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jangmi-latte · 4 years

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❝ 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐌𝐞 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐲... ❞

open the gates...

— welcome to this grand masquerade, darling. in the night where masks shine and strangers waltz around. we shall hand you over to your gentleman that the stars has chosen for you..

❦ malleus draconia.

"what a coincidence that even the night has bended fate and made you and I meet again, little beastie..."

Crowded.

To say I was used to this would be a lie. It felt like there were more people here compared to the population in the Valley of Thorns. It did not really matter. No matter the population, I will still be around with the same people I grew up with.

One would wonder, why would the headmaster prepare such an event in an all-boys-school? Even I wondered why such a gala would take place in our school. The ball had suits and extravagant gowns as far as my eyes could see. Some were familiar faces, some are merely strangers. As figured,

there were women in this ball.

As the heir to the throne, humans would expect those of the opposite sex to come flaunting towards me. They must've been mistaken. After all, a dark fae as I am would be feared by both genders no matter the species.

It's just another normal night for me, I suppose.

"Malleus," Lilia called as he walked towards me. He still stood out despite the mask he wore. Who am I kidding? His hair alone could break out his persona. "What are you doing here all alone?" He took a sip of his champagne— which, I suppose, Dire Crowley allowed in such premises —before leaning on the pillar beside me.

Ah yes, I was away from the others. I wouldn't want to scare nor ruin their night with my mere presence. This night should be enjoyed by everyone. I, of course, am enjoying myself just being around Lilia. Silver and Sebek had eventually found someone to spend the night with. Much convincing in my part which I was surprised did work. "You didn't call her like I told you to?" Lilia asked. I sighed.

"I wouldn't want to disturb her for just one night. It'll be over before we know it."

"Malleus. 't's obvious you miss her."

Growing up under Lilia's care, I have never escaped those observant eyes of his. He always knew what we felt. Especially when it comes to me. I must admit I barely even show my emotions. "I'm not lying either."

"Ugh," Lilia groaned. I arched an eyebrow at him. Was he annoyed perhaps?

"Come with me Malleus."

That was odd.

He began walking out of the venue. I was confused. Obeying, I followed behind him. The difference of the quiet outdoors and the ball was pleasantly satisfying. The orchestra faded away the farther we walked. I still wore my mask, of course. We wouldn't want to ruin a human tradition or celebration as Lilia explained.

"Why do i has't to do ev'rything myself?" he whined with a smirk on his face. Dear old man, what are you up to?

The moon was full and bright this evening. Shining its gleaming light down on the earth. What a pleasant night to go out for a walk. As I hope it was like this every night where it is so quiet and not the usual noises I would often hear from a distance in certain areas I would arrive on. The botanical garden we have stepped foot on has shared its own peacefulness with the night.

The grass would crunch on every step we take. Lilia was softly humming a tune I'm not so familiar with. It didn't bother the quietness I so comfortably became infatuated with. Only then have I noticed the different species of flora that decorate as far as the garth could take possession of. Wherever Lilia was taking me, I do hope it still took place within this ethereal land. Despite my willingness to spend such evening in silence. There was always this void that bothered me.

"Father."

Silver. I thought he was preoccupied back in the venue. He stepped out from the cobblestone wall that I only took notice of now. Are there more secrets within this garden's walls? "Ah, Silver. You may take your leave now. Thank you for keeping her company."

Her.

I knew it. Old man, what else would I expect from you? There's always something up your sleeve that seems to always put me off guard. Anything but, her. My darling, don't keep me waiting if you're just a few feet away hidden from my view.

I was too stunned to even move. The fact that she was here kept me in a daze. The only moment I knew I was back in my consciousness was when Lilia held my arm. Silver was gone as well. "Dear Malleus, I'll leave you to her. The night is still young. Cherish it while it lasts," he said before walking away. It was just her and I left in this garden.

My little beastie, please show yourself.

I could not wait any longer by knowing I can hold you in my arms again.

I walked slowly, towards the other side of the cobblestone wall. The breath I took was something I couldn't even expect to come from me. It's surprising, I know. A powerful, feared, dark fae as I would be so... helpless? No, desperate would be a better term. Would you blame me? Besides Lilia, Silver, and Sebek...

She's the only one I had in my lonesome life that I would want to live my life with as long as her breath could last.

And there she was.

y/n, my little beastie.

"Malleus!" Her voice bounced in my ears. How beautiful she looked under the moon's bright rays. The gown she wore complimented her skin perfectly, those glassy orbs stood out under that mask she wore. Absolutely stunning.

I sound stupid. I'm starting to sound like Silver when he's describing something while he's in awe.

Who cares?

I'm with her again.

"Darling," I called, my sides of my lips moving up in a smile I never knew I was capable of. She ran towards me. Her skirt swaying along with her movement before she crashed into my arms. Hugging me in a warm embrace that I so genuinely wanted. "You took so long," she whined.

"My apologies. I wouldn't even know you would be here," I spoke, holding her with my arm around her waist. Her smile was blinding. I have to thank Lilia later for giving me yet again another memorable moment. "You look so gloomy. Are you alright?" she asked.

I brought her hands up to my lips, tenderly kissing her knuckles before rubbing them with my thumb, "I'm alright, little beastie. It's not the time to be gloomy yourself," I spoke before pulling her in and giving her forehead and small kiss as well.

"I missed you." Her little pout did indeed make a chuckle leave my lips. She's terribly adorable.

"I missed you too, my darling."

This garden will be a memorable haven for me. It would take a couple more months again before I could see her again once she goes back to the Valley of Thorns. At least I know, she's safe. "Dance with me?" I offered. She took a few steps away from me.

"Need not to ask more." She smiled. I bowed, she curtsied. Slowly, we began to walk closer. Our hands graced each other's jaw as we spun. I took her hand, moving it above her hand as I guided her into her own graceful spin. Her skirt swayed along with her. We pulled outwards, I pulled her in and spun her around once more. I could still hear the orchestra from a distance. Such common symphony the musicians are playing. The music of the Valley of Thorns was better than mortal serenades.

I began to position ourselves. Placing my hand back on her jaw while hers was on my shoulder, guiding her with each step I took. My eyes looking into hers in admiration. It's just a simple waltz that I've been taught by Lilia years ago. Never would I have expected to use it. That old man knew his ways after all, "You look so beautiful." My lips moved on their own, taking a step forward, to the side, and back. She followed suit as she held her skirt.

Her hands landed on my chest, pushing me away as they trailed down my arms and into my hands. I pulled her in, took a step back before extending my arms and pulling her back as she spun herself back into my arms. Her back against my chest, both our arms around her waist. Her other hand graced against my jaw as she gently moved my head to face her. "You look charming as you've always been, Your Highness," she giggled.

I leaned my lips towards her temple, "You never change," I chuckled. She spun herself away from me again, then reeled herself back. Her arm hooked around my neck as she gracefully extend her other behind her as I dipped her back, "I'm surprised you still remember this dance."

"Oh please, I would always dance this in my room—" I pulled her back up, a hand now on my shoulder as I gripped her other hand. "—whenever I hear the same music Lilia made us both dance to..." she trailed off.

How glad am I we both could still hear the music. She moved like a swan on water. So elegant, the way she carries herself stood out in a way she would always move than in a sophisticated way. She was herself.

I firmly held her waist, my lips pecking her lips. Her cheeks were a light pink, how much more could I make his little beastie flustered? I began moving my feet, her own moving along with mine as we both waltz around the garden.

"I would love to dance you back in the ballroom, darling—"

"Don't fret. I prefer to see this night for both you and me only," she hummed. "After all, this is a night I would love to remember while I read your letters."

I smiled. As cliché as it sounds, no other woman could make me feel this way.

"It's been a couple minutes since everyone has removed their masks, you know?"

We halted. Both our heads looking over the source of the voice to see non other than Lilia with a grin on his face, "I see the both of you are having fun," he said, his mask dangling on his finger.

"Lilia," both she and I chortled.

I looked back y/n, my finger going under her chin then guided her to look back at me. I gently lifted her mask up away from her before removing mine, "Much better," I noted.

The mask was nothing compared to her natural beauty. It was only in the way for me to admire her more. "How about we all go back to the venue and introduce her to Sebek and the others? I'm sure that will change the students' perspective of Malleus," Lilia grinned.

"I would like to meet the others too!" y/n answered so delightfully. I could not say no to that shine in her eyes. I'm afraid I have to let the others see the beauty of my darling. At least they would know she belongs to me.

"Come now. There's still more to go around," Lilia persuaded.

Ah, Lilia is correct after all. The night is still young. As much as I would prefer to have y/n's attention all to myself for tonight, it's better for her to be known by the others. Socialising may not be my thing, but I'm sure little beastie would love to meet new people.

As we walked back to the venue, my hand never left hers. I would love to continue dancing under the spotlight. For everyone to see the dashing beauty and grace my beloved holds. Her smile was contagious, her laughter in between speeches never failed to make my own laugh leave my own lips.

Just as I wished, the dance continued. With other students waltzing to the orchestra, my eyes stayed fixated on hers. She still had that same gleam in her eyes from the moment we first met.

Bringing me back to when we first danced on that same flower field. The same field we both met on an odd fated day. There will never be a night where I would not think of when the day would come where we'll be the only ones on the dance floor back in our homeland. Where she wore all white, with the same smile on her face, and the same flowers would adorn her body.

As always, she never fails to Whisk Me Away.

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pretend-writer · 3 years

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Kid Of The Future (Chapter 5)

Mini-Series

Summary: After time traveling from the apocalypse in 2019, a surprise waits for Diego and Y/N as they arrive at Dallas, Texas circa 1960.

Pairing: Hargreeves x sibling!reader, Diego Hargreeves x reader

Word Count: 2.7k words

Warning: mention of violence, mention of sex, swearing

✤ · ✤ · ✤ · ✤ · ✤

'This is an easy fix, do I even need to spell it out?' Five blurted, getting frustrated about the plan of getting back to 2019.

'Yes, Five. I need you to spell out exactly what you mean because if so, that is so messed up.' I yelled at my kid brother. I knew what Five was implying when he said "it was an easy fix." I would never get rid of Bel and if Five tried anything, I would fight him.

Luther sighed, 'Guys can we please not fight about this again?'

'No. It's always Five bringing up bullshit that no one agrees on and he expects everyone to listen to him.'

'That kid doesn't even belong in our timeline. We cannot bring her to 2019. We barely escaped that apocalypse, I'm not going through that shit again Y/N.'

'So you think I'm going to trade off my baby to the psychopath? You must really be crazy Five.'

Allison jumped in, 'I agree with Y/N. You out of everyone knows what The Handler is capable of. Do you really want to hand off an innocent kid to her?'

'Do you know why she wants her? For her to be so desperate to hand us a briefcase? The kid can be some assassin from the future that The Handler wants.'

'More reason for me to keep Bel.' I crossed my arms, 'Maybe she became an assassin because you decided to hand her to The Handler and she's seeking revenge.'

Klaus nodded, 'Y/N makes a great argument Five. I'm sorry but I don't think it's a good idea to give sweet Bel away.'

Groaning loudly, Five balled his fists. 'You imbeciles are so.... ugh.'

'So if The Handler wanted Deloris in exchange for the briefcase, you're saying it's okay?' I raised my eyebrows, watching my brother's response.

Luther laughed but immediately stopped as Five glared at him. 'So how do we plan to go back to 2019?'

Allison licked her lips, holding in her laugh as she made eye contact with me. Honestly, I didn't think convincing Five would be so easy. I should've thought Deloris was the key to breaking him.

'You take me with you to the Commission. Simple as that.'

'Woah, woah.' Diego jumped in, 'Just the two of you? Are you crazy?'

'No, I'm not.' I turned back to Five, 'So what do you think?'

Vanya cocked her head, 'Is this really safe? Shouldn't we all go together and help each other?'

'Ah, no offense Vanya but taking you would be a terrible idea considering the fact that you ended the world in 2019.' Luther flashed an awkward smile.

Five, Allison and Diego groaned in sync, Klaus hitting Luther on his forearm. 'You dummy! Why would you bring that up?'

'Guys, it's fine.' Vanya smiled, 'Let's just figure out a safe and effective way to go back without turning Bel away.'

I smirked, clapping my hands cheerfully. 'Don't worry, I have a plan. Five will love this.'

He rolled his eyes, 'Ugh. Can't wait to hear it.'

✤ · ✤ · ✤ · ✤ · ✤

Diego walked in the room after putting Bel to sleep in her room, sighing as he sat on the bed next to where I was laying down. 'Are you up?'

Turning around to face him, I nodded. 'Yeah.'

'Ah.' Diego scooted a little bit closer to me, biting his lips as he figured out what words to say next. 'Uhm, I'm sorry about yesterday.'

'What do you mean?'

'The things I said before you left to the alley.'

My eyes immediately shifted away from him, embarrassed about what I told him while I was intoxicated. I wish that I could take whatever I said back to him, I hated the awkward tension between us.

'Don't know what you're talking about but don't worry about it.' Pretending that I was too drunk to remember, I tried to brush everything off.

'It's not okay because I was lying, Y/N.' Diego looked down, started to fiddle with the bed sheets. 'I care about you, a lot. I was too scared to talk to you because I didn't know how you felt. I honestly thought it was just a casual thing between us, or at least I thought that's how you felt about me.'

That was a surprising thing to hear, thinking that the response I got from him yesterday at the salon was the truth. I didn't think that Diego would think of me as more than a friend, despite the things we did.

I've always assumed everything we've done was just casual, I tried so hard to suppress my feelings I had for him.

'I thought that you thought the same thing. I'm sorry I brought it up out of nowhere last night. It had been a while since I had alcohol.'

'No, no.' He softly grabbed my forearm, it was a comfort touch that I loved from him. 'I'm kind of glad you did. If you hadn't, I don't think I'd had the guts to tell you all of this right now.'

Smiling at him as he rubbed on my arm, I sat up next to him. 'Well, thank you for telling me.'

Diego nodded, softly smiling at me and enjoying my touch. 'Please be careful tomorrow when you go out with Five. I don't even know who this woman is but she sounds dangerous.'

'I'll be fine, I promise.'

He nodded, 'Uhm, you still don't want me to come with you guys?'

'Five and I will be just fine on our own. Don't worry. Besides, the less of us we have will be better. We're trying not to draw attention to ourselves.'

Diego seemed unconvinced, he always worried about things he didn't know what to expect. Especially with this mystery lady that Diego knows nothing about, I knew he was scared.

'Stop, don't think about it.' I scooted towards him, rubbing my hand on his forearm as I tried to calm him down.

He looked me in my eyes and slowly came closer, leaning into me as he cupped my cheek with his hand. I leaned closer, our lips touching as I gently started to kiss him.

'Daaaaad, the aliens are coming after me!' Bel's scream echoed through the entire apartment, I wouldn't be surprised if our neighbors heard her.

'Mood killer.' Diego sighed as he pulled away. As I giggled, he rolled his eyes. 'I bet you're happy she started calling for me instead of you. She needs to start calling for her mama.'

'Very happy.' I grinned, 'I've been waiting for this day where I don't have to get out the bed after her screams.'

Diego got up lazily, 'Someday when I get old, I'm gonna keep calling her name every ten minutes for her to come get me too.'

✤ · ✤ · ✤ · ✤ · ✤

Crouching down as soon as Five helped me get to The Commission, he looked around nervously. I knew that he was some sort of legend around here, helped them assassin many people in the past to fix the timeline and what-not.

'The Handler's gone in the 50s but she could be back anytime. I'll leave to go get the suitcase while you switch up to The Handler and you try to distract them from me. Please for the love of Deloris, don't leave her office. We can't be caught.'

'Speaking of.' I pulled up a mask, handing it to my brother as I smiled. 'Your famous self can cover up with this.'

It was a mask that fairly looked like the ones ChaCha and Hazel wore, except it was a bunny and I honestly thought it would look good on him.

'The fuck do I look like wearing that?' Five looked disgusted. 'I'm not wearing that thing.'

'Yes, you are. If they find you, this is over. We are never going back home.'

Five decided to ignore me and change the subject. 'Why don't you turn into The Handler first and maybe I'll wear that mask.'

'Ew, she reeked of strong perfume and I'd rather just wait. Besides, I asked you first.'

'Okay, I asked you next.'

'Five, please don't play with me.'

He squinted his eyes, 'You wanna be childish, I'll act like you so you know how annoying it is.'

'I swear Fi-'

The sound of the door nob startled us both, not expecting anyone to come into her office especially without knocking. That queued me to morph into The Handler quickly, rehearsing how she sounded like in my head so I wouldn't be caught by these people.

'Oh, mom. So glad you're back from the trip.' A girl, probably the same age as us Hargreeves, ran up to hug me. She pulled away and looked over next to me. 'Who's this midget?'

I looked over and saw Five wearing the mask I got him. I smiled at myself softly, happy that Five decided to wear it. I knew he didn't have a choice but the fact that he took the mask over running away into thin air made me feel like I did something right.

'Ah- my new recruit. Trying to find him the perfect partner for this new mission I have lined up.'

The girl stared at him, 'Nice to meet you.'

Five just stood still, possibly staring back at her too. I figured he didn't speak because she would've figured out who he was as soon as she heard his voice, so I didn't force anything on him.

'Ah, not much of a talker. Such a professional assassin move.' She grinned and looked back at me. 'Speaking of assassins, why don't you take me to the mission with him. I can be his partner.

'Uhm, no. You can't go.'

The girl groaned, 'Why? I'm old enough you know? You trained me since I was a child for stuff like this and you're not even letting me use my talent. Instead it's always "Lila do this stupid thing" and honestly I'm so bored now.'

'You know I just care about you, right Lila?' I'm so glad she said her name because I was panicking not knowing what else to say. 'You're too important to me and I just can't risk that.'

'Whatever, mom. I asked to go to the Hargreeves mission with you and you didn't let me go so I know that's bull.'

In my mind I was screaming, I wanted this girl to leave so we can get the briefcase and get out of here. 'Five isn't a priority right now and frankly, he's a harmless boy. It was a quick job and I didn't need another person with me.'

