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p-artsypants · 3 years

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I’ll Handle This (5)

In Which There is an Akuma

Ao3 | FF.net

Plagg was laying on the bed when he returned. “Oh good, you’re back. I was kind of worried about you—“

“There’s an Akuma!” Adrien interrupted.

Plagg’s eyes lit up. “An Akuma, you say? How interesting...”

“Yeah yeah, just do the thing that sucks me in the ring!”

“I’ll warn you ahead of time, when I’m in your body like this, the suit becomes factory default. Oh, and you’ll be able to see and hear everything I do.”

“Great. This whole ‘Invasion of the Bodysnatchers’ episode is getting better and better.”

“Adrien, Claws out!”

That was an odd sensation. Now Adrien knew what Taffy felt like. He felt his whole body grow long and thin, before spiraling smaller and smaller. There was every color in the rainbow, flashing in a nauseous wave, and then, he was looking through his eyes again.

“Ha!” Said Plagg with a little satisfaction. “Feels good to be on the other side.” He walked over to the mirror, where Adrien could finally see what ‘factory default’ meant.

He looked like a ninja. Not like a Naruto ninja, but like a real Sengoku period, 15th century ninja. An all black, cloth ensemble, with foot wraps and a thick belt. Instead of claws on his fingertips, there were long blades attached to the back of his hand, almost like wolverine. Instead of a mask around his eyes, he wore one over the lower half of his face, and only left his eyes exposed. But his eyes looked different enough. The sclera was a toxic green instead of white, and his pupils were slit. Thick black eyeliner traced the eyes and framed them, making the color pop. His hair was a complete disaster and stood up in every direction.

Finally, the ears. They were real, genuine cat ears. Complete with fur.

“Not too shabby, if I say so. Though, the first guys that wore this had black hair, which made the ears less jarring. But I can’t complain. We mustn’t leave our lady waiting!”

Plagg threw open the window and leapt into the city.

He rushed over the rooftops, doing impossible feats of parkour and agility. It actually made Adrien dizzy.

“Oh, one other thing I forgot to mention,” Plagg said aloud. “You know how when you’re in the suit, you can be body slammed into a building and be okay afterwards?”

Yeah?

“Well...you’re going to feel all that pain instead. That’s why I’m always so wiped after a fight.”

What?!

Plagg glanced at his baton, the screen looking more like parchment than the usual LED screen, and found where Ladybug was.

A hop skip and a jump, he landed next to her. “What are we up against?”

She didn’t look at him, eyes glued to the akuma. “Stretchy guy. Like Mr. Fantastic. Can’t figure out what ticked him off, but he’s able to reach anything and even shape shift. Might be difficult to fight.” Then she finally looked at him and her eyes bulged. “Chat? What’s with your suit?”

“Plagg’s having a hard time right now, so I’m factory default.”

“O...Kay...are you going to be okay fighting like that?”

“It feels fine, my Lady. Nothing to worry about. In fact, do you mind if I take the lead on this one? Give you a little break?”

She chuckled. “You know I could always use a break.”

“Great! We need to lead him over to the construction site over at Notre Dame, where all the scaffolding are.”

She smiled at him. “I think I know what you’re planning, Kitty. Lead the way.”

He dropped the bottom part of his mask, and wolf whistled quickly, before Ladybug could place his face. “Hey stretch!” He shouted. “You up for a little race?”

“Ladybug and Chat Noir! You’ll give me your Miraculous as soon as I reach you!”

“Good luck with that!” And he vaulted backwards on to the street and darted towards Notre Dame.

Plagg was fast. Faster than Chat Noir normally was, and Ladybug was surprised at how hard it was to keep up with him.

“H-Hey Chat! Don’t leave me behind!”

He only stopped a second to scoop her up into his arms before running off again. Her added weight didn’t even slow him down.

“Sorry, Bug. The Akuma has long legs, so he’s faster than usual. I can’t slow down, so hang on!”

She did, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

Adrien was going to kill Plagg if he didn’t die from ecstasy first. He could feel Ladybug pressed tightly against him, and he loved every bouncing second of it.

Soon they reached the construction site, with the Akuma hot on their tail.

“Split up,” Plagg commanded and Ladybug gave a firm nod, following right along with him.

While Adrien was basically on autopilot, he noted that this fight felt a lot like being on the jungle gym when he was a kid. He swung on the bars, twisting up levels onto the scaffolding, the akuma chasing after with each turn.

Except, the akuma was long, and he was starting to get tangled in all the bars.

“Oh no!” Ladybug feigned a cry. “I’m stuck! He might be able to get my Miraculous!”

“You’re mine!” Called the akuma, twisting around a pole and darting for her. As he was about to snag her, she dropped and spun on her bent knees away.

“Whoops, not so stuck after all!”

“I’m going to—“ The akuma reached out their arm, stretching and stretching to grab at her ears. But he never reached her. He was out of length, and hopelessly tangled in the mass of wood and metal. “No! No!” He wriggled, trying to untie himself, but Plagg had already found the akumatized item in the akuma’s back pocket. A roll of measuring tape.

“Akuma, coming in hot!” He called, as he smashed the tape.

The black butterfly emerged, and Ladybug caught it and purified it easily. “Bye bye little butterfly!”

One cure later, the relative damage done to the scaffoldings was repaired, and the akuma victim, a short man, was returned to ground level.

“Wow! We didn’t even have to use our powers today! Great work, kitty!” She praised as he raised her fist.

He bumped her back with a grin. “Thank you, Bug. Hope you didn’t mind me taking charge. I just figured with you being the guardian and all, having some shared responsibility would really help you out.”

She exhaled with a breath, her shoulders relaxing. “Ugh, you have no idea. When that akuma alert went off, I was already dreading it. It’s been a long day.”

Plagg frowned. “A long day?” Even after their shopping spree and awesome lunch? “Do you need to talk about it?”

She ground her toes on the roof of the church. “Are you busy? Plagg said you were doing something…”

“Oh, I was napping. I have all the time in the world for you, Ladybug.”

“Want to get some ice cream, then?”

“Only if you let me pay.”

She dramatically put a hand to her forehead, “oh, if you must!”

Plagg chuckled with her, and then took off running.

“Hey! I never said it was a race!” She called back.

“You never said it wasn’t either!” He shouted back.

When she finally located Andre’s ice cream cart, he was already sitting and waiting with her order. “Your ice cream, my lady?”

“You’re so fast! Have you just been holding out on me all this time?!” She huffed, taking the cone from him.

He shrugged. “Oh, I have a couple of tricks up my sleeves.”

They enjoyed their ice cream in comfortable silence for a while, before Ladybug asked, “hey, you’re a boy, right?”

“Last I checked.”

She shook her head at her dumb question. “Right. Um…I have a friend. Guy friend.”

Plagg crossed his legs. “OoooOOoooo is it him?”

Ladybug blushed. “Yes.”

“Tell me everything.”

Inside his head, Adrien started to panic. This could only end badly for them!

“Well today…he was acting really weird. Usually, he’s really nice and reserved and polite…I know he can be silly and rambunctious, but…today, he was larger than life. He took us out for an expensive lunch, and then shopping for clothes that would make his dad angry. I think it’s a rebellious streak, but my gal friend said his money has gone to his head…” She scuffed her foot on the floor. “I’m just worried. I don’t want him to change…but I don’t want him to fake being someone he’s not just to make others happy. I guess I’m just confused. What do you think?”

Plagg finished his cone in one gulp, hiding his face right after. “I think it’s just puberty.”

She did not think that was amusing. “Yeah right.”

“Has handsome rich boy ever shown signs of materialistic superiority?”

“No, he wears the same clothes all the time, and never flaunts the things he owns—“

“Then I think your gal pal is off base. It probably is rebellion. Just…be a safe place for him, and I’m sure it’ll end up okay.”

“A safe place? What do you mean?”

“I’m not sure what this dude is rebelling for. You’d probably know. Is his family…strict?”

“Very.”

“And controlling?”

“Extremely.”

“Okay, so if I was in his shoes, I’d want a friend that was trustworthy for me to confide in. Rebelling is liberating and exciting, but also extremely scary, because it’s risky. He needs to have someone to have his back in case things go south.” He massaged her shoulder. “And it would be best if that friend was soft and smelled nice.”

Ladybug smacked his shoulder. “When did you get so wise?”

“I hide a lot of wisdom under my ‘dumbass’ veneer.”

Ladybug cackled loudly, making Plagg smile and Adrien swoon.

“You can be a dumbass sometimes,” Ladybug admitted. “But you’re my dumbass.”

“Aww, thanks bug!” He grinned. “So, handsome rich boy is all that’s on your mind? I know identity clues have to be avoided and all, but I like knowing stuff that’s going on in your life. And I think I can manage another golden nugget of advice as well, if needed.”

Ladybug frowned, obviously something else cropping up in her mind. “Actually…there’s something I haven’t told you that I probably should have.”

“I’m all ears. I literally have four of them.” He twitched his cat ears.

She reached up and rubbed them, an affectionate look on her face as she felt the fur under her fingertips. “Not too long ago, I was expelled from school.”

“Ladybug is a bad student in her civilian life?” He joked.

“No! I’m not!” She damn-near cried. “Sorry, I just…ugh. I was framed. There’s this girl in my class that…she lies with every breath. I know she has a crush on my crush, but she’s lying and manipulating to get her way to him. She works with him now too.”

Plagg knew there was certainly more to the story than that, but he had to play dumb as Chat Noir. “Lying is bad and all, but it’s not really your problem, is it? She’ll get caught in her web eventually.”

“Argh, that’s what Ad—my boy said too. Take the high road. And it made sense, for what he knew about her at the time…but what he didn’t know was that she threatened me. Threatened to take all my friends and him away, just because I told her to stop lying.”

This was a shock to both kwami and holder. “She threatened you?”

“Yeah. And she went through with it. She got me expelled. Apparently, according to my boy, he sort of convinced her to double lie to get me un-expelled. She’s been quiet ever since, which has been a few weeks, but…she keeps staring at me. It’s unnerving.”

“I suppose it would be, with her track record.”

“I didn’t want you to find out about this, but I have to tell you. She’s almost gotten me akumatized, twice.”

Plagg slapped a hand over his mouth with a gasp.

Lila was a nuisance for Adrien, but she was a problem for Marinette. No, an imminent threat. This changed his attack strategy…though it started to look like Adrien’s three problems were weaved together. The whole situation was a little more delicate than he had considered at first.

“I’ve beaten both akumas off, but I worry about the future. I’m trying to come up with a contingency plan, but for right now it’s just ‘don’t get upset’.”

“I’ll try to come up with a plan too. Maybe next time, you could hand your earrings off to Tikki for a little while, if things start to get dicey. She can bring them to me, since she knows who I am.”

Ladybug gnawed at her lip. “Tikki’s been my greatest ally in fighting them off. If she’s not there…”

Plagg rested a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “Bug, you’re the practical one here. What happens when you don’t give Tikki your earrings, and you don’t fight it off? When you’re so consumed with pain you don’t even see the Akuma coming? What then?”

She shook her head. “You’re so right, I hate it.” She sighed. “That happened the last time too…I was only spared because Hawkmoth suddenly stopped his attack. That was the day I got expelled.”

“And I’ll follow the plan too. I haven’t gotten akumatized or anything, but it might only be a matter of time.”

“Yeah…” It was awful to think about. Having to fight her partner was not something that Marinette wanted to do. But this loose plan was better than no plan. “Hey, it’s getting pretty late. I have a project I have to finish up.”

“Oh, of course, go on home.” Plagg insisted.

“Thanks for the Ice Cream, and for lending an ear. You’re the best, Kitty.”

Plagg smiled at her, though she couldn’t see through his mask. His eyes crinkled in mirth. “I try.”

“Tell Plagg I still have that cheese danish if he wants it. Night, Chat.”

“Night, Bug.”

And she swung off into the distance.

Plagg took out his baton and made his own way home. He knew Adrien didn’t really want to be transformed any longer than he had to be.

He landed inside the mansion, and called, “Claws in.”

Adrien came flying out of the ring, and Plagg caught him carefully in his hands. “How you feeling, kiddo?”

“Like I got hit by a truck,” said Adrien, weakly. “You didn’t even use my power, why am I so tired?”

“How much cheese did you eat today?”

“None.” Adrien scrunched up his nose. “Come to think of it, I didn’t eat anything today.”

“That would certainly do it.” Plagg said, with a sigh. He took out a wheel of camembert and took out a wedge for Adrien, holding it in front of his face.

Normally, Adrien couldn’t stand the smell. It was putrid and foul and moldy…but this…this was on a different level. Curse Plagg’s disgusting body! He sat up and helped himself to a nibble of cheese. A nibble turned into a bite, and a bite turned into a full inhale, almost taking off his fingers.

“Better?”

Adrien sighed as his energy started to return. “Remind never to complain about your eating habits.”

Plagg grinned. “Oh it's a deal!”

Adrien’s phone rang, and Plagg reached to answer.

“Who is it?” Asked Adrien.

“It’s Marineeeeeeetteeeee~!” Plagg sang, and connected the call, putting it on speaker for Adrien to hear.

“Hey Pooh Bear.”

“H-hey uh, Tigger? No no that was dumb. Sorry, hi Adrien.”

Plagg and Adrien shared a look of fondness. She was just too cute sometimes.

“Whats up?” Pried Plagg.

“Uh, not-not much! I just finished your second shirt! I can do more tomorrow, but for now…”

“I’ve got an outfit picked out for tomorrow, don’t worry. And you’ll love it.”

“Will I really? Or will it turn me into a pillar of salt?”

“Have a little faith in me, Mari.”

“I—of course. Did you just call me Mari?”

“Yeah, I thought it was about time I gave you a nickname. Is that okay? Or are you okay with Pooh Bear?”

Marinette’s giggle was adorable, as it was filled with thinly veiled embarrassment. “Call me whatever you like! I don’t mind!”

“Great! What’s my nickname?”

“I don’t know? Do you want one?”

“Only from you, Pooh Bear!” He sang.

“Um…I’ll have to think about it. I think I’ve heard Lila and Chloe both call you ‘Adri’, so I’ll try to come up with something else.”

“I appreciate that.” Plagg said, as Adrien smiled fondly at the phone. It sure was considerate of her to think about that.

“And Adrien?” Her tone conveyed so much. So much more than Adrien could understand. But it brought a warmth to his face.

“Yes?”

“I’m here for you. You know that, right? Whatever you need. An ear, a h-h-hug. Whatever. I…I care about you.”

Adrien wiped a paw under his eyes, fully prepared for tears to take him.

“I care about you too,” Plagg said, not faking the genuine appreciation in his voice. “I appreciate everything you do for me.”

“I-…” She trailed off, and Adrien wondered if she was going to say something else. But instead, she just exhaled and said. “It’s getting kind of late. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Of course, Pooh Bear!”

She laughed. “Thanks Adrien, goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” And he ended the call.

“She took your advice.” Adrien noted.

“She took Chat Noir’s advice. She trusts him after all.”

Adrien sat on the desk, still feeling a storm brewing inside of him. He was still upset about Plagg’s behavior with his father…but he was starting to come around. Marinette never called him, and her conversations with him were never so easy. Was this actually working?

“Adrien,” Plagg started, scratching between his ears. “I’m sorry for hurting you. If there was a way to humble your father without hurting you in the process, I’d do it…but right now…”

“I understand, Plagg.” Adrien said with a hopeful smile. “It sucks but…that Chloe-tantrum you threw was really funny.”

Plagg beamed at him.

“And,” Adrien added. “After hearing the whole truth about Lila, I’m fully on board with whatever you want to do to her.”

“Fully?”

“Absolutely. This bitch needs to go.”

The mansion was nearly silent in the night, so Plagg’s evil cackle echoed and echoed, sending goosebumps down the neighbor’s spines.

#ml #miraculous ladybug #chat noir #adrien agreste #adrienette #adrien and plagg #I'll handle this #fanfiction #ladybug

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derireo · 4 years

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A3! And What Sports They’d Play ↦ All Troupes

So.. I was talking to a friend about the sports we used to play in the past. I loved sports as a kid and thinking of Haikyu also pushed me to do this. All troupes are included, and individual characters gets their own sport and my take on how well I think they’d do in it!

Kind of went off on Autumn and Winter Troupe;; sorry.

Uh, E-Sports, of course. He gets absolutely winded from walking, so sitting down and competitively playing a game he loves is his dream. On particularly intense matches, he breaks a heavy sweat and needs a lot of water and snacks to keep himself focused and in the game.

He's a popular player and a great one as well! Sometimes he gets asked to host little bits of the tournaments he attends because he has such a big fanbase and he's awesome at entertainment despite his normally deadpan tone with jokes.

He has a lot of energy, so I think running in track or doing marathons would be good for him. Afterall, he's one of the first to run after Tsuzuru in the prologue of the game. He isn't the best nor is he the fastest runner, but his stamina is impressive and lets him outlast many of his competitors.

I also see him doing kayaking? Not competitively, but he definitely loves the thrill of crashing down small waterfalls and regaining his balance right after. The flow of the currents is exhilarating and he has a good sense of balance, so he'd rarely overturn in a kayak (which is absolutely dangerous by the way).

He wouldn't do any competitive sports, but skate/longboarding is something I can definitely see him doing. If he needs time to himself or just simply wants to chill, he'll go out and enjoy the breeze as he boards down the bike lane in the park or on the road, hands in pockets.

He becomes a bit of an attraction at skate parks though. He's always seen there on his board, headphones donned and hands in pockets like I said; effortlessly performing tricks that a lot of other skaters would struggle doing. People are very attracted to the sight, and he lures them in whenever someone finds out he's at the park that day.

He's already suffering so much and is always tired— I wouldn't put it past him to play shuffleboard. It's not a laborious sport, and he can play with anyone like his siblings or any elders who need the company. It's a slow paced sport and is great for sleepy Tsuzuru who needs a break from scrip writing. I don't know if there were any canon stories of him actually being involved in a sport at some point, but I think he'd be pretty okay at tennis or table tennis.

Tennis is a very intense sport so he didn't play it for long because practice cut into his studying, his part-time jobs, and his babysitting. Table tennis is similar to tennis with it's concept, except you can just kind of stand in one spot and don't have to run around as much. It's a fun game to play with his siblings since they enjoy it so much, and they always run after the ball so he doesn't have to do much other than play along with them and clean up when they're done.

I honestly have no idea with Citron. I don't remember any canon details of Zahra (I think that's where he's from?) so I don't want to assume what kind of environment he was in that would influence his choice of athletics, but I think he would enjoy swimming! In the beach event, he ran into the water happily with Kazunari if I can remember, and I'd like to think he had a good body type for water.

There's also another part of me that thinks he'd love skydiving! The thrill of jumping out of the helicopter and letting the winds beat against him as he soared down towards the ground below would be awesome. He's practically shouting for joy as he glides down and loves the look of the city from above. Impressively enough, he can do flips in the air and loves twirling around, much to the dismay of other skydivers as they fear for him.

He's not one for actively moving, but ballet seemed interesting to him and he wanted to try it out. He had no idea how intense ballet was, from strict teachers, to getting blisters on his ankles and feet, Yuki actually almost quit. What prevented him from doing so was probably watching a performance where his seniors were giving the juniors an extravagant scene to watch and they inspired Yuki to keep going.

I would have said acrobatics/gymnastics as well, but Yuki's arms aren't very strong and he doesn't like doing flashy things like that anyways (no offense...? I don't know, I haven't watched videos of this sport in years). If he did pursue acrobatics/gymnastics, I'm not sure if he'd be amazing at it, but he would definitely be decent! He's got the flare;;

Running! Since he was in track for a while and was rumoured to be great at it, he would definitely be doing marathons and track alongside Sakuya. He had great speed and a stamina to match so he's a terribly good opponent to go against if you like to get pushed past your limits. If he kept pursuing track he would train during late nights and early morning with Tasuku, who has his routine jogs at those times.

Absolutely adores the sport too! His team of runners were basically second family to him, so if he chose to return, he would have the time of his life growing as a sportsman with them. He would grow into a fine and very popular runner! Hitting his growth spurt would only make him an even more fearsome competitor as his legs would get longer and his intense training with Omi and Tasuku would get his stamina maxed out.

He has no time to do sports since he's always acting, so I honestly can't say what he'd do. He isn't the best runner either and extreme sports is out of the question since he's a bit of a scaredy cat. I guess he would enjoy a casual game of table tennis though? But despite liking the sport, I'm going to say that he kind of sucks at it. He understands the rules and everything, but his rhythm is off and he never manages to hit the ball back.

He's good at receiving a strike back though! He's always lucky at standing in the right spot with his paddle in the correct position to receive a smash hit, and that's basically the only time he wins a point because he catches his opponent off guard. It doesn't happen often though, so he still gets absolutely destroyed during a game of table tennis.

I believe Misumi would be amazing at track & field. He runs extremely fast for one, and he does parkour like no other; he would definitely place first in sports like long jump, high jump, pole vault, and sprints. He doesn't have a particular favourite event to do though, but always does his best when someone gives him an incentive to do his best.

Izumi and Omi offer him triangle onigiri? He's going to run as fast as he can! Jump as high as he can and as far as he can! No one will be able to stop Misumi. But then again, competitive parkour is a thing, I'm pretty sure, so he can just do that sport for fun and still place in the top 3 at least. He would be terrible awesome at Ultimate Frisbee, but the disc isn't a triangle, so. :p

Him? Sports? No.

