[Secret Santa] Holiday date

Fandom: Paradox Live

Characters: Sugasano Allen x Reader

Word count: 1508

Summary:  It was practically common knowledge by now that, to Allen, music was everything. He breathed it and lived it, so it came as no surprise to anyone that his date — the first actual date — involved a tour around the recording studio.

Genres: Fluff

Notes: It might be a bit lackluster due to the time pressure, but I hope it’s not too OOC. c”:

It was practically common knowledge by now that, to Allen, music was everything. He breathed it and lived it, so it came as no surprise to anyone that his date — the first actual date — involved a tour around the recording studio. Hajun and Anne provided some suggestions, of course, but none of them truly stuck with him. Fancy restaurants weren’t exactly his style, and street concerts, according to Anne, weren’t the best spot for a romantic get-to-know-you-better evening. “And that would be no different from your usual dates”, they pointed out after Allen tried to defend his case. Well, it wasn’t like every one of his dates involved concerts… just a lot of them, probably. Anne had a point. Allen himself knew that this date had to be special for several reasons: first, it was holiday period, and he got thoroughly taught about the importance of those. Second, it was almost half a year since they started dating, so it would make sense to do something different and, perhaps, share more of himself with his partner. This logic, after some more discussion, inevitably led to the idea of a recording studio date. “Well, all should be good since Allen’s lover is, after all, one of BAE’s heads”, Anne concluded as they helped pick the outfit for the occasion. Surely, it was nice to surprise the other party from time to time.

Since the recording studio was closer to BAE’s place than yours — for obvious reasons — you and your boyfriend decided to meet at his place. Allen suggested escorting you at first, but you didn’t mind a little walk, and insisted that it would be a better idea for you to come and for him to wait. Having a little walk could help and calm your nerves, among other things. A prospect of visiting BAE’s home was one of the reason’s, of course, but the bigger cause for worry was the present you have prepared for Allen. It wasn’t difficult to think of a theme for a present, but it was much more difficult to think of a proper gift that would be both practical and fairly unique. You even went as far as consulting Anne and Hajun to confirm that none of you would end up giving the same Christmas present. Still, there was a part of you that wasn’t entirely sure about whether or not he would like the gift or even need it… no, no. You shook your head, chasing the unnecessary doubts away. You clearly remembered Allen telling that his old headphones weren’t working properly at times but, given how much Allen loved them, it seemed unlikely that he would replace them before they break completely. So, you took extra care to find a new pair that would resemble his current headset as much as possible. ‘It should be okay’, you sighed, and knocked on the door of the flat you have arrived at. The answer was almost immediate. However, it was not Allen who opened the door, but anZ themselves. “Allen, your sweetheart is here!” they shouted into the room and, apparently happy with the sound of a small commotion and hurried footsteps, turned to you with a grin. “Hello, please come in. Allen will be here soon.” Anne didn’t offer a seat or a drink, as they knew you wouldn’t stay here for long, and leave to finish their work for SWANK, probably sparing you the awkwardness of trying to make small talk. Thankfully, Allen did not take much time as promised, and soon came out of his room, wrapping you in a quick hug. “Hello, Allen”, you greeted him with a smile as you lightly tugged on the strap of your bag. “Hi”, he replied in kind, and practically beamed at you, “sorry for the wait. Let’s go?” He gave you a hand, and you readily took it as you departed to your main destination.

