#HOOO BOY I LOVE BEING MENTALLY STABLE | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

beloshii · 1 month

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Hooo Boy...

Yesterday,I watched a video about this certain trend,that was about tradwives and how we,as women,should return to that.

And,like... Don't they realize those influencers that presumed to be such a "traditional" role(because what they do is the opposite of what they supposedly have to do,because come on,what kind of traditional housewife,especially guided by the bible,would go to the internet to presume such a lifestyle? Exactly none.), is far from being good for most of us? Do they know about the global economy,at all?

What this person that I watched this(it's in spanish by the way) pointed out important points,so I'll say them here,in case anyone here might want to know these questions/points.

And it was that how dangerous it could be for going to that lifestyle,especially young and with no backup plan,because you'll be in such a vulnerable position,whether you see it or not.

The important questions some must ask and reflect are: What if,what if your presumably loving and devoted husband leave you,with nothing but kids,just because he found a better model to be with? As in... Someone younger? Would you be just fine?

What if the man suffers an accident and could no longer provide? What if he's gone? Have you ever think about those? And worse, with kids,little kids that are not even in puberty?

"Oh,but I have friends/my parents to support me,you fEmInIst hEaTheNn 🙄" Okay Sarah, what if your parents live elsewhere,unaware for now about your serious situation? Or live far away? Also,your friends do their own lives,they cannot cater to your needs the whole time.

And fyi, nothing wrong with that lifestyle,but you have to give a lot of thought before saying "yes" to your potential future husband,because once married, there might be changes,and that man--not even you, would have the mentality of highschool sweethearts,you'll be adults and more so if both happen to have a baby already.

Also, I don't think those people are pro-life if they only care about fetuses and only babies,and NOT the rest of the life of that creature,but that's a subject that someone more prepared on this could discuss or teach.

Girls,I'm from a hispanic country,in which we don't seem to advance on that matters,if so there shouldn't be any feminicide daily,or some cowards mocking about other women via here,on internet.So our "traditional" homes... How do you think they used to be or possibly still? Correct, both parents work,because the salary and the current economy cannot make one of them to stay at home,unless your hubby is more than stable to maintain not only that house,but you(that you're in charge of the money and the house running), grosery, your kids and whatever else could arise and if you want to live in that way, then that man shouldn't even complain of being having a pent up stressed for getting even two or three jobs to give you a good,or decent life.

Also that type of content? Only, what, a 3% of the global population could afford that,and sorry,but you,me and many others are not part of that.

Work,study a degree of your preference,gain at least a bit of money,believe me,you'll feel good for having a bit of your own and if you can afford to buy a house,put your name on that paper,otherwise and hopefully it won't happen soon to you or not at all like that, you may end up in the streets,or having to depend on someone else.

Remember: all of us are human, limited beings,okay? So do not ever take what you have for granted or romanticize about this lifestyle currently, you won't know what would happen in three years, fifteen and so on,have a backup plan if something could go wrong.This is not me being a fatalist or scaring you about this, it's to prevent a harsh result in the future.

Also,having kids cannot be a secure thing that you'll have "someone to take care of you when you're old". No fam.No.Nope girlie. Those kids will grow up,possibly would want to be independent by,let's say... 23 years old,do their own life,possibly a family on their own,travelling or living in another country,so... Don't be that selfish or controling.

And remember girlie! Not every woman is maternal nor wishes to be a mother,so don't look down on those childree women,I'm one myself.Also,Idk if anyone else goes from this,but sometimes a woman might not want a baby because some might be sensitive or very sensitive about specific things babies do (i.e. throwing up, shitting the diaper a lot),as in being easily grossed out about that,others cannot give birth, have fertility issues,or they simply just don't seem to be mothers and so on, so no need to force or be coercive with childfree women,we have our reasons to not.

And please don't ever use,as your preferred weapon the bible,because there's a psalm or a passage that says that women that didn't give birth are also blessed women.I don't remember where,or if it's with those exact words,but somewhere there it states that.So... mhm.

Speaking of which,in no page stated that you must be a brainless doormat to submit to your man's whim.Only with God,because you're a devoted woman,right? And if he made you as His image and He lives in you... Shouldn't you treat yourself better,lady? If He wouldn't like for us to be vocal about things, He shouldn't even gave us a tongue or a wonderful mind to begin with,in the words of this person that I watched the video about this. This is for those who use recklessly the bible as their favorite weapon to give reason to what they do btw.

And,as an extra thing that some women might tell you about this is that you should get a hobby,if you have time.I dunno, learn a new language, knit, do some gardening, go to online classes about a topic you like to know, learn to bake... Idk ,something like that,so you'll have something on your own and not waiting for the other to do the things you might want to do.

It's good to enjoy what you have now with that person,but please think about a long-term posibilities, what could I do if this or that happens,it could save you a lot of heartache and deceptions and sorrowness.

Learn to dicern from online stuff-fictional settlements that you see here on the internet and the reality,what you see in everyday.

#sorry for the long post but I wanted to share my opinion on this #it's very important to learn about financial stuff though #bel rambles #oh whenever I post about my thoughts or opinions that tag I'll use

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what-breaks-my-heart · 3 years

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Here are some brief thoughts on kdrama that started airing in 2020 that I've watched. I said brief, but those who have been following me would appreciate that this is indeed, brief.

The list is in alphabetical order.

1. 365: Repeat the Year (MBC)

Disclosure: I am a HUGE Lee Joon Hyuk stan. He is second only to Hyun Bin on my list. The fact that this drama is on the top of this list is a happy coincidence 🥰🥰

I was soooooooo excited when I knew Lee Joon Hyuk was to star in a new drama. MBC made the announcement of the drama late last year, and I was literally walking to the office when I saw the announcement on ig.

The premise of the drama was pretty straightforward. 10 people were given the chance to travel back in time exactly one year prior. Mysterious things kept happening to the people who took the trip, so our Detective Ji “Fluffy-Hair” Hyung Joo and webtoon writer Shin “Self-Hater” Ga Hyun joined hands to figure out what exactly happened.

Once they finally figured out what caused the mysterious cases, they faced a great dilemma on what to do, with our Fluffy Hair detective running as a fugitive.

The ending was really sad, and I really wished it ended differently, but the main character of the story was our Fluffy Hair detective, and him having to live on and reset the whole thing from the new past was a nice touch to the ending.

This drama was full of surprises, twist and turn, and it is certainly a drama I would consider rewatching in the future.

2. Do You Like Brahms? (SBS)

Many people criticised the second half of this drama. Apparently the year 2020 is the year when kdramaland keeps being a disappointment, and many people are quick to include this drama in the list of disappointing drama, despite having a good beginning.

I beg to differ though. To me this drama feels more of a healing drama, wherein the characters are forced to deal with their issues. And anyone who has had to go through any form of therapy knows how hard healing process is.

TL;DR: The main leads are both people who have been mentally abused by the people around them, except for Cha Young In, because she was the only reason I did not throw my remote control at my 50-inch TV.

Park Joon Young is your classic example of a ‘gifted kid’ struggle. He was seen as a young, talented pianist who had a bright future ahead of him. But people started to treat him more like a trophy than a human being, so he decided to take a sabbatical, much to the criticism of people in the music industry. Park Joon Young realised that his passion in playing the piano has faded away, no thanks to his abusive piano professor who belittled him again and again, and practically brainwashed him into being a people pleaser. You could see how Park Joon Young was not himself in the beginning of the drama once you finish the drama.