I'm kidding. Do not know at all what sport he would enjoy playing, but billiards is something that suits him in my opinion. It doesn't have to be competitive, but he's greatly skilled at handling a cue stick, and his aim is impeccable. He's real lucky with trick-shots too, so don't go and start betting money with him; you'll definitely splurge all of your cash on him within seconds.

Sigh. It's super annoying that he's good at everything, and sports are no exception. He plays futsal with Omi and Tasuku the most, and is very light on his feet. He's so good that during competitive games he'll do a trickshot and score, or will play around with his check and do something like dribble the ball between their legs when they're at their most vulnerable.

I'm sure he would fall in love with ice hockey, though. Ice hockey is fast paced and is a contact sport so Banri would feel free on the ice rink. Good thing is that he's pretty good looking, so he's a fan favourite player. The cold air biting into his skin as he pushes himself across the rink to get to the puck is exciting and he loves body checking opponents into the walls (this also makes him a controversial player since he plays rough and dirty).

He'd be a monster at competitive martial arts. Taekwondo especially, considering his kicks come in hot and fast. His spinning kicks are ones to avoid if you go against him, but he's so quick on his feet and can kick higher than his head so you might get a quick KO if you can't read his body language fast enough. Judo is also high on the list despite it being more of a grappling and throwing sport, but Juza's quick reflexes make him a difficult opponent to beat. Normally wins a match using jiu-jitsu grappling techniques on the floor.

He would also be great at ice hockey. His large figure and quick feet would make him a great player, and his posture is always low to the ground so it wouldn't be easy to knock him over on the rink. Not exactly the best at dribbling the puck though, but give him a one-timer when he's open and he'll send that thing flying through the net. No one tries to pick fights with him on the rink though lol, he's notorious for one hit ko's.

Taichi gives off the chaotic vibes of Nishinoya from Haikyu, but he would suck at volleyball so I'm giving him badminton cause height doesn't matter too much I think as long as he's quick on his feet and is able to read the body language of his opponents well. His form would be perfect though and he's super agile so getting to that shuttlecock is no problem for him. He's got a bit of muscle too so he can send those babies flying!

Doesn't really use strategy most of the time, so he'll just keep hitting and receiving the shuttlecock however he wants until his opponent tires or until someone messed up a smash. No one else in Mankai plays badminton so finding him a coach is a bit difficult. He eventually learns other ways to hit the shuttlecock, so when he learns how to slice or do drop shots, he's a little monster on the court!

Oh, the sports he would play.. Obviously, he plays futsal with Tasuku unless you haven't seen his card where he's playing as goalkeeper! With that information, he would absolutely destroy volleyball teams as a middle. Now I don't know if calling middles 'middle blocker' and outside hitters 'wing spikers' is like.. a cultural thing, and I know that's what they call the players in Haikyu, but it definitely catches me off guard and really confused lol. So, yeah! Omi would be amazing as a middle in the front since he's so tall and can shuffle fast on his feet to block a front row opponent. He's like Tendou in a way where he's great at reading people, the only thing is that he's better than Tendou (no offense, I'm serious) because he doesn't need to guess. He already knows. UGH, I want to go off on volleyball (both indoor & outdoor), but this part is getting long. Lmk if you want to hear me talk more about A3! & volleyball.

American football/rugby. Don't tell me I'm wrong please, I'll cry. Both of these are a full contact sport, and looking at Omi's past and his physical structure, you can't tell me he would not obliterate everyone on the field. He is either the offensive guard or the tackle. He will not start offensive plays, but he will end defensive plays. He stops any player from tackling their centre and tackles those who try to hit a blindside. I don't know much about rugby other than it is just as rough as American Football, just with less protective gear. I'm stopping here because I'm thirsting too much for Omi rn.

HOO, baby! When I looked at Sakyo, I just knew he would be able to do something with swords, so I chose kendo/fencing. Keno is a traditional martial art stemming from Japan and is practised with wooden swords. I won't say I know much about the sport, but it is definitely tense and is very noisy. Noisy because kendokas/kenshis shout whenever they strike, this is to show their spirit. Sakyo kind of hates shouting during the sport, but it definitely lets off some steam and gives him more momentum when he strikes.

I also think fencing because there are swords involved here too, it's just that it seems to be more of a European sport and has some sort of specific footwork involved. The piste may seem a bit narrow as well compared to kendo where they have a whole floor to themselves, so Sakyo doesn't practice fencing as often. (The clothing he's required to wear for this sport is also quite stifling as well.)

I'm ngl, but I didn't know what sport to give Tsumugi, omg, so I ended up giving him cup stacking. You know, you remember; I feel like you should do some research if you don't though because cup stacking was a huge thing in the early 2000's (?) and kids were setting world records here and there non-stop. Tsumugi uses his hands a lot for things like gardening, tutoring, bouquet arranging, etc, so he's deft and talented with them.

As long as he puts his mind to it, cup stacking is a piece of cake for him. He doesn't play anymore, but every now and then he'll look at his old kit in the corner of his room and will set it up with Tasuku in the lounge room for everyone to have a go at it. He loves the thrill and the way his adrenaline runs through his veins as he focuses on trying not to mess up the stack down.

HOOOO! Okay, so we already know Tasuku plays futsal so I'm not going to bother, but man.. He would be the same as Omi in volleyball; an absolute monster of a middle player. He's well rounded in the sport, so his coaches/team actually refuse to switch him out with a libero/defence specialist. His digs are almost on point with the setter, and he's always at the right spot when receiving, making sure no one gets an empty spot on the court.

When he's in the front blocking or hitting, he's almost always successful, and since he trains a lot with different drills and regimes, he perfects a lot of things like tipping, tooling, slicing, and even setting. His height added along with his vertical makes it almost impossible for opponents to block him, and when he's feeling good in a game, he'll start doing things like float serves and jump serves. If he's feeling any better, he'll play around and start doing slide hits at the front or will hit from position A on the back court (left corner facing the net). He'd also do swimming!!!!!!!!! BUT THIS IS GETTING TOO LONG

Definitely would do archery/darts. He's got impeccable aim if you take evidence from his outside work chats with Banri and has no problem pulling the string on a bow. Archery is difficult and I am not lying. Pulling the string until it's taut takes a large amount of strength and it digs deep into your fingertips, leaving calluses after one or two pulls.

Figuring out the trajectory and weighing in the factors of weather (if you're outside) takes a lot of skill and practice, and Hisoka always manages to hit the centre of the target with no hesitancy with his release of the string. His hands are all rough from the string digging into his fingers all the time, showing you how long he's been practising the sport.

I don't think Homare was very athletic growing up. I'm saying this only because his body type is quite lean and he's a poet after all who seems to stay inside more often than not if he isn't meeting with an editor/publisher. I think figure skating would suit him very well as it is an elegant and cold weathered sport. I also think he would fall in love with the suits if Yuki made them as they'd sparkle brilliantly and show off his flare as a skater.

He figure skates as a casual hobby rather than competitive, but he definitely makes a lot of famous friends in the community due to his whimsical personality and beautiful posture.

Kyudo (Japanese archery) was a sport that popped into my mind for Azuma, despite the strain it puts on the skin of his fingertips. His skin is very delicate with how much he takes care of it, so he wears a glove on his dominant hand to protect him. Kyudo seems to be more of a peaceful archery, and with the sight of Azuma in the kyudo uniform, the scene in front of you would be quite serene and calming.

I also think he would be great at figure skating since his body is lithe and he has lovely facial features that would complement the body suits that Yuki would create for him. His long hair flowing in the breeze he creates as he glides throughout the rink would be gorgeous along with the way his body looks as he does an axle in the air. His performances on the rink are always mesmerising, and he'll receive a few claps from fellow rink goers when he's in the centre just casually practising.

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patandpran · 3 years

Text

Coffee and Coding Part 2

A Sequel to my original Pang x Wave Coffee Shop Au which was written for #thegiftedweek Day 3.

The napkin with Pang’s number on it was sitting on Wave’s pinboard at his desk taunting him. Wave had walked by the coffee shop a couple of times and had not seen Pang behind the counter. It made Wave wonder if the whole thing had been something he just imagined. Pang kind of seemed like he was out of a dream so it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility.

“Have you talked to that guy yet?” Punn, Wave’s roommate, wondered with a inquisitive smile on his lips.

Wave rolled his eyes and focused his attention on the computer screen where he was in the middle of another coding assignment. It had only been a few days since Pang gave him his number but Wave had not worked up the bravery to actually text Pang.

“I’ve been, uh, busy.” Wave responded lamely.

Punn wasn’t the type to go ignored. He crossed the room quicker than Wave could have anticipated and snatched the number from the board. Wave’s phone was charging on his bedside table so Punn quickly grabbed that too.

Wave jumped into action but Punn was more agile than he remembered. Punn ran into the bathroom and slammed it shut before locking it. Wave pounded on the door and yelled out, “Punn, I swear to God. I’m going to kill you when you get out here.”

“Wave. This is for your own good.” Punn responded, his voice slightly muffled through the door. “I am tired of coming home and seeing your sitting in front of that computer screen all the time. You need actual human interaction and it is not often that you actually get along with another human being. This may never happen again and I am helping you take advantage of it.”

Wave groaned before Punn slowly opened the door with a satisfied grin on his face. “You are meeting up with your cute Barista man at the coffee shop and taking him out for a drink. His shift ends in two hours. You’re welcome.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Wave blurted out. “You didn’t actually just ask out Pang FOR me?”

“Just call me Casanova.” Punn answered and waggled his eyebrows at Wave before passing his friend.

Wave was too dumbfounded by what had just happened to launch a retaliation attack on Punn. Instead he rushed toward his closet, wondering what the hell he was going to wear on his first date with Pang. He wasn’t even sure it it was a date. Was it a date?

“Wear your dark jeans with a T-shirt and your green jacket.” Punn instructed as if it was the obvious choice in the world. “You don’t want to look too dressed up but you still want to look put together.”

“Since when did you become a dating expert?” Wave grumbled but followed Punn’s instructions anyway.

“Well, I am dating the most gorgeous girl on campus so…” Punn shrugged casually, looking up for his text book. “So I’d call myself an expert.” Once he had changed, Wave took a look at what Pang had responded and his heart started racing:

That sounds perfect. I’ve been waiting to hear from you. C U Soon! ;)

++++++++

Wave was ten minutes early to meet up with Pang so he lingered outside of the coffee shop. When he saw Pang, his heart leapt into his throat and his palms started to sweat. He nervously adjusted his glasses, trying not to make it too obvious that he was openly staring at Pang who was just as handsome as the first time Wave had seen him.

Wave couldn’t help but be perplexed, once again, by the notion that someone like Pang had even a shred of interest in him. It made him wonder if Pang was just being kind and humouring the whole interaction.

Just as Wave was about to abandon his post, Pang looked up and locked eyes with him. The same smile that he had had on his face the first time they met appeared again and Wave melted slightly because of it. Pang motioned for Wave to come inside the shop and Wave followed the Barista’s order.

Pang was with a customer but he nodded at a table near the door. Wave sat down at the table and took out his phone to pass the time, figuring he might as well do some work while Pang finished off his shift.

Wave felt a gentle hand land on his shoulder and he startled slightly at the touch. He looked up and saw Pang’s warm eyes staring at him with a paper cup in his hand. “I just have a few more cleaning duties to wrap up before I’m done. Today has been crazy but I made you this to enjoy in the meantime.”

“T-thanks.” Wave accepted the drink and, once again, Pang was watching him expectantly, much like the first time they had met.

“It’s a decaf Peppermint latte.” Pang explained. “Hope you like it. I’ll be back in a few.”

Wave watched as Pang made his way back behind the counter to finish off his shift. He re-collected his breath and took a first sip of the drink. It was incredibly sweet but he actually didn’t mind it too much. He would drink anything that Pang made for him.

It took Wave a moment to realize that something was written on the side of the cup in messy handwriting that obviously belonged to Pang:

Thanks for taking a chance on me. - P

Wave couldn’t believe that Pang was the one writing that to him when he felt like he was the one who was lucky to have someone like Pang even acknowledging his existence. By the time Wave was finished his drink, Pang had changed out of his Barista wear and appeared in front of him.

“Ready?” Pang asked, a somewhat shy look on his face. “Thanks again for waiting, by the way.”

“No worries.” Wave murmured as he got to his feet. “Thanks for the drink.”

Pang gestured for Wave to lead the way out the door and followed behind Wave as they made their way out of the coffee shop. As they emerged out onto the street, Wave realized he had not exactly planned where to take Pang. He wasn’t exactly the ‘go out for drinks’ type.

“I know this really cool rooftop bar.” Pang shared as if he had read Wave’s mind. “Unless you had somewhere else that you wanted to go.”

“Uh, no. That sounds great.” Wave answered, full of relief.

As Pang led them to the bar, he chattered away about how crazy his shift had been. Wave was more than happy to just listen to Pang as they walked along. When they arrived, Pang opened the door for Wave to go through and Wave couldn’t help but find the gesture charming. They rode an elevator up to the bar.

“Wow, this is awesome.” Wave murmured as they stepped out onto the rooftop.

“I had a feeling you’d like it.” Pang responded as they made their way to a table.

A server brought over two menus and asked, “Are you two celebrating anything tonight?”

“Kind of.” Pang answered with a grin. “It’s our first date, so…”

Wave had to keep his jaw from dropping open in reaction to how open Pang was being but he was also relieved to know that Pang wanted it to be a date as much as he did. Wave felt a blush creep onto his face when the server smile back at Pang.

“So fun!” The server answered, looking from Pang to Wave. “Do you guys know what you want to drink or do you need a minute?”

“Um….” Wave looked down at the menu and was suddenly overwhelmed by the amount of choices.

“I think we’ll need a minute.” Pang shared and the server nodded before walking away to give them some time to make their choices.

“Sorry. I hope it’s okay that I called this a date.” Pang expressed, looking a bit wary. “You looked a bit scared when I said that. I hope I didn’t read this all wrong.”

“No!” Wave blurted out before collecting himself. “No. It’s fine. Thank you for making that clear. I wanted it to be date so I’m glad we’re on the same page.”

“Phew.” Pang breathed out, looking relieved. “I seriously thought I had messed up for a second. It’s kind of my thing to put my foot in my mouth.”

“Really?” Wave wondered. “I find that hard to believe. You’re like the kindest person I know.”

“We’ve only met twice.” Pang chuckled. “But thank you for compliment.”

“I dunno.” Wave shrugged slightly. “I just get a feeling from you. You radiate positivity and, to be honest, I feel like I’ve known you for years even if this is only the second time we’ve ever met. You make me feel so comfortable and that… doesn’t really happen for me very often.”

Pang opened his mouth to say something but before he could, the server approached the table again. “Ready to order?”

“We kind of got distracted again.” Pang explained a bit sheepishly. “But uh… can I just get whatever beer you think is the best on the menu and… Wave, what do you want?”

“I’ll get the same, please.” Wave muttered.

“Got it.” The server left them again and Wave said, “It looked like you were about to say something…”

“Nah, never mind.” Pang shook his head, his gaze falling to the table. “It’s kind of sappy and embarrassing.”

“I like sappy and embarrassing.” Wave prompted gently.

“Okay, okay.” Pang met Wave’s gaze again. “I’m just really glad that you finally texted me… I was worried that I had scared you away with how strong I came on but… anyway, I’m just glad that we’re here now.”

“Me too.” Wave agreed as the server set down their drinks.

Pang picked his up and raised it. “Cheers to…. first dates?”

“Cheers!” Wave raised his glass and clinked it to Pang’s before taking a first sip.

Wave set down the beer and wrinkled his nose, “Your coffee is much better than whatever the hell that is.”

Pang laughed, “I think you might be a bit biased.”

“I might be.” Wave agreed and felt a smile pull at his lips.

He decided to the surrender to the positivity that was filling him. It wasn’t often that he felt so ease, especially being in public, surrounded by strangers and loud music. But there was something about Pang that made him want to try new things - to get out of his comfort zone. Pang made him feel brave.

“You look like you’re thinking about something deep.” Pang prompted, an inquisitive look on his face. “That’s what drew me to you in the first place, y’know. You were so lost in your thoughts, even when you just walked into the coffee shop for the first time. I wanted so badly to know what was going on in the that head of yours. I wanted you to let me in.”

“I don’t let many people in.” Wave admitted and nervously took another drink of his beer. “You’re kind of an exception to many of my rules.”

“I’m your exception, eh?” Pang puffed up slightly, as if he was suddenly very proud of himself.

Wave rolled his eyes but it was all in fondness. “Something like that.”

“Well, I’m happy you decided to take a risk on me.” Pang murmured and reached across the table to entangle his fingers with Wave’s.

Wave was shocked to find himself relaxing into the contact, rather than flinching away. Whenever people tried to touch him, there was a protective instinct inside of him that usually made him pull away from them but Wave didn’t have that feeling with Pang reached toward him.

“You okay, Wave?” Pang asked gently, cocking his head to the side like a confused puppy. “If I’m moving too fast or coming on too strong… just let me know. I’m happy to take things at any pace that makes you comfortable.”

“No, I’m okay. This is okay.” Wave breathed out slowly. “I’m just not used to people treating me like this, especially someone like you.”

“There you go with that ‘someone like you’ nonsense again.” Pang shook his lightly in disbelief. “I don’t know why you think I’m any different than you…”

“You’re… handsome. Confident. Approachable.” The words burst from Wave’s mouth in a flurry. His insecurities flooded out before he could stop them and he immediately cringed at them, pulling his hand away from Pang’s. “I’m… none of those things. I don’t get why you…”

“Why I like you?” Pang shared and he had a determined look in his eyes.

Wave nodded and felt shame fill him to the brim. Pang was going to think he was so pathetic - like was fishing for compliments or looking for some sort of validation. The last thing Wave wanted was for Pang to pity him.

“I like you because you fascinate me.” Pang explained. “I like you because of the wrinkle that shows up when you look at your computer screen in focus. I like you because of the way you play with your glasses when you’re nervous. I like that way that you share with me in a way that I don’t think you share with others - that you chose to trust me. I like all the things that I will get to discover that I like about you as I get to know you better.”

Of course, Wave felt the need to adjust his glasses in a moment like this, his gaze falling to the table. Pang reached across the table and gently lifted Wave’s chin so that their eyes met again.

“I like that neither of us like coffee but that’s how we met anyway.” Pang grinned and dropped his hand away from Wave’s face.

“I, uh, like you too.” Wave murmured and felt his heart racing.

While Wave was not yet an expert in coding and Pang was certainly not the best at making coffee, the two things had brought them together in the first place and Wave would be forever thankful for that.

For Pang might just be the right person to help him trust again - to help him figure out how to navigate this crazy world.

Pang was the Gift that Wave realized maybe, just maybe, he actually deserved.

#thegiftedweek #pangwave #pang x wave #the gifted #the gifted graduation #tgg #my writing

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gifted-burnout-archive · 4 years

Text

Jim’s Best Friend

Part Twenty One - Talking Technology, 1/2

Word Count: 2.6K

Author’s Note: I am back baby! Ya bitch has been binge watching and doing her very best to prepare for more Jim Halpert. Obviously, I should remind everyone that changes are going to be much more prominent now, the main one being Pam’s lack of presence. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!!

WARNING: descriptions of making out none.

For previous chapters click here.

March, 2008.

"Oh, right, of course I can." Y/N said with a smile, looking to the camera. "So, a lot has happened in the last few months." She let out a laugh, looking out into the office. "Uh, Pam left for Albany in November, now part of the design team for Dunder Mifflin, which is awesome. I head up at the weekends every now and then to see her, Jim too. We're all missing her like crazy." She smiled softly, looking up as another question was asked. "Oh, yeah! Well, I am working here again, obviously. Met with Michael in September, and I trained with Pam for a little while, and I'm currently filling in as receptionist. Company isn't in dire need of salespeople, but I'm back and grateful and happy to be home." It was clear on her face, in her eyes. She was happy to be sat there. "Jim? Well, uh, he withdrew from the corporate job, broke up with Karen, you know, it's been nice to work in the same office again, friends again..." She glanced out the window, a frown forming on her face as a young man with a lacklustre amount of facial hair and a over priced haircut walked in. "Ryan got the job, with my idea..." she said with annoyance in her voice, and looked back at the camera. "But at least I don't see him everyday."

—

"What's with the long face?" Jim asked you with a shit-eating grin, taking his freshly brewed cup of coffee from your hands and moving some paperwork for you to take a seat on his desk, your own mug in hand. He had reclaimed his desk after you left, which was great for you both, now being able to see each other without any obstacles. He knew exactly why you weren't happy, Michael and Dwight bickering with Ryan in the other room. The kid had gotten a pay rise and a New York corporate job on the back of your idea, and even though you had quit before his interview for the job, he had taken full credit despite it being a team effort.

"I think I might head up to Albany, see Pam this weekend." You quickly changed the subject, and Jim nodded, turning to his computer and starting an email. You squeezed his shoulder, heading over to reception, what had been your new desk for 5 months now, and you began on some copies for Creed when an email came through:

Y/N, I regret to inform you that you won't be able to do that trip to Albany this weekend. Jim

You glanced over, raising an eyebrow to him before sending a reply:

Jim, Thank you for bringing this to my attention. What is stopping me from this trip? Y/N

You got up after sending it through, sorting the copies and setting them on Creed's desk, heading back to your own as the phone rang.

"Dunder Mifflin, this is Y/N. How can I help you today? Uh huh... Putting you through." You quickly transferred a call to Andy with a nod, a new email in your inbox.

Y/N, I was thinking I finally introduce you to my parents over dinner, Friday night? Jim

Your heart skipped a beat, and you glanced over the desk to see an ever so familiar dorky smile on Jim's face, the brown-haired beanpole doing his best not to look over at you.

