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#Red Ninja: End of Honour
lots-of-pockets · 6 months
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Tender heart
Advent day 16: Don’t leave me
Pairing: sick Nat x you
Notes: sorry it’s so late guys! We had a little bit of a situation but we fixed it! @goldenempyrean
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It was no secret that Natasha was guarded. She trusted very few people and rarely let anyone in. To those who’d never had the honour of meeting her, it may seem as though she was the kind of person who kept to herself and preferred her own company. In some sense, you supposed that was true. But more often than not, that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth.
Especially when it was just you and her. Especially when she was sick. Natasha had woken up today with what you assumed to be a small cold. She was a little stuffy along with having a small headache.
However, said assumed cold had quickly turned into something close to the flu leaving the red head both quiet, clingy, and miserable.
Now, when you say clingy, you don’t mean she was more affectionate than normal. Wanting the occasional soft touch she never quiet brings herself to ask for.
You mean that when she was sick, she never, ever, wants to be out of your arms. You’re on the couch? She’s on your lap. You’re in the kitchen cooking? She’s either sat on the counter with her legs either side of your body or in your arms fully.
If you needed the bathroom, she’d either sneak in right behind you using her ninja skills, or if she wasn’t quite quick enough, she’d wait right outside the bathroom door, greeting you with a pout and teary eyes when you finally come out.
No part of you could have ever assumed that she’d be like this when you first started dating, but you wouldn’t deny the fact that whilst being a just a tad inconvenient, it was something you adored about her and wouldn’t ever change.
“Where are you going?” Natasha murmurs sleepily as she feels your legs slip out from beneath her head, the whiny tone in her voice not at all hard to miss.
You smile slightly as you crouch down next to her on the couch, reaching forward and brushing a messy strand of hair out of her face. “I’m going to get you some soup.” You explain, trailing the pad of your thumb over the warm skin of her flushed cheek.
Natasha attempts to sit up whilst simultaneously kicking off the blanket you had covered her with just a few hours earlier, “I wanna come.” She pleads, watching with wide eyes as you stand up to give her a little space to move.
“Baby, I’ll be right back. Five minutes tops.” You attempt to assure as you reach for the blanket to cover her back up, but Natasha shakes her head in protest as her actions become a little more desperate.
“No. Please. Take me with you. Please.” She pleads as she successfully manages to get the blanket completely off of her, swinging her legs round so her feet touch the floor. She was close to tears now, eyes shiny and cheeks flushed as she holds her arms out for you to help her up.
You stare down at her for a few moments before letting out a quiet sigh. There was no point in fighting her. If you told her no, she’d end up in tears before inevitably following you into the kitchen anyway. The last thing you wanted was to break her already frail heart any further.
Natasha seemingly takes your silence as rejection, but no sooner could she even begin to let the first sob escape, she feels hands slide beneath her armpits and hoist her up onto her feet with little to no effort.
“Don’t leave me.” She whispers in a cracked voice as her hands cling to the back of your shirt, and you quietly shush her before pressing a tender kiss to her head. With the hands still beneath her armpits, you hoist her up until her legs had found their rightful place around your waist.
“I’ve got you baby.” You pat her behind comfortingly as you carry her through to the kitchen.
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serialadoptersbracket · 3 months
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Round 2, Match 48: “Red-Haired” Shanks vs. Kurogane and Fai D’Flourite
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Submitted kids:
Shanks: Monkey D. Luffy and Uta
Kurogane and Fai D’Flourite: Sakura, Syaoran, Tomoyo, Chun'yan, a bunch of one off characters, Sakura and Syaoran a second time (it makes sense in context)
Propaganda under the cut!
Shanks:
1. “hes oooooooooooh hes so hot and sexy and silly and hot and cool and hot and hot and god i want him so bad”
2. “He found Uta in a treasure chest during a pirate raid and was like “shit, guess I’m a dad now,” and raised her until she was like 12. Luffy sort of just imprinted on him and he did nothing to discourage him.”
Kurogane and Fai D’Flourite:
“These fuckers can't help themself they're just 2 married husbands that adopt every child they see. kurogane starts out a power hungry ninja who gets sent away for killing too much and he drops that shit so quick the moment there is a child. He just starts watching out for the two kids in their group and being homoerotic with Fai. meanwhile Fai joins the group with a very specific agenda that's been like, his entire reason to live for centuries and he ends up deciding to give up on that to save his kids. he literally lets his eye get ripped out in an attempt to get syaoran back. like 90% of their conversations and bonding is about the kids and their wellbeing and both of them calling out the other for being cringe fail and accidentally adopting them while frantically denying they've done the same (then turning around and putting their coat around Sakura or Syaoran because they are getting cold). theyre just slow burn found familynur honour”
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okamirayne · 8 months
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*a Wild Friend turns dramatically in your desk chair cradling a fluffy white cat (it's a plushy)*
Do you ever think about how Neji spent his whole life rebelling against fate and destiny to be able to carve his own path only for Kishimoto to kill him off doing exactly what his destiny was determined to be from birth and then retroactively make his whole life struggle meaningless by establishing that fate is actually a real thing in the world by having Naruto and Sasuke be literally the chosen ones destined to change the ninja world
*takes a sip of tea (it's apple juice)*
I think about this a lot cuz it feels like a real fart in my face, ya know
*takes another sip, the cup is somehow fuller than before (it's tears)*
Anyway, this is definitely not me trying to not immediately dive into OtC after bawling my eyes out over BtB nuh-uh, no way, no how...
Except it totally is and I'm losing that battle, goodbye
*the Wild Friend turns the chair again and disappears*
*a Wild Friend turns dramatically in your desk chair cradling a fluffy white cat (it's a plushy)*
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Do you ever think about how Neji spent his whole life rebelling against fate and destiny to be able to carve his own path only for Kishimoto to kill him off doing exactly what his destiny was determined to be from birth and then retroactively make his whole life struggle meaningless by establishing that fate is actually a real thing in the world by having Naruto and Sasuke be literally the chosen ones destined to change the ninja world
......*reliving the event*....
.......*eyes begin to twitch*....
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........ *defaults to the Dastardly Twins excellent method of deep-seated denial*
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I think about this a lot cuz it feels like a real fart in my face, ya know
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Oh yes. I know. I bloody know.
I bloody remember it...
*considers the ceiling with false calm* You know when you laugh for a minute because you're so deep in the ass-end of feeling emotionally gaslit and cheated that you're processing the crap that's unfolding at the speed of a virus-molested XP Windows laptop...you know the one, right? You've got about ten alerts going off but you're stuck like a frozen monitor...your screen is blank...I mean, you can smell smoke coming outta your vents...but you're not catching on....because the BASTARD BACKDOOR MALWARE plot device you're reading (or watching) is like some dirty little Trojan Horse worming its way through your mother-bloody-board and your CPU is like WTF, cannot COMPUTE...and you're still not too alarmed because system's aren't yet fully shutting down...I mean...
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Oh ho! What's this?! Neji just got impaled? Neji's on the brink of shuffling off his mortal coil!? What tosh! What Bollocks! Oh so he's leaking vital fluids...so what? That's happened before! No need for alarm. Nothing to see here, kids. It is but a scratch! A flesh wound! Just a waft of smelly red herring Kishimoto has thrown in there to distract you from the fact that there's no WAY that Neji's freedom-seeking character arc is about to go up in flames...because...
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....wait..............
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...........
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WHHHHYYY?
Argh...*self-soothes, violently*...Way to kick-up the feels, Wild Friend...I probably deserve it...fair play to you, fair play...
Well...it is at this point that we have no other choice...
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And I am still honoured and touched that you revisit BtB and it's following instalments (bloody hell, you read fast btw) to help with the hurt...or maybe to masochistically pick at the scab...but I get it...Damn, I GET IT. I mean, I swore up and down I'd never go POST WAR....and then Heaven Hold Us made a dirty little liar outta me.
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j0ystix · 2 years
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GRANDPARENTS !!!
Garmadon :
- doesn’t show it but he loves his grandchildren
- Garmadon will hold his grandchildren’s hands while crossing the road, no exception. Thank god he has 4 arms for 3 grandchild
- Garmadon goes for tea parties with Marionette
- Although Cole trains Maison, Garmadon will be there to mentor because he believes that as their grandfather, he has to play a bigger role as sensei than the other ninja
- Garmadon keeps all the drawings his grandchildren drew of him
- Garmadon sent his grandchildren to school when they were children, he intimidated the other kids
- Garmadon scrutinise the boys’ gi. He would comment how the gi was not their size, the belt was sloppily tied or the design was ugly but at the end of his snarky remarks, he would smile and say “it’s an honour to meet the new Masters of Creation and Destruction”
- Garmadon always tell the boys how important it was to have each other backs and to always love on another
- Garmadon feels nostalgic whenever he sees the boys play together, they reminded him of him and Wu
- Garmadon took care of the kids when Lloyd and Harumi go on date nights or have a mission together
- Garmadon puts the blanket over the boys if they ever fell asleep on the couch
- Garmadon is enamoured with Marionette; the first female descendent of the FSM. He’s incredibly protective of her and always tell her brothers to protect her
- Marionette’s favourite animals are ponies so Garmadon would take her to the zoo many times. There was a time Marionette rode off with a pony so Garmadon had to chase her along with the other zoo keepers
- Garmadon’s other favourite ninja’s child is Zen; he thinks Zen is funny because his interactions with his nindroid parents would be like;
Zen : Mom! Taste this cake, it’s scrumptious
Pixal : I don’t eat thanks.
-
Wu
- Wu doesn’t train the kids, he said he was too old to do so and had resign as sensei but the ninjas would always ask him to babysit much to his dismay
- Wu is afraid of babysitting M&M because they’re so mischievous. They would hang on walls or summon dragons in the house or go missing for some reason. However M&M we’re easier to manage relative to River and Roy because Garmadon will swoop in and save the day when the M&M become too much for Wu to handle
- Wu is also afraid of babysitting Lilac because she keeps disappearing at the palace and he’d have to run over the place to find her
- Whenever Wu babysits Marionette, she’ll make Wu play dolls with her and dress up
- River and Roy were quite infamous to babysit too; they would set the house on fire or flood the neighbourhood. Once River and Roy ate Mei’s art glitter because they thought the glitter was so pretty and they wanted to try to poop glitter—Wu had to rush them to the emergency room
- Zen doesn’t need to be babysitted because he knows how to take care of himself
- Wu’s favourite child to babysit is Mei because she’s quiet and stares at the wall half the time. Mei also sleeps a lot so she’s easy to handle. His other favourite ninja child is Ru (Kai and Skylor’s oldest son). Ru is so chill, he just watches TV and play badminton with Wu but whenever Wu plays any sports with Ru, Ru would get so so competitive and he does a stupid victory dance when he wins
- Wu’s favourite trick to make the kids sleep is to tell them a long lecture or a story
Ed & Edna
- they always insist Jay and Nya bring the kids over
- Edna definitely pinched River and Mei’s cheeks till they’re red and Ed has to stop her
- Edna pampers the kids with delicious food like warm soup, fresh cookies etc.
- Edna crochets the kids ugly and itchy sweaters and their parents weren’t spared either
- Ed drives the kids around town and they love siting on the Jalopy
- Ed and Edna nicknames for River and Mei are Warbler and Motmot; they’re named after birds like Jay lol but there’s a significance behind it
- Mei(Motmot) is known to symbolise change, a change one cannot go back on. A change that’s destined for us. Mei is one of those main characters that’ll only be introduced in the later seasons so she’ll undergo a change that’ll propel her from a side character to a main character. She’ll go from being quiet, reserve to bold and loud like her mother. She’ll learn to stand her ground and preach for what she believes in.
- River (Warbler) is known to symbolise patience and endurance which is a value River is tested for. I headcanon that because Nya lost her powers in crystallised, she wasn’t able to fully control them before River inherited them so River too cannot control them. He gets frustrated because just like Nya, he gives up when he’s not good at something at first try. However to truly become an elemental master, he had to endure and be patient to control water.
- Ed is the one who comforts River when he gets angry
- Ed and Edna brought River and Mei for the Ninjaball race without Nya and Jay knowing; they were absolutely petrified when they saw their kids racing against skeletons and actually coming in 4th
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boxartcomparisons · 4 years
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Box art comparison (JP/US/EU): Red Ninja: End of Honour.
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nintendumpster · 2 years
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charleswaterloo · 3 years
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AGREED DO THE ULTIMATE FIC REC
Thank you so much for asking!! Okay, here we go!
DC fics that I got a few paragraphs into and already KNEW were going to be AMAZING:
1. The Jason Project by loosingletters
Warnings: Major Character Death
Jason had just wanted to see his autopsy report, he had only wanted to know what information Bruce had about his death. And when Bruce hadn't given it to him, he had stolen it. He hadn’t meant to stumble upon the bucket list of a dead child and the footage of a grieving father crossing one item after another off the list.
My thoughts: I don't often cry (which isn't healthy lmao) but this fic made me cry (happy tears!). It is absolutely wonderful and while angsty it has such a beautiful ending. I can't recommend it enough!
2. Little bird by Ididloveyou_once
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Tim knew he was fucked if only for the way that his brain was chanting Jason, like a litany. So he definitely didn’t need to hear the cold, mechanical chuckle or the chillingly delighted 'lucky me' to know that this was not good.
He took a second to look down at his coffee mournfully.
Then, he threw it at Hood’s helmet and bolted down the Tower corridor.
Or: Tim is supposed to be at Gotham Academy for a parent-teacher conference. Hood has other plans (Titans Tower AU).
My thoughts: One of the best Titans Tower AU fics I have ever had the pleasure of reading. The ending is to die for and so fluffy - it never fails to warm my heart <3
3. Straight to Voicemail by cabbagetop
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
“Red Hood. I need you to incapacitate Timothy Drake-Wayne.” “Aw, man,” Jason sighs, shouldering through the old wooden doors and out into the street with his books under his arm. “You and half the northern hemisphere. What’d he do this time?”
Jason's phone is blowing up about one Timothy Drake-Wayne (who is Jason's responsibility since when, exactly?). Jason comfort-eats. Jason suffers long. Jason reluctantly tries to keep this Raphus cucullatus of a human being alive, and maybe finds himself sidling back into the family while he's at it.
My thoughts: I was crying with laughter by the third sentence. If you want free serotonin, you will find it here folks, I guarantee it. Brilliantly written and hilarious and such a fantastic interpretation of Jason's character. Please read this lmao <3
4. miss me? by envysparkler
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Jason’s plan to observe his family’s reactions to his resurrection…does not go as intended.
My thoughts: I think I've recommended this one at least once before, but I will do so again because it is one of the best stories I have ever had the honour of reading on AO3. It has a happy ending, but was another fic which actually made me tear up. It is just beautiful and I'm sure some of you have read it before. Read it again even if you have - it's that good.
5. No Pain, All Gain by @sohotthateveryonedied
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Bruce checks Tim’s IV. “Are you in any pain? Do you need more morphine?”
Tim’s pupils are so wide that only the faintest ring of blue can be seen. He watches Bruce the way a five-year-old watches cartoons. “I’m all good, B-dog. All Gucci, like we cool teens say." His words are slurred almost beyond recognition, but Tim doesn’t seem to notice or care. "I could fight Superman right now.”
My thoughts: I know of only about 3 or 4 fics featuring Tim absolutely high out of his mind on some drug or another and this has got to be one of the absolute best of them. Whenever I feel the Depression(TM) crawling in and I need to laugh INSTANTLY I read this. It has not failed me yet. I can't recommend it enough it's so funny and a great read <3 The line below from the fic makes me scream laugh EVERY TIME:
“He’s not in his right mind.” “So? Neither are you half the time but you’re still in charge of everything.”