Chae Song Ah took interest in violin at a later age (much later than professional musicians) and decided to pursue her dream by enrolling into a music programme. Her classmates were all younger than her, and it didn’t help that they all learnt music since much younger. I love how Song Ah did not give up on her dream easily and gave it her all, before she finally decided to let go of her dream to become a musician. The metaphor of her love for violin and Joon Young hurting her again and again and she just endured it though.. I cried like a mess well I am a mess but that’s a separate issue

Special shout out to Cha Young In who was there for both of them.

3. Flower of Evil (tvN)

If thriller is your thing, consider this drama. If you are one of those people who like to see your characters being tortured (physically and mentally), this drama is a MUST WATCH. And if you enjoy watching Lee Joon Ki playing a character who is put at a great distress because he is trying to run from his past, go watch this drama.

More importantly, if you enjoy a drama where your ML is sexy, attends to house chores and takes care of his bright young daughter while his wife goes crazy for solving violent crimes, a devoted husband who is attentive and a tender person but also a freak in the sheets, you are wasting every single of your breath not watching this drama.

I mean look at this man teasing his wife about his stamina.

Flower of Evil did not feel draggy at all. Everything that happened within the first 6 episodes could have been an entire drama if this was written by someone else. Seriously, this drama kept me at the edge of my couch!

The dynamic of HS and JW screams POWER COUPLE but at the same time it broke my heart how they were pushed into corners too many times by the people around them I do hope they had some sexy times while they were in the corners though

The focus on their wedding rings throughout the drama symbolised their unbreakable bond. The wedding rings were literally the very last thing that kept them together when JW stumbled upon evidences that pointed against HS.

JW, whose compass was only trusting what she saw, and not what she heard, tried to break the stigma of women being at a disadvantage in the police force. Heck, she was better than her entire team when it came to solving cases, her being the only woman in the team. Who said women cannot make good cops?

The plot twist though.. And the climax.. To this day, I still listen to this soundtrack from the drama and cry just thinking of the climax.

4. Into the Ring (also known as Memorials) (KBS2)

I didn’t even plan on watching this drama. I was channel surfing and saw Park Sung Hoon looking all depressed in the first episode and ran into Koo Se Ra. Girl was UNHINGED and determined to fight for her way.

Her motivation was initially on getting a stable pay check from being a district representative (it was only 60 million won which is like USD55k so it’s not that much) but she eventually became the district representative who fought for the benefit of the people and did not care for the political warfare that took place.

Came along Seo Gong Myung, a government officer in the local government office who was demoted from planning unit of the accounting department or something to be a secretariat to the district assembly. Seo Gong Myung sticks to his principle no matter what, which surprise surprise, is HATED by everyone in the district government.

Turns out our main leads were friends when they were kids so Se Ra kept teasing him and dragging him into her scheme of fighting for the people, which Gong Myung agreed to, not so much because he was a community-loving person, but because he was afraid Se Ra would get into trouble since she was as straight as a ruler.

Long story short, our leads fell for each other, and their relationship was HILAIROUS to watch. I think I speak for everyone who watched the drama that we had no reason to believe Se Ra did not peg Gong Myung for fun 😝😝

They were so cute together awwww

5. Kairos (MBC)

This is another drama that I stumbled into. Only this time, I saw Nam Gyu Ri and I remember seeing her ig post on a new drama so I decided to give it a go. She wrecked my heart in 49 Days so I decided to check this out for funsies. Hooo boy was I in for a major surprise.

The first two episodes got me hooketh!! I still cannot believe how the drama managed to keep me on my edge especially during the last 5 minutes of every episode. The pacing is even faster than Flower of Evil, and since this drama went back and forth between past and future, it keeps me guessing whether their efforts would bear fruit.

Will Kim “Sexy Brain” Seo Jin and Han “I-Know-No-Fear” Ae Ri succeed in fighting the evil, who at this point in time remains unknown? I know Chairman Yoo Seo Il is currently being hinted as the culprit behind everything but I know better that he is just a puppet who sold his soul to the real devil who most likely is in the higher ranks in politics. I mean he even hinted at his remorse for what happened with Taejung Town 19 years prior. My suspicion is he is trying to cover up whatever happened because otherwise his own family would be at risk, so his only option is to redeem himself by doing something about the Taejung Town. I could be wrong, but regardless of who turns out to be the real villain in the story, I can say I am so satisfied by how the story has progressed so far.

The time paradox still hurts my brain, but I am choosing that this drama does not assume that time is linear.

There is still not enough people watching this drama and I’m begging you all to go and catch up before it ends in two weeks time.

6. More than Friends (JTBC)

A little trivia: I reblog most of the posts from @kdramastuff even if I am not watching the show at the point of reblogging the posts. I had been following her posts on this drama for 3 weeks, and I finally decided to marathon all 6 episodes and joined the watching party.

More than Friends was another drama that many people called a disappointment but I had a different opinion on it. Yes, I used to be the nerd who had different opinions on many things in high school sue me

The drama is premised on Kyung Woo Yeon who is said to have a crush on her high school friend, Lee Soo for 10 years. Lee Soo is nowhere near to be the perfect boyfriend material. He is selfish, does not care about other people’s feelings, and was always a lone ranger.

BUUUUUUT, Lee Soo seemed to show signs of care and affection (even though it was not at all for a normal person’s standard) for Woo Yeon. Surprisingly, he seemed to only do it for Woo Yeon and gave attention to Woo Yeon alone, even though he could practically pick and choose anyone he liked from the swarm of girls who were chasing him.

One day, he told Woo Yeon that he had to leave to the US to study, which made our girl sad. She decided to confess at the airport, but he outright turned her down, saying he only wanted to be friends with her. Over the time, they kept running into each other by coincidence (note: her name Woo Yeon is a wordplay on coincidence in Korean). Later, it was revealed that he wanted her to always be by his side, but he has built a wall as tall as the Great Wall of China before the idea of love so he didn’t realise what his true feeling for Woo Yeon was all along.

Woo Yeon, who felt sick of the ten-year crush, decided to end the “curse” and kissed him by the beach, thinking of getting a closure on her crush.

Long story short, Lee Soo finally realised his feeling for her and decided to confess, but by that time, a young, handsome, rich CEO of a conglomerate has entered into the picture. Cue the game of cat and mouse between Lee Soo and Woo Yeon about resentment, regret and relationship.

This drama was promoted as a romcom, but it feels more like a slice-of-life drama with a mix of melo and romcom in there. Seriously, I cried buckets watching this drama, not something you’d expect from a romcom. The dialogues were well-written, with each episode revolving around a specific theme. This was such a good drama coming from a rookie writer.

This drama did not have that many viewers to begin with, and many of those few people dropped it along the way, including the one who was responsible in getting me hooked into this drama :p By the end of it, there were so few people talking about this drama in the tag (shout out to @dohyunsoo @have-yet-to-decide @starfire-s @thbn-anything for keeping me company to the very end of this drama)

This drama broke my record of screenshots per episode and total screenshots for any show. Until now, I have yet to finish posting them. I should probably upload more screenshots later tonight.

This drama had some AMAZING shots in the first half, with beautiful sceneries mostly in Seoul. It’s like what they said, “a daily occurrence for you, a trip for me”.

