call out his name seconds before the collapse.  True and ultimate fear gripped his entire mind and body, no soul at the realization that Yona was trapped behind the cave in of solid rock.  ‘No, No, NO!’  This can’t be happening, after all they’ve been through till now for her to die from suffocation because of these backwards thinking mountain folk!  

Damn it, if, no, when she’s safe and sound she’s never to leave his side again!  He was an idiot to listen to her commands, this girl was great at getting herself into danger and he just let her do it this time like the good servant that he was. Hak pounded his fists on the boulders, dug stone after stone, swung his spear at it only to be laughed at by the unyielding force of nature.  

He prayed, begged to the gods, ‘Please don’t take her away…’  to the Emperor to bring her back to him.  He couldn’t lose her, just couldn’t even stand the thought of not having Yona by his side.  She was finally starting to grow, standing up, becoming the Princess he knew laid dormant inside, and his promise to get her home again, it wasn’t fulfilled yet!  Even after all the harrowing events that had led them to this point, this was the first time that Hak couldn’t breathe.

Why couldn’t he foresee these kinds of events?  Why can’t he seem to protect her when she needs him the most, first at the castle, the cliffs, and now here?  All he could ever do right was deal with the aftermath and consequences.  Yes, he’ll find a way to save her and he didn’t give a damn if anyone tried to stop him. He’d cut them down too.    

Hak unleashes his anger at the stone as soon as the villagers tell him where to dig and by god he was going to get to her in time!  ‘Hold on Princess!’  It was like an inhuman strength fell into his body as he bashed at the rock, swinging and destroying the wall that separated him from her and his friends. No matter if it was a few inches or several feet of rock, it would bow to his will.      

And when he finally broke through, the relief at seeing her unharmed let all the anguish drain away.  His ailing and aching body was heaving from the extraneous work, but it was over.  “Princess!” Hak drops the axe, rushing up and grabbing her, wrapping his body around her tiny frame holding so tightly she couldn’t move if she wanted to.  He didn’t even have the strength left to cry.  She was safe, that was all that mattered.

Each day that passed by on their journey through the Kouka Kingdom, she noticed that the way Hak was behaving slowly began to change.  He was always the sarcastic pain, teasing her and annoying her whenever the opportunity presented itself but still, the thing that confused her was his clinginess.  In the past, it seemed he did anything he could not to touch her or be too close and yet now, sometimes she couldn’t get rid of him.

Sure, after the incident at the Blue Dragon’s village and his promise to stick by her side, it made sense, but it had begun before that. And what about the way he touched her, grabbed her?  Like at the entrance of Fuuga when he had asked if she was ready to pay with her body, though she had no idea what he meant.  Or how about the cliff’s when he’d pinned her against the wall and she thought he was going to kiss her.  

The list could go on and on and slowly she began to understand what some of it meant, or at least the weird feelings it was triggering in her. In Awa, as he licked the honey from her hand, looking as if he was enjoying it way more than just for the sweet taste… Her body heated up and maybe deep down she was enjoying it too.  No, she shakes her head, Hak was just her friend, someone that protected her.  He was staying close just to make sure she was safe, that’s all.

Yona couldn’t fully grasp why he was behaving this way.  The others would sometimes make comments about it, they, even strangers asking, assuming she and Hak were together.  But she would deny it, and so would he, most of the time.  She remembered his reaction to Kija trying to pay him to leave, furious that the guy dared to separate them.  But things only worsened after Jae-Ha joined their little travelling band.  That flirty pervert really got on Hak’s nerves anytime he got too close to her.

But the one thing she did understand was if this was his way of showing he cared for her life and for her safety, at least it was comforting. She knew that no matter what lay in their path, nor battle they needed to fight, Hak would always be there to protect her.  And if that meant putting up with his bizarre behavior, well then it was a small price to pay.  

Okay, and maybe it wasn’t so bad to have his attention focused on her.  She may not know the ways of the world yet, but she was starting to see the way that women looked at him, or even looked at her with jealousy.  

~

Hak was getting tired of all of Jae-ha’s teasing.  Yes, he gets it, everyone can see how he feels about the Princess, except apparently her, but it’s something he’s been dealing with for… let’s just say too long.  It was all complicated, they had grown up together, practically their entire lives spent around each other so maybe it was simply a matter of convenience that he had fallen for her while she on the other hand still couldn’t get over her pining for the man who had tried to kill her.

That was a lie.  There were other pretty girls around him, willing to throw themselves at his feet but none of them had ever gotten him to turn his head in their direction.  He didn’t even know why he had fallen for Yona in the first place.  A childhood felicity turned crush became a deep seeded yearning for the Princess even though most days, she acted like such a spoiled brat.  Yona was beautiful, no doubt, probably the most lovely female ever to grace their kingdom.  

God help him every time Yona said something that could be misconstrued like oh I’ll just nestle closer to you if it’s cold, if only she knew what such words could do to a man.  But he couldn’t get upset over it when she was saying it with the childlike innocence that made her the sweetheart that she was.  He wished she could understand without changing that side of her.    

On the flip side, as much as he loved the purity, as her courage grew, and her individuality and strength increased, have mercy, this only served to drive his arousal up tenfold.  It was getting harder to hold back those feelings.  Hak was a man of action after all, and it only made sense that such métier would peak his interest, especially coming from her. And what he wanted, was to help her see her dreams through of serving her people.  To become the true ruler of Kouka with the grace that her father had instilled in her coupled with the fire her ancestor bestowed upon her by the Gods. A balance, a force from heaven so to speak to restore order and peace in their lands.

It might have been fate that brought them together.  The orphaned boy who because of who had adopted him led to his meeting the Princess.  A boy who became a general and tribal leader with the skills worthy of being deemed the protector of said Princess.  Did the Gods know she would need someone to guide her, care for her until she was ready to meet her destiny?  If one believed Ik-su, their lives had been pre-destined long before their births.

Either way, be it providence or simply luck of the draw, what was done was done and it boiled down to one simple fact, this boy was in love with this girl.

~

Yona wasn’t sure at what point Hak was no longer just her friend or bodyguard but something else entirely because there was no dramatic shift in their relationship, at least not one single point in time that she could say, there, that’s when it happened.  But it did change during their travels and by the time they had made it to Shisen, Yona was seeing him in a different light, one familiar and yet so completely unlike the feeling she was used to.

With Soo-Won it was almost as if she had convinced herself of being in love with him.  Fawning in a juvenile longing over a boy that really did nothing to reciprocate her feelings only treating her like the little sister he never had.  Maybe she had swayed her heart towards him, he being the only other royal she knew, and when you grow up being told you needed to marry a royal, it made sense to latch on to a convenient choice.  

Hak on the other hand was always around too, just as much and more than Soo-Won.  Why hadn’t she considered him?  Well, he wasn’t a royal as he had so bluntly pointed out in their formative years, but he had always been in line for General, the highest position in a tribe, wouldn’t that be similar, she had once thought so.  

Of course, he was always picking on her, making fun of her or teasing her…  but then again…  he still looked after her, made sure she was okay, safe, even kept her secrets.  Hak would whine and then do what she wanted, they would fight and then make up again.  Neither seemingly capable of turning the other away.  And, he was the one person she would always run to, even as a child…

She didn’t want to admit he had been right, what he had said at the gates of Fuuga, that once they became fugitives and he was no longer the General of the Wind tribe, he had no obligation to protect her.  She had forced herself onto him, but he could have refused, slipping away somewhere safe and sound, and yet he continued to put his life on the line for her.  

And now look at the situation, the one she had first given her heart to, killed her father and ordered her execution, but the one who deserved her heart, who showed time and time again how much he had earned it, was the one she hadn’t chosen.  Until now.  Her soul warmed to the realization that Hak was the one who truly deserved her heart and she was ready, at least on the inside, to give it to him.

But now she wasn’t sure what to do about these newly found emotions.  She wasn’t ready to tell him how she felt yet, when they had so many other things to focus on, like surviving.  Yona knew she was already a burden on Hak, and no, this just wasn’t the right time. Eventually she’ll have to, when she was ready, maybe, even if it had to wait until their Kingdom had been restored.

~~

She knew it was necessary for them to go their separate ways, it would be faster in order to stop the attack on Xing, and it’s not like she wanted to be away from Hak, nor would he like the idea either.  If something were to happen to her he would no doubt tear this Kingdom apart in his grief.  But she couldn’t take him in case she ran into the one person she knew Hak wanted dead.  

“Hak, you go ahead over to the wind tribe first.  I will slow-down Soo-Won’s, the Sky tribe’s army’s.”

“You know you’re not going anywhere without me, right?” Min-Soo offers to accompany her and Algira but that isn’t good enough.  He reaches out, “Wait a moment, you think I’m going to let you go alone?!”

“Just go.  The Wind tribe is surely waiting for you Hak.  I might not be able to do much, but I’m going to try doing what I can so that I won’t have any regrets.  And, then we’ll go and meet with the four dragons, Yoon, and Ao.  Okay?” smiling big.  “I’ll just be gone for a little bit!”

“I,” lowering his head, “understand.  I’ll be waiting.”

“Hak…” clutching at his hood, Yona pulls him down for a quick kiss. Hak is so surprised that he can only stare down at her wide eyed, even after it ends, his mind blank.  “Well,” she blushes, stunned with herself, and turns to leave, “I’ll be going now…”

As soon as she was in the carriage heading to seek out Tae-Jun’s assistance, Yona puts her head down to mull over what she just did. Something in her body propelled her forward before her mind could even process why, she had reached out and pulled Hak into that kiss.  What was she thinking when she saw how sad he looked, that in case she never saw him again, he would hopefully know how she felt?  That she didn’t want to leave, and it was a promise to come back to him?  

In all the years she had been in love with Soo-Won never once had she even considered acting upon her emotions and yet today with Hak, she had done just that.  The inclination to want to feel his lips against hers flowed so smoothly and easily that after it was done, and her brain had caught up with her actions, only then did it hit her.  ‘Oh my god I kissed Hak!’  

What was Hak thinking now?  She hadn’t stuck around to find out but based on the stupefied look on his face, his mind had probably blanked out.  He was always the one to tease her, touching her, and doing other perverted things, but when the act was committed on him, he reacted strangely.  What if he didn’t like it?  He had pulled back didn’t he, ‘maybe he’s gonna be mad at me now!’ Clutching her face in horror, ‘No! I need to focus right now but, please don’t let him be mad at me because I…’  

Why was it so hard to admit it, to get the words, ‘I want to say out of my mouth?’  Maybe that was part of the reason for the kiss, to act without words, to convey how much she wanted him to always be with her, in any way, shape, or form, for the rest of their lives…        

~~

“Hak I’m sorry about yesterday!”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“I’m sorry…  I overheard your conversation with the people of the Wind tribe.  I’ve always felt like I stole you away from the Wind tribe, and what’s more you have, you have a fiancée.”

“Fiancée?  Ahh, you mean Ayame.  I see, that’s why you were pushing me to go back, and said that stuff about returning my freedom?”

“Yeah but, I don’t think that you’re unneeded or anything like that, it’s just that, you’re very precious to me, so, stay with me…”

‘I can’t take this anymore!’  “What’s with that, I told you, didn’t I?  Many times!  I won’t leave you!  Like hell I’d leave you!!  And that’s not because I feel obligated not to.  Get that through your head already!!  The place I go home to is here!!”

“I’m sorry…”

“I accompanied you, was overwhelmed by your strength and passion, and decided to live for you.  The pride of serving someone…  The one who taught me that was you!!”

“Hak…” wiping away the tears.  “You might have been exasperated by all the things I’ve said but, can I ask you one thing?”