Jim, Albany can wait a week. Y/N

—

September, 2007.

You were well aware that if anyone walked in, you were screwed to oblivion, but Jim was kissing your neck as you sat on your old desk, and his hands held tight on your waist as he brought his lips back to yours, both of you too caught up in the moment to give a damn. It was only after Hugh called out from the hall that the pair of you broke apart, you trying to catch your breath before responding.

"Sorry, Hugh. Just a minute." You called out, and as footsteps slowly became quieter Jim let out a laugh that threw his head back and left him with tears in his eyes. You tried to stop the smile on your face widening, instead punching his shoulder in response.

"Oh, come on Y/N, you're acting like I ruined your night." Jim grinned, and you locked eyes with him. They were soft, and inviting, the kind anyone would get lost in. You tugged him down by his tie and kissed him again, quickly and sweetly this time. He kissed back, brushing a strand of hair from your face, taking a shaky breath as you pulled away.

"What about New York?" You asked, and Jim looked down at the desk, the infamous letter sat by your side.

"Who needs New York when I have Scranton..." Jim shrugged, a dopey smile on his face that you couldn't help but reciprocate. Suddenly, a rather large thought flashed through your mind and cause you to frown.

"What about Karen?" You asked after a second, Jim running a hand through his hair, not replying straight away. "Oh God I shouldn't have done this..."

"No! No, Y/N, don't say that... I, I broke up with Karen from the car... I phoned her while I drove back." Jim said with a sigh, keeping you close to him. "Did I mess it all up again?" He asked quietly, not quite able to meet your eye. He had finally been smart enough to realise his feelings, courageous enough to kiss you, overjoyed when you kissed back, he didn't want all of it to be for nothing.

"Jim Halpert, are you free for a late dinner tonight?" You asked, calming his nerves with your easy tone and sweet smile.

"I am..."

"Then it's a date." You bit your lip, letting out a giggle before grabbing his bag from the floor and leading him out of the office.

"Dunder Mifflin Infinity represents a floor to ceiling streamlining of our business model. The centrepiece of the campaign is a new business to business website interface that will allow us to compete directly with big box chains." Ryan stood in front of the office, all congregated in the conference room, doing his best to educate, no, pitch, the website to the staff of Dunder Mifflin Scranton. The company had relied so long on one-to-one phone calls, in person meetings, human connection, that it lacked in any sort of internet presence, any sort of placing in the competitive online market. Of course, sat in that room on a Wednesday afternoon, you knew all of this. With Jim sat to your right, the pair of you shared a glance, Jim leaning to whisper in your ear.

"Watch him use his big boy words." Jim said softly, causing you to smile a little too much, and you punched his leg playfully as Ryan continued.

"This is a massive overhaul. We're getting younger, sleeker, and more agile with the way that we adapt to the marketplace." Ryan reached behind him to showcase a phone box, causing a few murmurs. "All essential personnel will be issued blackberries for company use."

"Oh! Gimme, gimme, gimme." Michael said from his seat in the front, and Ryan promptly ignored him. He had gone on a rant earlier that day about not being a little kid any more, though you had hardly listened: his sad attempt at facial hair had distracted you.

"I'll stick around for a while to help you set them up afterwards. Any questions?" Ryan finished, setting the phone box on the ground, Michael bending over to grab it. "Dwight?" Ryan gestured to the man with his hand raised before returning to a power stance.

"What if we don't want to use a blackberry because they are stupid and pointless?" It was a legitimate question, and Jim just raised is eyebrows to you, trying to get a reaction from you.

"This is company wide, Dwight." Ryan said with a frown, Andy raising his hand in the back. "Andy."

"You should call it Dunder Miffl-Infinity. You know, push the words together?" He offered, no doubt thinking the same thing as most of the perople in the office. This was a joke.

"Any other questions?" Ryan asked, and before Kelly could ask a far too personal question about her and Ryan's relationship, you decided to raise your own hand. "Yes, Y/N."

"What language features will the site be showcasing? I realise our foreign base is small, but a large population of the working US, our domestic clients, speak English as a second language rather than a first. Since this was your idea, what have you done about translation features to Spanish, German, French?" The genuine and rather sophisticated question caught Ryan more than offguard, and you could see Jim's smirk from the corner of your eye. If Ryan had used your idea to get to corporate, the leas the could do is make a site that works for all clientelle.

"We... We didn't..." Ryan stuttered, and you bit back a smirk.

"When's the launch?" You asked again, hearing Andy start to laugh behind you.

"Next Friday."

"You really ought to get translations done by then. Should I call up Rochester for you?" You asked, making sure your tone never strayed from sugar sweet. It was a standoff, everyone else was stuck in the middle of it, until either you or Ryan backed down.

"... Thanks everyone, you can get back to work." Ryan instructed, leaving for the breakroom to get a coffee. The minute he had disappeared, the team began filing out of the room, and Jim placed a hand on your head, ruffling your hair and causing you to laugh.

"Genius, Y/N. Absolute genius." He complimented, and you headed back over to reception to find a email from Ryan in your inbox, requesting calls be made to Rochester for French and German translators, and a request that you would work on the Spanish version. You looked over to Jim, forwarding him the email quickly, and once he had read it, Jim winked at you, mouthing a 'Nice job' your way before turning his attention back to his call list for the day.

It was around a half hour later that Ryan approached your desk, typing away at his mobile and holding a hand up to stop you from speaking until he was done. He was on a high, and had been all day, even if your question had caught him off his game. He had returned to Scranton a God, with tales from the Big Apple to appease the ready and eager ears of Andy and Kevin, he had even caught jim listening in at one point. He had the respect of, at very least, a third of the office so far, and it was growing. He was a force to reckoned with now, he was Michael's boss.

"Hey, Y/N, I was wondering if you'd look over some sketches Pam did for the logo. I really can't decide, you have a more artistic eye." Ryan handed over a few sheets of paper, and you nodded, smiling as you flicked through Pam's works. She was ridiculously good at art, and even when she was in Albany, here her work was, home in Scranton.

"This second last one, it's really great. Incorporating the infinity around the world, the bold text... It's eye catching." You decided after a look through, and Ryan seemed happy with your decision.

"Pam and I liked that one too, I wanted to see what your outside opinion was. Glad we agree." He smiled and you returned it, eyes breaking to look back at your screen, where you were translating text from the site's transcripts. When Ryan cleared his throat a few moments later, still stood by your desk, you turned back to look at him.

"Sorry, was there something else?" You asked, hands moving from your keyboard to sit on your skirt.

"Uh yeah, I wanted to thank you for bringing up the languages thing, I don't think anyone in corporate had even thought of it." Ryan said, and you nodded.

"Not a problem, and I'm happy to translate all this for you by Monday." You promised, hoping he would take it as a sign to leave.

"You know, you seem to have an eye for the details about this whole thing." Ryan continued anyway, and while you wanted to point out that it was probably because you had suggested a better website in the first place, you refrained. "I would love to talk about it more."

"That'd be great." You said with as sweet a smile you could manage, picking up a pencil and beginning to fiddle with it, spinning it through your fingers. It wasn't much of an offer on Ryan’s part, but it was progress.

"Do you want to go out to dinner tonight?" Ryan asked, and your eyes widened in shock. Did he really just ask you that? Really?

"Oh... I, is it..."

"Wear something nice..."

"No." You quickly interjected his train of thought, the words seeming to catch the attention of Michael, and subsequently Dwight, the pair carrying their final gift baskets to Michael's car for some bizarre anti-technology business venture, as well as the rest of the office.

"What?" Ryan seemed shocked you would refuse in front of so many people. "I just wanted to have dinner..." he got defensive pretty quickly, and you used the pencil in your hand to point over at Jim.

"I've been dating Jim for about six months now..." You said as quietly as you could, Jim ruining your bid to be discreet by waving over at Ryan.

"You're kidding..." Ryan muttered.

"Uh, actually, it'll be six months together on Friday." Jim corrected you, speaking loud enough for the annex to hear him.

"No way..." Michael was the first to speak up, not to anyone's surprise, setting down the gift basket to focus his attention.

"What?" Dwight called from behind a plume of cellophane and ribbon.

"You guys are together?" Phyllis asked, and you glanced over at Jim, who leaned further back in his chair, hands in his pockets.

"Um... Yep." Jim confirmed it with a small nod, and you couldn't stop the smile on your own face. "Yes, we are."

"Whoa! Wow!" Michael shocked voice was mixed with gravelly undertones, rushing from the doorway back into the room, setting a hand on Jim's shoulder.

"Tuna!" Andy yelled in congratulations, more voices of the office chiming in. You smiled over at Kevin, who was demanding that he knew it all along, and Angela gave you a look that was a mix of disgust and happiness.

"Kevin's been hot on our tail for weeks, thought we might have blown it." You admitted, the teddy bear of a man smiling as you praised his deduction skills.

"Okay, mind is exploding." Michael continued, moving from Jim to you to take your hands and squeeze them in his. "Ladies and gentleman, this is a day of infamy... Because today, Jim and Y/N..." Michael led you round your desk and over to your boyfriend, who sat with a stupid grin on his face. Michael took Jim's hand, making a point of connecting your hand with Jim's. "Jim and Y/N become part of a whole today."

"Michael, we've been together almost half a year." Jim was interrupted by Michael hugging him, and you let out a laugh, Michael then turning to you for a bear hug.

"If he hurts you, I'll fire him." Michael promised, and you giggled, shaking your head in response. Over Michael's shoulder, you sent a wink Jim's way, and he sent one back, the pair of you officially sealing the deal.

"Andy and Kevin, in the breakroom today, they were talking about how Ryan could get any girl he could possibly want..." Jim smiled out into the main office, Y/N helping Phyllis with her jacket as the building began to clear for the night. "Well, I guess he can't get any girl he wants."

Tags: @imsuperawkward @poppirocks @rosie2801 @onceuponahuntersrealm @aziggya @suitelifeofafangirl

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assassins-and-hidden-blades · 4 years

Text

Don’t Let Go

So this is a sequel (not requested) to Hold On that I really loved writing… I hope you all enjoy it, because I’m really nervous on posting it. I decided on the sequel after very careful thought, not wanting to ruin ‘Hold On’; but after scrutinising every detail, I hope people can have fun reading this. Also, over 2.5K words -- that’s a first lmao.

Also, this was beta read by none other than @marshmallow--3! So, thank you, Sam! Go check them out -- they’re awesome!

Obviously, this is going to diverge from canon A LOT here -- so bear that in mind.

I could write this plot forever omfg I was finding it hard to stop -- I’m really sad to be putting this away now, but I could always write drabbles relating to it *wink wink*

As always, feedback is greatly appreciated! I’d love to know what you all think; every comment/reblog is precious to me haha.

Tagging: @yourlocalfrenchie (if anyone wants to be tagged, let me know!)

The link to Hold On is HERE

Warnings: Violence, Angst with a fluffy ending. No swearing, (miraculously)

Days went by. Your body lay in the train; Jacob couldn’t figure out what to do with it.

He couldn’t eat, sleep or even hold a conversation. Evie couldn’t communicate with him, as he would never reply. His mind was always occupied, for if it wasn’t, it would always end up in the most terrifying places.

The deprivation of necessities had taken its toll on his body. He was becoming fatigued after only a few hours, and he would frequently pass out from lack of sleep on top of his work, only to be woken up by re-enactments of the one moment he wished he could forget. He would be left gasping, sweating; clutching his chest as his anxiety and fear left an agony that squeezed his heart. In fact, the only time he managed to get any sleep was when it was dreamless.

In order to keep his mind busy, he studied.

Clad in only a shirt and breeches, he spent all his time pouring over the books in the train, for it was only a matter of time before you couldn’t be saved, and he had to let you go. There was a reason you mentioned the shroud, after all. Henry had talked about it once, when him and Evie went to visit the Kenway Estate. So he focused all his time on it, delving deep into lore.

One particular book was being heavily scrutinised by his hazel eyes. It was not a particularly interesting book, and in a half second of laziness, his Eagle Vision crackled through. The colours on the page, however, was not what he expected.

The words on the page turned from different types of fabrics to something much more relevant. It wrote about one certain thread; a material so powerful, it could hold the Elixir of Life.

It could resurrect people -- it was the fabric of the Shroud.

And Starrick had it.

Dressing, Jacob shrugged his overcoat over his shoulders and sifted his hand through his hair to allow his hat to sit on it. In the past, you would have done that.

Hopefully you would do so again.

He looked out over the sunset of the city as the train moved, adjusting his hat. His coat whipped at his knees; it was time to find that shroud.

----------

The night was freezing. The temporary Stronghold was heavily guarded, and was also very sophisticated; it could easily be mistaken for a house belonging to a wealthy family. He sat on a roof overlooking the property. The easiest entrance seemed to be through the balcony, but it seemed extremely easy.

He took the risk; he was already on a time limit.

However, as he leapt towards the balcony, he didn’t take into account his weakened state from lack of sleep and food. Instead of landing inside the balcony, his fingers had just about brushed against the railings. He had a lot of trouble pulling himself up and over, his muscles already beginning to ache. In the cold, his fingers fumbled around his lockpicks. It didn’t take long for him to open the window, but the lack of urgency of his body was beginning to frustrate his mind.

Jacob stalked the halls, peering into every room, and working downwards. There were a few close calls where he was almost caught, but he blended into the shadows quick enough to hide.

He reached the ground floor, and made a beeline to the one door that stood out over all of the others. It had locks spanning from the top to the bottom of the door. Inwardly, he huffed.

He almost made it without being detected.

That was, until a force pushed him face first into the wall. A hand grappled to reach his throat. Jacob elbowed the enemy on instinct, and managed to turn enough to kick a brute away. He grinned maliciously. “Don’t look too good, Frye.”

Already in a foul mood, Jacob snarled. “Wait until you see the other bloke.” He unsheathed his hidden blade and struck like a viper towards his neck.

His wrist got caught.

The brute bent his hand and manipulated his arm to persuade Jacob to collapse on one knee. He tried to mask his pain, sharp breaths exhaled instead of pained grunts, which sat in the back of his throat. His nostrils flared as he tried to jab the brute’s leg, and what was between them. However, instead of letting go, the brute pulled against his arm harder, releasing a pained noise. Jacob’s other hand came to ease the pressure his perpetrator was putting on his bone. He could hear and feel it began to crack. “One too many beers, Frye,” the brute tutted. “Disappointing, really.” In one smooth motion his arm snapped.

He yelled, the brute throwing him to his side. Before he could get up, a shoe was pressed firmly against his limb, evoking another pained noise. Jacob’s other hand tried to pry it off. “D’you recognise me, Frye?” He pushed an inch harder to keep the gang leader’s attention. Squinting, Jacob did agree that there was some familiarity to his face.

“I can’t remember angering such a handsome fellow; we can always reschedule those beers,” he panted, trying to ignore the throbbing through a pained smile.

The man smiled angrily, pressing down harder as he placed his other foot against his throat. “You murdered my twin brother.” Jacob squinted again, and realised who he reminded him of.

He growled. “Your twin brother murdered my lover.”

Against the wall hung a spear on display, it was unknown whether it was old or fake. “And now…” He pushed the point against the centre of his chest, where Jacob’s hand struck out to grab the shaft above the blade, attempting to prevent the piercing of his skin. “I can finish the job. First you; slowly, painfully, and then--”

All the pressure against Jacob disappeared. As air flooded through his lungs, his good hand dropped the spear and took out a small, agile throwing knife. He looked and threw it within one adrenaline-filled second.

The brute went limp, bleeding out of his exploded eye socket.

He drew in a few breaths, to take in oxygen and to calm the anxiety. A figure came into view, offering a hand out. The shadow looked familiar, and for a moment, he wondered…

“Good throw.” Evie smiled softly with a gleam of concern.

“I was aiming between the eyes.” He took the help, groaning softly at the pain in the arm he held against his chest. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to help my little brother -- and I want to get my best friend back.”

Jacob smiled, grateful for the backup.

“Why don’t you leave the combat to me?”

For once, that was something he could agree with.

Evie picked the locks efficiently; it took no longer than a minute or two to get through all of them.

The dark, damp room was completely bare, void of windows and furniture, except for a single chest. It was big, it was grand, and it was definitely First Civilisation. It had various cracks, through which a mysterious light glowed. Evie knelt by the chest, and by methods unknown to Jacob, managed to open it. Inside was the most intimately woven shawl he had ever seen, showered in silver and gold. Picking it up, she partly unfolded it, moving to wrap it around Jacob’s arm. He recoiled. “What--”

“Jacob, trust me.” He relented, not being in much of a state to complain.

“Let’s get out of here.”

As they escaped out of the back door of the mansion, Jacob began to feel his neck begin to tingle. There was no doubt that there were bruises there, but he’s never felt them actually prick before. By the time they were clear of the territory, the throbbing began to worsen in his arm. “Evie, I don’t think it’s--” his vision blacked out suddenly, and his knees buckled beneath him. Evie managed to catch half of him, his weight still taking him to the floor. She leaned him against the wall. “Jacob? Are you alright?”

He furrowed his brows. “Aye; I just couldn’t see for a moment.” He was about to get up before he felt a peculiar feeling in his arm, before he felt his bone snap again. He winced with a yell, before the pain all but disappeared. He exchanged glances with a very worried Evie before he tentatively pulled the shroud off of his arm. There was no pain, and he could move it just fine.

“It works.” Jacob got up, hiding the shroud under his coat. “Back to the train.” He tripped over his words excitedly -- the hope in his eyes had returned.

“Race you there?” Evie smirked.

In a sudden heart palpitation, he agreed.

----------

Jacob never waited for the train to stop, and instead leapt into the open door before Evie would even consider it safe. He unbuckled his gauntlet and threw his coat off without caring whether they would hit his sofa or his floor, heading to your carriage with the folded shroud in hand. Henry was inside, watching over you. With no time for words he unfolded the fabric and pulled it over your shoulders so it would cover your torso.

Henry was left starstruck. “How--”

Evie entered the carriage. “So?”

Jacob watched, eyes scrutinising every inch of the shroud. He lightly shook his head, expression not changing.

He became restless very quickly, from rolling up his sleeves to keep his fingers occupied to pacing the length of the carriage, never once taking his eyes off of you. As soon as he let go of the shroud, he could feel all of his energy dissipating with it -- he was extremely tired and hungry again, but his anxiety wouldn’t let him look after his own body -- he could only think about you.

As seconds turned to minutes, he became more sleep deprived, and therefore a lot more frustrated. He could feel it bubbling in his chest, and he resorted to the one thing he knew would calm it.

“I’m getting a drink.”

As he walked into the bar carriage, all conversations and laughter disappeared. He knew it wasn’t because of how he was dressed, but rather the look on his face. “Keep talking,” he ordered, praying for his Rooks to just ignore him for once as he sat at the bar. Gesturing for a whisky, he hunched over his glass, savouring the burn as he knocked the liquid down his throat. He was worried that it wasn’t going to work; that it would all be for nought. As quick as his hope had returned, it was quickly seeping away. He felt the tears prick his eyes, and properly downed his glass to keep them at bay, ordering another one to nurse slowly… just in case sobriety was needed.

----------

He took care in making his second drink last as long as possible. Once he had pushed the glass back to the bartender, he didn’t ask for another one, and instead put his head in his hands, threading his fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. When the door opened, he didn’t look up at first, thinking it was another rook. So he just ignored it, clasping a hand over the other to work as a chin rest. What confused him was the look the bartender gave the ‘rook’ who came in. He turned over his shoulder once he realised that the crowd had once again gone quiet. They were all staring too. Furrowing his brows, he turned to look at the door.

His heart skipped a beat and he froze. It was silent as he drank in the scene before him. He swallowed thickly, pushed himself off of his stool and walked with loud purpose. One hand wrapped tightly around your waist, and the other cradled your head. He rested his cheek on the top of your head and just stood there. You brought your arms around his back, and felt his shoulders begin to shake.

“I’m so sorry,” he sobbed under his breath.

“Jacob, Jacob.” You pulled him off of you and grasped his face in your hands. One of his own came over your hand while the other caressed your cheek. “Breathe.” You saw him inhale a shuddering breath, composing himself. “I’m here now; it’s okay.” Smiling, he pulled you to his lips, dipping down to close the height gap. You laughed against his lips once you heard the whooping of the Rooks around you. Although you both broke apart, your noses stayed touching. Jacob sniffed noisily, but you didn’t move. “Yuck,” you joked.

For the first time in forever, Jacob laughed. It felt foreign, but he welcomed it. He pecked your lips again, a smile fixed on his face. You trailed your fingers across his left forearm. “How’s your arm?”

Jacob squinted. “How do you--” Looking up, he saw Evie and Henry in the doorway. They both looked like they’d been crying. Jacob shared a twin look at his sister. Thank you, it said.

Evie smiled, another tear running down her face as she gave him one back. No -- thank you, it replied.

Jacob brought you into another hug, holding you less tightly this time around, but just as securely.

“I love you, Y/N. So much.”

“I love you more, Jacob.”

“That’s not possible.”

“Anything’s possible.”

----------

BONUS:

Evening

Jacob had finally succumbed to sleep. You watched him try and stay awake, but you negotiated until he finally lost interest and dozed off, his bottom half fully dressed, but top half shirtless; sleeping in a bloodied shirt was not going to be nice at all. Stuff like that always got him yawning. Evie came into the room quietly, fully aware of the lack of sleep Jacob had had recently. She greeted you with a sisterly hug. “Are you not going to join him?” she asked, watching over her brother’s sleeping form. “I’ve been sleeping for days, Evie. I’m anything but tired.”