7. Oh My Baby (tvN)

I did not even remember watching this drama!! It was only after scrolling through my gallery that I saw I had shared some posts on my ig story about the drama.

It was in the middle of a lockdown when this drama aired and many of my memories from back then feel so distant to me.

The plot was not THAT good, but this drama is something you may consider if you like torturing yourself about the struggle of wanting to have a baby.

8. Once Again (KBS2)

Arguably one of the weekend family drama KBS2 in a while that kept me waiting for new episodes in front of my TV. Some people are turned off by weekend family drama because they tend to have slow pacing which makes viewers feel like they are being dragged to one of those boring corporate events that you would rather miss and wish you could be literally anywhere else.

Because this drama had more pairing than the typical weekend family drama, the story did take some time before it was on full momentum. It did feel like the drama could have been better with even one less sibling to worry about, but it was a fun watch in the middle of lockdown.

Will I watch it again? I’d rather rewatch House of Bluebird (starring Lee Joon Hyuk and Lee Sang Yeob as friends to enemies to friends again) because that drama spoke to me in a way that was more relatable. No hate to Once Again though. I just prefer House of Bluebird better.

Note: Justice for Song Ga Hee and her lovely son, Kim Ji Hoon. He had to grow up so much because of what happened to his mother, that it broke Ga Hee’s heart. And mine of course

9. Secret Forest 2 (tvN)

I watched Secret Forest once it has finished and I fell in love with the drama! Imagine my excitement when they announced Secret Forest 2 with my three main characters reprising their roles. No hate to Yoon Se Ah, I love her, but her screen time in Secret Forest was not enough to make me excited about her return. But I was pleased with her role in Secret Forest 2 and I hope if there is a third season, her character gets the redemption arc that she yearns for.

Secret Forest 2 was not as intense as the brilliant original, but I understood that it had to do with the overall theme of the season, and the theme required the script to be as such. Some people may argue me on this, but I still think what they pulled off was brilliant.

Too bad there was a severe lack of Lee Joon Hyuk on my screen though.

10. Tale of the Nine-Tailed (tvN)

Well. This drama went far beyond my expectation. The OTP was to die for. No such thing as miscommunication trope. This drama did not waste time on unnecessary drama. The pacing was incredibly fast, even faster than Kairos. Although to be fair, Kairos had to play with two different timelines and required time to establish the setting.

I’m sad about what happened to Lee Rang, but he did what he did, and he would never be able to erase that much pain from his memory even if the deities decided to be lenient on him because of his roles in killing off Imoogi. A fresh start as a human seemed like a fair reset to his life, and I hope he lives well, surrounded by people who love him.

I was never a fan of Jo Bo Ah (no hate on her, I was just indifferent) but this drama opened my eyes to what an incredible actress she is. I wish her a successful career ahead.

#365 repeat the year #365: repeat the year #do you like brahms #do you like brahms?#flower of evil #into the ring #kbs memorials #mbc kairos #more than friends #oh my baby #kbs once again #secret forest 2 #tale of the nine tailed #kdrama #kdrama review #kdrama opinion #personal #annual drama recap

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volganic · 4 years

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Song of the Spirit

hooo boy finally this chapter is done because its been a pain in my ass

ty liz as always i love you so much for helping me whenever i need it!!!! you really are the biggest mvp

song is translated from its original german, but i wont torture you guys yet with that nonsense...... yet >:^)

[part 1] [part 2]

Another moon cycle had passed when Link found himself being called to the castle's chambers with orders to return to Death Mountain. To his surprise, General Impa had taken his word of advice and sent not only a negotiator, but a messenger as well, to gain intel on the witch -- under the condition that the captain accompanied them to their destination in one piece. A day hadn't even fully passed before the captain ultimately made the decision to have his escorts return to base.

"Are you sure about this, captain? The general had made it clear that it was imperative that we--" the negotiating party was cut off by Link's mount abruptly turning to halt their own. His features were knit together tightly with a stern glare; he was not going to repeat himself again.

The two soldiers shared a quick look of doubt between themselves. As quickly as they had looked to each other, they were back on alert and gave their leader a salute. They turned their horses around to leave Link to continue on alone.

"It's better without them," he assured himself. "They're safer at base." A reclusive dragon like Volga wouldn't take too kindly to more than just one stranger, let alone three in his dwellings.

Link had made it to the neighboring village before nightfall, just in time to gather any more information before heading up to the caves. He barely managed to stow away his horse into an unused stable before a crowd of people surrounded him, showering him with praise and gratitude for bringing peace to their little town. Link declined their gifts with a tentative smile; their allegiance to Hyrule was all that was needed.

True to his word, Volga's forces had not been seen prowling about in their streets. It was a relief to hear that he hadn't lied about his honor.

"You're going back up the mountain? Why The dragon might get angry! We aren’t prepared to face his wrath again!"

"It's been peaceful all this time, are you sure it's wise to do that, Mister Hero?"

He left them with their questions unanswered as he waved goodbye. It didn't take too long to reach the end of the village, coming to the base of the mountain. A cold shiver ran up his spine. He wasn't keen on taking another chance at getting lost in the caves again, but it was for the sake of protecting Hyrule. Inhale, exhale. He willed himself to relax as he made the short hike up the side of the mountain to the entrance of the Eldin Caves.

This time, he was prepared -- and a little more experienced.

A wave of doubt creeped into his mind on how well this tunic really protected him from the fires and scorching heat inside, but he'd be playing a fool if he wandered into the dragon's lair without any protection again. He slipped the ruby red tunic on quickly over his head and turned the corner. He locked eyes with a pair of Dinolfos that guarded the entrance. Last he had remembered, they weren't Dinolfos but Lizalfos -- and these two were much larger than their counterparts.

The pair took a defensive stance with their weapons drawn as Link approached them cautiously, shrinking in on himself with hands up to present himself as harmless. The drakes kept their intense stare on the Hylian even as he began to sign to them. He hooked both of his index fingers together and turned his wrists, alternating their positions. “Friend.”

The lizards didn't move.

Were they confused? Did they not know sign language? Suddenly Link became very unnerved by the situation he found himself in. The Dinolfos chattered among themselves, still keeping their weapons upright. If he couldn't communicate with them, how else would he get in? He promised Volga he wouldn't start or involve him in a war -- and he wasn't going to start by killing the two Dinolfos over a miscommunication. He cleared his throat while still holding his nonthreatening posture, gaining the pair's twin predatory stares.

"V-V... Volga."

His throat ached. Link's vocal chords weren't accustomed to much use beyond the bare minimum of simple gestures. He can't remember the last time he had even spoken a full sentence, much less anyone's name.

The two Dinolfos tilted their heads in sync. It was an eerie motion, even moreso with their owlish blinking. This time they seemed to understand, lowering their weapons and shuffling apart to grant entry. Link let go of the breath he had unconsciously had been holding as he brushed past them with his hands still raised.

That was easy enough.

A sinking feeling pooled into the Hylian's stomach when he entered the cavern, immediately met with a very familiar river of lava. He mentally prayed to the goddesses that he wouldn't have to repeat the ordeal he went through his last venture through the caves. This time, there were sounds of more activity: a Lizalfos scratching there, a Dinolfos roaring there. If he could see well enough against the bright shine of the fires, he would swear that even their shadows were dancing along the rock walls. It was comforting to know that he wasn't completely alone -- however, the risks were still there.