“Yes?”

“What will you do about Ayame?”

“Ugh,” running his hand over his face.  “Look I don’t like being at the center of misunderstandings, so I’ll just say this…” Facing her directly once more.  “The one I like is you damn it!!!”

“Eh?”

“Don’t ‘Eh’ me!!  I said Ayame has a partner already.  I like you and I don’t have a fiancée goddammitt!!  I'm tired out for today!!  Have you understood everything?”

“Y-yes…”

“Great!  Ahhhh! Much better.”  Hak walks away standing tall and feeling lighter than he ever has after releasing all that weight from his heart leaving a bewildered and bright red Yona sitting there to process what just happened.

After wolfing down dinner, Hak settles onto his bedroll and closes his eyes.  He felt so much more relaxed that the burden of hiding his feelings for Yona would no longer be necessary.  It was out in the open, with witnesses, she heard him loud and clear, and it looked like she understood every word he had spouted.  Sigh, he had buried those emotions down for so long…  Would he be able to carry on as if nothing had changed?  

He still wasn’t sure what her opinion was or how she may feel now, even that kiss back in Saika, was there a meaning behind it?  Yona has kissed him so smoothly, casually…  He wanted to be angry that she had pulled such a thing on him but, it also didn’t make sense since she wasn’t one to act in that manner.  How many times over the years he would tell her to just confess to Soo-Won how she felt and yet she was too embarrassed.  

How, when did the Princess develop the courage to up and kiss him?  He could ask her, but chances were greater that she would clam up in embarrassment again. That girl, so innocent and childlike and yet for all his physical strength she was so much stronger than he. In a relatively short time, he watched her go from broken to a force of the heavens and it only made him want to be with her, in whatever capacity he could take, for the rest of their lives…            

~~

Things couldn’t be more dangerous as they were right now for Yona and the growing opposition to Soo-Won’s position.  It seemed as his master plans slowly fell apart and the Princess’ supporters grew in both number and title, so too did the attacks in order to maintain the power he had taken by force.  And this latest battle was no different, with the resistance force defeating and pushing back the royal army but not without casualties… including Yona.

She had been hurt before in fights, but never this grave, and that left everyone on high alert for if the Princess were to die, so was the hope of saving Kouka Kingdom.  Yoon did his best assuring their group that she was by no means at deaths door, but it would be tenuous for some time, and that her unconsciousness was due to her bodies attempt at healing.  And so, they waited, the dragons taking turns guarding her tent and their campsite, Jae-ha, surprisingly falling back into a leadership role like he served in Awa. It helped to keep their spirits high, and their progress from slipping but Hak was beside himself and refused to leave Yona’s bedside.  

Two days later, Yona finally opens her eyes and turns her head to see Hak sleeping next to her, still clutching her hand, and a weak smile crosses her face.  All she can tell is it must be nighttime and if it wasn’t for the moonlight, Yona may not have known it was even him.  Who was she kidding, sighing in her head, who else would it be?  Slipping her hand from his grasp, “Hak?” she whispers caressing his face with the small amount of strength she can muster.

His brows furrow and eyes pop open.  “Princess?!”  Hak’s so happy to see she’s awake, he forgets himself and hugs to her prone body, repeating her name over and over as the tears he had been holding back finally stream down his face.  

“Hak…” she repeats, cradling and caressing the back of his head as tears of her own pool in her eyes, “it’s okay Hak…”

“No!” sobbing aloud, “it’s not okay!  You shouldn’t have gotten hurt, this is my fault, I didn’t protect you…”

“You know that’s not true,” voice soft and serene, “Hak you can’t be everywhere, I should have protected myself better.”

“Yes, it is.  I know Zeno did his best, but there were too many attackers, so I shouldn’t have left your side,” clutching at the bedding and burying his face deeper into the fabric. “What if…  There’s no way I could go on if I lost you…”

Yona’s heart skips and her body flushes, but unlike before, a sense of peace washes over her.  She stops caressing his head, “Hak, please look at me…”  A few seconds pass, but he finally lifts his face to look at her and what he sees is such a tranquil expression, it calms him instantly.  She smiles and places her hand against his cheek, “I love you.”

“Prin…cess…”  

Like a repeat of their first, Yona clasps both of his cheeks and pulls the dazed man closer and settles her lips against his in a soft kiss, repeating those three little words upon their release.  Hak props himself up and rolls to his side, still stupefied, touching where her lips had left their lingering warmth.  Yona lightly giggles at seeing her tough man acting like a confused little boy.  “Hak, you’re not dreaming,” taking hold of his hand, “I said I love you, I have for awhile now, I just couldn’t get the words to come out.”

He looks at her, “You waited until you almost died to tell me this!” Face palm, “I swear you enjoy torturing me.”

Pouting, “I do not,” growing into a grin, “well maybe sometimes, and that’s only because you do it to me!”

Laughing, “we’re both kind of idiots aren’t we,” sigh, “you know if we hadn’t been pushed out of Hiryuu Castle, I would have taken my feelings to the grave.”

“And I would have never realized that it’s you who I should have given my heart to, not him.  I don’t know if I deserve you, but Hak, you definitely deserve me, a thousand times over for everything you’ve done for me.”

“Princess…”

“Yona.”

“Y-you want me to call you Yona?  But…”

“Hak, if we do take back Hiryuu Castle, and if I regain my position, will you… be my King?”

“You’re serious?” she nods.  “You can’t be…  I’m not King material...”

“Oh, so would you rather I marry someone else?”

“No.”

“Well then, I guess you have no choice.”

“Why do I feel like I was just blackmailed?”              

“You don’t need to decide now, Hak…”

“Idiot, of course I’d marry you!  King or not, I don’t want anyone else to have you!”

“Then it’s settled,” patting his arm, “now go back to sleep.” She closes her eyes, a smile on her face.

Hak narrows his eyes, ‘this little…’  “Yona?”

“Hmm,” peaking at him.  “Did…” before she can say anything more, Hak had swooped in and crashed his lips roughly against hers, gaining a small squeak out of the young woman. After the initial shock, Yona melts into the kiss, lifting her head to add pressure, and her fingers threading into his hair while Hak cups the back of her neck to lend support and keeps himself propped up to her side.  

A deep rumble in his chest breaks the still of the air, to be answered by a purr of her own and when they finally break from the kiss, Hak keeps his forehead leaning against hers.  “Should we tell the others?” she asks quietly.

“We can worry about that tomorrow, but since it was droopy-eye’s turn to guard, he probably already knows.”

They hear a ‘Tch’ coming from outside and Yona giggles, “You’re probably right.”  

“Now,” he gives her a small peck, “time for you to get more rest,” settling on his side and closing his eyes.  “Good night, Yona.”

“Good night,” yawn, “Hak.”  As she closes her eyes, Yona utters a small prayer of thanks to the Gods for the angel beside her and for some reason, she knows everything is going to be alright.  

“Yona?” there is a knock at her door, “Are you ready to go down to the temple?”  Her mind is jostled out of the memories she had just been daydreaming about, their childhood, all the struggles, how they’d finally overcame their hearts…

“Oh, yes I am Yoon. Is Hak on his way?”

“Yes, Jae-Ha is escorting him.”

“Alright, I’ll be out in a minute…”

And now here they were, about to be married, a new Queen and her King.  Everything was ready for the wedding and coronation ceremonies happening that afternoon.  Guests had been arriving over the past week, all the food was being prepared, flowers and decorations set up.  But as excited as they both were for their future together, Yona and Hak were also nervous.  They each sit in separate rooms, their kimono’s on, Yona’s hair and makeup done, now all that remained was to wait until they were called upon.

This had been such a long journey for the two, if you counted back to the beginning.  So many memories stemming over their lifetimes starting as childhood friends and ending at the beginning of their adulthood. Good times, bad times, hardships, and times of happiness.  And while they sat in their rooms, awaiting the next step of this journey, the memories of how they got here flowed through like an endless river.  

Their childhoods filled with playing on the castle grounds, oh how Hak loved to tease her when they played, like that time he scared the hell out of her during hide and seek, and yet whenever she was scared, he was also the one she ran to for comfort.  It wasn’t until she was older that she realized how improper it may have been to sleep next to him, but at the time, if it helped the nightmares to go away, so it didn’t seem like that big of a deal.

It must have been inevitable that her father would choose Hak to be her bodyguard considering they were often with each other, and even from a young age, he had proven himself to be a skilled warrior worthy of protecting a Princess.  But if you counted the fact they also bickered constantly, no, back then it didn’t make a whole lot of sense to her and it was much later after the promise was made that she found out, Hak had originally turned down the position.  If he had said no once, what made him say yes, the second time?  Had that encounter with Tae-Jun made such a big impact on his decision?

All Yona knew, was that if Hak was a pain before that moment, she could have sworn his sarcasm and teasing only escalated after it, and it drove her crazy.  He was so quick witted, making fun of her looks, her size, her intellect, nothing got past him, and wasn’t afraid to say things even in front of her own father, the Emperor!  She had no idea why he would act that way.  Well okay, so maybe she fueled some of it, taking advantage and using him for her own devises.  Hind sight is easier to help one see why things may have happened a certain way.

But if there was one thing she was sure of now, is that when she needed him most, Hak was the only one to take her side, no questions asked, with a fierce loyalty that was unmatched even by the Dragons born to protect her.  That night of her father’s death, and when her innocence was shattered forever, Hak was the dark angel who saved her.  When the Fire tribe soldiers had them cornered on the cliffs, again, he put his own life before hers, and it ignited a blazing virtue in her own soul.

And yet, the first time she saw Hak truly get scared was not during an actual battle but when they were looking for the Blue Dragons and the tunnel had trapped them.  She herself was afraid of never seeing him again, but the look on his face when he broke through, and the way he hugged her so tightly afterwards, he really had been terrified.  It was a new side to Hak that was starting to draw her in closer.

Yes, somewhere along the way she had started to look at Hak through the eyes of a lover.  She wanted him, craved his company and attention. She would get irritated if other females were around or made any moves to get close to him, and when he’d turn them down it made her feel better, relieved.              

Having those feelings bottled up only made situations start get a little awkward or it would cause them to behave in ways that confused each other.  Like the first time she kissed him or when he confessed his feelings for her.  Actions triggered by raw emotions that bubbled in their hearts waiting for freedom.

Too bad it took a long time for them to adjust to these feelings.  You could blame inexperience, naivety, just the circumstances that surrounded them as the reasons.  I mean, it is difficult to worry about liking someone when you need to put more effort into simply surviving.  Now she can laugh about it, but it was a weird timing to tell a guy you loved him after you almost died.

But, looking back at it all, Yona, Hak, neither would trade those precious moments or memories for anything in the world.  Their lives before her Sixteenth birthday were fun times despite the bickering and the tragedy that came afterwards had led them to the greatest gift either could have ever asked for.  Lifetime friendships, adventure, and a love that will stand the tests of time.

~~xx~~

“… I have waited so long for this moment little miss,” Zeno whispers, smiling as he guides Yona towards the man she was about to marry.  “I’m glad you are my new Queen.”  

“Thank you, Zeno,” taking a deep breath, Yona smiles at how regal Hak looked in his ceremonial kimono, flanked by the dragons and Yoon that is was all so surreal.  “It’s almost too good to be true but we made it here…”

It’s July~! Weekend Replies!