She chuckled, patting your shoulder. “Henry and I are in my carriage if you need us.”

You pulled a suggestive face. “Ah, I see how it is.”

Blushing, she tried to hide a smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Her tone showed that she knew exactly what you were talking about. You raised both of your eyebrows. “Don’t tell Jacob,” she whispered with a bashful smile, leaving you and Jacob alone.

Looking at Jacob, you mulled over your thoughts. Coming to a quick conclusion, you did decide to join him. You stripped yourself of your heavy clothing and joined him in his bed in a blouse and breeches. As you settled next to him, you felt his arm enclose protectively around you.

“So, Evie and Greenie, huh?”

Your eyes widened. “Uh…”

His chest rumbled in a sleepy chuckle as he responded in an equally sleepy voice. “Don’t worry, she’ll never know that I know.”

It didn’t take long for his breathing to deepen again, and slowly you began to drift off as well, relieved that you’ll be able to wake up again.

#assassins creed #assassin's creed x reader #x reader #Jacob Frye #jacob frye x reader #assassin's creed imagine #assassin's creed oneshot #jacob frye onshot #jacob frye imagine #jacob frye x gn!reader #assassin’s creed x gn!reader

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elvenferretots · 4 years

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Hey! I'm the anon who asked about the dog training resources. I've bookmarked all the books and looked up Hannah and what not! I dont have a dog just yet- planning on rescuing when we finally move unto our house- but I love being prepared. I've just recently started following you, so I'm not sure if you'd be able to help fully- but do you have any tips and resources on training dog sports? Or any Tumblr users you can redirect me to that may be able to help?

That’s so awesome, Anon! It’s so exciting, getting prepared to adopt a dog. I waited to answer this because I wanted to use an actual computer to add links. Depending on the dog sport, I can probably point you to a resource or someone who knows where to start!

Any AKC sport can be found on their website. That’s a great place to start if you are in the US. Other countries all have their own kennel clubs, and their websites should have the basics on registration and titling (mixed breeds can also participate in most sports as long as they are altered!). FDSA is a great place to start for foundations in a lot of these.

Traditional Obedience: This is my favourite sport! It’s all about precision and teamwork, but does not require intensive speed. This is the stuff that Hannah Branigan’s book is about, and what most training clubs teach above “pet” classes. Your local kennel club or training club is a great resource for this sport, especially if you are able to attend a trial. You can see how the sport works and network with the local community. @theadventurek9 has titled her aussie in obedience (and also does disc, agility, dock diving, and Rally)! You can always shoot me specific questions about this sport and I can point you somewhere or put something together with TenSoon.

Rally-O: Rally Obedience is a lot of heelwork, and is judged less strictly than traditional obedience. You are allowed to cheer on and guide your dog in early levels. Signs guide you through the course, and you can get the first AKC title online this year. Details for online titling are on the website. This is a super fun sport to train, and also likely available at local training clubs. I really like this sport for clicker training and building teamwork. TenSoon and I are not experts, but here’s a video of us doing a practice course in my yard. The signs can be confusing, so I recommend taking a class online or in person if it’s your first sport, but FAQ and all the signs are here. Some of the signs are hard and some are self-explanatory, but training a heel (dog walks with you, shoulder to your left leg), front (dog comes and sits straight in front of you), stay, tucked sit, down, and kickback stand are an excellent start. You can find those in the Awesome Obedience book. I like classes, because there’s a lot of ways to teach, and an instructor can find a way that jives well with you and your dog. You can also always shoot me specific questions about this sport and I can put something together with TenSoon.

Tricks: You can get trick and stunt dog titles for your dog! The book 101 Dog Tricks is the go-to resource for training, and you can title through Do More With Your Dog and tranfer titles to AKC, or title directly with AKC. My first dog was a trick and stunt dog, and it’s a lot of fun. Clicker training can help with more complicated tricks. Most dogblrs teach tricks.

Disc: Disc is just frisbee for dogs! I post the most about disc, because it is just so fun. There are several associations for the sport, so local disc clubs will often play with many. The titles from UpDog transfer over to AKC. I really like Flying Dingo Dog Training videos on YouTube for foundations! This is a sport you really don’t need classes or anything for. You just need you, your dog, and some discs! Less mobile dogs can compete in UpDog with rollers, so as long as your dog likes to fetch, it can play.

Tracking: Your dog follows a scent to an end goal! This is TenSoon’s favourite sport.There are several kinds of tracking, and Ten and I do AKC-style. I took FDSA classes on this at Gold level, and honestly, it was spendy but worth the money to be able to submit video for critique. This sport requires a lot of setup, but most of your training will be alone. Once you have the procedure down, you just keep setting tracks and increasing difficulty. The whole sport is on-leash, and involves learning to trust your dog and think ahead. Then if you run into a problem, you can bring it to someone who has a few more miles in the sport. I’m always happy to talk tracking. @konmari-dogs and @rustpup both track with their springer spaniels. Bitesport people also train tracking, much more meticulously. @shotinthekidney may have some input, as well as @werewolvesinthewoods; although I know tracking isn’t always a bitesport favourite to teach.

Scent work: Unlike tracking, a dog does not follow a trail for scent work, but rather looks for a certain scent in a container. It’s similar to what drug detection dogs do. It’s an ideal sport for older or less mobile dogs, so I’m holding off on learning this one until I have to retire my dog from other sports. I don’t know any dogblrs who do scent work, but The National Association of Canine Scent Work has an instructor directory and FDSA almost always has classes.

Barnhunt: Like scent work, but the dog finds a contained rat in a barn around obstacles. I don’t know any dogblrs who participate, and have no desire to encourage my dog’s prey drive like that (or keep him from peeing on the hay, which is a disqualification). But I know a TON of dog people, especially terrier people, love this sport! Any dog can play, and title with AKC through the Barn Hunt Association. I know @doberbutts has had some positive experiences with barn hunt, even if it isn’t his sport, and may be able to point you to where to start.

Dock Diving: If your dog loves to swim and fetch, dock diving is the perfect sport! If you have access to a dock, you can train with just a dog and a toy, encouraging longer and longer jumps. Dog pools are also available at some training facilities, which may offer rented pool time or lessons. NADD titles are recognized by the AKC, but there are other organizations as well. @pseudopoodle and @twobigears dock dive. @spanishmal also used to do some dock diving, I believe? She does lure coursing, mostly, which is only open to sighthounds. But if racing sounds fun to you, FAST CAT is an option that her gorgeous dobermans did and is open to all dogs.

Agility: This is a super popular sport! It’s fun and fast and flashy, and training can be good exercise. It’s entirely off-leash and is not a great match for overly reactive dogs or dogs with mobility issues. If you have a herding breed or mix, this may be a great match, but all breeds can play. I don’t really have any interest in agility, but know a lot of dogblrs who do: @dndogs @thepastisthepast2 @pawsitivevibe @twobigears @canisitsnotlupus just to name a few...

Weight Pull, Mushing, and Carting: @pulldogs does weight pull with a popular breed for the sport (apbt’s). @malinwoman also does for-fun weight pull with her malinois. Just like it sounds, your dog pulls weight on a special pulling harness. A lot of bully breeds and high drive dogs enjoy weight pull, and it can good to burn a lot of energy in a leashed dog. Any size dog can compete, and you should see those little dogs go! Carting is a sport I am interested in that involves the dog pulling a cart like a pony, with either a rider or freight; @smoothexpression carts, and FDSA may offer a class in the near future. Bernese Mountain Dog and rottweiler clubs often hold carting events, but it can just be fun to do in your neighborhood or to help with chores. @darkwood-sleddog mushes and backpacks, and has a ton of valuable information on those sports, as well as the equipment and training involved!

Sorry if I missed any dogblrs or sports! There are a lot more dog sports out there, but these are some of the most accessible that have a following on Tumblr. Most others are either going to be breed-specific and likely unsuitable for a rescue dog (bitesports, conformation, herding, retrieving, barnhunt, earthdog, etc.) or obscure and hard to get involved in as of yet (treibball, wall climbing, mondio OB, etc.). Hopefully that covers the bases you were looking for. Good luck, and if you need something more specific, my ask box is always open!

#dog sports #dog training #anon replies

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greenglasslov3 · 5 years

Text

Rewrite The Stars

A/N: This is my contribution to One Quote/One Shot Book 2! Many thanks to @balfeheughlywed and @notevenjokingfic for organizing this event yet again - you two are rock stars. My quote is included in the story below in bold.

As for the story, it’s been in my head for quite some time to write a very specific high school au - a One Tree Hill/Outlander crossover. While the idea of writing another full-fledge story with a complex plot seemed very daunting, writing a series of one shots felt a little less so. This fic is the first one shot in this crossover series, which I’ve titled Always & Forever. Shout out to my awesome betas/cheerleaders @anoutlandishidea, @notameeksassenach, and @walkinginland for pushing me to get back in the saddle and write this story. If you want some background music while reading, soundtracks for this fic include Style by Taylor Swift and Rewrite The Stars from The Greatest Showman. I hope you all enjoy it!

Rewrite The Stars

Midnight

Pebbles skip across the panes of my bedroom window, cracking like a whip, loud and sharp. Once… then two more times… then once more. The steady staccato of their barrage beats against glass, matching his persistence, his stubbornness. He knows he could just text me - which would be far more discreet than pegging my house with tiny rocks - but he prefers the old-fashioned gesture, says it reminds him of simpler times and grand declarations made with boomboxes raised above one’s head. He doesn’t worry about waking anyone with his racket because he knows I’m alone. Uncle Lamb is gone once again on some fantastical adventure in search of ancient artifacts, and the rest of the street slumbers, blissfully unaware of any impending mischief.

He lobs another pebble, which ricochets off of a shutter and skitters across the roof line below my window. Beneath the waves of bed linen, I roll onto my hip and flip on my bedside lamp, a shining beacon calling out to my lover below…

He’s not actually yours.

I chide myself, hissing at the pain that not only blossoms in my chest from my own cruel reality check but also from my big toe, which finds the corner of a forgotten textbook. I’m a tangle of limbs, all sharp edges and knobby knees. I shimmy into a pair of jeans and slip on my Keds in a completely uncoordinated ballet. A blush creeps up my neck when I realize that he can see the shadows of my not-at-all graceful extremities behind my closed window curtains. With no time for make-up, I bite my lip in hopes it stains the flesh just red enough to give the illusion of lipstick.

My heart hammers against my ribs, and I inhale deeply in a feeble attempt to calm my rattled nerves. I’m shaken to my core before I even step outside. My eyelids slide close as I swallow against the hard lump of self-doubt at the back of my throat.

Buck up, Beauchamp.

With my chin held high, I dramatically toss back the drapes and flick open the locks. The heels of my hands press into the wooden ledge. Whispered curses pepper my tongue when a stray splinter catches the fleshy bit of my palm, but I carry on in spite of the pain. I duck through the narrow opening and push the window sash back into place, all while balancing precariously on my tiptoes. Half sitting, half crouching, I crab-walk down the angled porch roof. When I reach the end, I slide onto my belly and catch the column below with my legs before scampering down the taper with the agile reflexes of a cat. Swaying slightly as I steady myself against the porch railing, I find my footing in the grass below until a low chuckle catches me off guard.

“I didna ken ye were part wee cheetie, Sassenach.”

I swivel quickly on one heel, and the world continues to spin around me even though I’ve stopped moving.

Jamie.

He’s waiting for me, leaning against his black Ford Mustang with his arms folded across his chest and his cock-sure confidence tucked behind his stupid (yet horribly attractive) smirk. His windswept curls are nearly black at night, but the streetlights tinge the tips rose gold, framing his in an angelic halo like some deity (though he’s definitely more devil than god at times). Not one for high fashion, he’s dressed simply in his signature trainers, jeans, and a white T-shirt… the sleeves of which capped the bugle of his bicep just perfectly.

Damn him.

A breeze filters in and lifts the stray curls from my neck, but I still feel warm.

“Hi,” I say weakly. My chin is tucked downward as I watch my own toes scuff the earth, but I peek through my eyelashes, hoping to catch Jamie’s eye. My pulse thunders to life when I realize he hasn’t taken his eyes off of me. Not once.

His tongue darts out to wet his lips, and I think I might faint.

“I didn’t see Lamb’s car…” he asks as he pushes himself off of his car.

“You wouldn’t,” I interrupt, taking three steps forward before I stop myself from seeming to eager. “He’s not here. Arizona.”

He glances up at my bedroom window and then back at me, his brow furrowing while his question takes form. “But you...”

Pride floods my body, warming me to the tips of my fingers. A small giggle bubbles from my lips as I trot towards him, shaking my head in slight disbelief that I’d actually pulled one over on him. When we meet in the middle of the brick path in front of my house, we pause - a little awkward and mostly unsure of ourselves and the newness of whatever this is exactly. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch the fingers of his left hand twitch, fluttering against his thigh. I press my hands to his chest and silence his nerves with a small peck on his cheek before I whisper in his ear.

“Gotta keep you on your toes somehow, Fraser.”

~*~

We speed off into the night with only the moon and the stars to light our way. Hurtling down back roads in Jamie’s convertible reminds me of a rollercoaster as we peel around hairpin curves and crest mountainous hills before flying down the incline. The radio plays music softly in the background, low enough for us to easily converse over the dulcet melodies but neither one of us speaks. We ride along in silence, with Jamie’s hand resting on the seat mere inches from mine. When he taps his fingers along to the beat, his pinky occasionally brushes mine, and each time, my belly clenches before melting into molten silver.

“Where to?” He asks, breaking through the quietness but keeping his eyes trained on the road in front of him.

His words reach my ears and my brain stutters to start and then suddenly launches ahead like a speeding train. I hadn’t thought about where’d we go. Jamie always randomly picked a place for us to meet - the River Court, Moira’s Cafe after my shift, or one of our houses depending on who’s legal guardian was around (a phrase in which we found both humor and sympathy). Tonight, I blindly dressed and tossed myself out the window without a single question, let alone as where’d we go.

“Anywhere…” I sigh as I shrug my shoulders. The leather beneath me squeaks loudly, emitting a sound that could dissolve only us into a fit of immature laughter.

“Laoghaire is throwing a party,” Jamie suggests casually.

Laoghaire MacKenzie.

The very mention of her name turns my stomach sour. We whip around another turn, and I’m caught off guard. My knuckles turn white from gripping the door handle as I try to swallow back the bile that’s flooded my mouth. Memories flood my vision of the last party I attended with Laoghaire MacKenzie in attendance: special trinkets and secret letters revealed for all to see… Jamie and I further divided by the cruel hierarchy of the high school caste system… my tears masked by a steaming shower later that night while I sobbed from the embarrassment of it all.

I wouldn’t dare be caught in her presence unguarded again.

“Anywhere but there,” I request, my voice as sharp as the turn Jamie takes down a hidden, one lane road before I can even finish speaking.

~*~

“What is this place?” I ask as we roll to a stop, half afraid Jamie’s brought me up here to fulfill some psychopathic, horror movie fantasy, half in awe of the beautiful sight before me.

The thick forest gave way to a clearing, jagged branches breaking off to reveal a small, wooden structure and a sky of winking stars overhead. As I slam the heavy metal car door behind me, a breeze rustles the leaves, making me shiver in its cool wake. I know we are somewhere in the Blue Ridge Mountains from the way the once flat roads rose to startlingly steep hills, but I didn’t have the foresight to grab a jacket. Completely unphased, Jamie jogs ahead of me and takes the steps at the front porch two at a time.

“My grandfather’s,” he explains as he jimmies open the first lock. The screeching of ancient metal tumblers echoes throughout the clearing, disturbing the peaceful night and doing little to sway my mind from more macabre paranoia.

Rubbing warmth into my arms with my palms, I say through chattering teeth, “I didn’t realize you were so close with him that you’d have a key.”

Every shred of confidence I had before is gone, leaving me a shaking and stuttering nervous wreck.

“I doubt he’ll mind…” he grumbles as he negotiates the second lock to open and the heavy, timber door swings open on creaking hinges. “He’s dead.”

Well, that’s comforting.

“You know, this is how most scary movies start…” I rock back on my heels as I nervously ramble. “Guy takes girl up to his cabin far from civilization… lulls her into a false sense of security… and BAM! He turns out to be a serial killer or a werewolf or...something!”

In the moonlight, Jamie’s blue eyes twinkle with mirth as the corners of his mouth tug upwards into a slight smirk.

“No werewolves here, Sassenach,” he promises as he wraps an arm around my shoulders and ushers me inside. “But I might just have to take a bite out of you.”

He tucks his head into the crook of neck and nips at the sensitive flesh there. My half-delighted, half-terrified squeals peal through the night air, and suddenly, I’m not so cold anymore.

~*~

We’re not inside long. Jamie quickly gathers supplies and deposits them into a basket for easy carrying: a thick, plaid blanket, a bottle of whisky, and a flashlight.

While he’s preoccupied, I acquaint myself with my surroundings. I take note of the wide, hand-scraped floor boards and the large boulders stacked tall to form the fireplace. The entire space smells faintly of wood smoke from long forgotten fires and greasy lanolin from well loved sweaters. Above the raw timber mantel rests a hand-carved sign, the words Fraser’s Ridge etched into the marker.

As my hand lifts to trace the letters with my fingertips, Jamie materializes beside me and beckons me to join him outside. We walk out into the night with his fingers intertwined with mine.

Fifty yards behind the cabin, the earth suddenly drops into oblivion. I’m sure the views are spectacular in daylight, but tonight the night sky steals the breath from my lungs. The inky shadows of the geography below layer the scenery in varying shades of purple. Wine-stained hills roll down the ravine and eggplant colored silhouettes of tree tops dot the horizon. Above us, the heavens explode with starlight, thousands sparkling crystals spattered across a velvety indigo canvas.

Lost in the beauty of this place, I hardly notice Jamie, who has brought a roaring fire to life with little else but his bare hands and some kindling. The warmth of the flames draws me back from the cliff’s edge as I wander closer to the hearth. Halved-logs surround the fire pit in a circle, the make-shift benches just wide enough for two to share. I sink into the empty space besides Jamie, and he wraps us both in the thick, woolen tartan before offering me a tin cup. In comfortable silence, we casually sip our whisky as we lose ourselves in the glistening nightscape above our heads.

“See that grouping of stars just to the west?” Jamie whispers. His lips graze the outer shell of my ear, and my skin erupts into goosebumps at the sensation. I nestle closer into the crook of his arm as he continues.

The low hum of his voice lulls me into sleepy complacency. His Scottish burr rumbles deep in his chest and vibrates against my ribs like a purring kitten. Despite the chill of the autumn air, warmth tingles throughout my entire body to the very tips of my toes. My head is thick and fuzzy partially from the late hour, but mostly from the nearly empty cup in my lap (my third helping of whisky).

Jamie’s voice carries on steadily, never once wavering as he teaches me about the constellations - a twist on our normal tutor/student relationship. With each formation, he explains the mythology behind them. Canis Major and Canis Minor. Hercules and Hydra. Orion and Scorpius. Like most Scots, he’s a born storyteller with a gift to color any tale with vivid language and dramatic pauses, and I’m completely captivated. As he speaks of the lovers Perseus and Andromeda, his hand cups my cheek and tilts my face towards his. I blink, my eyelids fluttering open and close as I lean towards him. His lips hover inches from mine, when my brain decides to intervene.

What exactly are you doing, Beauchamp?!

I press my hands against Jamie’s chest, pushing him away and pressing myself backwards as I mumble “Not so fast, soldier.”

“What’s wrong?” Jamie asks, but I’m untangle my limbs from the blanket and stand up before I can stop to answer him.

Propelled by doubt, my legs stumble over the bench and march back towards the cabin. Fear settles into a lead pit in my stomach. Its icy fingers trace frost-laden trails down my spine, and before long I’m shaking… from the cold… from the bone-weary uneasiness that has never left the back of my mind.

What on earth does Jamie Fraser - the most popular guy in school - want with me?

“Claire!” He shouts over the crunching of leaves beneath his feet as he chases after me. “Will ye even tell me what I did to offend ye?”

I spin on my heel and charge towards him, ignoring the loose curls that sharply smack against my face.

“What you did?” I scream back. “The rumor mill is churning with all sorts of stories about you, Fraser.”

I’m bluffing for the most part. Sure, everyone talks about Jamie Fraser - star point guard and hottest boy in the junior class. Who wouldn’t? But no one is exactly sharing these stories with me. I am now a part of these stories, a starring role at times even. The clumsy nerd Jamie’s taken to his bed. To most, I’m a charity case or the unfortunate consequence of a lost bet. To all, I could never be worthy of the title girlfriend.

Jamie stops and sighs, his head dropping to his chest. He clutches the blanket wrapped around his shoulders a little tighter as he asks, “What have ye heard?”

What had I heard?

Very little, truth be told. I caught the tale end of a story when I was waiting for Jamie after practice one afternoon. The cheerleaders never thought much of me anyway to consider stopping their mindless chatter as the exited the gym, though I’m certain they meant for me to hear this particular story.

I open my mouth to speak, but the words catch in my throat.

Do you really want to do this?

When our tutoring arrangement turned into something more, we allowed our relationship to develop naturally, albeit secretly. We never once agreed on titles or labels; we never even stopped to have the conversation. It crossed my mind plenty of times - when we’d search for a new secret spot to meet or when we passed each other in the halls without nothing more than a quick glance. And yet, each time I stopped myself, my inner cheerleader chastising me for being less than cool. It was easier this way… or so I thought.

“That you’ve been out with some other girl…” I admit quietly, my voice cracking along with my heart as I finally allow myself to feel the bitter sting of betrayal.