“I hope you didn’t have to wait long,” Allen half-asked and half-said, rubbing his neck. You recognized this gesture as him being nervous, and chuckled. At times like this, he was especially adorable and, were it not for the occasion, you would have enjoyed teasing him. Just a little bit, though. “Not at all. I look forward to seeing the recording studio”, your interest was genuine, and, apparently, as much was reflected on your face, instantly chasing away any uncertainties your boyfriend might have had about your date. Instead, he entered what you have called his “engaged mode”. “I really hope you like it! It’s really amazing. We do most of our recordings here, and some of the mixing as well!” The whole trip, essentially, became a mini-lecture. You didn’t mind it even a bit, though — you were happy to listen to anything Allen had to share about his interests. His excitement was contagious, and, besides, you loved seeing him enjoying himself. The lecture and your attentiveness paid off when you stepped into the studio — you didn’t know if it could be considered a big or a small one, but you could swear that you never saw so much equipment gathered in one place. There was what Allen called a workstation, filled with keyboards and what seemed to be a dozen of controllers: digital audio workstation, audio interfaces, mics, displays, studio monitors… Allen listed them one-by-one, as you listened and observed in awe. Did he really understand and was able to differentiate all of those? It seemed truly incredible that he could navigate such technology that seemed, without exaggeration, alien to you. “You can operate it all on your own? That’s amazing, Allen! You’re a genius,” as you watched him toggle some switches, turn some of the buttons with such speed and precision, it suddenly came to you that, although he probably had done it dozens of times, the amount of work he did for mixing the beats and making even one of your beloved tracks was enormous. ‘Truly magical.’ “A-ah, you think so? I put a lot of work in it, so I’m happy you think of it as something cool”, and here it was, partial nervousness and the slightest trace of being shy — Allen rarely took compliments well, especially when it came to his obsessions that some could deem boring or too much. “Because it is cool,” you assured him with another smile of yours. With the initial tour finished, you seemed it was a good moment to give him your present, however— “Do you want to try it?” The sudden question startled you more than you would have expected. “Try what?” “Recording a song,” a pause, “with me.” “Mm, but I don’t sing as well as you do, you know,” this time, it was your turn to feel nervous. You were by no means a professional and, although you enjoyed singing and humming songs to yourself, you never thought of singing a song with Allen, let alone recording it. “Does it matter? Come on, it will be fun!” he took your hand in his, eyes filled with silent request. He really wanted to do it, it seemed. And… it was really hard to reject this gaze and that adorable puppy face. “Ah! I almost forgot—” Before you could give him your reply, though, Allen sprung up from the chair he was sitting on and inspected the pockets of his jacket until he found a folded paper that immediately went into your hands. “Here, the lyrics. I hope that you like them,” he let out a long breath — you didn’t even realize he held it — and fiddled with the now empty pockets as you were left to read the song. And, the more you read, the more surprised you became. “Allen, is this… a love song?” “Y… yes”, he sighed and smiled with the corners of his lips. “I had some help from Anne and Hajun. Mostly Anne, though, because Hajun wouldn’t stop teasing me about it. Do you like it?” Instead of replying, you gave him a big, soft hug as you nuzzled into his chest. “I do. I absolutely love it, Allen.” As you backed away, you noticed the bright red spread on Allen’s cheeks and tips of his ears. It made you chuckle, and didn’t try to hide it too much. You knew Allen wouldn’t mind you having a little fun at the sight. He never did. “Will you sing it with me, then?” and, once again, that puppy gaze returned. This time, however, you didn’t make him wait for the answer. “I will.”

As you learned later, the instrumentals were also made by Allen, and the piano part was played by him, too. You were worried that your vocals wouldn’t match with the music or Allen’s voice, but your man could certainly work his magic, and not only you ended up enjoying yourself, the finished result sounded so soft and affectionate you couldn’t help but grin every time you listened to it. And Allen really loved your present as well.

👀

I'll take it as a chance to show off WIPs mentioning my and my sister's Paradox Live OCs since I don't usually post works with them anywhere at all ,D

Actually, rereading it made me want to finish this WIP.

The pillow Kiyoko held close moments ago flew right into Kanata’s face.

“Wha—?!”

“Nice hit!” the older Tachibana smiled proudly, all while observing Kanata’s reaction.

Nayuta did too, although his observation came from the fast-paced turn of the event he had to take in. It happened with Tachibana sometimes, but this one was still unexpected.

“What d’ya think you’re doing?!”

“Well—”

“—in your words…”

“If you can’t do it, hit ‘em up!” sisters’ chorus was accompanied by the pillow from Nayuta, which Kou gracefully caught and redirected to Kanata who dodged the now expected missile with ease.

Anyway, "Ruler of my heart" and "All in" will be stuck in my head for a while.

They are so good, as well as the entire animation sequence, it makes me want to dissect the lyrics of the first one really bad.

Happy birthday, tea buddy! You are all grown up now~

Tea buddy, tysm ;^;

I feel so o l d, soon enough I'll be drinking nothing *but* tea (not like that's a bad thing lol)

Requests are open!