Summer’s like officially here now. Let the good times roll! ^0^

I’m kinda backed up, so bear with me, guys. :P

white-enamel replied to your photoset “Something Wicked This Way Comes - Pt2 Far down the avenue of yews we...”                                                

I just love it!! <3 <3

My fellow sister of darkness! <3 I have to upload that set soon; I said I’d do it today, but I’ve been so effing lazy & distracted; good lord I need help. U_U

Pink Replies

palimpa replied to your photoset “Pink, Like the Paradise Found  Let’s count the ways we can make this...”                                                

your sets are sickening awesome! You must have spend so much time work and sweat on it that i would totally share my donuts with you if i could xD

Not even lying I went out and bought a whole box of like 30+ donuts BECAUSE OF YOU! XD They’re almost gone now; I’m disgusted with myself, but I can’t stop eating them!

shhhushhh replied to your photoset “Pink, Like the Paradise Found  Let’s count the ways we can make this...”                                              

That's one of the cutest posts EVER!    

soloriya replied to your photoset “Pink, Like the Paradise Found  Let’s count the ways we can make this...”                                                

how beautiful! ♥__♥

embysims replied to your photoset “Pink, Like the Paradise Found  Let’s count the ways we can make this...”                                                

you have the best pic sets!!! so creative and just brilliant

Aw, thank you all~! :3 I seriously doubt that I have the best pics when simmers like pixelsinmyveins & kosmokhaos exist, but it’s nice to dream! ^_^

ashuriphoenix replied to your photoset “Pink, Like the Paradise Found  Let’s count the ways we can make this...”                                                

I like Ryu!  Interesting looking sim.                    

Thank you! :D Ryu-San was made in homage to all the long white/platinum-haired anime/game characters I’m in love with -- I have a type (and half of them are evil half demon shapeshifter undead mofos, too, wtf is wrong with me :P ).

My crushes wallpaper (High-res): Sesshomaru & Inuyasha, human!Artemis (Sailor Moon), Emperor Mateus (Final Fantasy 2/Dissidia), Aion (Chrono Crusade), Alucard (Castlevania), Ukitake (Bleach), Inu no Taisho (Inuyasha), Sephiroth (Final Fantasy 7), youko!Kurama (YuYu Hakusho), Undertaker (Kuroshitsuji), dragon!Kija (Yona of the Dawn), Kunzite (Sailor Moon).

simblu replied to your photoset “Pink, Like the Paradise Found  Let’s count the ways we can make this...”                                                

So beautiful. What a great theme for a flower sim.                    

I keep telling y’all that Sakura’s a cherry tree faery, and then I realized that I never even bothered to actually make her a flowery PlantSim.  *facepalm* :P I had to fix that, frikkin embarrassing, lol.

packagedblyss replied to your photoset “Pink, Like the Paradise Found  Let’s count the ways we can make this...”                                                

I love plantsims flowery tracks ! I'm sad to see them disappear in my game after a while. (I also love those shoes, super cute !)

SAME! :D

kosmokhaos replied to your photoset “Pink, Like the Paradise Found  Let’s count the ways we can make this...”                                                

😂😂😂😂 Now I'm singing the song I love it                    

My frikkin anthem lately, LOL XD

palimpa replied to your post “20 Questions Tag”

Who’d You Most Like to Have Lunch With? “Oprah. Preferably while she hands me a check for a couple million dollars, amirite." 🤣 👏 Who wouldn't?                   

I KNOW, RIGHT!?!

lifeasasim replied to your post “20 Questions Tag”

Hahahahah love this                    

lifeasasim replied to your post “20 Questions Tag”

I saw the shadowhunter tag before I read the post and knew it was you xP

You are wise and experienced, that’s why! XD

Malec Replies

(See what I did there, y’all? ;) )

alice-and-white-lapin replied to your photoset “Yasumi no Edo - Pt3 (Machi wo Mistete Kudasai!)  For their last day in...”                                                

Your Malec family's fan art is so cute and I love it ♡      

I love that you love it! どうも ありがとう ございます!

simblu replied to your photoset “Yasumi no Edo - Pt4 (Owari) CAPTIONS AS TEXT - Alec and Magnus spent...”                                                

I love all the pix and, under your cut, the changing eyes. This series will live on with you and other fans. Take it in directions you wish, perhaps?    

Precisely. Most of it's taken from the books anyway, especially the whole bit with their children, since I had a sinking feeling that the tv show would never catch up in time for us to see Max & Raphael Lightwood-Bane. Now that it might be cancelled I’m glad I wasn’t setting myself up for extreme disappointment on that end. U_U But yeah, as long as the books keep coming out, and the fanfics are still plentiful, and the fanartists stay active, I’ll have plenty of material to use in my gameplay. :) I just really want the show to keep going; it’s gotten so much better, and doesn’t deserve this at all! :( How will I live without Harry’s Magnus!?

declarations-of-drama replied to your photoset “RSoM Insp. Pt1 - May I Have this Dance?  A slow sweet song with a...”

I thought I read "Dozens of masked downloaders" lol thought you was making a statement ^^ Lovely pics as always x                  

Maybe I was not! 8) LOL

andantezen replied to your photo: “RSoM Insp. Pt1 - May I Have this Dance?  A slow sweet song with a...”

amazing scene!

simblu replied to your photoset “RSoM Insp. Pt2 - Your Host, Lorenzo Rey  Lorenzo Rey spent a...”                                                

Beautiful setting, glam characters.                    

Totally can’t take credit for the scenery/setting -- you know how effing long it took me to find a gorgeously decorated Baroque lot with a decent ballroom? -- but thanks for liking the glam characters~! ^_^

simsdestroyer replied to your photoset “RSoM Insp. Pt1 - May I Have this Dance?  A slow sweet song with a...”                                                

Wow these poses and pics are amazing... Stunning!!!!  I've always loved your blog.                    

That is such an amazing, nice thing to say, it really is. I always get worried that my followers are sitting around like wtf is Murf even doing? And the answer is: Whatever I want, really, idek.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ But I know people often follow me for specific things, and I feel bad cuz I never stick to anything for very long. So it makes me feel better knowing that I have guys like you who just like my blog in general, regardless of whatever I’m up to at the moment. The support is deeply appreciated! <3                                                                 

Pride Replies

venusprincess-simblr reblogged your photoset and added:

I love it! What a great parade :D

I’m so happy you think so! You are such an inspiration for the community, LOVE YOU, VENUS! Thanks for everything!

palimpa reblogged your photoset and added:

She nailed it! I love this! big kiss!

andantezen replied to your photoset “Pride ‘18 - Part 1 “I’m sure there are millions who’d like nothing...”

epic!

simblu replied to your photoset “Pride ‘18 - Part 1 “I’m sure there are millions who’d like nothing...”                                                

Again, compliments on this amazing set-up!                    

Y’all are just too nice to me; I’m so happy and pleased, I can’t~! <3

simblu replied to your post “Happy Pride! CAS Set”

Thank you                    

You’re very welcome! :) Thanks to everyone who liked the Pride CC set I shared! I felt it was only fair to upload it, to do my part in contributing to the LGBT+ CC pool for Pride Month.

Thanks for the continued support, everybody!

Little Star

Cast : James Buchanan Barnes, Amelia Yona Ivory (OFC), Virginia Pepper Potts, Steve Rogers (mentioned), Tony Stark (mentioned)

Pairings : James x Amelia (OFC; WOC); Pepper x Tony

Summary : Been standing in the corner, studying the lights. The dreaming of escape will keep you up at night but someone had put the flare up, got me in rays. So... I guess I better stay

Words : 4526

Notes : Hello something in my head for a while and needed to be out so that's it. That's a hardcore Coldplay and Marvel fan talking which I am.

Holding herself against the wall while brushing her teeth, she feel another kick of pain. Trying to move past it, Amelia rinse her mouth throwing water on her face trying to wake up correctly, hunger take upon her and she immediately go to the fridge making herself a breakfast, a very full breakfast with eggs and pancakes and chocolate and everything that include sugar. Thankfully, nobody in her family got diabetes, well for as far as she know. After all the cooking, she sit down on the couch watching TV trying her best to not think about anything that concern bad thought.

A knock on the door get her away from the memories, getting up she walk to the door opening it slightly just enough to see the incomer. A red headed woman, beautiful with blue eyes and a kind smile. Her freckles showing behind the light makeup she wears, red lipstick showing how white her teeth was, a pretty knee navy dress with a little black bag. She totally doesn't fit the neighbor.

"Can I help you?" Amelia ask getting the red headed woman out of her own scan.

She nods quietly, her smile not getting away, "Yes. I'm Pepper Potts and I'm here to talk to you."

"Well, I'm sorry Mrs. Potts but I don't know you."

"I know but I really need to talk to you, you probably know about Tony Stark or Steve Rogers?"

She sigh pinching her noses, indeed, she know them and it is already too much, "Unfortunately I do and if you are here from them then I will tell you what I said to them: 'I don't want anything from them' so thank you Mrs. Potts." She finish closing the door only to be stop by the hand of the woman.

"Please, I'm not here from them, Tony don't even know I'm here." She take a deep breath, trying to gather all the courage she had 30 minutes ago. "I'm here from James Barnes."

Frowning, Amelia let her in and close the door behind her. The shock visible on her face rapidly gain Pepper's face. Amelia stop her right away because she do not want to talk about it, not now, not after hearing his name for so long. Pepper wait for her on her feet until Amelia indicate her to sit down on the couch, proposing her tea that she immediately accept with a smile. Sitting difficulty in front of her she look at Pepper. Especially the ring on her finger.

"When are you doing it?" Amelia ask sipping her own chocolate milk.

First, confusion take over Pepper before looking at where the young lady eyes are, "Oooh! The ring? Soon I think, we both don't want to rush."

"Tony Stark I suppose."

"What makes you think that?"

Letting her mind guide her, she smile "You are kind and quiet, totally disciplined and you are what Mr. Stark need, you tranquilize him if people would think that you would have fit Mr. Rogers more it's the opposite actually, if you were not there he probably would have destroyed this earth." She take a pause, waiting for a reaction but only a smirk from the red headed one. "Ok, I did some research but even without that I would have think the same." They both laugh, calming the air but it get tense fast because the subject was about to come.

"How did you met him?"

She smile, what a weird memory but a good one.

It was not the first time she saw him, every morning before crossing the street to the school he was there. Always in black, his long dark hair falling in front of his eyes always buying the same articles, which by the way she didn't know what it was. But, she promised herself she will take a better look the next day. For about a month, she liked to stalk him every morning, how great he treated this old woman or how his hair flipped with the air and him looking like a model right from an L'Oréal ad. So many times, she almost ran into the floor lamp, the same floor lamp but always stopped before hitting it because every time he realized someone was looking at him. She had the most human reflex that every living being would have, she ran.

She always had her morning run because of him.

Running the little school she kept up, she opened the door being greeting by Anghel, the young man she engaged to help her with the establishment. Thanks to him, it didn't fall onto the children and now it was more beautiful than ever. She was a volunteer teacher, helping the little kids and parents in this part of the neighbor. It was a poor neighbor but rich in cultures. And she met Anghel last year, he was struggling in the streets, a little bit snarky to other people he didn't know even when she tried to help him. He didn't wanted any charity, that's how by slowly gaining his trust she proposed him a job in her school where he could do the cleaning, repaired what was damaged and particularly learning.

Amelia has 23 kids at her charges, taking them for free while their parents were killing themselves at the job, most of the times coming late but she didn't care much. More time with theses littles ones, playing with them, laughing and taking care to see at the end all the love they gave to her with gifts and hugs. Knowing their parents put their trusts into her to be their figure of education was another reason she loved her job.

"Bună dimineaţa!" Anghel said in Romanian with a smile.

"Bună dimineața și pentru tine Anghel!" She said back waving him. She had to learn Romanian really fast to talk to those people around her, but she could learn them English while learning Romanian too. "How are you doing this morning?"