'Not Five, Belinda Hargreeves. You told me you'd take me with you and you just left me, knowing I was asleep. Why would you do that, I was so excited to take her down.'

She must be talking about the night The Handler visited me, I thought to myself. The stories were slowly lining up. 'Well, she's just a baby. I figured I didn't have to wake you up and I'd just take care of her myself.'

'Just a baby? Mom, you wouldn't shut up about her being this next big thing The Commission needed and now she's just a baby to you?'

'I think you'll best fit that position anyway. Maybe it's time for us to move on from that.'

Lila chuckled, 'You're kidding me right? This kid has like one of the best powers I've seen. Even the Hargreeves siblings don't have that much talent. You really want to turn that down now?'

It was hard to contain my confused and my urge to beat this girl up. It annoyed me that Lila was talking about my daughter as if she was some experiment, and now she's talking about her having some powers. The frustration didn't help either when I had to stay in character.

'Are you sure that's Belinda Hargreeves we're talking about? That harmless looking baby? Surely we're talking about some other kid.'

'Mom, you clearly need sleep or you're doing drugs or something because you really don't sound right. We need her here, that was your saying. Literally, last night you told me that and now you're changing your mind?'

'There's just things in mind I need to consider before I take that route.'

Lila laughed, 'Okay mom. Whatever it is, I hope you make the right decision for us.'

'Yeah sure.'

She shook her head as she slowly walked to the door. 'You are acting a little weird so I'll leave you to it mom. Take a nap, rethink it. I'm sure you'll change you mind again.'

'I can't believe this.' I heard shuffling from behind as the door shut behind Lila. 'All that girl said was true, the powers and everything.'

Quickly rushing next to Five with doubt still on my mind, I snatched the file from his hand.

Everything about her was there; Her name, her birthdate and birthplace. All the information I knew nothing about was here in my face.

'October 1st, 1989...' I mumbled as I continued to read the rest of her file. 'Sh-she has powers. I-I don't understand.'

'So technically Bel's our sister.' Five blurted, 'How did she get to the 60s with us?'

None of what Five was saying was sinking into my brain. The reason why The Handler was hunting me and my family down made sense, how Bel was probably going to end up being their next soldier that does their dirty work.

Five looked over at me, realizing that I was having a hard time processing everything. 'Y/N, don't worry. We will figure this out, okay? We won't abandon her, I promise.'

'But she's one of us. She somehow ended up in our hands and now-' I was trying to put all the information in my head and tried to make sense out of this.'

'Y/N, Y/N. Breathe, it's okay. The Handler doesn't know that we know, we're one step ahead of her. It's perfect.' Five nodded his head. 'We have the upper hand and we can get rid of her before she tried to her Belinda.'

It was nice to see this side of Five, especially when I was freaking out about this huge news. Even thought it was a bit weird. I turned to Five, 'Why are you being nice to me?'

'Honestly, it's hard given the fact that you look like that.' He chuckled lightly, looking me up and down in my "The Handler costume." 'You seemed to grow fond of her and knowing The Handler, I don't know what she's going to do to her. I've worked with her my whole life and I didn't even know she had a daughter.'

I raised my brows, 'Wow. How brotherly of you.'

'You know, I try but you all are annoying and stupid for me to care sometimes.'

'And there's the brother that we all know and love.'

He rolled his eyes, 'Bel is going to outsmart all of you guys. Not to mention she has ecokinesis.'

'Sounds like you're obsessed with this child now.' I smiled, 'I love that you love her.'

'Whatever helps you sleep at night, Y/N.'

I looked at Five and smiled, it was unbelievable to almost impossible that our beloved brother had sympathy for how I was handling this news. 'Thanks Five, really. Don't know what I'll do if I lost her.'

'You won't, you got us now to have your back.'

'Are you really Five or are you a shapeshifter too?'

'Just trying to be nice, for once.' Five's smile went away as he became serious. 'But if you tell anyone about this, I'll figure out a way to send you to a different dimension.'

I laughed lightly, nudging my brother as he got to leave. 'I try to keep the secret to myself.'

Despite Five's thoughtfulness and caring words, I was scared. Even with my family by my side, the reality was that Bel didn't belong here either. Not only was Belinda warped from 1989 for some odd reason but The Handler really wanted to get her, as if she had something planned for her.

Nothing was making sense, starting from the reason why she was out of her timeline but none of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was keeping my child safe from that freak.

No matter what it takes, I was determined to protect my daughter. Nothing was going to stop me.

#tua series #the umbrella academy fic #tua fics #diego hargreeves fics #diego hargreeves x reader

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apprenticevida · 3 years

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Leave A Mark 🍋 🔞

Word Count: 1484

Pairings: Asra/Vida

Synopsis: Asra helps Vida acclimate to the party

Notes: @midsummer-masquerade Day 1, Marking. Baby’s first lemon, please clap.

Warnings: lemon, minors dni, magic donger, PiV, love bites, impact play

It was too hot for the cloak, Vida decided, and they boarded the carriage without shame.

The shots they had taken before the carriage arrived helped them make the decision. Their head was filled with the delightful fuzz that kept them from over-thinking. The ride itself didn’t take long at all; they were still pleasantly buzzed when they arrived at the palace.

They milled about with the other masked revelers, but couldn’t bring themself to proposition anyone yet. Everyone was so beautiful and well-dressed. They felt out of their depth.

A servant bearing drinks had walked by, and Vida allowed themself one glass of golden goose before they went looking for anyone they recognized.

As luck would have it, Asra found them first. The deer mask wasn’t hard to find, he only needed to follow the distinct mix of their magic to find Vida.

“How are you enjoying the masquerade?” Asra needed to yell for their voice to be heard.

“A little… overwhelming.” Vida shouted in response. “Everyone is so pretty. I feel out of place.”

Asra’s brows furrowed under their mask. They drew a quick sigil in the air and the sounds around the duo dimmed.

“Is it the crowd?” His soft voice could always soothe Vida. “We can talk somewhere else, they have rooms set up all over the palace.”

Vida reached for his hand and brought it to their lips. “I don’t want to pull you away from the fun.”

In response, Asra pulled Vida close and whispered in their ear. “It’s not like we can’t have fun ourselves.”

——

It didn’t take long to find an available room. The walls were draped with silks and there was a circle of pillows in the center of the floor. One wall had bottles of various drinks and liquors, another had an assortment of finger foods. There was even a small hookah set up in the center of the pillow circle. Asra pulled Vida close as they sat in the plush cushions on the floor.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Asra made himself comfortable and lounged along one pillow, an arm draped against Vida’s hips.

“I think it’s… it’s a lot all at once.” Vida flushed as they grabbed one of the hookah’s mouthpieces to take a drag. “This is my first midsummer masquerade. I’m worried I might have bitten off more than I can chew.”

“You’re dressed like an expert, though.” Asra cooed, letting their fingers trace invisible patterns along Vida’s thigh. “It makes me happy that you’re wearing the mask I gave you, too.”

Vida’s smile was broad and genuine. “Of course I wore it! It’s probably one of my favorite things.” They turn to look Asra in the eyes. “I like wearing the things you give me.”

The light in the room was dim, but Vida was certain that Asra’s pupils had dilated just from their words.

He sat up then, brushing the hair off Vida’s shoulder. “I… I could give you another thing to wear tonight. So if you get overwhelmed you know I’m always close by.”

Vida doesn’t look away. Instead they lean in towards their friend, their heart.

“I think I’d like that,” They breathe more than say.

Asra’s lips are soft on their skin. His hands warm as they gently hook around the neckline of their robe. At first Vida tries to pull Asra closer, but he’s already used magic to keep their wrists bound by their legs.

“I want to just focus on you.” His warm breath ghosts against their neck before giving kitten licks along the sensitive tendon under their skin.

What started as a low moan turns into a gasp as Vida feels their lover bite into the spot. They press their thighs together to relieve the pressure building in their core. The heat intensifies when Asra hums in delight, worrying the skin between his teeth.

Asra’s hands begin to tug the robe past Vida’s shoulders. “Is this alright?” He asks as he kisses a path down to their sternum.

Vida can only provide a breathless “yesssss” in response, eyes closed and head nodding rapidly. The familiar fog of blissful surrender floods their head too much to properly respond

“Will you tell me if it gets to be too much?” Asra licks the swell of Vida’s breast as he peels away the flimsy bodice. He begins to suck on one pebbled nipple while massaging the other with his hand.

When Vida doesn’t respond beyond a guttural moan, Asra decides to play dirty.

A cruel twist of the fingers pulls their Vida back to them.

Asra tsks in mock disapproval. “You’re as bad as Ilya. I suppose you’re just mere seconds from begging for permission to come for me, too?”

“Please!” Vida’s too far gone for shame. “Yes, Please! I’m so close. I want you—” Asra pulls them to straddle his lap as they begin to ramble. “Please, I want you to make me come.”

“How do you want me to make you come, my heart?” There’s that familiar smug snake smile on his lips as he lays back again, hands drifting from Vida’s breasts, down their waist, across their inner thighs and back again.

“I don’t— Anything! Fingers, mouth, magic, I don’t care!” They begin to grind against Asra, their slick arousal soaking everything below.

“Make a choice or I’ll have to keep you waiting while I decide for you.” Asra decides to nudge things along with a swipe of his thumb against their bare clit.

What comes out their mouth is a combination of curse, cry, and thanks, but not an answer.

“Vida.” Asra’s voice takes a disciplinary tone. He grabs hold of their dark curls and yanks them down to him.

Vida’s eyes go wide, pupils swallowing their brown eyes black.

“Cock,” they gasp. “Please, Master, let me come on your cock.”

“How should I take you?” Asra asks themself more than Vida, “From below, with you bound? I could be on top, fucking you with your legs in the air…”

With each option Asra thrusts their hips against Vida. Vida feels Asra pool magic together to form the cock they’re begging for and their cunt clenches on nothing. But they know exactly how they want to be fucked.

“From behind! Please, Master!”

“Like some bitch in heat? Is that what you are?”

“Yes!!” They cry as they grind faster into Asra’s hard cock.

It takes a moment before they realize their magic bonds have dissipated.

“Turn around then.”

Vida scrambles off their master to turn around, bending over to present their soaking cunt to Asra.

They can hear Asra as he undoes his robes and kneels behind them. When they feel Asra’s cock brush against their folds they keen and push back to take as much as possible.

A loud smack pushes their hips forward when Asra swats their ass. Vida can already see stars and they sob in frustration and submission.

“No, if I’m going to fuck you like a bitch, you are going to take what you master chooses to give you.” Asra grips their ass, kneading the rapidly forming red handprint. Distantly Asra mourns that this mark will be hidden from most partygoers, but makes do with knowing his love bites are visible and numerous.

When Vida’s whimpers a plea, Asra thrusts to the hilt all at once. The warm wetness engulfs him readily and the two moan in unison. Setting a brutal pace, the slap of flesh on flesh joins their cries.

It takes all of Vida’s concentration not to come without permission. As much as they love punishment, they crave Asra’s approval more.

When Asra finally commands Vida to come, they collapse onto their forearms as their cunt spasms around their Master.

They feel his warm chest against their back as he continues to rut into them. Then, the sharp teeth as Asra bites into the meat between shoulder and neck. His hand wraps around Vida to rub their clit, spurring a second orgasm before recovering from the first. Their scream of pleasure turns into chants of “yes” and “please” and ”Master” until Asra gives one last command:

“Come with me, Vida.”

Their cunt milks Asra’s release and they cry out together.

When their breathing slows, Asra pulls out and watches their spend leak from their lover’s hole.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmurs, getting up to grab a rag and water from one of the tables.

Vida’s smile when Asra returns is full of love and blissful admiration. “So are you, Corazón.”

Asra helps Vida sit up and lets her drink first before gently wiping their combined release from their thighs.

“Feel better?” They ask as they kiss the marks on their neck.

“So much.” Vida sighs at Asra’s touch. “Thank you.”

“Are you ready to go back out there?”

“Almost. Could you hold me for a little longer?”

“Anything for you, my heart.”

#midsummer masquerade #lemon #the arcana game #apprentice vida #the arcana #fan apprentice #asra alnazar #baby’s first lemon #please clap #fan fiction #vesuviaafterdark

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infinites-chaser · 3 years

Text

//.reverie // mlqc // lucien

print(hello world)

im knee deep in a writing slump bUT i plugged a paragraph of writing into this funky little neural network and kept generating 500 words with it for. an aBSURD amount of time (while also telling it to focus on including the words ‘memory’ ‘dreams’ and ‘color’) and what it spit out was the cOOLEST. and i tried to kinda parse through it to find the most interesting bits and make it slightly more coherent and it ended up being a little like how i’d imagine a series of dreams Lucien might’ve had post ch.18 so i hope someone? enjoys?

warning for non-explicit drug use, general fragmentATion and lack of narrative plot or coherence, the bizarre nature of dreams, spoiler-adjacent content for ch.13 and hinting at stuff from ch.18 onwards

The paragraph the neural network consumed (from watch the universe expand):

"You know, sometimes I think the stars must be lonely," she says, and though he doesn't dare look at her, he hears her both in real life and through the phone speaker cradled close to his ear. He feels rather than sees her move closer to his side of the balcony, closing the distance, coming to the edge.

"They're thousands of light years away from each other," she continues. "Maybe they wonder if they're all alone, sometimes, if they're the only light for miles in an empty, endless dark sea."

"It makes me sad, to think about it. We spend our lives looking up at the stars and casting lines, drawing constellations between them, but in reality, they're just as lonely as we are. Maybe even more."

prelude.

In his dreams, he has color for days, but that's because his memories are always colored with color. He remembers the colors of all the colors, he knows it, because colors fade in real life, colors can be rearranged. They stay the same in dreams. He remembers colors and faces in dreams, with absolute certainty.

He stands up and steps away from the glass, out onto the balcony. As the darkness reaches all the way to the bottom of the floor, he sees shadows in his mind. He recognizes the colors, the colors of dreams, as colors of real life. He can tell his memory is broken in his dreams, with such clarity that he could read an entire newspaper front page through color and dreams.

(He takes a step closer to the blue sky.)

He remembers when he had first been able to see the constellations in the night sky, just a few short years ago, when his eyesight still had the capability to take in so much. They'd wanted to go to a star party, together, where he could be amazed by a whole world of constellations, but he'd turned it down.

"You were scared of strangers," she says. "It's not a strangers-only thing."

"That's true," he says.

"You're still shy," she says.

"I never was shy,” he says.

I never really grew up, he thinks.

ii.

He feels her warm breath. The scent of her.

"Do you think they look down at us and feel the loneliness of millions of years alone?"

"The stars? I've always imagined they might."

“Do you think they wonder about us, too? Or feel sorry for us?”

He scoffs.

“What’s there to wonder about?”

She shrugs. Her eyes look as distant as the stars. As cold.

"The sadness of losing one's entire species and the companionship of someone who sees and understands the beauty of the stars because of what we lost. Or the loneliness of knowing our species won't survive the disaster we caused."

“What do you mean,” he starts. Her lips curve up into a mockery of a smile.

“You know what,” she breathes. “Ares.”

(He wakes. Calls the dampness on his cheeks a nightmare’s cold sweat and not tears.)

iii.

He shrugs.

“We forget, don’t we? The world moves on. We move on.”

"That's not the way it is,” she says. “The best love in life comes from time spent with another person, the love that never fades or leaves you in darkness, like memories do. Sometimes, it's not the love we give each other but the love we receive from each other. I don't know, I guess the answer would depend on the person."

"Maybe the stars never forget their dreams,” she says. “Or the people they knew, or their color. Maybe they never lose the ability to recognize and remember what they're drawn to. Or maybe they can never forget the color of your eyes."

iii, ii.

“We forget, don’t we? The world moves on. We move on.”

(Do we? He thinks. Thinks they’ve been here, standing atop this balcony before. Thinks he's seen her eyes turn cold. Thinks he's seen her cry.)

He shrugs.

"No," she says quietly, but softly, still looking at the stars, still thinking about the comfort she gave him. (It's never enough, always, to fill the emptiness, the longing, the memories that must remain buried inside him.)

"I don't believe that. I know that the stars up there are as lonely as us, because they're like us, they love each other, they care for each other, they care for us, and love keeps us warm in the cold. Love is the one thing that can save us."

"You're right," he says. (Holds her close. Wishes he could do the same while awake.)

"Love really can save us. I have faith in that. No matter what happens, no matter what we do, we have to find ways to love each other and hold on to each other."

"Do you remember the dreams you've had about the colors, or the faces of the people in the colors?"

She laughs softly. "I can never forget you, or your color, or the color of that sky in your memories, now. But that picture might look a little different in the morning light. Right now, I can't see it very well. You know, sometimes it's hard to remember what color the sky looks like in your memory when it's bright outside. It doesn't really feel like a real memory. You've said that yourself, at least."

"No, I haven't," he says. "It's just a memory."

"A memory?" she asks.

"A memory?" she repeats. “It’s always memories with you.”

He can't tell if she's laughing or not, or if she's teasing him or not.

“What do you mean?”

"It’s a secret,” she says. “You could always just ask me in real life.”

(I can’t, he thinks, but can’t say. Can't remember why.

He wakes.)

vi.

"Color?" she repeats. "Color?"

"Yes," he says. "You're color. You're always ... different, in my memories."

She laughs. "Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe we remember our lives as they were, not what we wish they were. Maybe that means we can forgive ourselves a little more.”

"For what?"

(She's frozen.

She fades.

For what? He thinks, then wakes.)

vii.

"I think I have colors for months in my memory," she says. "See here?"

"What?"

"Colors. In the moon, or this tree, or maybe the sky?"

"You mean right now?"

"No. All of them, at one time or another."

"What color is the sky?"

She laughs, and her voice is beautiful. She tells him that the sky looks the color of memories and dreams.

But then he asks another question. "When you dreamed last night, what did you dream about?”

"I can't remember all of them," she says. “My dreams. They fade.”

"But you do remember that you were dreaming, back there?"

"I was dreaming. About you."

"Why?"

"I don't know. All I know is that the dream felt like a good one."

"It must have been, if you remember it. Did you have the same dreams when you were growing up?"