Hello there! Mod Tzago is finally here to announce that we are opening requests for drabbles and HCs~.

We decided to open them after posting the drabble below to show you, our dear followers, the average quality of our writing.

I don’t have many rules for requests so you are free to ask for anything as long as it isn’t NSFW (though maybe mod Hiro will be willing to write these requests [EDIT: Mod Hiro here and I am more than down to write nsfw so long as its hc form only uwu]). Character x Reader, Character x Character are both allowed!

[Secret Santa] Just a little big longer

Fandom: Salvus: Aries

Characters: Mr. Kitty™️, Aina

Word count: 727

Summary:  Originally, Malthus thought of it as a mere prank and a way to kill some time. Aina, the fresh Reaper girl, was so adorably righteous and naïve that it would be a crime not to cause some mischief.

However, as days went by, Malthus came to realize: Aina did more than just provide an A-grade treatment to her kitty — she loved him unconditionally and spoiled him so much that Malthus almost felt like the king of the world at times.

Was that how cats felt all the time? If so, their life was truly a bliss.

Genres: Fluff

Notes: This is my Secret Santa present for Grass Clippings from Rosemilk studio discord server! 

Spoilers for the second part of the demo below, so read at your own discretion. 

Malthus POV. Might be OOC.

‘Ah, life is a pure bliss.’

Originally, Malthus thought of it as a mere prank and a way to kill some time. Aina, the fresh Reaper girl, was so adorably righteous and naïve that it would be a crime not to cause some mischief. Plus, it would be oh so fun to see his brother’s face when he found out, too — and Malthus was not going to miss that chance to annoy the bastard.

Of course, annoying all of the other guys came as a pleasant bonus on its own. Their blatant envy and saltiness at him being the one to lie with Aina, to cuddle with her and being spoiled by her… protected, too. If Malthus could laugh in his cat form, he definitely would. But, apparently, a smug smile was more than enough to set off that idiot Orias who seemed the most hurt by the fact that Malthus was practically untouchable; a soft purr was more than enough to make the Angel sulk at the sight of Aina giving pats to Malthus and not him.

Their pathetic state was truly entertaining, and, if they became too content with their utter defeated, a few scratches could quickly fix the situation and liven the place once again.

It was too bad that Lucien couldn’t come with him and join the fun but, alas, shapeshifting didn’t seem to run in the family. Truly a shame, because Aina  also proved to be an exceptional host who gave her kitty the A-grade treatment — which Malthus never forgot to mention to his little brother every time they met during his master’s work. And, no matter how much Lucien scoffed at the idea, the demon could see that Lucy was happy for him. A little envious, too, but Malthus could definitely live with that. After all, a few fluffy pillows from Aina’s house worked like a charm and made Lucien forget his little grudges. Brought a soft smile to his lips, so it was definitely a win-win.

However, as days went by, what had been a joking statement became a fact: Aina did more than just provide an A-grade treatment — she loved him unconditionally and spoiled him so much that Malthus almost felt like the king of the world at times.

Was that how cats felt all the time? If so, their life was truly a bliss.

But, above all that nice treatment a fussing over his, no doubt, important cat persona was the warmth that Malthus felt. The warmth and softness of Aina’s lap… of Aina’s chest. Kneading them was relaxing, therapeutic almost — and made him want to be the one the relish in this feeling. Thankfully, Malthus quickly learned how to play a part of a capricious, petty cat, and Aina’s lover boys quickly learned how to stay away from Mr. Kitty’s sacred places.

Such a life was good. Too good to be true, even, and every blissful moment inevitably reminded Malthus that his goals lied elsewhere. As much of a fun as it was, the life of a spoiled kitty was nothing more than a way to kill time and to mess with his brother, to throw him off the track. Soon, this little game of master and its pet would be over and done with. Perhaps, today or tomorrow’s evening—

“… even so, Mr. Kitty, I think you are the best. Don’t listen to those fools”, Aina’s words made him scoff. As if Malthus would ever listen to anyone but himself — and maybe Lucien if he was in a good mood.

“I know, I know”, perhaps, it was the scoff that she found funny — or was it the expression? — but Aina’s soft laugh filled the room as she watched her adorable cat make a face and turn away, ready to leave for an adventure.