Jamie reaches for me, his own voice shaking as he speaks. “It’s no’ what ye think…”

“Oh it isn’t, is it?” I scoff as I shuffle backwards. My heels collide with something solid and rough behind me as my palms find the lip of a concrete ledge.

“Damn it, Claire, d’ye have to do this all the time?” he demands.

“In a word - yes,” I say, sinking exhaustedly onto the rim of an ornamental fountain.

From my perch, I watch Jamie seethe before me. Tempered rage boils beneath his flushed cheeks, and I imagine steam billowing from his ears. The fingers of his left hand drum a steady tattoo against his thigh as he chews his bottom lip. The tempo matches the beat of my racing heart.

Squeeze. Release. Squeeze. Release.

“Who?” He asks after an eternity passes.

“Laoghaire.”

Her name blooms on my tongue like poison, sickeningly sweet before turning to bitter ash. The languid L coats my tongue with a thick, syrupy medicine for my own grand delusions; the long E whistles through my gritted teeth, the melody for my own funeral (cause of death - social suicide). My eyelids narrow and I cross my arms over my chest as I wait - for the lie that will grant me sweet relief even if it’s just for one night… for the truth that will certainly destroy me…

Tracing some invisible path on the ground, Jamie’s gaze darts back and forth, but it doesn’t once meet mine.

“Oh…” I choke back a sob that bubbles at the back of my throat. Pushing myself off to the ledge, I rise to leave - the back door to the cabin in my sites.

“It’s no like that!” He roars. His hand wraps around my wrist and he pulls me back, drawing me close to him. His strong arms clasp me tight to his chest, iron bands holding me firmly in place as I struggle to break free.

“Explain it to me then!” I loudly screech into his face, continuing to fight his embrace. “What’s it like, hmm?”

Slowly, Jamie softens. The muscles in his arms relax and his gripping fingers release until his hands are gently palming my hips. The tension in his furrowed brow melts. His shoulders sag, rounding gently inward until his curving around me like the delicate shell of a caterpillar’s cocoon, the tartan blanket protecting us both from the chilly night air.

“What you’ve heard is true,” he whispers, releasing his secret to the universe. “I’ve been out wi’ the lass once or twice but it’s not… I can’t…”

His words stutter and stammer until his finally silent, rendered speechless by a myriad of emotions I watch flash across his eyes. In his own face, I see my own fear and doubt mirrored back at me. I hear a small cracking sound from deep within my chest - my own heart breaking for him… for us...

I brush a stray curl from his temple as I ask him, prompting him where he left off. “Can’t what?”

Suddenly, he looks up at me - eyes wild and bright.

“I can’t stop thinking about this.”

Jamie’s lips are on mine before my subconscious can put up a fight, allowing my heart to fully give in. We are no longer shy or awkward. We are hungry. Dizzy with lust, I steady myself, gripping his shoulders as his tongue laps at my lower lip, begging entrance. Arching into him, I moan against his mouth while my hands palm the muscular planes of his chest. He hooks his thumbs into my belt loops and jerks me forward, our hips colliding in delicious friction. As I press into him once more, our uncoordinated efforts to climb inside the other’s skin knock the tartan loose from our bodies. Jamie shouts at the sudden shock to his system, and I whimper in the cold.

While he gathers the discarded blanket from the ground, I shyly whisper. “I can’t stop thinking about it either… us… I mean.”

Once he’s fully upright, Jamie pauses. He stands before me. He holds the blanket bunched in his palms, and the flesh of his low belly is bare, the hem of his shirt rucked up over his hip. Perfectly disheveled, I don’t think I’ve ever seen something so beautiful in my whole life… and I think I could maybe love this boy.

Gently, he wraps the tartan around my shoulders. When he steps towards me, I return the favor and nestle us both beneath the thick wool.

He presses a kiss to my forehead as he mumbles into my hair.

“We best get ye inside, Sassenach. Yer shiverin.”

~*~

Daylight catches us by surprise, even though we sleep well past noon. Well, at least I do. When I finally untangle myself from the mountains of bed sheets and stumble my way out into the land of the living, I find Jamie outside once more.

“That looks like a nutritious breakfast,” I comment as I walk towards him, noting the red and blue box of Cracker Jack clutched in his fist.

“S’all I could find,” he mutters between bites.

I sit down next to him, and he tilts the box towards me, sharing his meager meal. We sit quietly munching on the crispy snacks. In the daylight, I can now see the brilliant shades of autumn across the valley below. Deep burgundy, brilliant copper, and shining gold all merge together as one against the forget-me-not blue sky. There’s not a cloud in sight, and the warm sun replaces the bitter chill from the night before.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watch Jamie as we eat. He’s comfortable up here in the mountains, relaxed and naturally himself - for someone I thought of as a true city boy. He’s at peace as the ruler of his own domain with no one for miles.

This is my Jamie - the real Jamie.

It doesn’t take long to finish our breakfast. A small box of Cracker Jack is no match for two hungry and hung-over teens. Jamie’s fingers dive in once more, reaching for the bottom in search of crumbs. Instead, he unearths a bracelet. It’s clearly meant for a child with its mismatched, brightly colored beads strung along an elastic band. He doesn’t hesitate. He takes my hand and gently threads the bracelet onto my wrist before pressing a kiss to my knuckles.

“Don’t say I never gave you anything.”

Fin.

#outlander fanfic #outlander fanfiction #one book one shot book 2 #rewrite the stars #witchie words #jamie x claire #outlander/one tree hill cross over #always & forever au

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beyond-the-mirror · 4 years

Text

DMC x Pokemon AU - Which pokemon they would choose

So an idea appeared out of nowhere in my head: If Pokemon somehow existed in the DMC universe and pokemon training and battles were officially a thing too, which pokemon would the crew choose as their companions?

For these headcanons, I will give each character two kinds of pokemon: the first one will be a pokemon they would totally choose as a friend and partner for adventure as well as competitive battles, and the other will be one they would keep at their side mostly as a cute or silly companion, whether it’s a baby pokemon or a fully evolved one, it’s one they are really fond of and always look after.

So let’s get started! More bellow the cut because it’s a really long post.

Dante

Ideal partner: Houndoom

He considers Houndoom’s general appearance as cool and badass, of course he would love having a literal hellhound in his team.

If you think about it, they share lots of similarities: The same color palette, the devil motif, the fact that Dante has horns too when in DT or SDT form… it’s as if this pokemon was made with him in mind.

Dante found him when he was a little puppy Houndour. The poor thing was all alone in an alley near his shop and seeing him crying out made his heart ache.

So he brought the little one back home and nursed him. Now he’s a powerful Houndoom who loves nothing more than to fight alongside his trainer. There’s nothing that can stop those too when together.

Silly companion: Alcremie

Obviously.

One reason only: Infinite strawberry sundaes.

That’s it.

Would totally have an entire team made of Alcremies. He wouldn’t even battle or anything. He just wants to enjoy his lifetime supply of strawberry sundaes.

Vergil

Ideal partner: Aegislash

Vergil is a man of the sword, so it’s clear he would choose an Aegislash as his partner.

The first time he spotted this particular Honedge, he knew. He could see the great power dormant in them, so it was a matter of awakening said potential.

He trained them vigorously, making them evolve into a Doublade, and finally, into an Aegislash. To this day, not a single pokemon has managed to defeat them, the only exception being Dante and his Houndoom.

That won’t stop them though. They are both too prideful in their quest for strength and power.

Silly companion: Snom

Yeaaah, this is a weird one. Snom is such a cute baby, maybe this adorableness can melt Vergil’s heart?

It was Dante who gifted his twin a Snom. To quote him: “You’re too grumpy. Maybe this cute little guy can help you ease some of that grumpiness away.”

Wherever he goes, the little baby follows behind. Vergil will never admit this out loud but he does smile at the peaceful sensation his silly friend gives him.

Also imagine him trying to pronounce their name in that nasal voice of his. SHnom.

Ideal partner: Corviknight, Umbreon and Dusknoir

It was a tie between these pokemon since they represent V’s three demon familiars: Griffon, Shadow and Nightmare respectively.

Corviknight may have a playful personality, but during battles he’s dead serious. He’s down right merciless and enjoys tearing apart his foes.

Umbreon is as calm as a housecat, but beware! She is a fierce one and won’t think twice to attack those who step out of line. Even more ruthless than Corviknight.

Dusknoir is as mysterious as the man himself, but V still trusts them and lets them do pretty much their own thing. Despite V never giving them orders, it almost looks as if Dusknoir can understand his thoughts telepathically. No one is sure how the hell he does it though. Quite a mystery indeed.

Silly companion: Mr Rime

Both wear a coat. Both carry a cane. Both love to tap dance. See what I’m getting at?

The first time V spotted a Mr Rime and witnessed their comical moves, he couldn’t help but laugh in endearment.

You will often find them enjoying a nice cup of tea together. They may speak different languages, but somehow they understand each other so perfectly.

When feeling in a dance mood, he and Mr Rime will dance together in perfect harmony and sync. Singin’ in the Rain is their favorite musical btw.

Nero

Ideal partner: Toxtricity

It only made sense to grant our punk boy Nero a punk pokemon like Toxtricity.

Both share an explosive and energetic personality, as well as an identical inclination towards rock and metal music. They especially love taunting their foes by doing an air guitar together.

The way these two fight is absolutely brutal. Do not anger them, you cannot defeat them.

However, despite their looks like they could kill you, they are actually sweet cinnamon rolls in front of the right ones. Pet them, they are good bois after all.

Silly companion: Mankey

Two grumpy bois grumpying around. Don’t talk to them, they are angy.

Kyrie often teases them with how identical they are. They literally share the exact same expression when angry.

Nero says it’s not funny. It is.

Little Mankey only calms down when given pets and cuddles. “Just like you Nero!” she teases again.

Trish

Ideal partner: Luxray

Step aside everyone. Two bewitching and electrifying devils are coming through.

Trish was new to the world when one day she encountered a Shinx, except their fur was yellow? Wasn’t the fur supposed to be blue??

She took them to Dante and Lady for an explanation. Their eyes widened in complete awe. “Trish… it’s a shiny. You found a shiny!” “…Oh.”

Now the two are an inseparable and lethal duo. Many have made the mistake of challenging them, only to end up battered and humiliated.

Silly companion: Yamper

Just look at this good boi.

A cute pupper? AND with electrical powers?! Trish is so in!

You bet she spoils her Yamper rotten. She particularly adores baby-talking her lovely companion to no end.

“Have you seen my puppy? He’s not lost or anything, I just wanted to show you how awesome he is” Yep. She did this at one point or another.

Lady

Ideal partner: Inteleon

A couple of ‘Walking Arsenals’ indeed. Ready to take on any challenge they may encounter.

Lady remembers how she met her partner when they were a tiny and shy Sobble. Now that they’ve become such a strong pokemon, Lady feels so proud of their growth.

Extremely resourceful, even in dire situations. Will use all the tools at their disposition to finish their job.

Their sniper skills are unparalleled so you’d better watch out. In a battle of wits, there’s no beating this duo.

Silly companion: Eevee

Lady is such an Eevee fan, her childhood dream was to befriend one and have numerous adventures together.

So when she finally got one many years later, she actually started crying happy tears. (It was a gift from Dante. He figured she deserved a companion after what happened in the Temen-ni-gru incident.)

She spends her free time playing with her adorable Eevee, there’s even a whole collection of toys for their playtime together.

If you happen to have an Evolution Stone with you, DO. NOT. COME. ANY. CLOSER. Lady adores her Eevee just how it is. You have been warned.

Kyrie

Ideal partner: Gardevoir

I personally consider Kyrie as a woman with a righteous heart and a strong sense of justice just like her brother Credo, so it’s no surprise her pokemon partner is actually a Gardevoir.

Mess with them and hoo boy. So you have chosen death.

She and Gardevoir are actually among the strongest teams in the region. In fact, to this day, Nero and his Toxtricity haven’t been able to defeat these two in a pokemon battle.

Do not underestimate these girls. They can and will drag you through the mud if you dare hurt them or their loved ones.

Silly companion: Wooloo

Kyrie melted at the sight of Wooloo. So soft, and adorable, and puffy!

She loves knitting, so they would be perfect to provide her with lots of top quality wool.

Once during Christmas, she donated handmade sweaters to the children at the local orphanage. Wooloo and her were so happy to help the little ones, they made it a tradition for them to do every year.

The sweaters and scarfs she knits with the help of her friend are actually very fashionable and pretty. Everyone in the crew loves showing theirs off any chance they get.

Nico

Ideal partner: Arcanine

A fire pokemon with majestic fur, excellent speed and an extremely keen sense of smell. Nico knew Arcanine would be a perfect partner to have.

She can count on their powerful fire to melt the metals she needs to forge her weapons. Her works of art have been made possible thanks to them and she could not feel more thankful.

Using their olfactory sense, Arcanine can track and retrieve any demon parts or carcasses which can later be used to create Devil Arms.

Although they are not that interested in competitive battles, they’re still a very strong duo that should not be taken so lightly.

Silly companion: Rotom

So one day a wild Rotom sneaked into Nico’s van, causing a ruckus everywhere. Despite the disaster, Nico was incredibly fascinated since Rotom sightings are extremely rare.

She befriended the poltergeist pokemon almost right away. She even built a device for them to inhabit (just like Ash’s Rotomdex in the anime).

Now they’re Nico’s very own pokemon assitant! Thanks to her device Rotom can communicate, take pictures and save files and notes, which is perfect for her work.

Also they’re really nice to have a chat with! Just beware the unflattering pics they may take during battles.

Lucia

Ideal partner: Absol

It’s easy to see the similarities between Lucia and her Absol.

With Absol being erroneously blamed for natural disasters and Lucia being an artificial demon her creator labelled as ‘defective’, you could say they both share similar backstories. They felt outcasted by everyone else.

These two are incredibly agile fighters, using graceful and precise moves that prove to be lethal to their foes.

Personality wise they both appear to be stoic and aloof, but they’re actually very kind. They do tend to worry a lot about their friends though.

Silly companion: Espurr

Espurrs are known to constantly try to control and contain their enormous psychic power with all their might. Lucia understands her cute little companion all too well.

Being with each other has helped them both a lot, their shared company feels therapeutic for them.

Also Lucia enjoys cuddling Espurr. They feel so soft like a plushie!

Often have staring contests with each other. They always end with a tie though.

#devil may cry #dmc headcanons #dmc x pokemon au #pokemon

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theartofbeinganeldar · 4 years

Text

The Art of Being an Eldar: Legolas x Reader Chapter 4

Summary: After discovering that you were stuck in the fantasy world you had no recollection of, your memory was jogged after weeks of depression: this land was Middle-Earth. A council of wizards and Elves was summoned, and Thranduil expressed his wishes of wanting you gone. Elrond agreed to take you in and Gandalf was excited to share in his adventures with someone who knew nothing of the world, quite like a Hobbit, but you wanted to stay in Mirkwood, with Legolas and Tauriel, of which you'd made friends with. Legolas leaves in three days to locate the orcs who enroach upon Mirkwood's northern flank, and the council sees this as a chance for you to prove your worth. If you fail, you are to leave Mirkwood...

Chapter No.: Chapter 4

Key: [Y/N]=Your Name [F/N]= Friend's Name [B/N]= Bro's Name [S/N]= Sis's Name [M/N]= Mom's Name [e/c]= eye color [h/c]= hair color [s/c]= skin color

Notes: I want to thank all my readers for their feedback, likes, and reblogs! I'm only on Chapter 4 and all of you combined have made me feel really good about my writing. I've gotta admit, I was a little scared of going through with this multi-chapter fic at first, because while a few people really liked and enjoyed my stories on DeviantArt, they never got the reception The Art of Being an Eldar has. I just thought my writing sucked for the most part. Thank you all so much!

Warnings: Fluff, angst, graphic depictions of gore and violence (Cuz of orc battles y'know?), more angst, slow burn, some light depression in the first few chapters, some amnesia about Middle-Earth because the Valar say you're not supposed to have foresight, hard-core language, feels, lots and lots of feels, mentions of NSFW content, maybe some eventual NSFW content, LGTBQ+ characters, Thranduil being a jackass at first because he's fabulous, Legolas being a hot edgy prince that nobody can handle, Kili being an innocent bean, Hobbits being smol innocent beans, except for Bilbo 'cause he's been through some tough shit, Bard being dad of the year, Thorin being one dumbass boi, The fucking Silmarillion, awesome dragons, awesome Nazgul, awesome scenery, awesome stuff in general, Elrond isn't listened to by anybody, confused Aragorn is confused, Denethor's a bitch as always, brace yourself for creepy as fuck Cream of Wormtongue Grima Wormtongue, Boromir lives, Gandalf. (yes these are all legit warnings don't judge me.)

Pairings/Ships: Legolas x Reader, Legolas x you, Aragorn x Arwen, Faramir x Eowyn, Thranduil x Elvenqueen, Galadriel x Celery Celeborn, Boromir x OC, Thorin x OC, Fili x OC, etc. general LoTR standard shippings plus some of my own cuz I can't stand my boys being lonely

Word Count: I try to keep my chapters short, under 2000 words. Rating: Teen (14+) for now

"You what?"

Apparently Leggy didn't comprehend the concept of being accompanied by a suddenly Elvish human from another dimension.

With a sigh and a roll of your eyes, you repeated, "I said, I'm coming with you when you leave for your orc-hunting mission."

Legolas narrowed his eyes. "And who gave you permission to do this?"

"The council, that's who. So suck it up buttercup, I'm coming with your sorry ass."

Legolas rolled his eyes. "Very well. Tell me, aside from randomly swinging a sword, do you know anything about weaponry?"

You raised an eyebrow. Shit, you'd have to fight? "No, but I can say a mouthful of greetings in Elvish."

Legolas raised an eyebrow. "Nin ista, Sairen, but words are not mightier than fighting skill in battle."

You scoffed. "I can think of a pretty famous phrase from my world that totally contradicts that..."

Legolas shook his head as he sauntered past you, down the stairs of the bridge you'd found him on. The sounds of his bows and knife sheaths clanking together as he walked relaxed you. "Of course you do, mellon." He paused to look at you. "Are you not coming? We leave in three days. If you are intent on coming with me, surely you cannot believe I will let you go without even so much as learning the proper way to stab an opponent?"

You made a face, but followed him anyway. "I know how to stab."

"How, then?" He gestured to you pointedly and crossed his arms.

"Um..." You mimed the gesture you'd probably use while stabbing an orc in the guts. "Like... This? With a twist?"

"That may work if your enemy has the weak skin and flesh of a human, or even on an Elf," He pointed out, "But we are fighting orcs, Sairen. Their hide is as thick as that of a boar, and their flesh is equally so." With a flourish, he flipped out one of his long knives. He paused in handing it to you. "I am not letting you keep this, mellon. My mother gave them to me."

You froze in reaching for the weapon. "You have a mother?"

Legolas chuckled at your wide-eyed expression. "You thought I did not?"

You stiffened before hurriedly turning away. "No! Of course not! Why would you think that?!"

Legolas laughed as he followed you. "Well, I do have one. She has been away on the other end of the palace-city. I should introduce you to her."

"Is she as fabulous as your dad?" You ran the tip of your index finger along your eyebrows. "And maybe even with the same super dark eyebrows?"

Legolas smiled. "No, no. She is perfectly beautiful."

"So you're saying your dad's not?"

"What?"

"Nothing." You waved a hand. "Where's the training grounds again?"

Legolas grinned evilly. "Well, your training begins now, Sairen. See if you can actually get to said training grounds without killing yourself on that blade."

Your jaw fell. "Are you fucking kidding me?! That's child's play! Don't you think I already know how to not do that?!"

"That is a double negative sentence, but no, I do not believe you already know this skill." Blue-Eyes shot you another grin. "Besides, we are not taking the average path to the training grounds. They are outside of the palace, after all. We will go out and around, on the hardest path imaginable. For a human, they would be entirely impassable."

You stared up at him dumbly. "Uh... Do... Do you even realize I spent the last nineteen years of my life around people with the mindset of shit water I might die because I'm a-- I was a-- human? Also, I was never agile. I won't be able to make it over a log, if it's big enough."

Blue-Eyes gave you a disapproving look. "Do the humans of your world never traverse nature?"

You pretended to think about that

"Hm... Let me see... Uhm... Yeah, nope, pretty much never, unless you're one of those super outdoorsey kinds of people, and the true ones of those are rare. For instance, most usually wear really tight clothes and walk through parks with stone paths and everything primped to perfect condition so that nobody even gets grazed by a dandelion, and everything's sprayed to keep the bugs away and animals are limited to squirrels and bunnies, then they wanna act like they just walked the fuckin' Sahara Desert without water. Real outdoor people are rare. Steve Irwin? Real. Bear Grylls? Real. Josh Gates? Real. Hell, when I was a very tiny little girl I used to watch a kid's show with two brothers who pretty much lived in the jungle. But out of everybody, those are the ones I can think of right off the top of my head. Them, and the few tribal races still out there."

Blue-Eyes made a surprised face. "Well... I am glad you got a chance to experience what real life is like."

"Thank you, Blue-Eyes." You'd reached the front gates of the palace, which were opened by a couple of those ninja Elf guys. You and Legolas walked on through, and into the forest, with its pink and amber leaves, down here, nullified into black and gray, piling up in the muck of the forest floor.