"Yes," she whispers. "Sometimes."

(“Sometimes I think we must’ve met in one.”

“What?”

“A dream."

"That'd be nice, wouldn't it?")

viii.

“The stars,” she murmurs. “Do you think they dream? Do you think they can escape?"

"Perhaps they can, to some extent," se says. "I'm not sure it works for everyone."

She asks him to step into the blue sky with her. To escape. To return.

"Can you go back? I haven't asked anyone to go back yet, but maybe you can."

He takes a step, closing his eyes. He remembers the color of this blue sky, and he remembers dreaming and dreaming. He remembers colors, and colors are real, so they must be real in real life. So he steps forward into the blue sky.

His skin stretches and stretches and stretches, the colors in his skin growing more vivid as he steps further, he gets closer to the sky. The colors disappear in his memory, which can still contain dreams, so that his skin looks almost white, at first. His body elongates until he looks like he's wearing a strange version of a spacesuit, like the one his friends wore when they had to wear oxygen masks on the surface of planets and robots to stay alive.

He hears his echo. It’s saying that he looks lonely. Pale blue dot— he'll drift through space, he'll miss her in the dark, or he won't but he'll be too late, anyway.

It's hard to figure out which colors in the blue sky he's really seeing. He thinks the color of his skin looks like the sky he remembered, but maybe it isn't really the sky he remembers. He sees colors of the people he knew and the colors of the colors of the sky, but he sees colors that are impossible to connect with other colors.

(He surfaces to darkness, insides twisting, writhing, turned snakes by the venom he's made of his blood. He staggers to the sink, spits up poison. Thinks about forgetting. Thinks about taking more.)

ix.

His color is yellow, the color of a sick leaf, and the first of the colors of his dreams.

"Tell me again what color I look like in your memory," she says.

He tries to focus on that part of her, of her memory, where he actually sees her. He thinks about how good her skin looks, how smooth and pale and slightly glowing. He can't remember her color.

"Do I look just like you remember?" he asks.

"Your color is the color of yellow of the leaves, right?"

"Yes," he whispers.

“You’re sick,” she says, and places a hand on his cold cheek, lets it warm.

“Sick,” he echoes, closes his eyes against her touch. Lets himself fade. Lets himself rest. “Perhaps.”

"I don't remember it," he admits. "Your color."

"But you don't want me to, do you?"

She sighs, and for a moment, it seems she's crying. "No," she whispers. "No, not all."

"You didn't want me to know, did you?"

"Yes, I did. I do."

She bites her lip. Looks down. Looks away.

"I want you to remember. Just— not like this. Never like this."

"Why?"

"Because you'd see the way I laugh and the way I'm breathing, and if you just heard it for yourself, you'd know the way I loved your hair when you woke up from the dream that you shared with me. The way you looked when you talked about your life, when you stared up at the sky, seeing the dreams in your eyes."

(He had forgotten them already, because they were beautiful, those memories, and he knew them without remembering their color. Without remembering her name. Without remembering the truth.

The sky, he thinks, is even more vivid than memories.)

xi.

"I don't know," he says. "Why don't I remember? What am I forgetting?"

"I don't know either," she says. "I think...I must've forgotten, too."

"But maybe it doesn't matter— we do remember colors, don't we? As colors really are. Because we can remember them. You know, that's why color blindness must be one of the most terrible things that's ever been born. For a color-blind person, they see the colors of people and things by the color of their eyes, and they can't tell when the color is off. Just like colors are difficult to remember, and colors are difficult to see."

He smiles at her.

"There's one more way, isn't there?"

“To see color?”

“To remember,” he whispers, and lowers his lips to hers. She flinches under him, he steadies her, then she’s limp, his hands tight around her neck and he—

(He wakes.)

xii.

"Why are you here again?" she asks.

He shakes his head.

“I don’t know.”

"We might be in the middle of remembering," she says. "We're both always in the middle of remembering things in the middle of moments."

"Oh, you're an astrologist, then," he mutters, trying to remember the word. It doesn’t sound right. Nothing does.

"Astronomer?" He asks. She shakes her head. She's smiling, but her eyes are dark. Dark and blue.

"It doesn't matter, anyway," she says. "We should probably stop."

"Stop?"

She smiles again, her eyes bluer still.

No, he realizes. Not blue. Sad.

"It's time to wake up," she murmurs. He reaches for her, but it's too late. She fades, and he's left alone drifting under the stretching stars.

(Astronaut, he thinks, between planets and stardust. He remembers.)

...

fin.

"Are you saying I'm color-blind?"

She laughs again.

"Oh, no," she says. "Not color-blind at all. Your color blindness is just a side effect of your memory. You remember some colors well, and it doesn't matter what color the sky or a flower is, you can recognize it. So, yes. Your color blindness is your memory of colors."

"How is it my memory?" he asks, and though he could never be color-blind, he can still remember colors well enough to recognize the colors of the rainbow on the horizon as clouds drift by the sky.

"Maybe your color blindness is what happens when you spend so much time remembering color and color and color," she suggests, and somehow some part of him knows what she means is remembering me. Remembering my smile.

"Oh," he says. He considers it.

They are silent, for a time, until a sound cuts through the night air, crying through his whole body with a low swish of noise. He thinks he hears a whistling, and then it's back again. Then it's different, maybe growing louder, and he wonders if it's a ringing, but the sound gets fainter, so faint that he begins to think he imagined it.

"Is that the whistle?" she asks, and he can hear the alarm in her voice.

"Did it start again? Is this world going to end?" She whispers it, the sound again, and the sound grows closer, an elongated screech. The whistle never ceases.

The whistling sounds in every direction, like a swarm of insects.

And the smell is the worst, the most awful smell, like bad meat, or a stagnant ditch full of mud and dirt and rotten meat. He can barely breathe, and can barely see through the curtain of fog. He stands, reaching toward her, trying to hear her, but everything around him is changing.

"What is it?" she asks, and her voice is lost, lost in the darkness. She is lost. She is gone.

The smell, a putrid odor like rotten meat, begins to affect his mind, and he cannot remember her words.

There's something blue (sad) behind his eyelids. He tries to look and discovers that he can't.

"What's that?" he asks. He's in the clearing, still dressed in the dark color of morning (mourning), and everything is out of place, though he can't see it.

"It's my color. It's blue." He stares at it.

"My favorite color. Blue. And there's something pink around it. Couldn't see that before. It's pink."

The colors, he thinks. Those are colors. The whistling sound, I must have heard that noise before.

(The whistling doesn't sound like whistling at all. It sounds like heartbreak. It sounds like a scream.)

That's why I can't remember her. I remember colors, and it's like there's a wall in my mind, because I remember color, color and nothing else, color and her smile, the beginning, the middle, and not ever the end.

"I remember colors," he says. "Now let me remember her."

And he remembers pink, he remembers the smell. The whistle (the scream).

(Remembers she died. Remembers he wasn't there to save her.)

There's something red on the sand. It's a bouquet of roses he's picked. Pink and red. Roses. The smell, his nose draws in is the scent of roses.

(He knows they smell like her, but the moment's passed. Once again, he can't remember her.

He thinks, he must not have been hers. She must have not been in love.)

epilogue.

It is dawn when he wants to close his eyes and remember. But he tries not to think about it. He closes his eyes slowly, praying silently to the skies, barely able to imagine that the next time he opens his eyes, maybe they'll be different.

"... like his dreams," he whispers under his breath.

"... and her dreams."

"... like everything here." His steps seem slow today. Steady. Better than any other morning. Fresh.

"Just like his memories. Rest easy, Lucien."

(When the apartment door opens, it’s Ares who emerges.)

this is where im legally obligated to tell u I'm slowly being converted to a comp neuro nerd so i went and read the github of the language learning model inferkit uses, megatron-11b, and it'S hella cool but basically if anyone is worried. no it is not trained on the words u provide it-- the sentence structure/word information that the model 'learns' from is scripts made by the dev. so uh. basically, it's 'learned' all it will about language based on these provided scripts of vocab and sentence structure so when you give it a paragraph of writing, all it's doing is 'reacting' to your words by using its memory of these writing rules to predict (and auto-generate) what words it thinks will come next (the algorithm runs a tON of probability computations and this is the 'thinking' and predicting.)

#mlqc #mlqc lucien #val writes #or rather #ai writes val interpreTS #ghosts. in the MACHINE hnhkfdljgfdk #u didn't hear it here but i am in love with machine learning and the idea of. humans training machines in their image. and learning more ab #out themselves (or their research) through what the machine gives back. we are just. searching for those echoes of consciousness in what th #programs reflect back to uS! the singularity! one day. wE will find it.#kisses to everyone who didn't understand dark night fireworks this is the Vibe i was going for #even i don't understand this <3

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middleinthenight21 · 4 years

Text

DamiRae Week 2020- Day 1

Costumes

His disguise is horrible, he knows that. Damian Wayne spends most of the night strolling among the guests carrying a glass of champagne and a grimace under the black band that covered his mouth.

He was glad that he chose a costume as little revealing as it is, it fits the uniform he used to wear in the league of the shadows, being a pair of pants, jacket and black hood, in conjunction with a band that only left his eyes on view; he was not interested in being recognized. His brothers would have complained about bringing a replica of a uniform and his father would not be happy with the association, however, he bought wings in a small costume store whose wings simulated bone, joined by a porous plastic that gave the impression of being cartilage. When the owner of the store offers him the wings, he thinks they are small, that a structure like this could never support the weight of an adult, but he says nothing.

He can be anonymous.

His father had dragged them to an event commemorating the Wayne companies anniversary, Damian thinks his father is anticipating that some Gotham villain would attack the tower, but he hasn't said anything and it's not as if Bruce Wayne was very communicative with the information he shares in the family. Sometimes he understands it, most of the time he doesn´t, because he hates walking blindfolded.

He had been taught since he was a child that preparation is a prerequisite for victory and that faith is a waste fools allow themselves. He definitely hates it.

He glances at his older brother, flirting with a red-haired woman, she's attractive in a revealing pastel dress and there's a white mask holding up a chin. He rolls his eyes when his hands come dangerously close.

He does not understand what women see in Richard Grayson, the man can be a complete idiot.

"Don't look so angry" Emiko Queen appears next to him. He is surprised that she managed to recognize him. "Tim Drake tagged you in his photo. "

Growls.

He had hoped to go unnoticed. He observed her out of the corner of his eye, the young woman was dressed in a shirt that read "I wore a costume" and some casual jeans, she looked disinterested as if she did not want to come and her statement on the shirt was a sign of rebellion.

"Are you here for your brother?"

She growls.

"Yes. He likes to attend these elegant parties, he left me no choice" Emiko reaches for a glass of champagne as a waiter passes by with a tray. "A toast to the fun? "

Damian looked at her.

A few months ago, they had been dating, nothing formal, since neither of them liked the idea of romantic relationships, everything was casual. He thought Emiko was great, someone who proved to be more than what was seen with the naked eye. They are both people who had a strict upbringing and gave themselves to protect the innocent, however, the similarities are just that and it did not mean that two people worked together.

They are still friends.

He bumps his glass with hers.

"My God, could you smile, even once?"

He rolled his eyes.

The night flows slowly, although Damian stays next to his friend, he does not get the fun and he does not feel entirely comfortable around all these wealthy people; The laughter echoed throughout the room and is as elegant as it is empty. He is used to formality, but if he is sincere expecting a villain to break in, then he would have something more interesting to do.

Emiko is not happy either, but she pretends and when she is with her brother a smile slips over her lips, the weight disappears from her shoulders and she moves lightly. Now, they dance around the dance floor and he thinks Oliver Queen's archer angel costume is too revealing, it leaves his torso visible through a maya and his feathered wings take up a lot of space.

Both siblings move lightly.

He looks around him, Tim and Stephanie are talking to their group of friends, Jason talks to Roy, his best friend and can see how malicious smiles are born on their faces. The two of them act like it´s their private club.

Cass is talking to her father.

Emiko ran to her side, a smile on her face and she seemed illuminated by a new aura. Rarely had he seen her so excited, she carries a camera that hangs in her hands and waves it at him, like a flag.

Damian frowns, he does not understand his emotion.

"We have to take a picture of ourselves!"

He was going to reply, but she quickly requested help from someone who was passing, it is a girl; She is disguised as a witch, her bluish black dress falls to the ground and her pointed cap covers her hair revealing short dark strands that caress her shoulders. A mask over her eyes, the patterns are like a black spider web and it has an elongated shape.

Damian nicknames her on his head as "Witch Girl."

"Please take a picture of us."

Witch girl opens her mouth to answer, but the camera was already in her hands and Emiko would not accept a denial, she stands next to him and gets close to him. He tenses up when he feels pressured by Emiko to take this photograph. He doesn't like to see himself in photos, he had grown up differently, although he knows everything he needs and more, he still finds it strange to use technology for entertainment.

"It is for my brother."

As if that clarifies something.

Emiko straightens up next to him, a smile slipping across her face and he seems more like a soldier than a casual civilian who wants to capture a moment. Damian doesn't know where to put his hands, so he laces them behind his back and squares his shoulders, lifts his chin and ignores the smell of champagne in his mouth. The murmur and the sound of the orchestra shouting in the room, along with the knock on his friend's foot.

He focuses his gaze on the girl who points the camera at them. The device falls from her hands a few centimeters and she murmurs:

"He looks sad."

She says it to him, he is sure of that. He wouldn't have heard a thing will all the loud sounds, but he learned to lip read a few years ago, a skill that he found useful especially when you have to spy undetected. He wants to tell the witch girl that it's not true, and he's fine, everything is very good in his life. There is nothing he wants, he can snap his fingers and have what he wants, he surrounds himself with the most powerful people in the world, he observes things many would only dream of and found a family. She does not know anything.

A smile glides across his lips, the muscles in his cheeks tighten, unaccustomed to smiling, and he can feel his eyes take on small lines of expression.

The camera snaps back into place. It is as if the witch girl knew that he was smiling, despite not seeing the smile she feels he exhibited, but she had not given him the reason and that makes him happy for some reason. The witch girl was not right.

He doesn't look sad.

He can feel her eyes piercing him behind the contact lens, he distinguishes a dark color, like a purple beta, he has never seen a tone like this and he remembers that his father spoke of an actress with violet eyes, but that she had already died.

Elizabeth Taylor is the only person in the world with violet eyes, he had said, but he was wrong.

Now they look like wise eyes, like a rare diamond. Damian cocks his head trying to make out the face behind the device, only to have a piece of information to brag about in front of his father.

The flash blinks and the photo is captured.

"They look great together." The witch girl approaches and places the camera in Emiko's hands with a small smile. She leaves with her head down without looking back, the cloak of her dress rushes in midair and for the first time she notices, it catches the light in small flashes, in shiny blue stones.

Emiko speaks, but Damian barely hears what she is saying, because he still wants to see her face.

He does not like to remain in doubt.

"Do you think I look sad to you?"

She gasps, looks at him as if a horn had grown "I don't understand what you want ... "

He was no longer with her.

She does not see him for the rest of the night, so she simply shrugs and takes the opportunity to take photos with her brother and her fiancée. She would enjoy the night with or without Damian.

***

Later, Emiko would wonder what his eyes see when she looks at the photograph in the gallery, she and Damian are standing behind that old painting next to a plant, smiling happily for the moment. However, the attitude of friend distracted he shows signs of a smile and observes a point as if it were very interesting, a topic to talk about for hours, it seems that he is treading on another planet.

Damian could smile?

She had never seen him roll his eyes.

What had he seen?

"Oh no," Dinah leans on the sofa, looking at the photograph. She realizes she had zoomed in on the photo framing Damian's face. "I know that look. "

"What look?" She asks, interested.

Dinah Lance sits down on the sofa seat and smiles "He's in love. I know that look because I see it every day. "

Damian in love? That's ridiculous. It is impossible, there is much doubt in that equation, since their relationship ended a long time ago and they split quite well. Besides, he had never had those eyes for her.

"From who? "

The blonde laughs "From your brother. "

And Oliver is an idiot now.

***

Extra.

Damian walked around the room. He ignores the callers, including his brothers who want him to meet their groups of friends. Dick calls him as he wants to introduce him to his new conquest, Jason probably wants to annoy him, Stephanie wants to show him something (He wasn't going to talk about Tim Drake, because he doesn't count) and Cass frowns when she sees him walking through the crowd aimlessly.

He is looking for someone with a pointed hat, it is impossible to have more than one people like that.

Finally, there is a figure nearby having a glass of champagne, he only sees her back, but he would recognize that costume anywhere. His feet stop on a small slip on the polished ceramic floor and his heart hammers anxiously in his chest. He would have his answers.

He gives her a better look.

The witch girl has a costume in bluish tones, it´s smooth and hugs her slim figure. Gloves of the same color reach her elbows, and there is a small bracelet around her wrist in gold tones. What stands out the most is the pointed hat with a brim that brings shadows to her face.

Other girls had chosen mind-blowing costumes, elaborate hairstyles, and elegant outfits that were made to attract attention, but this girl is not flashy or flamboyant, she is simple. Damian finds something puzzling in her aura of mystery, but he has never been someone who will leave the mysteries unsolved.

He gulps and walks to her side.

She pretends to be interested in the snack table. Her eyes sweep over the food and he can see how she struggles to decide if she is going to eat those canapes or the miniature cakes, finally she chooses the cakes.

She has a sweet tooth.

He looks askance at her. He notices new details about the witch girl. Like she has a small red crystal on her forehead and gold star-shaped earrings falling down the sides of her face.

She has a smooth profile, as if she had been sculpted by delicate hands: A rounded chin, an upturned nose and soft skin, perhaps it she too pale, she probably does not like the sun very much.

She reaches for a chocolate bar and bites it "Chocolate makes me feel better."

Damian gulps again. He is not sure why; he does not like it.

He wants to end it all at once.

"Why do I look sad?"

She opens her eyes, turns to look at him and is amazed. Now, they are face to face, even with the mask on, you can see her surprised expression and the witch girl has more violet eyes than he had seen, and now she looks embarrassed.