Malthus thought he could go now, perhaps, but—

“Don’t be pouty,” she took him in her hands, “I wouldn’t laugh at my beloved kitty”, and kissed him briefly on the nose.

Then, came a hug and another kiss, this time on the head. And, once again, Malthus got trapped in this intoxicating show of affection without the means to escape.

He sighed.

… maybe the jig could continue a bit longer.

Yes. Just a little bit longer.

I was looking at the links on my writing blog and accidentally found one of my twitter accs I tried for writing small chunks that couldn't be called oneshots and 👀

I forgot how I wrote this one. I think it was when he didn't return to Starless as a worker but came there occasionally 🤔

Probably the only time I first and last wrote for the boy www

I was kind of beating myself up for not being able to write a decent continuation for the fic I've started writing some time ago, and went through my previous notes to find some inspiration when I stumbled across this quote:

“Writing is hard work. A clear sentence is no accident. Very few sentences come out right the first time, or even the third time. Remember this in moments of despair. If you find that writing is hard, it’s because it is hard.” ― William Knowlton Zinsser, On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction

I must say, it did cheer me up a bit, especially since I also had trouble writing technical documentation for work lately because I was not happy with how it looked and, as a result, agonized over it as well.

Makes me think that: a) I just have to keep trying, b) maybe I should read this book sometime.

Intro

Or more like a list of things I’m likely to post about right now ,D

I think it’ll also serve as a good reminder for me about things I am reading/following right now because I tend to forget easily, especially if I get interested in something else for a moment.

Books/Ranobe: Sherlock Holmes, The Last Unicorn, Fate/Strange Fake, Lord El-Melloi II Case Files.

Manga: Jigokuraku (finished, waiting for novels to get shipped), Kashoku no Shiro (currently on volume 3); Witch Hat Atelier, Frieren and Vanitas currently on hold.

Media projects: Fabulous Night, Yuugen Romantica, Dear Vocalist; Paradox Live (although very passively right now).

Mobage: The Tale of Food, Yumekuro, For All Time; occasionally Mahoyaku, PGR, GBF and Road to Nowhere.

Otome games: a lot of indie dating sims, mainly Salvus Aries, Moon Observatory series by batensan, Dark Nights (patiently waiting for DLC to replay the game from the start); BWS, Meiji Tokyo Renka, Arcana Famiglia as my top 3 and currently trying to go through Collar x Malice (Yanagi specifically) and even if Tempest.

RPGs: RF4 Special (I’m finally sticking to it), Trials of Mana and Persona 3 (both on hold). Waiting for more info about Rune Factory Project Dragon. Fire Emblem series as a whole.

Who would have thought there would be a day when I get back into Paradox Live.

Now not only I did all I can about these days are my favs and stories with my and my sis OCs—

An evening together

Fandom: Blackstar Theater Starless

Characters: Rindou x Reader

Word count: 1852

Summary: You scrunch your nose. Perfect. There is this word again. You know he doesn't mean anything bad by that. Still, you can't help but lean forward and flick him on the forehead — a funny sight for Rindou's family and an action unthinkable of for an outsider.

If your silly, impulsive acts can help him take his mind off some heavy things, you are more than happy to act silly around him. With him.

Notes: mafia au, fluff

Today. Finally, he was free from his duties today. It was one of the rare evenings Rindou was able to secure for himself and he decided to spend it with you, as your humble escort to the cafe you mentioned you were interested in.

Originally, he was planning to treat you to a full-course dinner at the restaurant of your choice, as a small reward for your hard work during the weekend. The lady’s wish, however, was a rule, and Rindou was more than glad to follow your decision, all too happy to escape the formal, business-like atmosphere restaurants reminded him of and settle in the cosy, small café at the corner of the street.

There is a gentle, polite smile present on his lips— but Rindou is mindful enough not to appear too close to you. The mafia boss doesn't want any harm to come to his beloved, so he does his best to save more intimate gestures for private time with the two of you only. It's something that doesn't come to him easily — if he could, Rindou would at least kiss the back of your hand, but, instead, he can just offer his arm as he leads you to the table, sending a gentle gaze your way that lingers just a tad bit longer than allowed in your small pretend game. You catch it immediately but, instead of reminding Rindou of the rules he has set himself, you simply smile in response, urging him to give more of his attention — daily life of the mafia boss is never easy, and it is all the more reason why he should let himself relax once in a while and let go of that urge to control the situation perfectly at all times.