6. The Ouija Boy by SunnyBlue
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Timothy Drake was a stillborn baby. He was born dead, stayed that way for a solid five minutes, and was then resuscitated in the delivery room. He was a child who grew up alone, but for his imaginary friends. He had so many imaginary friends, in fact, that his parents sent him to get evaluated several times over the course of his childhood, which was spent with Tim as the only heartbeat in that house.
But that didn’t mean he was alone.
---
Tim sees dead people. When a Batboys murder investigation is going nowhere, he realizes his only chance at solving the case is to speak to the ghost of one of the victims. He has to reveal his secret to his brothers -- or risk the killer getting away.
My thoughts: STAND BACK FOR POSSIBLY ONE OF MY TOP TEN FAVOURITE FICS OF ALL TIME. I'm pretty sure I've recommended this one before but I will do so again. The story is impeccable, the mystery is ELITE and everything about it is literally perfect. I re-read this at least once a month so I can bask in its greatness and become a better person for having read it.
7. there but for the grace of god by TheResurrectionist
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
From a tumblr prompt.
AKA, "A Justice League fic where everyone argues about who's the most beautiful and intimidating sexy from the Big Three and everyone has valid points."
My thoughts: I'm going to let the note I added to the bookmark I made of this fic speak for itself. Here's what I wrote: "This was so funny - shoutout Jason for undeniable lad vibes plus the fact he felt he needed to neatly organise and write down the big three's sexiest traits."
8. American Ninja Worrier by DangerBeckett
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
It's just like Tim to give a poor college student a start in the business world. Kid's a bleeding heart, and usually, that's the sort of thing Jason avoids at all costs. He prefers his bleeding hearts on the literal side, and despite Bruce's best efforts, he's never had a head for business.
Unfortunately, though, this time the business is ninjas, and that's the sort of thing that makes Jason take notice. Because Bruce is useless, and someone's gotta make sure Tim's new internship program doesn't take down all of Gotham.
That's Jason's job, after all.
My thoughts: Please GOD just read the first few paragraphs. You'll know exactly what I mean when I say that this fic is it. Hilarious, badass and adorable. I mean, see the title of this fic rec. I just knew this fic was going to be amazing from the first line.
I have many, many more of course, but I'll leave this here for now as it's getting to be a pretty long post. Anyway, these are all fics - short and long! - that I knew were going to be absolutely perfect within the first few moments of reading. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
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daredevilexchange · 2 years
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Do you like Daredevil (this event is team Red compatible!), The Defenders, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and/or the Punisher, in their comics or TV (or, in some cases, cinema!) versions?
Then, get ready for the new DDE event!!
Jan 3 to Jan 9, get ready for a FANWEEK!
One set of prompts per day (extra tips: see below, under the cut!)
Monday 3: Free Prompts 1 (or here) and/or The City Tuesday 4: Free Prompts 2 (or here) and/or The Season Wednesday 5: Free Prompts 3 (or here) and/or The People Thursday 6: Free Prompts 4 (or here) and/or The Mood Friday 7: Free Prompts 5 (or here) and/or The Tools Saturday 8: The Fights Sunday 9: Free Prompt / Amnesty Day !
What types of fanwork? Here’s what you can do: Gifsets, Fanfic, Fanmix, Fanvid, Graphics / Fanart, podfic ( @daredevil-podfic-community ) ...
Where to post? Tumblr, AO3 (Exchange collection name: dde2022NY / DDE 2022 NY Fanweek)… if you’re posting elsewhere let us know so we can share the links here too!
AO3 can’t host video or graphics, but you can still put them up on the Archive as long as they’re already publicly online somewhere else like Instagram, DeviantArt, Discord, YouTube, etc. Get in touch if you have questions about posting on AO3!
Posting guidelines are here (the link will only open in a separate browser tab, NOT the app) or here, please take the time to read them! You will find more important information there. If you do not have an AO3 account and want one, please get in touch with the blog.
Aaaand... if you create something for all seven days, you can grab a Badge of Honour ;-)
**Spread the word!**
Banner by @wellofhavoc !
[ID: "A movie theater full of various characters from the Marvel Netflix series in a dark theater, every character colored in various shades of blue except for the defenders, who are bathed in orange where they sit in the middle. Along their cups and drinks is written "DDE 2022 NY Fan Week"" - Row One: Dinah Madani, Betsy Beatty, Melvin "The Gladiator" Potter, Bobby Fish - Row Two: Jeri Hogarth, Malcolm Ducasse, Patricia "Hellcat" Walker, Elektra Natchios, Misty Knight - Row Three: Coleen Wing, Danny "Iron Fist" Rand, Jessica "Jewel" Jones, Matt "Daredevil" Murdock, Luke "Powerman" Cage, Claire Temple - Row Four: Brett Mahoney, Foggy Nelson, Karen Page, Frank Castle, Turk Barrett. End ID]
And finally, Prompts tips: see under the cut for some ideas!
1/ The City Roofs / rooftops, sewers, Josie’s Bar, Luke’s bar, The City in relation to the characters - how the heroes are perceived, etc, Shelter (yes, it can be a dog shelter), Window, The river, Home, Courtroom, Dojo, Columbia, Gym / Fogwell’s, St Agnes, The church, Jess’ Alias Investigations office, The subway, Liminal spaces: bus stops, subway stations, doorways, alley entrances, taxi, Bridges...
2/ The Season First signs of spring - snowdrops etc, Snow, Snowpeople, Huddling for warmth, Snow storm, Sledding, Ice/Icicles, Frozen Hudson, Making snow angels, Snowball fight, Snowed in (at the office? the courthouse?), Storm knocked out the power (possibly trapped somewhere like an elevator?) (could be high wind so also works for other hemispheres), NYE party, office party, New beginnings, Somebody gets Matt a SAD light (... not that his is seasonal)...
3/ The People Our Heroes, Defenders team bonding, Supporting characters (Melvin, Betsy, Brett, etc), Kingpin, We The People, Homeless, Visiting people (+those no longer with them)...
4/ The Mood Always get back up, Dumpster party, Protectiveness, Faith (not necessarily in a religious sense), Heart, That feeling after the holidays where you're relieved it's over but also maybe a little let down (I am a ray of sunshine) (is there a word for this?)...
5/ The Tools Secret Identity, Mask, Suit (legal, clothes, costume…), Weapon, Camera, Batons, Hoodie, Guns, Cane, glass(es), Journalism / news...
6/ The Fights D-list Villains (ex: Stilt-Man) (it’s ALWAYS Stiltman) :D (could be the frog dude) (Mr. Fear if we’re feeling special), Stitches, Ninjas, Sword / katana, Blood, Boxing Dragon, Between friends...
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animeomegas · 3 years
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Omega!Naruto getting married
Anon: Omg omg bro I just saw the amazing and wonderful art of naruto in a white dress and it just got me thinking. Could you do naruto and his alpha getting married pllleeeaaassssee🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺I also wanna show you the picture soo badd he's so beautifullllllll
(Omg tag me in this 🥺I want to see!!! Naruto is so so beautiful you’re absolutely right and I love him and this was so far down my writing list but I just really wanted to write it anyway. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. <3)
I wrote for a Western wedding because I have no idea how Japanese weddings work (although I’m taking a degree in Japanese rip)
Warnings: Alcohol mention.
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This boy will never admit it, but he always dreamt of getting married when he was a child.
When he was really young, he asked the Sandaime why people get married and the Hokage told him that marriage is what two people did when they loved each other more than anyone else.
Naruto always wanted someone to love him and so he clung to this in a similar (but less extreme) way, to how he clung to his dream of becoming Hokage. 
He always imagined his future self as the most badass ninja/Hokage with  a beautiful mate/spouse and some little prankster pups who would love him and who he would love unconditionally in return. 
And so when his alpha finally proposes to him.
This man goes a bit crazy.
As soon as the shock wears off, you suddenly get bombarded with him shouting about a thousand different things he wants at the wedding, and what food there should be, and “Do you think they sell orange wedding cakes?”.
He wants an insanely big and extravagant wedding.
It’s probably best to just humour him.
Proposal:
You were already mated to Naruto when you proposed.
Naruto lowkey believes in soulmates and when you had been courting for about a year he knew you were his. 
His very next heat came around, and boom, you were mated. 
You proposed about a year and a half after that, spurred on by Naruto’s less than subtle hints about it.
Naruto loved being around his friends and he also loved positive attention, so the idea for your proposal came naturally. 
You threw a get together for him and his closest friends. Good food, plenty of drinks and board games.
Naruto was laughing and smiling all night. He teamed up with you for the games, sitting on your lap the entire time. 
He used this vantage point to demand congratulatory and commiserative  kisses everytime something happened in the game. You could feel him smiling into the kiss each time.
The plan was working perfectly so far. 
As the evening began to wind down, you stood up, immediately garnering the attention of everyone in the room.
You cleared your throat awkwardly as all the eyes in the room settled on you. Sakura gave you a thumbs up behind Naruto’s shoulder.
‘You got this!’ She mouthed, eyes twinkling with excitement. With her encouragement in mind, you took one final deep breath before beginning.
“Sorry to interrupt you all, but there’s one more thing I have to do before everyone goes home.” You started, successfully avoiding any unfortunate stutters or out of control nervous scents.
Naruto furrowed his brows at you, confused. You only smiled, silently telling him to wait. 
“I have an... announcement of sorts to make.” 
“Then get on with it.” Drawled Shikamaru, smirking at you from the corner. You glared at him for teasing you, but he was too busy dodging a ‘shut up’ punch from Sakura to notice.
“As you all know, I’ve had the honour of being mated for Naruto for almost two years now,” You focused your gaze onto your mate, watching him perk up at the mention of his name. “and I have been madly in love for every minute of it.” You paused thoughtfully. “Even the minute when he drank out of date milk and threw up all over my bed.” 
Naruto went red as his friends giggled at him. He let out an embarrassed whine as you joined in the laughter. 
“You didn’t have to tell them that!” He groaned, voice muffled from the cushion he had temporarily buried his face in. 
“What I’m trying to say, is that when I met Naruto my life changed forever, for the better. I can no longer fathom a life where I could live without him.”
You turned to address Naruto directly. He was watching you closely. Maybe he was starting to guess where this was going.
“When I wake up next to you, when we invent terrible ramen flavours together, when I bandage you after training because you tried to show off and hurt yourself,” You laughed breathily. “Those are the moments when I am the happiest. The common denominator is you, Naruto, my beloved mate.”
No one else in the room mattered now apart from you and Naruto. You took one final breath to steel yourself, before dropping on one knee. Naruto gasped, his hands coming up to cover his mouth. 
“Which is why I want to be with you for the rest of our lives.” You pulled the ring box out of your pocket, opening it to reveal a simple golden band. 
“Will you marry me, Naruto?”
Naruto nodded furiously, his bottom lip wobbling as his eyes filled up with tears.
“YES! YES! YES! A thousand times yes!!” 
Naruto threw himself into your arms as his friends applauded and whooped in the background. You caught him with a happy laugh, leaning to kiss him. Naruto reciprocated enthusiastically, earning a few wolf whistles from his friends.
Naruto’s scent was that of pure sugar and you revelled in it, certain that your own was the same. Eventually you pulled away from the kiss, wiping a tear from Naruto’s eye, cradling his face gently in your hands.
“A toast,” Chouji’s voice called out, interrupting your thoughts. “To the newly engaged couple!” 
All your friends cheered, raising their glasses in a toast to your engagement. 
“May their love last forever!”
You laughed gleefully. Forever indeed.
Planning:
Naruto has a lot of ideas and a lot of passion, but not so much in the planning skills department. 
I hate to say it, but Naruto is a little bit of a Bridezilla type. A cute one though, so that’s better?
He really really wants a lot of random specific stuff that he dreamt about as a child, but he’s not good at organising it so you get a lot of:
“Alphaaaaa, can you book [insert incredibly specific wedding thing]?”
“Alpha, alpha, alpha, can you find a [insert incredibly specific wedding thing] for me, please???”
Here is a list of some, not all, of the things Naruto wants for his wedding. Bolded are ‘no compromises allowed’.
A traditional, white wedding dress (He knows he can wear whatever he wants, but his life has only ever been atypical and he just really wants a traditional white male omega wedding dress.)
An orange wedding cake (Naruto wants an orange wedding cake, but he can be persuaded to settle for orange detailing instead of the solid orange monstrosity he originally wants.)
A ramen course ( he wants one of the courses to be ramen of course! The idea of a really expensive, fancy ramen course just makes him melt with excitement. Nobody is surprised when they see ramen on the menu.)
A big wedding (He will invite the whole village if you allow him to. Ultimately though, as long as there’s room for every friend he’s ever had, he’s happy.)
Double barrelling your surnames (He really wants to take your name. Now that you’re married and mated, you’re a team for life and he wants that reflected in your names, but he also spent most of his life without family, and his name is one of the only connections he has to his mother. As such, he would never be able to lose it completely.)
A stag do/bachelor party (He just thinks it would be fun to get together with his other omega friends. He wants to hang out with his friends and wedding party for a night without anyone being away on missions for once.)
A honeymoon in Konoha (Naruto doesn’t want to travel for his honeymoon. Konoha is his home and his favourite place to be, so he wants to be there. If you desperately want to travel, you could probably organise a half-and-half style honeymoon. Half in Konoha, half wherever you want.)
Two empty chairs for his parents during the service (He has lost so many people, he could never leave empty chairs for them all. He keeps everyone he’s lost in his mind on his wedding day, but his parents are the ones he misses the most on his special day. When he looks at the empty chairs, he likes to think that they would be proud watching him get married.
The Wedding:
Naruto is fully bouncing off the walls.
He’s so excited. And nervous. But excited.
He gets ready and when he gazes at himself in the mirror, he feels amazing. As a child, he always thought he would cover his whiskers with make up, thinking they were on of the reasons people treated him differently. But now, as he stares at his reflection, he wears his whisker marks proudly.
Everyone pitched in to make the wedding perfect. Ino with the flowers, Chouji with the food, etc.
The wedding was kind of a bizarre mix. Some parts were strictly traditional and other parts were... orange. 
Naruto had plenty of fireworks set up to go off in the evening, and this ended up being one of his favourite parts of the day.
Naruto asked Iruka to walk him down the aisle about a month befpre the wedding. Iruka 100% cried when that happened. And then Naruto cried because Iruka was crying, it was an adorable mess. 
You got married outside. The sun was so bright, and the weather was warm but with a slight breeze. 
Naruto and Iruka wait just out of everyone’s view. When they send the signal, everybody stands.
You watched in awe as your mate turned the corner, grasping tightly at Iruka sensei’s arm.
He was stunning.
The sunlight reflected off his blond hair like light off of water, his white dress adding to the blinding effect. Naruto had refused to tell you what he would be wearing today, but this was more beautiful than you could have ever imagined. 
As he reached the end of the aisle, your mate gave up on being graceful, running the last few steps and throwing himself into your embrace. You caught him easily, twirling him around. Laughter rang through the hall.
“You look stunning.” You whispered in his ear, gently stroking up and down his arms.
“So do you.” He grinned in return.
The ceremony flew by. You had tried your hardest to listen, but you couldn’t stop staring at your mate instead. His eyes were always one of your favourite of his physical features, but they had looked especially magical today. 
Before you knew it, it was time for your first dance.
You hadn’t planned anything and you certainly didn’t take any lessons, so it was just you and him, in each others’ arms, swaying together to the music. 