"Sorry." Her voice is soft with a scratchy note. It´s unusual "It was just a thought that crossed my mind. "

He raised an eyebrow.

"You said I looked sad." He crosses his arms. "Why? "

She looks like she's about to run away, but she does something more puzzling to him, squares her shoulders and takes a firm stance. She is proud.

"You weren't smiling."

That's why?

He had looked for someone in an entire room where there are more than two hundred guests, only to be answered in this way. He wants to hit his forehead criticizing himself, but not everything is so bad. The witch girl watches him with attentive eyes, waiting for a sharp response, but instead a smile of amusement appears on Damian's face.

He slides the band that covers half of his face. They look at each other face to face, she decides to slide up the mask and they smile, because both are aware that this is ridiculous.

"I'm Raven." She extends her hand and he reciprocate.

Her nickname as "Witch Girl" slips into her name. He observes her eyes fascinated by the color of violet so rare. Despite the abnormality of the tone and her fresh face, he can feel as if he had met her at another time. He is aware that he has never seen her before, he does not believe in good first impressions, but he had the feeling that there was nothing to fear.

"Damian."

Not everything is so bad. He has the impression that his night can improve, he did not wear this costume anymore.

´´With you I feel alright

It´s been a long night´´

(THANK YOU @ravenfan1242 ❤❤ )

#damirae week 2020 #damirae #Damian Wayne #raven #raven x damian

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whatzaoverwatch · 4 years

Text

The Reaper of the Opera Chapter 8: Masquerade

Beginning of Act 2! Probably one of my favourite scenes from both the stage play and the film. Masquerades have always been my passion especially since my parents got me a mask straight from New York. I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far.

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Few Months Later

The Opera House was brightened by esteemed guests and party goers as they entered the building with delight. A masquerade was being held to celebrate the end of a triumphant season. People dressed in costumes and masks of various patterns and colours. After the incident that befell the theatre months ago, the Reaper had yet to make his appearance. No notes, no accidents, not even an unsettling presence was felt among the performers. Had the Reaper finally made himself scarce of the lives of the Overwatch Opera House?

That is the hopes between the two very enthused men that greeted every one of their guests with a smile. Reinhardt, with his delighted grin as he held onto a lion’s mask with every bow and handshake he took part of. Torbjorn was less spontaneous than his friend with his more composed greetings with his frowning mask. Both suited up in tuxedos and ready to celebrate the evening away. A roaring laugh came from Reinhardt as he patted Torbjorns back.

“Ah my friend, the night is perfect for this celebration! I cannot wait to show our guests my dance moves. Especially to Madame Amari.” He chimed with delight, eager to get his hands on the beer and alcohol they were serving inside.

“Perish the thought knowing how you move,” Torbjorn muttered to himself, only to pat his friends arm in return, “But I do not see the harm in having a little fun. Things have gotten successful since our ghost friend had disappeared. Maybe the bastard had finally learned his lesson.”

“Come Torbjorn! Enough talk of ghouls and ghosts! Let us make ourselves acquainted with the beer as we have with our guests.” Guiding him inside the theatre, they easily made their way to grab a few drinks.

Everyone had come in attendance to the festivities. Hana, who had since recovered from her vocal disruption, was dressed elegantly in a pink and blue ballgown and a bunny mask in hand. Accompanied by Lucio, who was more suited with a vest and dress shirt combo with a frog mask on the side of his face. Even the dancers were greeted to the ballroom to their delight. All dressed to their own preferences and masks themselves. Lena with her girlfriend Emily, was quick to introduce her to Amelie and her husband Gerard. Fareeha was alongside Ana, as they remained observers with Jesse.

The incident was far too great for Jesse’s left arm to recover. Angela informed him that the shots struck some vital nerve points. He could never use his arm again, leaving it in a rather metallic cast that took time to properly control. It was clear that he was still struggling to use it as he nearly dropped his drink in his hold. Quickly caught by the ever so watchful Ana. She was sure to keep an eye on him and allow him to keep his job at with the company. Since the incident, he was left rather quiet and bitter to what he had witnessed. Knowing he had questions that were left unanswered. Sparing a few glances over to her every once in awhile, as if he wanted to ask her something. But anytime he attempted to bring the subject up, she was quick to make her leave.

Among the crowd was you alongside Genji and Hanzo. The brothers tailored to their own yukatas. Dragon like masks to compliment their own palettes. Since that evening of tragedy and confession, you had been living with the two brothers. While the older brother was a bit reluctant to having you stay, he started to grow accustomed to you overtime. Never getting in his ways and finding time to help him with any cooking or cleaning. Although Genji insisted that you didn’t, it cleared your mind from the times you had returned to the opera house. Hanzo rarely showed his emotions around you, but you felt him lower his guard around you overtime. You had learned about what had happened between the two brothers and what made Genji they way he was today. It was a lot to take in, but you knew that Genji had suffered just as much as you had in the times you were apart. Surprised that Genji had forgiven him, but knowing he had overcome his hatred in his absence.

You found it a miracle that they had chosen to return to rekindle their brotherly bond and mend their troubles. Overtime with your stay with Genji, he had popped the question to you. It was almost a dream as he took you to the cherry blossoms you adored when you were little. Leaving you shocked as he got down to one knee under the sakura tree. With the whispers faded from your mind, you were free to make your own choices. Gently tracing the ring around your necklace, a small smile formed on your lips to the dragon craved ring grasping a tiny diamond within its teeth. It was Hanzos’ suggestion to keep the engagement private. The press was keen on prying into your social life, so the news would cause your privacy to dissipate completely. They were the last things you wanted to have upon you after everything that happened. You wore a black and white halter dress that exposed your backside. A black and white feathered mask rested on your face with little rhinestones that resembled stars.

A gentle tug from your arm was felt by the one who linked his with your own. Looking up to see Genji giving you a sweet smile at your own. Unable to hide the blush growing on your cheeks from his admiration. Giving you a subtle wink, he turns to Hanzo with a smirk.

“Why don’t you go socialize brother? Perhaps you may find someone suited to your type.” Watching the older brother leer at him.

“Are you only saying this to have privacy with [Name]?” He looks over at you, making you sheepishly plant your gaze to the ground. Hearing him sigh, he crosses his arms, “At least be on your best behaviour for once.”

“We are not children, Hanzo.” Genji pouts, letting Hanzo pass you two. He stopped to place a hand on your shoulder with a knowing look.

“Keep an eye on him for me.” You nodded with a smile, patting his gloved hand gently for assurance. Letting him leave as Genji merely snorted.

“Even now, he still thinks I will cause him nothing but trouble.” He sighs, running his fingers through his hair. You tugged his arm lightly to draw his attention away.

“He only worries about you; it’s what siblings do. I am glad he still cares after all that has happened.” Reminding him, he eyes your ring resting upon your collarbone.

“I only wish that I can tell people of our engagement,” looking discouraged, watching it glimmer in the lights, “Why can’t I show how much I love you? Even for just one night.”

You took his hand, raising it to your lips and placing a gentle kiss upon his knuckle. Knowing that everyone was distracted in their own chatter to see the display of affection. Letting the tension in his body ease at your peck. Squeezing his hand softly, you comforted him with your smile.

“I already know how much you love me Genji. I promise after tonight, we can finally tell people,” You whispered, “But let us not talk about it now. I want us to enjoy ourselves.”

He looked uncertain at the thought of waiting just a little bit longer. Although he didn’t wish to force it, he just wanted to assure that the rest of your life with him would be filled with love and devotion. He shared his upmost affection in privacy, so waiting a few more hours wouldn’t hurt.

“Of course, my blossom.” Keeping his hold on you, he guided you to where some of the guests began to dance around the main area.

Various fans and masks seen with each twirling companion. Dancing and singing to the music filling the theatre. Drinks and laughter shared among the groups observing. Even people trying to partner up to join the dancing was seen. Reinhardt trying to persuade Ana into dancing, much to the amusement from the people around them. It seemed to be a peaceful evening to behold. But all good things come to an end at some point.

The lights flickered vigorously, the doors opening wide from the powerful wind from the outside. Only to shut them tight and lock everyone inside. The music drowned by a wave of organs. Confusion and tension rose between everyone. A sudden scream was heard from the top staircase as a new face appeared before the crowd.

A man dressed in red, wearing a skull face stood at the top of the staircase. A feathered hat rested upon his had with a red cape upon his backside. Carrying a shotgun in his hand and a book in the other. Fear and terror loomed over the crowd as red death stood before them. You had felt every part of you freeze up at the familiar aura. Everyone's smiles and cheers were no longer heard as they knew who this man was. The Reaper of the Opera had returned.

His blackened gaze looking over the audience. Looking over the crowd in sinister amusement. Smoke escaping the teeth of the mask for every breath he took. Although hidden behind the mask, he could see the various looks of horror and disbelief at his presence. Stepping down the staircase slowly, he chuckled at their reactions with open arms.

“Why so silent, good Messieurs? Did you think that I had left you for good?” He hummed, his voice carrying around everyone with a deceitful sense of comfort, “Forgive me of my absence, I was preparing you an Opera to perform.”

Tossing the book towards Lucio, he scrambled to grab it as he looked at the contents inside. A score and script written with complete detail of what needed to be done. Planned and constructed every so carefully as if he had worked on this for years. Reaper raised his gun up, a silent threat to what he could do to anyone who opposed. Gently resting the side of it with his other hand.

“I suggest you follow what it says with complete obedience. There are more tragedies that await you than just a broken arm,” Turning his attention to an angry Jesse, who was merely held behind a concerned looking Ana. Continuing his steps, he halted before Hana and Lucio, “I do have more specific instructions before rehearsals start. For starters, Hana will have no part in the upcoming performance. The eager little rabbit has taken her course far too long for my liking.”

Taken back by his words, Lucio kept her steady from his words. Watching the man descend down the stairs, Genji kept close to you knowing the two of you awaited at the bottom steps. He was keen on staying by your side, until his attention was grabbed by Hanzo. Watching his brother beckon to his place quickly, he was hesitant to leave you at this very moment. Looking over at your frozen gaze, he hated the thought of leaving you exposed to this man. Parting away from you, he quickly joined his brother to see where he was heading. Disappearing into the crowd, leaving you on your own for just a moment. Reinhardt and Torbjorn were set to approach Reaper before his gun pointed towards them. Halting them from trying to take him down.

“I also advise my managers to remember who exactly runs this theatre. Know your places before you decide to run your mouths.” He warned, watching Reinhardts face look of terror while Torbjorn remained stubborn as ever. Looking down the staircase, his eyes finally found themselves upon you. You could feel him taking you in as every part of you was tempting you to go to him.

“As for our beloved star, Miss [Name]. No doubt she will do her best. Her voice is good, but it could excel if she lets it,” Praising you while also scolding you, he gestures with his free hand to your presence, “If only she will return to me, her teacher, I can continue to let her voice grow to further heights. To be my Angel of Music once more.”

Everyone’s attention drew to you. The reveal of your teacher finally being exposed. The source of your talent residing just halfway down the stairs. Hushed whispers and looks were drawn upon you. But your focus remained on him. Watching the soulless gaze upon you hardening. Even if you could truly see him, you could feel those dark eyes yearn for you. You approached ever so slowly, watching his gun lower as he moved down the stairs. His form towering over yours as you let your guard down. As if some part of him still lured you to his side.

You could never confess that you had missed his teachings, recalling how he took you away to bring light into his darkness. As much as he was to be feared, he was only ever gentle with you. He only wanted you to sing his songs. But you felt as if there was something more, something else that he wanted from you. To be with him, to be by his side.

It was almost as if you had forgotten everything else until he looked down to the ring. The glimmering reminder of who you devoted yourself to. The dragons glare mocking him of what he couldn’t have. Smoke seen around his form as his vulnerability was sealed back up. A growl escaped him as the grasped the ring and snatched it away. The chain snapping as he held the engagement ring in his hand. Startling you from his change of demeanour.

“Your chains are still mine; you belong to me!” He hissed. Leaving you wide eyed as a shout came from behind you.

“Don’t touch her!” The voice of Genji came up as he had returned with a blade in hand. Hanzo by his side with a bow to aim for Reaper. Very much prepared on their part given their past as they were waiting for this moment.

Not fast enough as he made his way back up the stairs with a laugh. Sending shots into the air to cause the crowd to scatter in fear. Causing a distraction for the two men to hesitate their strike. Shadows forming around him as he escaped into the floor on the steps. Genji running ahead, letting Hanzo stay by your side as he tried to slip into the escape. You were still left there to hold a hand to your collarbone to where he grabbed the ring. Just as Genji was about to reach him, the Reaper had finally disappeared. Jesse approached Genji quickly to see his gaze upon the closing floor below them.

“He’s getting away!” Genji cursed while McCree placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Come on, I know where he might’ve gone,” As he turned to go down the staircase, Ana stopped in front of them both. Keeping them from running, “Get out of our way Ana, I don’t need you to coddle me about my arm.”

“I can’t let you go after him, McCree.” She spoke behind the cat like mask she wore. Genji stepping in with a confused look.

“Why not? We should follow him before he attacks anyone else.” He states, trying to pass Ana before she held out her cane.

“He won’t do that unless you follow his words.” She finally claimed, drawing the attention of everyone around her. Even Fareeha was taken back by her mothers’ words.

“What do you mean by that?” She asked. Jesse cursed lowly with a glare to the older woman.

“Ana, what are you hiding? You know who he is don’t you” He questioned, watching the woman’s gaze falter with guilt. The managers approached in complete shock.

“What?” Reinhardt looked broken with a sense of betrayal appearing on his face. Torbjorn scowled as he approached Ana with a sneer.

“I knew it, he couldn’t have done all of this alone. He had an associate this entire time!” He stated. The look of horror now presented on everyone’s face. Anas attention now towards the shorter man.

“I will not be associated with what he has done,” Seeing the eyes fixated upon her, even as the men lowered their weapons from losing the Reaper. No longer able to hold her facade before everyone. She gripped her cane with resentment, sighing as she lifted her mask slowly, “I’m afraid there is much I have to talk about. Come, I will tell you everything that I know.”

To be continued

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phoenix-downer · 4 years

Text

Of Which Reason Knows Nothing - Chapter 2

I’m happy to post the second part of the project @chibiranmaruchan and I collaborated on! (You can find the first part here). They drew the art, and I wrote the fic. Working with them was a lot of fun, and I’m really happy with what we’ve created. I will also be posting this story to FFN and AO3 if those are your preferred reading spot(s).

Length: ~3000 words

Summary: Kairi may have lost someone important, but she isn’t alone, and she isn’t without hope. And her mysterious dreams just might have a clue as to Sora’s whereabouts…

Characters: Kairi, Sora, Riku

Additional Info: Implied Kairi/Sora, Riku and Kairi friendship. Post-Kingdom Hearts III. Referenced Character Death. Guilt, Grief/Grieving, Angst, Comfort, Dreams, Friendship.

Enjoy!

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That night, Kairi wore Sora’s hoodie to bed again. Maybe it wasn’t related to her dream at all, but it couldn’t hurt to wear it, just in case there was some sort of connection.

As her eyes flickered shut, she murmured, “Sora, if you’re out there… if you’re trying to reach me… I’m listening.”

Neon lights, flashing colors. An enormous city with skyscrapers pointing towards the moon, trying to reach the heavens but getting pulled back down to earth. Water on the ground in puddles as raindrops splashed into them, disturbing the surface of the water, reflecting the surroundings like a mirror.

She was back. She was back in the same place as before.

White paint on the ground. Lots of lines running across the street. Big billboards running dozens of different ads at the same time. Cars with bright lights, too bright in the dark. The sky a strange shade of purple with ominous black clouds. A big white tower with the numbers 104 in neon red letters.

She glanced at one of the puddles nearby. A face with blue eyes and spiky brown hair stared back. Lifting her hand, she gasped at what she saw. It wasn’t her hand. It was Sora’s, and he was holding a small black pin with a skull-looking emblem on it. He turned it over, and the whole world seemed to go wonky.

“Huh?” He dropped the pin and clutched his head.

“Sora!” she cried, but he couldn’t hear her. His Gummiphone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out.

The message said:

Reach 104. You have 60 minutes. Fail, and face erasure.

—The Reapers.

“Huh?!”

He put his phone back in his pocket. Pain shot up his arm, and he winced and looked at his hand again. Engraved into his palm were black numbers with yellow outlines and a red background.

59:49. 59:48. 59:47. They kept changing, kept… going down. Kept decreasing with each passing second. When he looked at the 104 building again, it said YOU HAVE 7 DAYS in big red letters against a black background.

“Sora!”

But the dream was over, and her eyes flew open. Fingers shaking, she grabbed the Gummiphone on her bedside table. The phone rang and rang and rang as her heart raced because of her dream.

“C’mon, Riku, please, please pick up—”

A few moments later, and he did.

“Kairi?” came his familiar voice, if a little groggy. She glanced at the little time display at the top of the screen. A few minutes after six. The video kicked in, and he yawned as he wiped the sleep out of his eyes.

“Riku, I had another dream about him again,” she said, unable to hide the excitement in her voice.

Riku perked up immediately at that. “You did? What was it about this time?”

“He was in that city I saw before, only this time there was more.” She closed her eyes and pictured it now. The busy crosswalk, the building with 104 written on it, all the colorful lights and sounds. And the red and black numbers carved into his palm. “There was a countdown, on his hand,” she added, trying to include as many details as possible.

“A countdown?” Riku repeated, his voice rising.

Her eyes flew open. “Yes. I’m not sure why, but—”

“Kairi, I think I know where he is. I think I know where he is,” Riku said, and his voice had more energy and hope in it than it had since… well, since everything had happened.

She tugged at Sora’s hoodie and sat up straighter at that. “W-what? But how?”

“When we were taking our Mark of Mastery exam, he met this guy named Neku. He told me later on that Neku talked to him about a game.”

“And?”

“There was a countdown on Neku’s hand that was a part of that game.”

She thought about this for a moment. “So you think he might be playing the same game as Neku?”

Riku nodded. “Yeah. He said Neku was from this place called Shibuya. If we can find that, we can find him.”