“Seductress”, his soft whisper reaches your ear as you sit on the chair he pulled out for you.

“Are you this weak to my smiles?” you joke, looking up at him with traces of mirth dancing in your eyes. He chuckles, but says nothing and the quiet laugh doesn’t quite reach his eyes. Were you mistaken?

However, before you can ponder over the matter any further, you are presented with three buttercups as Rindou bows slightly to you, your eye level even once again.

“You are especially charming today”, he says after making sure you took a good look at the flowers, savouring your emotions with the corners of his lips slowly lifting upwards.

You know. You cannot help but smile as you carefully accept the flowers and take a whiff.

I am dazzled by your charms

The hidden invitation in your earlier gesture didn’t escape Rindou, and he is not at all against the idea to give in. Even if he, himself, is not able to admit it verbally. You are a fast learner, though, and the language of flowers has gradually become both your hobby and your way of secret communication. Old-fashioned, yes, but secure and, most of all, lovely.

“Thank you, Rindou”, you do not elaborate whether it is thanks for flowers or the compliment — your man knows the meaning behind your words just as you know the meaning behind every flower he gives you.

“It is me who should thank you for accompanying me this evening”, he replies in the usual polite manner, settling in his own seat and asking a waiter to bring the menu. “But, I am curious. Why did choose a café instead of a restaurant?”

The answer is simple, but you don’t mind voicing it even though Rindou has probably guessed it himself already.

“You always go there for business meetings, don’t you? So I figured it wouldn’t seem much different from your usual routine if we went to one. Besides”, you pause for a moment, looking over menu. Your eyes light up upon finding the dish you wanted to show him, and you turn your menu over, excitedly tapping the name of the dessert. “They make the best cakes here! And this one is especially good from what I’ve heard.”

“It would be a waste not to try it then”, the man agrees with a hum, looking at you with a soft expression.

He loves to see you so lively and full of joy, as if your happiness is the source of his own. He even said that a couple of times, and each time the confession managed to reduce you to a blushing mess. Of course, it never was the words alone...

“Are you ready to make an order?” a waiter reminds you of his presence with a short cough, an indication he might have been standing there for more than a moment. You almost begin to wonder how you could have missed his coming to your table but, well, the saying “lovers don’t notice the flow of time” was there for something, right? So you dismiss the thought and smile charmingly, shortly apologizing before the waiter before ordering your cake and coffee to go with it.

You expect Rindou to make his order just as quickly, as he always seems to know what he wants. However, a lingering pause makes you look at him questioningly.

“To be honest, I’m not quite sure what to order”, the helplessness in his gaze and a rarely seen awkward smile makes you chuckle.

One would think a mafia boss would be a lot more composed and confident, wouldn’t they?

“Mm, then, why don’t you order tiramisu? I like it, and, this way, we can taste two good things instead of one”, you jokingly offer, and, contrary to your expectations, Rindou nods, and follows your recommendation, asking for tiramisu and cappuccino.

“Anything the lady says, goes”, he explains, noticing your puzzled look. “At least for today.”

You make sure to remember these words and hold onto them mentally. After all, you have some plans of your own for today’s evening.

  As your order is served, you indulge in the sweetness of your dessert, scooping some of the cream along with the soft biscuit and sending it right into your mouth. The cake melts on the tongue and you close your eyes in bliss, enjoying the moderate sweetness that spreads in your mouth.

“Mm, delicious”, you lick your lips, savouring the taste, and belatedly notice the attentive, intent gaze.

It is at this moment that Rindou notices a bit of cream from the cake stuck on your cheek.

Instead of voicing it, though, he just sighs helplessly and, with a silent laugh, takes off one of his gloves.

He hesitates for the briefest moment before touching your cheek, clearing smudge with his finger and lingering just a tad bit longer, tracing his hand from your cheek to your chin and the corners of your lips.

Rindou rarely takes off his gloves outside his private quarters — for safety measures — and it leaves you wondering what urges him make an exception. That is, until your face lights up in the mixture of joy and embarrassment upon remembering.