Naruto felt warm in your arms as you swayed. You took a moment to nuzzle your face into his scent glands, pressing a firm kiss to his mating mark while you were there. Naruto hummed in delight, holding onto you even tighter.
“My omega. My mate. My husband.” You breathed into his ear, knowing how much he loved his new title.
Naruto shivered and purred in response. “I love the sound of that, you know.”
“I’m aware.” You laughed, using the distraction to twirl him. Naruto completed his twirl before trying to twirl you as well. 
Other couples soon began to join you on the dance floor, but you and Naruto only had eyes for each other. 
“I love you, more than anything else in this world Naruto, never forget that.”
“I love you, too. Forever, I promise.”
“Do you love me more than ramen?”
“What? Can’t you just be happy with second place?”
“Narutoooo.”
“Fine... Joint first.”
“I hate you.”
Naruto barked out a laugh at the look on your face.
“No, you don’t.”
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otonymous · 4 years
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Prisoner Of Love (Ikesen Kenshin - NSFW)
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Description: Can two victims of circumstance find their way to love? Warnings: NSFW/18+: Explicit/graphic language — reader discretion is advised.  Spoilers for the first half of Kenshin’s MS.  Potential trigger warnings: angst, imprisonment, mild mentions of injuries, self-harm and death, self-loathing, anxiety, possessiveness (it IS Kenshin after all 🤣), slight dub-con elements, profanity, vaginal intercourse, squirting Word Count: ~3100 words (~17 minutes of angst and smut) Author’s Notes: Sending out a super giant thank you to the incredibly kind and gracious @azuchi-princess​ for commissioning this Kenshin piece from me.  I cannot tell you how honoured I am to have been entrusted with writing for your husbando! 🥰💕 It was an absolutely wonderful process working with you, and I’m so glad to have been able to indulge in my need for angst and smut at the same time!
(SPOILER ALERT!) This story takes place shortly after Kenshin has MC (read: YOU!) placed behind bars as his “spoils of war,” but I have taken creative license in altering the events that occur afterwards.  Moreover, the perspective shifts between that of the reader’s and Kenshin’s in the hopes of delivering that optimal punch of angst 👊🏼🤣
Please note the warnings listed above — especially the potential triggers — and avoid this read if anything makes you uncomfortable.  Otherwise, dear readers, I sincerely hope that you enjoy this piece! 💕
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Chapter I (Kenshin’s POV)
Betrayal.
Cutting deeper than the sharpest blade.
Unforgiving like Himetsuru-Ichimonji, severing the red string of fate as quickly as it is drawn from its scabbard.
So why was it that Kenshin still couldn’t bring himself to hate her?
Footsteps echoing along stone walls in the bowels of Kasugayama Castle — the very place where he had her cast behind bars — Kenshin wanders, trapped in a hell from which there was no escape.
For the confines of the mind were impervious to even the God of War’s sharpened steel.
And in between each beat of his thunderous heart, he hears her: gentle tears rolling down that delicate face to fall on packed earth, the ground’s inhospitable chill reaching up through limbs to rob even the final vestiges of warmth from bone.  Her every shuddering breath is a weight upon his chest, suffocating until Kenshin clings to the reins of reason holding him back from storming her cell like a madman, animated solely by the fire commanding him to see, to touch…
…to love her.
Hands clenching into tight fists, Kenshin’s knuckles blanch whiter than his already pale skin when he slows to a stop.  Round the corner and there she’ll be.
Woman of the Oda.  The Devil King’s own.
She, who had lied in the same breath that commiserated with him as they waited for Sasuke’s return.  She, whose tears left him dazzled, catching the light of the fire like precious stones even as their salt stung, seeping into his open wounds.  She, who had held his hand within her own, caring not about sullying her perfect skin with his tainted blood.
Because tainted is what he is.  It is what he deserves.
And yet, he can’t help but see the moonlight in her gaze, shimmering like a spectre every time he closes his eyes.  Can’t stop himself from desiring the tender warmth of her smile.  Still wonders at her fearless bravado in the face of a man who brought nothing but death and destruction upon friend and foe alike.
Isehime.
No.
No, he will not see her, Kenshin thinks, gaze frosting over as he wills the ice in his veins to freeze a heart he no longer wanted to feel.  He walks away, forcing himself to believe that the sound of her sorrow growing faint was nothing more than mice in the walls.
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Chapter II (Reader’s POV)
Ethereal moons beckon from scrolls depicting each of the four seasons — resplendent colours discordant against the drab stone walls on which they hang.
Cherry blossoms flutter against gold-foil skies; delicate petals frozen in time as they float across a folding screen.
Even the futon in the corner of your cell seemed fit for a princess at court, much more luxurious than the one in which you had slept at Azuchi.
The Dragon of Echigo had took it upon himself to see that his spoils of war would want for nothing, and yet he would deny you the one thing you truly desired:
The man himself.
Sasuke, Shingen and Yukimura would visit — sometimes together, sometimes in turn — graciously sharing their company for which you were so starved.  Your ninja friend swore with as much emotion as he could muster to do anything and everything possible to persuade his lord to release you, or at the very least, agree to see you.  Yukimura couldn’t stop shaking his head, the expression on his face indignant to see you treated thus, ‘boar woman’ though you were.  As for Lord Shingen, he likened you to a bird in a gilded cage, trying to tempt you with offers of freedom and a ready smile on his face that surely would’ve moved any woman to see it…
…any woman but you, that is.
For in your eyes, there was only ever Kenshin — the man who came to your rescue time and time again without knowing your true identity.  Intoxicating like the finest sake, each and every moment spent by his side became a precious embrace of a memory, emblazoned in your mind until it was impossible to forget:
The black cape that flowed from broad shoulders like a powerful wave, trailing behind him that night he saved you from those thugs in Azuchi.  The way your feet dragged behind his footsteps, moving slow just to watch him cut swift through tall grass with all the seasoned grace of a dancer.  His porcelain skin glowing from within as if lit by the light of his own moon.
And in his eyes…sorrow as unfathomable as the sea was deep, rising like smoke from sapphire and emerald in those rare moments the Dragon of Echigo let down his guard.  But alas, no more.
You had broken his trust.
How many nights have you lain awake, seeking out pinprick stars through the sliver of window high above your prison and thinking about how things might have been different?  What if you had disclosed your relationship with the Oda at the very start?  Would the press of the cold steel of his blade be more of a consolation against your neck than the heartbreak spreading from chest to limb every time you lay down to sleep?
Sleep?
No, that was not forthcoming these days — rest a luxury you couldn’t afford until the moment you could face Kenshin for yourself and tell him that you never meant to hurt him, never meant to lie.  That though Nobunaga found you first, you had no ulterior motive in approaching Kenshin other than the fact that you…you…
…simply couldn’t stay away.
No matter what anyone tried to say about him.
For even on the battlefield, every nerve singed as the stench of freshly spilt blood filled your nostrils, you still couldn’t tear your gaze from the one they revered as the God of War.  Like an immortal stepping from an unfurling scroll, Kenshin moved with the fluid grace of a master painter wielding his brush, completely at one with his sword as he dispatched his enemies with a precision that terrified and awed all at once.
And when he held you in his arms that night — the same hand which had claimed countless lives bleeding into your own as you clasped it in prayer for Sasuke’s safe return — you had felt no fear; only the wish that time would stretch into eternity so that you might forever have him near.
“Kenshin.”
You say his name once…twice…the syllables rolling off your tongue to echo down the hallway like a ghost, lonely and forgotten in the dungeons of Kasugayama Castle.  What was freedom to you when you couldn’t bear to break the shackles chaining you to a god who would never look your way again?
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Chapter III (Kenshin’s POV)
“Kenshin.”
Her voice halts him in his tracks, one hand shooting out to rest upon the cool stone wall as Kenshin bolsters himself against the sudden weakness in his knees.  When was the last time he heard her speak his name?  Had it always sounded so melodic, caressing up the spine to curl gently upon the lobe of his ear?
That she is calling for him at a time when she should’ve been fast asleep is a source of elation and anxiety all at once, She is thinking of me tempered by the dread in knowing that she wasn’t getting the rest her body needed.  And slowly, slowly…the scales start to tip: if she didn’t sleep, she’d become too exhausted to eat.  And without eating, she would…
…die.
The nightmare would begin anew.  Except this time, it would be her blood on Kenshin’s hands, spilling crimson over the scars left behind by Isehime’s lifeless body.
She’ll slip away from you like the other, the voice in his head chastises, full of malice as darkness begins unfurling from the corners of his mind, tightening the vice in his chest.  They come hard and fast, thoughts tangling one over the other like a labyrinth of vines from which there was no escape:
Poison runs through your veins.  Loving her would only doom the girl to misfortune and regret.
If she is not yours, could you possibly surrender her to anyone else?
You cannot outrun your curse.  All those you hold dear will end up like Isehime: sleeping in the cold earth.
No one must lay eyes on her beauty, witness her elegance, know of the rare flower blooming in the depths of this dungeon.
No one but you.
Fist pulling back, Kenshin releases the full force of his strength in a punch to the wall.  Bruised bone and shredded skin send blistering pain to interrupt the cacophony in his head, silence reigning supreme once more until
“Kenshin?”
…she calls for him again, voice coloured with anticipation this time.  He hears a shuffle, sees her in his mind’s eye — throwing off the covers of her bedding to press against the bars, straining to peek around the wooden slats that kept her from freedom.  Kept her from him.
“Please, Kenshin…is that you?”
He knows not why he does it, body moving before his mind is even aware.  Kenshin had managed to make his way to her cell undetected every night since he put her there, standing silent in shadowy corners just to watch her sleep, allowing the rise and fall of her breath to soothe him with the knowledge that she was still very much alive.  But now, in a single moment of thoughtlessness, he had thrown it all away.
She gasps to finally see him and even the sound of that is beautiful, resonating clear like the note of an expertly plucked koto.  His gaze falls on her tightened grip around the bars, follows the solitary tear gathering starlight as it rolls down her cheek.  And when her eyes widen in horror to look upon the state of his injured hand, Kenshin feels it:
A shift deep within, barely perceptible but wholly significant, like ice cracking beneath the surface of a frozen stream.
And the rush of waters that follows drowns the lovers in a flood from which neither was capable of nor willing to escape.
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Chapter IV (Reader’s POV)
Perhaps he really was a god, answering every prayer that ever slipped past noiseless lips to materialize before you in that prison.  His white kimono is pristine beneath that black cloak, as if emphasizing the sanctity of his being, the unalterable distance between Uesugi Kenshin and a mere mortal such as yourself.  But then the rivulets of red run down that swollen hand to tell you otherwise; the revelation bittersweet because maybe now, there was a way for you to be together, complicated though circumstances were.  
So you reach for him through the bars and he complies, watching as you lay kisses upon bruised fingers, feeling the familiar sting of your tears as they seep into wounded flesh and broken hearts — full of sorrow, full of joy…and impossible to stop.
“Push me away.”
His voice is soft for the hard edges of his words.  Head lifting, you meet those striking eyes, focused and still.  Yet, you felt the storm brewing in those blue and green depths, turmoil barely concealed beneath the ice of his gaze.  And there, standing before the man whose very blood stained your lips, you refuse.
Lightning flashes in those eyes and suddenly, his fingers are curling tight about the sleeve of your kimono, Kenshin pulling you close through the bars in one swift motion until the stilted rhythm of his breath is dancing hot over your skin.  
“Say it.  Say you hate me, that you want absolutely nothing to do with me.  Do it now or else—”
“No.  Never.  How could I ever bring myself to hate the one I love—”
The grimace on his handsome face cuts you off, the great Dragon of Echigo trembling at the very word, love, like it was dirty, taboo.  And as the final threads of control slip from his grasp, Kenshin is moving once more without thought — his body a slave to the dictates of the heart.  Yanking on the ring of keys hanging from his tapered waist, Kenshin throws open the door to your cell and in an instant, he is by your side.
“Fine.  Then I’ll make you hate me.”
His whisper is a promise.
The keys clatter as they’re thrown to the ground, but all you could hear was the rush of blood in your ears, deafening with every pounding beat of your heart to feel his lips on yours for the very first time.  The insistent tongue pushing into your mouth carries a hint of sake, the fervour of his kiss leaving you intoxicated and desperate for more.
Long fingers thread through the silk of your hair, Kenshin’s grip gentle yet firm as he angles your head to deepen the kiss, bringing you closer and closer until the end of his exhalation marked the beginning of your next breath.  And hadn’t it always been this way, you forever chasing after the mystery that was this beautifully broken man?  The intensity of his want is a spell that bewitches, inexorably pulling you into the crucible of his desire, passion matching yours flame for burning flame until all else was extinguished.
Good and bad, right or wrong.
Words insignificant like ash in the face of this all-consuming love.
“Hate me,” Kenshin begs, teeth sinking into your lower lip until the taste of your blood mixed with his.  “Please…or else I’ll never give you up.”
Open-mouthed kisses now trailing wet along the column of your neck, your fingers find purchase in his golden hair, pulling hard as you yield to the sensation of his breath moving lower and lower still.  Kenshin groans, the sound resonating from deep within his chest to send a rush of heat that dampens the sacred space between your legs.
Body ready and heart set, your mind had been made up long ago.  So you grasp onto those shoulders — broad and strong — to pull Kenshin up before you.  And in the silent space between the beating of twin hearts, you say with a conviction so strong there could be no doubt,
“I am yours.”
The sound that catches in his throat is guttural, almost feral as those eyes of emerald and sapphire train on you with the intensity of a thousand suns.  A sea of emotions flit across that handsome face, subtly shifting until one finally wins out:
Need.
You barely feel it though it must’ve taken considerable force to tear your obi off, the sumptuous kimono he gifted you with slipping from your shoulders as the God of War sets you upon the futon fit for a princess.  Elegant even in haste, Kenshin disrobes with the grace of snow falling on frost-covered pine, revealing porcelain skin stretched over perfectly sculpted muscle that beckons to your every nerve.
And before the dungeon’s chill could rattle your bones, he gathers you into the heat of his embrace.  Skin to skin, the arms wrapped around you tremble when he whispers, “I’ve wanted you so desperately, I-I don’t think I can hold back.”  
Head falling back onto your pillow, you will Kenshin to see the sincerity, the surrender in the darkened gaze that reflects his very image.
“Then give me everything.  I want…all that you are.”
It tears a breathless gasp from your lips, mouth drawn open in a silent scream when Kenshin fills you to the hilt with a single thrust — the thick, hard heat of his cock testing the limits of your body with its size.  Equally skilled in bed as he was on the battlefield, the God of War is a force to be reckoned with, the swing of his hips graceful even as they connect with yours, ruthless in speed and intensity.
He moves within your body like he belongs, pulling out only to dive even deeper into slick depths until pleasure bloomed pink along your skin, the hardened tips of your breasts so enticing Kenshin couldn’t help but take them into his mouth in greedy turn as he continued thrusting, harder and faster until your legs began to shake.
“Oh god, Kenshin!  You feel…so…good...ahh!—”
Pants and screams echo down darkened corridors, the sound of your pleasure in being taken this way resonating in the corners of every prison cell until you think to bite onto the sleeve of your kimono.  But Kenshin just shakes his head, the sweat of exertion glistening on his body as his fingers move towards your mouth.
“No, I want…hmm…to hear you.  Every sound you make is…precious to me.  Let it out.”  
With that, he removes the embroidered fabric, lips pressing to yours to swallow every licentious moan for himself as he props your legs up against his shoulders.  All of a sudden, like pieces of a puzzle sliding into place, the motion awakens sensations you never before knew existed.