"Good actually, Mamă got a promotion, nothing big but enough for her to work less."

"Oh, good! You can spend more time with your mother and less time here now." She said jokingly, dressing the little table.

"No way! I am not going anywhere. What about you? Still got your morning run?"

"Please, don't talk about it! He is getting faster now, I had to run faster too." She laughed bitterly, her legs started to hurt her.

He only laughed at her answer, he didn't saw the mysterious man yet but heard about him so many times, he probably knew more about him than the man himself.

Seeing the kids coming, they opened the door letting them in. After a bunch of hugs and kisses, the day could begin.

When the moon was showing and the last child was gone, it was time for her to close the school. This time she was alone, Anghel went home sooner to spend the day with his mom, first time after the death of his father she couldn't say no. However now, she might regretted it a little bit seeing how dark was the road she needed to take. After taking a deep breath, she started to walk before seeing the one she was stalking his body resting against a tree with his arms crossed with judgment but a little smirk on his face.

But, an arm grabbed by the neck, dragging her in of the building cage still choking her. Trying to get away from him, she kicked him in the chest only to hurt herself. The more time past, less air was going in her body, she debated herself as much a possible no matter what the man with a black mask didn't wanted to let go. She thought about Anghel and the children who needed her, she couldn't let them.

Then, a second after the man was on the ground screaming like a coward, was it the same man who choking her to death one second ago?

Still on the ground holding her neck she turned around and saw the L'Oréal man, to say she was happy was definitely not enough.

"Spying is never a good thing." He said trying to put her up.

"That's how you first met?" Pepper ask now grabbing one of the pancakes who seems delicious.

"Hum hum, he thought I was a spy and even threatened me." She smile at that, "But at the end, we get closer and actually start to 'date'." She say mimicking quotation marks. Pepper frown probably asking herself why the quotation mark. "James never did dating, he was so awkward at everything but still cute so I think it was great. We started to hang out a lot, then kissing a lot then him spending a lot of time in my house, living with me. I didn't knew much of his past life and I definitely didn't wanted to push him, then his nightmare started. I was powerless in front of this, the violence and the memories were too much."

"But you helped him?"

Amelia nod.

Holding his arms on the bed trying to stop from making any movements. His metal arm was slowly reaching her own arm.

"James, baby wake up please." She get on him trying to wake him up. "Barnes! Wake up now!" She said a little louder only for him to wake up brutally. She immediately hugged him.

"Melie?"

She nodded vigorously against his chest, "Yes, I'm here don't worry."

"You… You were… I was about to…" He couldn't finished his sentence.

"It's ok James, look at me little star, focus on me." She said her hands holding his head, his eyes were red and he was about to cry. "Can you wait for me here?" She asked unsure. He, himself, wasn't sure. "Just a minute ok?"

He nodded kissing her slowly and deeply. She went into the bathroom for what seemed like an hour for him when it was only 5 minutes, he saw her hand reaching his one, the metal one.

"C'mon little star, I trust you."

His cold hand grabbed her hot and wet one following her in the bathroom to see the bathtub full of water. She slowly removed his clothes and removed her own to get in the hot water first. He followed her right after, resting on her chest.

His arms around her while her own hand stroked his long dark hair. She started humming one of her favorite song.

"It's a fools gold thunder. It's just warning rain. Don't let the fears just start what if I won't see you again, around here you never want to sleep all night. So start falling in love, start the riot and come on rage with me. We don't need words, we'll be birds. Got to make our own key. Only got this moment, you and me. Guilty of nothing but geography." Humming Birds from Coldplay, song of her dreams, song of freedom and love. Feeling him caressing her legs, she kissed the top of his head. "Away with me, we don't need words. Close your eyes and see, we'll be birds flying free. Holding on in the mystery. Fearless through this you said, we'll go through this together. When you fly won't you take me too? In this world so cruel, I think you're so good."

He smiled against her skin, "This is not the right the end."

"You know the song?" She asked when he got at her height kissing her nose.

"You spend your most of your time singing Coldplay around the house."

It was her time to smile, she let go of his hair kissing him slowly going to his neck leaving a beautiful hickey. She always tried to leave hickey on his body but failed every time, now her teeth were out showing how proud she was.

"I did it! Wow this one better not disappeared or I will lose my control."

He laughed slyly, "I love you angel, you know that?"

"Show me little star, show that you're mine as much as I'm yours."

Pepper never knew pancakes could be that good with a story. She was full but wanted more.

"So you know about his past?"

"Yes, indeed. I know about the winter soldier, I know about… Bucky but I never called him like that. He was my little star."

"Why little star?"

"Because of the star on his arm. He hated this arm but I wanted him to accept it, it was a part of him and I love every part of him."

She can see the love in her eyes, it never go away and probably never will, "How was he adapting with the technology?"

She laugh at the thought.

She was washing the dishes, humming 'Everglow' slowly when a loud crash ringed through her ears almost letting the plate fall on the ground. She catch it just in time then turned around to see what her amazing other half did. She prayed hard, very hard hoping it was not another computer broken.

Reaching their room, she saw her beautiful lover looking back at her shameful.

She knew.

"Angel…"

"Did you break another laptop trying to close it very delicately? The fifth one" She asked pinching her nose, trying to stay as calm as possible.

Bouncing from one leg to another, eyes looking at the ground he said, "Actually the sixth but it was even more delicately but then the laptop close itself too fast."

"Baby… what am I going to do with you huh?"

Sadness showed in his eyes, "Keeping me?" He asked slowly.

She held him in her arms, she was shorter than him just reaching his shoulder. Her lips rested on the scars of his metal arms kissing them slowly.

"Forever, never doubt it little star."

"He broke 3 phones because Siri talked to him." She hears Pepper laugh, "He was afraid that one day I will go away, know the real him and run. I never did and I never will. I adore him as much as he did even when he was possessive and jealous."

"Jealous? Of who? Anghel?"

"Totally, he started to work with me at the school, teaching the young people to defend themselves in front of aggressor. After my aggression, which by the way never happened again, I wanted him to learn to the little girls and boys to be stronger and I know one he could do it."

"No."

One hour, it has been one hour since she tried her best to convince him to work with her. If she didn't get what she wanted, feeling and seduction will come.

"Baby, listen to me…"

"No."

"But why? I need your help, the kids need y-"

"NO!"

This time he shouted punching the wall with his metal arm making her jump in fear. He immediately felt guilty, so he went close to her reaching her carefully with the human arm. His heart broke when she pushed it away but took the metal one just to put it against her cheek closing her eyes at the feeling.

"Angel I said no, I don't always do that because I love you so much with all my heart and because I love you this much I will not be able to see your face like that again. Scared of me, neither the children."

Her mouth still closed.

"What will happen if I couldn't control it? If I hurt-"

"No."

"What?"

"I am the one saying no now, you are not bad baby. Someone bad wouldn't be afraid of my judgment, he wouldn't kissed me like you did last night, he wouldn't held like you did, he wouldn't have make love to me like you do every time." Guiding his metal arm to her hips with that he could hold her closer, "You have the kindest heart I've ever seen, helping me every day in my life, making me happier and cooking the best meals actually even if most of the time they burned." He laughed slyly posing his chin on her head holding her completely while she was trying to memorize every scars around his metal arm. "Never ever you hurt me, neither you'll do with the children. Do you trust me?"

He nodded stroking her hair gently, "But I don't trust myself."

"That is where you are wrong, you are mine and I am yours right?" He nodded again not sure about where she was going when he felt her smile against his chest. "So when you trust me then you trust yourself, we are one baby. It's not a 'you' but a 'we' get it?"

"Not totally but kind of."

Getting away from the hug looking at him, "Well it's enough for me to say that tomorrow you have work."

"He teach them?"

"Exactly, he wasn't harsh or brutal, he has never been like that. The kids love him and like to have him at the school… they still ask for him from time to time especially when the 'he is on a private mission' excuse don't work anymore."

A silent takes place between the two women to be break by the vibration of the redheaded phone. But no answer from her.

"You should answer you know, whoever who is calling you non-stop will call the CIA to find you."

She sighs, "We kind of argued and like I told you, he don't know I'm here and I don't want him to know. Nobody should come and disturb you like I did."

Smiling kindly she says, "you didn't disturb me and the only reason why is because you didn't come to soothe your mistakes."

How could someone not fall for her? Pepper asks herself, there was no harm coming from her. Not even a single vice. The way she look at the world is so kind and hopeful that's probably why Bucky wasn't able to let go no matter what. That thought pop in her head.

"Did he ran away?" Pepper asks regretting it once the smile on her face fade away.

She nods putting a lock of that rebel curly hair behind her ear, "that's how I found about his hideout, that place he was sleeping in before we got together."

Their date night was calm and amazing. No panic attack, more trust, he never let go of her hands the whole time, even when she was throwing up because of the big roller coaster in the town fair. It was way too tempting and she liked the adrenaline going in her blood but now, the whole adrenaline thing was too much and the ice cream with the hot dog were going out of her mouth violently. Disgusting and exhausting but his hand was clutched in hers, squeezing it from time to time to help her. After that she looked like a mess, her mascara make her look like a panda, she was tired and weak after washing her mouth. The smile on his face never let her down, always present accompanied with a kiss everywhere on her face or her head. Even with that, she felt stupid.

"I ruined everything…"

Shaking his head in disbelief, he searched for a bench to sit on, he then took her both hands in his kissing them softly. She rolled her eyes with amusement with a little smile on her face, he could be so simpleton sometimes. He loved those little attentions, those little kisses everywhere on her body, he loved giving it as much as he could receive. He knew her little caress will satisfy him.

"I ruined so many…" He was looking the right word.

"Date?"

"No… Rendezvous!" He laughed with her at his own silliness, "I like this one better, just to say that I ruined so many of our time together with my past, you throwing up that vanilla ice cream wasn't that bad."

"Oh please don't remind me, I can feel the taste again." She said knocking her head against his chest, her face scrunching in disgust. He put his hand on her back, she started to shiver in the cold of the night.

"We should head back home, you will not survive not even with my jacket on."

She wanted to argue, first because of her big ego and the fact that she totally could hold the cold with ease and second because it was still so early to leave a fair but when the word 'home' rang in her ears she couldn't stop smiling. The very first time he called her apartment 'home' like their home. Together. The biggest progress was to make him feel accepted, like he belonged here and this the case. She jumped in his arms nodding erratically. At the end, she ended up on his back until they make it home, singing Coldplay song and from time to time he was trying to make her fell.

Once in the apartment, he put her on the ground carefully, "you know you were not supposed to make an entrance like that, you're supposed to hold me in the bridal style." She said jokingly putting his jacket on the couch and removing her shoes when he suddenly put her in his strong arms in that famous bridal style. "I was joking Barnes!"

"No, no, no you wanted it you'll have it."

He started humming the wedding song and get in the apartment in a theatrical way with her laughing loudly, he slowly put her on the big table kissing her forehead.

"Now that we did the bridal entrance can we get to the honeymoon phase?" He asked tickling her neck. She nodded kissing him, for a moment he seemed distant comparing to how the rest of the night ended. But the happiness took over her, she let that go holding onto him.

Waking up from the cold on her, she searched for James next to her but nothing, she got up so fast her mind spin. The time to realize her butt was out, the front door close itself. Did he just… ran away? If it was their first time she would have been worried, but knowing what actually could have been make him run away make her more worried. Throwing away the rest of the covers off her, she put the first thing she found, a dress with some shoes, to run after him but damn, he was faster. It was freaking cold outside, dark and she probably will catch the biggest cold she ever had however comparing to what her lover was going through, it was nothing.