This was it, this was their best lead ever since he’d disappeared. She said goodbye to Riku and threw on some clothes. They had to go see Master Yen Sid about this. Their friends all deserved to know.

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Kairi waited with bated breath as Master Yen Sid closed his eyes and stroked his beard. Stealing a quick glance at Riku, she wondered if he was feeling as wound up as she was right now. His face was a calm mask, but then again, he’d never really worn his heart on his sleeve the way she and Sora did.

“So, you are convinced Sora is somewhere called Shibuya, playing some sort of game,” Master Yen Sid said.

Kairi nodded. “Yes, Master. I know it may seem a little crazy—”

“On the contrary, where else would a heart go after fading from the Realm of Light? Sora did not die a normal death, and there are legends of the same thing happening to others.”

“Really?” Riku asked. “Like who?”

Kairi knew what he was thinking. If it had happened to someone else before, there might be clues as to how to save Sora.

“There was a man who called himself the Master of Masters,” Master Yen Sid said. “He had six Keyblade-wielding apprentices, all named after the Seven Deadly Sins. Ava, Luxu, Invi, Gula, Ira, and Aced, with him as their leader: Superbia. Legend has it that instead of dying, he simply faded away, never to be seen or heard from again.”

Kairi and Riku both waited to hear more, but it soon became clear that was all.

“That’s it? That’s all?” Riku said, echoing her thoughts. “This… Master of Masters guy never returned to the Realm of Light?”

“Well, there is more to the story, but it relates to the events of the Keyblade War, and the two of you would be here for days if I were to recount it all to you. I do not think a history lesson is what you want right now. I shared this with you so you would know that the same fate that befell Sora has befallen someone else before, if the legends are to be believed. That was why Mickey tried to warn him against doing what he did, but as the philosophers say, the heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.”

Master Yen Sid smiled sadly, and Kairi’s heart sank. They had warned Sora not to save her and he still did? Why?

“I know it should be him here with Riku instead of me,” she said. “But if there’s anything I can do to—”

“Incorrect. You are exactly the person who should be here with Riku right now,” Master Yen Sid said. “For if Riku is to dive into realms unknown, who better to keep his heart tethered to the Realm of Light than a Princess of Heart?”

“I can do that?” Kairi said.

“You kept Sora tethered to the Realm of Light, did you not?”

“Well, yes, but… that was different, Master. My powers don’t work on other people the way they work on Sora, and I’m not really sure why, though I do have a few guesses.”

Riku raised an eyebrow but thankfully kept his mouth shut.

“As I said earlier: the heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing,” Master Yen Sid said. “But no matter; in keeping Riku tethered to the Realm of Light as he descends to the depths, you will be helping Sora. Surely you can see how your powers could still be used in this manner.”

“I suppose…”

“Have some faith in yourself, Kairi,” Riku said. “You kept Sora alive, and that let him save the rest of us. I know you’ll be able to pull this off.”

Kairi’s hand fluttered to her necklace. “But what if I can’t? What if I screw up again? I already lost Sora because I was too weak to stop myself from dying. I can’t… I can’t lose you too, Riku!”

Riku put his hand on her shoulder. “You can do this, I know you can. You’re not alone. Together we’ll find Sora and bring him back.” His expression softened. “And you know how I know that?”

“How?”

“Sora believes in us. He believed he’d find you when you were lost. He never gave up on me after all the crap I pulled. So let’s believe in ourselves the way he does.”

Riku was right. Even though Kairi had trouble believing in herself, she couldn’t deny that Sora believed in her. And she believed in him. She believed in Riku, too. And maybe that would be enough.

“Okay, I’m willing to try,” she said, and Master Yen Sid and Riku both nodded.

“We must begin preparations at once,” Master Yen Sid said. “There is no time to waste. The sooner we can reach Sora and bring him back to the Realm of Light, the better.”

Finally. They finally had something to do besides sit around at home and grieve. Taking action felt so much better than doing nothing.

As she and Riku made preparations, she couldn’t help but reflect back on those words she’d told Sora and Riku before. This time, she wasn’t just going to protect Sora. This time, she wasn’t just going to fight. This time, she was going to act. She was going to be the one searching for Sora for once instead of the other way around.

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The night before the mission, Kairi dreamed of Sora again. He was still in that same city, but he wasn’t at the big crosswalk anymore. He was on a side street, fighting some strange-looking creatures Kairi had never seen before. They weren’t Heartless or Nobodies, but they did look like large frogs with elaborate red and black tattoos where their legs should’ve been. And even through the dream, Kairi could sense how the atmosphere surrounding them felt. Her skin crawled and her mood dropped, and she could only imagine how Sora felt fighting them.

When he had destroyed the last of them with his Keyblade, he stumbled against a nearby building, a store with bright red letters. His bangs were stuck to his forehead, and he was breathing hard. How long had he been fighting? How many of those things had he already fought?

But what really drew her attention was when he reached into his pocket and pulled out her lucky charm. Her heart soared at the sight of it. He still had it. He still—

“Why can’t I remember you?” he said, and his voice was anguished.

Her heart sank. Sora didn’t… remember her?

Why not? What had happened to him? Were all his memories gone?

“Sora?” she said. “Sora, I’m here!”

But he couldn’t hear her, and he tucked the charm back into his pocket. “Doesn’t matter. Whoever gave this to me has to be someone important to me.” He looked right at her and made a guts pose, even though he couldn’t see her. “Whoever you are, I’m gonna get home to you, some way, somehow.” He smiled, and it was so good to see his smile again. “I promise.”

She opened her mouth to reply, but the dream was over, and her eyes flew open. She rolled over onto her side, still wrapped in Sora’s hoodie, and huddled beneath her blanket as light poured through the window.

Did Sora really not remember her? Her lower lip trembled at the thought. How could he have forgotten her after everything they’d been through? This was like when she’d forgotten him, and a lump built in her throat when she remembered how awful that had been. The memories slowly slipping away from her. The day she’d forgotten his name. The night she’d forgotten his face. The moment she realized she couldn’t hear his voice anymore. All of that came crashing back to her, and her eyes welled up with tears.

But she and Sora had gotten through that, in the end. And his promise did make her feel a little better. Maybe the memories were all scrambled up, but they weren’t gone for good. They had to still be in his heart somehow. The bond they shared couldn’t be broken that easily.

The important thing was that he was fighting to get back to her. So she would fight to reach him, too. Whatever obstacles they might face, she and Riku would bring him home.

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“You ready?” Kairi asked as she held her hands out to Riku. They were back in Master Yen Sid’s study, and everyone else was here too – King Mickey and Donald and Goofy, Terra and Aqua and Ven, Naminé, of course, and Roxas and Xion and Axel. Even Isa was present. Admittedly, that made her feel a little uncomfortable, but at least he had the good sense not to try to talk to her.

“Ready if you are,” Riku said with a half-grin. How he was so relaxed about this, she’d never know. Her hands were shaking a little, but when he grabbed a hold of them, a wave of calm washed over her.

“For Sora?”

“For Sora.”

Her eyes fluttered shut, and she pictured Sora searching for her in Shibuya. Pictured Riku, pictured his heart.

There. She could see his Station of Awakening now with its stained glass-like panels showing the people that were most important to him. Friends and family and memories spread throughout his heart. Taking a deep breath, she reached out with her light, tethering her heart to his. His memories started flowing through her mind, and she opened her eyes.

“Okay, I’m connected to you now. Whenever you’re ready.”

He looked around at their friends. “Hey, why the long faces? Don’t worry about me. I’ll be back here with Sora in no time, you’ll see.” He looked at Kairi one more time and smiled. “We won’t give up on him, because he never gave up on us. And he’s helped every person here in this room at one time or another. Now it’s time we return the favor.”

There was a general chorus of agreement and well-wishing at that. Letting go of one of Kairi’s hands, Riku summoned his Keyblade and opened a large portal above them complete with swirling colors and elaborate designs of a bygone age.

“Stay safe, Riku,” she said. “See you soon.”

And with that a great beam of light shot down and pulled him into the portal. Her hand was now empty, and she rested it over her heart.

“Well?” King Mickey said.

She smiled. “He’s okay. I can feel him.”

Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.

“And… I can feel Sora’s heart, too. He may not remember me yet, but I know he will soon.”

“That’s the magic of the paopu fruit!” Goofy said, then slapped his hands over his mouth as Donald tapped his foot.

“Hey, you weren’t supposed to tell everyone that,” Donald scolded, and everyone laughed as Kairi blushed. Great, did all their friends know about the paopu fruit? Well, not surprising. Juicy gossip had a way of spreading like wildfire.

“Hey, if the Wayfinders can bring me and Aqua and Terra back together again, imagine how powerful the real thing will be!” Ven pointed out. “Especially because you and Sora—”

“Less teasing, more practicing with your Keyblade,” Aqua chided, but she was smiling, and Terra grinned and ruffled his hair. Ven pretended to protest, but it was obvious he liked the hair ruffling and playful scolding.

As the others started up conversations with each other, catching up on how everything had been going since everyone had last seen each other, one person in particular sought Kairi out. Naminé, still holding her sketchpad and pencil but wearing a cute new dress, blue and yellow and white.

“Kairi?”

“Yes Naminé? What is it?”

“I know you’re feeling sad about Sora forgetting you, but I doubt those memories are gone for good. Look at Xion,” she said, gesturing at their friend, who smiled and waved at them. “We all thought no one would remember her, and yet here she is now. Sora’s memories of you will come back, I just know they will.”

“Thanks, Naminé. And when Sora finally comes back, he can thank you properly, too.”

Naminé smiled, and Kairi went over to talk to Axel and Roxas and Xion some more, then to King Mickey and Donald and Goofy, then lastly to Terra and Aqua and Ven. She had something very important to ask, something she wanted to do as Riku searched for Sora and she kept him tethered to the Realm of Light.

“Master Aqua, please take me on as your apprentice,” she pleaded as she bowed low. This was her best shot, her best hope at becoming a better Keyblade wielder after the disaster that had happened at the Keyblade Graveyard.

When she straightened, her throat dry, Aqua was beaming down at her. “I thought you’d never ask.”

She clasped her hands and thanked Aqua profusely. Here was an opportunity to get better, to improve, to become a better fighter by the time Sora and Riku returned. She wasn’t the weak girl that had gotten kidnapped and killed anymore. She had the heart and will to be strong, and she was going to prove it.

However long it might take, however hard she would have to work, it didn’t matter. Someday, she would fight by Sora’s side again. Someday, she would be able to spar with Riku and give him a run for his munny. Someday, the three of them would be together again and all would feel right in the worlds.

And someday, she and Sora would finally be able to make good on the promise they’d made. They’d be together every day, and nothing would be able to keep them apart anymore.

For that, she would train and fight for as long as it might take. Now was the time to step forward like she’d said she would. Now was the time to act. The fight was in her hands, and she was ready at long last.

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A/N: A big thank you again to @chibiranmaruchan! And thank you to everyone who read, reblogged, liked, and commented on the story! Hope you enjoyed :)

#kingdom hearts #kairi #sora #riku #sokai #implied sokai #destiny trio #kairi and riku friendship #kh fanfiction #phoenix writes #phoenix-downer #chibiranmaruchan #collaboration #long post #kh3 spoilers #twewy references

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tss-grimmverse · 4 years

Text

Chapter 2: Gloxinia

it doesn’t mean much

it doesn’t mean anything at all

the life i’ve left behind me is a cold room

Virgil stirred to wide-eyed awareness twice in the night, both times because he thought he heard doors opening. But he was too exhausted to get up and check, and reluctantly settled down after the adrenaline wore off.

The third time he opened his eyes, the sky outside his bedroom window glowed an early morning blue and he desperately needed the restroom.

Groaning, he grabbed his hoodie from where he’d slung it over the headboard the night before, pulled it securely around him, and padded across the hallway. Once finished, he tiptoed cautiously into the main room, finding it exactly as he had left it the night before.

Was he still alone? If the sounds he’d heard were Logan coming in super late, at best the dude was probably still asleep.

Hell, I should still be asleep, Virgil thought, wandering blearily into the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator, more out of curiosity than actual hunger, and let out a surprised laugh.

“Holy troll shit, that is a lot of jelly,” he murmured, pulling out a jar to read the label. Crofters Organic.

Oh.

That explained the postscript.

The sound of front door opening and closing startled him to his feet. Virgil hastily replaced the jar, lining it back up next to its dozen or so neighbors.

Closing the fridge door, he looked over the counter and found himself face to face with the most gorgeous person he’d ever laid eyes on. His heart stuttered. The newcomer dumped a keyring on the counter…shit, this was Logan?…and adjusted a pair of half-moon glasses.

“You must be Virgil,” he said in a deep, tranquil voice, stepping out of a pair of worn athletic shoes.

Virgil made a croaking noise that tried to become a greeting before getting stuck halfway down his throat.

Logan swept through the apartment, disappearing into the furthest room and reemerging with a towel. Sweat glistened on his bare chest, bark dark and beech smooth, and sparkled in black hair braided into a dozen wavy rows against his scalp. The guy had one of those sculpted, solid builds, all broad, lean planes and bold, sensual lines. An artist’s dream to shade; a little awkward to hug.

Virgil swallowed hard, forcing his poor gay eyes away.

Somehow between the normalcy of the apartment and the weirdly formal note, he had forgotten that Logan was half faery; half Court Fae, in fact, if his looks were any clue. Such faeries were, as a rule, heartbreakingly beautiful.

Upon closer examination, his non-human heritage was obvious. Ears that swept up and back to points on either side of his head, clearly visible to Virgil’s changeling gaze. Frost white streaks that twined through his braids. And those fae, prismatic eyes: the irises an explosion of frost and indigo and smoke that coalesced into a deep slate gray.

Eyes that gazed a little too deep, burned a little too wild behind his glasses.

Virgil knew he ought to say something, but his addled brain had forgotten how to operate his mouth.

“Apologies for my unkempt state,” Logan said as he patted himself down. “I always do my running in the morning before it gets too hot.”

“Uh…yeah,” Virgil muttered, wrenching his gaze from smooth muscles and a graceful sweeping collarbone to Logan’s stormy eyes, so striking in that dark face. “No, I mean…that’s cool.”

Eloquent, Virgil.

Logan eyed him impassively.

Virgil became abruptly and painfully ashamed to be dressed in nothing but ratty boxers and a faded hoodie. Maybe he could just escape into my room and put pants on or would Logan hate me for being rude but maybe he already hates me for being half naked in the living room what the hell is wrong with me…

“Do you drink coffee?”

Logan hung the towel over one of the dining room chairs and swept past Virgil into the kitchen. A trace of that elusive teal scent from the night before followed in his wake, nearly making Virgil swoon. Even his voice was sexy: dark and ocean blue, pleasantly filling the room without being loud.

Kelpie’s mane, Virgil, get your shit together. It’s not like you’ve never seen a hot black dude before.

He pulled his hoodie more tightly around himself.

“Uh, yeah,” he belatedly answered Logan’s question. “Coffee’s great.”

“Personally I like tea.”

Oh. Well, Virgil did usually manage to say the wrong thing.

Logan pulled a Keurig machine from a bottom cabinet and set it up on the counter.

“Herbal, preferably,” he added, “though I have been known to enjoy a good Earl Gray from time to time.”

“Earl Gray.” Virgil forced a chuckle. “You Captain Picard or something?”

His Rennie family had all been very fond of Star Trek, which was the only reason Virgil knew anything about it.

Logan, however, frowned.

“I am Logan Ursae.” He adjusted his glasses. “I assumed the Youngstown Grimms would have at least informed you of my name before sending you here?”

Virgil wasn’t sure if he was being mocked or if the guy was just that literal.

“I meant, like, the Star Trek character, dude. Obviously I know who you are.”

Logan’s mouth twisted and he turned back to the Keurig.

“I’m afraid I am not at all knowledgable about popular human entertainment. I find most of it trite and shallow.”

Virgil scuffed his bare foot uneasily over the carpet. Usually he preferred people to speak their minds instead of fucking around…but this guy took that philosophy a bit far.

He did write that stick-up-the-ass note.

“Do you know that proper peppermint can be frustratingly difficult to procure unless one grows it themselves?” Logan said, once again ignoring the awkward silence that had fallen.

Or maybe Virgil was the only awkward one, as usual.

“And it cannot be grown from seed, only cuttings.”

Virgil made a noncommittal noise, unsure if Logan was even expecting a response at this point.

Logan held out a box of flavored coffees, packed side by side and seemingly organized by color.

“Um…hazelnut if you’ve got it,” Virgil muttered. “Should I, like, help or whatever?”

“Nonsense, you are my guest. Plus my kitchen is not large enough to accommodate two people comfortably.” Logan waved a graceful hand as he filled a copper kettle. “I will start our drinks, and then perhaps we should both get dressed for the day.”

Virgil flushed and pulled his hoodie closer, aware once again that he’d galavanted out here in his underwear and worse, Logan had noticed. Had he seen Virgil ogling his bare chest?

Was that why he kept prattling on about tea?

He’s probably already decided I’m weird and creepy, he’s just waiting for the right moment to call me out…

“Why even have a coffee maker if you don’t drink coffee?” Virgil asked, and then flinched. He had a bad habit of masking his anxiety with belligerence.

It was why people tended not to like him.

Logan’s mouth quirked as he centered a mug under the Keurig. “You are not the first changeling I’ve taken in.”

He brushed past Virgil again (that scent, gods, Virgil’s brain swooned again), heading towards the back bedroom.

“Go and change while I shower,” he threw over his shoulder. “Then we can properly acquaint ourselves with one another.”

With that, the door clicked shut, leaving Virgil alone with a gaping mouth.

“Bloody redcaps,” he muttered, yanking a handful of his faded purple hair. ‘Acquaint ourselves’, my gay ass. Said with a straight face. How the fuck is anyone that oblivious?

“Naughty, naughty thoughts, changeling.” Remy’s amused smirk and sunglasses were just visible from his cabinet’s half-open door. “You’re lucky the Bear’s not a telepath.”

Virgil, flushing, made a rude gesture in the brownie’s direction and stalked to his own room, slamming the door. He then leaned against it and exhaled, his heart still throbbing unsteadily in his chest.