Unable to scream with your lover’s tongue in your mouth, your body responds in the only other way it knew how: convulsing beneath Kenshin until he is forced to pull out, allowing a flood of your arousal to cascade past swollen lips, spilling down the insides of your thighs in a lewd display that wets the bedding beneath your entwined bodies.  And yet,
“More.  Please, Kenshin…I want more…”
…you were insatiable.
The sight, sound and smell of you so undone ignites a fire inside the warlord, his mind scrambled by lust.  And when he slides into you once more, he fucks with absolute abandon, yearning for complete union even as he leaves you breathless to finally spill into your depths.
* * *
You awake to moonlight glowing soft beyond shoji screens and the rhythm of a heartbeat, measured and slow beneath your ear.  The robe you wore was fresh and soft; vague recollections of Kenshin gently caressing your fatigued body with a washcloth filtering in and out of your thoughts.  At some point, he must’ve carried you to his chambers, sleeping now as you were upon his chest.
Lifting your head, you gaze at your lover in repose.  It fills you with affection to see him — heart tightening to bind you to this man.  And as his muscular arm winds about your waist, you knew you would forever be a willing prisoner to his love.
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Thank you so much for reading!  Check out more of my work here! 📚
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My Clarity ~ Shikamaru x Kitsune
A little fic in which Shikamaru isn’t the only kid who gets advice from his dad through Shogi.
Honestly tho, I’m in my exam session, 9 exams, thankfully, only 2 more to go next week, and I have a burning urge to re-watch all of Naruto for some reason, and my love for this beautiful Deer boy resurfaced very VERY powerfully.
Oops.
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Little fox, little fox, what are you hiding behind that sly, cheerful smile of yours?
Little fox, little fox, why are you all alone?
Little fox, little fox, what's going on through your mind?
Little fox, little fox...Do you wanna play?
---
Shikamaru always knew there was something off with the red haired girl in his class -
She just seemed too perfect. 
She was beautiful, she was smart, she was talented, she was kind, she was helpful, she was selfless..
And his parents were best friends with her parents, so they would often meet up for play dates and whatever.
No matter how much he tried to avoid her like the plague, she didn’t give up, and whenever he asked her why the hell she wanted to hang out with him so bad, she’d just say
“Because I like you, little fawn.”
That stupid nickname, that soon turned into “Deer boy” irked him big time...But in a way...
He was the only one to whom she gave nicknames, so he felt kinda special.
Actually, he was the only one with whom she actually seemed completely genuine...So maybe he should actually enjoy it?
Yeah, why not, right? 
She’s not so bad, after all, and if he gets to learn something form her, all the better!
----
“Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ the obsessive mutterings went on and on like grating. She was trembling, not even realizing her cheeks were soaked, not from the rain, but from the tears her beautiful green eyes that now resembled a rainforest, were producing.
 What was going on? This can’t be happening…This was supposed to be a simple mission with her dad and her dad’s best friend…It was just a B mission at most…How could things escalate this much?
 Being a ninja, she knew things are dangerous and would put you in impossible situations…That you can even lose your life or your friends and comrades…But…
Why now…? Why so soon…?
She’s barely 10 years old…She wanted to go on this mission to see how beautiful the world outside the Country of Fire is…But this…?
 “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ she continued rambling, standing there, on her knees, on the wet grass, all muddy, all bloody, not having moved from there for at least a whole hour, so much that she almost thought she started growing roots into the ground.
 “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ she went on and on and on with no stopping, with no equivalent of time and space, of self, of body, of identity. She was lost. She was not only broken, but completely shattered. She was blank.
 “Kitsune, that’s enough. Snap out of it. He’s dead. We have to get out of here before the enemies find us. We’ve been here enough.” the man who was her dad’s best friend went on his knees in front of her and grasped her wrists, pulling her hands away from her eye sight so she will stop looking at her father’s blood. “He’s not…He’s not…He can’t be…He can’t…He won’t…He wouldn’t…Leave me…No…He’s just…R-Resting…Don’t mess around with me…” instead of focusing on her hands that were painted with clotted blood, her eyes were now in the vision of the body laying in a pool of its own blood, its chest being cut to access the heart. “I know it’s impossible to accept this, but your parents wouldn’t want you to die here because you froze up. Let’s go home. We’ll get his body in a scroll and I’ll arrange for a funeral.” the man tried to reason with the child, who, in turn, moved for the first time since the incident. “HE’S NOT FUCKING DEAD! STOP LYING TO ME, SHIKAKU, HE’S NOT DEAD!!! HE CAN’T BE DEAD! HE’S NOT! I HEALED HIM! I RESTARTED HIS HEART! HE’S NOT DEAD! I DIDN’T LET HIM DIE! HE’S TOO STRONG TO DIE! HE WOULDN’T LEAVE ME AND MUM! I’M TELLING YOU, HE’LL GET UP ANY MINUTE NOW! I DID EVERYTHING BY THE BOOK! JUST AS THE MEDICAL NINS TAUGHT ME! I DID NO MISTAKE! I DID NOTHING WRONG! I’M SURE!” the red haired girl lashed out at the man, shrieking so loud that her throat felt raw, almost bleeding, her emotions pouring down harder than the rain as she shook hit the man’s chest and shoulder, but he could only look at her with pity in his dark eyes, almost imagining his own son, should that have been him on the ground. “It’s not your fault, Kitsune. You did everything you could, but sometimes, there is nothing anyone can do. Some injuries are so severe that they can’t be healed, even if you are the most skilled healer. It wasn’t your fault, it was the enemies’ fault.  I promise you.” the Nara put the ANBU captain’s corpse in a scroll and picked the girl up, running back to the village and reporting to the Hokage.
 The girl was lost, had no idea what to say, what to do, what to feel – Not when Shikaku was explaining what happened to the Hokage, not when he broke the news to her mum, hell, not even when she was staring at a beautiful picture of the three of them together, at his funeral.
 No children were allowed at the funeral, as per her request – She didn’t want any pity, and she wanted to give no explanations.
She wanted nobody involved. Things were bad enough as they were.
So the only people from the school who knew were the teachers.
Not Shikamaru, not Hinata, not Sasuke, not Shino…
Nobody.
Definitely nobody.
 Her dad wasn’t dead, after all.
She didn’t kill him.
She did everything she was taught to do.
She did the cardiac massage, she was sure she felt his heart pumping again, she definitely saw him breathing…
…Right?
She did, didn’t she?
She didn’t imagine it, right?
She didn’t try to get his heart to pump again when he was already irreversibly dead…
…Right?
  ----
The little red haired girl smiled dazzlingly at the children in her class, who were also her friends. She knew she was the most popular girl in the whole Academy, but she didn't let it bother her, or change the way she behaved with everyone - Everyone was equal in her eyes, even if they were obnoxious or annoying - And in turn, she got invited to everyone's birthday parties or hang outs, and so on.
But most of the time, she couldn't go to those hang outs because she was constantly training with her parents to become an excellent ninja, and in the future, a member of the ANBU - It wasn't only her dream, but her parents jobs too.
ANBU captains
What greater honour could there be?
While other 10 year olds were playing around, she was hanging around adults, learning how to perfect her fighting styles, ninjutsu and genjutsu, but not only -
She wanted to learn medical ninjutsu, she wanted to help people, to save them, for all the times she heard all those scary stories from her parents and their friends...How they lost people, comrades, partners, friends...Because in the Great War, there was barely any medical ninja around to save them...
She couldn't allow that to happen - Not on her watch.
"Okay, class. Today, we are going to do a team activity, and we need 2 captains. Who wants that position?" Iruka-sensei asked his class, and, as expected, most of the kids nominated Kitsune, while Sasuke, Naruto and Kiba wanted to be captains themselves, and Sakura and Ino nomitated the Uchiha. This class' dynamic was always the same, and in a way, this exhausting routine was sort of comforting for the red haired fox-like girl. "Kitsune, Sasuke, step forward. As Kitsune was nominated by the most of you, she will choose first."
"I choose Shika!" in front of the class, the girl with sparkling green eyes grinned enthusiastically as she extended her arms in front of her, as a way of cordially inviting the friend she cherished the most, despite all the gasps of shock she received.
"Sh-Shikamaru? Kitsune, why not choose me first?! I'm so much stronger than that guy who just sleeps all day and is too lazy to move!" Naruto yelled at her, but she merely sweat dropped and chuckled awkwardly.
"But Shikamaru is the smartest in this class and I believe we get along very well. When forming a team, you don't have to always get the ones who are more energetic or physically stronger, but the best strategists and those with whom you can create a perfect synergy and your abilities and skills compliment each other. Having Shika on my team means that we're definitely going to win against Sasuke's team!" the girl shrugged casually, ending her explanation with a sly, incredibly fox-like smirk - One that screamed 'Victory'.
"Uh...Thanks for picking me, I guess." Shikamaru awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, before muttering his usual catch phrase "What a drag..."
Sasuke glared at the girl, despite knowing very well there was barely anyone with any kind of potential in this class, but he got around to choosing Kiba. Then, Kitsune chose Shino, while Sasuke got Choji. Kitsune got Hinata and Sasuke could barely stop himself from facepalming, but chose Sakura. Grinning at the brunet captain, Kitsune chose Ino, so Naruto was stuck with Sasuke - It was the perfect plan.
The two groups went out in the forest, in the opposite parts, and had 15 minutes to come up with a plan to steal the Captain's bandana.
"First of all, I'd like to apologise to Shika for not being able to get Choji as well. I know that the Ino-Shika-Cho formation is incredibly powerful, and that the three of you would have had an amazing synergy, but there's that. However, I'm happy that we have Shino with us, I'm sure the insects are going to scare off both Sakura and Naruto...Which reminds me, Naruto an Sasuke are going to work against each other most of the time. With Shikamaru and I as the strategist, Hinata’s Byakugan and the maturity and knowledge of Shino and Ino, we are going to make the perfect team. Besides…Ino, if you show off how strong you are, and you beat Sakura in the process, I’m sure you’re going to impress Sasuke!” Kitsune clapped her hands together, charming all of her team mates, as per usual. “Oh, but Sakura doesn’t stand a chance! She will swoon over Sasuke-kun all the time and will be completely useless! That Naruto will screw everything up for Sasuke-kun and will be loud enough to give away their position, and I’m sure he’ll argue with everyone, especially Kiba. And Choji eats all the time, I doubt he’ll do much, especially if he sees how everyone argues among themselves and does nothing good. He’s a pacifist, y’know.” Ino grinned condescendingly as she berated almost everyone in the enemy team. “Very well, then I will tell you my plan, and when I’m done, I’d like you to tell me your insight and how to perfect it, if you have any ideas. The main idea is to distract Sasuke while Shika uses his shadow to immobilize Sasuke, so I can steal away the bandana. Ino, you have to stay away from Sakura, so you won’t bicker. I need your Mind Transfer jutsu. Hinata, your Byakugan will be detrimental in finding out everyone’s location, and I have faith in your fighting abilities. Shino, of course, apart from the fact that I’m sure your insects are going to scare away some of those guys, you are a very strong fighter and very intelligent as well.” Kitsune explained simply, and everyone seemed to nod in agreement. “Actually, I think Ino, Hinata and Shino should stay together, at least in the beginning. Ino can incapacitate one person for a short amount of time, so if she stops Sasuke, I can catch him in my shadows, and you can steal away the bandana, while Shino and Hinata fight the others. Those two are sensory types, so they can find out everyone’s positions and the bugs can guide us to them.” Shika pointed out, which made the red haired girl widen her eyes at him in shock for a few seconds, only to grin widely and almost literally glow in happiness. “You’re the best, Shika! It’s always so great hanging out with you! Come on, 15 minutes passed, let’s go and win this!” she cheered to hype the others up, and it worked well enough, and it seemed to give them a little boost of confidence.
 And so, they went to the middle of the forest while Hinata and Shino searched for the enemies – Who they easily found – And Kitsune and Shikamaru split up around Sasuke in a pincer formation. Just as planned, Naruto easily gave away his position, so Shino and Hinata went to fight or scare away Sakura and the others who went down faster than expected, considering they were all split up, not in groups.
When Sasuke was the last one standing, Ino used her Mind Transfer jutsu on him, Sasuke immobilized him and the fox girl stole away the bandana.
 However, just as they were making their escape, Sasuke got out of his immobilized state and went to attack the group – The fox girl gave shadow boy the token of victory and told him to take the team away and make their escape, while she quickly beat the Uchiha and went back to them, only to see the Nara didn’t actually go with the others, but returned to make sure she was okay.
 “Very well played, everyone. Now, the 2 captains, shake hands, and you can all go home for today.” Their teacher smiled at them, while also pointing out the obvious problems in the other team. “Hey, about about we go to the BBQ place to celebrate our win?” Ino asked, smiling triumphantly. “We can invite Sasuke too, since he tried his best, but he didn’t have a team.” Was her plan, and everyone seemed to agree – Of course, the other team wanted to join as well, so there was that, but…
“Oh, uh-uhm…S-Sorry, but I can’t come. I, uh…My parents and I are pretty busy today, haha. But I hope you have fun for me as well! Take care, guys, see ya tomorrow!” Kitsune chuckled awkwardly, rushing to go home and train with her parents.
 However, she didn’t come to school the next day. Or the one after…Or the whole week, for the matter.
She was absent for almost 2 whole weeks, for the matter.
Until she wasn’t anymore.
But when she returned, she was as radiant as always.
For those who weren’t as observant as Shikamaru, that is…
What was he supposed to do, anyway? Go and confront her? No way, that would be a drag…And besides, if she wanted to talk, she’d come to him…Or someone, right?
 The biggest shock of his life was, however, to come home one day from school and finding a certain red haired girl playing Shogi with his own father, and they seemed to be very comfortable with each other? And they were smiling?
“Hey, Shika! Welcome home! Oh, you got here just in time, I and your mum managed to finish cooking earlier! Go and eat something, you don’t want the food to get cold, right?” Kitsune waved at him, smiling sweetly, but the boy could only stare at both of them, incredibly confused, his eyebrows raised so far up that they almost got into his hairline. “Wh-What are you doing here? Dad, what’s going on? Why are you playing Shogi with Kitsune?” the poor boy asked, his head almost snapping from going back and forth. “Oh, w-well…I was pleasantly impressed with your intelligence and strategy, so I came here to praise you to your dad! Also, my mum said she always enjoyed learning and playing Shogi with him, so I thought I’d give it a shot too! You should have heard her, honestly, Shikaku beat me again at Shogi, you should have seen the new stunt he pulled today! It was completely revolutionary, we could totally use it in our next mission!” Kitsune laughed lightly, trying to calm the boy down a bit. “You have to be careful, son, she might just win against you if you slack off too much.” Shikaku teased his son, who could only groan and leave to eat. “Tsk…What a drag…Troublesome woman…” the boy muttered, leaving the place that got immediately much darker. “You can stay for dinner, Kitsune. We can call your mother as well, if you want. I doubt she’d have been up to cooking anything after what happened.” the Nara sighed deeply, crossing his arms and looking attentively at the frail girl in front of him, who may as well be close to shattering. “N-No…I-I…I couldn’t…Do this to her…I’m afraid…Something’s coming…Something incredibly bad…If I’m not there, who knows what will happen…Uhm…Thanks for today, Shikaku. I appreciate it. And he would have as well. See you tomorrow.” She got up and left the place in a hurry, going back home.
However, as soon as she opened the door, she called out to tell her mother…Who didn’t answer. Worried, the red haired girl went to the kitchen, hoping to do some cooking for her mother, who may have been still resting in her room…
But the sight in front of her shook her to the core, for the rest of her life… And since then, the last thing Shikamaru saw of her was her fox necklace that she left over to Shikaku the next day she went for a Shogi play.