When she loosed her trace, she tried to remember if she has been there. It was close to the market she used to stalk him, there was many building but only one has window with newspapers on it. Following her instinct, she got inside it literally climbing the stairs two by two, it seemed like there was no end to the stairs and he was apparently at the last stage, the highest one. Amazing.

"You better be in there Barnes." She whispered to herself catching her breath between two heartbeats.

When she finally got in front the door, it was half open so that means he just got in there. She wasn't that slow. Hearing some hits on the wall and murmuring, she slowly pushed the door open only to find him knees on the floor hurting his metal arm against the wall in the sort of living room/bedroom. She was afraid to scare him away, that following him was maybe too much. It feels like she entered his personal space, somewhere nobody not even his mind was allowed but the little cry that escape his mouth hurt her so hard, she wasn't able to concentrate.

"James?" She said so quietly, she wasn't sure he heard but from how he turned around with wide eyes, he definitely ear it. No answer from him, just his big blue eyes full of tears looking at her, her heartbeat was ringing in her ears so she kneeled in front of him carefully to not scare him. "Can I?" She asked guiding her hand next to his one, nothing but silence came to her but she did it anyway, the human hand was hurt, bleeding probably broken. Blood was flowing from where his metal arm started. The view was tearing her apart, she silently hold him in her arms just to be hold back, letting his tears fell slowly on her neck.

"I just want to be human."

"I end up taking care of his injuries while he told me everything I know now."

"Did he used to do that often? Hurting himself?"

She nods slowly sadness taking place on her face. How many nights did she had to locked the front door for him to not escape, how time did she spend healing his wounds and how many days she woke up to him taking his distances. So many she lost the tracks on them, but she never gave up, never give up and never will. Another kick of pain make her hold her cup tighter.

"Are you ok? Maybe we should go to-" Pepper start to panic searching for her phone.

"No! Don't need to panic it's normal." Amelia reassure her smiling difficultly, "Everything is fine." Pepper nods, "Why did he told you? For you to come for me."

"He tried to reach me, at the time I wasn't with Tony anymore. Only working nonstop and sometimes checking secretly his team to see how everything was going, then I got this phone call from Wakanda you know?"

"Yes, Mr. Rogers told me it was where he was… sleeping."

"Indeed, just before he called me, I got a text from Steve which totally surprise me saying Bu- James needed my help but he didn't knew why. James was asking for me to come and give you this." Searching in her bag to put it in Amelia's hands.

James B Barnes

32557038 T42 A

His so memorably dog's tags with something new on it, just under his army identity.

Amelia Y Ivory

After the departure of Pepper, her tears start to fall down betraying the emotion she is trying so hard to keep inside her. The pain traversing her is unbearable for her, her heart aching she only can think about his face smiling to her with these oh so sweet blue eyes tearing her apart.

"Where are you Barnes? If you are late again I will kick that thing out of the house."

He laughed shaking his head through the phone, "The thing is a flower, and I'm close to the market, I'll be there soon like always."

"I have a surprise for you."

"Really? What is it?"

"Come and find it." She said caressing her little belly, "You'll love it."

"Not as much as I love you."

"Cheesy boy, but I love you too."

The last thing she remember of him is a conversation on the phone to see his hideout completely devastate.

The last memory of him was the little girl growing inside of her, soon to see the stars on her own.

Hello my little reader ! Hope you liked it, you can tell me what you think ! Love xx

Wednesday Roundup 4.10.2017

This week ended up being a relatively light reading week for yours truly, but that doesn’t lessen the quality of my enjoyment whatsoever. In fact, I had enough love to share that I wanted to go over all of the available Marvel Legacy Primers for this week as well, even if they’re just short blurbs!

So without further ado let’s jump into it.

Marvel’s America, Marvel’s Black Panther, Marvel’s Incredible Hulk, Marvel’s Invincible Iron Man, Marvel’s Jean Grey, Marvel’s Monsters Unleashed, Dark Horse’s Usagi Yojimbo, Lion Forge’s Voltron Legendary Defender, Viz’s Yona of the Dawn

Marvel’s America - Marvel Legacy Primer Pages (2017-present) Robbie Thompson, David Lopez

As interested as I am in America, I haven’t had the opportunity to really follow her outside of the Young Avengers run she is in. So I think, oddly enough, for me this is one of the most necessary “Primers” of any of the ones I’ve read so far, and the information was very good to have. It really helped to frame her history, her relationship with her mothers, and her confidence in herself in a new light that is really appreciated. And the art from David Lopez is as beautiful as any of his issues on All-New Wolverine.

Marvel’s Black Panther - Marvel Legacy Primer Pages (2016-present)  Robbie Thompson, Wilfredo Torres

There’s honestly not going to be that much more to say on most of these Primer pages. They’re fun, quick run throughs of relevant histories of the characters and teams that they showcase and depending on your interest and engagement may influence whether or not you want to hop in on the next storyline that they’re promoting. 

I do like the sense of unity and legacy that is built into the Black Panther title already, having it be a responsibility tied to kingship that T’Challa knows and the all-important bond it has between him and the memory of his father. 

It really puts a spin on the importance of Legacy that this event seems intent on hammering home.

Marvel’s Captain Marvel - Marvel Legacy Primer Pages (2016-present)  Robbie Thompson, Brent Schoonover

Carol Danvers is one of those characters I desperately want to lie on every feasible surface level, but whose books have never quite got me on board and whose guest appearances always leave me a bit more confused about her than I had been before her said appearance. And yet there was still not a whole lot added here. I appreciate it, and young Carol is adorable, but there was nothing here that didn’t make me feel like... well, like she’s Hal Jordan. And ‘m not a fan of Hal Jordan.

Marvel’s Incredible Hulk - Marvel Legacy Primer Pages (2017-present) Robbie Thompson, Joe Bennett

Everything I have read so far with Amadeus Cho, both in Totally Awesome Hulk and in his guest appearances or team-ups in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur to Champions has  really connected to me on a level that Bruce Banner hadn’t exactly managed over the years. So it was nice to see a little blurb that went over their mutual histories and explored what was there.

It almost makes people forget that Marvel unnecessarily killed Bruce Banner for... no reason. Almost. Not quite. Though he might be alive by now. I am obviously not current.

Marvel’s Invincible Iron Man - Marvel Legacy Primer Pages (2016-present) Robbie Thompson, Valerio Schiti

Gah, reading this overview of Tony and Riri’s history really reminded me how much I really loved reading Invincible Iron Man when it first came out and just how much I positively adored Riri’s character and her banter with Tony. You know. Before they completely undid the relationship within the first storyline and then Bendis went all Bendis on us and it became obvious that Tony was coming back sooner than later and then Secret Empire destroyed the world... somewhat literally. 

I’d love to read a Riri-centric book in better circumstances. Or at least once the next trade is out. We’ll see.

Marvel’s Jean Grey - Marvel Legacy Primer Pages (2017-present) Robbie Thompson, Mark Bagley

I was actually just recently talking to my good friend @shobogan about how much more interested I would be in Young Jean Grey if only Marvel had the guts to either give us a romantic relationship with her and Laura (or her, Laura, and Scott OT3 hullo) or have Older Jean Grey return to mentor her younger self and others at the school since she’s the only X-Man kept dead for this long who was considered a Top Tier X-Man. And since we’re finally getting the latter, it seems, now I have to look at what we know of Young Jean and consider my feelings all over again. And this primer gave me the opportunity to do just that!

While I’m not following Jean’s book at the moment, I’m obviously a pretty big X-fan so I have a general sense of where all the moving pieces are at the moment. And I have to say, with Older Jean returning it’s going to be a pretty awesome time for comparing and contrasting their characters and relationships. After all, this younger Jean is far, far less experienced than her counterpart, but has a peripheral knowledge of her own fate, and as much as she tries to not be defined by it, it’s been defining her in the opposite direction in a sense. And more than that, she’s a Jean who sees the Phoenix Force not as an asset or a tool, but sees it as an honest to god enemy, which I’m not sure how that will work. And I’m even more interested in Jean’s return now because of the possibilities of their interactions with the Force together. 

Guess we’ll wait and see!

Marvel’s Monsters Unleashed - Marvel Legacy Primer Pages (2017-present)  Robbie Thompson, David Baldeón

I have actually been planning for a little while now to pick up the trade of Monsters Unleashed because I had fun with the miniseries earlier this year and I have been craving more Elsa Bloodstone (as well as the entirety of the Nextwave crew) and this seems like one of the more interesting powers to come from the Inhuman collision.

.... Actually it’s completely stolen from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic and later adapted TV episode dedicated to Jack Kirby who had the power of creativity to draw and create anything he drew and also had a a penchant for creating monsters and different worlds and so on. So I mean. There’s that unavoidable fact. But Kei’s cute so I’d be willing to overlook it for the sake of seeing what Marvel plans on doing with this very wild and unruly power. 

Dark Horse’s Usagi Yojimbo (1984-present) #162 Stan Sakai, Tom Luth

The conclusion of Usagi and Inspector Ishida’s investigation about the doctors’ murders has come and the hilarity of Kitsune and Kiyoko bumbling along with them and incidentally becoming crucial to the entire investigation does not lose its edge either.

Story: The conclusion of this particular caper is interesting mostly in how the framing by coincidence is not ultimately a linchpin to the story, having been solved almost immediately in the story’s first issue. The inventiveness of Sakai’s work, overall, is simple subterfuge which continues to make each new adventure feel unique and uncertain. In this instance, it would be in the assistance that Kitsune and Kiyoko end up providing by revealing the true murderer almost by accident. 

That being said, as simple as individual stories are for Usagi Yojimbo, the complexity really rests in the margins for long time fans, and that shows most clearly in the way a quiet buildup of several arcs seem to flow together for coming to a head. Perhaps the most famous and arguably best all around example of this would be in “Grasscutter” and how years of storytelling and slow vignettes linking together culminated in one of the greatest comic storylines of all time. We seem to be getting something similar in the backgrounds of more recent adventures with this guild of assassins which Usagi has unknowingly crossed the path of and caused ire to several times at this point. 

I’m excited to see where that story is taking us, and likewise interested in how little details, like Kiyoko successfully pickpocketing Inspector Ishida, will pay off down the road. 

Lion Forge’s Voltron Legendary Defender Vol. 2 (2017) #1 Tim Hendrick, Mitch Iverson, Jung Gwan Yoo, Ji-in Choi

Egghhhhh. Are you ever really rooting for something against your own common sense and get bit in the butt regardless? I feel like that happens to me on an inconceivably high average and almost all of it can be blamed on the fact that for some reason I am still expecting comics to play fairly with me. If anything my standards should be lower by now. But, well, let’s see if I’m being a bit too harsh on Lion Forge’s second effort in making a Voltron comic. 

Story: I would argue that one of the reasons that I had unreasonably high expectations for this comic is in part because the first comic produced by Lion Forge had actuallymanaged to not only be a fairly solid effort as a comic but managed to capture the spirit of the current Dreamworks Netflix series in a wa that was welcoming to fans new and old, and importantly of all ages. So I was hoping for more of the same with this comic project.

In more or less words... I did not exactly receive that. Where there was a solid read of the characterizations in the last comic, this issue showed a severely flattened to the point of parody version of the paladins, especially poor Hunk here who had the already obnoxious and unnecessary fat jokes and food jokes from the series amped up to the point of being his only characteristic in this comic. To the point that at one point he doesn’t even form a full sentence, just grabs a pie successfully from a training maze and says “Hunk win”. Which... I guess is somewhat better faring than the other paladins who didn’t even have dialogue that really fit them. Save for Pidge who was likewise flattened to “the smart one.” 

