#taking a crap on the establishment i solute you
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HOBIE AND MAYDAY!!🕷️
#the kids an anarchist#taking a crap on the establishment i solute you#spiderman#spiderman fanart#spider punk#spiderpunk fanart#mayday parker#mayday#spiderverse fanart#spiderverse 2#spiderverse#hobie brown#hobie brown fanart#mayday and hobie#across the spiderverse#spiderman across the spiderverse#across the spider verse fanart#into the spider verse#miles morales#cute illustrations#illustration#punk#redraw#female illustrators#childrens illustration#kidlitart#art on tumblr#cute drawing
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Hello!
Could prompt number 4: Matching be paired with "You're Annoying" and "You're gonna make me cry", Said by either Buggy or Reader?
Phew, finally finished this one! I hope you like it!
Prompts: Matching, "You're annoying." "You're gonna make me cry."
Teaser: "It was sweet. Misguided, but sweet. And that’s what you liked about Buggy."
Warnings: SFW. Established relationship, some profanity.
Word count: ~1.6k
Check out my 250 Follower Prompt Event and see fulfilled prompts here.
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ ✩ ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ ✩ ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ ✩ ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
It started small. So small that you didn’t even notice. Buggy started with buttons. It didn’t take long to replace one. Then another. And another. He kept going until he ran out of notions to swap.
That wasn’t enough, so your pockets were the next target. Cutting out the fabric and sewing new pouches in place was pretty simple for the pirate. His stitches were clumsy, especially since he did this craft in the dead of night, but they were strong enough.
The most important part of this project was remembering to put all your crap back into the right pockets. You carried a lot of junk - pens and pencils, a small toy mouse, bandages, candy, and other shit that he didn’t recognize. You caught him one morning, mouth full of a reward he sneaked from your stash and hand in the pocket he finished not long ago. Assuming that he was after the candy, you rolled your eyes. He barely heard the words, “you’re annoying,” as you turned away, shaking your head. The stray hair escaping your nest of bedhead danced and beckoned the pirate to move on from his secret crafting and pull you back to bed.
Then came the gifts. New boots which were perfect for stomping around the ship. Jewelry with gemstones that shined even in the dark. Silk scarves, reminiscent of the captain’s own striped bandanas. Buggy even got you gloves to protect your hands from blisters and splinters. You felt his ocean eyes linger whenever you wore one of his gifts. The heat from his gaze dragged along your body as it traversed each part of your body decorated with his adoration. Even though the jewelry was a little flashier than you’d prefer and the gloves made your hands sweaty, you made sure to wear all of the gifts periodically.
Buggy’s plan began to fall apart at the seams when the accidents started.
One afternoon, Richie’s claws got caught on one of your pants. The elongated tear that ran from your ass cheek to the hem of your pants didn’t look like the lion’s usual clumsy grab for attention, but a commanded swipe that luckily didn’t break skin.
Another time you were assisting the captain with his knife throwing. Apparently he needed the practice based on how many times he nicked your top. Buggy claimed he just needed to warm up and flashed the bashful smile that always tugged at your heart.
It soon became a daily event for a piece of your clothing to meet its untimely demise. Three items were blown off deck while hung out to dry. Four were burned through by the iron. Two were stained with paint. And an indeterminate amount was confused with scraps that were ripped up and used for rags.
While Buggy shouted his head off at whoever caused the damage (excluding himself, of course), the anger would quickly dissipate when he attempted to fix the problem. Sharp words and screeching volumes were replaced with soothing remarks. Substitutes and replacements came from his own closet, or were picked up at the next town. The solutions were suspicious, though. The captain almost always had the right item of clothing ready to hand over.
You sat on the edge of the shared bed with yet another ruined bit of fabric in your hands. The vest had just barely survived an iron burn last week, but sometime this morning small claws shredded the clothing beyond repair. The bedroom door creaked open and you nearly cracked your neck turning to see if the four-legged culprit returned to the scene of the crime. Instead, a clown sauntered in.
Buggy’s peppy steps fell as his gaze landed on the newest victim clutched in your hands, then flicked back up to your steely face.
“A-another accident?” he stammered.
“Yeah, sure. Accident,” you said, tossing the vest onto the floor. The tightness in your chest was eased slightly with a deep breath. A heavy sigh.
“Here, I have a spare,” Buggy offered, as a floating hand carried over a terracotta-colored linen vest.
The only common thread the replacement had with your loss was the lack of sleeves. Still, it was nice. And familiar.
Your eyes flickered between the clothing hanging in front of you and Buggy’s outfit. The thoughts in your head started linking arms and grouping together as you stared at the linen vest he wore. And his striped bandana. The black top with reversed seams. His brown baggy pants. Boots, perfect for stomping. Feeling your crowded thoughts getting ready to surge, you looked once more at his vest and the buttons on it.
Snatching the second vest he was offering, you also yanked open one of your dresser drawers to grab a handful of clothing before sprinting into his closet. You weren’t fast enough to evade the pirate entirely, but you were quick enough to close the door on his arm, leaving you with a hand and forearm and the rest of him outside the closet. The surprise maneuver gave you just enough time to snatch corroborating evidence.
The door flew open, exposing Buggy’s contorted face. Before he could throw himself into the tirade ready to splash over, you stopped him with a single word.
“Why?”
Buggy stayed silent. His mouth hung open from words that were unsaid and words that he wasn’t ready to speak. You were upset, he could see it in your face. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.
You shook the matching shirts before dropping them and grabbing another pair of clothes from the pile draped on your arm. Another moment of silence fell and so did those clothes. You pulled out a button-up shirt and studied it before letting it fall to the floor. The cardigan you found next had what you were looking for. You pinched a colorful button between your fingers and pointed between it and the button on Buggy’s vest. They matched.
“I don’t understand,” you said, desperate to avoid another quiet moment.
“I-it wasn’t supposed to happen like this, I didn’t mean it,” Buggy finally blurted out.
“So you ruined my things on purpose?” The soft quiver in your voice was sharp enough to stab the pirate in the chest.
“No, no, no…” Buggy stumbled over the words and over his feet as he lurched towards you. “Not that, I didn’t do that. I did the buttons and the pockets, I swear!”
He grabbed some of the clothes you held and started pointing out his handiwork. Your buttons had been replaced with ones that were more detailed and brighter.
“I only did a few at a time so you wouldn’t notice,” he explained hastily, before moving on to the pockets.
Shoving his hands into any clothing that he worked on previously, Buggy pulled out the new pouches that were made of flashy colors and patterns. Then he exposed his own flashy pockets.
You reached out to touch the fabric in his pocket. There was a bit of stray thread poking out of the hand sewn seam. The seams of your pockets were the same - a clear sign depicting a lack of skill and an abundance of dedication.
“I wanted to match with you sometimes. Just little things, you know? ‘cause we’re a pair. And when your stuff kicked the can, I figured we could match more,” Buggy said quietly, his face turning the same shade of red as his nose. “I didn’t ruin anything on purpose though…those were really accidents.”
“Really?”
“Maybe not Richie… I didn’t think he was going to fuck you up like that. I just wanted him to tear a little hole so I could replace the pockets in those pants next.”
You sighed at the trickle of truth. “And the other things were accidents too?”
Buggy scowled at the scorn in your question, clearly offended that you didn’t believe him. “Yeah, that’s what I said. You think I would yell at my crew for things I told them to do?”
Silence.
“Well, not this time,” he continued, flustered. “I had them switch laundry duty when it was clear that using irons and paint required training. And I can’t control the weather, we all lose shit when it’s windy out.”
“And my vest today?”
“...I also can’t control the cat. She doesn’t listen to me, you know that.”
“You’re her best friend.”
“And she doesn’t listen to me. Just like you’re not listening to me now!” the frustration in Buggy’s body finally spilled out. Fed up with the argument and his failed plan, the pirate clown left the stuffy closet.
“Wait,” you called out, to no avail. “Buggy, wait!”
When he didn’t listen, you threw what clothes you still held at him. They hit his back with a sad fwump and he stopped walking.
“You really wanted to match with me?” you asked his back.
He nodded.
You wrapped your arms around his figure. “That's it?”
Another nod.
You pressed your face against his back so your next words were muffled. “You’re gonna make me cry.”
It was sweet. Misguided, but sweet. And that’s what you liked about Buggy. Sometimes his intentions were overshadowed by bad luck, but underneath it all is someone who cares. The more you thought it over, he really wouldn’t have ruined your clothes on purpose. A pirate at heart, he wouldn’t want to spend money if he didn’t have to. He’d rather take things in his own hands, even if that meant poking himself with a needle.
You asked Buggy to stay there while you went back to the closet. After a few moments, you came out and bounced past him. Striking a pose, you gestured towards your new outfit, which matched his exactly. His expression brightened, finally matching the painted smile on his face.
Buggy walked over and tugged at the hem of the vest. “Nice outfit. It looks good on you.”
You bit back a smile, wondering what he’d say next - that it looks better on him, or that it would look better on the floor. Either of which would be true.
#buggy x reader#buggy the clown x reader#buggy the clown#buggy x you#x reader#buggy op#opla buggy#one piece buggy#buggy x gender neutral reader#gender neutral reader#hey-august 250 follower event
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Ok. So we start Stranger Things season 3
I write this as I watch, so basically, it's real time watching with me only in just one post.
And we start of course with the most idiotic team of scientists that has ever lived on a tv series. Because SERIOUSLY, what were they expecting, opening the door again? Carebears? Rainbow Brite? No, of course not. Death and destruction, that's it.
Also, I hope the general dies painfully. He has that look of a main villain that I usually hate so yeah, death. Pleas. Soon.
And OH! They're russians. So they're ANOTHER team of very stupid scientists, not OUR stupid scientists. Of course. The Eighties and the cold war and the Red Scare. So... HOW did they get a gate?
(And no, seriously, Scientists in fiction are always the stupidest smartest people around. I'd be more annoyed by it if it wasn't because in RL we have Scientists making cloned mammoth meatballs so... yeah)
Mike is still an idiot I see. But those kids are not JUST one year older. No way.
Also, someone get Hooper a parenting manual and a hobby. And get El some standarts. Mike is way below her level.
Good to see Lucas and Max are still going strong. And that Max is now part of the party.
AWWW... Steve's coworker knows the kids as "His Children". And he lets them in to Rated B movies that they SHOULD NOT be watching. SO sweet. And Will is SO in love with Mike it's painful. Really, Mike, Eleven, GET some standarts. There are much, much better boys than Mike out there.
Also, I had seen Steve in the Scoops Ahoy's outfit before (hard not to in Tumblr) but NOTHING prepared me to the actual thing in action. He looks SO ADORABLE.
I see the series is now cribbing Resident Evil 2's homework.
I like Robin. She takes none of Steve's crap.
SIgh... Will should NOT be seeing a zombie movie. And hey, the Mind Flayer is back. This is not going to be a good summer for poor Will.
Will, get some taste. Seriously, Mike is trash.
Oh, I see Nancy fixed her polycule issue with the DUMB solution of just having one boyfriend. Well, that leaves Steve free to be a good Single DAd. And good to see that Super Bob is still remembered.
Nancy is still the most selfish girlfriend in the universe I see. Jonathan should also get some taste. I can see that in general the Wheelers are trash people.
AWW, Dustin was away. I really hope his friends didn't forget him because if they did? I am writing the whole group off. YEs, even Max. You don't diss my fave boy.
WHO THE FUCK gave Dustin THAT Monkey Cymball toy? Like, seriously... WHO?! Because you know what toy is? That toy is the cover to Stephen King's Skeleton Crew's short story collection first edition and frigging scary as hell. I can't see monkeys with cymbals thanks to that short story and THAT one is... like the worst of them all.
And AWWW, they just wanted to surprise him. I love them and their friendship so much, even if Mike's an idiot.
WHO THE HELL gave Billy a job as a lifesaver? That man is NOT equipped to care for anyone except maybe his mullet. And he needs to die. Like now.
And it is REALLY creepy to see all the moms lusting after him. ESPECIALLY mrs. Wheeler. She like totally needs to get a life. I want all the Wheelers to move. The only one I don't hate is Mr. Wheeler and that's because he's a non entity.
Hooper's actor was getting ready for Red Guardian, right? His weight is fluctuating weirdly. Also, seriously, get Hopper a parenting manual, and while I agree that Mike is a terrible boyfriend, but he was a lot more sensible in seasons 1 and 2 than in this episode. Sure, he is now a single parent of a teenager, but he didn't use to be this... Alpha male toxic.
Ok, If Nancy goes postal on her coworkers, I won't blame her.
Mike is an idiot. I think we have established that.
DUSTIN HAS A GIRLFRIEND!!!! OMG, Someone tell Steve that his child is growing up.
I agree with Steve. The hat ruins the hair.
And I love Robin.
Ok. Joyce giving parenting lessons to Hooper should be sweet but... it is a bit cringy. Since... uhm. yeah. HARD second hand embarrassment for me here. Also, she has no daughters so... it's weird.
Plus... he TALKED to Eleven last season. Heart to heart talks. Sure, sometimes they ended up in screaming bouts, but they talked. HE knew how to do that!
Like, seriously, how hard would it be to say "I don't want you kissing with tongue under my roof, El, you still need to get a bit more socialized before jumping on a relationship!"? Hopper could do that.
And I see that the Joyce/Hopper ship is sailing.
Mike is an idiot. Will needs a better crush, and Dustin needs better friends. I mean, Lucas and Max ALSO are in a relationship, but they are not just dumping everyone just to go and suck face.
And we're still cribbing Resident Evil's notes. Oh, and Vermin, from Marvel. Anyone remembers Vermin? VERY gross villain. Also Parasite Eve. Cool.
Someone kill Bill, PLEASE.
Seriously, we lost BOB so we could see one of the GROSSEST examples of male gaze and bad flirting with a woman who could be his own mother?! And Is MARRIED! And said NO.
Oooh, trouble in paradise for Max and Lucas.
No, seriously... Dustin needs better friends. He just came back from a month away, is VERY excited about his new girlfriend and how many things he learned over said month. And none of them believe him or want to hear about that and... it's sad. Really sad.
He should've gone to Steve. Steve would've listened, be happy about him and give him a ride to the hill so he wouldn't have needed to take five hours to get there.
BOB!
I miss Bob.
Ok, seriously, the way the situation of Eleven with Mike around Hooper is being presented really doesn't work for me. He is a father, an adult, and he KNOWS what Mike is thinking because he WAS an hormonal teenager too. And he was the one who let El go to the dance last year. So this whole... I sleep listening to their radio romantic songs is... WEIRD.
ANY parent would go "hey, you can't have your door closed when your boyfriend is here" and it would be OK. Yes, Kiss and all, but open door because you guys are not ready for being parents yourself, you idiots.
Sigh. Hooper. I like your plan of killing Mike. But you are the adult, and the responsible one. So don't kill him. But yes. Mike SHOULD remember that he is dating the Sheriff's DAUGHTER.
Poor Dustin.
At least Will DOES want to hang around. But then, Will is the other single kid in the group and the one who will NOT get a girlfriend.
And of course now Dustin gets RUSSIAN radio. Kid, you need to stay with Steve. When you're with Steve you don't get in that much trouble. Or at least you have someone with a bat ready to defend you.
I NEED a reunion of Steve and Dustin. I mean, yes, the Russians opening the gate again is important and creepy and they shouldn't be doing it, but I REALLY need more Steve and LESS Bill and his creepy relationship with a married woman.
MRs. Wheeler... I don't like you. But seriously, going out with Billy is a mistake. BIG ONE. Don't do it.
Oh, hey. He FINALLY is going to Die. So happy about that. Pity that takes out the chance for Mrs. Wheeler to do the right thing, but I've wanting to see Billy die since, well, since he was mean to Steve. And his kids. So yeah, bye bye billy, you survived like 5 chapters too long for me.
Also, great horror reference at the end.
Strong beginning season 3. Even if you are mistreating my Dustin. Do better, or I will be sending Steve with a bat to your offices.
#Stranger Things#Stranger Things 3#Dustin Henderson#Steve Harrington#Scoops Ahoy#Will Bryce#Joyce Bryce#Sheriff Hooper#Mike Wheeler#Lucas#Max#Eleven
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Blackfaint: Origins 1
The Hill of Scars is wide, its western half already filled to the brim with settlements of all kinds - humans, kobolds, Stella elves, lapines and even dwarves. Its most fertile and welcoming lands have been snatched up long ago, and so anyone who wishes to strike out has only the barren eastern plains and dunes left to them. You can barely see it amidst all the outposts, fortresses, towns and cities and hamlets and villages, but the yellow square east of the Gulf of Mastery's inlet and just south of the river marks a new one; or at least, an attempt at one. Caring not how close they set out to either the humans' tower to the west or the kobold fort Ripekills to the east, a new outpost is established by a small group that broke off from their larger one.
From The Nightmare of Tunneling comes yet another little group of outcasts: The Seducer of Dimpling, settling the little patch of terrifying untamed wilds they will call Vrikrokoki: "Blackfaint."
As you might notice, we got started early. I had to hack the "Additional Races: Ratfolk" mod from the Steam Workshop myself to make them playable, and unfortunately, this for some reason means I can't set any nobles and administrators. I tried a few times, but it's no good - I think I fixed the problem, but I would need to generate a whole new world to fix it, and after all the time I've put into this one already we are not doing that. So we head straight in, where before anything else...
We're dealing with this aquifer as fast as possible, which for now will make the main stairway incredibly fucking dangerous. We'll be fixing it with a bunch of wooden grates, of course, but until then, better hope nobody gets too drunk. Even though all we brought to drink was dark elven vodka.
Our administrator, or caravan leader if my hack wasn't such a, well, hack, is Kirra Halllies. Though she's strong, she doesn't actually like getting into physical confrontations. She's humble, thoughtful, and more hopeful than your average rat. However, she's quick to form negative views about things, and finds the pursuit of art to be a waste - even though art and natural beauty often moves her.
It'ikik Ghoulscar, our woodcutter and carpenter, in addition to everything you see here: likes magnetite, platypus leather, the color scarlet, flails, shields, and amulets, and prefers to drink tomatillo wine. He also hates lizards.
K'keek Vicescourge is an awesome fucking name. I have incredibly high hopes for this anxious egoistic mess of a rat.
Kikeek Menacebreeds is another awesome name, and is something of a space case. She has less of a warlike view of the world than most ratfolk.
Eetekak Strikehate (how do these names keep getting better) doesn't take things personally, but that's for better and for worse.
Eeteek Seduceworked seems useless to me. Why would ratfolk farm?? Ratfolk pillage!!!
And last but possibly not least, Eeteek Terrorslip is a chronic oversharer who can't take care of herself and cracks under pressure. She's literally me. I'm actually worried about how similar she is to me. Well except me personally I always experience strong cravings or urges. The more I read of this panel the more upset I get because I don't want to get too attached here; this is a "Terrifying Untamed Wilds" biome we've settled in after all, and we're headed straight into the first cavern layer.
The first thing to dig out is a meeting area. We've got no livestock to worry about keeping alive, but we've got to work kind of quickly against the aquifer: the quick and dirty drain is already spilling over a bit.
It's a bit of a crap solution, and we'll have to make sure to fix it up properly so that it can drain off the map soon, but we don't even have beds or a place to drink vodka. On the plus side, the drain acts as a "mist generator" for a free and easy mood boost. Well, again, not free, I could totally end up fucking flooding the entire base, but who cares, we're fucking rodents. We're here for a bad time, not a long time. Our lifespans are already pitifully brief, there is no point to not just fucking around and doing whatever we want. Kobbles might fancy themselves to be silly creatures but they get so serious about rocks and dragons and shit. But this is rat world. You've entered the rat world. And here in the rat world we do things a little fucking differently heh heh you know "Fuck it!!!" That's basically the rat world motto, you just say "Fuck it!!!" three exclamation points of course - Just fucking kidding dude!!!!! You can use as many exclamation points as you fucking want in rat world!!!!!! I just owe it to you to keep it real with you man rat world is a little different, we do things a little different in rat world.
Rat world also kind of fucking sucks man I just gotta keep it real with you like there's barely anything to fucking eat in rat world, and we have to plant seeds and shit like chumps because well it kind of really just fucking sucks in rat world. Not a single tree on this entire 3x3 embark tile seems to be able to give fruit, it's the middle of summer and yeah nothing man, rats don't really get to have fruit here in rat world which kind of sucks.