He hated to admit it, but this woman…This woman, he actually missed, but no matter how much he pestered his father for an answer, he would only say  “Soon”.
What was such an enigmatic and vague answer supposed to do to reassure and inform him in any way that he will meet her ever again?
He never even had the time to play Shogi with her, or chat properly, hang out by the field to watch the clouds go by…And graduate together, maybe even get put in the same team…
He couldn’t believe this was really happening, and for a while, he actually hated the girl for just leaving like that, without even saying goodbye to him.
Oh, if only the poor boy knew the truth…
  ----
Years passed, Shikamaru was already the first Chunin from his class, they already went in enough missions as teams, and were old enough to see the world in new eyes…Yet nothing could compare to what their parents saw in the Great War, so they were still green ninjas, unaware of the true horrors of this world.
 He was already 16…He couldn’t believe 6 years passed since he last saw that little firecracker named after a cute fox that he used to call “friend” in his Academy days. Every year, when the day of her departure came by, he’d take the day off and go to the spot they would both spend time, watching the clouds – And for some reason, he would always see a fox shaped cloud.
 It was such a drag.
 However, on the 6th year, his father stopped him from going to the field, instead, asking to play Shogi, something that confused the boy greatly, but he decided he should listen to what his father had to say.
 But never, in his life, would he have expected that his father finally saw him as old enough to tell him what happened to that mysterious girl who disappeared so suddenly.
He told Shikamaru everything that happened on that mission gone wrong – The Kirigakure ninjas attacking them, Kitsune’s father saving her and dying in the process, and the little girl snapping, going on a rampage, and when returning to her father’s side, she tried to revive him for so long, that he thought he wasn’t going to be able to pry her away from his body. The shock that completely stunned her, seeing herself in the reflection of the cold water, trying to scrub away the blood from her hands – Blood that wasn’t there anymore, but she kept seeing it – She tried and tried and tried to wash it off – To even claw it off – aggressively scrubbing away with her nails, leaving trails all over her arms.
 And that day, when Shikamaru caught them playing Shogi – When she got home, she saw her mother hanging in the kitchen – She couldn’t take it anymore. Her mother loved her husband so much, that she couldn’t handle being without him anymore, nor could she handle staying in the same house with the daughter who looked so much like him.
 Her mother committed suicide.
 It was a clear sign to Kitsune that she should get the hell out of Konoha, before she would lose herself completely.
But even then, she held Shikamaru in her heart, which is why she asked Shikaku to give him her necklace before she left.
 She had no idea where she wanted to go, but she had to.
 And that day, when she played Shogi, the strategies she took, influenced by Shikaku’s aggressiveness in the game, made the both of them realize that the deer boy was too precious to her to sacrifice, as a mere Shogi piece.
So she left to get better and protect the last person she loved who was still alive.
And Shikamaru felt guilty for resenting her for 6 years.
 ---
“I wonder who’s our other team mate. Lady Tsunade didn’t say much about this person.” Ino asked, dangling her feet, bored, staying on a tree branch. “I heard it’s a girl!” Choji munched on his crisps, not really caring much. “Dad said it’s some ANBU captain or something. What a drag, that means this mission’s going to be more difficult than before…” Shikamaru groaned, slouching down. “As usual, you come up with the best strategies. It’s weirdly nice working with you again, and –“ the angelic voice of a woman was heard by the trio, who immediately perked up in curiosity, as in their field of vision, Shikamaru’s father walked by, wearing a relaxed and joking smile on his face, side by side with a much shorter individual, with long hair, kissed by fire, dressed in the usual ANBU outfit, with a fox mask covering her face, and a few weapons strapped to her back. “Is…Is this our team  mate?” Ino gasped at the beauty in front of her. “I sure hope so.” Choji chuckled, nudging Shikamaru, but the boy could only stare at her, frowning, unable to utter any word. “Here’s your team, Kitsune. I’m sure you missed being around your friends –“ but Shikaku couldn’t finish his sentence, for as soon as the girl saw the brunet boy, she got rooted to the spot for a few seconds, before squealing and throwing herself in his arms, hugging him as tight as possible. “Shika!!!”  she cried out, twirling around with him, not wanting to let him go. “I missed you so much, Shika~!” “K-Kitsune…? Is that really you…?” poor Shikamaru couldn’t even hug the girl back because of the extreme shock he was in, but his father’s chuckle snapped him back to reality. “Yes, silly, it’s me! I’m back.” The girl quickly took off her mask, putting it to her waist belt, flashing the same dazzling white smile of hers – The same one that completely stole his heart many years ago. “Remember me?” “Y-Yeah, ‘course I do, uhmm…” he tried to stumble over his words, despite the blush creeping on his face. “My…! You grew up so much! And you’re absolutely gorgeous! …Eh…~? Look at you, you’re so cute with red cheeks! And you’re even wearing my necklace! I’m so happy, Shika…! Your parents must be so proud to have the smartest and prettiest child in the whole Country of Fire, right Shikaku~?” the red haired girl giggled teasingly, making the poor deer boy so flustered that he had to fry her off and look away, while his friends and dad were laughing at him. “What a troublesome woman…! Tsk…Stop being so familiar with me, you’re annoying.” Shika tried to fend off, but the girl feigned that annoying puppy dog eyes that she always did when she was little and she wanted to spend time with him. “Th-Then…You didn’t miss me, Shika? At all? Not even a tiny bit?” she asked in the most pitiful voice, pouting and getting closer to his face, which in turn, killed him instantly. “…Fine, yeah, maybe, whatever. Let’s go on our mission.” The poor boy grumbled, walking ahead of everyone, not even bothering to say goodbye to his dad, as his friends were already teasing him and laughing. “He’s so cute~!” the girl grinned, carefree, following his lead.
 The road to the mission’s point was filled with light chatting and some catching up, but for Shikamaru, the situation was different – Every word she uttered, he analysed and scanned, as if looking for any string of white lie that sewed together a perfectly made up story.
 She wanted to learn a more diverse range of skills so she went to learn from other Ninja villages and random renowned rouge ninjas and samurais…
And, allegedly, 2 years prior, she returned and joined the ANBU, and chose only the longest missions that led farthest away from the Country of Fire.
 How dubious…
  “Shh, stop, here we are.” Kitsune stopped abruptly, crouching down on the branch carefully, squinting and watching like a hawk every one of the grouped up ninjas, almost as if she was peering at them under a microscope – Every micronic detail, she sketched in her mind and carefully created a plan to take them down, before snapping her fingers once to draw her team’s attention towards her. “See that guy with blue hair, tied up, and black eyes? That’s our guy. We capture him, and kill everyone else. Easy enough?” despite muttering in a low voice, her piercing gaze didn’t move for not even a single pico-second. “But…Kitsune…? I don’t mean to sound doubting…But there must be at least 50 ninjas out there, and they seem to be at least Chuunin level. And weren’t Kirigakure ninjas supposed to be bloodthirsty and to be using poison?” Ino asked, obviously very worried. “They aren’t Kirigakure ninjas, but yeah, you are right about those guys. These ones are in disguise, but not great ones, I’d have to say. See that guy with orange hair? His sleeve is raised up, and a brown tattoo can be seen, which indicates they are from Iwa. Very annoying and strong. Those stupid guys have an Iwakage who can eradicate everything in sight with that stupid particle-something jutsu of his…And they have an explosion department…Thank God I didn’t remain in Konoha…” Kitsune muttered, the corner of her mouth raising into a triumphant smirk that meant she was going to create a blood bath. “Explosions?! How can we protect ourselves against that?” Choji was almost comically trembling, eating crisps even more rapidly than before. “Unfortunately for you, neither has a Lightning chakra nature, so we can’t actively deactivate them…However…I trained with the best puppet master in the world, who so happens to have as a partner the most fanatic, yet talented bomb artist, so I know how to go against these guys. Shika, Ino, I want you to make sure you get the leader away from the group. Since you can get in his body, just say you need to pee or something, and that you’ll be back, which is when Shikamaru will use his shadows to get him towards us, and then three of you will protect him, while I kill this lot, got it?” she asked, finally snapping from her hawk-like self and taking out her weapons, soaking them in poison with a wet cloth. “That’s not the best strategy, I’d say. We do nothing, while you do all the work. I am more than one-man hit, y’know? I grew up and trained too. I can get at least 20 of those guys.” Shikamaru’s annoyed voice perked up, surprising the girl, who could only blink and look at him with big, almost fawn-like eyes. “I never doubted any of you for a second, and if it seemed that way, I apologise sincerely. Thing is, I’m an ANBU, and out of all of you, only you, Shikamaru, promoted to Chuunin. Now, I’m not saying that these grades matter, because they don’t, but at the same time, I’m responsible for you, and I don’t want to go home with one of you dead in my arms, and having to hold your funeral. I told Tsunade to let me do this alone, but she insisted I pair up with you. I want you all to promise you won’t get in my way and attack, unless necessary, got it? As I said, I absolutely REFUSE to get your blood on my hands, capiche?” Kitsune’s voice became very dry, dark and poisonous very fast, which made the blonde and chestnut haired ninjas gulp and nod fiercely, while the brunet only frowned in anger. “We aren’t 10 year old anymore, Kitsune, and neither are you. This ain’t the mission you went to 6 years ago, and nobody will die on your watch, got it? If you keep being afraid of taking risks, you’ll fail.” Shikamaru got closer to her face, arguing her plan. “Shikaku told you what happened, didn’t he? Well, I should have known, it was bound to happen. Nonetheless, as I said, I’m the leader of the team. You do as I say, or you go home. I will have NOBODY’S blood on my hands. Now go do your jobs and do NOT put yourselves in danger unless I say so.” Kitsune, for the last time, warned the trio, then got up, took off her konoha forehead protector and switched it to a rogue-one, then put back her fox mask and raising her arms up, she attached chakra string to each and every ninja, except the target. “Now, Ino, Shikamaru, go get him.” She commanded in such a dark and monotone voice, almost as if she suddenly transformed into the villain of the series.
 Despite disagreeing with the plan, the two did as were told, and very easily, lured their victim into the perfectly placed trap, and now, the trio were his guard.
Further, Kitsune grinne widely behind her mask, chuckling and jumping down from the tall tree, as she used her fire chakra to burn the string, and in turn, the victims they were attached to. With incredible speed and agility, she jumped in the middle of the group and started slicing left and right mercilessly, losing herself in the bloodlust that was surging through her veins, her mind completely away from reality, but in a whole new universe – Of killing strategy.
 …That is, until familiar voices – Screams, rather – Resounded through the forest, which completely snapped her away from her concentration, and in turn, getting cut and scratched in various places.
 Her eyes saw it easily – The leader escaped their grasp and ran to attempt to kill her, but Shikamaru tried to fight him, and failed, and now Ino was trying heal him. But she was crying. She wasn’t a good enough medical ninja yet. Kitsune knew that feeling all too well.
  “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ kept going into her mind, unusually loud, almost throwing her off her game.
With a raw growl, close to animalistic, she saw red in front of her, and burnt everything in her paths, slashing, dashing, cutting and ripping apart every living being there, sans the leader, whom she managed to immobilize and knock out with the help of Choji. Without sparing any second, she ran to Shikamaru’s side and fell to her knees, roughly pushing Ino aside.
It was an impulsive rush of rage, for she snatched away her mask and forehead protector and threw them as far away as possible, before shrieking at the deer boy for being so stupid.
“Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ those words just wouldn’t stop screeching at her.
“YOU FUCKING IDIOT, SHIKAMARU, I TOLD YOU TO BE CAREFUL, DAMN IT! I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU!” she gripped so tightly at her hair that Ino thought she was going to rip it all off. “If you dare die…I will never forgive you. Never, you get it? Never. Not you. Of all people…You’re the last one alive…So you can’t. I refuse to allow you that. You don’t have the permission to leave me. Ever. Got it?” the red head growled lowly, getting one of her hands inside his chest, performing cardiac massage, and cursed herself for remembering that mission long ago, when she had to do the same thing with her father – But this time, Shikamaru was still alive, and she was sure this time around – No more lies or delusions.
  “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ she needed bloody therapy, she knew that, otherwise those words were going to be the death of her.
With her other hand, she used her other hand to prop up his head and give him CPR, once again, cursing herself for having to do something like this, when she hoped everyone would remain safe and she would, one day, share a sweet kiss with him – Not have to save his life like that.
  “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ they were louder and louder, causing almost a physical discomfort, as if someone was grating her brain.
Once, twice, thrice, and more, so much more – Sasori taught her healing ninjutsu well, and she was confident in her abilities, but there was always that speck of fear and PTSD that was creeping in the back of her mind, reminding her of her past failure.
But the puppet master was an excellent teacher, and she, in turn, was a hard-working and diligent student, so there was no way she was going to put the man she loved on the list of people she let die.
  “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP
“Argh…Too close…” a hand suddenly pushed her aside weakly, and a cough snapped her out of her focused mindset – And blinking away to reality, she realized that the Nara boy was sitting in front of her, breathing normally, and coughing a bit, wearing a scowl on his face.
  “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off –“ the threat is over now, you can stop already, he’s not dead...Like your parents.
“…Oh thank goodness…” Kitsune groaned, letting herself fall on her back, looking up at the sky, her nails digging into her arms now, trying to snap herself back to reality completely. “I won’t forgive you for the stunt you pulled.” She muttered absent-minded, not caring about anyone around her anymore. “…What a troublesome woman. She’s gonna scold me all the way back home. Great.” Shika tried to chuckle, lighting up the mood, but the red haired girl was already on her feet, tying up the target and carrying it, walking in the direction of the village, without saying another word – Her face now again, covered with her mask, showing that she didn’t want to be approached in any way. “Shikamaru, you insensitive idiot! You, jerk! Is that how you treat the woman you love?! She was just worried about you, and you throw away words like that?! Go and apologise right now!” Ino shouted at him, nagging him like she was his mum, so much that the boy could only sigh and drag his hands down his face in annoyance and resentment.
And he actually tried, for once, to reconcile properly, but the only words that she told him were “You have to rest properly when you get home.” And then she just rushed farther and farther ahead.
And that’s just what he did, as the girl guided him home, let the others go to theirs as well, while she went to the Hokage to report to the mission.
After taking a nap and resting, as advised, he left his bedroom and went to the kitchen, seeing his mother frowning, which confused him.
“What happened?” he asked, knowing something was up. “Well…Nothing, really. Your dad is playing Shogi with Kitsune…And I just remembered her mother and the good times when we were friends. Too bad the good ones always die first.” Yoshino sighed, sweeping absent-minded. “Uhm…Y-Yeah…I guess.” He muttered, not having a clue what to say in such a situation. “Won’t you be a dear and tell her to remain for dinner? Poor girl, she’s been all alone since she was 10…I can’t imagine how horrible it must have been…” but she stopped herself before saying anything more that would have upset her, so Shikamaru left the room, believing that letting her just be would have been better.
 However, instead of making his presence known, he decided to just open the door ever so slightly, enough to peep from behind and watch the interaction going –
Kitsune was sitting in front of the Shogi table, her head slightly hung, her outfit still unchanged – And she said no word, but it wasn’t clear if she was listening to his father either.