You'd been surprised when you'd seen this part of Mirkwood. Apparently, only the northern half was unaffected, but the rest of the once-spectacular Greenwood the Great was now victim to a strange plague, orc attacks from the north, and giant spider infestations from the south, from an ancient ruin called Dol Goldur. Animals no longer lived here, the rivers had mostly gone thick with filth, and the trees rotted and groaned in agony. The forest would confuse you, threaten to swallow you up and make you lose your way...

If you weren't an Elf.

Luckily for you and ol' Leggy, the two of you were Elves, and he had been raised here. If you stuck close to him, you'd be fine, even if the forest did manage to confuse you. He could hardly remember a time when the slow-acting plague hadn't been part of some region of the forest, and Tauriel had told you that he was 2, 371 years old. That was a long time for a forest to be sick.

"What even caused Mirkwood to get sick? Do you even know?"

"It is a nameless malice," Blue-Eyes replied, stopping all show-offy on a thick, low-hanging bough that precariously hung over a small gorge. "The darkness stems from Dol Goldur. Now, there are rumors; rumors of a necromancer, who resides in the ruins of that ancient fort."

"Necromancer?" That hardly sounded good. In anything where it was used, necromancer usually meant one who raises dead. "That doesn't sound good. Have you investigated it?"

"Of course not," Blue-Eyes gave you an odd look, like you'd just suggested he drink out of the toilet or something. You struggled to get up the side of a log he'd just casually hopped onto. "Why should we? They are merely rumors, and the forest has been sick for a long, long while. Still... This darkness unsettles me, as it does to all Sindar whom reside here."

"Dude, then maybe you should check the fuckin ruins," You mumbled, but he ignored you and continued hopping around from flowertop to flowertop. You just trampled noisily and clumsily along behind him. "Don't you guys like, live for light? So shouldn't you see if the ruins really do have a necromancer now? Especially since this dark ooze comes from it?"

Blue-Eyes shook his head. "King Thranduil does not wish for time to be wasted on rumors when we have other matters to deal with."

"Oh, so you mean he's too busy having everybody vote on which crown of berries goes best with his eyebrows."

"What?"

"Nothing. You Elves are just stupid."

Legolas grinned. "Well, humans are equally intellectually challenged."

You paused in chasing after him, stunned. He turned to face you when he didn’t hear you following. "Did you seriously just do that?"

"Do what?"

"You literally just used big words to sound smart." You laughed theatrically. "Oh! Pardon me, fine companion, I meant to implicate that you utilize gargantuan idioms to fabricate intelligence."

He smiled slightly as you finally made it up beside him. "I suppose you are not so daft," He relented teasingly, "Otherwise you would not even have those words in your vocabulary."

You made a face and rolled your eyes. "Whatever, blondie."

The training grounds were closer than you remembered, even taking the roundabout route. Along the way, though, you'd fallen into a bog, got your face scratched up by evil tree branches, and tumbled head-over-heels down a steep ravine, getting battered and bruised all over your body.

Apparently Middle-Earth-- Mirkwood specifically-- was prone to give previously non-Elvish members of other worlds injuries.

You made quite a show; barreling through a thorn bush and landing flat on your face right on the edge of the training grounds. You heard all the Elves turn their weapons on you, in case you were an orc, but then they seen your sorry ass, and Leggy casually coming down the steep ridge as if it was just a flight of stairs.

"Mae govannen," Said Legolas cheerfully to the Elves. Casually, he picked up his knife, which you'd thrown away from you halfway down so you didn't impale yourself at any point during the fall. Still, it'd skittered down alongside you. "Sairen, it seems you've failed this test."

"I dropped it on the goddamn border..."

"Nevertheless," Blue-Eyes ignored your response. "We are here now, and forfeiting other forms of training for the sake of redoing one failed task is pointless. You will learn as much as you can here, until I say we stop."

You finally moved, trying to at least sit up on your elbows. "It's only noon. We've got till nightfall, yeah? I can do that. No problem."

Legolas grinned down at you. "Mellon, you are of the Eldar now. You are stronger than before and do not need sleep unless you wish to dream."

"I don't what?!"

"Elves do not sleep unless we have been injured and need to heal," He replied, and grabbed you by the underarms to help you up. "We are stronger and more resilient than the race of Men. You are no longer imprisoned by the necessities of the human body."

Instant headrush slammed into you. "Apparently not all human body shit..."

He raised an eyebrow. "What do you speak of?"

"Headrush, dammit."

"Oh," He grew amused. "Do you mean the Blackness? Unfortunately, that befalls us all."

You glared daggers at him.

Another Elf approached, with a slender face and long brown hair. "My lord, most of the training grounds are taken up. You may yet have mine, if you wish so."

Legolas smiled. "Ah, my thanks. [Y/N], this is one of the Elves that accompanied Lord Elrond here, Lindir."

You extended your hand. "Nice to meet you."

Both Blue-Eyes and Lindir looked at your hand in confusion. Lindir, with a glance to Legolas, slowly tried to hand you his bow. With a roll of your eyes and a shake of your head, you realized they didn't even understand what a handshake was. "No no no, sorry; that's called a handshake. It's what two people do when they meet each other where I come from. I didn't mean to confuse you. SO." You bowed in the Elvish way. "Mae govannen, Lindir of House Elrond."

Lindir and Blue-Eyes smiled. Lindir returned your bow. "Mae govannen, [Y/N] of House Thranduil."

"Lindir will be accompanying us to trace the orcs, and Erestor of Rivendell," Said Legolas, "As will another of our own house, Elros; I believe you have met him already. He was the Elf who lead you to the councilroom. From Lothlorien is a friend of mine, Haldir, and of course, with the other Elven Lords aiding us, Mithrandir feels he should send his own aid as well..."

Lindir's eyes widened. "Do not tell me..."

Blue-Eyes nodded seriously. "He is sending Naughrim to accompany us."

"Naughrim?" You asked. Of all names, that didn't sound familiar. "Who's that? Somebody not well-liked among Elves?"

Blue-Eyes fought a smile. Lindir answered you. "Mellon, Naughrim is our tongue for dwarves."

Your mouth formed an 'o' in recognition. "Ohhhh, now I get it. Elves and dwarves hate each other for no explainable reason. Got it. Who's he sending?"

Blue-Eyes shook his head in exasperation. "They are all of Erebor. Balin and Dwalin, two are named, and of the other, he is the most insufferable of dwarves; Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King Under the Mountain. Mithrandir believes that this will be a good experience for him as it is for us, but he refuses to come himself. He's all but forcing the situation."

You looked from Blue-Eyes to Lindir and back. "How can he force you? Dwarves and Elves are both stubborn beyond all reason, and none of you seem to take him seriously."

Legolas shook his head and pursed his lips. "Unfortunately, Dwalin is as good a tracker as any, and Ada is not permitting many of the Sindar on this journey for the reason that we are merely meant to find where the yrch dwell, and go no further. We will need all the aide we can find, even if it is in the form of unwilling dwarves. As for them, he has promised treasure, the details of which I know not; I can only hope it is not any of ours he has promised them." He smiled at you. "Shall we?"

Before you could follow, he walked off; you glanced to Lindir questioningly. "...Ada? Who's that?"

Lindir smiled softly. "It means father. He is referring to King Thranduil."

"Oh. Now I feel stupid."

"Do not, mellon, for the language of the Elves is not easily learned unless you were born speaking the tongue."

With a roll of your shoulders, which ached, you followed Leggy.

***

"Ow, goddamn it, and goddamn you, you stupidly perfect Elf."

At the end of the day, you'd been cut, pricked, whipped by a bowstring, nicked, dinged, and all kinds of other small injuries that added up to one big mess of drying blood and bruises.

Blue-Eyes had had you train deep into the night, until the silvery waning moon had all but left the star-filled sky. Now, as the sunrise approached, you both sat on two convenient boulders, and he bandaged your bloodied hands. In the eerie half-dawn light, he looked ethereal, and his pale hands and silver tunic sleeves compared to your now dark-with-blood-and-mud-and-bruises hands and black sleeves was a huge contrast. Your hands shook slightly, aching and stinging and pained on various sorts of levels, while his were perfectly steady as he wrapped them in soft green leaves.

"Stop shaking, mellon," Legolas told you gently.

"What was that?" Your head snapped up. "Are you feeling sorry for me? Don't feel sorry for me! This is nothing! I've been shot in the calf by an orcish arr--OW!"

The leaves had drawn too tight and released some kind of juice that stung like hell. His hands hovered over yours. "My apologies, but it draws out the infection."

"What infection?!"

"You are not yet used to your Elven body yet," Blue-Eyes replied, looking into your eyes. "Since you are the equivalent of a newborn, I would say you are very susceptible to infections, sickness, and injuries."

You looked off dramatically into the distance. "That explains why I can't stop fucking getting hurt..."

"That it does," He smiled at you, and something pulsed in your chest. Da fuck... You fought a flush. He stood, then held out his hand to you. "Shall we return to the palace? You may rest until sunhigh, and then we will continue your training." You took his hand, and he helped you up; you stumbled into his chest, and backed up quickly. He took no notice, but patted your shoulder before going to retrieve his bow and quiver. "You did well today, Sairen, even if you frightened off half of the other Sindar and Silvan training here."

You made a face. "Pfft. They just can't handle my awesomeness."

"If you say so, mellon," He said, and started to take the easy way back, to your relief. You followed closely behind him.

You looked up at the stars as you walked in silence for awhile, until finally, you broke it. Of course, you broke anything, really... "Where I come from, they say there's a star for every soul that's passed away."

Legolas glanced to you, then followed your gaze wistfully. "That is something our two worlds have in common."

"Scientifically," You added, "They're spheres of hot air and gaseous materials wound up tight by gravity that glow and put off heat, but the idea always felt nice to me... But where I come from... You also can't see the stars."

Blue-Eyes halted in his tracks as if you'd just said someone murdered his mother. "I... What? You can't see the stars?!" He actually looked genuinely horrified by that idea.

You shook your head. "No. Humans... They've polluted the atmosphere too much. Filled it with trash, and man-made lights and even remnants of smoke... You can't see them."

He watched you even as you watched the stars. "I've never seen them like this... They're beautiful." You could see bands of galaxies and clouds of distant nebulae, and the small silver fires glittered in the billions, even as the pink-orange glow of the beginning of dawn was starting to show in the east. You were in awe.

You jumped when Legolas took your hand. "What?"

He smiled at you. "Come with me. I will show you one of the best stargazing places in all of Mirkwood."

"Thranduil's pavilion?"

"Better."

"Whoa. Dude, count me in."

He lead you off of the trail, deep into the woods, through the easiest ways that probably were a pain for him, but he did it anyway. Finally, you stopped at the base of a massive tree, stretching so far up you couldn't see its top. Its trunk was pockmarked with holes and vines, and after slinging his bow onto his back, he threw you a smile over his smile. "Come, Sairen."

You couldn't help but smile back. You climbed, quickly, all the way up, past the canopy, into the uppermost branches of the tree, where the copper-gold leaves thinned out to allow for one thick branch to get a view of the night sky. The branch was thick enough across to allow for two or three people to sit side-by-side against the trunk, and Blue-Eyes sat quickly as he helped you up.

Here, no branches obscured any part of your field of view. You got a perfect view of the sunrise, and the starry sky. "Holy shit..."

You felt him put an arm around you, and you stiffened, just before he breathed in your ear, "I will not let you fall from this tree, Sairen. You've only just arrived in this world, and should another portal be below that is activated by a beautiful sunrise, I am loathe to let you go, for there is so much I want to show you..." The sun burst over the distant mountains beyond Erebor, sending fiery orange and red across the sky. "Such as this. Your world does not sound as if it could have any sunrise as wonderful as this one."

A warm feeling blossomed in your chest as you watched the sunrise, jaw slack. "No... Not like this."

Legolas smiled, and finally turned his focus to it himself. Your eyes slowly dragged off of the beautiful scenery to look at the Elf beside you, and the warm feeling worsened; your heart started fluttering. Eldar only fall in love once... Galadriel had warned you.

...Shit.

A blush crawled up your face, and you tried your hardest to focus on the sky rather than the Elvish princeling pressed close against your side.

***

"Mae govannen, [Y/N] of the Woodland Realm," Greeted Lindir kindly as you approached the group of Elves gathering in front of the front gates.

"Mae govannen, Lindir of Rivendell," You replied with a smile. The Elvish greetings rolled off your tongue easily now. After the sunrise you and Blue-Eyes had watched together, you'd spent the last two days training at obscene hours and resting. Now, finally, the group of Elves leaving to track the orcs were gathering-- there were only about fifty in total, of which there were those wearing Woodland garments, the red-and-gold of Lothlorien, and the greens, purples, and browns of Rivendell. Apparently Galadriel, Celeborn, and Elrond didn't agree with Thranduil sending what would've only been a dozen to track some very dangerous orcs.

You heard several of them muttering to each other about Naughrim, something all of them had in common.

You swung your light traveling pack off of your shoulders and by your feet, scanning the crowd for a certain platinum-blonde head-- unfortunately, most of the Elves from Lothlorien had blonde hair. You looked at Lindir. "Where's Legolas?"

Lindir glanced around. "He is on his way, I am sure. After all, it is he and Haldir whom are leading this journey."

You nodded. "I've never packed for something like this before... I hope I didn't pack anything weird or forget something."

Lindir looked confused, then recognition flashed across his face. "Oh. Forgive me, I had forgotten you do not have this experience. Tell me, what did you pack?"

You shifted your weight nervously, and lowered your voice. "Uhh... Two extra pairs of clothes in case these get ruined, some extra food, even though I've noticed I don't have to eat as much as before, and some water. Then there's these," You gestured to your back, where a quiver and longbow hung from your back. You felt its weight all too strongly, and that of the sword on your hip and the knives on your thighs. "And some of those special leaves that're used for bandages."

Lindir smiled and placed a hand on your shoulder. "Mellon, you have packed what we all have, and lightly, as well."

You smiled. "Thanks. Just consider yourself lucky that I don't know how to read Elvish, or I would've packed a book or two to keep me company."

Lindir chuckled and stepped back. "Well, for now, I am glad of it. On this journey you will learn much, hopefully, and by the time we return, you may be able to speak more of Elvish. It is harder to learn to read it, I have heard, much harder."

You ran a finger over your chin in thought. "I wonder if Thranduil would let me go to Dale or Laketown to get some books in English..."

"Forgive me," Lindir looked confused. "I do not know what that is."

You realized what you'd said a second too late. "Oh! Sorry. Where I come from, Common is just referred to as English."

"Oh, I see now. I am sure he would, and if he does not yet, then perhaps one of the Woodland Elves could bring some back for you. What of Legolas? Are you not friends?"

You blushed. "Yeah, I hope so. I've never been very good at making friends, though. Nobody's ever really liked me." You realized Lindir was staring at you with an absolutely terrified expression. Your own eyes widened in alarm, and you frantically patted your face. "What?! Is there something on my face?!"

Lindir shook his head. "I-I am not sure. Your skin has suddenly gone red, as if burned. Are you ill?"

"Uhhh..."

You were spared the embarrassment of explaining blushing by all the Elves gathered suddenly gasping and bowing in the direction of the stairs. Lindir saw the cause before you did, and his jaw fell. "By all the Valar..." He bowed deeply, and you followed his motion, but not before catching a glimpse of who it was. Thranduil, of course, and Legolas, following a she-Elf in a tunic that looked as if it were made of starlight itself, with flowing white hair and alabaster skin.

"Ui!" Shouted Thranduil irritably. "Ni telima lume, autauva!"

You leaned closer to Lindir. "What did he say?"

"He is forbidding her to join us," He answered quickly.

The she-Elf whipped around, generating a power almost as strong as Galadriel's. Legolas stepped forward. "Amal... Mecin."

She shook her head. "Yon, venno, nin carindo ier nin indo. Alye uva pusta ni."

"What did she say about pasta?" You whispered.

"Sh!" Lindir said quickly.

The woman looked at Thranduil and Legolas lovingly, before approaching Thranduil and placing both hands on his face. Thranduil closed his eyes in regret, and the woman kissed him; you looked away, embarrassed. That was the Elvenqueen.

That was Legolas's mother.

"Melinyel, Thranduil, alye ista si."

Thranduil sighed. "Melinyel, mela... Mecin ea girthonwed."

With that, Legolas reluctantly took his mother's hand and lead her down the stairs. They disappeared in the crowd, until you heard the Elvenqueen's voice. "Rise, all of you." Unsure, the Elves rose one-by-one. "Which of you hail from far places, whom rescued my son Legolas Greenleaf from the fate of an early death?"

The Eldar glanced to one another, realized it wasn't their neighbor, and slowly, like somebody who'd gotten called out in class, you were being stared at, and a path was made between you and her majesty, while Legolas stood beside her.

You swallowed hard, suddenly terrified. Lindir patted your shoulder. "You have been summoned, mellon. Go, I will make sure your pack does not get swapped with someone else's."

You tried to look and walk confidently, but you were terrified. She was beautiful and indimidating, and you had to admit, you were definitely intimidated. When you reached her, you bowed as deeply and respectfully as you could, a fist over your heart. "Elen sila lumenn omentielvo, your majesty." You didn't know what else to say. What you'd said to Galadriel and Celeborn was the most respectful thing you knew in Elvish, and you'd never been in the presence of royalty.

"You come from another world," She looked down at you indifferently, and you suddenly felt very small and very weak with everybody's eyes on you. This was nothing like Thranduil's fabulously indifferent look. "Yet still, you saved my son's life. After, you make the presumption that you can live and walk among us as one of us, freely, unburdened, merely because you came here by happenstance and you were allowed the reward of living. Do you feel as if this is the correct course of action for you to take?"

You glanced to Legolas, absolutely horrified. "Y-your majesty..." Your hot-headed tongue, a lot more toned down, popped into existence. "I saved your son's life because he didn't deserve to die. I was given the freedom to live, and to repay that, I mean to make the most of my time here by helping in whatever ways that I can. King Thranduil has given me the chance to prove myself worthy of living here by allowing me to join in hunting for the orcs. If I fail, I will leave Mirkwood, and go with Lord Elrond to Rivendell."

Legolas's eyes widened a fraction of an inch, before going back to their normal selves; he looked to you with almost a sadness, but you couldn't figure out why. Elvenqueen smiled, as if proud. "Then you are not what the rumours of your world have made you out to be. You are humble and grateful, qualities I did not expect from one of this Earth. You possess a unique personality, [Y/N]. Tell me, who are your parents, so that I may refer to you properly?"

"I have no father," You said quickly, relieved that she was just trying to scare you. "None I care to speak about. But I do have a mother, who I love very much. Her name is [M/N]."

Elvenqueen smiled. "Very well, [Y/N], child of [M/N]. Here, we, all of us, have a secondary name, such as my son; Legolas Greenleaf. During this journey, you may earn your own."

You smiled back, relieved beyond relief that she'd decided not to kick your ass for existing. "My thanks, your majesty."

She sailed away regally, and Legolas shot you a glare. "Why did you not tell me you would be leaving us?" He demanded.

You balked. "I-I said if I failed..."

"And you are most likely to do so," He snapped, sending your heart and soul plummeting to roughly the center of Middle-Earth. Without another word, he followed his mother.

"Mellon?" Said Lindir from behind. You turned around; He held his bag and yours, which you gratefully took from him.

"Thanks," You said, but your eyes followed Legolas's back as he disappeared into the crowd.

"Is everything alright?"

"Just fine," You shrugged. You were used to being abandoned.

Lindir looked doubtful. "Very well, if you say so. May I introduce you to those you will be most judged by?"

"Sure."

He took you through the crowd, to the guy who helped you find the councilroom. "Ah, [Y/N]. Mae govannen."

You bowed your head and returned the greeting to Elros in a monotone voice. "So your name is Elros?"

"Yes," He replied. "Son of Elrond."

If you were taking a drink of water, you'd've spewed it everywhere. "Huh? But isn't Rivdendell like, waaay over the Misty Mountains?"

Elros chuckled. "Yes, but those of the Eldar cannot always remain in one place. We yearn for far places, and even farther shores. Long years I have spent in the halls of my father, but I left for Mirkwood when my sister, Arwen Evenstar, left for Lothlorien, to spend a time with our mother's mother, Galadriel."

Your eyes were wide. "Galadriel is a grandma?! Your grandma?!"

Lindir and Elros looked at each other in amusement. "Elves," Said Lindir, "Live forever, so long as we are not killed by injury, or the wounds of the heart."

"Wounds of the heart?" You echoed.

"When love remains unrequited, it is sometimes too much to bear," Replied Elros, "And the victim suffers long before dying of a broken heart. Oftentimes, it is when a wife perishes during childbirth, or when war or battle takes the life of a beloved, and their souls pass into the Halls of Mandos. I still worry for my father, even though my mother has long since passed due to child-sickness."

Your eyes widened. "I'm so sorry."

Elros raised a hand. "She is at peace now. She resides in the halls where her mother lives, and many of my kin who have long since passed on."

"Is Elrond gonna be okay?" Now you were worried. You didn't even know the guy (Even though you probably knew him before your amnesia.) but you didn't want him to die of heartbreak. He was being nice to you, and offering you a place to live if Thranduil decided to be more of an ass.

"He is strong," Lindir assured you, and partially Elros. "He is stout of heart and fierce of soul. He will live long yet, that I can assure you with the utmost certainty."

Together, Lindir and Elros took you to where another dark-haired Elf in the Rivendell attire spoke with a Lothlorien Elf in red-and-gold armor. White hair was braided away from his stern face. Elros said something in Elvish, getting their attention, and they both bowed to you. "[Y/N], child of [M/N], may I introduce you to Erestor, Chief Counselman of Elrond, and Haldir of Lothlorien."

"Mae govannen," They both said.