We're planting cave tubers and quarry bushes like fucking assholes, LOL. Gotta do what you gotta do in rat world though.
A fucking bunch of dudes show up to rat world which is pretty tight because there's like no food and we all sleep on the ground., But thats' kind of how shit goes in rat world sometimes LOL I'm actually like super worried about how we're going to get food going on in rat world but maybe if we just head straight for the first cavern layer we'll be able to get some grub on without running into too many like fucked up little cavern dwellers or forgotten beasts.
It doesn't take long either which is fucking tight it's literally just 13 layers below our little "main chill zone" area. We'll need to wall off what we call a "chill area" for specifically non-tweak kinds of creatures (us) to get away if tweak kinds of creatures (forgotten beasts) start throwing the vibes off, possibly with like doors or some such shit.
Honestly rat world is kind of popping off right now, we've got like economic forces impacting shit and shit which is honestly like, tight. The food number got down to like 8 for a second but we popped it back up to ~30 which is awesome. Since we can't get a bookkeeper or whatever we'll never like, actually know for sure what kind of numbers are going on, unless getting whatever our version of a "mayor" is finally gives us back the Nobles & Administrators window, but yeah right now we're kind of just chilling hard with cavern access and shit.
The bedroom layout is going to be "A little different" lol as most things in rat world are - I figure the "windmill villas" is a bit complicated for rats really and how much space do they need, it's chill to just leave your shit whereever you like in rat world nobody cares, so you don't need a cabinet or a chest, basically just a door and a bed should be good enough. You can't go around expecting too much shit in rat world like you get what you get in rat world. The resting heart rate of a rat ranges from 250 to 400 beats per minute if you can fucking believe that. That's just how things go in rat world it's a fast-paced life you live you die. Ok. And more important than anything you gotta party in rat world, rat world is ALL ABOUT PARTYING.
The "tavern" is now called The Black Oats. There's still nowhere to stand but people finally started having mugs to drink out of. Even guys who "disdain merriment" have to do at least a little dancing in rat world. The two customary dances in The Nightmare of Tunneling are The Berry of Glossing and The Vermilion Flute.
I still don't know how to parse these, my brain just can't convert this into imagery, sorry.
Our carpenter decides to make a crutch called "Drenchedgear the Prairies of Insight" which is fine. Nothing too interesting about it and we don't really have a concept of "value" in rat world so it's no problem. Just a cool thing we have now I guess - Fuck it!!!!!
The somewhat phallic aquifer drain is safely completed. A miner got kind of wet in the process but it's fine. There's also floodgates at the south end with a lever attached just in case I want to drown out the entire first cavern layer or something later; idk you have to be ready for things.
THIS DUDE'S NAME IS SRAKEEK STOLENCACTI!!!!
I'm going to bed now
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I will say this was probably the best doctors visit not only because my body actually presented symptoms for the tests but because the doctor was genuinely invested in finding a solution.
His entire attitude screamed that he loves his job and is extremely passionate about heart health/ science/ illness. He was thorough with his questions, clarified details and ensured he fully properly understood each symptom/ frequency/ scenario. Every time he started talking about a potential route to take his whole demeanour would light up with this delightful spirit and childlike excitement like “we can do this! Or this! Or this is a really cool new thing! Or this! I love this! Look at this! This disease exists! It does this! We would look for this!” Which was so nice to be around.
Not only from the perspective of someone who’s been treated like crap from healthcare in the past but just from the view of someone being told their heart is fucking busted his attitude made it all very easy to process and feel hopeful for.
When “previous treatments” came up and I said I’ve had X tests, they pointed out that these things were irregular and just left me like that with 0 attempts to help he was devastated. In that “I need to maintain professionalism and not bash fellow doctors” way but it was so clear that he felt remorse for how I had been treated in the past. He repeatedly apologized and showed genuine sympathy and compassion for my experiences.
He wasn’t afraid to shy away from “rare” diseases either. He was the first to mention them as something to keep on the back of the brain while we run tests. There was also a massive interest in just having data for the sake of having data. He teetered of several different tests to run saying that X one’s are critical in establishing next steps and Y ones aren’t actually necessary but having more data is always a good thing. Not to mention that he was considering my health when setting up tests. Things like “this stress test involves long periods on a treadmill I don’t want you pushing yourself and triggering an episode” “if you don’t think it’s safe for you then we will not do it”.
There was a lot of “we don’t need this test right this second but it has a 6month/ 2 year waitlist so let’s put you on it anyways and if we change our minds we will take you off”. Like yknow thinking ahead and not making this 7 year problem go on any longer than it already has.
It was so obvious that he was invested in finding answers.
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Online Games You Will Have a Wish to Play Multiple Times - Technology Org
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Online Games You Will Have a Wish to Play Multiple Times - Technology Org
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The emperor's new clothes
Robert Lustig became internet famous some 14 years ago, when his lecture Sugar the Bitter Truth went viral - at least, among those looking for a dietary solution for their health issues, the "wellness" community.
His whole idea is that the reason why people don't lose weight when they follow the standard medical advice of eating less and exercising more is because theirs is not a moral problem of just being too gluttonous and slothful; rather it's not the amount of food they eat they should be monitoring but the quality of the food. I.e., the Standard American Diet (SAD) of highly processed, refined, denatured food prepared for you in a factory, depleted of nutrients and fiber and chock full of sugar - that's where the problem lies. However little you eat of this poor quality food your body won't be able to process the energy you get from it in a normal way and you end up listless and fat no matter what you do.
The solution is to get back in the kitchen and back to the days when we prepared meals from scratch from natural ingredients, eaten raw or simply cooked - a diet that is by definition the polar opposite of the SAD, one full of fiber and quite low on sugar. Then the fat should just melt away effortlessly and you should find you're exercising again unprompted because now you finally have the available energy to do so.
All this sounds completely reasonable, to be honest. There are only two problems:
1 - No one has ever disputed this. He's not inventing the wheel here.
Please, do go right ahead and show me the nutritionist / dietician / general physician who has ever said, ever, that the way to go on a slimming diet is to eat chocolates and cakes and ice-cream and candy, as long as you're keeping it low calorie because all that matters is calories in calories out. Who has ever prescribed this diet to any fat person?
On the contrary, doctors always tell you to not go on dangerous fad diets and instead to make plans for the long run. Find the one perfect diet and stick to it. So, no chocolates for breakfast then, I guess! Instead, they recommend eating grilled foods with little to no fat with a side dish of salad, water, and no deserts. No fast food, no crap food, no take-aways, eating at home preferred so you can control your portions and the content of your meals.
Am I making anything up? Am I lying? This is what the real standard medical advise is and has been for many decades now.
So, it's not true that doctors don't know that some foods are just inherently more obesogenic than others, and any doctor would whole-heartedly agree with Robert Lustig's recommendation of piling on the vegetables (full of fiber) and leaving out the deserts and sodas (full of sugar).
Which means that right from the get go Dr. Lustig's whole shtick of painting himself as some sort of rebel who is going against the establishment is just a conjuring trick for suckers who have never been gaslighted before. He's a great actor.
2 - However, there are some things that even the greatest of thespians can not accomplish, like hide a belly full of fat when he is supposed to be playing a thin character on stage. Not that he ever was an athletic-looking guy, but 14 years have passed since that first famous lecture that he has by now repeated actual hundreds of times with little to no change in content, and he is now quite literally obese.
I do not demand from an elderly man with a sedentarian, intellectual job that he emulates Jack Lalane, a physical fitness expert who at the age of 80+ could still do push ups on the tips of his fingers. Possibly only Jack Lalane could ever be like Jack Lalane.
But I do expect a physician specialized in obesity to at least be able to keep a normal weight, or to have the honesty to admit that he simply doesn't know how. Physician heal thyself. Case closed. I don't ever want to hear about this fraud ever again.
It's just so astonishing how he keeps cradling that belly as if by doing so he could hide it. Is he a child? Is he going to start using actual smoke and mirrors to hide in next time he's on stage?
I can't even begin to imagine just how shameless and intellectually dishonest a man has to be to walk up on stage in public to lecture other people on how to lose weight while being himself the fattest guy in the room. I guess it's the same cognitive dissonance that makes people still invite him in the first place.
On the same day I found this video of Dr. Lustig's beer belly, I listened to yet another success story of a guy who healed all his diseases and lost all his extra weight by following a carnivore diet. The best part of the interview is when he recalls the moment he explained to his doctor how he had all by himself accomplished this miracle when his doctor never did anything for him (the miracle being that he was a suicidal invalid stuck in a sofa and became a guy who is finally healthy and functional for the first time in his life, both physically and mentally). All thanks to a rather strict carnivore diet of just meat and animal fat (No salads! No fiber! How does he do it? Go figure!)
At which point his doctor - who had never expressed any concern throughout the years when his patient ate nothing but the Standard American Diet that made him and everyone sick - chose to express grave concern over this new fangled all meat diet... that he could see with his own eyes had saved his patient from a living hell. That's when the guy laughed in his face and gave up on ever seeking this doctor's help again.
Sometimes you just have to be truly anti-establishment, the real way that involves observing reality and acknowledging it, not the fake Robert Lustig kind of way of being a total fucking fraud.
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I find working with football on in the background provides enough visual pattern stimulation that it acts as a good other look or look away inherent in focus, that 1-0-1 enacting as a technique of focus here, focus there, focus here, focus there. By making the choice soccer, which is patterns of human movement connected by the line of the ball. That allows me to see how individuals process their choices, and how they act together, and how the way they act reflects who they are as players, and how they are coached.
BTW, Saka is clearly the best forward right now. He’s found that magic place where the game is the most fun: he’s creative and he works hard because he, unlike most, grasps that effort is less work. I mean that when you take away the mental calculations associated with the negative, when you see the positive play and act on it, as you would do as a child putting yourself entirely into the play, then you have more energy available and you are less tired over time, meaning you can recover quickly, because you are not mentally exhausted but rather are exhilarated.
Also BTW, is it possible to get people to understand that house sparrows and starlings thrive because these conditions favor them. It’s not their fault they do well, but rather our fault for not providing sufficient habitat and food so there is room for both.
———-
Is exile in exhilarated or am I seeing things? That’s the kind of deep wordplay I’d expect from you, now that I’m hearing Flo & Eddie.
So, I think the very first label that stuck was IS. We then had very detailed discussions over the concept of NOT, like whether IS NOT is the same as NOT or NOT IS. Example: when we describe IS, we can say that establishes a boundary for IS, and thus whatever beyond that boundary we may label NOT. And so IS NOT, is that beyond but now it is labeled IS, like it was on this side of the boundary, and that means the perspective could be that the other side calls itself NOT meaning IS or even that they call themselves IS and we hear it as NOT. In other words, this is that rotation all the way around, what we eventually labeled to f&b.
I’m trying to translate unit circles and am realizing or remembering that we’re building this from a basis, meaning in a space that contains the origin so it can act as a vector space. And rule number 1 is that the closer you get to the core, the more that pairs to not a higher order dimensional enclosure but to a dimensional enclosure which is connected to higher order dimensional enclosures so the solutions can be read over that DE as an =, as Halving. That should clear up a lot of the issues.
Better reading over the DE translates the conception of the Mirror of LUS, and its varied Storylines.
———
Ran into a mention of the Dirichlet eta function, read it over, and translated it so the pole at 1 marks the edge of the grid square in which the Bip pole locates. I assume that will refine because the entire process while I was in the toilet was: I have to translate this, oh crap, this is going to be difficult, you don’t know that, but it always means I have to accept something simple and find fault with it before coming back to the simple, and then it said it’s just an alternating series, which puts it within 1, and it’s a zeta function, so it generates a Bip pole, and a pole at 1 because otherwise it can’t count or compare to or within 1.
———-
I always felt that if I could understand the core, then the rest would reveal itself, and the math for that is above. It’s Inmanation and Emanation, and it works through f1-3, which itself works through a variety of ways, all within the rubric or notation of an Identity Space, which is what IS became.
We have all the mechanics to describe f1-3. And it simplifies to Triangular over Extents creating the Pathways which lay out as a grid square and thus as grid squares. We can use those Pathways, referring to the idealization of the SBE pathways, SB1E and SB2E, to explain the fundamental mystery of why physical existence is described so well by quantum mechanics, that these Pathways occur Between Ends, and that reality is thus a mixture of experiences of that which is an End and yet is not an End because it might be something else that is the End because it might be this other pathway or that pathway or any pathway in the ideal. This is why we can build groups: we can look at the pathways which takes this structure from here to here, meaning over an Identity Space, and we can collect the versions of that which can occur given the rules imposed.
To be more explicit, we’re talking a D24 structure because that fully entangles 2 Things over an SBE2 Identity Space. Let’s check that. An SBE2 Identity Space stretches an SBE beyond the return, so 2SBE2 is the same thing seen from the other perspective, so the next level adds the shifting of Identity. That is, if you start at the End which is the Start within the next Thing over, meaning it could be any End of all the End choices, meaning a whole nothing Thing over there, and change places, then you would define Identity over multi-dimensions by the depth to which you can imagine changing places and you would be the other in a different form with different actual experiences but otherwise as close to same as close to same gets.
So D24 is now alive again in my sight. It draws multi-dimensional identity, and it is surrounded by or within the obvious mechanical connection of adding an enclosure at the corners, one layer out, which counts to 28, which means the pattern determinations, the way we actually make decisions in our daily lives, at large and small scales, is actually that one layer away, operating essentially over our heads and around us. That’s the missing piece. That extends fCM over all levels of reality.
So SBE is counting that carries from Triangular up through the dimensions. That’s why human traits reflect animal traits as they expand into awareness. And thus it defines the animal traits which need to be left behind. The least of those is eating meat.
I have a lot of idealistic thoughts. Like if there is an area with large enough lots, they could have a farm manager oversee animals raised for meat and then shared or sold or both. I tend to see this as a government function, meaning an act of caring which government can provide that gives quality meat raised humanely to the people for the costs of the managers and workers. Government also because this would spread the burden fairly, though the idea is that this would be not a burden but a benefit. Imagine all the good values this would teach. About food. About animals. About caring for living things. About work and what it becomes. About cooperation. About the realities of life.
I’ve been trying to focus on drawing out D24, but I wasn’t ready until this moment. What an astonishing revelation!
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A Northside, Southside Romance | Sweet Pea
Description: Sweet Pea goes to Pop’s when he wants to feel like a normal teenager. He orders a strawberry milkshake and curly fries. Tonight, with his order, he gets something unexpectedly sweet. He gets something he can’t want but does anyway. Tonight he gets y/n.
Word Count: 1.9k
Pairing: Sweet Pea x Female!Reader
Warnings: None
Tags: FLUFF
Sweet Pea walks down the dusky streets of Riverdale after dark. His head is ducked, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He knows where he's going but that doesn't mean he wants anyone else to know. After all, Serpents don't drink milkshakes. How would it look if one of their toughest is seen drinking a strawberry one in the light of day?
The door to Pop's opens with a welcoming chime. To Sweet Pea's ears, though, it sounds more threatening than cheerful. That's the price of being in a gang; constantly glancing over your shoulder. There have been too many times where he's had some punk try to backstab him. Quite literally, to clarify.
Glancing around the old establishment, Sweet Pea grins to himself. Completely empty. Just how he had hoped it would be. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulls out his wallet. The old man waiting for him at the register is too familiar to not grin again. Sweet Pea, although he'd never admit it, has spent many long nights under this very roof talking to him.
"Sweet Pea? How’re ya’ doing kid!" Pop never fails to set his mind on ease.
The old man peers at him with concern but the smile never leaves his face.
"Rough day," Sweet Pea runs a hand through his dark brown hair, "just taking a lot of crap from all you northsiders lately."
Pop laughs- a big belly laugh- and writes down an order before Sweet Pea tells him what he wants. It's not like it would make a difference whether or not the tall Serpent had answered. He orders the same thing everytime; a strawberry milkshake and curly fries.
"You just need some good food, boy. Go sit down and I'll have someone bring it over when it's done."
Sweet Pea nods, pulling out a ten to pay with but the jolly old man just shoos him to an empty booth. Pop sees a lot more than he lets on. When a kid only has a ten in his wallet- and you live in a place where sometimes the only way to get yourself out of a problem is cash- you don't take the money. What's the loss? Eight-fifty and a home cooked meal? That’s worth it any day.
Sweet Pea, sitting down in the booth, lets his eyes wander all around the retro diner. He's always felt at home at Pop's, more so than in his own home. It's warm with that ‘you belong here’ kind of atmosphere. It's been his hideaway for some time now. Whenever he has a rough day he just sinks low into a booth and lets the world keep going without him for a little while.
Today had been no exception to that. Some arrogant northsider had been running around the southside with a can of red spray paint. Needless to say, the bruise forming under his eye is hard to miss. He wonders why Pop didn't mention it.
"Hey, Pop said these were yours," Sweet Pea's head snaps up at the sound of a sweet voice.
A young waitress, about his age, stands in front of him, a tray with a strawberry milkshake and curly fries in her hands. For a moment he's frozen, staring into the most beautiful eyes he has ever seen. They're wide and bright, nowhere near as afraid as most are when they see him. She has a huge smile on her face; like she's actually happy to be working the midnight shift on a Friday if only because she had wanted to see him.
He feels his shoulders relaxing and snaps himself out of his daze. She's just some stupid northsider. She hates him. He has to hate her. Yet, when she places the milkshake and fries on the table and turns to leave, his eyes never leave her retreating figure. He shakes his head when she disappears around the corner. A northsider and a southsider- a Serpent- would never happen. Especially not with him. Anything star crossed is just too much work for his already hellish life.
He goes to take a sip of his milkshake when he stops abruptly. There, on the whip cream, are two cherries and a piece of red licorice in the shape of a simple smile. What on earth? Sweet Pea can't tear his eyes from the ice cream in front of him, he tries but he can't stop the small grin that forms on his face. He knows the cute waitress from before had something to do with this.
Speaking of which, a musical giggle interrupts his staring competition with the ice cream. He quickly glances up in time to see her half hidden by the counter and a wall that leads to the kitchen. She has a hand over mouth to try to cover up the onslaught of laughs but it's half-hearted; she's genuinely pleased with herself for the little gift she left for him. His heart beats faster when he catches her eyes and she nods her head at him, a breathtaking smile on her face.
He doesn't know why he does it- nor does he know he's doing it until it's done- but he winks at her and mouths a thank you. Her cheeks flame with a blush and her doe eyes widen again before she scurries back into the kitchen. Picking up a fry, Sweet Pea just laughs to himself.
However, those, too, are quick to end. What is he doing? Flirting with a northern girl? That's not only a death sentence for himself but for her as well. But why would that even matter? He doesn't care about her. He'll never care about her. He can't care about her. He talks himself out of it, or at least he tries his hardest to. In the back of his mind, though, he can still see her eyes.
Sweet Pea runs another agitated hand through his hair, glancing out the window and into the night. Beyond the red glow of the diner the stars are shining brightly. Of course, that brings his mind back to the waitress. He sighs to himself, clenching his jaw as his heart thumps much too hard. Nothing is working; this is hopeless.
"Uh," the same melodic voice brings his attention to the same pretty girl who stands once more in front of his booth, "so I'm on my break and I was wondering if I could sit here. I wouldn't bother you or anything I just- this booth has the best view."
Sweet Pea raises an eyebrow at her request but nonetheless answers, "If you want."
"Thanks!"
With that the girl slides into the other side of the red leather booth and leans her head on the window. Sweet Pea watches with visible amusement as she starts tapping out a sporadic rhythm on the table top, wondering where her mind is at this very moment. His is on her, the spotlight now fully shining over the northsider. He can feel the smile coming back again but doesn't bother to hide it this time. Something about her makes him ready to do anything to make her laugh- or to even just make sure she keeps tapping to her own little beat- but he doesn't know why.
"Thank you for the milkshake. Made my night." The words are out of his lips before he can stop them, a light blush to accompany them on his cheeks.
Her head bounces up, the smile already on her lips, "you looked like you needed it. And I finally found where Pop hid the licorice from me!"
This time he laughs out right. He can't help it, the girl is too innocent and beautiful to not lose himself in the moment. He wants to deny the connection that he feels with her, and northside girl, but he can't anymore.
"Why'd he do that?"