  “I want to feel your skin, not your gloves”

Your bold request, made once in your shared bedroom, was taken seriously by him. And, while it was a bit embarrassing to have your mind re-enact the scenes, the sounds of rustling sheets and some other sounds not suited for public, it warmed your heart to know that he remembered and, despite any reservations, kept his promise.

  When you come to your senses, a wild thought possesses you but, before you can act on it, Rindou retracts his hand, wiping the cream with a handkerchief and offering you a wet wipes.

“There might be some cream left”, he explains with a helpless smile. “I don't want my lady to ruin her perfect appearance.”

You scrunch your nose. Perfect. There is this word again. You know he doesn't mean anything bad by that, and there is no pressure in his voice, only slight concern. Still, you can't help but lean forward and flick him on the forehead — a funny sight for Rindou's family and an action unthinkable of for an outsider.

“You know we don’t have to be perfect around each other”, you remind him, squinting your eyes, “or all the time. You have to relax sometimes too, dear.”

Another helpless sigh and a smile as a silent apology.

“You know it is difficult, especially since our family is not the only one here”, he hums, looking briefly at the dark street through the window. “And you never know when your enemy might present themselves.”

It is reasonable. You know it is. But there is that small part of you that wants to make him forget all the worries and problems the world throws at him, assure him there will be no more betrayals at all in his life...

But it’s easier to be said than done and, instead, you simply snatch a piece of his tiramisu while Rindou is not looking.

If your silly, impulsive acts can help him take his mind off some heavy things, you are more than happy to act silly around him. With him.

“Your cake is mine now”, you giggle in delight, taking Rindou by surprise and out of his reverie. He looks at his plate, puzzled, only to find more than half of his dessert left.

“There is still tiramisu left on my plate, though?” he points at it with his fork and, when you think he will finally give some of his attention to the delicious treat, he leans forward and gently grabs your hand, the fork with a cake halfway to your lips. Your “stolen goods” are then eaten by the very man you stole them from, but your puffed cheeks do little to give him any sense of guilt.

Instead, Rindou quietly chuckles.

“I just took back what’s mine, did I not?”

“Not going to forgive your girlfriend and enjoy what I left for you?” you wish your “angelic eyes” would work on him, but, alas, you two have known each other for too long.

“I don’t have a habit of letting thieves go. Even if the thief in question is my lover”, he calmly responds, taking the opportunity to try some of your cake.

“So you will steal my dessert as a revenge?” a defeated sigh escapes you as you watch your dessert disappear in your lover’s mouth.

“It’s not a revenge, but a lesson”, Rindou smiles, taking another piece of your cake and moving his fork closer to your mouth. “Now, why don’t you be a dear and open your mouth?”

You want to protest, but the sweet treat swaying in front you makes you accept this small defeat for today, and you nod, accepting the cake and leaning into his touch as Rindou once again traces your cheek and your jaw with his bare fingers.

  You will take your revenge later. After all, the evening was just a beginning that could — and will — evolve into the night.

🌹

This one is in Russian so I’ll translate it to English.

***

Стоя на валуне на фоне заката, Сирше и сама становилась похожа на солнце. Маленький огонёк, согревавший и освещавший им путь.

Standing on the boulder with a setting sun behind her back Saoirse herself was resembling a sun. A small fire that warmed them all and lit up the way.

Hello there! So me and my friend @cactusl0rd started to make comics. The story revolves around brother and sister named Albert and Melania who get themselves involved in a series of strange murders in order to stop the person who caused such a ruckus in the town~.

Comics was partly inspired by voodoo so you can expect aspects of this religion to appear.

I hope some of you will be interested enough to check it out!

P.S. I will be reblogging this for a few days~.

@fire-emblem-drabbles

I know it’s extremely late but here’s a Secret Santa present for @hopusbopus . I don’t have much to say but I do hope you’ll like it. Happy New Year, dear lady! Enjoy!

P.S. I hope it won’t feel too rushed and I also hope you don’t mind that this is a FEH reality;;

When the Summoner offered Ephraim a sparring session and presented to him a warrior priestess who wielded a sword the prince of Renais thought that the training would end fast and that, perhaps, the Summoner had underestimated him. A bit.