The storyline itself of a new planet where Voltron is needed but the species they end up helping... they actually fail initially, I won’t lie, is a pretty solid premise for Voltron overall, and would be something I’d love to see the show tackle similarly, but the fairly generic wolf-furry aliens didn’t receive a whole lot of depth in this first issue. 

Depth trended on being the biggest problem for this issue overall. There wasn’t an examination of the characters and their interactions, how they treated each other and how they tackled problems differently. The sort of things you’d want from an ensemble cast like Voltron. Which is surprising since again the first series by Lion Forge managed all that and was written on a much younger reading level at the same time. Each issue tackled exactly those very things -- individual characters, how they functioned in the group, and how they tackled obstacles differently to find a solution together. I would expect the same here but it didn’t seem to be on the menu. 

Hopefully all of this will be addressed and fixed as the comic progresses, but as for now I’m apprehensively putting this series on my three issue trial run. 

Art: The art was not a great improvement on the previous comic but it also wasn’t bad in the least. In fact I think the art popped very well, adjusting colors and textures about as well as you’d expect from a television show adaptation for kids. I do wish that the face models for the paladins would keep more consistent and overall there was a rushed feeling to the comic that seemed fairly unnecessary considering it’s the first issue. 

Viz’s Yona of the Dawn (2009-present) Vol. 8 Mizuho Kusanagi

You know, I keep hearing over and over again from friends and trusted sources that Yona of the Dawn is a series that will continuously subvert my every expectation and make me continue guessing and yet every volume I really do manage to be caught off guard by something which the story chooses to do which is shockingly poignant and new even to its fairy tale epic adventure structure. 

Story: So the Yellow Dragon joining the group was hilariously and purposefully anti-climactic but what we got as a result of that choice is the new direction for the series that ties directly into Yona’s own self-realization. She doesn’t simply want to rule and she doesn’t simply want to conquer. What she wants is to know her people and to save them from the crises that were overlooked by her father before her and by Su-Won now. She wants to take up arms to protect the entire country not just with the power of the loyal followers she has gained but with her own hands. She is something that neither of the kings -- her father or her cousin -- could have ever dreamed of being.

And then my expectations were really taken for a loop by us then in turn following Su-Won as he travels to the Earth Tribe and earns the respect and allegiance of the chieftan general there through a series of manipulations, tactical conceits, and ultimately quiet and subtle intimidation mostly by the fleeting moments in which he dropped his ditzy and well-meaning act to show his true intentions. But as fascinating as it was and as surprising as it was, for me at least, that this complete shift of POV for a few chapters actually managed to keep me on board when I’m not one to often fully appreciate the “villain’s side of things”, probably the most interesting part of any and all of this is actually how much tension is underlying Su-Won’s leadership. HIs appeal to the Fire and Earth Tribes is less in the leadership that he promotes and more in this current of possible warmongering that appeases the more warlike fractions of Kohka. 

It’s all fascinating and offers a sense of danger in Yona’s new quest to help the people of fher country feel a new sense of danger, knowing that our group is ultimately pretty unprepared for helping parts of the country which would not be as receptive to their quest or the offer of Yona’s leadership.

That being said... the final chapter driving home Yona’s relationship with Hak and everyone’s strange obsession with protecting Yona but rejecting her attempts to grow her own strength and independence. Lik eI guess we’re just all going to overlook the way she killed the slave trader mob boss in teh previous volume. But beyond all of that, my real concern is just... I cannot stand the way Hak’s character is portrayed in his “over protectiveness” of Yona. It’s far from romantic to me to continuously have a character obsess over someone to the point of “jokingly” considering locking them away for the world to see. 

It’s not the best issue of the series by far, but it has some great moments, especially for Yona.

Art: I actually do think that the further we’ve come in this comic, the more consistent and confident the at has gotten. There are still lots of soft tones and all the markings of a usual shoujo, but the real stand out this time around is that we’re beginning to see more and more the variation in ethnicities in the people of the country, which is honestly relieving even if for now the Earth Tribe, which drives that point home, consists mostly of Su-Won’s supporters and may carry with them some more unfortunate stereotypes being fed that I might not be aware of as a non-native to Japan.

So far as single issues this week are concerned there’s really no competition for Usagi Yojimbo in a regular week but especially not in a fairly light week. Yona is still a fantastic book and if there were other trades to compare it to I’d probably lavish on it more, but since we’re on singles I have to give this one to the unending quality that is Stan Sakai’s anthromorphic feudal epic.

And, once more, I am in a bit of a financial crunch for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which being the medical bills I’m paying for my dog, Eve, who experienced a catastrophic dog fight and underwent surgery recently. On top of that, I have exactly a month and a half to pack up everything I own and move halfway across the country again which is not helping those financial crunches I mentioned before either.

As such, I really would appreciate if you enjoy my content or are interested in helping me out, please check out either my Patreon or PayPal. Every bit helps and I couldn’t thank you enough for enjoying and supporting my content.

You could also support me by going to my main blog, @renaroo, where I’ll soon be listing prices and more for art and writing commissions.

RenaRoo Ko-Fi

RenaRoo Patreon

RenaRoo PayPal

First Night Back in Fuuga Ch 30: First Night Back in Kuuto

AO3 Link to Chapter 30

Summary: Yona and Hak return to the palace together for the first time

Everything is different after the meeting with the generals.

Yona is relieved and excited. Is this really, really happening?! The exhilarating feeling radiates through her -- she truly wants to be Queen.

Though with that thought, she also feels a new weight on her shoulders. One she hopes she can bear. Serving her people is her passion and not a problem. But that’s only part of being Queen.

As she watches the generals depart with their troops for their home tribes, she keeps an eye on Geun-Tae. Soo-Won had won him over… and she knows he holds a true respect for Hak -- but she hopes she one day can win his support on her own.

Kyo-Ga has already been advocating for her, which she treasures. Though she laments the conversation he'll need to have with his little brother… that she will be the queen now and Hak the king. Perhaps Tae-Jun would be supportive of it now, but his heart surely will still sink a little.

Tae-Woo chases after Hak before taking off, looking up to him as he always has, with wonder and respect. Hak responds down to him, relieved, no longer carrying a secret from his family. Yona notices how cute Tae-Woo looks being so excited about what's going on with his idol. She wonders how rowdy the scene will be when Tae-Woo tells the rest of the Wind tribe about this. Lord Hak really is incredible.

In contrast to that excitement, Joon-Gi’s body is being taken mournfully back to Suiko by Lili and the Water troops. There will be a great funeral. And after, Yona will be tasked with appointing a new general and leader for the Water Tribe.

Then there is Joo-Doh… who will now follow Yona and Hak around as a bodyguard every step of the way back to Kuuto. Yona can’t tell if he is suspicious or prudent.

It’s not that Joo-Doh has anything against Yona and Hak specifically -- OK a few specific things against Hak -- but mainly he's a man who observes things. What exactly happened with Soo-Won is still very mysterious.

Something hasn't added up.

Aside from Joo-Doh giving Yona and Hak absolutely no privacy day or night over the weeks it takes to return to Kuuto, he also presents many political discussions. The necessities.

Like -- who will be the new royal advisor? Yona and Hak quickly agree to call for Mundok to come to the palace. There could be no one better.

Also -- how will they address Hak’s status as a fugitive? The official story still floating around is that Hak killed King Il. Would people think Hak also killed King Soo-Won? Unless they can clear Hak’s name with an adequate explanation, there will be an unpredictable number of naysayers to their union and any coronation.

Yona can’t work on devising such a story with Hak or even confide about what really happened with Soo-Won thanks to their ever-present bodyguard. She desperately desires to arrive at Hiryuu Palace so she can at last be alone with her husband.

Yet at the same time she is terrified of going back to that place. It'll be like going back to a former life. And having to face the site of that devastating, traumatic night... How could she ever step foot in the king’s chambers again?

Hak must know what she's thinking. She's been riding on her own horse, getting to show off her new skills to her favorite teacher, but he still has been reaching across to caress her back or squeeze her hand.

When she looks back at him now, there is a comforting look in his eyes... and it gives her strength.

When they at long last arrive at Kuuto and ride through the town, Yona watches her boys -- Hak, Jae-Ha, Yun, Shin-Ah, and Ao -- grab meat skewers from vendors with stars in their eyes. (Ao goes after some roasted chestnuts.)

Oh yeah, she remembers, We’re not poor anymore. I can stuff their happy bellies full of meat and delicious things. Hak and Jae-Ha can share fine alcohol. And Jae--

Yona rolls her eyes when she sees Jae-Ha, still recovering mind you, already wandering off after some beautiful young Kuuto ladies.

Yep, they are going to be very happy, I think, Yona smiles.

Hak offers Yona some skewers, but she declines. She’s felt sick most of their ride back with no appetite at all. She wonders if it's been from anxiety about returning to the palace…

Yona steps into the courtyard of Hiryuu Castle. A sorrowful gust of wind blows a strand of long crimson hair across her face. At first she feels nothing, like an empty shell. A foreigner with no connection to here. Perhaps she’d seen a picture once. Someone’s else’s life.

Then the silent tears start. She sees ghosts of Hak and Soo-Won walking across the stone expanse. Smiling, joking.

She sees a memory of her father playing out before her. Returning from the shrine. Always praying. What were you praying for, Father?

She sees a mirror of herself walking toward her now, rosy-cheeked and innocent. Made up and beautiful. Chasing after something she’d never get. Not noticing…

...Hak watching her from behind. And what’s that look in his eyes?

Present Yona turns -- and there he is. Watching her from behind. That same look in his eyes. Love.

She blushes. How could she have not seen it back then?

“This is weird,” Yona admits through her tears, “I’m feeling angry about so many things. And yet… so grateful about others.”

Hak takes her hand in his, “For what it’s worth -- in spite of everything... I feel grateful.”

Yona strokes her thumb across his rough skin, coming into contact with his wedding band. Me, too.

The tears come a little harder now. Their innocence truly gone. They grew up. Together. Overnight and through tremendous pain. But... the love that blooms out of scars runs the deepest.

As they stand facing the palace, Yona wipes her tears and lifts her countenance with determination -- they are stronger than ever now. Their past will not define their future.

The future is theirs to build together.

As soon as they enter the edifice, royal staff and medics rush to take them to baths to cleanse their bodies and clean their wounds, to dress them in fine clothes and pray over them for restored health.

At first Yona doesn’t like this -- she wants to show Jae-Ha, Yun, Shin-Ah, and Ao around her former home and their new home. She wants to know where their rooms will be. She's already started to fantasize about palace sleepovers. Wouldn’t it be fun to all sleep together again sometimes?

But then she remembers… Hak. And how a little privacy, especially tonight, might be a very good thing.

She scrubs her skin very thoroughly now, getting nice and soft while thinking about what they finally might get to do again later…

Instead of walking to dinner as she was instructed, Yona finds herself wandering the palace halls in the direction of her old room. She just wants to see…

Hak stands across from her, “This isn’t the way to dinner…”

Yona bites her lower lip and takes his hand in hers to lead him, “I’m glad I ran into you. It's better if we do this together.”

“What?” Hak is happily baffled as he follows. When they stop outside her room, he knows, “Want me to go in first?”

“I would always rush in here without a thought. Isn’t it funny how scared I am to open this door?”

Hak squeezes her hand, “I’m here.”

“Thank you. I need to face this. I guess it was weighing on me more than I thought.”

“Things you once loved tend to do that…”

Yona pushes open the door… to see her room already lit. As though someone knew she would want to come in here tonight.

She steps in, taking in the sight of everything still in its place. Preserved. Literally, not a single thing moved.

Hak comes in, too, closing the door behind them.