She runs a hand over her face, yawning before answering, "because I had a bad habit of giving them to all the little kids who came in here. I couldn't help it! They were so dang cute!"
Sweet Pea watches as she leans her head on the window again, closing her eyes for a moment. She looks as tired as he feels, striking a protective nerve in him. Maybe that's why he pushes his fries towards her. He's not that hungry and he'd rather she ate something. She looks like she could use the energy.
She looks like she's about to protest but Sweet Pea cuts her off, "just eat them, baby."
Her eyes widen but she takes them anyway. In the silence, Sweet Pea takes the time to close his eyes and take a breath. His face is killing him and he knows his knuckles aren't looking much better. He's exhausted but it's not like going home will give him any solace. He has more responsibility there than anywhere else. He just wants to escape for a minute.
"Are you okay?" Her sweet voice- now laced with worry- washes over him.
Sweet Pea glances at the girl sitting across from him. Her eyes look concerned, trained on the purple bruise under his eye. She reaches over the table, her fingertips brushing her over the mark on his face. He holds his breath, his eyes never leaving her as she traces her soft fingers on his skin.
"I'm okay. It doesn't matter anyway." He gently grabs her hand, placing it back on the table.
He wanted her to keep her hand there- he really did- but she had to move it. She can’t get attached to him. He can’t let her.
"Yes it does," the waitress sneakily pulls the strawberry milk towards her, stealing a sip, "you're hurt and that matters to me."
Sweet Pea smiles as he watches her drink his milkshake. If it was anyone else they'd be missing a few fingers by now but he sees the way her eyes sparkle with humour and delight as she sneaks sips. It's adorable. He hates it. Well, he wants to hate it.
"You don't even know my name," he pops one of the cherries into his mouth, winking at her if only to see her burst into color again.
"That's an easy solution," she wiggles her way out of the booth and stands in front of him for the third time that night, much to his amusement, "hi, I'm y/n! What's your name?"
He leans back, stretching his arms across the back of the booth as he takes her in. A yellow Pop's t-shirt, a pair of yellow rubber boots, and two shining eyes. There's no way he can deny the way his heart beats faster looking at her wide smile. He reaches a large hand out, taking her smaller one and shaking it once.
"Sweet Pea. Just call me Sweet Pea."
She giggles and nods her head, causing butterflies to erupt in his chest. She glances to the clock on the wall and lets go of his hand quickly.
"Crap! I'm back on! Hey, I'll catch you around soon I hope. I work Fridays! Bye Sweets!"
He shakes his head, the mirth clear in his eyes, as she scrambles to get back behind the counter. With that he stands up, shooting her one last smile, before walking back into the darkness that abides in Riverdale. He'll deny it to anyone who asks but he knows he'll be back next Friday.
#sweet pea riverdale#sweet pea#sweet pea imagine#sweet pea imagines#sweet pea x reader#sweet pea x you#sweet pea x y/n#sp x reader#sp x you#sp x y/n#sp riverdale#sp imagine#sweet pea riverdale imagine#southside serpents#riverdale#riverdale imagine
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Considering how #MeToo in South Korea has been a conversation about the way institutions and systems have failed survivors of sexual assault, bold move of The Devil Judge to make the case in the live court show to be one of sexual harassment.
Writer Moon Yeo-Seok packs a LOT into the storytelling in this episode. First of all, Yo-Han doesn't want this case to be on the live show, but he's effectively forced to take it on. It becomes clear that the judicial system has no interest in upholding women's rights, but is more than willing to use the topic to engage in power play. Yo-Han is being made to preside over this case of sexual harassment because his enemies hope to put him in a weak and defensive spot.
The case is this: A leading male actor is accused of sexual harassment by other actors and technicians. He's a serial offender. We're shown how he uses his position as a senior to threaten, intimidate and harass women who are lower than him in the professional hierarchy.
I thought it was quite interesting that the show chose to make the harasser an actor. It feels like a pointed statement about the industry's internal sexism. However, it's also worth noting that the reason the public prosecutor picks this case is not because he thinks he can win the case because there is evidence backing the allegations. The reason he's confident of winning is because he has other dirt on the actor.
When the actor is being questioned by the prosecutor, the prosecutor says he has evidence of the actor's deviant sexual preferences. We're not told what exactly these preferences are, but the threat of this information coming out is enough to convince the actor to admit to the sexual harassment charge. Sexual harassment is the lesser evil — because society has accepted and normalised it.
So the prosecution's case (as well the actor's admission) are both mired in deceit and falsehood. Which tells us that even if the allegations are true, it isn't enough to report sexual harassment and getting justice for victims/ survivors has little to do with the truth of an allegation.
What The Devil Judge shows us is that cases of sexual harassment are weapons and in this case, the target isn't the actor, but Yo-Han. In an effort to make Yo-Han deliver an inhumane sentence, the prosecutor says that since the actor has admitted to sexual harassment, he should be castrated. The argument is that castration will ensure there are no more victims, but the actual intention is to force Yo-Han's hand. In a previous episode, Yo-Han had brought flogging as punishment out of the medieval ages into the present; the prosecution suggests he's taking a leaf out of the same book with castration.
In an effort to argue against castration, the actor's lawyer says that the punishment is too severe especially since South Korea is a country with a low crime rate. The other judge — a woman — points out that the reality of those who live in secure bubbles of privilege is not the same as the lived reality of the poor. She reminds him (and the audience) that statistics and official narratives don't necessarily reflect the lived reality and institutions like the judiciary are supposed to look out for the underprivileged and marginalised.
Which is a point well worth making, but it's ironic that all these excellent explorations into the normalising of violence, the role of institutions and the concept of justice itself send the issue of sexual harassment to the sidelines.
Even when we return to the subject of the case, the focus is on the actor and the question is what would be justice for him. What he's done and his victims recede into the background. There's no discussion of restorative justice or reparations. Instead, all that anyone seems to care about is the dick, both literally and figuratively.
Ultimately, Yo-Han arrives at a solution that is punitive enough to satisfy the unforgiving public without seeming barbaric. He outsources to America. Yo-Han's solution is to ship the abusive actor off to a prison in Texas. Yes, the Lone Star State of the United States of America.
We're also told that the person who found this Texan prison and negotiated the prisoner-exchange deal is not Yo-Han but his niece, the wheelchair-bound teenager who is studying computer engineering in Stanford (she's a distance-education student). The whole complicated process shows how institutions fail women in South Korea. For anything close to justice, the guilty abuser has to be shipped to another country — in South Korea, he'd get away with bribing people and securing parole — and it's quite obvious that this is an exceptional situation for which credit is due to not to government institutions, but one individual woman's intelligence, resourcefulness and privilege.
The segment where Yo-Han delivers his verdict would have been hilarious and a really clever bit of satire if it didn't include a video in which American prisoners say they're waiting for their Korean inmate. The implication is that the Americans are going to sodomise the crap out of him, which is not just demonising homosexuality, but it also shows that to The Devil Judge, justice means continuing the cycle of abuse by reducing the abuser to a victim. Needless to say, the guy who makes our Korean abuser shudder in horror is a leering Black man, neatly combining racism and homophobia in a single shot. It's disgusting, unnecessary and completely lacking even a hint of nuance.
Episode 5 ends with Yo-Han handcuffed to a chair and Soon-Ah forcibly kissing him. It comes quick on the heels of the trial, which suggests the show is trying to make the point that women can sexually harass men too — a tired, hackneyed and idiotic argument because it ignores the tiny detail that our existing socio-cultural structures empower men and disempower women. But let's set aside sociology and cultural studies and just stick to what's happening in the plot of The Devil Judge.
In an earlier episode, when the housekeeper was telling Ga-On about Yo-Han, she'd mentioned there was a maid who fell in love with Yo-Han and that Yo-Han had made her jump off the second floor. It seems Soon-Ah might be that maid (or maybe she's related to that maid?) and that she's nursed an obsessive crush on Yo-Han.
Ergo, present-day Yo-Han being kidnapped and handcuffed to a chair. All for Soon-Ah's pleasure, thank you very much. To really bring that point home, Soon-Ah calls Yo-Han "young master" and then plants a very un-chaste kiss on his person.
Is this kiss supposed to be hot? I've no idea. What is definitely unambiguous is that the kiss is not consensual. Yo-Han is clearly not feeling it and the lack of response isn't bothering Soon-Ah in the slightest.
In earlier episodes, Soon-Ah has been the protector — like when she punishes the foundation's director for groping the server — so it's particularly disappointing that the writer chose to make Soon-Ah an abuser in order to establish her villain identity. I really liked the idea that Soon-Ah is the actual power behind the all-powerful Social Responsibility Foundation. The reveal was reminiscent of the reveal in Vincenzo, except in The Devil Judge, this charade felt far more credible and convincing. For Soon-Ah, a young woman in a patriarchal, male-dominated and conservative society, an old man as a figurehead would mean doors opening easier and other men taking her company seriously. The facade of the old man as the director and Soon-Ah being ignored by most people showed that seedy, sleazy men trust other seedy, sleazy men.
I was quite looking forward to this scheming, ambitious woman going up against Yo-Han, but the end of episode 5 has reduced Soon-Ah to a misogynist stereotype. I'm hoping that the next episode will add some nuance/ dimension to Soon-Ah, but as of episode 5, she's the incel's wet dream. And that is disappointing af.
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Fic Masterpost
I’ve signed up for Fandom Trumps Hate for the first time, and thought it an excellent moment to share a guide to my 32 fics.
If you want me to write a fic for you, you can bid on me here!
If you want to check out my works first, I’ve written some lists that can help you find something to your tastes. The most popular fics, my own faves, and those with the main themes I keep coming back to, I’ve written about in more detail. Below the cut you can find the fics sorted by more standard genres. I hope this helps you navigate my AO3!
FIVE FAVES of the fandom
My most popular fics - the ones that made my name.
1. What Friends Do 23k, E
A story about the blurry limits between friendship and romance. A long, fluffy first chapter, an angsty second chapter, a third chapter with smut, topped off with a super fluffy epilogue. Apparently that’s the recipe for success – this fic is twice as popular as my second most well-loved fic!
2. Who I Really Am 13k, T
John’s journey of self-discovery and acceptance. With the help of Harry, he slowly comes to terms with his bisexuality. One of the rare fics I’ve written which takes place post-s4, but the only things I’ve really cared about from it are the existence of Rosie and the Hug. Podfic from Podfixx available.
3. The General Idea 3k, T
A short story about how their relationship shifts when Sherlock asks John to retire with him. Podfic from Podfixx available, and there’s a sequel too now (A Home for Bees and Beekeepers).
4. Coldness/Heat 3k, E
My first PWP, featuring my fave trope of all time: Bedsharing! This turned into a series of fluffy and/or smutty fics posted annually on New Year’s Eve (New Year’s Kiss).
5. Tomorrow’s Song 24k, E
When John confesses his love for Sherlock, Sherlock isn’t ready to hear it. Heavy angst ensues when they both try to deal with Sherlock’s return from the dead, and Sherlock battles with his demons. Writing this fic is what made me Understand Sherlock and I’ve loved him fiercely ever since.
FIVE FAVES of agirlsname
The fics that I’m the most proud of – the ones I still love years after posting them.
1. Who I Really Am 13k, T
I’ll mention it again, because it’s the most important thing I’ve ever written. I wrote it while I went through this journey myself, and many readers have messaged me over the years saying it helped them realise/come to terms with/come out as bisexual.
2. The Sky is Full of Fiddles 25k, T
A teenlock AU set in rural Sweden in the 1890s. Sherlock is a folk music fiddler, John is a fiddle-maker-to-be, and they’re both skilled folk dancers. This is where I finally took the boys home to me and put them in the culture that I truly know, and gifted them with the music and dance I love most in the world. Magical, nearly mystical atmosphere, young summer love, the pull of music and dancing… the story turned out almost like a fairy-tale.
3. This Is Your Song 80k, E
I’ve always loved the Moulin Rouge movie, and I had such a blast putting Sherlock in the role of a fiercely talented actor forced to work as a prostitute, and John as the writer who falls in love with him… Many people skip this one because of the MCD, but with its poetic language, heartbreaking versions of the characters and familiar story, to me this might be my best piece of writing ever.
4. Your Daughter 9k, G
The story of Sherlock’s relationship with John’s newborn baby – the way he feels about a baby that isn’t his, but that he becomes a second parent to. There’s none of the things I hated with the later seasons (Sherlock and John’s frayed relationship, Mary, or any of the fuckery that was s4) – the only thing I kept was John having a baby (not called Rosie unless you HC it). Another story I lived while I was writing it.
5. 52 Years 4k, M
A string of headcanons from every year Sherlock and John spend knowing each other. I like the way I wrote this one – a little odd, pretty poetic, sometimes angsty, mostly sweet. Underappreciated because it ends in death (of old age), but it isn’t there for the sake of angst but is meant to be beautiful.
Main theme #1: BISEXUALITY
These stories deal with John coming to terms with his bisexuality, under angsty or fluffy conditions. Or both.
Who I Really Am 13k, T
Every internal argument, every attempt to escape, every fear, and all the joy of coming to terms with bisexuality. Sprinkled with Johnlock angst that obviously ends in Johnlock happiness.
A Singular Friendship 28k, E
John struggles with the implications of having a close physical relationship with his male friend. He takes several missteps and dates a woman for a while to prove his heterosexuality, but he deals with his crap in the end.
I’m the Rainbow in Your Jail Cell 2k, G
A short, weird ficlet about taking the leap while you still have the chance.
What I Really Want 1k, M
A short unilock fic where John has known Sherlock since he was a kid. The first time he has an almost feverish sex fantasy about his best friend.
Main theme #2: POST-REICHENBACH
I have worked through my Reichenbach feels over and over. Let me break your heart and then put it back together!
Tomorrow’s Song 24k, E
While Sherlock was gone, John realised he had feelings for him. When Sherlock comes back he isn’t ready for John’s love confession and turns him down. They drift apart, John proposes to Mary, everyone is miserable until Sherlock gets his shit together.
gravity 1k, T
When Sherlock comes back, they can’t stop touching each other. No anger or hate, only sweet hurt and comfort.
The Secret Blog of Dr. John H. Watson (series, 3 works) 43k, E
Sherlock and John get together before Sherlock falls. Here’s how that plays out when he comes back…
We could. 10k, M
Sherlock casually jokes about suicide, which triggers John’s trauma from watching him fall. They finally talk it out. Established relationship.
My Messy Miracle 16k, M
Sherlock calls John twenty days after the fall to reveal he’s alive. John has to let him go on his mission alone, but after a while he goes after him to save him.
52 Years 4k, M
After the many years they spend together, John reflects on the fact that all the happy years more than make up for those difficult years at the beginning.
The Zebra Sheets 13k, M
Sherlock isn’t “dead” as long as in canon, and John hasn’t met Mary. Sherlock is traumatised by the torture in Serbia, and John is exhausted from the grief he’s gone through. They go on a vacation to a cottage and grow closer to each other.
Here are suggestions on what to read if you want…
… to focus on Sherlock’s background, emotions and growth:
What Friends Do 23k, E
Tomorrow’s Song 24k, E
Your Daughter 9k, G
A Study in Kissing (series, 2 works) 11k, E
The Zebra Sheets 13k, M
… a John who’s already 100% fine with his bisexuality (or doesn’t make a fuss when he realises):
The Secret Blog of Dr. John H. Watson (series, 3 works) 43k, E
New Year’s Kiss (series, 4 works) 11k, E
This Is Your Song 80k, E
The Sky is Full of Fiddles 25k, T
My Messy Miracle 16k, M
… angst and ache in your heart (but almost always with a happy ending):
Friends (series, 2 works) 51k, E
Who I Really Am 13k, T
Tomorrow’s Song 24k, E
The Secret Blog of Dr. John H. Watson (series, 3 works) 43k, E
This Is Your Song 80k, E
We could. 10k, M
Not Actually a Girl’s Name 5k, G
52 Years 4k, M
Hurry to Love 1k, G
… fluffy, romantic, sweet stories:
About the Beekeeping Years (series, 2 works) 6k, T
New Year’s Kiss (series, 4 works) 11k, E
Undersea-Rainbows 11k, E
Your Daughter 9k, G
The Sky is Full of Fiddles 25k, T
A Study in Kissing (series, 2 works) 11k, E
All Hearts’ Day 400 words, G
The Zebra Sheets 13k, M
… sexy, short stories without much of a plot:
Coldness/Heat 3k, E
Iron Sparks 2k, E
Sex Holiday Manners 2k, E
The Adventure of the Ugly Jumper 4k, E
The Largest Sex Organ 200 words, E
What I Really Want 1k, M
… an AU:
This Is Your Song 80k, E
The Sky is Full of Fiddles 25k, T
What I Really Want 1k, M
… to laugh:
Solution of the Final Problem 6k, G
The Lost Kiss 3k, M
Iron Sparks 2k, E
Socks! or A Delicate and Unpredictable Operation 2k, G
… a bite-sized fic on the go:
gravity 1k, T
I’m the Rainbow in Your Jail Cell 2k, G
What I Really Want 1k, M
All Hearts’ Day 400 words, G
The Largest Sex Organ 200 words, E
Hurry to Love 1k, G
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“CABBAGE”
A/N: First, I wanna apologize to the Diakko day mods that reviewed a completely different fic for me that was supposed to be my entry, but then... boom new diakko day entry. I’m sorry ;-;, I just couldn’t figure out a flow that would still have what I had in mind. Uwu, sorry for using up your precious time.
Soulmate, non-magic? AU. Cliche stuff, common trope. STILL. I’m using it. Fun fact, I slaved away for this for two/three days hoho~ peak procrastination, don’t encourage it. Also on ao3, but I have a habit of posting full chaps on tumblr. Teehee. This is... long... (could have been a crazy multi-chap, ey?) but I guess that’s what you get for trying to fit a full story with an AU setting that needs to be established. Sorry if it feels slow with regards to reaching DiAkko, but don’t worry, from when they come along til the end, you’ll have loads of them. Sorry for the pacing tho :((( I also apologize in advance if there are some OOC bits that y’all might not like. Not too confident in it, but hope you all like it. I DID NOT BETA READ THIS ANYMORE BECAUSE I’M TIRED OF THE LENGTH OF IT LMAO. Anywho...
Happy DiAkko day! Enjoy?
~Shintori Khazumi
It was a normal thing, really. She had grown up with a thin chain slung around her neck, attached to another tiny metal thingy resting against the skin of her collarbone. On cold days, she would keep it in her pocket because god knows how weirdly tingly and-or painful that felt on bare skin. Sure she could have chosen to just wear it so that others could see it- actually, wasn’t she going against society’s rules when she hid it? She was, wasn’t she. Heck, it surprised her now that she’s realized it. Why hasn’t she been arrested yet? This is a crime isn’t it? Her mom, her dad, would they get to say their farewells once she got incarcerated-
“I can see it on your face, that you’re thinking about something totally stupid again.”
“Shut up, Sucy.”
“Just saying.” Sucy shrugs, going back to working on their chemistry lab activity. “I mean, I kinda just want you to focus on what we’re doing. Unless you want me to slip in some stuff in your project there.” She grinned in that evil little way the brunette had come to know her for.
“If I know you, which I do, you’ve probably already done that.”
“Akko! I can’t believe you’d accuse me of something like hurting my friends.” Sucy really couldn’t sell the ‘feigning shock’ act as her monotone words did little to convey emotion, and that forced gasp was probably just everyone else’s normal manner of breathing. Which was scary, now that she thought about it. Did that mean Sucy’s normal breathing was even less obvious? Oh god, now that Akko thinks about it, she would sometimes joke in her head about how she often wondered whether or not Sucy was actually dead during sleepovers.
‘I mean, come on! She sleeps like a corpse in a coffin! And she always looks so pale-’
“I knew you were thinking about something stupid again.” Once more, her thoughts were brought to a halt by that lazed, snarky voice that could only belong to her best friend who shared her mutual desire to strangle one another.
“I was just wondering if you were undead or something.”
“Screw you.”
“Wish I’d find someone to do that...” Akko muttered under her breath, to which Sucy sighed. She had heard it, and immediately knew what the Japanese was about to get hung up on. Again. Like she always did.
A hand reaching over to pat her back in consolation, but Akko felt a little worse, feeling that small, hard material lightly tapping the area along with the rest of Sucy’s hand. Sucy chuckled, sympathetically. “I know you’re constantly in a state of heat, Akko-” Or not.