When it came down to the action itself, however, Ephraim was proven wrong. “The warrior priestess” wasn’t just an empty title - where a sword couldn’t reach, magic would. Even though he managed to hold his opponent at the length of his spear most of the time, Celica’s spells would still pose a threat if Ephraim wasn’t agile enough to dodge it. He had to admit that a couple of times it wasn’t that easy.

“Give it your fullest, Ephraim!” the Summoner shouted enthusiastically. She, on the other hand, was most certainly smiling, enjoying the results of her brilliant idea and Ephraim couldn’t help but grin himself - he was always up to a challenge and meeting worthy opponents. If his dear Summoner could present him both at the same time he couldn’t possibly ask for more.

“No need to tell me that, Summoner. Just wait and see!”

Just wait and see.

Ephraim wasn’t joking when he said those words. Dodging another magic spell and jumping away to create more space for his maneuvres he steadied his lance. Deep breath. A mere second to get into the position - and Ephraim took off really fast so that the Summoner had to blink a few times to see what happened.

Clashing sounds of metal hitting metal were her answer - prince of Renais went to the full offense not giving a chance for Celica to use her magic. It was nothing like a war dance one could read about in a storybook, only fierce, brash assaults from the spearman countered by the confident techniques of the warrior priestess. And yet her refined, almost brilliant performance wasn’t enough. The priestess had landed on earth.

“Seems like I’m no match for you Ephraim”, she hurriedly stood up, smiling shyly. As much as Celica didn’t like fighting she didn’t like to be on the losing side, either.

“Huh? But you are! It wasn’t easy to beat you, Celica. I even had to try my hardest not to give you a minute to cast any spells!” Still grinning, Ephraim offered a hand for a shake.

Celica didn’t wait to accept it. “You are an extremely capable fighter, Prince Ephraim. Thank you for this training.”

“Thank you. I practice every day to keep it that way”, Ephraim probably would’ve told more as he wanted if it wasn’t for the Summoner coming up to their side. Somehow, she always managed to become his focus of attention the moment she came near. “I’ll be happy to spar with you again sometime, Celica!”

“And I’ll be happy to chat with you one day”, Celica didn’t bother to raise her voice as the prince stormed off to the Summoners side. After all, she had her own person waiting for her to come.

“Did you see that, Summoner?” Clearly pleased with himself Ephraim looked at the Summoner sitting beside him. Was she happy as well that the training went well? 

Before giving him a response she let out a quiet sigh. 

“Brash assault could be a good strategy for you, Ephraim - but not for your people. Sometimes you seem to just forget about your defenses and this -” not waiting for the prince to understand where this was leading to she poked him in some parts of his body. A few moments later Ephraim let out a short hiss. It seemed he didn’t even know he had bruises. 

“This leads you to have injuries you may not even notice”, the Summoner smiled, then, a little more kind than before, “I think it’s the same with the country and its people. And so, today the lesson is this: you will go the right path and be the excellent king as long as you do not forget about what you’re defending. Your life is a thing that has to be included to this list.” 

Prince laughed softly. “Thank you, my friend. I can’t promise that I will stick to that advice but I’ll definitely try.” 

“I’ll take you at your word, Ephraim.” 

For the moment it was quiet. Sometimes they needed silence to step between them - especially when the talk, they knew that for sure, would become awkward.

“.. Hey, Eph.“

“Mhm?“

“Do you have a wish for a New Year?“

Ephraim blinked several times. A wish?

“I do“, he grinned, “in fact, I want to stay by your side as long as I can and learn a lot of your useful lessons.”

A smirk was his answer, “You do know you don’t tell a wish you want to come true, don’t you?”

“And I don’t tell wishes a cannot make come true.”

“Just like fights?”

“Yes. And what do you wish for, Summoner?”

There wasn’t a single word once again. Just a cold winter wind and a starry sky.

“... I wish that we head into the castle before we are late“, the Summoner stood up a bit lazily, turning to face the prince with another smile of hers.

“That’s not fair, you know.“

“I know. But I’m pretty sure you’ll learn about my wish pretty soon.“

After all, just like Ephraim didn’t make wishes that he couldn’t grant himself Summoner didn’t want to hope for a miracle to grant her wish, either. 

And to make it reality she would make the first step.