He racked his brain for the easiest route back to the crystallized caves. There was no absolute guarantee that Volga would be back where he had last seen him, but it was worth a shot. The Hylian ducked into tight corners and behind any sizable boulders he could when a stray reptile came into his view. He made a mental note that he was going to have to bring materials with him to make a map at some point. The tunnels seemed to go on forever, opening up into separate rooms that Link knew for sure weren't there last time.

He was brought out of his train of thought when a haunting sound echoed off the tunnel walls, bringing him to turn his head to the direction of the sound. Clearly the goddesses were pitying him the second time around.

æ d ɪ d ə m

Link tore his gaze away from the Lizalfos he had been stalking to break into a sprint. Now, it wasn't a tune of deception leading to a premature death. No, this was a lifeline. He wasn't going to risk repeating his mistakes and getting lost, succumbing to the heat -- he couldn't! He needed this intel for the sake of protecting Hyrule. An unknown enemy was a larger threat than the fiery blaze of the Eldin Caves.

æ d ɪ n f ɪ n ɪ t ə m

The melody became clearer and clearer with every hurried step he took down through the winding tunnels. The passageways also became tighter and tighter, but the song still hung through the air enough to pull him through the tightest of crawlspaces. He favored to ignore the alarmed screeches some of the Lizalfos he had run past to focus on the echoes. It sounded like an entire choir of voices.

ɪ n m e m ɔ: r ɪə m k ʌ n ʌ m

He came to a screeching halt. The tunnel opened up into the largest cavern he had ever seen. Rather than dwelling in the favorable crystal blues, the entire mountain's source of lava seemed to pool here into a lake. There in the middle of what he could see over the edge he had found himself standing on was the familiar shine of a draconian helmet. The tall figure stilled, sensing the Hylian's presence.

The song was cut short.

"Come down, boy."

Link hesitated at the sound of the dragon's cool voice. He didn't realize he had begun to sweat until now, brushing his hand against his forehead. The aria still buzzed in his eardrums as he willed himself to move, but his legs remained frozen in place. Even though he knew that he was not in any danger of being eaten, he remembered what a formidable warrior Volga had proven himself to be. The sound of the other's weapon scratching along the volcanic floor almost made him jump out of his skin.

"Now."

Link did as he was told this time, adrenaline running through his veins to give him control over the rest of his limbs. As to not keep an impatient dragon waiting, he favored to jump off the edge of the cliff, breaking his fall into a roll. There was still some hesitation pulling at him as he brushed himself off, a poor attempt to look somewhat presentable as he stood at the dragon knight's side.

"Why have you come back? I've kept my end of the bargain," he snapped, keeping his eyes ahead into the bubbling magma. "As you might have even seen, my kin are within the boundaries of the mountain, away from villages Hylian and Goron alike. You have no reason to return here."

"I'm here about the witch," the Hylian signed, pulling himself away from Volga's side to step into his view. "Princess Zelda's orders. I need more intel."

"Have your whelp look for that witch herself. I've told you everything I know about her. If that is all you've come for, consider your time wasted."

Link's stern expression cracked. He's come all this way for nothing? As if the goddesses couldn't be any crueler-

He snapped his fingers to pull Volga's attention back onto him. He wasn't going to let himself be dismissed so easily. "If you can't tell me any more about her, then at least help me prepare for her eventual arrival!"

"Have you forgotten that I have said my allegiance will not be bought? I refuse to serve for your arm-"

"Not the army," he interrupted with another snap of his fingers. "For me." Link's gaze fell to his feet as they shuffled, planting himself into the ground. "I'll admit... I was weak last time we met. I don't know much about being this hero everyone expects me to be, but," he looked up the knight, determination bright in his eyes, "I need to learn from a real warrior. If you won't do your part by fighting against this witch, show that you respect me by teaching me how to bring her down!"

Volga stared at the Hylian. He was a fool for venturing into his lair for a second time, prey to his song. However, there was a potential in him that he could sense had been yet to be used; he surely was fiery enough to dare cross paths with him again. Maybe, just maybe, should he indulge the poor boy this once, he'd be left out of the sight of the Hyrulean army's sight to live his life without being in the crossfires of any human war.

A low growl rumbled out of Volga's throat. "Very well. I will teach you to fight. However," he warned, "I will not be the one to fight you." His clawed hand wrapped around the end of his spear to pull it from the ground. He turned away from the rivers of lava and motioned Link to follow him.

---

Link blocked another heavy blow with his shield from one of the Dinoflos's sudden strikes. They were out in the cool night air, the sounds of a heated struggle mixed with clashing steel ringing up into the sky. Volga had resigned to seat himself off on the sidelines to observe how advanced the Hylian's swordsmanship skills were; from the looks of it, his skills were capped higher than that of any other unlucky member of the Hyrulean forces, but his strikes were still less than deadly. The knight dug through the pile of rocks he had brought along with them, crushing them in his gauntlets and dusting away the rubble for precious ores that laid within them.

A sharp cry left Link's throat as the Dinoflos chieftain's blunt sword struck his side. The chieftain took this time to push the Hylian back with a harsh shove with its armored gauntlet, nearly toppling him over the cliff side in success. The drake looked to its master for another order, allowing the Hylian to pull himself up in a position other than completely vulnerable.

Volga crushed another stone in his hand -- ruby. "Again," he said flatly, waving them off to deposit the gem into a pile with the others. The Dinolfos growled and directed its attention back to Link, who was starting to show signs of exhaustion. He slowly pulled himself up to his feet and drew his white sword back into an attack stance, looking past the chieftain to glare at Volga.

He wasn't even watching. It annoyed him that the only person who had any decent skill to advise him in his training was treating it like a chore. His eyes turned back to the drake in front of him, ignoring the feeling of his lungs burning to strike at it with a renewed energy laced in his battle cry.

The dragon's attention was piqued at the sound, followed by the sharp screech of steel meeting steel. Concealed eyes tore themselves away from the rubble in his claws to observe the sparring. "No," he frowned, narrowing his eyes as he watched Link slowly beginning to overtake his kin, pushing the large reptile back with a shove of his shielded arm. Volga listened intently for the sound again, the pair now having gained his undivided attention.

Fire scorched through the air as the chieftain roared in the Hylian's direction, deflected by the shield. Link planted himself into the ground, counting the seconds before he knew the flames would die out to line himself for a counterattack. It came soon enough as he let out another fierce cry to strike at the Dinolfos.

Ah, there it is.

Volga stood briskly from his seat to deflect Link's sword from landing on his kin. The curve of his spear's blade was the only thing blocking his kin from a brutal attack. The Hylian and the chieftain both gave the dragon a puzzled look. He withdrew his weapon from Link's and turned to the Dinolfos, nodding his head in dismissal. The large reptile scrambled up in a hurry and retreated to the dwellings of the cave.

His cold stare then turned to Link who still held his expression of confusion. It didn't last long across his features as his brows furrowed together, opting to drop his sword and shield at his feet to sign furiously. "What the hell was that, Volga? I was about to take him down, but you cut me o-"

"Why do you not use your voice?" he questioned, tone harsh. His clawed fingers wrapped around the base of Link's chin to keep him still. "If you wish to lead an army, you must have a voice to lead them with. Why aren't you using it?"