Haldir regarded you warily. "I have heard you come from far lands, one beyond even Arda."

You tried not to look stupid. "Arda?"

"This world upon which we live," Haldir clarified.

"Oh!" Now you knew what they were talking about. "You mean this whole planet? Mine never had a cool name; Earth, that's it, with a bunch of different countries on it. Are there countries besides Middle-Earth here?"

Erestor chuckled. "Yes. There is Beleriand, just the remains of it, to the farthest west. Also in the west lie the Gray Havens, and across the Sea are the Undying Lands of Aman, far from Endor-- that is to say, collectively, Middle-Earth and Beleriand."

"Oh, cool! Where I come from, nowhere has cool names anymore, except for maybe Dubai, Greece, and Rome. In the past, there were hardly ever cool places, except for Egypt and Babylon."

The four Elves around you glanced to each other in amusement, as if you were a child just learning new things; and you pretty much were...

"Haldir," Said a familiar voice, and you perked up as Blue-Eyes stepped through the crowd. Your heart sank as he completely avoided your gaze. Damn, you should be used to this kinda shit by now. One small thing and someone abandons you. "We go to meet the dwarves. You have told your party, yes?"

"Of course, mellon."

"As have I," Added Erestor as Blue-Eyes went to ask. "None of us may like this, but it the word of a Maiar, of which the Noldor still yet revere. Worry not, Legolas."

Blue-Eyes nodded, glanced to you, and walked back through the suddenly-departing crowd as the doors opened. You hefted up your bag further onto your shoulder. "Mmkay, Lindir?" You fell into step with the purple-clad Elf.

"What is it?"

"Questions. Lots of them. What the hell is a Mayan and a No-door?"

Lindir chuckled. "Maiar, and Noldor. The Noldor are the oldest of the Elves. The Maiar are wizards, servants of the Valar; such as Saruman, Mithrandir, and Radagast."

"They met gods?"

"Yes," Said Lindir doubtfully, eyeing you. "Do the people of your world not know of their gods?"

You scoffed dryly. "You kidding me? Almost everybody believes in some bearded guy in white floating through existence and pointing to a random spot, then saying 'Let there be light!' Bam, universe created. Others have much more gruesome stories; like in Norse, Odin and his two brothers cut up a giant to create the world. Then there was Egyptian, where two godly people representing the earth and sky consummated and BAM, universe created again. They all say the gods came from the sky, which others believe to be aliens-- people from other planets entirely-- but I've always been an atheist."

"And what does that mean?"

"That I don't believe a goddamn word of any of that 'god' shit."

"You should not speak of them so, for they hear all."

"Yuck. Let's hope they don't find somebody on their wedding night."

Lindir's eyes bugged out of his head. "That was... Sudden."

You grinned. "I'm like that. Get used to it, Lindy."

He frowned. "My name is Lindir."

"I know that," You laughed. "It's a nickname. It's a sign of friendship."

Lindir smiled. "Oh. Then we are friends, then?"

"Sure! I've never been friends with so many people before!" You looked ahead excitedly, waving when you seen Legolas glaring at you. So what if he was pissed? You'd make him un-pissed.

Lindir gave you a sad look. "But you have only befriended Legolas and myself."

"And Tauriel."

"Still, that is only three people." He looked genuinely confused. "Do the people of your world not believe in friendship either?"

You sighed. "Not really. They're more interested in betrayal. Me, personally, I've had it all. Betrayal, death, abandonment... I've gone through some shitty times, that's for sure. One catastrophe after the next. One painful step at a time through it. I've been through hell and back, been shattered like glass and looked death in the eye, and somehow, I'm still standing. Sometimes it feels like I've lived a thousand lifetimes in only nineteen years." You gave him a sideways smile before looking back ahead of you, trying to block all of the flashbacks...

Lindir regarded you with newfound admiration. "I can... See it, in your eyes. I believe all of us can. The things that you have endured are marked on your stride, and not many could recover from what you have recently gone through so quickly. A human with your strength is... Unheard of."

You laughed. "Yeah, 'cause now I'm an Elf!"

Lindir laughed too then, as did a few other Elves and she-Elves near to you-- as you walked out of the doors of Mirkwood's palace, you got this strange, tingly sensation in your core... The odd feeling of people laughing with you, not at you. The feeling of not being judged. Of people realizing you've been through hell. Of people not automatically striking you onto their enemy list because you're different.

As you moved into the north, the light filtering through the leaves was golden, and everything seemed at once surreal and ethereal. But aside from those two feelings, you felt one stronger than any other. You smiled as you looked around at your new friends in this new world, which still felt so familiar. You were happier than you'd ever been. Even though you'd miss your family, you were glad the portal had been closed.

And there are many paths to tread...

Through shadow, to the edge of night...

Until the stars are all alight...

You passed Blue-Eyes, who'd climbed a tree to scout, and when he seen your awestruck, childlike expression, even he, who was currently pissed at you, couldn't help but smile at down at you. You smiled back. That warm feeling returned.

Finally, I'm where I belong.

I'm...

I’m...home.

Tag List: @tesserphantom @thedragonghostofmordor @hauntedsiriel @reclusive-chicken-nugget @naryamirie @legolasdeserveslove @escapingthoughtsandsecrets @sagabriar @brushwood-souls @taurlel

If anybody wants to be tagged, just let me know!

Extra Notes: Elvish is SO FUCKING HARD. And yes I put the Elvenqueen in this. And dwarves are inbound. Don't guess the plotline, just DON'T.

Fun Facts: In Old Nordic mythology, there was a forest known as Mirkwood. There was also a dwarf called Durin, who created the line of the most power dwarfs, some of which, just to name a few, were Thorin, Fili, Kili, Dvalin, Balin, Oin, Oakenshield, and Gandalf. There were also many types of Elves-- Ljosalfar were the Light Elves, and Dokkalfar were the Dark Elves. In general, Elves were known as Alfar, and they lived in Alfheimr, "The Land of the Elves." Supposedly, Alfheimr had shining trees of silver and gold, like Lothlorien. Also, there was a dragon called Fafnir, a cursed fire-drake, coppery-red, who laid atop a mound of gold and guarded his wrongfully-taken treasure with his life. The original owner of this treasure was a dwarf, reduced to a husk of his former self, called Andvari, who, out of all of this treasure, loved most a golden ring, inscribed with runes. He cursed this ring, so that all who wore it would soon come into misfortune...

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waltzofthewifi · 4 years

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Chapter 35: The Climb

Table of Contents | Beginning

Kota was there as soon as she could be, barely a second before Ladybug arrived.

"There's people caught in the attack," Kota said.

Ladybug brought out her yo-yo, using the camera to zoom in on Nathaniel and Marc.

The scene was a mess. The akuma was on the street, hands raised up, and the buildings and pavement around him was lifted into the air. Nathaniel and Marc were huddled together on a piece of pavement floating seven or eight stories above the ground.

Chat Noir landed behind the superheroes, followed by Pegasus.

"There's two civilians near the akuma, but it looks like the people in the buildings are safe," Ladybug reported. "Getting up and down is going to be a problem. I wonder-"

"Goat miraculous?" Pegasus asked.

"Yeah, but I don't know who to give it to," Ladybug said. "Chat, do you-"

"Ladybug!"

All four heroes turned, to see Alix behind them, panting and out of breath.

"I want to help," Alix declared. "That's my best friend out there."

Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other, having a silent conversation. Watching their expressions, Kota could tell this wasn't the first time they had considered Alix for a miraculous.

She wasn't surprised. Alix definitely had the makings of hero.

Ladybug turned back to Alix. "I have a job for you. You three, keep the akuma's attention off of the civilians."

"Got it!"

"Understood, Ladybug."

To Marinette's surprise, Fu already had the goat miraculous ready for her.

"You have an ally in mind?" He asked.

Marinette nodded. "Yeah, Alix."

"The girl who will become Bunnyx?" Fu asked. "It would be a good test run for her. Make sure she's not afraid of heights, first."

"Oh, Alix isn't afraid of anything," Marinette replied. "Especially not heights."

Fu nodded. "I look forward to hearing how she does."

Ladybug landed in the secluded space she had brought Alix.

"Alix Kubdel," Ladybug said. "This is the miraculous of the goat. It grants the power of climbing. You will use the miraculous to help us against this akuma. Then you will return the miraculous to me." Ladybug held out the box. "Consider this a trial run for your time as Bunnyx."

"I understand."

Alix grabbed the box and opened it. A bright light flashed, and the goat kwami, Ziggy, zoomed out.

"Hello! I'm very excited to be working with you. I'm Ziggy, the goat kwami, and I represent the concept of climbing and ascension. To transform, just say 'ascend!' To activate your powers, the word is 'footholds' and it will grant you and your allies ledges to push off. You can use this power as much as you want once activated, but because of your age you will detransform after five minutes. To detransform, the term is 'descend'. Understand?"

"Yes," Alix said. "Ziggy, ascend!"

The transformation washed over her. Horns grew from her head, curving upwards then backwards and downwards. Her hair changed from bright pink to brown and pixie cut-short. She had a white turtleneck covered with a brown sweatshirt, which bunched up around her elbow pads and white gloves. Her pants were brown and fuzzy, with black knee pads and white boots with buckles like in-line skates. At her hip, a grappling hook appeared.

Alix grabbed it, pointed it at a building, and released it. It hit and stuck to the building.

"I can work with this," Alix said, recalling her hook.

"Then let's go."

The three heroes attacked in unison.

The akuma sent a piece of building flying at them, forcing Pegasus and Kota to dodge. Chat Noir vaulted over it without hesitation and landed in front of the akuma.

He was dressed in a purple three-piece suit, with nothing but the butterfly mask to indicate he was an akuma. Nothing stood out as to where the akumatized object was.

Chat Noir swept his feet out from under him. The akuma waved his hand, sending the piece of pavement he was standing on into the air. Chat Noir flipped off and hit the ground with a roll.

The akuma stood back out, only to take a kite to the face.

The ground underneath Kota began to rise, but she easily leaped off. She expanded her kite to full size, using it to ease her fall. The akuma threw a piece of pavement at her, and she dived to avoid it.

The akuma got a horseshoe in the face, just in time for Chat Noir to move in.

The three heroes continued, staggering their attacks but working in unison.

Pegasus went flying, and landed roughly on his ankle. Kota kicked a piece of pavement that was headed his way, giving him time to recover.

"Thanks," Pegasus said.

Kota was too out of breath to respond, so she gave him a thumbs up.

Ladybug arrived with another hero - presumably Alix - in tow, and the heroes regrouped.

"Any idea where the akuma is?" Ladybug asked.

"None," Chat Noir said.

"Perhaps this is like Dark Owl, and the akuma is not on him?" Pegasus suggested.

"That's allowed?" Kota questioned.

"Unfortunately," Chat Noir replied.

"Are the civilians safe?" Alix asked.

Chat Noir shook his head. "We can't get to them."

"What about a portal?"

"The ground is too unstable," Pegasus said. "I c- there's a large chance we'd end up in mid-air."

"That's what we need you for," Ladybug said. "You and Pegasus get the two civilians to safety, the rest of us will deal with the akuma."

"Understood."

Alix gave Pegasus specific instructions for where to place the portal.

"I don't know how accurate it will be," Pegasus warned as the portal opened at their feet.

"It'll be close enough," Alix replied.

She shot her grappling hook upwards, sticking it to a streetlight, and jumped through the portal feet first.

The portal was about two feet to the left of the pavement Nathaniel and Marc were stranded on. Alix had to swing over.

"Psst."

Nathaniel and Marc both jumped, having been enthralled with the fight on the street below.

"Need a ride?" Alix asked, offering her hand.

Marc took it tentatively, and Alix wrapped her arms around him. She retracted her grappling hook, shooting them both up and through the portal.

Soon, both Marc and Nathaniel were safe away from the portal.

"Thank you," Nathaniel said. "Uh, do you have a name?"

Alix hesitated. The first thing that popped in her head was Goat Girl, and that was not happening.

"Ibex," she eventually said. "My name is Ibex."

"Pound it!"

The five heroes fist bumped as the purified butterfly flew away. The akumatized object had ended up being butterfly cufflinks, and only a well-placed cataclysm and lucky charm had enabled the heroes to get close enough to break them.

"Good job, Ibex," Ladybug said. "You were a great help in getting those civilians to safety. You proved that you could be an amazing hero."

Ibex blushed. "Thanks, Ladybug."

"And Kota, Pegasus, excellent teamwork," Ladybug continued.

"And again, thanks for the save," Pegasus said. "You are very agile."

Kota felt her cheeks heat up. "Thanks. You did good too."

"I need to return the goat miraculous," Ladybug said. "See you on patrol tonight."

"Last chance to back out!" Kim boasted.

Lacy rolled her eyes. "You've said that twice already."

The belayers were definitely on Kim's side, since they kept eyeing Lacy weird. Alya, who was recording but not here to climb, Max, and Ondine all agreed. But Alix, Nathaniel, and Marinette were all firmly on Lacy's side.

"Recording?" Lacy asked.

"Yep," Alya replied. "Live on our class's page."

Lacy and Kim repeated the required dialogue with the belayers, and Max counted them off.

"Go!"

And Lacy was off.

She didn't have to think where to step, she just did. Up and up, until she was at the top and hitting the metal bar to declare she won.

She beat Kim by just a slither - but enough to be a clear victory.

The two repelled down, Kim scowling.

"Maybe you had the easier path?" He suggested.

Lacy shrugged. "Then let's switch sides."

The other side was even easier, and there was a full second between Lacy and Kim hitting the bar.

"I think it's clear who the winner is," Alya said when they back down.

"Don't feel bad, Kim," Lacy said. "I'm practically a professional."

Kim scowled, but Lacy could tell he wasn't too upset.

Alix slapped Lacy on the back in congratulations, and Marinette and Alya sent her wide grins.

"That was awesome!" Marinette said. "I know you said you used to rock climb, but I've never seen anyone move that fast!"

"I have," Alya added. "But only like superheroes. Chat Noir is super fast when he needs to be, and that new hero Ibex was fearless."

"But that's beyond the point," Marinette said. "Don't ruin her victory."

The high from the victory lasted for the rest of the evening. After their time at the climbing gym was up, the six of them headed to the Dupain-Cheng bakery for something sweet. Kim tried to see who could stuff the most macaroons in their mouth, but everyone else wanted to savor the food.

"You could always try to enjoy something without getting wrapped up in bets," Alix pointed out.

"But that's how I enjoy something!" Kim argued.

They were literally halfway out the door when Alix stopped and turned to Kim.

"Hey Kim, I have a theory I want to run by you," Alix said.

"Now?" Lacy asked.

Alix shrugged. "Why not?"

Lacy didn't have an answer, so she waited outside while Alix and Kim talked.

"I wonder what they're talking about," Max said.

Despite knowing, Lacy shrugged. It wasn't a conversation she particularly wanted to have, but there was no reason Alix couldn't have it. It had been Alix's theory anyways.

"Alix gets weird ideas," Nathaniel added.

Lacy watched, but she couldn't make out facial expressions from this angle. She wasn't worried - Alix would never spill her secret on purpose, and it really wasn't a secret - but she was surprised to find she was curious.

Alix came out looking victorious, which gave Lacy her answer.

"Told you!" Alix whispered. "He said his dad was a Norse god - Tyr, I believe."

"Haven't heard of him," Lacy said. "I don't know much about Norse mythology."

"I'll look it up when I get home," Alix replied. "Tell you all about it tomorrow."

Next Chapter

#kota #my writing #miraculous ladybug #fanfiction #Percy jackson #heroes of olympus #kane chronicles

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recentanimenews · 4 years

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A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Kamen Rider

For fans all across Japan, Sunday mornings have long been Kamen Rider and Super Sentai time. The latter is well known to Western fans thanks to the Saban Entertainment version of the show, which took the original’s monster fight scenes and cut them with footage of American actors and released it in the U.S. as Power Rangers.

Kamen Rider received the same Saban treatment and was released in the states as Masked Rider (1995–1997), but for whatever reason, the adventures of the grasshopper-looking, super-strong, super-fast superhero never really caught on the way the Rangers did. This may soon change, though, thanks to streaming services like VRV, which is bringing the Kamen Rider shows to Western audiences. But after being out of the loop for five decades, newcomers to the series will rightfully have a lot of questions before deciding whether to give Kamen Rider a go or not. We will attempt to answer some of them.

Who Is Kamen Rider?

Well, that’s the thing, there isn’t just one Kamen Rider. There are currently 128 of them spread across 31 shows and a dozen or so movies, some of which crossover in significant ways while others are mostly stand-alone productions. However, while most Riders are unconnected to each other, they all share certain similarities. Near every Kamen Rider is a human endowed with amazing powers via one of your typical superhero origins: some are cyborgs, some wear power suits, some are magic users, one is technically a zombie resurrected by “Earth Spirits.” Stuff like that.

The main Riders’ job is to save the Earth from threats that include everything from terrorist organizations to aliens, time-travelers, or ghosts. They also do this while wearing armor costumes and helmets equipped with bug-like eyes, with the overall insect theme being something of the characters’ most recognizable feature. Except during Kamen Rider Amazon when the show briefly experimented with a lizard motif. It thankfully didn’t last long.

This is actually where the genius of the character’s vague name really comes through. By going with a name as generic as “Masked Rider” (the literal meaning of “Kamen Rider”) the show doesn’t restrict itself to any particular theme, tone, or setting. As long as you have a character that is masked and maybe occasionally rides a motorcycle, you have yourself a genuine Kamen Rider experience.

How Did it All Begin?

The first Kamen Rider debuted in 1971 and told the story of Takeshi Hongo, a brilliant biochemist and motorcycle enthusiast who gets kidnapped by the evil organization Shocker and turned into a cyborg soldier. Before they have the chance to brainwash him into becoming a mindless killing machine, though, Takeshi escapes and starts trying to dismantle Shocker as the masked superhero Kamen Rider.

Another thing you should know about the character is that he was also wind-powered. Yeah, all his super strength, speed, and agility were all activated via a turbine in his “Typhoon Belt” which Takeshi needed to kickstart with a gust of wind, usually from riding his bike. Hey, they needed to justify the “Rider” part of the character’s identity somehow. The first series might appear a bit goofy (we didn’t even get to the part where Takeshi is supposed to have an IQ of 600), but there’s a kind of endearing quality to it. Those who love older sci-fi shows like the original Doctor Who or Star Trek are sure to get the same vibe from the original Kamen Rider.

It was also this incarnation that introduced the idea of having different Riders in the same show, which allowed the franchise to grow so much over the years, but the original’s legacy was never forgotten. For example, the newest Rider, from Kamen Rider Zero-One (2019-), sports a distinct grasshopper theme that’s a tribute to the Hongo character. Although his powers come from something much more realistic than the wind. He actually gets his weapon arsenal from an orbiting satellite where he also uploaded and enhanced his mind to learn how to become Kamen Rider Zero-One in seconds. See? Much more believable.

So Where Should I Start?

The first five Kamen Rider shows (Kamen Rider, V3, X, Amazon, and Stronger) are kind of a package deal. They have a lot of references to each other and are all tied together by the mentor character of Tobei Tachibana. Thematically, Amazon is the only odd one out of the entire group because of its inclusion of magic and its storylines. But besides that, the first five shows are almost one continuous story about the rise and fall of Shocker and all the revival evil organizations that came after it like Destron or the awesomely-named Black Satan. So a good place to start is actually at the very beginning with the original Kamen Rider, and if you don’t like it, there are a few other places you can try.

Kamen Rider Black (1987–1988) was an early attempt to wipe the slate clean and introduce a Rider that didn’t come with homework. This series once again features a cyborg character, only this one battled a mysterious cult commanded by an “ultimate evil” called the Creation King, perfecting the mix of fantasy and sci-fi that would come to define many later Kamen Rider shows. The sequel series, however, once again veered into a shared Rider universe and might seem too convoluted for casual viewers. Fortunately, once we get into the Heisei era (1989–2019) Riders, things do calm down a little bit.

Starting with Kamen Rider Kuuga (2000–2001), most shows can be enjoyed as stand-alone productions, even if they do have nods to previous incarnations and a crossover or two in the movies. Which Heisei Kamen Rider show to go with really depends on what you are into because most of them are about its One Thing — a main theme that inspires the look of the Rider, its enemies, the storyline, everything. You like cars? Then Kamen Rider Drive is just the show for you.

You like Japanese mythology? You’ll love Kamen Rider Hibiki. In the mood for time-traveling trains? Check out Kamen Rider Den-O. Into spaceflight and rockets? All 48 episodes of Kamen Rider Fourze are waiting for you. Do you, for whatever reason, want to see Kamen Rider with a Fruit Samurai theme? Then the universe loves you because it has allowed Kamen Rider Gaim to exist. Whatever you’re into, there’s a chance that there’s a Rider show out there especially for you, and the vast majority of them can be enjoyed straight out of the box. So do some Googling, pick a show, and see why Japan has been in love with these masked superheroes for half a century.

Do you love Kamen Rider? Which series is your favorite and why? Which show would you recommend to newcomers to the show? Let us know in the comment section!

Cezary writes words on the internet. You should follow him on Twitter.

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: [email protected]

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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katastroficwriter · 5 years

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Cutscene #5

*Once again, I apologize for the late update. This update would feel very rushed--but that’s because of my inexperience with writing action/fighting scenes. And because I needed to push the story to where it needs to be as soon as possible. I hope this fact won’t reduce your enjoyment of my au. ^^;

May 18, 20xx, 4:43 pm

“Hey, Kiiboy?”

“Not now.”