Logan was…not what he had expected.

Virgil wasn’t sure what he had expected, after reading that note from last night. Certainly not some hot nerd with a gorgeous runner’s body and a quiet, self-assured aura, plus a bit bossy, and damn, why do I find that kinda hot?

Remy’s taunt came back to him and he groaned, covering his face. They were naughty thoughts; thoughts a changeling like himself had no business entertaining. A beautiful half-faery deserved far better than a former thrall who’d done the sorts of things Virgil had done…

Plus you haven’t made the best first impression, have you?

Virgil thunked his head against the door, realized he’d been wool-gathering like a moron for several minutes, and went to change clothes. He took a little time to comb his hair and rub a little patchouli oil behind his ears. He wished he owned something nicer than ripped black jeans, faded band t-shirts (mostly metal), and one bulky, black plaid hoodie.

He hated that it suddenly mattered.

When Virgil emerged, Logan had already returned to the kitchen, dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a plain black polo that clung rather unfairly to his arms and torso, and…Virgil almost chuckled at the sight…a blue striped necktie.

Somehow, he made it work.

“Sit where you’d like.” Logan poured hot water into a galaxy mug without turning around. The Keurig spat the last of its sweet smelling contents into a second mug, and Logan carried both to the table.

Virgil sat, feeling self-conscious as Logan passed him his coffee.

Because now the half faery clearly expected them to talk about things.

Virgil hated talking about things.

“I imagine you have questions,” Logan stated without preamble.

“I…guess?” Virgil took a shy sip and winced as it burned his tongue.. “I mean…they didn’t tell me much about you back in Ohio,” he admitted. “Only that you have some ability to hide changelings from other Fae, and that’s why I’d be safe here.”

Logan stirred a generous dollop of honey into his tea, tasted it, grimaced, and added another spoonful. Virgil stared, morbidly fascinated that anyone so doggedly serious would want their drink that sweet.

“My ability to hide you is actually a byproduct of what I am, rather than anything I do.” Logan explained. “Simply put, even as a half-blood, my Court magic burns strong enough to mask yours. A proper Court faery could hide you far better, but finding one who wouldn’t immediately turn you back over to your master would be…”

“Impossible?” Virgil shivered.

“Improbable.”

There were a million questions Virgil probably needed to ask, since he was stuck here. But as usual, his mouth refused to cooperate.

Logan eventually got up to fry a couple eggs and fix some toast, prompting Virgil to ask about the fridge full of jam, which sparked a passionate one-sided rant about fruit spreads, organics, ethics, and the superiority of Crofters that spared Virgil the need to do anything except nod with wide eyes until breakfast was over.

(He was permitted to taste the sacred jam, and had to admit that it was pretty good).

“We will need to pick up Nicodemus this morning,” Logan stated once they’d finished eating and carried their plates to the sink.

“We?” Virgil echoed, choosing to focus on that rather than on who or what a ‘Nicodemus’ might be. He slid his plate into the soapy water as Logan washed, almost dropping it when he accidentally brushed Logan’s forearm. The half-faery’s skin was smooth and pleasantly cool.

“I do not think it safe for you to be left here alone for long periods of time, at least not at first. Therefore you will need to accompany me on errands. I suggest we take thirty minutes to digest and then be on our way.” Logan paused, and turned to properly face Virgil. “If…that is agreeable to you?”

Virgil’s dislike of being ordered around must have been visible on his face. He schooled it to neutrality and cleared his throat.

“Yeah, whatever.”

Good impression, Virgil, come on.

“I mean, I don’t have anything going on until classes start in two weeks, so…you know, whatever you need to do is cool with me.”

Great. Now stop rambling, idiot.

Logan nodded and swept past again, down the hall, and then his bedroom door was closing firmly behind him again. Virgil huffed and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Definitely not a man of excess words.

Or, and I’m just spitballing here, he thought wryly as he meandered back to his own room. Maybe he hates you already.

Gloxinia: love at first sight

#sanders sides fanfiction #ts fanfic #virgil sanders #ts virgil #fae #logan sanders #ts logan #sanders sides #mahoganyandteakwood

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windup-dragoon · 4 years

Text

Guess who’s at it again? Me. A stupid drabble of Aymeric x Kirishimi. I’m not really sure when it takes place, probably a little bit after Heavensward. It features the Fantasy Squad; Illya, Shuri, and Laurelis. Really wish I could have written it better but I feel as if I’m forcing myself to write more than writing out of inspiration. Hopefully it isn’t too godawful to read. Anyway, enjoy.

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔻𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕜

ᴬʸᵐᵉʳⁱᶜ ˣ ᴷⁱʳⁱˢʰⁱᵐⁱ

ᵂᵒʳᵈ ᶜᵒᵘⁿᵗ: ¹,⁷⁰⁷

“That woman is insufferable!” An angry Estinien howled into the corridor of Fortemps manor. His heels stamped the polished floors with heavy footfalls as he marched himself back to the parlor.

Alphinaud, Alisaie, and Haurchefant all but dropped their tea at such ferocity that bellowed. What war had they stumbled upon while enjoying fine pastries beside the fire?

“... Do we dare ask?” Alisaie spoke in chosen quiet so only those among her could hear.

Haurchefant, all smiles even in such turmoil, stifled a laugh. From over the back of the lounging chair the young man waved an encouraging gesture for his fellow to join them. “Pray, tell us what ails you!” Haurchefant grinned and eagerly patted the open seat at his side for Estinien.

Before the former azure dragoon could decide his next course of action, however, another set of footfalls padded hastily behind. Estinien whirled on his heel, nearly stumbling into the parlor as his pursuer marched forth, lance in hand.

“Insufferable? Yer the asinine bloke who walked in on me dressin’!” It was Kirishimi, radiating with annoyance and spitting venom. Her lance was raised above one shoulder, poised to be thrown like a javelin at the man before her.

An audible gasp came from the audience.

Estinien could do naught but duck behind a pedestal of arranged flowers to give her reason to hesitate. “Bah! I knocked, you daft girl! Moreover, you were fully clothed!”

“I thought you were the maid comin’ back with that curtain of a dress!” Kiri hissed, “And under armor is just the same as bein’ undressed!”

The trio at the hearth all sighed in relief. A misunderstanding at best. Everyone in attendance was aware of Kirishimi’s disinterest in wearing anything but armor. She likened it to a state of undress, no matter the layers she wore. Even now, standing at the mouth of the corridor in a woolen tunic and pants, Kirishimi held an arm around herself as if preserving herself.

“Enough.” At last a voice of reason emerged. Count Edmont, standing at the Warrior of Lights side, dared to take hold of the lance she brandished. “If you must argue like barbarian children, then have the courtesy to do it outside.” Edmont sounded exhausted but wore a smile nevertheless. Such challenging interactions changed the pace in his life; a bit of excitement he hadn’t endured since his sons were but babes.

“Aye!” Estinien roused to his full height, straightening his suit as if dust had suddenly accumulated.

“Estinien, if I may?” Alphinaud set his tea aside before raising blue eyes to the dragoons. “Did you not say you came to deliver something? You made it sound urgent.”

“...Yes.” Sighed the man, abruptly remembering his composure. “Although I wouldn’t call it urgent.” From the depths of his breast pocket he produced the trinket he had been tasked to deliver. A golden partial mask of lace and blue hued jewels. Its design was simple enough but likened to that of a dragon.

“Since this is a masquerade you will be attending, I thought it only suitable to have one made custom.” Edmont announced with a touch of pride.

Kirishimi, having long since lowered her weapon, found herself staring blankly at the object in question. The curves the mask made to match cheekbones held sharp edges, layered with small golden metals that looked like scales.

Such a small but precious thing. Her fingertips gingerly held it once Estinien handed it over outright, examining the small embedded sapphires that made it spark with radiance by light of the fire. A gift... for her. Already was Edmont having a dress tailored for her and now this? It all felt too much. She had done nothing to be so deserving of such lavished luxuries.

“You have my thanks, Ser Estinien.” Edmont continued on while Kirishimi admired the craftsmanship of her gift.

In return, Estinien gave a nod.

“Now that no one has a desire to harm the other, perhaps we should continue to ready ourselves?” Alisaie, rising from the couch aside Alphinaud, smiled. “It won’t be long now before we will have to make our leave. And if you have no objections, I can help assist you, Kirishimi. Although such stately parties perplex me, I am no stranger to it nonetheless.”

---

Kirishimi felt like a painted doll that evening. Her cheeks weighted down with a dusting of powder, lips sticky with a tasteless paint. Despite the hours they had spent deciding the fate of her hair, they had settled to leave it down, quicksilver locks cascading over the bare slopes of her shoulders. At least little, if anyone, took notice of the way she pouted with puffed cheeks beneath her dragon inspired mask.

Before her was a landscape of vivid colored fabric and sparkling gilded jewelry. Not a single mask among the crowd was the same as another. She spotted some as chocobo in design, another a coeurl and even a behemoth with pearls to represent the gnashing fangs of such beasts. Beautiful and striking. But was it necessary? Did any of these party goers know the reality behind their masks inspiration? What a terrifying sound a behemoth could make? How ferocious a coeurl? Though when it came to the chocobo mask that Haurchefant adorned, Kirishimi could only smile. It seemed befitting of him. At least a chocobo could not maim.

“You have the look of a leashed wolf.” A voice at her side startled Kirishimi out of thought. She had been sitting alone upon a bench beneath a window for some time, until now. Estinien now occupied a spot beside her, a mask with a wyverns aspect in ebony obscuring his own unamused features.

“I feel foolish.” Kiri admitted in a sigh. She had been absently picking at the sparkles that dusted her midnight blue dress, her golden mesh clad fingertips looking as if she had touched the wings of a butterfly.

“Indeed, you do.” He mused, chuckling lightly when Kirishimi nearly hissed. “How is it that your friends can enjoy themselves yet you sit alone sulking?” Estinien gestured to the crowd.

Here and there she could spot them. Her beloved friends, chatting and dancing, drinking in the elegance of the night. Illya and Alphinaud having a bashful conversation beside an overflowing bouquet of lively flowers. Kirishimi could practically hear Illya praising the plants for producing such exquisite petals. Shuri had struck up a conversation with Alisaie, both so lively and bursting with laughter. Laurelis being swept cheerfully away by Lord Haurchefant, eagerly occupying the floor with their dance.

But this setting was more attuned for them. The others were well versed in such affairs as parties. They all looked so stunning in their gowns and attire; beautiful and enchanting. Comfortable. Kirishimi, meanwhile, had to enlist Alphinaud and Alisaie’s help just to attend.

“They’re better adapted, I’m afraid.” Kirishimi closed her eyes and blew out a sigh.

“Who is better adapted?” A familiar tone struck her ears. Warm and almost melodious. She would recognize it even in the midst of a thunderstorm.

Immediately her eyes opened, revealing to her a recognizable face smiling down at her. Onyx hair curled at his cheeks and over his brow, his aquamarine eyes shimmering beneath a mask of painted sapphire and dusted in gold. The mask another dragon aspect, with horns that were lost in the curl of his hair. His smile, that damnable smile that made her heart flutter as if a bird, filled his features with warmth and delight.

Quickly she glanced away, to Estinien at her side, only to discover the dragoon had long since vacated. That sly fox.

“Estinien made mention that you were alone. I apologize for not seeking you out sooner, Kirishimi.” Aymeric made an apologetic face, truly regretful.

“No... Don’t be. I’m sure your time at social events is always spoken for.” She could see it now. The crowd of lords and ladies around him, beckoning for his attention over political or personal conversations. It had occurred to her that seeking him out was an option upon arrival, but hesitation made her falter. Instead she found herself visiting the table of decorated pastries and glittering glasses of crimson wine.

Aymeric suddenly took to his knee, eye level with the woman before him. His gloved hand embraced hers, holding hers as if he had captured a firefly. Delicately.

“There was not a moment I hadn’t searched the crowd for you. Imagine my fear when I thought perhaps you were not in attendance.” If anyone else had spoken such fanciful words, Kirishimi would have assumed it a lie. No one wants to spend a lavish party like this with a woman of her standard. But Aymeric had such a way about him. Every word whispered was heartfelt, true, and meaningful. She was compelled to believe him which made her heart drum beneath her chest. Such an elated feeling... To be wanted.

“Then do you care to sit beside me?” She offered with a shy smile tugging at her painted lips.

“No.” His answer was immediate, just as pronounced as he rose to his feet once more, her hands still clasped in his. “Rather, I have a better idea in mind. If you will indulge me?”

Before she knew it, Aymeric had pried her from the bench. He spirited her through the throngs of people who whispered beneath decorated masks. Briskly walking hand-in-hand beside party goers who all froze mid sentence.

The silence was deafening. All the life had faded from the crowd, even the music having hushed. She could only hear the hum of her heart and the clicks of her heels against the polished floors while trailing behind Aymeric.

But soon they came to a stop. Lord Haurchefant and Laurelis, having had stopped mid dance, smiled brightly now that the two had joined them on the dance floor.

Music once again started. Soft at first, a whisper over the murmur of the crowd. Aymeric whirled on his heel to again face Kirishimi, his fingers laced with hers while his other arm fastened around her waist, drawing her close.

“Dance with me?”

Kirishimi, feeling the sensation of a blush burning her cheeks, could only smile at such an innocent request. “Of course.”

#|| Untold Stories #ffxiv writing #aymeric x wol #ser aymeric #aymeric de borel #it's really lame #my b #kiri and estinien are like brother and sister #they just argue #but they watch out for one another #kind of #aymeric plz waltz with kiri into the sunset #also Haurchefant doesn't die in this #:^)

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thewritewolf · 5 years

Text

Inseparable Chapter 31: Waiting on You

And so we finally reach the end of my story for Ladynoir July 2019, Inseparable. It’s been a ride and this story really made me think - not just about the relationship between Ladybug and Chat Noir, but about the miraculous and how they interact with each other. I hope you all enjoyed this, and I hope that you’ll keep an eye out for the smaller stories that I’ll be working on in the near future. Thanks for reading!

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

@ladynoirjuly2019

Enjoy!

Read on Ao3

(Really hoping the Read More works since this is like a 3k long chapter)

The two of them exchanged a look before getting up, slowly and cautiously. It was late, past midnight and much later than they would expect any of their friends to drop by. Even assuming that they would appear without calling ahead first - both Adrien and Marinette lived busy lives, after all, and showing up unannounced was a good way to miss them entirely. So whoever was on the other side of that door knew they were there, despite how infrequently they were home or awake at this hour.

Adrien crept ahead of his lady as he approached the door. Names ticked through his head as he tried to puzzle out who it could be. Nino had a DJ gig today. Alya would be sleeping. None of his model coworkers knew where he lived, and neither did most of their friends from lycee. They hadn’t been in this apartment for that long - they had only entertained guests a couple times so far. Ready to pounce if this turned out bad, he opened the door.

Looking up at him, peaceful as ever, was none other than Master Fu. A dark green bag with faded yellow symbols hung from his shoulder.

“Greetings, young one.” He leaned to the side to look behind Adrien. “And hello to you as well, Marinette. I see the two of you have completed the final stage of your training.”

Marinette approached slowly. “How did you…?”

The old man smiled. “To those attuned to the flow of energy, it is clear as day. There is an unbreakable bond between the two of you.” His smile faded and his face became serious. “A bond that I am afraid I will have to test today.”

Pulling Marinette closer to him instinctively, Adrien eyed the old master suspiciously. “It’s been a while since we’ve talked and that’s one of the first things that you say?”

His hands rested on the gnarled old cane that he carried. “I understand your protectiveness, Adrien Agreste. But I promise you, this is for the good of all. Will you at least hear what I would ask of you?”

With a sigh, Adrien stood aside. “Okay, okay. I at least owe you that much.”

“At the very least,” Master Fu confirmed with a small smile.

While Adrien sat back down to where, just a few minutes ago, he’d been occupied with kissing his girlfriend, Marinette pulled a chair in front of the couch and took her spot next to Adrien. Master Fu nodded his thanks as he settled into the repositioned chair. To Adrien’s immense surprise, the guardian almost seemed… uncertain. Not as composed as he remembered from his earlier years.

Wayzz appeared from Fu’s hawaiian shirt and floated above the others. Tikki and Plagg rose to meet him and the three of them sailed towards the kitchen, no doubt looking to scrounge for some snacks. Adrien watched them before returning his attention to Fu.

“I know that you don’t like to make house calls unless you absolutely have to,” Marinette said, finally breaking the silence. “So I understand that whatever you are here for, you consider to be very important.” She wrung her hands from nerves and Adrien settled one hand over them. “But I get the feeling you don’t like what you’re going to ask.”

After a moment, Master Fu nodded slowly. “You are correct. I am here because of this,” he reached into his bag and pulled out an object that Adrien was all too familiar with - the Peacock miraculous.

It had been years since he had seen it last, but it had been seared into his memory as the end of his family, such that it was. From what Master Fu had told him, it was what had made his mother fall into a coma, and his father’s possession of it was a major reason Adrien had realized his father was Hawkmoth. But Adrien also remember that it was…

“You want us to fix it,” Adrien blurted out.

Fu’s eyes widened ever so slightly, but he nodded. “The creator of the miraculous is long gone. The secret knowledge and techniques of my order has been lost for over a century. The only power left in this world capable of restoring this miraculous is that of the Ladybug and Black Cat miraculous, working in tandem.”

Beside him, Marinette gasped. “You knew!” At Adrien’s confused look, she elaborated. “You knew that the Peacock was damaged from the beginning. All this time, I had wondered why you chose to send out the two miraculous that Hawkmoth had wanted but… it makes sense now. You needed us to fix the Peacock miraculous.”

“It was a gamble, but I had faith in the ones who I had chosen.” Master Fu’s eyes were resolute. “My faith was rewarded when you successfully returned the long missing miraculous. For that, I am grateful.” He bowed his head in respect. “I had resigned myself to wait for years for your powers to mature, but both of you became stronger far quicker than I had ever hoped. I simply wish that you had not been forced to access your abilities so prematurely.”