  “You can take off your mask now, Kitsune. The mission is over. You can get dressed in Shikamaru’s clothes. Why don’t you sleep over?” Shikaku tried to get a response out of her, even beginning the match, but she seemed to be in her own mind. “No.” she finally muttered after a while, yet she made her move as well, almost robotically. “Kitsune. The mission is over. You can relax now. You are allowed to. You did well and nobody got hurt. Get out of your mission-mind,  you’re home now.” The man tried again, but it was clear the aura around the girl became more and more agitated. “Shikamaru almost died.” She pointed out bitterly. “As far as I’m concerned, my son is sleeping in his room as usual. He didn’t complain about his team leader, nor of any injury or danger. If he is fine, so should you be. You can’t take anyone’s pain.” His father spoke again, and with each word, he found himself nodding in agreement. “I ALMOST KILLED YOUR FUCKING SON, SHIKAKU! ARE YOU DEAD? ARE YOU BRAIN-DEAD?! GET ANGRY! YELL AT ME! BEAT ME UP! SCOWL, CURSE ME, INSULT ME…FUCKING DO SOMETHING! YOU ALMOST HELD YOUR SON’S FUNERAL BECAUSE OF ME! I am the one who killed your 2 best friends, and now I almost killed your son too! Why aren’t you reacting in any way?!” the fire outburst of the girl scared the boy out of his wits, flinching when she slammed her fist on the Shogi  table, breaking it in two, all pieces getting propelled in different directions, as she shouted at the irritatingly-calm man in front of her. “I will do no such thing, Kitsune, because, first of all, I am not mad at you. It was not your fault, I tell you now, the same as I told you before. It wasn’t you who killed your parents, nor was it you who endangered my son. We are all ninjas, and we serve with our lives on the line. Unexpected surprises always happen, and we can’t predict everything, but we can do our best to avoid them.” Shikamaru’s heart was close to bursting with emotions and words that he wanted to let out, as he felt his fingers digging deep into the wood of the sliding door. “I. Almost. Killed. Shikamaru.” The girl hung her head down, prying away her mask and throwing it away in disgust, her long, fire-red hair completely hiding her tear-stained face. “I argued with him. I insulted him. I cursed him. I yelled at him. In the end, he almost died…Because of me. And…It was just like back then. Almost perfectly like back then. They weren’t paying attention, the enemy escaped, he tried to protect me and got hurt…And I got soaked in his blood. My hands was grasping his heart, and I was helping it pump more and more blood…I was helping him breathe…And all I could do was pray…And pray…And pray again…That he won’t end up like them…But I’m selfish, Shikaku. I didn’t think of you, nor that I almost killed your son. I was only thinking about my own self.  I’m selfish and I don’t deserve him.” Her voice become so soft, so broken, as she trembled and sobbed in her hands, not being able to stop the flow of tears and emotions from running astray. “Kitsune…Shikamaru doesn’t hate you, nor is he blaming you for what happened. Stop blaming yourself for things that were inevitable. The most important thing is that you were able to save him and bring him back home safely.” His father sighed, yet his eyes were looking with understanding at the pitiful girl – He knew very well the heartbreak of loss and he didn’t wish it upon anyone, especially such a sensitive young girl. “Scrub it off. Clean it off. Take it off. Claw it off. Rip it off. Saw it off. Carve it off. Rinse it off. Wash it off. Cut it off...That’s the only thing that kept going through my mind, over and over and over again, and I couldn’t stop it! Just like back then...I couldn’t control it. I swore I was going crazy. I was sure he was going to die, and I would remain with his blood on my hands for ages, no matter how hard I’d try to wash it off or even burn away the skin on my hands.” she was shaking so much now, digging her claw-like nails deep into her arms, dragging down and scratching her skin, almost giving herself a sort of comfort, knowing she was still alive, and so was Shikamaru. ”You have nobody’s blood on your hands, Kitsune, understand that. It wasn’t you who killed your parents, no matter how you put it. You tried to save them, but they were beyond saving from anyone. There was nothing you could have done.” Shikaku tried to remind the catatonic girl once again. “…If Shikamaru dies, all the people I ever loved won’t be on this Earth anymore…So there is no reason to live anymore…No matter what, Shikamaru, out of all the people in the world, MUST live. If he gets in danger again, I think I’ll go insane.” She gritted her teeth as her hands made her way into her hair, gripping at it painfully, until the whole world stopped – And once again, time and space were absent from this house –
“I think he feels the same about you.” Shikaku smiled, seeing his son frowning at the girl from behind the door, and motioning to him to get out of there and take the reigns properly, like a man. “What would you know?!” she sneered at him, snapping her head up, only to see the man getting up to leave, and, to her surprise, a pair of arms sneaking around her, pulling her into a tight hug from behind. It was the deer boy, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck.
“You’re such a troublesome woman, you know that, right? When I said you were going to scold me, I was hoping you’d do that. I hoped it would help you relax and vent away your frustrations. I never imagined you’d get so upset over it. Sorry I screwed up your plan, neither of us were paying attention to our target…We were worried about you so we were looking at you…I’m sorry.” He spoke in the most sincere voice she ever heard him speaking, and she couldn’t help but start crying again, turning around and letting herself melt in his embrace, burying her face into his chest and gripping tightly at his shirt. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I screwed up everything – From 6 years ago, to even now, I’m so sorry, Shika. I should have told you everything, but I couldn’t and I screwed up everything.” She kept apologizing over and over, but the boy couldn’t understand why, so instead of saying anything, he cupped her face and placed a short, yet very soft and sweet kiss on her lips, hoping to snap her out of it. “Stop blaming yourself for nothing. I won’t die, and you won’t die, okay? We’re the smartest people around, I’m sure we can screw with everyone. Just the two of us, together. Now, come on, get up, fox girl. It’s getting late, and mum’s gonna yell at me if we don’t go eat dinner while it’s still hot. Let’s find you some comfy clothes.” He helped her get up and guided her to his room, giving her a loose white Tshirt and some comfy pants. “Well…I guess I make even leisure clothes look fashion.” She admired herself in the mirror, posing and grinning in amusement, making the boy chuckle. “Yeah, ‘course you do. But, before that…Here. It just wouldn’t be fair if I was the only one wearing one.” Saying that, Shikamaru took out a deer necklace from his pocket and put it around her slender neck, before taking his own fox necklace from under his shirt, and letting it dangle out to compliment hers. “…Haha, you kept it. How nice. I don’t know about you, but if you ask me, we can’t get more soulmate-y than that.” She chuckled, squishing his cheeks and pulling him into a deep kiss that was more playful than anything, yet still dazed him a bit, as he let himself get dragged to the kitchen where his parents were waiting for them. They smiled at each other seeing the two teenagers smiling so carefree, so happy at each other – And those symbolic animal necklaces, almost dangling towards each other, like Yin tried to get closer to Yang, and vice versa. “Tomorrow, we are SO going to go and make fun of Ino and Sakura for being obsessed over Sasuke, when we have the perfect relationship right here! Ha! They’re gonna be so jealous!” she smirked mischievously, and the boy could only shake his head, but chuckle at her nonetheless. “What did I get myself into…You troublesome woman.” He nudged her playfully, and it was one of the first times that anyone around saw him not so lazy. “Fine, fine, we can go to BBQ after with Choji, if you want. Sounds fair enough, doesn’t it? My treat.” She flashed him a charming smile, and he could only shrug in agreement. “You’ll get broke, but you said it, can’t take it back now. You clearly forgot how much Choji eats.” Shikamaru teased her, but she only smirked wider. “I lived as a bounty hunter for years before I got back, Shikamaru. I could buy a villa right now. I’m sure I can afford a meal for my friends.” She flipped her hair and winked playfully at the boy next to her.
The next day, just as promised, she dragged her new boyfriend around to brag about him and how awesome he is, and all that, all while he would just blush and grumble in the background, but at least the BBQ hang out was fun and they had a good laugh, as all friends do.
When all was over, she had him go by to her home to get a neatly wrapped, big gift from her living room, and then went back to his home, before handing him the present.
“Here, open it. It’s not the best…But I’m sorry for my outburst. It was uncalled for, and I’m really, really sorry for destroying it. This…This was my parents’ Shogi table and…You should have it. And my parents were best friends with your parents…So yeah. Please take it. And I’m sorry again.” She urged him to open it already, and inside, as she mentione, a beautiful Shogi table, on the back of it, her parents names being carved, inside a heart. “O-Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. You can have your dad shave it off, cover it, or something, I don’t mind. It’s yours now.” She awkwardly scratched the back of her head,  but the boy merely shook his head. “No, it’s perfect as it is. Come on, why don’t we go out in the forest? I’m sure you want to see the deer.” He carefully placed the Shogi table on his futon and guided her out. “And we can watch the stars in your garden tonight?” she smiled at him sweetly. “Yeah, sure, we can do that. Sounds nice.”
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Can I have a Rock Lee x Reader fic? I loved your previous one. Can I have a villager who's crushing hard on him? They're shy and only know Lee from seeing him around. So they try to ask around to see what kind of person/things they like. Bonus points if someone gets judgy over their choice of men and reader goes off on them. And can it be a happy/cute ending? Ty
You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that people still find and read my first Rock Lee fic. It isn’t my proudest work, but to see others still enjoying it (and it being one of the (surprisingly) more popular works I have) really touches me. 😊
Fandom: Naruto
Character: Rock Lee
A/N: Gif below is an accurate depiction of yours truly right now. 
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It all started with a curiosity, like with so many things in life. An unusual encounter, a pique of your interest, a flame of wanting to know more.
“Excuse me, but I believe this is yours?” a polite voice piped up from behind you. The market had been especially busy that day, making it hard to keep track of your many bags along with the smaller items on your person. A tall male approached you, his hair cut into an unusual bowlcut that made him appear more youthful than he probably was, in his hand laid your wallet.
“Oh, thank you so much!” you gasped, a colour dusting your cheeks in embarrassment. How fortunate you had been that the man was so honest to return it. Taking it from him you wanted to say more, thinking of a reward for his chivalry.
“Lee! Hurry up!” a voice took away the male called Lee, his unusual appearance disappearing into the crowd once more. However, before doing so he flashed you one more smile, his hand going up in the air.
“Don’t worry about it. Hidden Leaf’s number one youth, Rock Lee is at your service!”
You could have sworn that there was a shine coming off his teeth as he striked a pose.
You thought of him for the rest of the day, curious as to who he was as a person and what he did.
And once you had been made aware of the male you suddenly found him everywhere. The following day, on your way to work you found Lee hanging upside down, hands balancing dangerously on two poles as he made his way down the streets.
“Ah, that Rock Lee,” the lady next door sighed delighted, her hands on her hips as she watched the spectacle. Unable to help yourself you turned towards her, curiosity clear in your voice as you inquired about the male.
“The ninja of Konoha are a cheerful bunch, but Rock Lee definitely stands out the most as unusual,” she had responded. A statement to which you could agree, but for different reasons entirely.
“A real youth, one who never gives up despite all,” the man from the ramenstand laughed when you asked him why Lee walked all these laps in punishment. You learned there that it was far from a punishment for the ninja. An even stranger notion, for whatever strain he put through his body was definitely torture for anyone else.
However, as you observed the male more often and saw him come and go, passing by in even weirder training regimes, you noted that he was more than a training junk. Despite his strange appearance you noted that Lee was exceptionally polite, treating everyone ---even those who wronged him--- like a friend, his openness allowing for all to find a place with him. His encouragement was surprisingly infectious as well, along with his enthusiasm, though there were only few who could actually keep up.
“There Lee goes again, I wonder what he lost this time,” you grinned, clearly enjoying yourself watching the hardworking man. This time he had resolved himself to walk on all fours, bended backwards and with the weights placed on top of his stomach. Training your eyes on him you fiddled with the straw of your smoothie, green in colour and packed with nutrients. The type that you had seen Lee order on the regular.
“He is so weird,” your friend piped up, eyes staring at the male in bewilderment. “Doesn’t he ever feel mortified? I feel embarrassed for him,” your friend continued with a deep sigh, eyes averting from his figure, unable to stand it for any longer.
“With that suit on?” another friend clicked their tongue, a scoff escaping their lips. “No, I don’t think he knows any shame.”
You clenched your fist, an irritation bubbling up as you found yourself disagreeing.
“[Name] seems to like him especially,” the last one of your friends pointed out, a finger poking at your forehead. “Always watching him and asking these weird personal questions.”
It wasn’t maliciously meant, but you throw your head up all the same, startling your friends.
“I do like him. A lot,” you stated loudly. “I think Rock Lee is a great person and very honourable,” you continued on, your voice growing more confident as you spoke, a pride swelling in your chest that was bursting at its seams as you were unable to stop. “He is hardworking, determined, even when all odds are against him. His enthusiasm is infectious and energises me, even when I feel dull and unconfident, because I know he would never back off either even on his bad days,” you purse your lips, your mind trying to look for more ways to describe what he meant to you.
“He makes me want to be a better person. Even if we aren’t friends and he doesn’t know me,” you concluded, suddenly feeling shy as you realised that the shop had grown quiet.
“That was kinda embarrassing to listen to,” a clear voice spoke from behind you. Whisking around your cheeks flared bright red, contrasting the green figure that stood in front of you, face equally as red.
“It doesn’t upset me, however,” Lee spoke up, eyes avoiding yours as he rubbed the back of his head. It was a first time for you to see him so taken aback and shy, but you figured that anyone would feel so after hearing a whole oration dedicated to them.
Chuckling to himself Rock Lee quickly regained himself, his shoulders straightening up as a gentle smile crossed his features. “I think it was really cool, though!” he beamed at you, his vigour returning once more before another blush creeped up. “E-even if it was about m--- I mean, it was really cool how you stood up for me! Yeah, that is what I meant to say!”
Determined eyes met shy ones, another inspiration instilled as you felt your breath slowly return.
“I would love to get to know you better as well. Someone who can speak so passionately surely is a person worth being around!” Lee exclaimed, taking your breath away once more as you weren’t sure how to respond.
Luckily your friends knew how.
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pilyarquitect · 3 years
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77. “Isn’t that illegal?”
The next one will be in Spanish.
********************************
Leo was right now jumping from roof to roof. With Raph and Mikey following him closely. Donnie on the other side was left behind, back in the lair. The reason? The genius turtle had been injured during their last mission. He was facing Bebop and Rockstedy by his own, while the rest of them were facing literally the rest of Shredder’s army.
Truth be told, Donnie fought bravely and proving to be a worthy ninja warrior, but Bebop specially didn’t fight with honour, and Donnie ended up being seriously injured, and almost killed if April wouldn’t have saved him. For once, Donnie was the one who needed to be rescued by April – something Leo, Raph and Mikey used to make fun of him of course.
But after all the fun, and knowing Donnie would need help to move to the different parts of the lair, the three unharmed brothers decided to help their brother to have a little bit of independence on this issue. For that reason, they agreed on looking for a wheelchair to give it to their genius brother. If it had been any of the others who had been in Donnie’s situation, their genius brother would have built a wheelchair himself to solve this moving issue.
But in their case, they needed to get one…
Leo stopped suddenly. How to get a wheelchair? They couldn’t just go to a store where they sell this kind of things and buy one… they didn’t have money to buy it anyway, and obviously, they didn’t want to ask April or Casey to buy it for them. This would be an incredible abuse of their trust. And thinking about that… Leo didn’t dare to ask it to Karai. Surely his sister would find a way to get a wheelchair, but Leo was pretty sure she wouldn’t use a very legal way to get it. Maybe they should have thought on this better before going outside-
“Oh, look at that Karai, the turtles are patrolling.”
That voice… it was Shinigami, and she named Karai. Leo looked at the voice origin and soon he saw both kunoichis.
Before Leo could even say something, Raph’s voice sounded first.
“Seriously? We had to meet them today? From all the nights?!”