Link flinched at the barrage of questions with the stinging pain in his chin. He shook his head slowly, his expression falling sullen. His fingers curled anxiously as he willed himself to speak with his hands. "I can't speak. It's always been that way."

"Liar." The knight released his grip on the Hylian's face as he looked to the moon. "You heroes are too proud to even allow yourselves the luxury of basic communication. Either mute, selectively mute, or otherwise," he glared. "Not everyone will give you the chance to speak with your hands as you so choose."

"You've known the other heroes?" he asked, eyes wide in wonder. "How does that work?"

"I might not have met them myself, but their stories are passed down through my bloodline as they are passed down to yours. Some of my ancestors have even had the pleasure of meeting them... either as friend or foe." He paused to read Link's incredulous expression. "Though, perhaps your silence isn't but a burden, but a gift -- the hero's spirit seems to take upon a skill of music. One through the ocarina, another through a harp..." His eyes turned back to the crescent moon above them.

"I know a gift from the gods when I see it. You're not blessed with only the Triforce..." A small grin pulled at the ends of his lips when. "You have the gift of song."

The Hylian didn't have much time to process or question what was said before he had been turned to face the moon above them. Volga pressed his hands on the hero's shoulders to keep him grounded in place. It was slightly -- no, very -- intimidating to feel him so close.

"I want you to do as I say: relax, close your eyes, and breathe slowly. I will teach you how to use your voice."

There was no room to argue with the weight of knight's gauntlets on his shoulders. Link inhaled through his nose sharply and did as he was instructed, eyes shut and shoulders as slack as he could manage it.

"You have much untapped potential that I can see," Volga murmured. "I am going to sing, and you will finish it; you know this song in the back of your mind, though it is not of any tongue you speak." His claws sunk into his tunic to keep the Hylian focused on him as he brought his lips to the Hylian's ear.

“Give you a raven's feather, a pledge to our love; Remember me, I'll come back -- ”

“Remember me, you hold it in your hand...”

Link sang breathlessly, suddenly growing stiff in his shoulders. He braced his left wrist when it began to burn in an intense pain, stilling when the golden glow of the Triforce peeked through the leather.

Goddesses, he was right.

#hyrule warriors #volink #fic

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royal-despair-threads · 5 years

Text

Raiden & Izaya [Prologue]

After some time, Raiden found himself in the gym. He wasn't usually the sort of person to work out, his training regime consisted of more traditional sumo exercises, but he was curious to see what was in this room. After some searching, he heard the sound of shuffling coming from the closet in the room.

Approaching the closet with caution, Raiden spoke out loud.

"Hello? Is somebody in there?"

He didn't want to end up getting into a deadly situation, especially not when he was in a place like this.

Izaya nearly did a full forward roll as the voice made them sit up stupidly fast in surprise. Their stomach lurched and they nearly gagged at the momentary pain. Heck. Someone was here! What should they do?! "....U-Um....yes?" Came the obviously post-crying session voice from inside. Izaya wiped their eyes red trying to get rid of any tears.

Raiden heard the familiar voice coming from the closet and approached it slowly, not wanting to scare the other.

"It's alright, it's just me. May I open the door?" Raiden's voice had a tinge of concern to it. He could tell that Izaya had been crying. He hoped that the other was alright.

Oh! Raiden. Izaya nodded before realising, of course, that Raiden couldn't see them. "Y-yeah, o-of course!" They tried to sound happy but hooo boy was it forced.

Raiden opened the door and gazed at Izaya. Oh yes, it looked like they had been crying all right. Raiden felt sorry for them. "Are you okay, Izaya? Do you want to talk?" He spoke in a gentle manner as he crouched beside the other.

"I, um, w-well, I-" they babbled, avoiding eye contact, "I d-don't want to be a burden on you too, Raiden-san..."

Raiden gave them a warm smile and shook his head. "You will not be a burden to me, Izaya-san. Besides, it is better to talk about your worries than let them stay inside you. Please, tell me what is wrong."

Well, here goes nothing. Izaya exhaled, "I....Okay. I'm, um, I'm convinced that everyone...well, that I'm-" Inhale. Exhale, "That I'm just a burden on everyone. I know I'm a coward. I....Whenever I try to be brave I just m-make things worse. And all- all I do is make t-trouble for everyone, just like I b-burdened Leon-!" Tears could hardly wait to roll down Izaya's cheeks again, putting their previous effort to shame. "I-I'm sorry.." they apologised while they wiped their eyes again.

Raiden listened as the other spoke, his mouth in a neutral expression. He felt for Izaya - there was nothing worse than feeling like you were a burden on someone else.

As Izaya began to cry, Raiden gently began patting their back. "You have nothing to be sorry about. Izaya, the situation we are in is a frightening one. The fact that you feel scared is only natural, but believe me when I say you are braver than you think you are."

He gazed at them with his bright green eyes, his smile growing as he talked.

"You are not a burden either. You haven't started any fights or caused trouble on purpose. All you have done is made the room brighter just by being in it." Raiden gave them a warm smile as he remember how Izaya was in the anteroom while they were playing games. "Your compassion and kindness towards others is anything but a burden. We need more people like you Izaya, and not just in this terrible place."

He wrapped his arm around Izaya and pulled them into kind of a side hug.

Izaya really, truly, didn't know how to react; they'd genuinely never been in this position. Having someone so sweet tell you such wonderful things, it was so new to Izaya that they couldn't even offer a response for a moment. The back patting and the pull into a side hug were also very new but absolutely welcome. Raiden's so nice, I don't want to become another burden to them too....but....

Thinking it over, Izaya finally wrapped their shaky arms around Raiden in turn, "Th-thank you, Raiden-san....! We-! We need m-more people li-like you too-!" they began crying out loud again, apologising in between sobs for getting Raiden's shoulder wet with their tears.

Raiden wrapped his arms around Izaya and pulled them into a warm hug. He didn't care about the tears soaking his clothes, he just wanted to make sure that the other was alright. "You don't need to apologise, it is quite alright Izaya-san..."

His smile grew even more when Izaya said those kind words to him. It felt nice to know that. Raiden just continued to hold Izaya close, letting them cry all of their tears out.

"Maybe we can work together to make this place more peaceful..." he said softly.

"....Yeah....I....I'd l-like that." They let out a shaky, sob-soaked laugh. Just being held and letting everything out felt strangely wonderful. And their theory about Raiden was 100% confirmed.

They really are just as cuddly, if not cuddlier, than a teddy bear.

"......Raiden? C-Can I ask you so-something?"

Raiden smiled again and chuckled along with Izaya. Raiden was happy that he was helping out with hugs! He didn't get to hug other people too often. It wasn't really what sumos did to each other in the stable. So when he was able to, he gave really good hugs.

"Of course, you can ask me anything Izaya-san."

"Do...Um....Do you think we'll all be alright? I mean....Eth-...Ethel is....." Just remembering the way everything unfolded during her death made them want to burst into tears again, "I keep....I keep thinking, I won't-!" they took a moment to breathe. Raiden could probably feel Izaya shaking even more, "I....that I won't m-make it if...if someone decides to-!" they couldn't even finish the sentence.

Raiden thought for a moment. He genuinely wasn't sure what was going to happen to them. After Ethel's horrific death, he was almost certain that this wasn't going to end well. At least one person out of everyone here would be willing to kill to get out, whether he liked the idea of that or not.