“But we were,” Adrien stated. “And now it sounds like you’re asking us to do it again.” His hand tightened around Marinette’s.

“I understand that you feel trepidation after what happened last time…”

“I nearly watched the love of my life die!” Adrien growled. “You honestly think that-”

“Adrien.” Her voice was calm, but stern. His anger that had been slowly building up evaporated in an instant as his attention turned back to her. “We have to help. It’s our duty.”

He cupped her cheek and through the mask of determination she wore he could see the fear buried deep in her eyes. “...Haven’t you given enough already?” His voice broke as he added, “I don’t want to lose you. Not again.”

“Chaton…” She kissed his nose and pulled him close. “We have to do this. It’s something only we can do.” His arms wrapped around her so he could hold her tight. He buried his face into her shoulder. “If it isn’t us, then someone even less prepared will try and fail. Right, Master Fu?”

“Indeed. It is rare to see a pair as inseparable as you two. That bond will be your weapon and your armor in this coming battle.” Adrien heard the chair squeak and the sound of something being placed on the table. “You know where I live. Take all the time you need.” His voice became distant. “Good luck, young ones.”

The door closed behind him. The apartment was silent for a few minutes as Tikki and Plagg floated over the damaged miraculous.

“Oh, poor Duusu… I can barely feel her presence. She must be so weak.” There was sadness in Tikki’s watery eyes. Plagg placed a comforting paw on her head.

“Don’t worry, Sugarcube. Won’t be too much longer before we’re one big happy family again…” he peered over his shoulder to Adrien, an uncharacteristic seriousness on his face. “...Right, kid?”

Adrien buried his face in his hands. “...Right, Plagg.”

Marinette’s hand rubbed circles on his back while her other one rested on his knee. She was quiet when she spoke. “I know you’re worried, mon chaton.” She wrapped her arms around him. “I am too.”

“I don’t know what we’re about to be getting ourselves into.” He returned her hug, holding her as tight as he could. “But I’m glad that it’s you that’s going to be by my side for this. For all of this. I couldn’t have asked for anyone better.”

Her smile was weak but radiant, like a glimpse of the sun seen in a rainstorm. “You took the words right out of my mouth.” Brushing aside the nascent tears, she stood up. “Are you ready to start?”

“You want to do this now?” Adrien rose as well, glancing between the kwamis and the broken miraculous.

“I’m afraid if I think about this too much then I’ll chicken out.”

A surprised laugh forced its way out of him. “That’s fair.” He turned to the kwami. “Do either of you need any recharging before we get started?”

“Kid, this goes against everything I stand for but... No, I’m full. Let’s do this.” Plagg narrowed his eyes and nodded at Adrien.

“I feel stronger than I have in generations.” Tikki swirled around Marinette’s head. “I’m so lucky to have such a wonderful chosen. Both of you are so brave.”

“So…” Adrien looked into the silvery metal of his ring. “How do we do this?”

“Traditionally, it starts with you transforming, ya dingus.” Plagg’s tail flicked back and forth irritatedly.

“Yes, Plagg, I managed to figure that part out on my own. But what about after that?”

Tikki floated into his field of view. “You have to remember, Adrien, that this isn’t a common event and we are always inside the miraculous when it happens. The only advice we can give you is to do the meditations as usual and just… focus your energy on Duusu’s miraculous. The rest should make itself clear.”

After a moment, Adrien nodded slowly. “Alright… let’s give this a shot then. Plagg, claws out!”

“Tikki, spots on!”

And just like that Chat Noir and Ladybug stood in the middle of their living room. It had been over a month since he’d gone through the familiar transformation and despite his fears, it felt like slipping into a favorite outfit.

“Are you ready to start?” Adrien asked.

Ladybug nodded and put a pillow on the ground next to the table where the miraculous sat. She handed one to Adrien and nodded towards the opposite end of the table. Once they were seated, they locked hands and Adrien was reminded of old timey seances. Who knows? Maybe this is where they got the idea from in the first place.

With a slight effort of will, he discarded his thoughts like he was shrugging off his jacket. His mind became unanchored and within moments he felt her presence beside him in a way that went beyond the physical. He didn’t have long to enjoy it, however, as he felt himself being pulled toward… something. The sensation of being moved was unlike anything he’d experienced yet during their meditation - he hadn’t even realized that was a thing that could happen.

But before he could make any sense of it, let alone figure out how to resist the pull, he felt himself collide with what he could only describe as a cloud that brushed painfully over his skin as he tore through it.

Wait.

Skin?

He opened his eyes and discovered that while he wasn’t outside his own body any more, he also wasn’t inside his apartment. He was laying on his back and staring up at the sky, which was fractal and reflective like lavender crystal. Large cracks broke up the patterns and from those cracks came red storm clouds that crackled with lightning as he struggled to get his bearings. Rolling over, he saw the ground was covered in a dull red dirt. As he stood up and looked to the horizon, he saw that same dirt spread out into infinity, utterly flat and barren. His ears perked up when he heard coughing and he whirled around toward the noise.

Ladybug was groaning as she sat up, her eyes widening as she took in her new surroundings. She gladly took the hand that he offered and they both stood in the open area, looking around.

“Any idea where we are, bugaboo?”

She was staring up at the clouds and crystal sky. “You ever wonder what the inside of a miraculous looks like?”

“I- You don’t really think…?” He frantically looked around at the desolation. His sympathy for the kwami increased - is this what they had to live in while waiting for new chosen?

“No… usually it is much more… pleasant.”

A tiny voice made both of them jump and they turned toward the source, already pulling out their weapons. Behind them floated a blue kwami with a large, beautiful tail that reminded him of a peacock.

“...Duusu?” Adrien whispered as he stepped closer. Getting a better look, he realized that there were darker patches all along her body, her eyes were sunken, and even her tail seemed ragged and torn. “What… happened to you?”

“I’ve been trying to hold on…” The kwami sniffled. “But they can slip in through the cracks. I don’t think I can make it much longer… Not before they push me out completely.”

“Who? Who are ‘they’?”

“The darkness that seeps in from beyond. They’re coming.” The kwami coughed and Ladybug lunged to catch her as she dropped like a stone. “Please… help.”

Lightning struck and instead of thunder reaching his ears, he instead heard roars like those of wild animals. He looked toward the noise and saw creatures made of a substance like a dark purple, liquid shadow. The analogy of wild animals was accurate, to a point. They ran on four legs, and there was a sense of claws and fangs, but that was where the similarities ended. Just as he was getting ready to fight, he felt Ladybug slip something into his pocket.

“Take care of Duusu. I don’t know if she can handle any more punishment.”

“As you wish, my lady.” He extended his baton into a staff and settled into a defensive stance. “How about I take the dozens on the left and you take the ones on the right?”

“Duusu has been at this for ages, chaton. Beating these things is only part of the problem.” She pointed toward the cracks in the crystal. “I think we need to do something about those if we’re going to make any kind of real progress.”

“I don’t know how to even start fixing that, but before we can try…” The monsters were almost upon them. “...Let’s drive these things back.”

It had been years since the two of them had a fight that pushed them to their limits. Adrien had been worried that they would be rusty after all that time, but they rose to the challenge. Never before had he ever felt so in sync with his lady - no matter how hard the monsters pressed, they couldn’t manage to break their flawless defense. Despite their horrific appearance, the shadow creatures were individually taken down easily. Maybe it was because they didn’t need to worry about an innocent person being inside, or maybe they had just gotten that much stronger over the years, but it felt incredibly easy to destroy them.

At least, the first few waves.

It quickly became clear that while they weren’t the most threatening on their own, they had numbers on their side and were slowly wearing them down. Hits began landing, sneaking their way through their defenses. Adrien began accumulating cuts. He could feel bruises forming on his skin. Growling, he pushed aside the pain and pressed on. In his focus, he began to hear a voice in the back of his head.

Grab that one throw it into that one keep Chat’s back clear how to deal with the crystal sky don’t know keep fighting have to keep fighting

He was surprised, but in recognizing the mental voice as belonging to his lady, he submerged himself entirely into the fight.

Before long, he felt her surprise as well and the voice in his mind became stronger, more coherent. Without the burden of words, their reactions become as quick as thought. They lost themselves to a zen state of fighting, sinking further than they ever had before into a trance-like state. He wasn’t sure when he became they, but before long they controlled both bodies with one mind.

Things became foggy after that point. The monsters kept pouring after them but they couldn’t make it within twenty meters before being erased like shadows by the sun. Their attention turned as one towards the crystal skies, the clouds evaporating as the crystal began regenerating. Their light became blinding and all that they remembered next was searing white light.

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

Marinette woke up in her apartment. Her back hurt as she pulled herself out of the awkward angle that she had been sleeping in, draped over the edge of the couch behind her. In front of her, Adrien had sprawled out on the floor. Her heart skipped a beat in panic and she stared breathlessly at him, fearing the worst. As she stared, however, she saw his chest rise and fall like she always did late at night. She crawled over to him and shook his shoulder, wincing at the sunlight streaming in through the windows.

It was at this point she realized she was no longer in her suit. That wasn’t too surprising - she could go long stretches of time these days transformed but after what they did-

Her eyes widened as she remembered what it was they had been trying to do. While Adrien groggily sat up, pawing at his eyes, Marinette turned her attention toward the miraculous sitting on the table.

Floating above it was a blue, smiling kwami. Adrien noticed her too.

“Hey, boss,” Adrien croaked with a smile. “Looks like we did it.”

He reached over to brush away the tears she didn’t realize she’d been shedding and she immediately launched herself into Adrien’s arms. Marinette’s heart was so full of joy it was close to bursting. They’d done it. Neither of them had gotten hurt, and they could go on with their lives unburdened by the past.

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

Down below, in a place running on backup generators and reserve power, only a single light flickered above a sarcophagus of glass and metal and and doubtless a touch of magic.

Inside was a woman.

She opened her eyes.

#Miraculous Ladybug #Marinette Dupain-Cheng #Adrien Agreste #Adrienette #Chat Noir #Ladybug #Ladynoir #Plagg #Tikki #Master Fu #Duusu #ml fanfiction #my writing #Inseparable

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yuzusorbet · 6 years

Photo

Olympic Victory Parade Day, Sendai, 22 April 2018

(my personal account) (photos are mine, please do not repost nor use for other purposes)

Scheduled time of parade: 1.15pm to 2.10pm.

7am.... wearing my parade t-shirt and wristbands, I left my hotel and walked a short distance to the road where the parade would take place (Higashi-nibancho-dori 東二番町通り). People were already sitting in the ‘1st row’ of the roadside. I met my friend Ella and we decided on a comfortable spot where we could wait for the next 6 hours (omg) and we spread out our picnic mat.

We decided on this area because it was right opposite her hotel (Mitsui Garden) and it was in the middle of the 1.1km route. Ella’s friends would be joining us later because they were lining up to buy parade wristbands. Ella and I bought ours the day before as we arrived in Sendai earlier. (The wristbands were sold on these two days only, 21 and 22 April. Only 10,000 sets and limited to 2 sets per person.)

While I waited at our picnic mat to ‘reserve’ our spot, Ella went on a hunt to buy various local newspapers because Yuzu’s face was on all of them. Information about the parade was front page news, of course. :)

It was nice and cool in the early morning but soon it was hot. And it got hotter and hotter..... Umbrellas, hats, sunshades and sunblock came out of our bags. Later we saw news that it was the hottest day ever recorded for April in Sendai (29.9°C). I told Ella, “Cos Yuzu is sunshine.” She responded, “Cos Yuzu is the sun.” Right! :D

Even though it was very hot, everyone was just so happy and excited to be there. The event was very well-organised. Policemen and volunteers were everywhere to tell people where they can sit and where they can’t. There was always a path kept free for people to walk along the whole stretch of road. The parade planning committee had also asked convenience stores around the area to let people use their toilets, so that was not a problem. For us, we used the nice toilets in Mitsui Garden Hotel as Ella and two other friends were staying there. This photo was taken by me from the 7th floor hotel lobby at about 9.30am.

At about 8 plus, a TV station crew came looking for people to interview. There were 4 young guys who stood out from the crowd. They said they were very inspired by Yuzu and he gave them courage and motivation for their exams. As a result, all of them got into Tohoku University (one of the top universities in Japan). Wow!!!! They came for the parade because they wanted to say thank you to Yuzu. They had started waiting by the roadside since 3AM !!! I was so touched to hear that..... (pic below is when the crew came back to do the live news report)

These 2 ladies were holding a banner with the Japanese words “shiawase desu” (meaning ‘we are happy’) and they said it’s because Yuzu is always thinking about skating to give happiness to others. They want to tell him how happy they all are because of him. Yes! I want to tell him that too!

After hearing their stories, the TV announcer said he would be back in 20 minutes to do the interview on live TV news! Because we were sitting near them, the lady on the left (of pic above) told me to get ready cos we may be on national TV! (Ella quickly ran to the nearest convenience store to get a disposable face mask cos she was so shy, haha.....) Much thanks to a friend who uploaded Japanese TV news that day, we saw the programme that they appeared in: at 2.30 of this VIDEO. So happy to see it!

Later on, I chatted with the lady. Told her I really loved her banner and message and she told me how she carefully made it herself. The two of them were so nice and friendly. Much thanks to them for posing for my photo!

After the TV news excitement, Ella’s friends joined us. They managed to get their parade wristbands (they started lining up at 5am! Sales started at 8am. The previous day, Ella and I lined up from about 7am and sales started at 10am). Here are their Pooh bears happily showing off the precious bands. Behind them is one copy of the morning papers. Ci

Time passed quickly as we occupied ourselves with snacks, chitchat and more photos and selfies. I love my parade t-shirt. Bought both colours, wore the purple one on parade day and the blue one the next day. The S size fits me well and they are so comfortable.

We also took turns to walk around to see other parts of the parade route and soak in the atmosphere. At about 10.30, some volunteers (in light blue jackets) gave out Japanese flags. On the flag handles were the words “Hanyu Yuzuru senshu 2nd straight victory congratulations parade”. (’senshu’ = athlete)

All of us got a flag each.... so happy! Now, when Yuzu approaches, shall I wave my flag or hold up my blue CiONTU towel as a banner or just hold my phone steady to take photos??? hmmm........

At 11.30, the sidewalks were packed but there was always a part left free for for people to walk. (see pic below). The girl in the blue jacket was one of the many volunteers for the day.

At 12.30pm, the roads were closed to traffic. It’s finally almost time!! We all started to stand up to get ready for the parade. Our group was right behind the barricades. It was good that we came early to get this “front row” spot. :)

Pic below: friend sticking flag into hat so that hands are free to hold camera. xD Blue parade wristband on arm. Most of us wore both the blue and the purple wristbands, one on each wrist, haha.

After the traffic closure, there were some mass movements to be made. The crowd on the opposite side of the road was brought forward to the central divider because the parade bus would only be travelling down one side of the road. So people could cover the road on the other side. It was done really neatly even though the crowd was so huge..... I really love the Japanese for being so orderly. One man with a loudhailer went down the road telling people what to do. Essentially, it’s to hold hands and move forward slowly a certain number of steps on his count. And this was done section by section all the way down that 1.1km route. So now the people on opposite side of the road were much closer to us! (pic below) Our side was also moved forward in the same way by 5 steps. This also meant there was a lot more space for more people to join in and watch the parade.

Another TV news crew came by, and then there were helicopters flying overhead. It’s time!!!!

1.15pm, Yuzu is on the stage!!! So handsome!!! We watched the live stream of the opening ceremony on our handphones. I shared my phone screen with 2 older Japanese ladies near me and they were very grateful. :) Then, finally, Yuzu was getting on the parade van! Being in the middle of the route was good. We didn’t have to wait long to see the start of the contingent approaching!

When the parade van approached our area, Yuzu was looking towards the other side. We shouted loudly, “YUZU!!! YUZU!!!” And he turned to our side and waved!!!

[same pic cropped and enlarged:]

As he waved, he glanced down at our group at one point! I was so happy that my mind went blank! I should have shouted “omedetou!!!” (congrats) but I totally forgot! I just stood there holding my Ciontu towel and looking up at his beautiful face. Then he pointed at something in the crowd and laughed and said something (but we don’t know what)..... omg...... he was really too cute for words. I recovered in time to snap a few more photos before the van became too far away. Aww...... it was so awesome to see him so happy.......

After the parade van passed our area, the crowd slowly dispersed. We went to Ella’s hotel room to watch the rest of the parade on TV. She made coffee for us and we also had some sparkling wine to celebrate. Her friends thanked us for picking a good spot for the parade..... haha, we were really lucky!!!

After the parade was the press conference and part of it was aired live on that TV channel. As always, we marvelled at how well he answered the questions. When the programme ended, we all wrote postcards to ourselves to send back home, so that we would have one more souvenir of this fabulous day. We used Yuzu-postcards that were specially made by one friend. These amazing fans have really great ideas! Look how cute the cards are!

We went to the convenience store nearby to get stamps and dropped our cards into the post box outside the store. While walking through a shopping street, we suddenly saw some people near us giving out newspapers.... it was a free paper with the parade photo and news! Wow that was fast! We quickly lined up and got a copy each. How lucky we were to be passing by!

Being part of the crowd at the parade was a marvellous experience. It was so wonderful to be among Yuzu’s people and to show him our love and support together. Waiting at the roadside for more than 6 hours was fun, thanks to all the fans around me! I would do it again in a heartbeat. Thank you, Sendai!! Thank you, Yuzu-fans!! And finally, the words that I wanted to shout from the bottom of my heart but was struck speechless (Yuzu’s fault).....

YUZU, おめでとう！！！そしてありがとう！！！(congrats and thank you!!!)

--I really enjoyed my Sendai holiday. The local people were so warm and friendly and many of them thanked us for coming for the parade. I plan to write soon about other parts of my trip.... like chatting with locals while queuing for wristbands and realising how pure and simple their love and support for Yuzu is; going to Ice Rink Sendai and skating there; being moved to tears at Sunao Noto-san’s photo exhibition; eating delicious gyu-tan and zunda-mochi; visiting places with Yuzu’s signature and simply enjoying the beauty of his hometown..... Update: [Part 2 of my holiday] [Part 3] [Part 4]

--Except for the parade route map which is from Japanese news, all photos are taken by me; please do not use or repost without my permission. Thank you.