“You used to always stand over there,” Yona points.

“You used to always throw that at me,” Hak points to a porcelain bowl.

“Hey…” Yona laughs, “...that’s actually true. And that,” she nods at a tea set.

“I’ll watch my mouth tonight,” he considers.

Yona glances up at him, her eyes saying it all, “Don’t…”

His mouth opens a little at her insinuation then he eyes the door -- closed. Next he looks at her bed, his eyebrows rising.

Yona’s mind races with desire and realization, “Did you ever... want to sleep in my bed before?”

Hak smiles wryly, “You invited me in before.”

Yona gets giddy at what could have been going through his mind back then when she had no idea. But she has ideas now, “I’m inviting you again. Sleep with me here tonight?”

“Can tonight start right now?”

Yona is loving this, “You waited longer than I can imagine to sleep with me in that bed. I don’t think I can ask you to wait any longer.”

Their long, chaste journey paired with Yona's teases have Hak nearly panting. As he wraps an arm around her and pulls her against his body, he leans in to steal a kiss from her lips.

Yona pulls back, “Tell me something first…”

Hak's eyes are fogged with desire as he leans down and nuzzles her neck, “Anything.”

“Did you ever… touch yourself when you thought of me back then?”

Hak pulls back and smiles in disbelief, “You never stop surprising me.”

Yona blushes, “Did you…?”

He looks at her deeply, honestly, “Of course.”

Yona feels herself getting wet. Remembering how hot he was even back then and she hadn’t even paid attention to him as a man. But him thinking of her as a woman back then and stroking that glorious erection of his… Now Yona’s thighs are getting weak...

“Have you ever touched yourself while thinking about me?” he asks right back, almost afraid of her answer.

Yona turns her face in embarrassment, blushing deep red, “I didn’t ever do that back then… it wasn’t until I noticed you. Your face,” she smiles coyly up at him, then reaches up to put her fingers in his hair, “This hair. Your shoulders. Your heart. That’s the first time I wanted to touch down there.”

He starts unfastening her dress, “...did you ever?”

Yona blushes deeper, “I missed you…”

“You did...” Hak smiles triumphantly.

He looks at her pretty little hands with long, delicate fingers. He lifts her right hand and begins kissing it finger by finger, “I would’ve liked to have seen that,” then he begins to gently suck on her fingertips, which makes Yona gasp.

“Hak...” she moans as she begins to move backward toward her bed, “What you do with your hands to me down there…”

He flicks his eyes up at her in an offer.

“I’ve missed you so much,” she confesses.

And instantly the warrior from the battlefield has her back on the bed, his mouth eagerly against hers as he impossibly fast works to remove any and every piece of fabric on her body.

She in return fumbles her fingers against his robes, trying to get to that taut flesh she’s craved every night since last she had him.

“What turned you on?” Yona pants as she feels her hands up his chiseled chest.

“There are plenty of parts of you that turn me on, Yona,” Hak offers as his use of her name steals her breath, “But I’m guessing you want to hear the unwholesome parts.”

“Mmmm,” Yona moans as he feels her now-exposed breasts, “Tell me.”

He leans down and whispers into her ear, “You had a blue gown. It was the first that ever showed your cleavage. I had a very hard time that day.”

“Did you come?” she feels his hand moving down low…

“I got off three times that day just remembering the sight,” he looks wistfully over her swollen breasts, her pink nipples there for him and only him to suck and lick, nip and tease. He brings his mouth to them, then continues, “And I thought back on them often.”

Yona writhes in pleasure under him as he takes a breast in his mouth, sucking her and lapping his tongue over her nipple, “Ahhh,” it incites a pressure and a light in her core.

He slips two fingers from his other hand inside her, slipping a third back to her anus. Yona gasps again, returning to her usual loud lovemaking. Pushing her head back hard against the bedding as she fights the pleasure from consuming her, “How do you… know how to… that…”

Hak brings his mouth to hers, sweeping his tongue into a sweet dance with hers, then he pulls back to answer, “I had years dreaming up and then trying to forget every last thing I wanted to do to you.”

As his hand inside her begins to thrust, she begs, “Keep… remembering…”

His eyes are hooded with his own pleasure as he continues to work his hand in her wetness, “I was never actually able to forget.”

Yona responds louder yet, Hak is mesmerized watching her sweat and move against him. He can’t help but move his mouth down to her womanhood and begin kissing and licking her there.

Yona spreads her thighs wide to further invite him. He runs his tongue up and down her slit, then removes his hand and sticks his tongue inside her, licking up her warmth and juices. Then he brings his hand back into action and begins sucking on her nub.

Yona’s hands tremble in his messy hair as she loses herself against his mouth, screaming his name, “Hak!!”

He pulls back, in the daze of a happy dream, then drops his robes fully and climbs into bed properly, tenderly lifting her pleasure-ridden body up next to him, now fully naked as well.

He runs a hand over her soft skin as he slowly professes, “All the times you touched me… or I got to touch you. Help you onto a horse. Pull you from a fall. Redirect you away from running into someone annoying... I couldn’t shake it from my head. Days later... I still felt you.”

“That’s how I feel about you now,” Yona looks up at him wantonly.

Hak slowly, meaningfully lowers his lips to hers and takes her in a passionate, giving kiss. Then he mounts her, she spreading her legs for him. He takes a profound glance of disbelief and gratefulness at this bed, this room, then back down at this princess… after the head of his penis teases her wet entrance just enough to make her practically begging, he brings himself inside her, expanding her for him, finding her core. He leans his torso down over her, taking her mouth once more and begins thrusting.

Each motion causes Yona to gasp and then swallow her breath. Her body tense, back arched, toes curled, hands grasping desperately at his broad back. The pleasure of their friction has her mind in another world. It’s a transcendent, magical experience to be lovers and she is off in bliss with Hak, a place that is only theirs.

Hak lifts his face up so he can watch her as he thrusts into her. Watch her face roll side to side as she moans his name. He thrusts harder, watching her receive all of it. It’s incredible…

He scoops her into his arms and rolls onto his back, now with a full vantage of her. Yona puts her hands on his chest and begins riding him, throwing her head back as she moves atop.

Hak watches her pert breasts bounce and her ab muscles tighten as she rises and falls on his cock. He places his hands on her hips as she continues and can’t help but moan along with her, “Yona… Yona!”

He flips her onto her back as he finishes with a powerful thrust into her, ejaculating as her own orgasm tightens around his dick. He spills into her more and more, both of them aftershocking together.

They lay coupled together, panting, holding one another for a couple sweet moments before Hak rolls to the side and pulls a blanket over Yona.

She offers room under the blanket for him, too, “Can this be our room now?”

Hak looks at how serious she is and starts laughing… then harder and harder, almost crying he’s laughing so hard.

“What?!” she’s prepared to smack him.

With a hand to his forehead Hak finally pulls it together, “Sorry, Princess. This is... unbelievable. I keep expecting to wake up from some dream. Or find out it’s the afterlife. It’s… few deserve this much happiness, certainly not me.”

Yona snuggles up against him, “Don’t say that. But I’m happy you’re happy. I’m happy, too. The happiest I’ve ever been. Which is crazy… I never thought I’d be happy again after…”

Hak wraps a protective hand around her waist. He smiles with tears in his eyes now, “I told you before… your happiness is my greatest happiness. That will never change.”

And also not for the first time, Yona tears up at this sentiment... because she knows exactly how he feels and that they both mean it with all their hearts.

As a post-journey, post-lovemaking contented tiredness falls over them, the lovers feel skin against skin, breath in sync with breath, heartbeat against heartbeat… and naked in this moment of peace, Yona finally recognizes the strange sensation she’s recently started feeling in her breasts. A pain and swelling. This is the same as… when her breasts first began to grow. They’re… growing?

Yona gazes up at Hak’s tranquil, sleeping face as she realizes. Her sickness these past couple weeks may not have been from the journey after all...