“I am not, you bitch!”
Sucy could stand to ignore that. “-But really. Are you really that obsessed with finding your soulmate? We’re all young and all that jazz that those old hags keep yapping about. You have a lot of time, you know?” She smiled a sincere smile this time, trying her best to comfort her friend. “And besides, even though it’s something written on official print that most people find their soulmates at sixteen, most isn’t all.”
Akko felt a little better. Sucy could be an asshole, but as a best friend, she really knew what to say to Akko sometimes.
“-That’s basic English that even you can understand.”
She takes it back. She takes some of her heartfelt gratitude back. “I hate you.”
“Aww, I abhor you with all of my non-existent heart as well.” Sucy smirked, swatting Akko’s attacking hand away. “Muah~” She threw in a wink for good measure.
“Ughh, oh gosh... Professor Croix!” Akko bemoaned to their supervising teacher. “Can I please use the emergency shower? And eyewash. I think Miss Manbavaran got her unholy sappiness spilled all over me.”
Croix sighed, rubbing the spot between her eyes with her thumb and index finger. Not this again. “Can’t you two ever pipe down in my class?” She sighed. “PLEASE?!”
“Nope.” -Was the deadpanned response.
“I now see why you guys are friends.” Croix groaned, walking over to their table. “You little shits just won’t give me a break. And yet, you’re so behaved with Chariot.”
“Hey! Sensei, cursing your students is bad!” Akko scolded, before adding, “Besides, this and that are separate matters. Prof Chariot is just sweet and so nice, you can’t bear the weight of guilt of hurting her. Right?” Akko turned to Sucy who just nodded.
“Shut it, Kagari. That is not a valid rea- wait... maybe it is.”
“See?”
Her head was starting to hurt. Just why had she decided to be a teacher in place of any other job involving chemistry? Really, there were so many other things she could have done!
Just as she was about to return the verbal jabs, a gentler voice inserted itself into their conversation. “Umm... guys, professor, the other students are being distracted by your... um... exchange.”
Three pairs of eyes blinked, before two widened in apologetic shock, while the other seemed to gleam in pleasure. “Sorry, Lotte.”
“Sucy, please try to look even the slightest bit sorry.”
And disappointment replaced them right away.
“Tsk.”
“Sucy... we will be having a talk back in our room.” Akko heard that audible gulp, reaching for her friend’s hand under the table, squeezing support.
“Don’t die.” She whispered.
“You too, Akko.”
“Noooo! How? I don’t even live with you two!”
Lotte was about to respond that Akko always stayed over, anyway, but the frantic screams of their teacher took the words far away from her mind.
“Akko! Akko! Your solution is bubbling! Wait, that’s not supposed to do that-” Croix’s concern was justified as in a matter of a split second, everyone in their immediate circle was covered in some bright pink substance. “SHOWER, EMERGENCY SHOWER-”
“W-we won’t all fit, Professor!” Lotte had begun tearing up, wondering if she was about to die from whatever toxic chemical their beloved dunce must have mixed in. Maybe if she prayed to something somewhere out there, the spirits of nature would take hers and maybe she could live as some kind of forest sprite in some alternate magical world, and crap, she was becoming delusional.
“Hoho~ What a nice outcome~.”
“Manbavaran!”
“Relaaaax, I switched out all of Akko’s components for some of my stuff. It was a precaution.” She smiled, unbelievably innocent-looking. “...and maybe added a little surprise.”
“Su.CY!” Akko lunged forward before being stopped mid-air, caught by the collar.
“Akko. Sucy. I’ll see you in the office later.”
“...your office?” They seemed amazingly unfazed. They’d probably been so used to being there that they must see it as a lounge of sorts. But no, Croix wasn’t going to be defeated by teenage rascals that were the cause of her hair prematurely turning white. No.
“Nope.”
“Th-then, Finneran’s?” They weren’t completely scared of the aforementioned teacher. She just gave them such an earful, sometimes they’d joke to Lotte about needing hearing aids at some point.
“No.” Croix’s smile grew despicably wide and dark. “Holbrooke’s.”
Lotte sighed in sympathy. Well, she’d expected this development sooner or later. “I’ll wait for you by the usual bench.”
//-//-//-//-//
A week of suspension. One week off school, no school or class-related updates allowed from classmates, and only check-ins and work drops from teachers. That was... surprisingly light after all the trouble they’d accumulated over the past first month of the semester. Or maybe it was because it was just the start of the school year that the headmistress really wanted as little to go wrong as possible. Preferably nothing would go wrong. Or it could also be the fact that they were in their senior year, and the teachers really wanted all their students to graduate.
But you could never tell with a group as rowdy as the ‘witches’ of Luna Nova International Institute. They were rightly labeled as such with the cursed terrors they had inflicted, every incident they’ d caused all over the school premises and beyond.
If it wasn’t Akko and Sucy, it was Jasminka somehow being able to sneak in and out of the classroom and buy out the entire snack section of the cafeteria, and making it back to class without anyone noticing. With her size, it was some kind of scary magic trick. If it wasn’t that either, then it was Constanze constantly installing who-know’s-what in the schools’ computers. It it wasn’t her, then it was Amanda and Hannah pulling at hairs, or cutting at each other’s necks, then the next thing you know they’re either making out in public, or making out in public... with Barbara. There was also Lotte when she was in her wild states of fangirling after a new Night Fall release. People tended to keep a safe distance from her during those times. (She’d once shaken a girl unconscious out of her sheer excitement at the mention of, ‘Oh, I read the latest release too’.)
Never a dull day with them.
Scarily so.
Holbrooke had smiled at them kindly as always, but there was just a little something else behind it that felt like Akko and Sucy were about to die on the spot.
“Please. I beg of you. Your first two years, we tried to overlook all your mischief as it did not pose any threat to the masses, only towards you and your friend group... well... physical harm or threat, at least. I don’t know how many people are psychologically scarred because of you.” She had said that, but they didn’t know if it was a joke, a serious statement, or both.
After being given twenty blank pages to write their usual apologies on- they shared a laugh, thinking back on when Amanda got fifty-, the pair made their merry way to the bench just by the school gate where Lotte sat, chatting alongside and excited Barbara, a Hannah with a fond smile directed at her life-time partner, and Amanda who was carrying both their bags for them, waving goodbye to Constanze and Jasminka who looked like they were just leaving.
“Aww, didn’t get to catch my little friend.” Akko pouted, wanting to hug Conz as she always did. She was so cute. And soft. Like a plush. Always calming Akko down.
“She’s gonna shoot one of her tiny lazers at you again. Those actually burn.” Amanda reminded, laughing as she remembered what Lotte told her about why they were late. “And I heard you two got some quality time with the big woman upstairs?” Her grin widened. “How many?”
“Twenty.” They responded in synch, hands aching from the memory.
“Heh... not bad. Doesn’t beat my record though.” She cackled, slinging an arm over Hannah’s shoulder, Akko not missing the glint on her left ring finger. How nice.
“Don’t egg them on, idiot.” Hannah sighed, peeling the limb off her. “And you all got nothing on these two.” She pointed a thumb to the still excitedly conversing pair. “They wrote a fucking novel for their apology. Literally. But the teachers were so tired of reading that they weren’t made to write apology notes anymore.”
“Hey! Cleaning the bathrooms aren’t the best either!” Barbara, now done with her talk with Lotte, turned to pinch the ginger’s arm.
“I mean, we all have cleaned them at some point.”
“True, true.” The group nodded in consensus.
“...”
“This is not a very good fact.” Barbara pointed out, and they all laughed, the ones seated slowly getting up, everyone ready to go home.
As they exited the gate, they all waved their goodbyes, Akko and her two best friends heading one way, and Amanda and her girls the other. Just as the sun was setting at that hour in the afternoon, red eyes caught the reflected glimmer of light against the three bands on each girl’s ring finger. Those same eyes traveled to similar hoops donned by the pair walking quietly in front of her, hands brushing by one another.
Really. She was happy all her friends had found their destined ones. Some partners may look to be as mismatched as Sucy and Lotte, and some cases were as rare as the three-way between the snarky British girls and their American idiot, but... the system had worked some magic in perfectly matching people, it seemed. They all seemed happy with who they had.
Akko didn’t know if this was some kind of spiritual occurrence like fate or the likes, or if this was just one ginormous scientific experiment on billions of guinea pigs across the globe, but... Akko wanted in on it too.
Placing a hand over where her heart was, she felt for the metal against her chest, clutching it through her uniform blouse.
Just when would her “soulmate” come?
//-//-//-//-//
Their first stop, as per usual, was the small apartment complex that Lotte and Sucy lived in. When their parents had discovered that these children had found the one meant for them, they were more than willing to help the girls move in together, and get used to a life-long companionship. They trusted them as they were both capable and level-headed, and Akko was so happy that her friends were happy. She always was.
Lotte invited her in. As always. And Akko should’ve accepted like she always did as well, but somehow, today... she just didn’t feel like it. So she made a random excuse, something believable enough, like how her parents had asked her to make dinner because they’d be home late, and the Fin just had to let her go, even if she felt something was off, and that the brunette might just be lying.
There had been a time when Lotte and Sucy had just gotten together that Akko seemed to distance herself from her best friends. They soon found out it was out of her concern that she might be intruding on their relationship, or bothering them, taking away from the time the pair could spend alone together as a couple. Obviously, they had never seen Akko as a nuisance, and were saddened she would think of such things.
With a talk, reassurances, and clarifications in place, their bond as friends became ever stronger, and more trusting.
But Akko still wanted to be considerate. Out of love.
...and maybe a little envy that made her want to distance herself from the sight of people with fulfilled partnerships.
Maybe she was just a sore, lonely loser who couldn’t truly be happy for her friends.
Who knows.
After jogging the rest of the way home, a simple five-minute distance away from the apartments, she reached that familiar wooden gate, the name plate “Kagari” shiny and clean, like her mother liked it. Pushing the swinging portion open, she walked up the driveway, smiling at her share little garden with her Mama. Looks like the vegetables were growing up healthy. Maybe she could try some new dishes out and have her friends give her feedback. The usual agenda.
“I’m home!” She called out in the foyer, shoes slipping off and set neatly to the side. A habit strongly instilled in her since childhood. “Mama?” The scents of vegetables and meat, and was that... cookies! Her mom was baking cookies! “Mama!”
Padding down the hall and entering the open living room, she found her father splayed out, snoring on the couch with a newspaper covering his face. Giggling to herself, she continued her way into the kitchen, spotting the one she’d been looking for, ear buds in and swaying to some music only she could hear. Akko smiled. Her mom was so youthful, she was such a girl. With her bright pink apron and bunny slippers, and impeccable manners and home skills.
“Ma~ma!” She called, hugging her mother’s waist from behind.
The older woman yelped, spatula flying into the air, but with Akko smoothly catching it and licking off some of the sauce on it. She tried not to look into those disproving eyes, and simply released her mother and went to wash the utensil.
“Akko...”
“I said I was home! You didn’t hear me, mama. This is revenge.” She grinned cheekily, her mother sighing before a fond smile played on her lips.
“Fine, fine. But just this once, okay?”
“Hai~” Akko gave a mock salute, enjoying this moment with her mother as the her co-brunette rolled her eyes fondly. Akko walked up to her, kissed her cheek, and attempted to “appease” her mother by offering her exemplary culinary services- or so her dad had once claimed. “Let me help you out?”
Unable to keep up the annoyed act longer, her mother slipped into giggles, turning to gather her daughter into her arms and pepper kisses all over her hair. “Thank you, baby. Please chop me up some of the veggies in the bag by the sink.”
“Roger!”
And they shared another laugh at the voice coming from the other room, screaming a sleepy, “WHO’S ROGER?! ANOTHER BOY-”
The usual always felt so good.
//-//-//-//-//
Dinner had been fairly uneventful. Her cousin- the relation fairly distant- who currently lived with them wasn’t home still, just like always. She knew he was always busy at school, and with the little business her father had him manage, so that was a normal thing as well. She had ended up just confessing to her parents what she’d done in school this time, in hopes that her being honest instead of them finding out via a phone call from school first would ease the inevitable punishment awaiting her.
It... kind of helped. Kind of.
Her father had laughed so hard, clearly amused at her and Sucy’s antics. Her mother sighed deeply, not knowing if she should even still be disappointed anymore. Akko and school accidents and incidents weren’t uncommon at all, after all. It wasn’t a surprise. Really, the biggest school-related surprise they’d gotten was the fact that Akko wanted to take a science-related course instead of an arts one. They knew it had always been her dream to be a performer. So why was she taking that when Luna Nova offered the Arts as well. It was something they would forever wonder about.
Akko was usually so open and honest with them in just about everything, but this was one thing she would never clear up with them. And they could never understand why. There was definitely a deep reason behind it. But why did she have the need to keep it to herself? They worried, but they also believed in her, that she would tell them if she needed to. She was that kind of child.
They hoped.
Kissing her parents good night, She walked away from the kitchen banter of who should wash the dishes between the two adults, and trudged up the wooden stairs to her room. Akko had offered, but they said she should just rest up. She looked like she had a long day. Besides, she had a week to help out at home. Akko shivered at the thought of being worked like a mule. That was a joke of course, but her mama could be so Spartan sometimes.
Her door clicked close, and she immediately found herself face-first in the soft covers of the lower bunk of her bed, lights of the room still down. Originally, the Kagari’s had been expecting twins because of how large Akko’s mother’s stomach had been. Apparently, they were simply blessed with a very healthy baby. (She was a fair bit taller than her mother, and had a good height for a Japanese woman). As Akko grew up, however, she insisted to keep the bunk as it seemed like it could be useful to turn into her own little fort. Plus, sleepovers wouldn’t be much of a problem in terms of space.
Flipping onto her back, she stared at the glow-in-the-dark stars pasted onto the top of her ceiling. It was fairly high up, with this side of the house being designed a little differently, the roof of Akko’s room forming a dome. This was at her request as a child after attending one of Professor Chariot’s public lectures on stars as a child. Akko had since then been hooked to them, the fading glow of the stickers allowing her sights of the constellations she’d painstakingly formed, sticking each point one by one with the help of her dad and a ladder.
She had been saving up lately to buy one of those small, portable planetarium projectors. She didn’t want to outright ask her parents for one, and she had taken a few secret part-time jobs to make up for the amount she needed. Little by little, she was getting close to her goal. She’d have one someday. One day.
Her eyes felt heavy all of a sudden, an arm moving to rest over them as her breathing slowed, thoughts drifting to stars and constellations, and myths, and tales, and fate, and...
Her world shut down.
//-//-//-//-//
“Atsuko. Atsuko, get up. Akko. Wake up, bloody hell, you sleep like a log!”
“Mmrrnghmm... eh?” Blinking her eyes open, she spotted a young man, brown hair just like hers, dressed in a cardigan and slacks, looking ready to go out on some date, or the like, or maybe he had more business as usual. “Andrew.”
“Akko.” He responded dryly. “It’s eight in the morning. I know it’s the weekend, but really, sleeping in isn’t a good habit.”
Rolling over to shield her eyes from the intrusive sunlight and man, she waved him away sloppily, ready to get back to rest, body feeling heavy for some reason.
“Akko!”
“You really do take my mom’s place when she isn’t around, Andrew.” Akko complained, sitting up, if only to get Andrew to pipe down. “Alright, I get it.” She rubbed the sleep away from her eyes, stretching her body out and taking in a breath of fresh air. “But if you’re here, I’m figuring my parents are out?”
She received a nod, followed by an explanation. “They said they had a picnic date planned for the whole day.”
Akko pouted. “Aww, and they didn’t think to take me along? How mean~”
“They tried to wake you up, believe me.” Andrew scoffed. “You could sleep through world war two without problem, however.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Get out, please.”
“Later.”
“I’m asking nicely.” Akko whined, slipping out of her bed, realizing she hadn’t changed out of her uniform last night.
“After I tell you about our plans for today.”
A well-shaped brow raised in suspicion at the words. “Our plans?” Akko voiced. “What do you mean. ‘our plans’? I don’t have any plans of spending time with you today, as far as my knowledge tells me.”
“Not that you have mu-” Andrew was about to throw in the usual insulting jab, playful banter, but refrained. He did actually need Akko to go with him.
“Hmm?” The lack of a biting response didn’t sit quite well with Akko. Something was up with her cousin, and she was sure that she was about to find out just what.
There was an awkward pause in the air before the older boy cleared his throat; maybe he should begin with getting on her good side. “L-lovely weather we’re having today.”
“Just tell me what you want from me and leave.”
“We’re going to the mall, please help me.”
“Why?”
“...”
“Why?” Akko pressed. If Andrew wasn’t going to give her a good enough explanation, she wasn’t going to move a single inch.
“...It’s Denise’s birthday soon.” He confessed, and Akko actually backed off.
“Oh.” She immediately understood what Andrew wanted without him having to expound on his earlier statement. Really, he could be such an adorable dork sometimes, especially when it came to Denise.
Denise was Andrew’s set partner. She was a kind person, gentle, lady-like, intelligent, mild-mannered, but strong-willed. She was great. Too good for Andrew, Akko would tease at times. But really, they made such a good match. She liked Denise; she was sweet to Akko, exchanged treats with her, as well as tutored her from time to time, being in the same school and all. She also kept Andrew busy and out of Akko’s hair, so she was perfect! So if not for Andrew’s sake, Akko should at least do something nice for her friend.
“Give me half an hour. I’ll be ready by then.”
Andrew breathed a sigh of relief, offering Akko a grateful smile. “Thank you. I’ll see myself out then.”
“Finally!”
With a childish sticking of the tongue out at each other, a habitual thing they had formed, Andrew had closed the door to Akko’s bedroom, not forgetting to lock it behind him for privacy’s sake. Akko was thankful.
Instead of getting up, however, and preparing for the day with Andrew out of the room, Akko lay back down on the soft mattress, eyes trained to the top of the room again. As she saw her little clusters of stars and constellations, red ribbons connecting points one to the other, always to be linked even if they were far apart, never to be broken, her regular intrusive thoughts had begun making their way to the forefront of her mind again.
Fated people... soulmates, huh. Weren’t those terms just glorified ways of saying everyone was in some kind of arranged marriage they could never get out of? Wouldn’t there be at least one person averse to all this? Maybe? But why... did all the people she’s known, who’ve met their match-why did they all seem content?
Feeling for that familiar metal piece under her clothing, she pulled it out by the chain, observing it as it glinted against the morning light. Her finger traced over the engraving on the outside, admiring the workmanship, but frowning at the words.
She thought back on it all. How all this destined person stuff all started out, as the history books told them. Before the records of History ever existed, they said that the leaders of the ancient world had gathered together, seeing the ‘sorrow of the world’, and came to a decision of what to to do to make the world better in that regard. They decided that ‘LOVE’ was the answer, as cheesy as it sounded. And so a system was put into place that would overcome barriers and seas, both literal and figurative, of difference, and bring to mankind the meaning of true joy- Akko always found it incredibly sappy and cringey when it was laid out like that.
Like any system, there were the finer details that made it all work one way or the other. It is said that people are born issued with a ring to be worn on their person on all times. It was a mystery as well, how one could never seem to outgrow the ring. Like it was made to grow alongside you. It was made out of metal, however, and it made things all the more perplexing. Who knows what magic goes on behind all of this? No one knows who makes the rings, or who created this system; nor does anyone know who assigns partners to each other. All they’ve known are the facts that the rings were created, containing words that served to be a hint to who your soulmate is supposedly. When you meet that person, you’d just know. The words, they’d just make sense. It didn’t matter if it never did all your life. One day, everything would just click, apparently. That was how the words were chosen, they said. Then these rings would be distributed to countries and the government would be responsible in ensuring that they got to their rightful owners.
Honestly, this whole thing sounded like some deep cult-ish shit, and Akko was quite shocked that she- along with possibly millions, or billions- had never questioned it before. After all, it was the usual; as always, the norm. It could be something of a mysterious world movement that no one knew of, but with it simply claiming to have the goal of ‘bringing happiness to all citizens’, people hardly seemed to mind where it took them.
Akko remembered the first time she ever found it weird. She was in the fourth grade, and that day, they had learned the importance of the words on the rings. ‘Hints to finding your one, true love, their teacher had claimed, trying to rouse excitement from the students at the prospect of soulmates.