--For some numbers about the parade, see this post.

#olympic victory parade #sendai victory parade #Yuzuru Hanyu #victory parade #took so long to write cos I have so much to share and didn't know how to start #decided to just start with the most important day and main reason I was there

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cruciatuscurse · 6 years

Text

Sweet Pea’s Girl

Rating: All

Warnings: None

Pairing: Sweet Pea/OC

Summary: Change is inevitable. What does it mean for their relationship?

A love is never quite as deep as first love. The love that forms naturally over time, maybe discovered from the first blush or busy heartbeat, like snow on winter’s breath, is usually the most memorable and kept closest to the heart. It’s also the one that cuts the deepest when it’s all over.

They knew her as Pea’s girl, even if she wasn’t always. But that never sounded quite right. The angry giant, full of rage and testosterone, with his arm slung around this cute thing. But that wasn’t quite right either. She was dazzling, but more for what was in her head than what she wore on it.

They were friends from elementary school, but somewhere between puberty and high school it turned into something more; something right.

They never agreed on anything. It was hard for outsiders to see how they got together in the first place, but the ones closest to them saw it. The undying loyalty, the love in their eyes behind every sour remark. They were navigating something beautiful, something new, in the only way they knew how.

When she heard the taps against the window, her heart raced. She slid from beneath her comforter and pulled the window open, looking at the grinning boy on the other side. He didn’t even have the decency to be bashful.

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!” He loudly whispered, making her giggle.

“What are you doing here, Pea?” She looked at him expectantly.

“I was in the neighborhood,” he shrugged, hands slipping into his jacket. “Thought I’d come by, maybe borrow some sugar.”

She laughed, then, and it made him laugh too.

Watching his tall frame climb through the window was a scene she dedicated to her memory, only wishing she caught it on tape. He joined her in her bed and he didn’t even have the decency to look bashful about it.

They didn’t talk for a moment, simply enjoying the warmth of a body next to their own. Their eyes were fixed on her ceiling, even if there was nothing there but chipped paint and sleepless nights. Slowly, their hands found a way together.

“It’s about time you go steady with me,” he stated, glancing over at her and watching the coy smile make its way onto her face.

“Maybe,” she agreed.

He smiled. “Maybe.”

It was the same window, the same ledge, that greeted the two lovers for many more nights. He always found a way to her and she could never deny that smirk. In the darkness, they found a place called love.

But the thing about adolescence is that it’s always changing. It can be the hardest time of your life, trying to figure out who you are and who you want to be, and it can eat you alive. They always talk about growing pains, but they never talk about the ones in your heart.

A strain was on their relationship. Her mind was shrouded in doubt. As the end of high school was rapidly approaching, and real life beginning, she found it harder and harder to fit her and Sweet Pea together. But he was hers and she was his and that’s how it’s always been; what else was there?

“It’s over, Pea. A girl’s gotta live her life. It’s been fun while it’s lasted, but I’m done.” The words were bitter and hard to swallow, following another argument over who could remember what.

“What?” For once in his life, Sweet Pea looked unsure of himself.

“You heard me. I’m done.” Emboldened, she stood up to him with eyes that sought a challenge.

“Don’t be an idiot,” he scoffed. When she didn’t answer, continuing to stare at him with her arms crossed, his face hardened. “You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”

“Yeah.” She swallowed down the lump forming in her throat. “I am.”

“Whatever. I’ll give you time to cool off.” He pushed his chair away from him, hard, making the legs squeal against the floor. He wouldn’t let her see him so vulnerable, not when she was the cause.

“Take all the time you need, cause I’m not wasting another second near you.” Her chair joined his as they went in opposite directions, drawing twin looks of confusion and concern from their nearby friends.

That night, she was wide awake for longer than she cared to admit. Even though she was the one to break things off, she still felt a pang in her chest when he didn’t try to come through her window. It was selfish to want him anyway, but she couldn’t help it. The forecast for that night was a thunderstorm.

News traveled fast. Everyone had assumed they’d be together forever, but life seemed to have other plans. Sweet Pea kept his distance, at first. He knew her better than anyone else; when she maintained a mask of disinterest, he knew how to read behind it. But he still had to make sure she was okay, in his own way.

“I still don’t see why you don’t just talk to her yourself,” Toni said, rolling her eyes as her friend scoffed.

“She doesn’t want to see me. I can’t say I blame her. She’s my first everything, alright? I’ve had to learn all this…relationship stuff on my own. I mess up a lot.”

“Yeah, but so did she.” Toni put a hand on his shoulder. “Why don’t you talk to her about it? She’s scared, whether she wants to admit it or not, and so are you. Yes, love is a beautiful, amazing thing but you’ve got to put effort behind it. When life hits you hard, you gotta hit back harder.”

Sweet Pea raised an eyebrow. “Since when were you a therapist, Topaz?”

“Shut up.”

She avoided his texts and calls, and it only made him angrier. He was fighting a lot, getting more involved in business, and his absence from school worried her. She was always the one that kept him grounded but now it seemed like he was letting loose.

Still, she avoided him like the plague. What was left to say? He wasn’t her responsibility anymore.

When he finally saw her again, a few months had passed. She was out with friends and she looked great, vibrant. Her smile brightened up the room. She hadn’t been dating anyone, for that he was sure. He would’ve knocked the teeth out of anyone who tried. They might have not been together, but she was still his girl.

He saw her, quarters in hand, looking through the song list at the jukebox, when he approached. “Hey.”

She turned around, and when their eyes met, her heart did a somersault. “Hey.”

He shoved a hand in his jacket pocket. “How’ve you been?”

“I’m okay.” The quarters in her hand jingled as her fingers twitched. “And you? I’d say I hope you’re staying out of trouble, but I know how trouble likes to find you.”

He grinned. “Guilty. I keep my head above the water, though. You’re looking real good, but I know you know that.”

She couldn’t help the grin on her face or the blush in her cheeks. “Do I?”

He nodded. “Yeah, you do. I know you like the way I look at you. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you wanted me to find you.”

“I did no such thing,” she gently chided him. “But it is good to see you.”

She picked a song then, at random, and the sound of Elvis crooning came through the speakers.

“Well, if you’re feeling lonely tonight, just give me a call,” he said, turning around.

“Hey, Pea.” She hugged him from behind, hearing the steady beat of his heart in her ears. “It was good to see you.”

“Take care of yourself, doll.”

She couldn’t stop thinking about him that night, even after he left with his friends and hers had grilled her, even after she had a few drinks and accepted a few dances, even after she walked home and hid herself away in her blankets because it was how she coped best.

But, like clockwork, she heard a tapping at her window.

When she looked out, she giggled at the sight of Sweet Pea holding a few flowers.

“Really, you think those pathetic things are going to win me over?” She teased.

“They should,” he argued with a smile. “They’re from your mother’s garden.”

“Sweet Pea!”

She watched him climb through her window, her heart beating faster with his every movement. She took it all in, their eyes on one another, before they were embracing and I love you’s were being tossed out like fireworks after the Fourth of July.

He led her into her bed, just like he always did, and she drowned underneath a tidal wave of her tears. He wiped them away diligently, patiently, brushing her hair back and pulling her onto shore.

“I’m sorry,” she began, breathlessly.

“Me too.”

“No, I mean it. I’m sorry for the past three months. I shouldn’t have put either of us through this. I don’t..this is our first real relationship, and sometimes it just gets too big and overwhelming. We’ve changed so much in the past few years. Where are we going to go from here?”

He kissed her forehead. “I’m not going anywhere, baby. I’m gonna be right by your side no matter what.”

“But what if we change? What if we outgrow each other? What if we start to hate each other?” The panic rose in her voice. “I don’t want to be like our parents.”

“We won’t. Hell no we won’t. We choose what we do, and right now, I choose you,” he stated, looking into her sad eyes. “You’re the first girl I’ve ever felt this way about. The only girl I’ve ever felt this way about. Sure there’s pretty girls around, but I don’t want just another girl. I want you. The girl who got gum in her hair cause I didn’t know another way to get her attention.” He smiled when that made her laugh, before continuing. “The girl that keeps me out of trouble and looks out for me. The girl that I fell in love with, the one I wanna marry someday. That’s the only girl I want to be with.”

“She sounds amazing,” she teased softly, trying to hide her red cheeks as he kissed the top of her head.

“She is. She’s the most amazing girl I know. Sure, we don’t have a bunch of good examples of love around us, but so what? We can be the example ourselves. I just know that I’m not going to let you walk out of my life again.”

“I’ll follow you anywhere, Sweet Pea.”

He saw it, then, that fire in her eyes that he’d missed. The way she kissed him, the way their bodies fit together perfectly, the way her hands touched his. It wasn’t going to be easy, but it was going to be worthwhile. He’d found a crazy little thing called love, and he wasn’t going to lose it again.

#riverdale imagines #sweet pea #sweet pea imagines #riverdale fic #character based on last aesthetic post #rainy day writing

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rdmfavcpls · 5 years

Text

July 13th - Time Skip

Category: Pokemon

Pairing: Lonashipping (Moon x Gladion)

Rating: T

Summary: Gladion lived in the Kanto region as an exchange student and he lived with Moon and Sun, but that was when he was younger. They wrote letters to each until he stopped when he ran away. Will familiar faces come back to haunt him? He kept secrets from them and now one is keeping secrets from him.

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the franchise.

Author’s Note: 1. I am so sorry that I am so late with getting these uploaded. I tried to get everything done so I would be able to work on these as fast as I could. 2. I may or may not make another story explaining as to why Moon suddenly became a select mute and why she will only talk to Gladion when they are alone. Please enjoy!

~~Story Begins~~

A six-year-old Gladion was comforting a four-year-old Moon who didn’t want Gladion to leave. He’s been living with Moon and Sun for the last year as an exchange student.

“Don’t worry,” Gladion said patting Moon’s back. “I’ll write to you.”

“I know, but it won’t be the same,” Moon said.

“Come now Sis,” Sun said as he pulled Moon away. “If we can save our allowances we can go visit him.”

Gladion smiled and flicked Moon’s forehead. “You wonder why you get bullied so much.”

Moon tried to glare at him but her tears wouldn’t stop falling.

“Gladion,” Moon and Sun’s father called out. “Your plane is getting ready to load passengers.”

“We’ll see each other again,” Gladion said as he left.

~~12 Years Later~~

Gladion sighed as he looked at an old shoe box that his mother wanted him to throw away, but he couldn’t.

Type: Null was asleep on the hotel floor and Gladion took the lid off the shoebox to see a pile of letters. He let out a sigh.

“I wish I could go back to the simple times,” he said with another sigh. “Back to when we were younger.”

He was out and about doing meaningless errands for Team Skull when he saw Lillie walking towards a clothing shop. She was talking to someone that he couldn’t make out.

“It’s possibly Hau again,” Gladion said.

He turned around so he could leave without anyone seeing him, but stopped as he heard his sister yell out. “Where are you going?”

“Leave it up to Hau,” Gladion said with a chuckle.

~~~~

Days later, Gladion was blocking Route 5. He didn’t want to do this, but apparently, two new Pokemon trainers were causing for trouble for Team Skull and Guzma wanted them to be taught a lesson.

“There are only two people that I know who can pull off that shade of blonde so naturally,” a male’s voice said. “Lillie and Gladion.”

Gladion turned around fast and saw a boy and girl with black hair. The man’s mouth dropped open as he stared at Gladion.

“It really is you Gladion,” the man said.

“Sun?” Gladion asked in surprise.

“Dude, my dude,” Sun said. “What have you been up to? Why did you quit writing to us?”

“Life got busy and I haven’t had time to write,” Gladion said. “It’s been a rough last two years.”

He then noticed that the girl was gone. “Where did your friend go?” He looked behind him and she wasn’t on that path either.

“Oh? Moon? She likes to stray off the path,” Sun said. “Moon’s here too?” Gladion said and then it clicked. “You’ve been giving Team Skull trouble. Both of you.”

“Haha, yeah, glad to know our deeds have spread,” Sun said with a laugh.

“I’m here to stop you two,” Gladion said. “Sorry, but this reunion needs to be cut short.”

“What? Why? No! You can’t be a part of Team Skull,” Sun said.

“Sorry to break the news, but I am,” Gladion said before holding a Pokeball out.

“Fine,” Sun said. “You are going down.”

In minutes, Sun was defeated. “No, how?” Sun said holding onto his fainted Rowlet.

Gladion hated to do this, but he needed to. “Weak, pathetic,” Gladion said in a mocking tone. He moved a step closer to Sun. “Are you even worth that Pokemon’s trust?”

Moon ran to Gladion side and pushed him away from Sun. Gladion stumbled a bit as he forgot she was even in the nearby area and that the once timid girl who always ran behind him or her brother, was the one who was now defending Sun.

“Moon, you can’t,” Sun said.

Gladion smirked. “So, the little Moon finally grows a backbone. Are you defending your brother against me?” Moon glared at Gladion and she held up a Pokeball. “What’s the matter, Moon? Meowth got your tongue?”

“No,” Sun said. “She wants to battle you.”

Gladion couldn’t help but laugh. He wanted to apologize, beg for forgiveness for the way he’s acting, let them know that he is doing this because it is a job, that he owes Guzma for giving him shelter when he ran away from home.

“Is that so,” he said with a smirk. “I accept your challenge. This will be so easy since she hasn’t said two words.”

Moon nodded and released an Eevee from the Pokeball. When the battle ended, Moon’s Pichu was still standing as Gladion’s Type: Null fainted.

“Impossible,” Gladion said as Pichu ran up Moon’s shoulder. “How did you defeat me?” Moon nuzzled her Pichu with a smile. “How Moon? You didn’t even give them a command.”

“A lot has changed in the last twelve years, Gladion,” Sun said as Moon returned Pichu to the Pokeball. “Especially in the last two years.” He looked at Moon. “Let’s go.”

Gladion watched them leave before he yelled at them. “Wait!”

Moon stopped and turned around to face him. Sun grumbled and tried to get his sister to ignore him, but she shook her head.

“I’m not a member of Team Skull, not completely. I owe the boss of Team Skull and he asks me to do odd jobs. I didn’t mean any of what I said. It’s an image and - “

“I don’t want to hear any of your excuses,” Sun said. “We’ve always had your back and now since we are reunited, you treated us like that. You quit talking to us, even knowing that we would’ve helped you! It is what friends are for!”

Sun walked away, not even turning back to face Gladion. Moon watched her brother leave before turning back towards Gladion. She bit her bottom lip. She made the Alola greeting and ran after her brother. Gladion sighed.

Of course, they wouldn’t listen to him. They didn’t need him bringing them down.

~~~~

“One more trip to Battle Avenue,” Gladion said as he released his Type: Null from its Pokeball. “Then we’ll start on redeeming ourselves to them.”

Gladion was trying to figure out how exactly he was in this predicament. He had somehow been roped into a battle between The Masked Royal, Hau, and Sun.

He felt a tug on his shirt and turned around to see Moon standing there. “Moon? What are you doing here?”

He could tell that she was giggling, but not a sound escaped her mouth. She surprised him by grabbing his hands. He felt something being pressed into his hand, but for some reason, he was more focused on how small her hands were in his own.

“Moon?” he asked as she removed her hands from him.

“Will the next contestants please appear on the stage for the next BAAAAAATTTTTTLLLLLEEEE ROYAL!” the announcer said over the PA.

Gladion and Moon looked at the ceiling as the announcer spoke.

“Look like it’s time for us to battle,” Gladion said. Moon placed her hands on his shoulders. “M-m-moon,” Gladion said as she leaned up and kissed his left cheek before stepping away.

She smiled and left the room, not noticing that his cheeks were trying to turn pink.

After the battle, Gladion was going to ignore everyone, he wanted to read the note that Moon snuck to him.

“Moon, why didn’t I get my kiss on my left cheek?” Sun said with a sigh. “That’s possibly why I lost.”

“Oh! Oh! That must mean something since Moon is a mute,” Hau said. “So, what does it mean?”

“Good luck,” Sun said. “Her sign for good luck for whoever she’s wishing it too.”

Gladion walked out of the building trying not to think over what happened. “That explains as to why she hasn’t said a word, but how is she able to be a trainer?”

He then remembered the paper that he’s been holding onto with a tight grip since Moon surprised him with it. He opened it and saw that it was a note.

Gladion -

Please pay no mind to Sun, he’s still getting over our parent separation. He didn’t want to come here but he’s just as salty as the ocean water since father didn’t want him. As for our last meeting, no worries. I have always been able to read you better than Sun so I knew that what you were doing is just an act. You have always kept us out of your troubles. Hopefully, when we meet again, it will be under better circumstances.

Moon

A few months later, at the persistence of Wicke, Gladion threw a gala at Aether. To celebrate the newly established Elite Four and the first Alola Champion, Sun.

Gladion had snuck outside and went to the farthest place on Aether that was away from the gala. He couldn’t stand people right now. He also wanted Hau to be able to dance with Lillie without the future Kahuna feeling nervous.

“You left the gala early,” a soft voice from behind him. He turned around with a remark at the ready to be shot at the unwanted visitor but froze.

Moon was standing there, wearing a green dress that reminded him of all the green clothing she wore when they were younger.

“Moon. I thought you couldn’t talk,” Gladion said.

“I just didn’t feel safe enough to talk,” Moon said with a smile. “You can’t hear the music all the way out here.”

“I like it here,” Gladion said. “I like it this quiet. I don’t have eyes judging me.”

“You don’t need to explain yourself to me,” Moon said as she stepped closer. “I understand where you are coming from.”

Gladion stared at her. He won’t let her know that he’s curious as to why she’s actually talking to him. She’s never been good with secrets.

He held his hand out to her. “Just because we can’t hear the music doesn’t mean we can’t dance. So, will you have this dance with me?”

Moon smiled at him and placed her hand on top of his. “Yes.”

#pokemon #lonashipping #lonashippingweek #lonasshipping week #Moon #Gladion #sorry its late #life finally gave me a break #time to mass upload

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