He felt Izaya beginning to shake and he held the other closer. Raiden hushed them gently and gave them a reassuring smile. "Nothing is going to happen to you Izaya-san, I promise I will be here to protect you."

He gazed down at the floor, a serious expression on his round face. "Even if someone thinks about doing the unthinkable, I will make sure nobody gets hurt. I can stop them. I won't let anyone else end up like poor Ethel-san."

In any other circumstance, Izaya would probably have written such a declaration off as just an attempt to make them forget about the living nightmare they were in. But this was Raiden. And the way he spoke, and the tone he took, made Izaya honestly want to believe him. It even, dare they think it, want to be stronger so they could help him. Izaya let out a tiny sound somewhere between a sigh and an exhalation, "I....I really think you can do it, Raiden-san."

Izaya let Raiden go for a second so they could wipe their eyes a little, looking back into those frankly enchanting green eyes with their own mismatched orbs of rich hazel and cloudy blue, "I...I know I'm scared. And I'm not that strong. Everything terrifies me whether it has a right to or not. But....but no matter what, I don't want to let you down. I don't- I don't want the others to have to keep worrying about me l-like I'm a wounded kitten!" They took Raiden's hand in their own tiny hands, completely dedicated to what they were saying, "I-! I w-want to be someone you're proud to call your friend-!"

Raiden's serious expression softened into his familiar warm smile as Izaya said that little hopeful sentence to him. He hoped he could do it, he really did. Considering the type of people he was dealing with here though, he did have his doubts, but Izaya was helping to make him feel more confident. Raiden was so happy he had them for support.

He gazed into the other's eyes as he spoke.

"You are no going to let anyone down, Izaya-san, especially not me. No matter what you do." Raiden was a little taken aback when Izaya held his hand. It wasn't a gesture he was familiar with, or used to. It felt nice though, so he let the other hold his hand. Raiden couldn't help but beam when Izaya told him how they wanted to make him proud. The sumo took his free hand and gently petted Izaya on their head.

"I am already more than proud to call you my friend." Raiden said in a gentle tone. "And nothing is going to change that."

Izaya couldn't look away from those eyes; gosh, they're mesmerised. They felt so much stronger already just knowing they had Raiden's support. Naturally, with their constant anxiety, Izaya already knew they'd eventually spiral and likely think themselves responsible for burdoning Raiden with their meltdowns, but for now, Izaya truly did want to get better.

"Th-Thank you, Raiden-san-! Your s-support is the best thing I co- I could hope for-!"

Izaya realised they were still holding Raiden's hand and gently let go, "Ah, um," Their cheeks flushed bright pink, "I-I-! S-Sorry, I didn't mean to- Um-! I um-!" They're babbling again. However, the flush in their cheeks only got more noticable as Raiden pet their hair. At this rate, they're going to get addicted to head pats. They did calm down a bit though with said pats.

Raiden could tell that Izaya was the type of person who would probably have a mental breakdown or two, and he didn't mind that! In fact, he was even starting to think of ways that he could help them control their anxiety. Perhaps through meditation? That always helped with him!

"Any time, my friend! I'll always be here for you!"

Raiden chuckled softly when the other let go of his hand. He was blushing a little bit too - he wasn't exactly used to this sort of contact. "Oh, it is okay! You do not need to apologise." He continued to pet the other's hair - it was quite soft and spiky. He could tell that Izaya was calming down through them, so that was a good sign. After a while, he brought his hand down and smiled at Izaya.

"Alright then, should we head out of here, or do you wish to stay inside here a little longer? What would you like to do?"

Raiden you're so blessed, I love you. HEaring Raiden call Izaya 'friend' outright had the fluffy blonde mess ready to cry again. At least this time, however, it'd be tears of joy. Friend! They had a new friend!! Verbally confirmed and stated!!!

"Friend....!" Izaya uttered it so sweetly, as if paletting the word for the first time. Sure, they had a few close online friends, some of whom they'd met for a day or so at most, but wow!! A new friend! One who's here, who's real, and tangible! And they gave good hair pets.

"Ah, I'm glad you didn't um, that I wasn't being too rude-!"

When posed with the question of what next, Izaya looked conflicted. They didn't really know what they wanted to do. They did know one thing however,

"I....I don't mind but....c-can...can I stick with you for a while? I'd feel a lot better not being alone- Ah! Sorry, that's me being selfish again-!"

This whole interaction is so blessed oml. Izaya probably didn't know, but Raiden had a habit of calling everyone friend. However, in this case Raiden truely meant it! He definitely felt closer to Izaya than anyone else trapped here, except for maybe Takeshi.

Raiden smiled warmly and nodded. He was pleased to see the that the other was so happy. It really was nice to make new friends! Raiden's only other friends were the other sumos back at the sumo stable. While they were all lovely people, he was thrilled to be making new friends outside of sumo wrestling.

"Not at all. I appreciate it, actually."

Raiden smiled and nodded at their request to stay together. "That is perfectly fine with me, Izaya-san. You are not being selfish at all. I could use some company, especially from such a good friend like you. Tell me though, do you wish to stay here or travel somewhere else?"

"Mmmm....I...We shouldn't s-stay here. It's well..." They looked around at all the supplies and the very tight, very personal small space, "...r-rather cramped. Ehe..."

They nervously got to their feet, even offering Raiden a hand up, "Let's go have fun, right?" They asked, a flushed smile showing as a testiment to how hardy they were trying already to be the best friend they could be.

Raiden chuckled softly, his rumbling voice echoing in the small space. "Indeed, perhaps we could step outside and find somewhere else to go?"

Raiden smiled back at Izaya and took their hand. As he did, he carefully stood up, not wanting to bring the other down accidentally. "Have fun? That sounds like a good idea! Is there anywhere you want to go in particular?"

Raiden's idea of fun was going to the kitchen and cooking or finding somewhere quiet to meditate. He wondered what Izaya enjoyed doing.

Izaya nodded, "Hmm, w-well, for fun I usually go online or um, I look at stars and stuff, but I guess-"

Their stomach grumbled pretty loudly. It hit them immediately,

"Ah, I never even got to eat my crepe-!" Izaya you haven't eaten in too long, eat smth!!!

Raiden gave Izaya a warm smile. "Well perhaps we can go and check the kitchen to see if there are any crepes left! I did make some chankonabe with Liz-San before, so there is plenty of that left on the stove if you want some."

Raiden has no problem with getting something to eat again. As part of his regular schedule, he was eating pretty much throughout the day.

"Chakonabe? I've never tasted that..." Just the mere mention of food made Izaya's stomach rumble again. They very quickly agreed, "I'd love some! D-Do you mind getting food too though? I can hold off eating if you'd um, if you'd rather do something else, Raiden-san!"

"It's quite a delicious dish. I made both a vegetarian and regular version of the meal as well, since Liz-san is a vegetarian."

Raiden nodded, another chuckle escaping his lips. "I'm always happy to get more food, Izaya-san. Now then, let's go together!"

Izaya smiled brightly at the chuckle. Oh gosh, that's so cute! They followed after Raiden, "Yeah! Together!"

They're positively beaming! Food and a friend to eat with, this is the best!

Raiden made his way to the kitchen with Izaya by his side. Once they entered, Raiden went over to his big pots of chankonabe. "Ah, Izaya-san! Would you like the regular chankonabe, or the vegetarian one?"