Karai instantly raised her hands to calm the irascible turtle.
“Calm down Raphael,” she said “you know I’m not your enemy anymore.”
Then the kunoichi turned to the older brother with a smile, the same smile she used to use with him, a smile that sometimes made him feel comfortable, others made him blush and others just confused him.
“What are you doing here anyway, Leo?” Karai looked around “And, where’s Donatello?”
“Oh, D got stuck at the lair.” Answered Mikey jovially.
Karai’s eyes opened wide
“What?”
Leo narrowed his eyes at his youngest brother and then, knowing he must provide an explanation, turned to Karai.
“During our last battle with Shredder’s army, he got injured and broke both of his legs.”
“Seriously?”
Karai’s voice was a mixture of worrying and fun, a lot more worrying than fun though.
“Yeah! April had to save him, and after seeing he wouldn’t be able to walk anywhere, we’ve decided to help him by-”
“Mikey!” screamed Leo to shut his brother. It was bad enough he had just admitted in from of Karai Donnie was saved by the girl his genius brother loved. Karai needn’t to know what were they trying to do for Donnie.
“By what? What don’t you want me to know Leo?” asked the kunoichi looking directly to Leo. The blue-clad turtle shrugged. Karai was looking at him with that look that made him feel extremely nervous.
“Whaaaat? Why do you think we’re hiding you something?”
Oh man… that sounded like the worst lie ever!
“Your nervous attitude, the nudge you gave to Mikey, the fact that you’re sweating… have I to continue?”
Oh shell, Leo couldn’t win, he knew that. There was only one way out.
“Arg! Fine,” he sighed “we plan to get a wheelchair to help Donnie move through the lair.”
Karai crossed her arms over her chest. Shinigami approached her and put an arm on the other Kunoichi’s shoulder.
“Oh, I see, and how do you plan to get this wheelchair?” Shini asked.
Leo paled. He didn’t know what answer. Of the corner of his eye, he raised one of his fingers with a big smile in his face.
Oh no…
“We- we… how do we plan do that Leo?”
Mikey looked at him and Leo could feel he was beginning to sweat.
“Well, I…” Leo gulped “I’ll tell you in a minute.”
Raph narrowed his eyes looking directly at him.
“Wait, don’t tell me you don’t know where to get a wheelchair.”
Leo looked back at Raph also narrowing his eyes.
“No, I know where to get a wheelchair,” he snaped “what I don’t know is how to get it.”
“What?! So, we’ve left the sewers without a plan?!” screamed the red-clad turtle looking at his brother with a furious expression.
“First of all, I thought you hated plans, and secondly, we haven’t left without a plan, we’ve left without a complete plan, it’s not the same.” Tried to argue Leo. Before the older brother could say anything else, Karai put herself in between of the two of them with a mischievous smile… the kind of smile that made Leo feel the kunoichi was about to say something they would regret later.
“Hey, no need to fight, I’ve the solution, you just go to the hospital and take one of those wheelchairs.”
“Isn’t that illegal? You know… stealing?” asked Mikey with confused voice. Karai turned to look at him still with her smile in her face.
“No, you’re not stealing it’ll be just a loan. You’ll return the wheelchair when Donatello doesn’t need it anymore.”
“You know? I like her idea.” Said Raph crossing his arms
“Really?” said Leo and Karai both at the same time, but for different reasons.
The red-clad turtle shrugged.
“Yeah, you know, Donnie needs one of those, and those chairs are there for those who need them, so why can’t we take one temporary and give it back once Donnie is fine again?”
Mikey looked between his two older brothers and after a deep breath, he put a hand on his oldest brother.
“Raph has a point Leo, even I know it’s difficult not to say impossible for us to get one of those things. Take one from a hospital and returning it once we’ve finished with it isn’t a bad idea.”
Leo looked at his baby brother, who was looking at him with puppy eyes. Raph still had a hard look in his face, and Karai looked at him with a funny expression, probably knowing what Leo was about to say.
“Okay, let’s do this.”
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Shinobis of Ninjago
Pilot 1: Way of the Ninja
Prologue (Pilot 1, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Pilot 2, Episode 1
They spent the night at the weapons-smith shop, getting many visitors asking if the siblings were okay, scared that the skeletons harmed them. When they asked about Jay, Skylor lied, saying he was upstairs sick.
Skylor told their neighbours that she would be leaving for a while, though she wasn't sure how long. The farmers said they would look after the shop and collect the money from the orders that had to be picked up and give it back to them when they returned. They also said they would keep an eye out for new shipments of metal and jewels. Nightfall soon came, visitors leaving and Skylor set up the orders that would be picked up when she was gone and closed down the shop.
Once morning came, they set off. Mystake said it would be a five day journey on foot, travelling through forests and mountains. They would stop in towns for meals, but be walking the rest of the day. On the evening of the fifth day they reached the base of a mountain, one of the tallest in the southern region of Ninjago.
Skylor looked at Mystake as if she had grown a second head. Mystake simply smiled and started walking around the base of the mountain until she came upon an old willow tree. She pushed aside the branches, revealing a stone staircase carved into the side of the mountain. Skylor sighed, hoisting up the pack on her shoulders.
An hour later, they reached the summit. White stone walls circled around the top, bright red circular doors engraved with a golden dragon marking the entrance. Skylor notched a wooden contraption off the end of a platform. Upon the end of inspection she concluded that it was a handmade elevator.
"¿¡De Verdad!? Are you kidding me? I climbed this mountain for nothing!" Mystake simply shrugged like she had no idea what Skylor was talking about. "How long is this training supposed to be?" Skylor asked. "I'm in a rush. Trying to save my brother, y'know. Oh wait, you do know. Because you were the one who let him get taken."
Mystake opened the large double doors, used to the blame of Jay's capture being thrown her way as it had been the topic of discussion for the past two days. "You will be ready when you are ready. Not a minute sooner." She walked down the few steps into a large open courtyard, a simple golden dragon statue in the middle.
Skylor followed, dropping her pack at the base of stairs and looking around. "A monastery? You expect me to learn how to fight in a place of peace?"
"Not fight, train." Mystake corrected. "To become a true ninja, to carry the honourable name of the Garmadon Clan on your back, you must first be able to see what others do not."
"But there's nothing here!" Skylor yelled, clearly distraught.
Mystake gestured to the small golden dragon statue beside her. There was another in the same spot on the opposite side of the stairs. She gave the post a little tap with her staff, and the statue fell back, revealing a tiny button. Skylor stared at it curiously as Mystake pressed it.
There was a faint sound of whirring before the dragon in the centre slowly raised out of the ground, four pillars in the corners following it soon after. Wooden planks and beams came next, filling up the space between each pillar, forming some sort of obstacle course.
"What does this have to do with anything?" Skylor asked, hand on her hip as she gazed around. "I thought you were going to teach me to fight–sorry, train me–so I could rescue my brother. Not do some stupid elementary school exercise."
"My, my, what a way with words you have. If you want to save your brother, complete the course before I finish my tea." Mystake walked over to the porch that lined the building on the opposite side of the courtyard. A teapot, along with a tray had been set up. Mystake sat down, crossed her legs and placed a cloth in her lap. She poured her tea and popped in two sugar cubes. After downing the cup in a few seconds, she looked to when Skylor was standing, unmoving from where she was thirty seconds ago.
"Today you fail. Come now, we must take care of that concussion of yours. Until you recover, you will rest and learn the way of the ninja."
"No way. I'm getting through this course today and saving my brother." Skylor said, planting her feet in the ground.
"We will see when you cannot even make it down the mountain. Come now, I have dinner waiting."
--------------------------------
It took a few more days for Skylor to recover from her concussion. It had been a very small one and Mystake mentioned something about Elemental Masters healing at over twice the rate of regular humans, and her helmet had protected her from any further head injuries. For the next week, she spent the mornings studying with Mystake and training in hand-to-hand combat. The afternoons she spent trying to get through the obstacle course. So far, everyday, she had failed, her anger and frustration growing.
After over two weeks of staying at the monastery, Skylor walked out into the courtyard with a new mindset. If she could get through the course, she could not only save Jay, she could prove Mystake wrong. And that was enough motivation for her.
The course at first glance seemed simple, but in reality, it was quite hard. As soon as Mystake made a motion to grab her napkin, Skylor took off, army-crawling under swinging planks. She continued to race through the course. When she was about a third of the way through the course, she threw the wooden sword he had been armed with at Mystake, knocking the cup out of her hands.
Mystake looked down at the soiled napkin in her lap, reaching for another. When she was done making her second cup of tea, she looked up at the course, only to find Skylor missing.
"Was that one sugar, or two?"
Mystake looked to her right and saw Skylor leaning against the porch holding out the bowl of sugar cubes, smirking smugly up at the woman. Mystake scoffed and stood up, taking the bowl from Skylor and placing on the tray along with the rest of her tea set.
"So, am I going to learn this spinjitzu I've been hearing so much about?" Skylor asked, getting to her feet and dusting herself off.
"You already have." Mystake replied. "Your final test comes tomorrow. My advice is to get some sleep, you might need it."
--------------------------------
That night, Skylor was uneasy. She laid in bed, unable to fall asleep. She tried reading, training, chamomile tea, but nothing was working. Maybe it was nerves about her final test, or perhaps she was anxious about rescuing her brother after two weeks. Who knew what he had been through.
She rolled over in bed, staring at the wall when she heard a faint thud above her head. Turning on the lantern next to her bed, she gazed upwards. Not seeing anything, she crawled back under the covers, keeping the light on. A few minutes later, another thud, this time coming from the other side of her room. Tossing the covers to the foot of her bed, Skylor got to her feet.
Cautiously creeping to the other side of the room, lantern in hand, Skylor shone the light on the corners. She froze when the light caught something. It was brief, but the glimpse of metal was all she needed.
"I know you're there, come out."
Three figures stepped out of the shadows. All were clad in black and had a weapon in their hands: a bo-staff, a trident, and a whip.
Slowly walked backwards as the three advanced and made a dash for her dresser. She hopped on top and pulled herself up into the rafters of the monastery. The three followed her through the roof until Skylor jumped down over the main foyer. She ran through the doors into the courtyard, looking around for anything that might prove useful.
Spotting the small dragon statues by the staircase, Skylor darted across the courtyard. Flipping back the dragon, she pressed the button, watching her three attackers fail to overcome their surprise and receive a few bruises from the obstacle course.
After the shock of the course springing up, the three warriors were filled with a new emotion for the red-haired girl. Abandoning their weapons on the ground, they charged towards Skylor. Soon, Skylor found herself on top of one of the warriors, but flattened under the other two. Skylor raised her fist in the air, only to have it grabbed by the two on top of her. Before it could escalate further, a cry rang out through the courtyard.
"Stop!"
The four stopped, looking up at Mystake who was standing in the doorway. They slowly got off each other, heads hanging as they moved into a line. "Hai, Sensei," The four said in unison, bowing.
"Wait, wait, wait. I thought I was your only student. You have more?" Skylor asked. Mystake nodded and Skylor placed a hand on her hip, looking to each person. "No impresionada." ('Not impressed.')
"Hey!" One cried. "You couldn' take us down, remember tha'. You needed the obstacle course to save ya butt." They had a bit of a drawl to their voice.
"With all due respect, Sensei Mystake, you never said anything about a fourth. I thought we were to retrieve the weapons, the three of us." Another said, they spoke with a bit of an accent, hinting that Ninjanese wasn't their first language. Mystake tilted her head curiously, so they continued, wringing their hands nervously. "What I mean is, us three have trained together. We are solid."
"No me pareció tan sólido," ('Didn't look so solid to me,') Skylor muttered under her breath, crossing her arms.
Two of them shot her deadly glares as the third spoke to Mystake. "Master Mystake, I am afraid I do not understand. What is the meaning of this?"
"Each of you have received a gift passed down through generations of your families. An ability in tune with elemental properties. But first, change into these." Mystake went inside for a few seconds before emerging with four neatly folded ninja-yorois.
Minutes later, the four emerged out of the monastery, gathering in the courtyard. Orange, maroon, navy blue, and purple. The yorois were soft and loose, though Skylor wasn't sure what the scabbards attached to her belt were for.
"Not bad." Skylor complimented. "But why the colour coding? Can't tell us apart, old woman?"
"There are reasons behind my methods. Remember that." Mystake snapped. She turned to the rest of her students. "You four have been gifted with special elemental properties. Skylor, Master of Absorption, the ability to absorb another's power for a limited time through skin contact." She said, placing her staff on on Skylor's shoulder. "You shall be the team's konran, the agitator. I think it fits you well."
Mystake moved her staff to the girl beside Skylor who was wearing a maroon gi. She had short raven hair and grey eyes that shone as Mystake directed her attention to her. "Nya, Master of Water. Ability to control and manipulate water. Also referred to as hydrokinesis. You will make a wonderful teiastsu."
Mystake moved her staff to her next student, a dark skinned girl with bright pink hair that had a blue streak running through it. "Seleil, Master of Phantom. Stealthy like shadows. Your special skill set will serve you well as a kishu." Seliel bowed respectively as Mystake moved on to the last girl. "Pixal, Master of Technology. Like her name, she is ahead of her time and seer with sixth sense. An excellent Kanchō.
"You four are the chosen ones who will protect the four Weapons of Spinjitzu from Lady Misako."
"Hold on, you said we were saving my brother first! What about him, or did you forget, old woman." Skylor sneered.
Nya gasped, missing the point of Skylor's statement. "We're saving a boy? Is he cute?"
"Nya..." Seliel warned, watching as Skylor's eye twitched dangerously.
"I-I just wanna know what we're getting ourselves into. Ya know how hard it is to get a date when ya live on a mountain." She said. She leaned in close to Skylor, whispering, "Does he like maroon?"
"Back. Off. Or so help me, I will steal your kneecaps while you sleep." Skylor threatened.
Seliel nodded approvingly. "Creative insult."
"Oh trust me, chica, I got tons more."
Mystake interrupted before the argument could go any further. "If you want to save your brother, we need the weapons to do so. Come now, we will set off for the first weapon at dawn."
"Whoa, hold on a minute. You said you were going to teach us spinjitzu." Seliel said.
"I already have." Mystake answered. She turned around, heading back inside and leaving the doors open for her students.
Seliel sighed as Nya complained, "ugh, why she always gotta be so cryptic?"
"No clue. All I know is that I was stuck with crap like that for two days with nothing else to do." Skylor huffed. She stretched, starting towards the door. "Since you interrupted my sleep, I'm going to go get some shut eye. Noche, señoras."
"Yeah, well, ya weren't actually sleeping so we didn't wake ya up! So... ha!" Nya called after her. She sighed, disappointed in how her words came out.
Seliel patted her on the shoulder. "It's okay, Nya, she's not worth it. Come on, let's go get some rest."
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sazzafraz · 3 years
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dropped a cup of coffee on myself at breakfast lets gooo
nodus tollens is my favourite chapter its not even close
like i actually LIKED writing it. i like writing in general but its about being someone represented with all the scary sword cards in tarot readings not actual fun. still annoyed i didn’t think of anything better than fucking HEMMINGWAY
A year and a half into working for Giri and Sasuke is sitting cross legged on top of a boulder looking out at a clear blue sky. They’re sitting by the edge of a huge cliff in Fire Country resting between assassinating some small time village leader and their next mission which promises to be heavy on full contact fighting. The sun is dipping towards the horizon, warm air ruffling their hair. Yumi is trying to throw Hiki off the cliff into the lake below, Haru is defleaing his dog and Sasuke is debating his next move in the long distance tactical game he’s playing with Juugo and Karin. It’s an Uzushio classic, like shogi but the board is made of three interlocked spirals and the movements of the pieces are based on the tides. Karin is slaughtering him. 
fun fact: literally started designing that uzushio game because i’m a psychopath. it’s also the first of three references, two in the same chapter, of sasuke and his teams, and then one at the end where everyone gets together. to make fun of sasuke. as they should. 