And while every other little girl squealed in joy and giddiness upon reading the words written on their rings, Akko had a look of distaste on her face at the sight of her words, immediately hiding the item from possibly prying eyes of her classmates who had already began to compare words with others.
She hated it. She had then ran home to tell her mother about it.
“Mooommm! Mom!”
“Akko? What’s wrong? You’re all sweaty and you still have your outdoor boots on-”
“Why does my word suck so much?”
“Huh?” The woman was lost for words, confounded by a simple question.
“Why does it suck so much? My word! I mean...” Holding her ring out for her Mama to see, Akko continued on her rant. “What the heck does cabbage even mean?! IS HE A FARMER?! DOES MY SOULMATE LIKE CABBAGE THAT MUCH?!”
“Ah... well...”
“Why couldn’t it be something cool like yours and dads. ‘Eyes like rubies’, and ‘Rider from the north’ just sounds so badass and romantic! And then there’s me with CABBAGE. Sure, the ring is pretty and all, but... WHAT IS CABBAGE?!”
“I... don’t know, sweetheart.”
Akko had felt so frustrated with her word, that she wanted to cry. “My soulmate sucks!”
Thinking back on those times, she sure was such a child. It wasn’t her soulmate’s fault that the government or whatever authority or higher power decided to describe him or her that way. If anything, her partner is a victim of slander. Even Sucy had it better with the description. Akko chuckled mirthlessly. What are those people thinking. Ah, her head was starting to hurt from overthinking all this.
“’Bring happiness to all citizens’, my ass. With a hint as weird and cryptic as this, how am I supposed to be ‘happy’ like everyone else?” Akko sighed once more, unclasping the chain from behind her neck, and taking her ring off, hanging it over her eyes, watching it dangle in the air, the elegant cursive of ‘cabbage’ pissing her off a little more than it should.
Along with the ring came a handbook of sorts. Akko’s sat atop her bedside drawer. In it were more rules, guidelines, and information to be taken note of, but they could only be read at certain ages, sections sealed off by some kind of technology that only unlocked come one’s birthday. An example of a rule was related to how to wear the ring. It didn’t seem to be a heavily imposed rule as Akko had done away with it all her life. It was that rings should be worn on your right ring finger so long as you hadn’t found your assigned partner, moving it to your left once you have. Akko had been ashamed of her word and had always carried it around her neck, hidden underneath her clothes. Her mother had scolded her for it in the past, but she didn’t care. She didn’t want to get teased by the other children for having such a strange hint. She had believed that it would give her a hard time.
And it still did. With it being so vague and odd, there was no way this hint made much sense to her, at all. Would she ever find the person her whole being was linked to for a lifetime?
Besides the rules came soulmate-related explanation for the rings and words. An instance of this would be that the meaning behind the words would only be revealed to them once they entered fourth grade. She never understood the significance of that. Why couldn’t one just read through everything and understand it all at once? Well, not that it mattered. She would soon be turning eighteen, and opening a section that made her feel just the slightest bit bitter.
[What to do if you haven’t found your soulmate yet.]
Sucy may have told her that each person had their own time, and that she was still young, and had plenty of years to go searching. But when everyone else around you had already found theirs by the “normal” designated time, you’d start to feel quite isolated and lonely, right? She was already different from the rest with the weird-ass word she was stuck with, and now she wasn’t even close to being on the right track to finding the person it was pointing to.
It was frustrating.
Three knocks and a voice followed suit. “Akko? Are you ready? It’s been about twenty-five minutes, but I didn’t hear any noise coming from your room. Are you actually okay?”
Right. Andrew.
“I’m fine! Sorry, I got lost in thought. Be right out! Maybe in fifteen! My bad, really.”
“It’s fine, I’m the one requesting a favor, after all!” Andrew responded through the wood, and Akko felt his presence leave her immediate area.
Hopping off her bed and grabbing her towel, she made her way to the bathroom. Maybe a cold shower would help her stop thinking about all of this for a few. She really should stop questioning the whole system of practically the whole world. It wasn’t good for her sanity.
Turning on the shower and soaking herself, her assumption of her endangered mental health was confirmed.
“AH, I FORGOT TO STRIP!”
//-//-//-//-//
“You sure took your sweet time getting ready.” Andrew commented, locking the door behind them and tossing the keys into his pocket as they got to walking. Opening the gate for Akko with a bow, they shared a laugh, going on their merry way down the street.
As often as they got on one another’s nerves, they undeniably enjoyed each other’s company. It was nice. Akko liked it to an extent. The conversation was fun, the exchanges never dull, it was time spent well. What she didn’t like about hanging around with Andrew were all the stares and glares she got from people around. Much like now.
It would’ve been great if it ended with just observation, but there was always that one brave (or maybe stupid) soul who would come up to the pair to ask if they were an item. The brunette pair would then proceed to do their usual schtick of jumping a meter away from each other, and pretending to gag whilst glaring.
“NO WAY. WITH HER/HIM?!”
And despite the denial, instead of feeling joy at the availability of Andrew- Akko assumed it was him that people always wanted to confirm about anyway- there was no delight, only some form of fear. The creeped-out kind maybe?
Continuing their walk, Akko slapped Andrew’s shoulder, hard. The boy looked like he could bite her.
“Ugh... it’s already such a pain in school when we have joint functions and people mistake us for a couple. I was hoping it was obvious we were related.”
Andrew scoffed at the statement. “I’m sorry, but I’m actually quite pleased I don’t look to be related to your ugly face.”
He deserved the stronger smack, Akko would say.
“AKKO! That hurt!”
“You know what else hurts? The fact that people can’t seem to get it in their heads that not every guy and girl walking next to each other are partners. Damn, and I used to think it was a good thing that I could use you to get out of awkward confession situations.” Sometimes people did that, despite the entire ‘destined partner’ situation. “Weird times.”
“You actually get confessed to? Hahaha, why? Guys must need glasses.”
The tall lad flinched at the held up fist. “I’m kidding. You’re actually growing up to be quite pretty Akko.”
Eyes wide one second, then smiling sweetly the next, a chill ran up Andrew’s spine at Akko’s reaction... that suddenly morphed into disgust, a hand pinching his side. “Ew, I kinda liked you better when you weren’t so gross and cheesy.”
“Ah- h-hurts, that, Akko, that stings, ouch! Let go! I was trying to be nice!” Andrew retaliated with his own pinch to Akko’s slightly rounded cheeks. “Let go!”
“You lwet gfho!” They released their holds at the same time, rubbing the sore spots on their bodies. “Why were you suddenly being all weird?”
“...ate...etter...man...”
“What was that?” Akko couldn’t understand any of Andrew’s incoherent mumbling.
“...My soulmate told me I should really try to be a better gentleman... to you...”
“Haha, she’s right about that! You’re such a dick!”
“Oi!”
Before Andrew could physically get back at her, Akko made a dash to the mall entrance across the street right as the street light turned green for pedestrians. “Loser has to buy the other ice-cream!”
“That’s cheating!”
“Maybe!”
//-//-//-//-//
“See? You’re all out of energy now because of how rowdy you were earlier today.” Andrew scolded, hands on his hips, a paper bag with the chosen gift in it, slung around one wrist.
“Y’think so? This is usually... hah... nothing... to me.” Akko panted, plopping down on one metal chair by the ice-cream bar. “Weird.”
Andrew sighed, deciding to cater to Akko’s needs since she was nice enough to help him out today. “I’ll get you a water. What flavor of ice-cream would you like?”
“Matcha-Vanilla~” Akko drawled, now slumped against the table, liking the cool surface against her somehow, heated cheek. “Go forth, my peasant!”
“Noted, your eminence.”
“Mm, mm!” Akko nodded in approval, arms going under her head to cushion it. Her eyes were getting heavy. Did all that walking around really make her that tired? Her head was starting to hurt, and her body still felt heavy. Just what-
//-//-//-//-//
“Akko. Akko! Atsuko!”
‘...Andrew?’
“Tsk. Should I call an ambulance?”
‘Andrew...’
“Excuse me, are you in need of any assistance for your friend? My family owns a hospital nearby and we could take her there.”
Akko felt Andrew’s hand supporting her suddenly tense. “Geh- Cavendish...”
“My, Sir Hanbridge. Date?”
“Cousin.”
“Hmm...”
Oh? Someone... A lady? What a nice voice. Somehow it was comforting to Akko. It felt warm, it felt kind, it felt gentle. For a voice to feel something rather than sound like something, Akko must really be out of it.
Hands.
Careful, tender.
“A-An... wha-”
“Akko! Don’t talk. Just rest.”
“Akko, huh. Is that her name? Miss Akko?”
“mmrm?”
“You’ll be alright.”
That voice. Akko wanted to believe it. Who...
Soft. Soft. Akko was leaning against something soft.
“You’’ll be alright.” Was said again.
“Akko, you’ll be alright.” Ah, Andrew. But somehow, Akko would rather hear those words from the other person currently holding her in her arms. She felt bad. Not just in the sick kind of way. What was she supposed to do again? Oh right, she was helping Andrew. Where was she? Was she causing trouble? Ah, what if she was bothering this sweet-smelling, comfortable-feeling, gentle-sounding lady.
‘Hey... you...’ Hmm, her voice wasn’t quite working like it should. Maybe she should try to express herself again. Clearing her terribly scratchy and dry throat, she managed to croak out a single word.
“So...rry...”
“It’s alright.”
//-//-//-//-//
White ceiling, the absence of sticker-stars. Dim lighting, the low thrum of the air conditioner unit, and the occasional sound of something dripping. The scent of antiseptic.
Her right hand felt uncomfortable, like something was stuck in it. She lifted it up, seeing a slim tube running out of some secure, clear tape.
“You’re in the hospital, idiot.”
“Never a quiet moment with you, Andrew.”
A sigh. “I was worried.”
“...Mm. I’m sorry...”
“You didn’t tell me you were feeling unwell.”
“I wasn’t.”
“Don’t lie.”
“Couldn’t tell.”
“Akko!”
“Say, Andrew. Who was with you earlier?”
“Don’t change the subject, Akko- huh?” Reprimanding words died on the boy’s lips as the question sunk in. “Ahhh.” Recollections of earlier events came in. “The daughter of the owner of this place.” He threw in a few other details he thought Akko would want to know. “High-class lady. This place does too.” He decided to humor her queries, knowing she didn’t want to argue with Andrew anymore. He didn’t either, not when she was like this. A time and place for everything.
“Hmm...” Akko hummed, sitting upright and looking out the window. Andrew panicked, stepping forward, but Akko shooed her cousin away. “She sounded nice.” Akko commented. “Was she pretty?” Somehow her mind wanted to know. Her heart was clenching in some unknown need to know more about a voice she barely registered, a touch she fleetingly felt.
“You could say that. I guess to most, she’d be considered gorgeous?” Andrew mused. “Weird hair though.” Was added as an afterthought.
“Heh...”
“Curious?” He didn’t say it in a teasing town, only genuinely inquisitive at Akko’s not-so-subtle expression of interest in someone she barely even met.
“No? Not really.” She responded, everything becoming still. “Can I go home?”
“Once your tests come in.”
“How long have I been here?”
“Overnight.”
“Mama and dad?”
“Dropped by while you were asleep. Uncle was sobbing buckets, but Auntie dragged him out because they both had work. They paid off the bill and said they’ll see you when we all get home.”
Akko sighed, dropping back against her pillows. “I can’t believe I’ve caused so much trouble in a span of, what, three days?” Covering her face with one of the pillows, she screamed lightly into it, the muffled sound concerning Andrew. “I have to apologize a lot to them. Have to make it up to them... I even had them spend a lot of money on -ow! Andrew!”
Retracting the hand he used to chop her head, Andrew huffed. “Stop that. Your parents love you, you’re not a bother. Shut it. If you really want to make it up to them, get some rest right now as we wait, and get better soon. I suggest you make some dinner if you’re well enough.” He knew she often had insecurities, and tried her best not to bother people so much. He’d observed it from her relationship with her two best friends. She really was just a ball of energy that she couldn’t help but cause scenes, though. People hardly minded, anyway. If only she realized.
“Duly noted.”
Andrew nodded, walking over to the bed and sitting at the edge, whipping his head about to glare at the owner of the leg that had just attempted to kick him off.
“You’re making the foam awkwardly sink. It’s uncomfortable. You’re inconveniencing the patient’s recovery.” Akko grinned, trying to get rid of the stuffy atmosphere that had settled by stirring up another banter session.
“Could you settle down for once?”
“I mean, I could.”
“Unbelievable.” He chuckled. “Fine, fine, I’ll give you your space. I’m going to the store. Want anything?” He offered, since the ice-cream he initially was supposed to treat her to as thanks was long since forgone on some cemented floor, probably already cleaned up by the workers of the shop.
“Orange juice.”
“Coffee? Understood.”
“Ass.”
“The good ass genes run in our family.”
“Oh my gosh, you did not just say that.” Akko guffawed, waving her hands, eyes sparkling with pride at the crude joke of her prim and proper, perfect-gentleman cousin.
“I did not just say that.” Andrew smirked. “Now rest before your fever comes back from all that tension you release. Good thing you’re off school for a while.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“I’ll be back in fifteen.”
“Hai~”
“Don’t disappear.”
“...”
“AKKO!”
“I won’t, I won’t!” She giggled, dropping the tease. “Now scram!”
“I swear to god...”
And with that, she was alone again.
Great. More time alone with her thoughts. And what better way to occupy that blank space that was her mind then to fill it with all her doubts, insecurities, and questionings.
One particular question stood out at that moment.
“Who... was the owner of that voice...” Along with that single question came a wave of interconnected ones that Akko could not understand. Why was there this sudden desire to just... know.
What did she look like? How tall was she? Was she fair-skinned? Tanned? Long hair? Short hair? Curled or not? How old was she? Were they the same age? Was she an older lady? Was she maybe in the same grade? From the haze that was her memories, it seemed Andrew knew her? An acquaintance? Why couldn’t he give Akko more details besides insulting that woman’s hair? Where was she from? She had an accent. British? Scottish? Did she live around these parts? Why...
Why was Akko so curious?
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“Andrew, you know you can just, like... come in, right? You know I can’t even get up to open the door for yoouuu...huuu...” With the door swinging open to reveal the person on the otherside, Akko could only hope that she did not appear to be the stupid-looking gay dance she most probably was. “-...huuu...who...?”
‘Beautiful.’
“I apologize for the intrusion, but I just wanted to check on you. Oh, you may not even know me, I’m sorry. I should probably introduce myself, isn’t that right? Oh blood hell, Andrew, telling me to check on someone I barely know because you want to go off somewhere...” Akko heard her mutter that last bit under her breath before watching this gorgeous lady seemingly recover her senses. “-Ah, apologies, um... sorry! Wow, I suppose I’m saying that too much, aren’t I? We didn’t exactly ‘meet’ earlier, but... I don’t know, I was probably meddling in issues not concerning me, but... I couldn’t help but want to help you out. It was an automatic reaction as someone who has wanted to be a healthcare professional all my life, and I was so used to it, and then it just so happened to be Andrew and... well, you and- and I-” Fair skin, lithe, fairly tall frame, a melodic voice, gorgeous blue eyes hidden by long lashes and ...strange hair, due to an immediate bow upon spotting the confused gaze of the patient; this person was...
“You’re rambling, miss.”
Said Miss bristled, expression flustered and eyes darting about in her embarrassment. “S-sorry.”
Akko panicked at the saddened apology. She just made a pretty girl sad! “N-no! I-” Their eyes met and then it was one of the most magical and equally painful moments of Akko’s life, she concluded. “Hi.”
“Hello.” The girl nodded back in acknowledgement.
“Akko.” She blurted out. Then just like that she witnessed a world wonder contained in such a small room, in just one girl. There was just something in the way her eyes lit up that pleased Akko very much. It was as though she was the catalyst for such a breath-taking phenomena. Blue stars, passionately burning, brightly so, like her favorite celestial bodies. “...Rigel...” She murmured.
“Huh?”
“Oh? Huh? Eh, um...” Arms flapping about, she tried to graps control of the conversation, not knowing where it was going anymore. “Uh, my... name! My name is Akko! Ahaha, sorry ‘bout that.” --She scratched the back of her head sheepishly with the hand not attached to the IV tube.
“Miss Akko... Rigel?” She tilted her head, and by gods that was the cutest thing Akko had ever seen in her life. But Wait-
“Oh! No, nono... no hahaha.” She laughed, waving her hands in front of her, realizing that what she said had been mistaken as her name.
“I... My name is Kagari Atsuko, but you can call me Akko.” She clumsily reintroduced herself.
“And Rigel...?”
‘Is a blue star that is put to shame when in comparison to your ethereal ocean eyes-’
“Oh, it’s just... just a star I like, hahaha...ha..ha.” She needed to save this dying interaction, fast. She didn’t want this goddess of a lady to walk away just yet. Who was she? Why was Akko panicking so badly? Why was her heart running miles per second? Where did these confusing feelings stirring from her chest come from? Could this just be... Was this girl... Was she... could she be who Akko thought she was? She didn’t even know her name yet, but the way she made her feel, it was like some universal, natural phenomena that could only make sense in the context of... that. Who was she? Who was she? Who-
“Diana.”
Diana, apparently.
“Diana.” She tested, the name unfamiliar, but incredibly welcome and sliding off her tongue so naturally, and with ease. Like she was meant to know such a name all her life. “Nice to meet you.”
She patted herself on the back for a good greeting, with good manners, even happier when she received a soft smile in return.
“The pleasure is all mine.”
“No, no, the pleasure is mine, I mean... pleasure, I’m... feels good to meet you, I mean, because you saved me and all, from what I can understand, so pleasure, good feels- no- what am i saying?! I’m sorry, Diana, er miss? Diana? Miss Diana?”
“Diana is fine.”
Diana was indeed SO fine.
“Th-thank you for being so beautiful.”
“What?”
“Tha-thanks for saving me, I mean, helping Andrew out in saving me, but that means you saved me too, so I just thought I should properly thank you and all that and express gratitude because that’s the right thing to do, amiright? And of course I’m right so thank you, Diana, thanks for everything, and the hospital and the room and all, oh but you don’t own it, but your family does, so does that mean you own it-”
“Akko.”
“Yes?!”
“You’re rambling, Akko.”
Akko was a burning hot mess of foolishness, but if it prompted such heavenly giggles from such an angel- no a goddess, alongside her name that sounded divine coming from soft pink lips- that she was absolutely not staring at- then she hardly minded at all.
And then there was silence.
“So...”
“So...”
Diana awkwardly shuffled on her spot, the tip of her shoe tapping against the floor impatiently, hand fiddling with a button on her shirt. It took so much willpower for Akko not to direct her eyes there.
“I guess I’ll get going.”
“A-already?”
“Eh?”
“Eh?”
“Ah... I mean... if you have... stuff to do, I guess... I... shouldn’t be stopping you or anything of the sort, right?”
Akko didn’t like that frown, however miniscule it was, on Diana’s face.
“I... I’m a little busy, I apologize.” She spoke softly. Akko’s heart clenched, and she cursed her insensitive ways. “But... I can come back tomorrow? If you’d like?” -And it leaped up in joy just as quick. More time! More Diana! More getting to know her!
“Y-Yes! Of course! I’ll wait here for you! Pinky swear! I- woah...” The world was suddenly spinning, and Akko had to lean back for a moment, vision swimming in color.
“Akko!”
Said girl was beginning to get addicted to the feeling of Diana’s presence by her side. That was not necessarily a good or bad thing. She couldn’t get attached to her, not when she knew nothing about her. She couldn’t... be acknowledging these feelings blossoming out of nowhere without confirmation of whether or not this person was meant to be hers, and she was meant to be with as well. But she was addicting, Diana. A strong drug. Just one whiff and she was high on her existence.
“Geez, you should be resting. I’m sorry for bothering you, and keeping you up this long.”
Akko heard none of those words. Akko was curious. So Akko just had to check. Hands weakly grasping Diana’s cooler ones, fingers roamed, feeling around until they touched even colder metal... on Diana’s... left... hand.
“Akko?” The concern was palpable in her voice, Akko’s senses blurring the world out as her hands dropped to her side.
Frustrating.
She somehow hoped what she’d been experiencing these past few minutes were the signs of her finding her soulmate, but it seemed as though she may have been wrong. Maybe it was simply infatuation, or a shameless lust overtaking her in her weakened state.