“Yes now.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Ye~s!”

Kiibo leaned against his seat, sighing in exasperation as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “What do you want this time? Can’t you see that I still have a lot of schoolwork I need to catch up on?”

“What I see is that you are in desperate need of a good walk in the park, my friend,” Ouma shamelessly plucked his roommate’s reading glasses and wore it on his head. “Getting stressed about doing work while doing work is hardly productive, you know.”

They spent a couple of minutes in an impromptu staring contest, to which Kiibo eventually forfeited.

“Fine. I suppose I do need a breather,” Kiibo snatched his reading glasses back from his roommate’s head. “As long as we don’t stay out too long, I guess it’s okay.”

“Great! There’s this good hotdog stand by the park. My treat!” Ouma grinned. ‘Step one--cleared.’

Kiibo shook his head. “No. I’ll treat you. You took care of me while I was sick.”

Ouma blinked in surprise before moving to cover his pleased smile. “Be careful there Kiiboy. Keep doing this and I might just fall in love~”

The albino simply rolled his eyes as he pocketed his wallet. “Ha, ha. Anyway, are we going or not?”

“Heck yeah we are!” Ouma skipped towards the doorway after shrugging his backpack on.

“What’s the backpack for?” Kiibo asked as he locked their room.

“It’s just in case something happens! Like sauce spilling on my shirt. Also first aid kit in case you...I don’t know, slip and fall or something. You’re just so clumsy that I can’t afford to be confident that you’re getting out of this trip unscathed.”

“Is this how you see me?” Kiibo huffed.

“I’m just stating facts, my good sir,” Ouma tipped his invisible hat. “Anyway we better hurry! If we wait around any longer they might run out of the good stuff!” He grabbed his roommate by the wrist and made a dash for the school gate.

After paying for their hotdogs, Ouma led Kiibo farther and farther from the crowd of people and into the forest. Which normally would raise alarm bells in any sane person who was being tugged into a forest. But this was Ouma. If Ouma wanted to murder him, he would have done so as soon as he went to sleep.

“Why are you taking me into the forest?”

“I usually go for walks while eating, and I happened to find this great spot to watch the sunset. There’s also a bench there! The best part is, no one really wants to walk all the way here just for a seat. So it’s practically all ours,” Ouma grinned.

“I see...”

“Oh it’s here! Man the light reflects really well in the lake--”

“A lake?”

“Yeah, a lake!” Ouma grabbed Kiibo by the wrist for the umpteenth time that day and led him to the bench with unbridled excitement.

Kiibo had his doubts, but the sunset view had rendered him speechless. Ouma wasn’t lying--the view was gorgeous. The way the sun’s rays bathed the forest with a soft yellow glow was something worth painting. Oh, if only he were a painter...

“You sitting or not?” Ouma punctuated his question by shoving the hotdog in his mouth as he patted the free space beside him.

“Ah,” Kiibo shook his head a little to snap out of his daze. “I’m sitting.”

Ouma simply smiled at him with his eyes since he was still busy chewing. At least he still had the manners to not speak while eating.

They spent time eating their snack in comfortable silence as they watched the golden orb that is the sun slowly sink under the horizon.

“Soooo...whatcha think?” Ouma tilted his head as he grinned--cheek stained with ketchup and mustard. Not at all ashamed of breaking the silence.

“...I think you need to clean your face up,” Kiibo heaved out a sigh as he made a move to wipe the other man’s face with a tissue. “And...you’re right. It’s pretty good. The price is affordable too.”

“Riiiight?! I always try to drop by their stand everyday--except when my schedule doesn’t allow me at all,” Ouma grabbed the tissue from the albino and started wiping his face on his own.

“By the way, there’s something I’ve been wondering about.”

“Mm?”

“I still find it weird that there’s a bench all the way out into the forest.” Kiibo looked around their vicinity. It was his first time visiting the forest area located in the park, and he wasn’t too sure if it’s normal to find a well furnished bench hidden by trees and foliage.

“No, actually,” Ouma paused to finish his last bite. “It wasn’t here before, but maybe I’m not the only person who found this spot after all. Probably asked some of the people in charge to move a bench here.” That’s a lie, of course. This was simply Step 2 of his plan.

“I see...I suppose that makes sense.”

“Well, at least we benefited off of it,” Ouma smiled, stretching his arms over his head before standing up and walking towards the lake. “I wouldn’t have brought you here if it weren’t for the bench.”

“So the bench was the most important thing here and not the view?” Kiibo quirked a brow.

“Of course! My comfort--and in this case, our comfort is way more important than watching the sun,” Ouma wagged a finger as though he was sharing valuable wisdom. “We can enjoy the view better if we’re comfortable.”

“You’re right,” Kiibo then crumpled the hotdog wrapper and shoved it in his pocket. “...Anyway, it’s getting dark. We should head back now.”

“No! Not yet!” Ouma puffed his cheeks. “We’re not here just to watch the sun set. We’re also here to watch the moon rise!”

“The moon...you do realize it would be really dark in the forest if we actually wait for the moon--”

“I know! That’s why I packed a flashlight in my backpack,” Ouma waved a hand in the general direction of his backpack which was resting on the bench.

“You’re awfully prepared for this. Did you plan to lure me out here from the start?” Kiibo shook his head in mild disbelief.

“What if I was? It worked, didn’t it?” Ouma winked. Now this was definitely not a lie. “Relax. Just stay in your seat and watch the moon, alright? We’ll go home as soon as it’s over.”

Aquamarine eyes stared into amethyst. He’s really doing a bad job at winning in conversations today. “Alright. Dinner’s going to be on you tonight.”

“I accept your terms,” Ouma could see it--how relaxed the albino was. His pupils were slowly dilating--the moon wasn’t out yet but the dark sky was starting to affect him. His body knows what’s about to come. Fortunately for both of them, Ouma knows too.

Truth be told, the thought of watching the moon rise filled him with dread.

Kiibo found it odd how he couldn’t remember anything that’s transpired during nighttime for the past few week. He can’t trust himself to study at night because of this. Which is why he rescheduled his studying time to the afternoon. It scared him a little--feeling this way. But surely there wasn’t anything wrong with him? Maybe he was falling asleep without him realizing which is why he doesn’t remember much about the night before…

“Kiiboy, it’s here.”

Prompted by his roommate’s voice, he looked up at the rising moon.

That was when he felt completely odd. His body froze at the sight of the glowing white orb on the darkened sky. His body felt hot. Extremely hot. His bones were aching. His entire body was shaking. His mind was growing blank the longer he stared at the glowing celestial body.

The worst part were his thoughts.

Kill.

Destroy.

Tear it to shreds!!!

Such violent words invaded his mind. Words that have never crossed his mind were filling his headspace. Commanding him to obey. He moved to stand up, trying to steady himself with the bench.

The pain that followed was sharp. Excruciating. It felt like he was being ripped apart and then later reassembled into a form that’s only vaguely his. Much like a badly sewn ragdoll that was given the Frankenstein treatment.

“Gghhk!!” The pain was unbearable. He couldn’t hear himself. But he could feel it. He could feel his throat growing raw from all his screaming. He felt like he was being slowly ripped apart from the seams.

Deaf to his own screams of agony, Kiibo didn’t realize that the sound that left his mouth were no longer screams of a pained human being--but rather the angered howls of a wild beast.

The soft rustling of the trees and the sight of leaves falling like gentle rain did little to calm the situation.

“Heh...not a bad form at all, Kiiboy. You’re honestly a lot bigger than what I expected you to be.“

“But size has never stopped me from putting a pup in its place.“

Their battle was without ceremony. What else do you expect when one of the parties is a rampaging werewolf?

Kiibo was completely acting out on his new instincts. The instinct to kill any and every vampire in sight. Despite his rather large form, his agility was not to be underestimated if Ouma wanted to live. Which he does.

Ouma swiftly transformed into his bat form and flew above his rampaging roommate before reverting to his previous form and landed a strong kick across the werewolf’s torso--sending it flying into a lake. He took this chance to catch his breath and to assess the damages he’s sustained.

“Tch...I won’t be able to hold out for too long at this rate...” he panted. “The one thing I desperately needed but failed to get a hold off--blood. Fucking awesome.” He glared at the torn sight of his navy blue hoodie. “He owes me a new hoodie too.”

The werewolf let out a furious howl as soon as it got out of the lake’s watery depths. It seems kicking him in ice-cold water only made him angrier.

Ouma cursed his exhaustion when he lost his footing mid-dodge. He grunted as his head collided against a tree before getting pinned beneath the growling creature.

“Shit--!!!” Ouma screamed when he felt Kiibo’s canines dig in his right shoulder. “Get off me you dumbass!” he aimed his punches at the albino’s eye in the hopes of making it lose its grip on his shoulder. Fortunately, it worked.

The vampire then struggled to move his legs upwards until his knees are pushing against his chest. “I said get off!!!” He kicked Kiibo on the chest with both of his feet as hard as he could.

Ouma then grabbed a fallen tree by its roots and smacked Kiibo away from him, not giving the werewolf time to recover at all. With a palm resting against his bleeding shoulder, he teleported on the werewolf’s back and dug his nails into its shoulder, eliciting a pained howl followed by another angrier one.

“Oh shut up! I’ve had enough of your BULLSHIT!” It had been centuries since he’s had his fangs out in its full length. It almost felt alien to him. Almost. He made sure to put in all of his strength into this one bite.

The deliciously rich flavor of werewolf blood mixing with Kiibo’s human ones filled his throat much to his content. His strength was returning and he could already feel his wound closing. Even Kiibo was having a hard time getting him off his back due to his growing strength.

Ouma only let go once he felt the muscles and bones beneath him shifting and crunching. He licked his lips as he watched his roommate slowly revert back to his original form. His naked and shivering form.

The vampire then moved to grab his backpack from the mess of fallen trees and pulled out a fresh change of clothes he got for Kiibo. He didn’t miss the confusion in the albino’s eyes when the latter saw his bloodied form approaching him in calm strides.

“What...happened?“ Kiibo’s voice was hoarse. Raw from all his screaming and howling before, during, and after his transformation.

“Oh, nothing much. Just had some intense make out session that got of hand. Ended up destroying a few trees here and there because of how amazing a kisser I was,” Ouma deadpanned. “--Of course that’s a fucking lie! You turned into a werewolf Kiiboy! I could have died!” He tossed the clothing at the albino with a frown.

“A...a werewolf...?” Kiibo blanched at the thought.

“Wear your clothes first. I’ll answer your questions later,“ Ouma idly rubbed his right shoulder, hiding his satisfaction of finding that the wound was no longer there.

Due to the roughhousing earlier, the bench got wrecked into mere splinters, and so they had no other options but to sit on the grass. As Kiibo listened to the voice recording Ouma took with his new phone, he felt dizzier and dizzier. The screaming was definitely his. And although it was a little vague--even during the growling parts, he could still hear traces of his voice coming from it.

Ouma’s bloody face and clothes were an indicator that this wasn’t an elaborate plot just to mess with him.

“I...how? This never happened before!” Kiibo regarded his companion with panicked eyes. “How could I...how could I suddenly turn into a monster?!”

“The ‘dog’ you took care of was a werewolf, you ding-dong,“ Ouma huffed. “How could you even mistake a wolf for a dog!?”

“It was barking, Ouma-kun. Wolves don’t bark! They howl, they growl--they don’t bark as often as dogs do!” Kiibo hissed, faltering a little when the pain from the previous skirmish was finally registering.

“Tch. Terrific acting from an old bastard, I see,” Ouma bit on thumbnail. “...In any case, everything’s going to be okay.”

“Okay? No I’m not! How am I supposed to deal with this?!” Kiibo grunted when he felt a slightly dislocated shoulder pop back into place. One of the perks of his new predicament is his enhanced healing. Not that it made him any happier. “There’s going to be another full moon tomorrow and--I still have a lot of schoolwork to do! I can’t--I can’t possibly juggle being a student and a monster at the same time!”

“Of course you can! All you need is some proper training and you’ll be able to keep your self-awareness even during a full moon,” Ouma patted him on the back. “Dogs can be trained. And you’re practically a big dog. Chin up!”

“Training. I don’t even know where to start.... For one thing I won’t be conscious tomorrow to even think of training, am I?” Kiibo groused, burying his face in his knees.

“It’s fiiine. Because I’m a vampire. I can keep you in check,” Ouma smiled.

Kiibo lifted his head to glare at him. “Look, it’s nice and all that you’re trying to cheer me up. But cracking jokes like that just makes me want to smack you. Because now is definitely not the time for jokes like that.”

“Huh? But it’s not a joke though! See for yourself!” Ouma tapped his neck on the left side, prompting the albino to do the same.

Kiibo froze when he felt two deep puncture wounds on his neck which was still in the process of healing up. He looked up at Ouma, eyes widening in shock when the latter unabashedly showed him his fangs.

He knew that he really should be more shocked--but the revelation that he’s going to be stuck as a werewolf monster for the rest of his life took the brunt of his shock. Not to mention how it felt like he had solved a mysterious riddle surrounding his odd roommate.

“Is that why you’ve been going around licking my wounds all this time?”

“Yup!”

Kiibo hid his face in his hands. His days of peace are now over.

“Nishishi! Don’t worry, I know a thing or two about werewolves~” Ouma snickered. “I’ll train you in exchange for your blood!”

“M...my blood?” Kiibo gulped.

“Mmmhm~” Ouma placed a finger against his own lips. “Now that you’re a werewolf, I could feed to my heart’s content without worrying about turning you~”

“I...I see...” Kiibo’s mind was reeling from the new knowledge. He knew he didn’t have much choice. Ouma was a vampire--another monster. He was pretty much the only person who can restrain him in his werewolf form as proven by this night alone. This was his only bet of maintaining his normal life without causing trouble for everyone. “...Alright. I accept.”

Ouma’s pupils narrowed into slits as he smirked. “That settles that then.”

#ndrv3 #ouma kokichi #kiibo #katastrofic writing #katastrofic doodle #in the dark au #tw: blood #tw: violence

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crazyrandomfucker · 5 years

Text

Adrien Augreste: Partners

As Chat Noir, Adrien had a lot of advantatges. He had enhanced senses, more strength, speed and agility, three great teammates, someone he loved and most importantly, a partner in crime. Of course, he didn't mean Plagg, he only enjoyed causing mischief. No, Lordbug was his partner in crime. Just like Chat was in love with Ladybug, Lordbug was in love with Kitty Noire, making the boys bond in the hard path of earning someone elses love. They were the partners in crime of love and they were commited to help the other. Thought it mostly was Lordbug giving Chat tips and useful advices to woo Ladybug, Lordbug himself didn't have quite the courage to even make a move on Kitty, always ranting that he didn't want to ruin the partnership and friendship they had.

As Adrien, thought, he had no chance to interact with Ladybug, much less flirt with her, as he was a public figure. He also didn't have someone to confide his love dilema, as noone was aware of his major crush on the bug heroine. No, that as a lie. Marin knew about his crush, but after their great sort of enemisty they had had in the past, it would be rather awkard to ask Marin about love. On the other hand, Marin was in love with Kitty Noire and had a minor crush on Adrienne, not knowing they were the same girl. He stood obviously no chance to interact with Kitty and he wouldn't confess his crush to Adrienne. No, thought Adrien, Marin did have a chance with Kitty, unlike him, since the cat-themed heroes sometimes went to Marin's roof or Marinette's balcony.

At the end, Adrien was conflicted. He had promised Lordbug to help him, but couldn't do it when the bug didn't made any effort. Marin maybe could make a move, and now that he knew how Marin truly was, he couldn't help but to think about how happy would Adrienne be if she started to date him. Well, Adrienne loved Marin for sure, maybe that would be the best option. He sighed and thought to apologize Lordbug the next time they had patrol together. A beep come out from his phone and he saw that, while he was lost in his thought, Mari had beaten him again in UMS. Welp, that was, what? The seventh time? The ninth? He had lost count. Marinette was the best videogame player he knew after all. But instead of sending another battle request, Mari texted him telling that the girls were now awake and that they would go to have breakfast. He replied that it was ok, that he'd probably go too in a couple of minutes.

As he sent the reply, Alen fell out of his improvised bed, letting out a very loud complain that woke Marin and Nino. Adrien laughed out loud and Alen throw him a pillow, thus beginning a pillow fight in the boys room. This time, Adrien teamed with Marin and they defeated the other two rapidly with an extraordinary cordination.

"What the hell happened last night? Since when you two get along so well?" complained Alen, defeated in the floor. "No, the real question is how can you two be soe well damn coordinated?" asked Nino incredulous. Marin and Adrien shrugged. "Well, I think it must be that now that we're not fighting against eachother, we can understand the other better" suggested Adrien. "it just felt natural" shrugged Marin. "Okay, who are you and what have you done to my buddies?" asked Alen jokingly.

The boys laughed and went to have breakfast, meeting with the girls in the kitchen. After having breakfast, they went to walk a bit around the city. The bodyguards were always following them, but from a certain distance to respect their privacy, which all the teens apreciated. In order to express their gratitude, the models made sure to stop by the shop with action figurines the bodyguards enjoyed so much.

They wandered around Paris before deciding to go te the shopping mall, not only to go shopping but also because it was almost lunch time. Adrienne suggested a japanese restaurant and everyone decided to go with that, so they ended up going to a japanese restaurant. As they were eating, Alya suggested to go to an arcade. The model twins commented excited how much they'd love it as they had never been to one and everyone suddenly agreed unanimously. When they finished their meal, they headed to Arca-World, the biggest arcade in Paris.

The models gawked as they stepped in what seemed to be the greates arcade in the world. The arcade had from Whack-a-mole machines and claw machines, to the latest arcade game. Everyone split up and went for their favourites, except for the models, who first just wandered around and thendecided to try some with the others. They first tried the air soccer with the Lahiffe siblings. the boys were close to the victory, but in the end, Nina managed to make a spectacular comeback and beat them. Then they switched to a shooter game against Alya and Alen, who were actually pretty great at it, but stood no chance against the models, who had spent their life playing spies. Finally, they saw the designers at the Road Fighters battling the other and decided to join. They battled six time to have everyone battle everyone. Mari simply beat all of them mercilessly, winning all her rounds with ease. Marin and Adrien tied, but both defeated Adrienne, who was down for loosing all the matches.

To make her feel better, Adrien and Marin took her to the claw machines and asked her to choose what did she wanted. Moved by that, she quickly searched for the cutest plushie she could see, choosing a little purple bunny. Adrien tried to catch it twice but failed and let Marin try for a round. Before the boy could even put a coin in the machine, a happy squeal sounded behind them, making everybody turn to see Mari hugging a giant black cat plushie from the giant claw machine and Alen and Alya with their jaw at ground level-

"This girl is insane, she got it at her first try" said Alya. "Is there even something here you're bad at it?" asked Alen astonished. "She what?" asked Adrien and Nino surprised. "Yeah, Mari and I are pretty good at games and arcade machines, including the claw. Mari's just better at some of them" said Marin, putting a coin on the machine and getting Adrienne's bunny, who also squealed and hugged tightly her new plushie. "Why the black cat thought? There are other more cute" asked Nina. "I just thought that it was so adorable that I couldn't help to get it" said Mari with a big smile on her face as she hugged the cat. "You look so adorable hugging that gigantic cat. It's almost bigger than you" teased Adrienne. "Well you look more cute hugging yours. I wonder why~" teased back Marinette. "It's decided, I'm kidnapping Marin to teach me his ways in this machines" says Alen.

And so the boys left to interrogate Marin while the girls went on full teasing mode, teasing Mari and Adrienne. Not much later they met again to go shopping, but Adrien separated Marin with the excuse that he wanted Marin to show him a certain shop. When they were alone Adrien put his hands on Marin shoulders and looked at his eyes very serious. The designer, taller than Adrien, looked confused to the model, wondering what could all possibly be about.

"Okay... What happens?" said Marin. "You have a crush on my sister right?" asked Adrien completely serious. Marin blushed a bit and rubbed his neck. "Well, I can't deny it". "And why don't you confess to her?" asked Adrien. "First and foremost, that wouldn't be fair to her since I also have feelings for Kitty Noire. Secondly, she's technically my boss and that would be rather unprofessional of me. Thirdly, I don't think I could ever gather the courage to do it". 'Damn' thought Adrien. 'He's just as insecure as Lordbug. If only he knew Kitty is Adrienne and that she likes him back...' And a plan come to his mind. "Okay, but why don't try it regardless? You're an awesome man, with a great passion and completely responsible. Noone would see you as unprofessional or anything. You just need a little push to see that you can actually do it. And as for Kitty... I think she'd be happy to know you're with Adrienne, I'm certain" "Aren't you being pushy today? I know we've make a truce and all that, but are you trying to be my wingman just now? Do you know how does she feels about me?" "Whaaaat? Ho-how coul I possibly kn-now?" said Adrien nervously. "Man, you suck lying. I already know she has a crush on me" said Marin. "You do?" asked the model confused. "Well, I'm not as dense or oblivious as someone I know, it was kind of obvious and Nina made no effort in hiding she was trying to hook us up" explained Marin. "Then why haven't you confesed yet?" asked Adrien not believing what he had just heard. "I told you I can't get myslef to do it" "Marin, just confess. I'm going to get you two separated and you better tell her your feelings or I'm going to kick your butt" said Adrien and left, leaving the designer mind blown and alone.

Adrien started to plan everything to make sure to ctreate a perfect chance for her sister and Marin to confess their feelings. Just for that day, he was determined to be cupid, to be Marin's partner in crime and to be the best brother of all times.

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous fanfic #miraculous au #Twins!Au #adrien augreste

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