Tagged

Maud girl, I love you, but you'll hate me for this ramble😅 A - Ships that you currently like a lot. (They don’t have to be OTPs because not everyone has OTPs.) Friendships, pairings, threesomes, etc. are allowed. Well, I'll go with all of them. For OTP, my biggest are EdWin and Royai (from FMA), Karmanami from Assassination Classroom and NaLu from FT. Friendships... I love GrayLu platonically and RoyxMaes is the best brotp😍 and of course I freaking loooove all friendships from Haikyuu and Akatsuki no Yona... And I love Zen and Mitsuhide's relationship in Akagami no shirayuki-hime and Al and Ed are best bros and the freaking platinocial relationship between Handa and Naru gets me everytime and I should probably gp to the next ask before I ramble more than necessary. B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind. Asano x Nakamura... I never even imagined them as a couple... Until I read a perfect fanfiction... And now I ship⛵️⛵️ C - A ship you have never liked and probably never will. I'll be hated.... But EdxRoy (just no, okay?! Mustang's like a dad to Ed!!) and Shirayuki x Obi because Zen😍😍 (I love their friendship tho) D - A pairing you wish you liked but just can’t. Yamaguchi x Yachi because I wnat Yams to be happy... But HinaYachi is love, HinaYachi is life!! E - Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom? If so, what? Not yet, but I joined FMABigBang so I'll add Ed being an overprotective drama queen (or rather, king) dad, so stay tuned! F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom? Hmm... Almost a year in the FT fanfom!!! Happy birthday, I guess? G - Have you ever had an OTP? If so, do you remember your first one? Who was in it? I live for my OTPs! (Which just proved why I'm still single... I have my whole life aheeeaaaad~~) I think one of my first conscious OTPs (in that I knew what that was) was Harry x Hermione and it was shattered to pieces... Damn you, JK Rowling! (I still love you). H - What is your favorite source text for fandom stuff (e.g., TV shows, movies, books, anime, Western animation, etc.)? Hmm... Anime. Because it's lively and you can actually picture the characters miving when reading a fanfic! I agree with manga too... And sometimes books. Movies feel just too real to be placed in cartoons, though. I - Has Tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why? No, but the haters were closed to it. Tho I did stop liking the small Usagi Drop fandom because of the manga spoilers that ruined my experience... To those who want to watch it, take my friendly advice, PLEASE don't read the manga. The anime is the fluffiest thing, so please just watch that. J - Name a fandom you didn’t think about until you saw it all over Tumblr. (You don’t have to care about it or follow it; it just has to be something that Tumblr made you aware of.) Bnha, which is why I started reading it. And Voltron.... I'll watch that soon, too. K - What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc? Uhm... Well that's a hard one. I absolutely love the subtle and endearing development in Oreki (hyouka) and Haruhi in Ouran, but my favourite has to go to Tsukki for how well-built it was!! Furudate-sensei, I bow im front of you. Also, honrable mention to Karma in Assassination Clasroom. L - Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves. (Characters you’re neutral about are fair game, as are characters you merely dislike. Characters that you absolutely loathe with the fire of ten thousand suns are exempt, as there is no point in giving yourself an aneurysm over a character that you hate.) I don't especially love oikawa. I admire him a tone, and I have a lot of his quotes forever saved in my phone, and I think he's the best setter of them all (I'm sorry, he has more experience and tehnique than Kags or Asaaahi, tho I agree that they'll become better than him in one year's time). So there: I aknowledge his amazingness altough he isn't my fave. M - Name a character that you’d like to have for a friend. Edward. I want to spend a full day with him and learn how alchemy works (and we'd complain together about how short we are). Also, Haruhi: I feel like she'd give the best advice when I'd need it. N - Name three things you wish you saw more or in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice). My faveourite fandom is FMA: everyone gets love and attention, and there's little to no hate. What I'd like for it is to make it alive again! I mean, there are events and the such, but the manga finished almost 10 years ago, guys! I hope the new live action will bring us back alive. O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of? Hmm... Well On my Own by Ashes Remain was the first one that popped into my head and it kind of reminds me pf Natsu. He's that character that would always smile, but he's always surpressing his feeling ('I've been stuck in a cage with my doubt/I tried forever getting out on my own') P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas). Random AU...? Honestly, I'm not the biggest AU fan, but if I had to, I'd choose 'we've been stuck in a traffic jam for two hours and we're bored, let's play cards; hey wait Gray, you're cheeting; no way I'm not!; mira, doing cutesy things won't help you win... Laxus don't give in!!; if Laxus is allied with Mira so is the thunder legion! Then I'm starting one on my own! Erza, I'll join... Great, now we have Wendy on Erza's side... All dragon slayers together! And exceeds! Wait lucy, starting a female club isn't gonna help ya! ...guys? That's not how you play pocker!' AU. Okay, I may like this one in particular. Maybe I'll write it:) Q - A fandom you’ve abandoned and why. I've abandoned the HP fandom. I still like the books, but I kinda grew out of it...? (And into anime😇) R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom? Uhm... In which one? If I'm going with FT, my favourite friendship is GrayLu. In FMA, it's a tie... I love Roy/Hughes brotp and Al/Ed brotp. In Haikyuu... Damn they're too many to choose! But I'd say the Karasuno third years: they have such a tight-knit bond!! And in AssClass it would be Karma/Okuda (it's canon in my mind but friendship in the manga). I just love how easygoing they are. Also, I love Karma/Nagisa in the second half. S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon (prompts optional but encouraged) Hmm... There are many. My fetish is seeing people sleep: I think you can tell alot about their inner selfes from the position they use when sleeping and from their habits, because they can't control or put up a façade when it comes to that. So my headcanon is that despite being loud and obnoxious, Natsu actually occupies less space than Lucy when sleeping: he takes a baby-posture, while she lashes all over the bed, sometimes punching him im sleep unintentionately. Natsu learnt to deal with it: he actually likes holding Lucy close to make sure she's safe while sleeping. She doesn't mind, especially not during winter. Oh and they also cuddle with a cup of hot coffee in their hands during the morning. Just an after-thought~~ T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending? I do! I don't care if you agree or not, but Karma can be sweet, okay? Like he can actually be a good boyfriend (tho maybe a bit possessive). He's the best at telling what's on Okuda's mind and he always buys her toffee when she's feeling down. Oh and also, Riza is a very good mother, always putting her family first. Just letting you know. U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites. Yes!! 1)Karma-assassination classroom. He's that one character that believes he's the best, only to get proven that he can be wrong. What's evenbegter is how he has room to develop and grow to be a better person... Plus, it seems I have a thing for evil goofballs. 2)This is a hard one, but Ed/Roy-Fullmetal Alchemist. I abso-freaking-lutely love all the characters in FMA, but these two attracted my attention. Ed because of how he thinks, how he wants to do good deeds in spite of his thorny exterior and how he miserably fails. I love the way he admits his failures and the way he deals with them can be childish (he's 14, for God's sake!) but he learns from them. Also, Roy because even though he went through Ishval, he still dreams of making the world a better place. I can respect a man who doesn't step over the ethics just to achieve that dream and who always bends and avoides hurting others, while never giving up. Maybe it's a dream, but I very much resonate with it. 3) Lucy from FT. She's the one character in Fairy Tail that has enough of a backstory and is weak enough to evolve. Moreover, she's not your typical girl: yes, she cares about how she looks, because she IS an woman, but she also cares about what's on the inside. She cares about her friends more than anything and even without being the strongest mage, still puts herself in danger for them. I love her resolve and her cute side, too. V - Which character do you relate to most? Hmm... Haruhi Fujioka from Ouran Highschool Host Club. Haruhi is the type to do things on her own and she repells the help of others to do her thing, which I also tend to do. Also, she shoulders a lot of her worries by herself. Plus, she never judges people on appearance and doesn't care about her own (being a girl, that's rare and helps me relate all the more). I just love her😍 (and sometimes am compared to her by my friends). W - A trope which you are virtually certain to hate in any fandom. Whiny female protagonist. I'm not a feminist or anything, but I've had enough of that! Yes, we all want a prince charming, but we can carry ourselves, thank you very much. X - A trope which you are almost certain to love in any fandom. Someone pursuing their dreams. Also, I love genre deconstructions (browny points if it's comedic). Y - What are your secondhand fandoms (i.e., fandoms you aren’t in personally but are tangentially familiar with because your friends/people on your dash are in them)? Voltron and Yuri on Ice (I feel like I've watched this shows even though I haven't). Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go! (Prompts optional but encouraged.) Don't tempt me, I will! ( I kinda have this whole post tho) Okay so I'll rant about FMA because I feel it doesn't get all he love it deserves!!! (And because I refrained from fangirling on it up to now) And since we're talking FMA, let's talk Roy Mustang (you knew this would come). Roy is just one of those very strong people that are actually just goofballs on the interior and need love. Seriously, let's take a look at what this guy went through, ok? He's an orphan, but he never complains and learnt to love his cousins (sisters) and aunt (mom). He was taught by a pretty crazy (very talented, but Hawkeye did have a screw loose for inscripting a tatoo on Riza's back and you can't convince me otherwise) alchemist, and yet he managed to become the next flame alchemy. Despite being told not to, he joined the military with a childish dream and even after learning of the harsh reality in the Ishval war, he still went on believing that he can make the country a better place. Yet he's not perfect: he can lose his temper when it comes to those he loves (Mustang being killed) and he doesn't want any more people to die. He cheerisbes his team and wants to keep them all safe. He can be a cheapskate and also a bit of an annoying guy with Ed, and he can be obnoxious, yet funny as hell (tiny miniskirts!!!) Above all, Mustang feels HUMAN! Yes, he puts up a great act, but it's an *act*. He has a more sensitive side and you better not mess with it, or he'll burn you to ashes. This concludes the short version of my Roy Mustang appeciation post. Also, I have some headcanons about him being best dad (and his child being a daddy's girl/boy because of it) and of being a pretty intimidating Führer. This concludes my post. @bookstvseriesandanimes and @paperrabbit13 know what I'm talking about😅 And I tag @bookstvseriesandanimes @paperrabbit13 @shoujoinsights @candyforever123 @funnyshoujomoments and whoever else feels up to it:)

How We Got Here

9-chapter story, each day/prompt will be 1 chapter.  Some portions of the story chapters are made up and some are based from the manga/anime.  There is a reason for that but if I say more it may give away too much spoiler info.

@hakyonaweeks Day 1- Promises

Chapter 1 | 2

As they grew up, it became harder and harder for Hak to be around Yona.  Call it adolescent hormones, but every time she was close by, no longer was she just the childhood friend he’d play games with or make snow angels with during winter. Still a spoiled, whiny brat, but as each year went by, her beauty grew along with the feelings bubbling inside him. Problem was, he also knew her heart belonged to another.

It didn’t help that his grandfather would often make comments or not so subtle hints as to whom he’d love to see together.  Pushing, dragging Hak to visit Hiryuu Castle, forcing him to stay for long periods of time under the guise that Yona needed a friend. ‘Get used to it,’ Mundok would say, because soon enough Hak will take his place as General and be one of the protectors of this empire, and of her.

But adding fuel to that fire, he is asked of by Emperor Il to become Yona’s bodyguard.  Was the Emperor conspiring with his grandfather to drive him into an early grave? Hak had declined but Emperor Il was not deterred, ‘think about it,’ was the response as he walked away.  What was there to think about?  Yona didn’t need a bodyguard, she needed a baby sitter!

Speak of the devil but who came running up to complain about the Fire General’s son, claiming he was harassing and trying to court her.  First off, Hak found it amusing, second why did she come to him, as he yelled at her to go tell her cousin and maybe he would help her before skulking away.  Okay that response had a tinge of jealousy, but he knew the clueless girl wouldn’t figure it out.

This was why he told the Emperor no, behaving professionally around the Princess always went right out the window, and any other person would be punished if they spoke to her in that manner.  But, even after she apologized and bribed him with fruit, that only made his head spin more.  No, what he really needed was a place to hide and calm down…

‘Tae-Jun is at it again…’  Hak closes his eyes trying to tune out the escalating argument.  He hears a couple of guards talking nearby, that’s the Fire Generals son, he’s grabbing the Princess, we can’t do anything against him, someone go get Emperor Il…  ‘Damn it… I need to leave it alone otherwise from now on I’ll always…  Exhale.’  The memory of her apology…  He hears Tae-Jun call her cute and that he wants to touch her…  

Hak stands up.

“No!  Stop!” Yona cries out for help, desperately trying to pull away from the older boy...  

It was hard enough to listen to, but the moment he sees Tae-Jun being handsy and rough with Yona, Hak is even more furious.  He knows that kind of reaction would be no good, so as he swiftly strides over, formulating the only plan he could think of, or rather use the one emotion she always created in him.

“That’s enough,” Hak swoops in, pulling Yona away from the man’s grasp.  “Who gave you permission to touch My Princess?”  Both Yona and Tae-Jun are shaken.  “The Princess and I made our life-long pledge to each other when we were kids.  Right Princess?” cuddling her close and teasing her hand, “What’s the matter Princess?  Don’t be so shy.”

She laughs nervously with an honest blush, partially caressing his chin, “Not in front of other people.”  And when she is asked if she loves Hak, responds with a straight face clutching at his arm, “Yes, I love him.  I really love him.”  Now Hak is the one blushing in surprise at how serious she sounded, almost wishing it had been true.

But Tae-Jun refuses to believe it could true, stating his own position with the assumption this boy was nothing special, and demanding to know who he even was.  “I am the Wind Tribe’s next General, Son Hak,” he asserts with more authority in his tone.  But, even after Hak states that the Emperor himself asked him to be her exclusive bodyguard, Tae-Jun challenges him and pulls a sword.  Thank the gods that the Emperor showed up at that moment and forced the Fire tribe’s son to back down and make a hasty retreat.  

Now Emperor Il turns to address the two kids now parted and standing several feet away from each other, questioning their true relationship. Of course, they both deny it, Yona with just denial and Hak his usual indifference that he thought the idea would keep the suitor at bay.  Now with Hak in a vulnerable state of mind, Emperor Il asks again, and the boy finally accepts the position formally, promising to always protect Yona.

Hak reflects on that afternoon later in the evening when he is all alone.  Despite their protestations, did the Emperor now believe that his daughter and the future Wind Tribe’s general may have feelings for each other?  He couldn’t tell by Emperor Il’s expression what he thought since he always maintained a smile.  But one would think that if he didn’t want Yona to be so close to someone like him, he wouldn’t have offered the position again, right?  

‘Ugh,’ this was exactly why he didn’t want it in the first place!  Yona’s presence always flustered him, made him loose his focus, and his mind.  The first time the Emperor had asked it was just him and his grandfather present but when Yona was around, he didn’t think twice about accepting.  It was bad enough that the girl he loved, was in love with another man, and now he had to live in the castle, watching over her.  Yup, he had lost his mind alright.

Hak flopped onto his bed with his arm over his face, grateful that his grandfather had returned home shortly after hearing the news.  The old man had been over the moon that his grandson was getting even closer to the royal family, not just because of nobility gains, but simply because it warmed his old heart.  Yona was like a grand-daughter to him, and to know that Hak would be there to protect her made him feel so much better.

Not that it made is grandson feel happy.  Hak had been trying to bury his 15-year-old’s emotions and hormones for the Princess and now, that was going to be ten times harder than it had ever been before.