It shouldn’t be this frustrating.
It shouldn’t be this painful.
She shouldn’t have been so impatient and jumped to subconscious conclusions.
Diana had already found her soulmate. Just like everyone else.
Everyone but Akko.
//-//-//-//-//
When she came to, it was dark. She felt much better than she had yesterday, and earlier on today. Turning to her right, she saw Andrew seated on a chair, back facing her as he was conversing with someone.
“I wonder what got into that girl? Her new friend seemed worried.” That voice...
‘Mama.’
“You mean Diana?”
Akko flinched at the name.
“Is that her name? My, she was so cute. If you weren’t already matched to someone, Andrew, I think you’d look good together.” Akko felt a twinge in her chest, only slightly soothed by the sound of Andrew choking on something, his drink maybe. Tea? Coffee?
“I’d rather not be involved with her like that.” Andrew responded after composing himself.
“Eehh-”
Akko couldn’t listen any longer. The pain of everything was just starting to come back. She just wanted to get away. Away from this place that kept reminding her of her chance encounter. She just wanted to go home. She just wanted to hug her mama.
“Ma...ma...” Her voice warbled. “Mama...” She tried, louder. Somehow her voice was so weak, the thought of it not being able to reach the person she trusted the most in the world, hurt. “Ma... ma... mama! Mamaaa...” Slowly, she regained her voice, cracked and unsteady. And finally she was heard. “Mama!”
“Akko!” Before Akko could even blink again, the woman was at her side, a hand brushing bangs away to clear her warm forehead, a refreshing kiss planted there. “Akko, my baby.”
“M-mama... Mamaaa...” She moaned out, engulfing the woman in her tight hold, sinking into a familiar scent. “Mama...”
“Yes, Yes. I’m here. I’m here, Akko.” She cooed, hands combing through chocoloate-colored tresses.
“Mama.”
“Yes?”
“I wanna go home.”
“Eh? But you aren’t okay yet-”
“Please. Let me go home...”
She felt her mother pull back. She couldn’t face the eyes seeking hers. “Akko? What’s wrong, sweetheart? You’re not feeling well, and yet you want to go home before you get better. Is something the matter?” Akko couldn’t lie to those.
But she could try.
“I just think I’ll be able to rest better at home. My... my fever isn’t that bad.”
“But you were just crying out for me...”
“I was just... feeling lonely. Please, Mama. Let’s go home.” She couldn’t say it was because she didn’t want to meet a certain lady, weird blonde hair and enchanting blue stars never leaving her memory. “Please...” Because more than the pain inflicted by her sickness, she couldn’t stand the squeezing of her heart, its labored pounding more burdensome than the throbbing in her head. “Please, mama.”
“Akko...”
“Don’t be such a selfish brat.”Andrew scolded, eyes burning into the Akko’s skin. “Didn’t you just say you didn’t want to cause anyone trouble?”
Akko deflated in her mother’s embrace, and the elder boy sighed. He really hated seriously hurting Akko, especially emotionally. “But... We can leave first thing in the morning tomorrow, if you prove to be alright.” He turned the other way, hiding his expression from the girl. “So just get better.”
“Andrew...”
“Get better soon.”
//-//-//-//-//
It was against institutional rules to be running about in the building at any given time. Crowded or cleared, the halls were not made for such dangerous sport. Workers constantly made their way through these corridors; some pushing wide carts carrying planned food and beverage for every patient in the hospital; some nurses walked along with important, and sometimes painstakingly prepared medicine and treatments for patients that Diana threatened to compromise should she bump into them. In other areas she could risk bumping into one of the sanitary maintenance people, infectious waste at the risk of being spilled all over.
And Diana grew aware of all these things, surrounded by them from a tender age. Yet at this moment, she was in complete disregard for them, her footsteps rushed and padding softly against a marbled floor. Her eyes scanned every plaque above each door she passed, counting off the numbers, and reading the letters, her trip on autopilot.
One more corner, just the end of that corner. If she rounded that, then walked past three more rooms- She was feeling a regretful that she couldn’t come by earlier, the colors of the afternoon sky telling her just how close she was cutting it to the end of visiting hours. Curse all the school-transfer procedures she had to sit through. They didn’t need to take that long, did they? But she had made a promise of sorts. She had promised her new... friend, Akko that she’d come by and see her. She must not keep her waiting. She didn’t quite understand what it was that made her so happy about the prospect that the other girl actually wanted to see her- Diana assumed as such with how she was acting yesterday. Really... it was amazing.
Diana herself couldn’t deny that she saw something different in Akko, a substance far beyond what others could offer her that suddenly shifted the usual motions of her world upon meeting this girl. All her life, so many people came along trying to woo her, claiming that she was the one defined by their flimsy phrases that never moved her heart. ‘Beautiful lass’, ‘doctor’s daughter’, titles among other things. She had even found out a few faked rings that had been promptly reported to authorities for the grave sin committed. Thus, Diana could trust no words written on silly little rings; only the one written on her own, worn about her left ring finger.
She hadn’t found her soulmate, no. And maybe this was against the universal rules of whatever matchmaking system had engulfed society, but Diana did not want to be caught in a trap of a forever she could not escape unless she was absolutely sure that this was it. Maybe it would be unfair to her soulmate; maybe it would throw them off; maybe they wouldn’t realize right away; but if there was one thing Diana believed in that was rooted in this entire system, it was that if you met the one meant for you, you would know.
Her mother told her so. And Diana trusted her mother’s words above all other words.
One more door, one more plaque. Diana readied a hand to knock against closed-...open? The door was... open. Did Akko have visiting doctors? They sometimes left doors open for quick checks to save time during rounds. But no, that did not seem to be the case. She was surprised to see one of the cleaning personnel of the hospital folding up the sheets of the bed, passing it to his companion before they changed the covers.
Approaching an elderly male of the pair currently clearing the room out of any trash possibly left behind, Diana respectfully inquired, “Um sir? Where is the occupant of this room?”.
“Hmm? Ah! Young Miss, what are you doing here? Oh, were you perhaps the friend of the little girl staying here recently?”
“You... could say that.” Diana muttered, unsure.
“Oh, then she must have just forgotten to tell, you ey? Already left, y’see. The little miss, along with her mother and some fine lookin’ gentleman. Do you think that could be ‘er soulmate? Ah~ young, concerned love.”
Diana tasted an inexplicable bitterness in her mouth, heart squeezing. “Y-young man?”
“Mm-mm! Handsome fella, looked kinda familiar, but maybe I’m just getting it on in years.”
That... couldn’t be, right? While Diana wasn’t one to be guided purely by feeling, priding in her rationality, she just knew that that couldn’t be. After all... Akko was the only one she’d ever felt this strongly for in the lifetime she’s lived so far. She’d swear on her family’s motto of ‘affection’ that she’d only offer her fullest romances to the one the universe had destined for her, corny as that may sound.
She just knew it. She just knew it was Akko.
So who-
Andrew.
She suddenly chuckled. Of course. Who else could that young chap accompanying Akko be? He was the one who came with Diana to the hospital, he was the one who had told her go take that first visit. So of course, logically, without a doubt, the man that Akko should have been with was Andrew. Of course.
And there was nothing to worry about, soulmate-wise. Diana knew Andrew already had someone. She’d met up with them constantly at banquets. There was no obstacle, no other person for Akko. Right?
Akko... Akko who wasn’t here. In this room. Gloom encompassed her heart as she stared at the room dimming bit-by-bit as the staff turned off the lights. They told her that they should get leaving, and Diana nodded, informing them she’d just do one last look over the room for any possible missed items, then she’d lock the room herself, to which the workers reluctantly agreed, unable to go against the owner’s daughter. Well, she was known to be a good kid, so nothing should be wrong with that.
Diana, now left alone, remained stood by the doorway that served as the only light source to the room for a few more seconds. It wasn’t like constantly looking into it would magically make the one she was seeking appear, huh? With a deep exhale, she closed the door behind her, frown tugging at the edges of her mouth.
“You said you’d wait for me.”
//-//-//-//-//
Scritch. Scratch. A line, then two. A squiggle, a letter. A bubble from brew-
...huh?
“Aren’t you supposed to be helping me with my homework?” Akko frowns at her companion currently mixing questionable substances on her floor-table in her room. “That is why you’re here, right?”
“Course not. What fun would that be?”
“Should’ve known better than to invite you over.” Akko muttered under her breath, getting back to the unending pile of chemistry homework she was sure Croix assigned to them out of spite. “And how did you finish this all, anyway?”
“I’m smart like that.”
“You’re mean like that. Why can’t you help me out at least?”
“I believe that learning for yourself is the best teacher.” Sucy replied, emotionless as always.
“No you don’t.”
“True.”
“Hah...” Akko gave up. Forget getting help from Sucy. That wasn’t a possible feat, now that she thought about it clearly. The girl was just bored out of her mind so she easily agreed to come over. Akko was sure of it. Without Lotte in the house, and on their fifth and final schoolday away, Sucy- who had slowly gotten used to the concept of companionship- must have just wanted someone around, regardless of whether there was flowing conversation or not.
“Akko?” Andrew’s voice came from behind the door. Finally! A distraction! Wait, wasn’t Akko avoiding Andrew lately? Why was she avoiding him lately? “Akko?”
“Come in!”
“...huh? You’re actually letting me in?” The muffled voice asked, door now ajar. “Hey Akko, so... about what I’ve been telling you all week...” He began, looking nervous, and Akko had to wonder why. “So my friend, Diana, she-”
Ah. Right.
That’s why.
Quick on her feet, Akko gunned for the door, pushing it forcefully, and locking Andrew out, the boy’s yells the only things making it through the barrier.
“Akko! Akko! OH, COME ON! We’ve been at this the whole week!”
“And I told you this whole week, I don’t wanna hear it!!!” Akko hollered back.
“But WHY?!” Andrew’s exasperation oozed out of his voice. “Just give me a reason! Give her a reason! From what I’ve heard, you seemed to have hit it off pretty well?”
“Says who?” Akko asked.
“Diana!” Andrew didn’t like yelling, but Akko was being so hard-headed after he mentioned his blonde acquaintance. “Just what happened between you two?”
“Nothing! Nothing happened!!!”
“Then why does she keep bugging me about you, and why are you avoiding her like the plague?!”
...Why was Akko avoiding Diana? Was there any reason to? They’d met just the other day, had the most awkward conversation in her life to date, and then Akko felt something. Something she shouldn’t have, and let her hopes up, only to drop them lower than where they already were; and none of that was Diana’s fault. If anything, Diana could have proven to be another great friend she’d make along the way in life, y’know?
Akko didn’t know. She didn’t know what was going on; within herself, within her mind and her heart, in that one moment frozen in time between her and Diana, in a silent hospital room.
“I don’t know, Andrew. I don’t.”
Sucy’s potion stopped brewing.
//-//-//-//-//
“MY MADLADS! I MISSED YOU UGLY FACES!”
“Ugh, Amanda.”
“Oi!”
Akko grinned, messing up Amanda’s fiery mane in comfort from being rejected by Sucy. “Missed you too, Amanda.” A high-five rang out through the school lobby, the two energetic troublemakers missing that burning feeling on their palms.
“But man, you guys sure missed a lot. Who knew a week without y’all could turn the school upside-down.” Amanda whistled, their small group of eight finally assembling complete as Jasminka and Constanze walked up.
The small girl gave Akko this look that she completely understood, giving the girl a big thumbs up, and receiving a smile and nod. Jasna held out a lollipop which Akko gratefully accepted, and they all made their way to the corridors.
Suddenly registering what Amanda said a few moments ago, Akko’s interest was piqued. “What did you mean by turning the school upside-down?” She wondered just how much a school could change for her who was out for a week.
“Oh, well, maybe I was exaggerating a tiny bit.” Amanda chuckled, scratching her cheek. “Just that, some new girl came along and now everyone is all head over heels for her somehow.” Amanda fake-cried, sniffling up some. “She even stole my babes! Along with all my popularity!!!”
That earned her two smacks to the head from two certain British girls. “We already told you, she was our childhood friend! Of course we’re inclined to keep her company and show her around!” They defended, scoffing. “Besides, you didn’t mind ogling her at all the other day, huh? You should feel grateful we let you in our dorm the other day.”
“B-babies...”
“Oof. You brought that on yourself, hot stuff.” Sucy grinned, wickedly. “But now I’m curious. If she could even catch Amanda’s eyes then...”
“Total hottie.” Jasminka commented through a mouthful of chips. “Everyone can vouch for that.”
“Woah, even Jas...” Akko laughed lightly. “Alrighty, let’s meet this new kid in town then! Where is she and what’s her name?” Just as they were about to pass the headmistress’ office and head for their homeroom, a hand tugged at the brunette’s collar, along with Sucy’s.
“Wait a second, you two. You’re supposed to report to Professor Holbrooke first, right?” Lotte, ever the dutiful friend, reminded.
“Ah dang, right.” Akko scratched her cheek, throwing Sucy a beckoning glance. “Guess it’s better to just get it over with.” She shrugged.
“Whatever.”
“See you all in class!” Akko waved goodbye, smiling as Lotte left a peck on her pale friend’s cheek, enjoying her rarely flustered state. Her heart warmed when Lotte gave her one two, patting the blonde’s hair fondly. “Thanks, Lotte.”
“Anytime.”
With their friends out of sight, they faced the suddenly intimidating doors.
“Now or never.”
//-//-//-//-//
“I’m glad we got excuse slips for being tardy to class. I do not want more yelling. Though I guess Prof Chariot wouldn’t do that, huh.”
“What did you say? I think I’ve gone deaf.” Sucy complained, rubbing her pained ears. “Finneran yaps like a bitch.”
“OI! Don’t let her hear you say that!”
“Don’t worry, I’m not up for more ‘counseling and healthy reminders’.” Sucy mockingly mimicked the strict teacher. “Christ, that woman must be senile.”
“Shhh, we’re almost at the classroom.” Akko hushed her bestfriend, door coming into view. She could hear a Professor Chariots distinct voice posing a question to the class, and there was a quiet that Akko knew was due to no one knowing the answer, not very uncommon.
But then there was one. A voice very uncommon, but somehow familiar, attracting, pulling her in. With her curiosity getting the better of her, Akko slid the door open, planning to softly sneak into class, forgetting that the room’s backdoor had a tendency to-
SCRREEEEECCHHHH
...that.
“H-hi? S-sorry we’re late?” Akko tried, dozens of eyes now resting on them, most surprised. But one pair stood out the most. ‘She looks good in our uniform.’ Akko’s jaw hung slack, a fight or flight response hesitantly building up within her. Her legs tensed, ready to bolt or stay rooted depending on the next move the one she was staring at made. “...Rigel...”
“...Akko.”
Then a hand reached out, and she was gone. Like the wind.
//-//-//-//-//
It had been a difficult week. Amanda was definitely right when she said things had been turned upside-down. Akko felt like she was too. So Hannah and Barbara’s childhood, hottie, transfer student, best friend just so happened to be Diana. Diana, Akko met her in the hospital and became enraptured with, Diana.
This posed a problem, along with unbearable tension within their group. Akko would always want to run away, and Diana would always seek after her. After awhile, the blonde grew weary, and just distanced herself, her childhood bestfriends obviously sticking by her side. Amanda had girlfriends to attend to. And Constanze and Jas usually followed Amanda. So now, it was just Sucy, Lotte, and little ol’ Akko. Like old times.
“Akko, just why are you avoiding Miss Cavendish? How do you know her?” Lotte asked on their way home. “Please? Tell us? I can’t stand to not spend time with the other girls anymore just because you two are at unknown odds. You’re a kind person, Akko. And Miss Cavendish is as well, from how I’ve gotten to know her lately.”
“Lotte, you... you wouldn’t get it.” Akko sighed. She was tired of entertaining Diana-related questions. All the ‘why don’t you two get along’ interrogations wearing her down thin: with Andrew at home, and Hannah and Barbara indirectly hounding her in school at every chance they’d get, trying to fish out for an answer that Diana couldn’t give to them herself, apparently. Not that Akko blamed her. She must just be as confused as everyone else with regards to Akko’s averse reactions.
“M-maybe I could try?” Akko missed the shift in the Fin’s tone, irritation over the week threatening to make her lose self-control and lash out. But no, she couldn’t do that. Not too sweet Lotte. She still had her senses intact.
“No, I’m sure you wouldn’t.” She firmly stated through gritted teeth, not looking at Lotte as she replied, so unlike her.
“I-I-”
“Akko, Lotte just wants to understand you.” Sucy stepped in, feeling that change in the air that she didn’t quite fancy. “Why can’t you just tell us? I know I may not act like it a lot, but aren’t we your best friends?” Akko held back a hiss behind pearly whites. She didn’t want to be a bad person. She had to be considerate of people’s feelings. Like always. Everyone was just curious. They were all just confused... but then Sucy had to just say, “Don’t you trust us?”
And Akko couldn’t hear that.
“I trust you! I do!” She whipped her head about, pointing a finger to them one-by one. “But you guys, you wouldn’t get it because you have your soulmate by your side constantly, okay?!”
“Akko...” Lotte’s eyes widened.
“I... I’ve been waiting a lot, and I know you said I’m being impatient. It doesn’t have to be now.” Akko huffed. “But do you know how it feels to look at all of you, all happy with someone who can love you completely? Understand you completely? I don’t have that! Not yet! And sure, somewhere down the future road, I might.... and it’s stupid of me, but I’m a lot more jealous and selfish than I look, okay? Everyone has nice words, and has met the person those words described perfectly, at the designated time, normally, as the book says.”
“Akko, the book doesn’t completely control everything-”
“And here I am, always subconsciously looking around, because maybe my person is out there too, y’know? But how the heck do I know?” A hand reached for the chain on her neck, ripping it out of her shirt so hard, it broke, the ring flying onto the ground. “Stupid! Stupid chain! Stupid Ring! Stupid words! Akko marched the few steps to the item, bending and snatching it off the ground, hand going in too hard, too fast that she scraped her knuckles badly in the process, the area quickly leaking red. “Sh- damn it, stupid- gaahhh!”
“A-Akko.”
Lotte stepped back, retracting the hand that had been reaching out for the heated Japanese girl, stomping at the ground. This... wasn’t an Akko she knew. How many years of pent up frustration was going into this session?
“You guys,” Her eyes were scary, sharp and menacing. Sucy jumped in front of Lotte at the sight of Akko’s bloodied knuckles coming their way at eye-level. But then it stopped. “You haven’t seen it, right? My words.”
They couldn’t even react.
“Cabbage.” Akko spat. “Goddamn cabbage. How am I supposed to know what that fucking means. How are you guys supposed to understand when... I can’t either... these words... myself... why I’m so impatient... what I’m feeling... Why... I thought it could’ve been Diana, but...”
“...but what, Akko?” Lotte hated how scared she sounded, seeing Akko flinch, knowing her friend noticed her fear. She knew how afraid of hurting her friends Akko was. This was all just a shock. That’s all. “What’s... what’s with Diana, Akko? Diana and you?” She posed the earlier question for the last time. Was Akko hinting at what she thought it was?
“She wears it on her left.”
//-//-//-//-//
Orange juice didn’t taste as good when you drank it alone on the stairwell leading to the roof. It would have been better had she been able to stand under the cloudy mid-day sun, the refreshing breeze taking her mind off things. But then it just had to rain, hard, and that ruined all her plans of clearing her mind via the healing powers of nature. Maybe she shouldn’t have told Sucy and Lotte to stay away and give her space. Having no one to talk to really sucked. More so than the strange word on her stupid government-issued ring.
“Ahhh, should I just go and apologize to everyone?” She muttered, squeezing the juicebox she thought she’d emptied, but did not know had bits of liquid left. The purely concentrated citrus then spilled onto her exposed, skinned knuckles, making her hiss in pain. “Tsk, stupid. Grrr!”
“Ah-!”
“Ah?” The yelp caught her attention. She was alone in this place, right? “Hello?”
No response.
“Anyone there?” The only ones replying to her were the winds that howled behind the metal door that led to open roof. Those sounds were starting to sound like how she’d imagined ghosts would in the dead of night. “Helloooo~”
Still nothing.
“Maybe it was just my imagination?”
“STAY AWAY!”
Okay, that was NOT her imagination. That was a girl. Looking around for some kind of weapon, Akko readied herself to beat up whatever girl-harassing creep she’d find once she rounded the bend in the stairwell. Holding up a sturdy wooden broom, she tiptoed down, steps making no sound.