  There are seven graves by the edge of the sea with a bright blooming flowers planted in the centre spilling over the cliff. Tall markers stand as high as three metres in the air wreathed with ribbons in the colours of dawn and day... Sasuke spares a look back as he enters and sees those graves and flowers. The flowers have colonised the side of the cliff, growing strong and sure halfway down the rocks, slipping into crevices and tangling around each other as they race towards the ocean. Huge blooms of colour, bright reds, light pinks and creamy yellows are knocked about by the waves crashing against the cliff.      
if fuyuki even knew how much this colours sasukes opinion of her she’d beat the shit out of him. i think this was the second bit i wrote for her, after a few pieces of her and itachi. actually if she knew how much both of them are coloured by knowing her past she’d commit a crime. its pretty apparent to sasuke that these are memorials to children/those that died young and unfair. how would he know haha. i always intended the hashira and the uchiha as parallels. i think the lack of depth given to other clans sucks, especially when they have literally a thousand years of interaction. the only other one we have are the hyuuga which might have been an intended one but like. i’ve never bought it. 
anyway, back to sasuke. dude loves kids. he doesn’t figure it out until he has nine of ‘em, but he has a view of children that’s incredibly sincere. i pretty much decided that on my own cause: a) its funny, b) he was fucking SWEET as a kid and i’ll kill you before i let you tell me that kid went away, c) he’s from a huge close knit family/community and liking kids is the only way to get through that,
oh. also fuyuki does cotton on to his emotional compromise and IMMEDIATELY lies so he likes her more. morals who?
“It seems,” Fuyuki says into the silence, “that Sunagakure has decided we have a problem. I sent Mamoru as a goodwill ambassador to Wind a few months ago. It went well, and as Suna is a largely neutral player in most conflicts I did not see the problem in allowing a small ambassadorial group into Oto to further the relationship. At the fourth meeting one of the Suna delegation proved themselves to be a puppet and assassinated Mamoru. They were in the process of trying to loot us when they were killed.”
haha oh my god gaara fucks himself so hard here. we’re gonna talk about it. 
Now it’s leaving time and Sasuke is walking fast downtown, faces passing him as he’s bound for home base.
only two people ever commented on this. vip behaviour. 
Shikamaru raises a hand and waves.
Sasuke waves back.
Shikamaru looks at him expectantly across the crowd. Distantly Sasuke notes that he’s the taller of the two. Head’s bob and weave around the marketplace, someone drops an avocado which is swept up a child and her friends, the scent of cooking spices drift down from the top of one of the buildings. Sasuke and Shikamaru stare at eachother.
i never wrote the short for this but this is shikamaru’s nightmare scenario. finding sasuke when naruto is not with you is the k12′s personal hell. because konoha and giri are tentative allies it would be poaching to bring him back and thats something people still take seriously. shikamaru goes and gets FUCKED UP so no one trusts his report and he can claim that it was ONLY MAYBE THE PRETTIEST MAN IN THE FLEA MARKET. naruto finds out like a decade later and is extremely pissed even if he gets it. 
It’s a tale as old as the dust of the desert or the mountains that divide the nations. There is a boy who loses something. His honour, a cow, a sword. He has to leave his home to find it. He has to grow strong enough to do what has to be done. In the Son of Nobody the titular Son has to journey to the city to meet the princess and while he is away his family is murdered by a group of wandering bandits. Along the way he meets a beggar girl, the princess in disguise, and he allows her to tag along. There are many twists and turns, the Son becomes a noble shinobi protecting the princess and falls in love with the beggar. He finds the bandits that destroyed his home and avenges his family. But! Disaster strikes! The samurai have been told a lie about the princess and feel that their honour must be avenged. A group sneak into the princess’ room one night and defile her. One of the samurai is late to the scene and feeling so sick and ashamed of their actions kills them and ignites a real war between samurai and ninja. The disgraced samurai takes his own life in front of the princess as appeasement. When this doesn’t work the Son goes on to win the war and marry the girl.
this is just hatake sakumo. some creative liberty but its just the story of how he died embellished. i think some shinobi stories filter out and become like folk tales? like we’re gonna get to it. but there's no way they can have that kind of presence and no cultural impact. 
‘Heart, liver, eyes ’ Kabuto says when he’s done, ‘and put the rest in the garbage.’
for sensible reasons kabuto is the scary one. 
. Illuminated in the light of the lone flickering candle, bundled in odd cloth and grime, Kabuto looks faceless and formless. His skin has no color, his hair is limp, his eyes are turned completely inward searching himself for an some answer, some lodestone for the next leg of his journey. He looks like an orphaned version of himself. Sasuke has a brief moment of complete self-awareness. He stands above himself and looks down at the length of his hair, the uneven tan on his hands. His own eyes look at his boots, his non-descript travelling coat, the way he is never carrying more than enough money to carry him to the next town. He recognises nothing original, nothing remarkable. He’s as interchangeable as any soldier capable of swapping hands at a moment's notice. Many tools, many masks, many uses. He realises that that shifting formlessness is as much a part of him as his burning rage. It forms him just as fully.
i remember having a moment like this and it was so shocking it took me years to write about it. this nearly got cut, even though i now think its important. becoming ‘just a knife’ is important to sasuke’s development towards being just a guy. relating to kabuto is so personally disturbing that its sort of his turn towards leaving giri. kabuto actually disgusts him. unlike orochimaru.
“We called her the Fruit Eater after the foul seeds she planted in others which grew into giant poisonous fruit trees. When they’d plundered and destroyed the world enough for her foul tastes she’d eat the fruit from the trees and crush them to bone and blood under her feet. Her own children plucked out her organs one by one and cut them up into pieces. What they couldn’t eat they threw to the animals who turned into nine ravenous demons. They brought the demons together and sealed them into the form of a beautiful princess who was coveted by all.”
goddamn space aliens. i hate it less than most. i think i was still deciding if they’d show up at the end. either way i thought i’d just put them in in case i did. again, there SHOULD be a cultural footprint. 
The problem is that the Uchiha are predisposed to have thick hair and the main branch, the one that descends directly from Madara’s betrayed brother Izuna, comes with a tendency for...unruliness that Sasuke has gotten threefold. At this length it seems to be largely growing up and out, gravity be damned.
aww my loving rendition of his stupid duck butt. i have unruly hair so his maintenance is essentially mine. its such a distinctive thing i think people should take more advantage of. i wrote in crashing tides that he’s just an awful fashionista and i think that holds true. he tries new hair oils ALL THE TIME. 
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arolla-pine · 4 years
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I, Marinette - p.9
(9) – The winner takes it all
While I was running alongside the Seine, I could compare traveling by Cat Noir’s staff and by Ladybug’s yo-yo. The latter was much more suitable for me, yet the Cat’s costume was better in absorbing jolts. I landed quietly nearby the Eiffel Tower. I hoped that Ladybug would find me before Juggler appeared.
“So, how did it go, Bugaboo?” I heard a whisper next to me.
“How are you feeling, Cat?” I asked instead, trying to read some emotions in Ladybug’s eyes.
“I still can’t believe in what I learned! Wow, it’s really…”
“Just in case…” I began in a serious tone. “Adrien… In case you still remember Ladybug’s identity after the ‘Miraculous Ladybug’ spell, never reveal your identity in public. Even if you want to protect Marinette.”
That was all I could do to prevent ‘Cat Blanc’ storyline.
“You’ve started talking about yourself in the third person…” Ladybug smiled.
“Don’t you have a feeling that you’re talking to yourself when you’re talking to me?” I asked instead to avoid answering.
“I’m sure I won’t confess any of my feelings to you right now. That would haunt me till the end of my life…”Adrien-Ladybug joked.
“If only Plagg could see that… I think that would kill him…”
“By the way! Was he nice for you?”
“Of course! He was so cute!”
“Er… Plagg?”
“Sure. You know, he’s a very sensitive little cat… If you can see through all those layers of sarcasm… And I think he’s very attached to you…” I admitted. “OK, Cat! Let’s go back to work. I’m going to sleep in my bed tonight, so let’s get Juggler! Here you are!” I handed two miraculouses to Ladybug.
“What’s that?”
“We need Alya and Nino.”
“But… Hawkmoth knows their identities… Maybe we’ll try to combine our miraculouses with…”
“No. I need them here. If my plan works, we’ll defeat Juggler. Besides, Hawkmoth won’t expect that we’ll ask our friends for help. Please, take those miraculouses to them and hurry back here.”
“But… Why me?”
‘Because I don’t know the address…’ came across my mind.
“It was always Ladybug who was giving them miraculouses. Let it be as it used to be. Oh, just tell them to focus on their costumes to be different than before. To mislead Hawkmoth.”
“Do you think it’ll work?”
I was sure it would work. I had checked that on myself when I had to recreate Ladybug’s costume as it was originally designed by Marinette. That should work when someone wanted to create a new one too.
“The costume is what you really want to, isn’t it? If Alya and Nino take care of new outfits, we’ll have a new Rena Rouge and a new Carapace… Meanwhile, I’ll work on details of the plan…”
“I’ll be right back, M’Lady!” Ladybug saluted and disappeared in the darkness.
I found a safe shelter and waited. After a quarter or so Ladybug came back accompanied by two new superheroes. Alya had loose hair that partly covered her face. Her outfit was different – it looked rather like a short flamenco dress than like an overcoat. Nino looked like a real Ninja killer – hooded and masked.
“Great!” I said satisfied. “Now, listen to the plan…”
“Wait a sec… What?” Alya interrupted. “Since when Cat Noir is the strategy guy? You’ve finally grown up to let him do this?” she asked Ladybug.
“Let’s call it a compromise…” Adrien laughed.
“You haven’t told them, Cat?” I was surprised.
“What should she…” Alya began. “No, wait… Why is Cat Noir calling you ‘Cat’?” she asked Ladybug.
“I didn’t know I should tell them…”
“It’s crucial to succeed… OK, listen up… Juggler can move souls between bodies. He exchanged me with Cat Noir.”
Alya gasped, and Nino half-grunted half-chuckled. I winked at Ladybug.
“We need you here not only for the mission, but also to mislead Hawkmoth about your identities. He must start thinking that I’ve found new holders for the Miraculous of Fox and of Turtle. Have you worked out your new names?”
“I’ll be Jade Defender.” Nino suggested. “I wanted to pay tribute to Jade Turtle.”
I was moved hearing that. It was kind of symbolic gesture but so meaningful.
“I wanted to be Flame Dancer, but someone made fun of this name…” Alya said, narrowing her eyes ominously when she glanced at her boyfriend. “So, it seems that I’ll be Flame Enchantress. But… I really miss Rena Rouge…”
“Let’s keep it temporary…” I smiled trying to give her some comfort. “Now, focus! Flame Enchantress has to hide. You’ll create an illusion where Ladybug and Cat Noir regained their bodies. Ladybug must convince Juggler that she broke his spell. Jade Defender will create a shield to protect the illusion from a new spell, because that will reveal the trick. I hope Juggler will take the bait and will focus on the fight with the illusion. Then Cat and I may try to take over his wand, baton or whatever it is… Ladybug, you have to call your ‘Lucky charm’. Without it the ‘Miraculous Ladybug’ spell won’t work and we won’t be able to go back to our bodies. I’ll try to destroy the akuma object.”
“You think it’s the wand?” Ladybug asked.
I remembered ‘Cat Blanc’ episode again where Ladybug couldn’t find the object where the akuma was hiding. This time we didn’t have a second chance. Not with Juggler… He was too clever.
“Honestly? I have no idea what else it could be…” I admitted. “So, let’s get to work! Good luck, you all!” I said and then I added under my breath. “And… See you in the other life, Cat…”
We took our positions. I felt like a spectator. It wasn’t anything weird for me, Lena, but for Adrien it had to be tough observing Ladybug and Cat Noir playing their roles. For the last half an hour he’d been calling Cat Noir by a name ‘Bugaboo’. Now, he saw both of us doubled.
We didn’t wait too long for Juggler. He appeared surrounded by dust, laughing at superheroes.
“Oh, my poor super-kids! You’ve recharged?” he scoffed at superheroes.
“Better! We’ve regained our bodies!” Ladybug shouted with satisfaction.
“What? No! It’s impossible!” supervillain yelled. “I exchanged your bodies! You have no power to revert my spell!”
He swung with his wand  but this time smoky spheres vanished when they reached a green dome created by Jade Defender. Juggler swore and tried to turned around to transfer himself under the dome. But he failed. His right hand was captured by Ladybug’s yo-yo, and a second later his wand was caught by a red black-dotted lasso. I was watching, speechless, Ladybug keeping supervillain tied with her yo-yo while her left hand swayed the lasso to snatch the wand out of Juggler’s palm and to passed it in my direction. Where that boy had learned that?!
Defeating Juggler was a mere formality. I summoned the Cataclysm and the wand turned into dust revealing the akuma. Ladybug captured the black butterfly and cleansed it. Seconds later we could see Thomas Astruc sitting on the ground, totally confused.
“You’ve saved me again…” he muttered. “Thank you!”
“You’re welcome…” Ladybug grinned.
“I see you have new superhero-mates.” Thomas noticed. “I don’t remember those…”
“These are new holders of miraculouses…” I explained.
I didn’t want to ask him if he liked the way I messed up his universe. He’d probably get upset and was akumatised again. But I could congratulate myself – my theory of a supervillain was correct. But Tikki would say that it was magic. All in all, I wasn’t sure of anything anymore…
“Could you tell us, what happened?” Ladybug asked.
No, better not!
“The last thing I remember was a story… My assistant gave me that to read…” Thomas said, and I felt faint. So, now I knew why it was me… Thomas had to read one of my fanfics. Great… “That was the story about your fight against Oblivio… Re-written…”
Let me guess… ‘Not so oblivious anymore’?
“But none of us remembers what happened that day…” Ladybug blurted out. Damn you, Cat! Neither of us! Not ‘none of us’! We should keep Alya and Nino’s identities secret!
“Er…” I cleared my throat and kneeled down next to Thomas. “Did you like that rewritten story?” I couldn’t miss the opportunity to ask.
“Yeah. And that made me angry…”
So, I could die happy now. What a shame I couldn’t put those words in a frame…
“Next time, please hire the author instead of sending her for a trip…” I whispered and winked at him. “OK, Cat!” I stood up and looked at Ladybug. “It’s time for going home…”
My partner nodded and gripped the red lasso. She threw it in the air with the spell ‘Miraculous Ladybug’. At the last moment, I saluted like Cat Noir had done so many times before and whispered:
“It’s been an honour…”
* * *
I knew it worked, even before I opened my eyes. I just felt my own body. My face was hidden in my palms and I felt my husband’s hand on my arms.
“Lena?” he asked me, and I could hear a tension in his voice.
I was so moved that I couldn’t say a word. Instead, I fell into his arms.
“You got me. I have no clue what’s going on here…” he murmured.
“I’m back…” I whispered happy. “I assume you had a little end of the world today?”
“You spent half a day in the bathroom, and then you were talking about Marinette, Tikki and Master Fu. All day long. I think you need a break from your fanfics…”
“Yeah… I think that too. But at first, I have to write the last one. You won’t believe what happened to me…”
 THE END 😉
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I, Marinette - p.8  <-  Previous part 
Read the story from the beginning
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