Izaya followed Raiden, anticipating the food awaiting them. Laying eyes on the chankonabe for the first time, they already began fighting the urge to salavate, "Oh, I'll h-have the regular, if that's okay!" They're pretty much doing the anime, starry-eyed 'wooow!!' expression.

Raiden chuckled and scooped up a big hearty bowl of chankonabe for Izaya. It was filled with all sorts of delicious ingredients, including chicken, fish, beef, daikon, carrot, leek and bok choy.

Still smiling at Izaya, he handed them the bowl. "I hope you enjoy it!" With that, he got himself another bowl of the stew. He was more than eager to have another helping of it.

Izaya eagerly recieved the bowl, thanking Raiden as they stared into the mixure. The smell alone was intoxicating, "It smells soooo good~!" They grabbed some utensils, handing some to Raiden too, "I can't believe you made this! I mean, it's l-like magic!"

Raiden beamed. "I'm glad you think so! It's my own special recipe, it's taken me many months to perfect it."

He thanked Izaya for the utensils and was about to chow down when he stopped himself. "Should we go to the dining room?"

"Oh, y-yeah, we probably should!" Izaya felt pretty stupid for not suggesting it sooner. They let Raiden go first and followed after, sitting at whichever table Raiden picked, "So, um, do you usually make all your food?"

Raiden sat down at a table, placing his bowl in front of himself. "Yes, I do. I usually cook for all of the other sumos at my stable too. I suppose I've become the assigned chef." He chuckled. "It probably helps that I have experience when it comes to cooking."

Izaya listened while giving the food a taste- Oh wow, it's good! "This tastes great!" They commented, then continued, "I guess um, you've been cooking for a while then? Did you ever w-wanna um, like, be a chef or anything?"

Raiden smiled happily. "I'm glad you like it! There is plenty more left if you want seconds or thirds later."

He nodded, eating a few mouthfuls of the stew before continuing. "Yes, I've been cooking since I was a child. My parents both own a restaurant a few hours out of Tokyo. When I retire from sumo wrestling in the future I wish to open up my own restaurant too. That way, I can share my chankonabe recipe with everyone!"

"That's such a wonderful idea!" Izaya ate another mouthful then continued, "My grandma tried to teach me how to cook once, but I ended up ruining her best bowl. Who knew rice was so hard to make?" It sounded like they should be joking, but their tone definitely didn't say they were joking. Izaya piped up, "Is it just you and your parents, Raiden-san?"

Raiden chuckled. "Well, if you ever wish to help me cook, you're more than welcome to Izaya-San." He was concerned about the others lack of cooking skills. Perhaps he could teach them a thing or two?

Raiden nodded. "Yes, well, it was. I moved out a few years ago and I live in a sumo stable now. The other sumos are like my brothers and the stable master is like a second father to me."

"Ah, I'd love to, but I just seem to be um, good at ruining things really. Unless- uh. Unless they're exploding." They tried to laugh but it just sounded like they were making fun of their own misery, "It must be really nice to-to have people like that in your life. I always wanted a brother or sister."

Raiden gave Izaya a kind smile. "I'm certain you will to a fantastic job. I will be there to help you if need be. What is your favorite food? Perhaps we could make that together."

Raiden nodded. "I have to say, I was the same. I'm an only child. My brothers at the sumo stable are just as close as real brothers to me. It is really nice to have them around."

"I.....Thanks, Raiden-san. That m-makes me really happy." They smiled warmly, "I guess mooncakes are my all time favourite, but um, I dunno how to make them." They admitted.

"I wish I had friends so close. I mean, outside of here I don't really have anyone I can meet. Well, offline I mean..." They lamented, forcing a smile, "Ah but that's um, it's depressing so! Um, have you always wanted to be a suma wrestler, Raiden-san?"

Raiden nodded again. "I do not know how to make those, but I will try my hardest to make them with you if that is what you wish!"

He hummed softly at the others words. "Well, you have plenty of friends in here now, Izaya-san, including me."

When asked about being a sumo wrestler, Raiden smiled. "Ever since I was a child I've wanted to be a sumo wrestler. I used to go to matches with my father and I would watch it whenever it came on TV. I've also been in sumo wrestling clubs since elementary school. What about you, Izaya-san? When did you start making fireworks?"

"Friends..." The mere sentiment alone was such good comfort. They listened interestedly as Raiden talked about their childhood love of sumo wrestling, "That's so sweet!" Izaya fluffed their hair up for a second in thought, "Well, mom's a scientist so she used to help me study when I was really little, but her um, she works as a physicist for a Japanese Research lab, and d-dad is a watercolour artist, so I h-had to get into chemistry all on my own." Their face lit up a little, "Grandma was really supportive, especially when I was confused about what I wanted to be when I was older. She's the one who gave me the idea to look into making fireworks."

Izaya said something in Chinese, then translated, "Shoot for the stars, if you miss, you'll land on the Moon! Grandma always used to say that too. I guess that's why I like space so much?" They looked to Raiden shyly, "Ah, sorry, I got carried away! Um, I guess what I'm saying is, I started making fireworks when I was 14. Mom would supervise me til I made them to uh, perfection. In her words.."

Raiden listened as Izaya explained how they got into making fireworks. He was happy to hear that they had so much support in their life! "It's always good having such supportive family members. If it wasn't for my parents taking me to sumo wrestling matches as a child, I would never have become the person I am today."

He smiled as Izaya explained that Chinese saying. "That's a good motto to live by. You have to try your hardest in everything you do, even if you end up somewhere you didn't expect to be."

He shook his head. "It's quite alright, Izaya-san. I would love to see your fireworks someday. I love fireworks! I used to watch them at night during the summer festivals in my hometown. It brings back a lot of happy memories for me..."

His smile grew as he remembered those fun festivals he used to attend with his friends and parents. He hoped once this was all over, he would be able to attend one again.

Glad that Raiden wasn't put off by all their blabbering, Izaya gave him a smile, "You like festivals then? What kind are your favourite, Raiden-san?"

Raiden nodded in agreement. "I do, my favourite are the summer festivals. We have one in my hometown every year, but I also enjoy the Mitami Matsuri festival in Tokyo. The lanterns looks so beautiful glowing at night. There's plenty of food and performances too."

He tilted his head towards Izaya. "What about you? Do you have a favourite type of festival?"

"That sounds lovely! I haven't been to any festivals besides the ones back home really. My fireworks go worldwide but um, I don't." Izaya looked a little sad that they couldn't see their fireworks overseas or even travel, but they knew what they were like; heights terrify them, they're scared of planes and boats. Ironically.

"I think my favourite festival is simply The Spring Festival. I mean, I get to see my fireworks AND pig out on mooncakes." They could drool just thinking about mooncakes, "I remember one year, me and Dad both made so many Paper-Cuts for decoration, we had to give a bunch away. They wouldn't fit around the house..." Izaya sighed.

Raiden sighed softly, rubbing the back of his neck with his large hand. "...no, I suppose I'm not okay."

He gazed down at his feet, hanging his head in shame. "...they have my brother, and...I don't know what I'm going to do..." Tears began forming in the sumo's eyes and he tried to hide his face from the other.

Oh no! Izaya had almost forgotten about the photos from all the bathroom drama. Their expression fell, momentarily flashing with worry themselves as they remembered their grandmother, but right now? They needed to be there for Raiden.