Hope of morning (Reina x F!Reader)

This is an alley discord deal with my dear friend Terra from @fewillnotleavemymind ~.

Originally I wanted it to be fluffier but, apparently, something went wrong. Hope you enjoy nonetheless! 

It was nice to wake up to the sun rays caressing your skink alongside the small breeze.

It was nice to wake up in a warm embrace next to your lover and make their face the first thing to see as you open your eyes in the morning.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”

Truly, a day off was a blessing. And a luxury you couldn’t so easily afford.

“Good morning, love”, you told in a husky voice, pulling yourself closer to the source of warmth and comfort you didn’t want to let go.

After all, you wanted to treasure this peaceful time you had with her. Sweet, precious time.

Even if the love of yours had some other plans.

“You aren’t going to let me go and train, are you?” Reina’s soft chuckle made you shiver as she planted a quick kiss on your head squeezing you lightly.

You liked her small signs of affection, ones that she gave you in private more than in public where she was a fierce warrior and quite a passionate lover.

Such signs showed just how much Reina really cares and how gentle she can really be.

You smiled at your thoughts, nuzzling against her shoulder and planting a soft kiss in return.

“But don’t you like such peaceful days, Reina?”

She wanted to parry, to remind that battle still seems as appealing as a good night spent with you. She almost did - but instead, a little gasp of delight escaped her mouth as you, with a hint of mischief in your eyes, softly nibbled the skin on her neck.

Reina didn’t wait to return you a favor with a small bite on your earlobe she then traced with her fingers tenderly.

“I suppose, I can treasure them since they don’t come so often for you, darling.”

“Yes, you totally should do it. After all, when they come, I don’t get buried in a work till the dawn,” you replied with a victorious grin.

However, your victory didn’t last for long.

“But if I’m not going to train then we should find something equally interesting.”

“Oh? I think I have an idea~”

Nightmares (DariosxReader)

Here’s a little something I thought of for @villainousfe. It just, uhh, came itself from reading a certain message? Hope this can help you sleep if there’s another nightmare.:>

Anyway, I’m sure there are a lot of mistakes and OOC, but I still hope you’ll like it.

Again. One more time you woke up screaming, covered in a cold sweat. Once again it was a nightmare, so similar to the previous one yet so realistic you couldn't help but believe it happened just now.

It was so scary - terrifying, even -  you wanted to cry, still feeling the pain and seeing the death of your dearest ones right before your eyes.

You wanted to run.

You wanted to hide.

Lie and forget.

"Shh, I'm here", the soothing sound of Darios's voice reach you a bit late as you flinch at his touch, still trying to fight back monsters from the nightmares. 

"It’s okay now", he hugs you even tighter, bringing your body closer to his. Darios knows how scary monsters can be - be it nightmares or your inner demons - and he definitely doesn’t want you to go through it.

Only when you stop sobbing Darios distances himself from you, only to cup your face with his hands lifting your head, "I'm here, you're safe now. There are no demons anymore. Look at me, my love."

You freeze as he kisses you, softly, the warm feeling spreading across your body.

Right, Darios is here, with you. For you.

"I’m sorry and thank you. It’s really okay now, I just  —"

One more kiss you can’t resist. After all, maybe you want to be silenced so you can’t say another convincing “ I’m okay now” phrase.

Both of you know that trick too well.

"Now do as I say, ok? Slowly close your eyes. Don't think about anything, just listen to my voice", Darios says as he lays you back down on the bed, wrapping his hand around your shoulders.

You do as he says, trying your best not to think about anything bad. And it’s really hard.

"Good. Now, imagine a large green field full of blooming flowers. Sun caresses your skin as you are lying on the blanket, resting. I’m right beside you, just like I am now. Imagined?"

He doesn’t wait for your answer, quietly starting to sing a lullaby mother sang for him when he was still just a little boy.

Now that was surprising.

At first, you have an urge to open your eyes and sit up to look at him, at his face. But you know that’s not what Darios wants in this situation, and the thought of him helping you to calm down and sleep again is enough for now.

He may be not the best singer in the world, but the soothing voice and the warmth of his hands are good enough to help you relax eventually.

And you definitely would want him to sing for one more time at that field full of flowers you saw in your sleep.