On three, she’d jump and smack the living shit out of whoever was there. One... two...
“Akko, please save me!”
And she slipped and fell in her surprise; her back was going to hurt like hell over the next few days. Alas! She must stay vigil! Save whoever this damsel in distress was- Diana... It was Diana. Diana Cavendish, as she’d learned the girl’s name, and a few other trivial details about her, over the course of their time not together. (Akko also denies any and all claims that state that she spent a lofty amount of time observing the taller girl. She didn’t know things like how she was Scottish, or how she loved horses and anything that looked like a unicorn, and that she was intelligent, and smelled like vanilla and mint.)
“I’ll save you?” She managed in her ruffled state. Before she could process anything more, the girl had clung to her, both now laying on the floor; one in an utter state of bewilderment, and the other... dealing with whatever it was she got going on before Akko had found her. “Umm... Diana?” She tried, forgetting her phobia of the girl over the past few days, and rubbing her back gently to gain her attention. She was shaking like the leaves outside in the storm. Just what had happened. “Diana? What’s wrong? What am I saving you from?”
There were no signs of any bad guys, as far as Akko could see. She was grateful for that. She wasn’t sure she could defend them in this position.
“Miss Cavendish? Heir to a billion-dollar hospital? What’s up?” She was trying to be nonchalant in an attempt to possibly calm the girl, and it worked somewhat, allowing her to see that beautiful face, tear-stained and all. “H-Hi.” How lame.
“Akko... the... there... it...”
“Hmm?” She lent an open ear, looking around, still not seeing any signs of danger. Then a well-manicured finger came up and pointed to one of the panels of the hallway’s windows. Akko squinted, not seeing anything. Had Diana seen some kind of floating ghost outside? Or was she seeing it inside, and Akko didn’t have the sixth sense for it? Did Diana have some kind of sixth sense? “What exactly...”
“B...”
“Buh..?”
“Bee.” She squeaked.
Akko gawked.
“Bee.”
“B-bee.”
“Bee?”
“Bee!”
“B-”
“Akko, please just get it away! I’m scared!”
“Y-yes, ma’am!” She scrambled to her feet, but not without gently seating Diana up, even if it was on the dirty corridor floor. Opening the window and grimacing as strong winds blew droplets of water into her face, Akko shooed the poor insect into nature’s claws of death. “Sorry, buddy. Princess doesn’t seem to like you.” Blowing it a kiss, she shut the window, wiping her face on the sleeve of her jacket.
Now... to face a larger problem... or not face it. Maybe Akko should get running again.
She should.
“Well, this was nice and all that, but I guess I should get- ouch!” Diana had caught her hand in alarm, accidentally pressing against her open, yet-to-heal wounds.
“M-my apologies!”
“It’s f-fine. It’s okay, please let... let go.” Akko didn’t like the way her heartrate spiked in Diana’s presence. It grew even more erratic, wildly jumping every which way in her chest as her hand was held more gently, blue eyes scrutinizing the reddened skin, the heiress didn’t seem to have any plans of releasing her. “Diana?”
“May I... May I treat you? That blue sparkle was redirected from her knuckles to her own dark reds. They were so hopeful and compelling that Akko, despite thinking that avoiding Diana would kill whatever held-back, buds of feelings she hoped to dash, just couldn’t help but consent, cursing the way her chest lightened, heart soaring.
She was absolutely doomed.
//-//-//-//-//
It was a quiet affair.
Torturous. No one said a word. To be fair, they’ve only had two somewhat proper conversations so far, so not knowing how to break the ice shouldn’t be that odd.
But it was, and Akko couldn’t take it. Diana had just finished cleaning Akko’s wounds under the sink in the infirmary, and was now dabbing them gently with antiseptic. She was so careful, touches feather-like soft. Akko barely felt anything, much less pain. So maybe she could start with talking about that. Maybe.
“You... You’re hands are real nice.”
“H-huh?”And down fell the cottonball she’d been holding.
“I-I mean... you’re really good at this. Tender and all that. You’d... make a good doctor.” Akko commented off the top of her head, running out of things to say, as she always did when faced with one Diana Cavendish. “A pretty doctor. Patients would... probably feel healed just from your... face. Or something.” Smooth, Akko. Smooth. Could Diana, like... at least help her out a little by responding? “Please say something.” Akko begged in a whisper.
“O-oh, I... thank you, Akko. Thank you for the compliment. I...” Momentarily lifting her eyes and meeting Akko’s gaze, the blonde averted hers, a thin touch of red spreading up to her ears, not unnoticed by the injured Japanese. “I appreciate your words.”
Akko hummed, not trusting her mouth to communicate properly anymore.
“I think you’re... face is a healing balm as well.”
Akko felt herself blush as well, head tilting up so she could face the ceiling. It was one of the most brainless compliments she’d ever heard in her life, and she knew she just said something along those lines as well. And yet it made her heart flutter like nothing else had before.
“Don’t mention it and... thanks.”
//-//-//-//-//
You never know when an event becomes a catalyst for reality to undergo great changes. Their little bandaging session had returned the next day. Akko was quite clumsy with these types of things. Each time she’d gotten hurt in an accident, she’d always ask Lotte to do it... but today... all their friends, and even the classmates they’d unintentionally dragged into their awkward little world, were staring in awe as Kagari Atsuko stood in front of Diana Cavendish’s desk, inviting her out to the infirmary.
“I-I’m just having her help me with my bandages! Don’t get the wrong idea!” Akko yelled as she guided Diana out, unknowingly holding her hand all the while. No one commented on it. Not even Barbara and Lotte who were exchanging curious little smiles. Something was changing. And it was a good change.
Reaching the infirmary, Akko headed straight for the sink, rinsing her knuckles under clean water while Diana gathered what she needed. Once done, they met by some chairs placed about the room and took a seat, the blonde girl looking over Akko’s hand.
“Come tomorrow, you might not need to bandage it anymore. Just apply some ointment. I think the nurse can recommend something.” Diana stated, looking up to smile at Akko who flushed at the attention.
“O-okay. I got it.”
“Great.” She then got to work, applying what needed to applied, and wrapping the clean white bandage after. Diana did this in her usual silence, focused. Sort of. There was one thing that had been nagging her for quite some time now, ever since she got to take a better look at Akko, now that they attended the same school. It was a unnerving, however. It hadn’t been long at all since they... ‘got along’, and Diana didn’t want to present something that might cause them to drift apart again. But it was eating at her, the need to know about it. It would determine how she’d interact with Akko from now on. It would show her what kind of relationship she was allowed to pursue. She needed a confirmation. She braced herself. Trying shouldn’t hurt. She could change the subject after testing the waters.
“Akko.”
“Hmm?” Was the casual-sounding hum.
‘She’s calm. Calmer around me.’ That little detail made Diana happy. So happy. This was progress. “May I ask a question?”
There was a pause, and Diana considered backing out. It appeared as though Akko was thinking about it deeply. Before Diana could take it back, Akko responded, “Sure. Ask away.”, and the heiress breathed a relieved sigh. “What did you wanna know?”
“Well, um... I just happened to notice that... you don’t...” Diana was really hoping this wasn’t a sensitive subject. She’d finally managed to close the gap between her and Akko. Sure it was by unconventional, and very strange means- unintentional, above all. She had just been worried about the girl upon seeing that her friend group was all gathered in the classroom except her. So Diana had gone searching, and was planning to offer to stay away from her friends for Akko’s sake. She was glad that things turned out the way it did, though.
“Diana?”
“Um... Akko.” She finished her job, smiling at the neat covering on her.. friend’s... hand. (They were friends now, right? At the very least...)
“Yes?” Akko seemed to notice the hesitation, and her instincts guided her to take hold of Diana’s trembling hands, encouraging her to continue.
Well this was new, Diana thought. Now or never, she supposes. A deep breath, and the floodgates opened.
“I just wondered... why... don’t you have a ring? Did you somehow lose it? Is that possible? But how? Wouldn’t you get in trouble with... everyone, I guess? Have you found your soulmate or not? If yes then I should probably just say goodbye here and, oh but not in the way you think, you might not get what I mean, but I still want to be friends-”
“Diana.”
“Yes?”
Akko’s cheeks puffed up, trying to hold it in, but ultimately failing as she burst into giggles, instinctively tucking a stray strand of hair behind Diana’s ear as she leaned forward to bump their foreheads together.
Ah, screw fate and it’s ways. Screw Diana’s soulmate that existed somewhere out there. In this one moment, she just felt so at peace, and in place, she’d deal with all the raging storms in her mind later. For now, it was just the two of them, hanging out in an infirmary, the smell of antiseptic on them, stupid words be damned.
“You’re rambling.”
//-//-//-//-//
It had been a few weeks- maybe just shy of two months- of friendship (?) with Diana, and Akko had never felt more alive in all her years. They had even spent her birthday together! Well, everyone else was there to, but... Anyway. The afternoon the question had been dropped, she had ended up explaining to the Scot her story with the ring, leaving out the detail of what it had written on it. That was a little too embarrassing for her to share yet. Baby steps.
She’d never dare ask about Diana’s ring, and she appreciated that the girl never brought up any soulmate talk that involved herself. Akko felt that it helped her cope with this one-sided love a little longer. She would no longer deny this attraction. She was so undeniably into Diana, it was crazy. She didn’t understand how teenage hormones and falling in love worked, but somehow she just knew. She felt a little apologetic to her soulmate, no longer feeling the need to search for him and her, the section of, [What to do if you haven’t found your soulmate yet.] remaining untouched. But well... things happen sometimes.
And sometimes, you become so much of a fool that you invite the girl you are in love with, who already has a soulmate, to your house, to your room, just so she can be the first to see that portable planetarium projector you were finally able to get your hands on for an affordable deal. You wouldn’t even cry at losing months worth of saved allowance and work wages. It was all worth it, to see her entire being practically glowing in awestruck wonder as you lay on your backs on the cushioned floor, having the chance to flaunt years of star study to your crush. The impressed gazed directed at you felt so good. You could get used to this. Especially when the visage of wonder glimmering in the dear girl’s eyes was outright precious.
A Diana in awe was cute.
So much so that Akko was in awe.
“Hey Diana...”
“Hmm?”
“Do you believe in magic?”
What a strange thing to ask in that moment. That’s what Diana thought. Akko thought the same. Just what had gotten over her. Yet she still wondered, thoughts flying far off into space, just as they always did when she gazed upon the stars in the night sky- or her ceiling’s artificial one.
‘What are you saying, Akko?” Diana chuckled, right hand reaching out to grasp Akko’s, fingers lacing together. She felt her heart flip as it was squeezed tight, unaware of the inner turmoil Akko was enduring at the lack of presence of a ring on that hand. Their eyes remained trained to the glowing heavenly bodies above, stories of the past, of fate, and the like, written all over.
“Do you believe in other worlds, Diana?”
“Well, many studies propose that they indeed exist.” Diana responded.
“What about alternate universes? A completely different you out there, living a different life.”
Diana turned her head to face Akko, the brunette still facing upwards, eyes glistening with unshed tears, barely noticeable in the dim lighting; but Diana always noticed. Because it was Akko.
“Don’t you think that somewhere out there... there could be another version of us; maybe a clumsy me, and a fantastic you, saving the world with strange words not understood by the rest of the world?”
“Maybe...” Diana breathed out in a whisper, oxygen effectively stolen by the tear that slipped down shapely cheeks. The moment felt so fragile, she was afraid if she made a move, it would shatter into a million pieces, never to see the light of day.
And god forbid it happen. Diana wanted to boast this tender feeling out under the brightness of the sun, for the world to witness.
“Why do you ask?”
She listened in agony at the choked intake of air, followed by the frailest of whispers. “Because maybe... the impossible for the Kagari Atsuko here... is possible for the Akko there.”
The heiress pondered those phrases a moment. “...Impossible, like?” Diana replied in equally hushed tones, something hopeful in her pitch.
‘Like you being meant for me, and I for you.’
But Akko couldn’t just say that.
“As impossible as using magic here, maybe?” Akko laughed in a normal, in-house voice, volume not too loud, but no longer a whisper. She should just bury her illegal thoughts deep down.
“I guess so.” She deflated. What had she desired to hear anyway? “Magic does seem like an unattainable power, some unimaginable, impossible concept.” Maybe she should get ready to leave soon. There was something heavy weighing in the atmosphere and in her heart, and she did not wish for a memory as sweet as this to turn sour due to her mood.
“You think so?” Akko’s steadying voice kept her rooted in place. “What if it isn’t so impossible after all?”
“How so?”
“Well, don’t they say that when people put their minds to it, when they truly desire and wish for it with all their hearts... like how the song goes, y’know? ‘When you wish upon a star your dreams come true’, or something.”
“Like the law of attraction and manifestation?” Diana supplied. “If you think positive things, positive things will come to you. Your reality becomes better. Like that?”
“Hmmm...” Akko tapped against the back of Diana’s hand, still entwined with hers, with her index thoughtfully. “Yes, but no. Kinda, but not really...? I don’t know how to describe what I’m thinking at the moment based on existing principles. Not too good at remembering. Heck, is there a quote that already exists?”
“Why not make your own, then?” Diana proposed.
“Heh... good idea. Let me think.”
“Take your time.” Diana enjoyed the little sounds Akko made as she thought.
“Oh! I got it!”
“Hoh? And what would those words of wisdom be, Miss Kagari?”
“Ready the papers, Miss Cavendish. We’re about to make the headlines with this!” They both giggled at their antics. “Drum roll, please! Dugudugudugudugudugu....dan!”
Diana nuzzled into Akko’s shoulder, enjoying all these little sound effects, the brunette’s voice calming her gradually, lulling her to sleep.
“Just what are these magnificent words, dear Akko?” Diana was far too drowsy to notice the splash of color painted across her companions face, the shyness melting into tenderness as she felt her warmth shift closer.
“A believing heart is your magic.”
And sleep was nearly robbed of her, eyes widening in the dark, unseen by Akko as the thumb on Diana’s free hand now brushed over the engravings on her ring. It was for sure now.
“You really are... the one.”
//-//-//-//-//
Something was off about Diana today. Was it her hair? No, impeccably styled as always, that couldn’t be it. Was it her makeup for today? No, it wasn’t that either. It was still that natural looking glow that brought out her innate beauty in all the best ways possible. Akko continued to check off boxes on her mental list, trying to figure out just what it was that was bothering her about Diana’s appearance today. Was it her clothes? But that was the uniform they wore daily! Did she... get any new jewelry? Hmm, she didn’t seem the type to wear any at school.
Then...
Was it the ring that painfully reminded Akko that the person she might be in love with was already meant for someone else? No, that couldn’t be it either. Last Akko checked, the ring was snugly fitted, definitely on... huh? The ring was... gone? No? Akko scanned Diana’s smooth looking left hand. No it wasn’t there. Not on the left, and her eyes couldn’t help but guide her hopeful soul to... ah. It really wasn’t on the left, but on the right.
Huh? That wasn’t right.
This confused Akko. Enough to make her approach Diana’s seat during lunch, tapping her attention away from her conversation with Lotte and Barbara.
“H-hey Diana, I have a question... “
“Yes?” Said girl gave Akko her full attention. There was something different about the way she smiled at Akko today as well, it seemed. Odd. Nice. But odd.
“So like... uh... W-Why is your... your ri-” Akko could feel droplets of sweat forming on her brow, threatening to trickled down the side of her face if she so much as twitched.
“Ri?”
“Why’s your ri- r....r-r- Right ear larger than your left?!”
Dainty hands shot up to cover her ears, blushing shocked and mortified. “WHAT?!”
Whoops, Akko messed up. “HAHA AHA.. KIDDING! Nah, I was messing with you!” The brunette forcibly laughed, patting Diana’s back in uneasy comfort.
“Akko, that wasn’t very nice.” Lotte scolded, and the said girl nodded, sighing.
“I know. Sorry guys.” She apologized properly, looking to Diana in particular. She received a gracious smile and a pat on the cheek, the skin underneath the ringed-hand warming speedily.
“It’s alright.”
That kindness allowed her to gather bits of courage to finally state her inquiry. Diana would answer her just fine, right? Akko had to when asked about the whereabouts of her ring. It was fair trade?
“I was just wondering, because I recalled you wearing your ring on your left hand until recently. But now it’s on your right. I guess you could say I was just curious?”
“Eh?”
“Is that so, Diana?” Hannah questioned, eyes wide. “But why would you move it in reverse? Now that you’ve actually found- mrrrpmmphhh.”
Akko shot a puzzled glance at Hannah and Barbara, the latter clasping a hand over the ginger’s mouth.
“N-nothing. You didn’t hear anything.” She covered. “You heard nothing, are we clear?” She threatened, and Akko actually shivered.
“Holy crap, your women can get so scary, Amanda.” She mentioned to the redhead seated in front of the other girls.
She heard her release a heavy sigh before getting up from her seat and turning to face the group. “It’s because you two are such a pain, that’s why. Just get it over with, Cavendish! What’s holding you back? It’s as simple as this, see? When you have a dense mofo like Akko, you just gotta give her a little push. A literal one.” And that was the only warning they got before Diana felt soft, slightly chapped lips barely missing her own, brushing against the corner of her mouth.
Akko removed herself so fast, they all worried she’d get whiplash. “S-s-s-s-s-sorry! Sorry Diana, I didn’t- it was... AMANDA!”
“I was helping.”
“You little...”
“Rather than giving me your attention, shouldn’t you talk it over with miss salad head over there?”
Akko blinked, the cogs in her mind slowly spinning, then clicked. “Did you just... insult... ah, screw you!” Akko yelled, blush burning so hot, it was hard to keep her eyes open.
Heeding Amanda’s advice nonetheless, she turned to an equally red Diana, unable to meet her eyes. Akko didn’t think her face could get any hotter than it felt right now, but at the sight of Diana’s tongue quickly swiping across her lips, Akko’s face might as well be venus.
She should at least try to say something, right? Something comforting... or witty... or clever.
“Sorry...” That would work.
“It’s alright.”
//-//-//-//-//
She stared at her invitation. Wow. Did Andrew really take her to shop for Denise’s birthday gift months before it happened? The neat script spelling out, ‘You are cordially invited’ underneath the older woman’s name with the date of the ball kind of set her nerves on fire.
She was not one for formal events. But then Denise had been nice enough to hand it in person, looking like she’d be willing to beg for Akko to come. Andrew stood behind her menacingly, a pressuring force looming in the room.
But really, how was she supposed to do this? Sure she had experience with the arts and dancing. She had wanted to be a performer at some point in her life before deciding on her current course, keeping the arts as a hobby. That covered her bases in terms of the ballroom dancing part. But as for etiquette and all that jazz, Akko had no clue. She was just a normal girl, living a normal life, having met amazing people, and... the love of her life.
She groaned in remembrance, pulling out a slip of paper, an extra entrance voucher. ‘Bring a plus one’, Denise had said. Well... that wouldn’t be a problem, Akko supposed. Maybe... She could always ask Diana.
The thought of the girl set flurries of butterflies wild in her stomach, face warming up along with her heart. She fiddled with the band situated around her left ring finger. She was still getting used to it, the metal feeling awkward in that spot. That’s just what she gets for never wearing it all these years. Kind of a nuisance, if she were being honest; but... at the same time... it was a reminder that...
[“So you’re... my soulmate...”
“Looks like it.”
“Did you... know about it?” She watched fluffy hair bounce along with the bobbing of a shy girl’s head. “How long...?”
“I had a feeling right from when we met... then confirmed it after you first showed me your planetarium.”
“...that’s a few weeks back.”
“You’re just so slow.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright. It really is now.”]
“AAAAHHHH!!” Akko hollered, ridding herself of the embarrassed tension in her body. “Hnnnggghhh...” Holding in all her squeals, she flew onto her bed, hugging a pillow tight and rolling about. Maybe she should call Diana right now, if only to hear her voice. Oh, and she should just pop the question while she’s at it, the invitation.
A few rings, one, two, three fo-
[“Hello?”]
“Did you know I love your voice? It was the first thing I fell in love with, ever since you saved me from the clutches of death.” She couldn’t hold back the adoration she felt for the Englishwoman any longer.
[“Oh my god, Akko. Did you really just call me so you could be such a sap?”] Her giggle was always the best, Akko reveled.