"Raiden-san...I...I'm sorry. I w- I wish I could say everything will, um b-be okay, but I know....I know it's not." They gently put a hand on Raiden's shoulder to softly get him to turn back to them. If he did make eye contact with Izaya, he'd see that yeah, they're definitely scared too, but they're trying. They're trying.

"But....But your bro-other wouldn't want you to give up hope. He...I don't....I don't know your brother, b-but....but I bet if he were here, he'd be telling you the s-same thing my Grandma would be telling me; it's okay to n-not know what to do, as long as you do something."

Izaya broke eye contact for a second, deep in thought, then looked back to Raiden, "Raiden-san, you're strong. A-And kind. And wise too. N-no matter what you do to help, I kn-know it'll make your brother proud, n-no matter what happens...."

Raiden felt foolish. He had turned away from Izaya to hide his face. What sort of person did that make him? Not wanting to seem like a terrible friend, Raiden turned and faced Izaya. He had tears in his eyes that he was desperately trying to hold back.

Izaya was right, his brother wouldn't want him to give up like this. He would want him to keep going on, like they had done at the sumo stables together years ago. Hearing those kind words of encouragement from the fireworks maker made him smile, even when tears were falling down his cheeks.

"Thank you, Izaya-San. I...I needed to hear that. I'm certain your grandmother would be so proud of you too. Not just for not giving up hope, but for being such a kind friend."

With that, Raiden approached them and gave them a warm hug. Hopefully Izaya didn't mind, he just really needed a hug right now.

Seeing Raiden cry made Izaya's heart ache; Raiden's such a good person, he didn't deserve to have to be stuck here on a floating deathtrap. He should be home surrounded by his friends and family! The injustice of it made Izaya wish they had the power to send him home with just sheer willpower alone!

But right now Raiden needed a hug, and Izaya was more than happy to give him one. Returning the hug did momentarily remind Izaya that they needed to pick up their hoodie, wherever they wound up throwing it, but cheering Raiden up took precident right now.

"Thank you too, Raiden-san. I feel stronger when I'm around you." They admitted, thankful the hug was obscuring the blush they wouldn't need a mirror to tell was flush on their cheeks. "You give me the co-courage to be the best friend I can be.."

Raiden felt better having that hug. Sure, he was probably not supposed to show this sort of affection out in public as part of his keeping face business, but he'd already started crying so that was completely out the window right now. Besides, he felt comfortable showing emotions around Izaya.

He smiled happily when Izaya said they felt stronger around him. That made him feel good knowing he was having that affect on them. Even if he could help just one person, it would make this all worthwhile.

"I'm so glad I can give you that courage, Izaya-san." Raiden said softly, holding the other closer.

It felt...good to hold Izaya. He almost didn't want to let go. It was a strange feeling, one he wasn't entirely used to, but he liked it so it must be okay. Right?

Luckily for Raiden, Izaya wasn't exactly keen to stop the hug either. They felt a sense of safety in Raiden's arms, and in a way, being held by him made them feel almost at home. Knowing that they'd helped Raiden, even a little, made them feel legitimately happy; of course, they knew probably nothing they could do would make up for the feeling of actually being acknowledged and cared about that Raiden gave them, but Izaya would try their damnedest to repay that kindness.

They smiled, almost audibly, their voice soft, "I'm glad you're glad~!" They sounded almost playful. Not in the sense that they were messing with Raiden, lord no, but in the sense that they felt so at ease with him, even their stutter stopped surfacing as often.

Gosh, the hug felt so nice. Hugging Raiden was even better than they'd remembered from the gym closet. Perhaps because this time they were feeling better. They just hoped Raiden was enjoying the hug as much as they were...

Hooray, they were both enjoying the hug! Raiden just felt happy that Izaya seemed to be enjoying it as much as he was. If only he knew that was what Izaya was thinking! Raiden would have immediately told Izaya that just their presence was more than enough repayment.

Hearing Izaya sound so playful made Raiden chuckle. He'd notice the other had stopped stuttering too. He was happy that they felt so comfortable around him. Without thinking, Raiden brought his hand up and ran it through Izaya's hair. Oh, what was he doing? He'd just meant to pet their head lightly!

"Ah, I apologise!" He said, bringing his hand down quickly and blushing a little.

Perhaps this was too much. He was already showing more affection than he should be in a public place! Raiden let go of the other and stepped away slightly, clasping his hands together.

If Izaya knew that, they'd probably be a blushing mess. Like they were right now; hair pats were great but when Raiden ran his hand through their hair, their face lit up like a christmas tree. Man, this must be why cats like petting so much, it's so nice!

Of course, they were a little worried as Raiden withdrew, had they done something wrong?! Aaah. Izaya shook their head, "Oh, n-no!! You don't have to worry, I um, I liked it!" Their own cheeks were looking pretty rosey too. Izaya tried to hide a flustered smile, playing with the tied sleeves of their jumpsuit around their waist, but alas, it was obvious they had really enjoyed the contact, "You...You give great hugs, Raiden-san."

Raiden felt a little relieved knowing that Izaya hadn't minded the head stroking. He thought he might have overstepped a boundary there! He noticed the firework maker's face seemed to be rather flushed too. Were they okay? Was it really warm in the room they were in?

When he was told he gave great hugs, Raiden felt his face redden even more. These two are so damn blushy it's adorable! He rubbed the back of his head with one of his big hands and gave the other a warm smile.

"Ah...thank you, Izaya-san. I'm glad you think so. I...if you ever need a hug, I will always be here to give you one."

"W-Wow, thank you, Raiden-san!!" They were so happy, they didn't even know what to do with themselves. Gosh they're so cute, aaaAAA. They shyly looked to the floor, and then the stalls, where they realised their hoodie had landed-....in one of the open toilets. Well, that was definitely going in the wash.

Izaya, however, didn't go to get it just yet. They felt rooted to the spot, like they didn't want to leave their close proximity to Raiden. Oh gosh that warm smile! It made them feel....a lot of things. For the most part, Izaya's cheeks flushed even pinker.

"S-So um, h-how do you feel?- AH! I -! I mean! Um! About um, things?!?" Damnit. They'd gone and flustered themselves.

Raiden continued to beam at the fireworks maker. It was so wonderful seeing them so happy! It lifted his own spirits up immediately. He noticed Izaya was glancing around the place. "Oh, are you looking for something?" Raiden asked. He wanted to help out in any way he could!

When asked how he felt, Raiden's smile fell slightly. "Well, I suppose I could be better...although it's nice to know that there are so many good people here." His smile returned again.

Despite this horrific situation, he felt better knowing there were good people here. For every Petra, there was at least 2 or 3 kind-hearted individuals.

"O-Oh, um, I just realised I threw my hoodie um...into the toilet." They admitted, sheepishly, but a lot more forthcoming than usual, "Looks like I'm gonna be going with uh, with the guns on show til I can clean it..."

Oh no, Raiden's smile fell- Wait, there it is! Thank goodness. Izaya nodded, sharing that sentiment with a warm smile, "It really is. It's almost weird to think I've never been around this many people who wanna um, mostly be friends with me. And I'm really glad you're one of those friends, Raiden-san.."

They gave Raiden a sweet smile, "No matter what happens, I'm just so happy I have you here." They blushed, "Y-Y'know, for moral support, I mean-"

#raiden #izaya #prologue

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