“No~, or kind of yes, but not entirely.”
[“Is that so?”] Diana teased through the line.
“Don’t believe me?”
[“Of course I do! After all... it’s my magic.”]
“Who’s the sap now.”
[“I learned only from the best.”]
“Amanda?”
[“YOU, you idiot!”] Akko laughed at the reaction, squealing inwardly in delight. Diana’s laughter alongside hers died down, the phone going silent for a bit. And then, [“You’re the best.”].
Akko just couldn’t handle it.
“I love you.”
[“I love you too, sweetheart.”]
“I love you, I love you, I love you.”
[“I love you more.”]
“I love you! I love you! I love you!”
[“I love you more than anything in this world.”]
Akko was not crying.
“I love you... be my plus one?”
[“...”]
[“Always.”]
//-//-//-//-//
“My baby... so grown up now and looking all gorgeous.” Mrs. Kagari wiped a tear from her eye, admiring her daughter in a russet-toned gown, sleeveless, with a low dip in the back, fitting, and at the same time, flowing off her frame and onto the floor. It was simple, yet elegant. It matched well with Akko’s hair; usual bangs side-swept, signature ponytail gone, her long brown hair slightly curled and hanging off on one shoulder, exposing the other. All this topped with a little make-up, and even Andrew commended this picture of Akko that could pass as part of high society.
“Shall we?” He held out an arm for her to take, door open with a car waiting right outside. Akko’s father sobbed loudly, holding onto his wife for dear life.
“M-Mama! MY BABY! MY BABY IS BEING TAKEN AWAY BY SOME RICH YOUNG BRAT WHO JUST LOOKS GOOD, AND IS A LITTLE SMART, AND OWNS A HOSPITAL.”
“Well, don’t those sound like amazing specs.” Akko’s mama laughed, consoling the poor man. “You sound like a father sending his daughter off to meet her groom.”
“I AM.”
“But Diana-chan is so cute, though?”
“Man or woman, whoever takes my baby away from me and ends up hurting her... they will never see the light of the afterlife.”
Diana felt a chill run up her spine as she waited in the car.
“Oh, hush you. You’re overreacting.”
“AM I?!”
“Byebye, papa. I’ll be home soon. Love you~ Love you more, Mama!”
“Ah- bye, my darling daughter, my baby, my sun, light of my world, my angel!”
“You can stop embarrassing her now, darling.”
//-//-//-//-//
“Akko, don’t be so stiff.” Diana whispered into the girl’s ear, a hand caressing the small of her back to ease away the nerves. “You’ll be fine. Just think of it as any old party.”
“E-e-e-easy for you t-to say. You g-grew up with th-this.” Akko retorted, a hand with some champagne shakily approaching her lips.
“Really, you’re too high-strung.” The blonde sighed, pointing to Akko’s best friends. “Look at Lotte and Sucy, they look normal.”
Akko glared at her best friends who seemed to be enjoying themselves without a worry in the world. Oh, golly, what a treat. Maybe she shouldn’t have offered their extra tickets to them so she wouldn’t feel as bitter.
“Hey.” A flick was sent to her forehead. “No mean thoughts.”
“I wasn’t-”
“Di.A. NAAAA~” Here came a wild Denise, flying through the air to hug an alarmed Diana, barely catching her. It would appear as thought they were good friends, and Denise, not knowing anything about the relationship between her two dear bosom buddies, had sent them each an invitation with the hopes of bringing a plus one to introduce to her (so she could tease them about it), all the while, being kept in the dark that their plus one just so happened to be each other.
Which also explained the extra tickets that had gone to Lotte and Sucy. Akko was afraid it would be rude to just hand them away, but Diana reassured her it would be just fine. They both knew how kind-hearted and open-minded Denise was anyway.
“M-miss Walsh... please let me breathe.”
“Diana~ It’s Denise!”
“D-Denise... please... my airways...”
With greetings out of the way (Akko being squeezed to death as well, to be fair), the announcement were made, and the party commenced, music playing as the floor opened for the dances.
...
Akko swore she was a good dancer. Really! She was the ace of their studio. She could dance almost anything after learning it over the course of a few weeks at most, and so few days at the very least. So she couldn’t understand just how she’d suddenly acquired two left feet, constantly, and clumsily stepping on poor Diana’s feet.
One step. “Sorry.”
“It’s alright.”
Another miss. “Sorry.”
“It’s alright.”
“S-sorry!”
“...”
“Oh my gosh, I really am sorry!”
“I-it’s quite alright...”
“...”
“Wanna get some fresh air?”
“Pleasured.”
//-//-//-//-//
The Walsh’s family gardens were certainly award winning, Akko admired. As someone with a hobby in that field, this was a dream come true, to see such stellar workmanship. With flowers o’er the earth, and stars up above, the moon reflecting ripples into a still, small lake just a few yards down, it was the picture of beauty.
Yet nothing could compare to Diana by her side. Akko admired the way the woman’s gown clung to her curves in all the right places, how midnight blue reminded her of the skies they were under, and the dear stars in the heiress eyes sparkled ever brighter. How the earrings that dangled sparkling silver matched Akko’s own, only in gold, how her hair was fixed to the side as well, a portion of her bangs tucked neatly behind her ear, held back by a pin Akko had gotten her recently.
Akko was transfixed, as though she were under a witch’s spell. A very gorgeous, kind-hearted, hardworking, and sincere witch. A woman she loved with every fiber of her being, with the entirety of her heart.
She watched the moonlight caress ivory skin, glistening under its kind rays. Akko wanted to do so as well. Touch it, and know she was real and not just a figment of her imagination.
“I love you.” She murmured, reaching forward, arms wrapped around a slim waist, lips pressing against a bare shoulder. “I love you.”
Diana hummed, hands resting over Akko’s latched on to her abdomen. “Dance with me, Love.” She beckoned, leading them to sway under the night sky, the crickets and the breeze playing them a song of romance solely for their rapture.
The moon as their only witness, they vowed silent words, moving along the area, spinning, swaying, dancing, laughing, smiling, crying.
Akko never felt as lucky as she did in this moment. She was beyond fortunate. This moment she’d never forget, a memory never to be destroyed all her life, reminding her that she was blessed.
Blessed, and still a little foolish.
“I still don’t get it, you know. Why ‘cabbage’?”
Diana laughed into the tranquil night. Slapping Akko’s bare arm in fondness. “Did you really just ask that? Now of all times? With a romantic mood set up like this?” She shook her head in disbelief. “You are amazing, Kagari Atsuko. I love you to death, really I do... but are you seriously still hung over that?” She inquired, spinning her fated partner about, bringing her back in close. “Does it have to make sense? Isn’t it enough to know that you’re meant to be mine, and I’m forever yours?”
Akko returned that tender smile, leaning up to place a kiss against Diana’s throat. “Well, yeah, I guess; but... like... doesn’t that defeat the rings’ purpose, then?”
“Does it matter?”
“...It doesn’t. Not anymore. Not when you’re by my side, because that’s all that matters.”
“Great answer.”
“Diana?”
“Hmmm? What is it now?” Diana asked, amused that the peaceful mood didn’t look like it would settle back down anytime soon.
“For ruining the moment.... sorry.” All Akko’s laughing refuted that statement. Diana knew they both didn’t regret it one bit. Not at all. So with a smile only meant for her world nestled in her arms, leaning down and closing the gap bit-by-bit, what else could Diana reply with except,
“...It’s alright.”
And they saw stars.
//-//-//-//-//
This... was an unexpected development.
“...Wanna come over?”
“I’d love to.”
Cold, soaked and dropped off by the Cavendish’s service car, they made their way up the drive way, Akko fumbling for her house keys in the wee hours of the morning.
“Sorry, I really didn’t expect it to rain when I invited you out.”
“It’s fine, it wasn’t something within our control at all. The night looked perfectly clear, too.”
Flipping on the lights by the threshold, Akko guided Diana in, drenched shoes flying off, but immediately retrieved and set to the side to drip properly. They’d have to clean and dry those tomorrow better, but for now, a bath of warmth was in order.
Akko had insisted Diana take one first, but ever the gentlewoman, Diana did not move an inch until she was absolutely certain Akko would be alright. Her strongest argument stood to be, “Just who was it that I had to take to the hospital upon our first encounter.”, and Akko could only pout, begrudgingly accepting her defeat and warming herself a bath, but not without leaving Diana a towel and a temporary change of clothes so she wouldn’t get chills.
As Akko tagged Diana with a kiss to the lips, switching places after drawing the girl a fresh warm bath, she made her way to the kitchen, deciding to make them some vegetable soup to warm them up from the inside. Would Diana like that too?
Choosing and gathering her ingredients, she began prepping, chopping up everything as her water in the pot was brought to a boil.
It didn’t take her long at all to finish. By the time the food was ready, Diana was back downstairs, clad in one of Akko’s oversized shirts and pajama bottoms. It did strange things to Akko’s dear heart. On Diana’s part, just the sight of her future wife (she was a woman with a vision for tomorrow) preparing her a meal, fresh from a bath, in their own little world... How could she not fall deeper in love? So in love that she could just kiss her!
And she did just that.
Walking up to the shorter girl, Diana coaxed her into warm arms, a hand making its way into brunette strands, entangling them around her fingers, ring shining amidst them. This was bliss. This was everything to her.
This was everything to Akko. Everything she’d hoped for and wanted, and even more.
“I love you.”
“I love you.”
Soft. A little salty, maybe the soup’s seasoning. Warm and gentle, yet pressured and emotional. Tenderly passionate, and passionately tender, their lips danced a song that they’d forever remember.
And as they sat down to eat, seated in front of each other, they motioned for cheers with their chopsticks, a leafy green clipped between one pair.
And that’s when Akko realized that it all made perfect sense.
The rings weren’t wrong, and the words would always be right.
“Ah...
Cabbage.”
~end.
A/N: Can you believe it? All that, just so I could say in the end, “Cabbage”. Honestly, Akko is so slow. Somehow I’m not quite satisfied with this, and maybe I should’ve gone with a different approach or piece, or simply edited my original plan to fit safely within the guidelines, but... Idk. Maybe I’m as much of a fool as Akko, that way. Was it worth the thousands of bothersome words to read? Haha. Feedback is appreciated, as always. Hope you enjoyed.
~Shintori Khazumi
#heliishly long oneshot#I'mdying#diakkoday#diakkoday2021#Little Witch Academia#lwa#diakko#diana cavendish#kagari atsuko#andrew hanbridge#Sucy Manbavaran#and all the other girls but I'm too lazy to tag#romance#soulmate au#cabbage#srsly#this could be a multichap
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FIC: Knick Knack Paddy Whack (BAON)
Summary: As far as Stretch is concerned, there's only one solution when you're addicted to thrift stores. Selling all the crap you bought so you can buy more!
Notes: Stepping outside of the main storyline for a moment, we'll get back to the aftermath we're all expecting in a moment. 😁
Tags: Spicyhoney, Established Relationships, Domestic Fluff
Part of the ‘by any other name’ series.
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Read it on AO3
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Read it here!
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Stretch was a bonafide thrift-a-holic, he honestly was, and he knew it. It was an important thing to know about yourself, really, because certain problems arose from bad case of oooh-shiny-itis.
Sure, one ceramic zombie hand thrusting up from the dresser to hold his rings and change was an awesome thing to behold, but an entire collection of zombie hands was a tough sell to the person you were living with, especially if that person was Edge. Not that he’d managed to find a collection of zombie hands and if he had, that thrift store would have been on the weekly check list, for sure. But the same premise applied to ‘zombie hand plus an entire horde of other bizarre ceramics surrounding it’.
Stretch wasn’t bitter about the limitations when it came to his collection, nah, he got it. There were certain things you couldn’t ask for from the person you love, and a house filled up with weird tchotchkes that looked like they belonged to the grandmother of the chainsaw massacre family was a step too far. Plus, asking Edge for more space would be unfair. He’d either agree because he didn’t want to tell Stretch no, or he’d say no and feel bad about it. Nah, the set of porcelain dragons playing instruments in a rock band he’d found wasn’t that important, not if it gave Edge a case of the guilts.
Problem was, Stretch really couldn’t resist sometimes. How was he supposed to turn away a wedding painting of Yoda and Kermit the frog? Or a coffee mug with a penguin orgy on it? He couldn’t, that’s how, but his allotted space was filling up in the house proper and soon he’d started to amass quite the collection in his lab, too. It was when the overflow expanded enough to start infringing on his erlenmeyer flasks that he decided he needed a new strategy. Science waited for no one and definitely not anything with the word ‘taxidermy’ included.
That’s when Stretch came up with the plan. Okay, it wasn’t a plan, exactly, more like a flash in the pants of brief inspiration, but hell, he’d been flying by on those his entire life, why stop now?
One of the places he frequented was an antique mall, which was a fancy way of saying one rung on the ladder above actual thrift store, except they rented stalls for people to sell their stuff, so maybe it was more like a glorified garage sale. People carted in their junk for other people to buy and the cashier up front handled all the transactions. Minimal time, minimal effort, that was exactly what he and his kitsch needed, so Stretch went ahead and rented a stall of his own.
The not-exactly-a-plan worked out pretty well. He could buy something at the thrift shop and proudly display it for a while around the house, and then when it came time to replace it with a new find, he’d add it to his stall and whatever money came from it, he donated to the local kid’s charity that the Antique Mall supported. That meant he got in his kicks and joy without looking like a prequel to a Hoarders episode and Edge only had to deal with the octopus tentacle ashtray for a few weeks.
Seriously, it was a win-win all the way around.
A few things did take up permanent residence, of course; he couldn’t give up his zombie hand. But so long as it wasn’t a clown, (clowns were disposed of by Edge immediately and with great prejudice), he was allowed things like his nested Matryoshka dolls of Nicolas Cages for a time.
About once a week he went down to add new things to his stall, mostly during the weekday hours when the buses were on the empty side and he could take up an extra seat with his box of additions. It wasn’t exactly a secret, Andy came along a few times to help, but he never really mentioned it to Edge. Not until today when Stretch realized he’d let things go a little too long and he had some extra boxes to haul down.
Better to take care of it while he was thinking about it, otherwise it tended to turn into an endless cycle of ‘oh, I should do that today’ and him forgetting, but aside from the extra lugging required, it was also Saturday and the bus would be loaded. Hitching a ride would be required, plus a little extra muscle, and his husband was his favorite source for both.
He found Edge in the kitchen, sitting at their temporary table with his laptop and yeah, it was Saturday, time to drag him away from whatever bullshit work he was doing. Stretch put on his best wheedling face and asked, “babe? can you give me a lift today?”
“Of course.” Edge didn’t look up, what a total waste of Stretch’s beguiling charms. His gloved fingertips were soft against the keyboard as he finished whatever he was typing before glancing up at Stretch, and maybe his schmoozing wasn’t entirely wasted; the way Edge closed the lid on his laptop spoke of a guilty conscious for working on his day off. “Where are we going?”
“downtown,” Stretch tucked his hands into his pockets and rocked on his heels. “i need to hit up my junk and disorderly shop.”
That got him a pause, “Your what?”
“heh, you’ll see.” Stretch curled a finger at Edge in a ‘come hither’ motion that his husband didn’t follow, only watched suspiciously. “c’mon, i need you to help me carry some stuff.”
“This ride is starting to sound less like transport and more like a chore.” But Edge followed him to the basement for the boxes, and, surprise surprise, his willingness to help went up a few notches from wary to eager when he figured out what Stretch was doing. Eh, couldn’t blame him. At the top of the pile was a plush frog with the top hat that played ‘hello my baby’ whenever you pushed on its foot, something Red did every single time he walked past it, plus anytime he’d felt like shortcutting in for a quick press. Time to let it damage the sanity of another family.
The boxes were tossed into the trunk of Edge’s car, frog and all, and soon they were on the road, heading downtown. Truth be told, Stretch wasn’t sure what Edge would make of the place. He tolerated thrift stores well enough, but the antique mall was a different kind of beast. An entire building of obscure collections cluttered together into eclectic displays that others were trying to barter and sell.
There were stalls filled with milk crates of old records, shelves and shelves of antique glassware and dishes. Some stalls had vintage clothing, feathery boas mixed in with disco pants and ruffled aprons. Old instruments, rusty farm equipment, strange kitchen gadgets that looked more dangerous than useful, this place had everything and then some.
Plus, the mall had a certain sort of smell, a musty, dusty scent verging on decay that settled into the sinuses and hung around for a while. Stretch thought it was the smell of a life well-lived and he kinda liked it; after years of thrifting, he associated it with finding treasures, but who knew if Edge felt the same. His tastes in smells (heh) ran more to clean and green, not old-timey funk. Could be it reminded him of shower mildew.
Whatever his opinion of the odors, Edge kept it to himself. He helped with the box carrying and checked out Stretch’s stall curiously but didn’t say much. Probably recognized the stuff on the shelves as having once been on a table or Stretch’s nightstand, until the glee wore off and it ended up gathering dust in the basement. He wandered off at some point, heading into the depths of the mall, and left Stretch to restock his meagre wares.
It took longer than he’d expected. Since he’d opened up his stall, not everything Stretch found thrifting found its way into the house proper anymore. Some of it he bought as a straight-to-video option and he was getting pretty good at finding interesting doodads at the thrifty places that might sell better here, location, location, location, that was the ticket.
Stretch always priced his junk reasonably, usually not much more than he’d paid for it. Wasn’t like he needed the money, and besides, Stretch knew himself pretty damn well, therapy did that to a guy. At the end of the day, he knew what this was really about; all an elaborate scheme to satisfy the inner packrat in his soul that struggled sometimes with giving things away.
Bartering had been built in him before he could say the word; in the Underground, he’d gotten damn good at getting deals for what he could scrounge at the dump. This was the same thing, really, just with slightly different stakes. Dinner wasn’t riding on his latest stash of dvds anymore, always a plus, and these days he could simply look at the empty shelves, content in the knowledge that his Smeagol cardboard cutout had found a new home.
Hey, therapy wasn’t the only way to work out a few kinks in your internal lines.
When the last box was emptied, Stretch wandered up to the front desk to give the lady who ran the front register his new inventory list. That was when he heard it.
There was an old piano up front with a sign on it that said, ‘Do not ‘play’ if you cannot play’. Most of the time it sat silently but someone up there was giving it a good try today. The notes were slower, with obvious hesitations as the player searched for the correct keys, but the song was one Stretch knew. Gently melancholy, a match to the cautious playing.
His curiosity piqued, Stretch wandered over to watch and he wasn’t entirely surprised to see Edge sitting on the piano bench, his attention on his hands as he slowly played. It was a tough choice between watching him play and simply listening to the song and Stretch found himself trying to do both. The uncertain skill in hands he knew so well as they coaxed the music free.
When the last note faded, a faint smattering of applause came from the different stalls around them. Stretch waited for it to end before sitting on the bench next to Edge.
Quietly, Stretch said, “i didn’t know you played.”
“I don’t,” Edge said. He smoothed a hand over the keys, not pressing down, simply touching them. “Not really. I can’t read music, but I know a song or two by rote. A friend of mine pushed me to memorize them.”
Welp, Stretch didn’t have to ask what friend, now did he. An old friend back in another world, and people weren’t replaceable even if they wore the same face. He didn’t say anything, didn’t need to; Stretch understood in a way only a few people could, and he settled a hand on Edge’s leg, squeezing his knee gently.
“that was really good,” Stretch offered, “you have a good memory, babe.”
“Some of my memories are better than others,” Edge said. The words were more contemplative than sorrowful, and he didn’t look at Stretch, only touched the back of his hand briefly with his gloved fingertips. “You tend to feature in the best ones, love.”
He reached for the keys again and started to play. The song was more confident this time, bright and cheery, with only the occasional missed note. A handful of other people drifted over, some pausing to watch and some moving on, going about their day with a song to carry them along.
Stretch only tapped his toes and listened as Edge played, more than willing to let him go on until he was ready to stop. If Edge wanted to take a brief dive into the past, then the antique mall was a place for it, where memories and times past mingled with the present.
Besides, a new memory to take home was better than any knickknack.
-fin
Note: The first song Edge was playing was 'Clair de Lune' by Debussy and the second was 'The Entertainer' by Scott Joplin. In case you were wondering. 😁
#spicyhoney#papcest#keelywolfe#underfell#underswap#underfell papyrus#underswap papyrus#by any other name
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