#his only response to why he doesn't pack more cooked meals for himself is that it takes too much time. then he goes and chases a deer.

[happyk44]

Love the idea of Zelda studying Link like he's a little creature she found. Just imagining her admiring the new guards begin their training. She's a little lost because she thought there was supposed to be ten trainees this year, but she can only count nine.

Before she can call over their teacher though, Link comes sailing down from the sky and tackles his partner to the ground. Later she watches as he blows himself up on his own bomb by accident, but dashes through the fire he caused on the course anyway, and still come in first before all the others. During lunch he eats a pile of raw meat he packed for himself.

She is utterly fascinated by whatever is going on with this guy. She doesn't know what it is yet but she will figure it out.

#happy talks vidya games #legend of zelda #idk about you guys but my link is an adhd riddled creature who scales every wall he sees #and blocks with his face because i believe in charging head first for the monsters and im bad at dodging when im using two handed weapons #during one session she watches him wrestle one of the lizard things (lizaflos or smth like that) with his bare hands and no rubberized armo #she is watching him run around in circles and scaling walls in the middle of the night when he should be sleeping #she's making little notes about him. she has like thirteen journals about link's behaviour alone #he eats so many raw ingredients but is also somehow the best cook ever #his only response to why he doesn't pack more cooked meals for himself is that it takes too much time. then he goes and chases a deer. #i know nothing about botw lore btw lmaooo i played it a million years ago and have forgotten. also i got like. four memories. so. pft #happy talks loz

[sanghyukstattoos]

Mafia!SF9's reaction: dying (?) when saving

A/N: Amazing huh, as always, thank you for this request

Read more here~~

Youngbin:

You and him trained at the same time as one another, displaying hardiness, endurance, team work, sacrifice and other traits judged to be essential for leadership

You spared on many occasions but never spoke apart from giving each other feedback and honest criticism

Such a good pairing that your superiors considered letting you two work together but the plan never made it through, they had already had other plans for you

Far into the future, the two of you have already settled into leading your groups when you stumble onto Youngbin in a civilian area

You have been living there for quite some time, having shifted only recently but Youngbin's apparently been here to for some weeks and to trail someone.

You meet him in an open store, lined with books, magazines for travel and snacks, in the dead heat of the summer and the owner moving around.

The next time you meet him, he accidentally bumps into your shoulder sending your stuff to the ground which when you pick up, he uses one to disarm the person who is following him

Moments later, you trace back your steps to find your missing item and out of pure curiosity do you find yourself witnessing the mysterious figure about to commit a violent action.

Youngbin has this look on his face, alerting you that he is not the same, scared and ready-to-plead person that he used to be at the academy

When you save him, the both of you fend off the attacker and send him packing to your superiors, in turn you receive benefits for his hard work and your last minute effort to save him

He takes you to this place he found out about earlier, it's completely nature, untouched by humans because of how it is sealed from the outside world, people are only allowed to marvel at it. He shows it to you as a sign of his gratitude.

Inseong:

Initially the person that none of your superiors thought would not make the cut but his display of determination, endurance to grow and willingness to change to be the best changed their mind which is why he eventually joins your team.

His readiness to ease tough situations and have fun with others makes him the perfect candidate to be a friend with, he's not the type to easily give comfort though.

This is because he's a kind soul but doesn't necessarily know how to properly express it which is why the members go with him to have fun because he knows how to lift a mood.

His advice is all hay-wire with random mumbles but his actions dictate what he's been trying to say all this time.

Secretly vibes to girl group songs during your breaks, what a guy~

When he's in danger, he reacts quickly because he's trained too but the individuals agility and strength throws him off, along with other people that have ganged up on him.

He keeps his cool, fighting with the agenda to get out of this place as quickly as possible and he almost succeeds, if he isn't brutally dragged back inside.

You and the rest of you team members help him and take what you need

He's injured, not life-threatening and you are impressed, he thanks you as he sits on the hospital bed but you reject his thanks by saying that it was all him, he managed to save himself all the way.

Jaeyoon:

Unsure of what he's supposed to do at first, you have to delegate tasks, responsibilities and he messes up but he is good at adapting to situations so he's quick on his feet and is able to think of solutions.

This makes him reliable and dependable since he is also great at comforting the others, his sweet nature allows people to easily warm up to him and share their troubles. A great listener and excellent contributor to the team, you appreciate him a lot because of it

A team player so his lack of ambition thwarts his concern for the members, he is completely fine with unsuccessfully completing a mission as long as the members are safe. Unlike the other SF9 members, he sees it as two options and will choose either one whereas the others will try and achieve both.

Supposed to meet the escape team on the other side, an external factor causes you to stay behind with him although he insists that he will be fine, you know that he fears the idea of being solitary.

He makes jokes to lighten the atmosphere and when it is time to move, he follows your orders as he has always trusted your instincts as team leader

He is immediately the best the person to be stuck with because of his variety of specialised skills that will contribute to any situation.

When you save him, he does the same for you too, not out of favour but as a responsibility that the two of you have to look out for one another as team members and also because of the situation you are in.

He'll show you physical affections as a way of saying sorry that he was not careful enough and that you could have almost died as you saved him, an example would be a short hug and when you are running, he'll hold your hand and tug your along

Dawon I Lee Sanghyuk:

He was the last person to join the group and although shy at first, he's grateful for the others since they managed to bring him out of his shell

Is playful and teasing when off duty and makes it a point to tease you, is the main reason why the trauma is less significant as a group, responsibility may be equally divided but his light-hearted spirit ensures that you can complete the mission with the same characteristic.

Is very serious during missions and his ability to lead the team through tough situations- with his instillation of hope and strategical tactics, is the reason why you would choose him to be the leader in your place.

One thing that unnerves you about him is how he falters when he's shocked, he stills when on a mission but the dangerous environment leaves him at great risk.

You realise it's full play when you're tipped off and send Sanghyuk alone to the hotel room but he freezes upon seeing the long-past wounded individual, despite your team's best efforts to bring him out of his trance-like state, nothing changes.

That's when you run up flights of stairs to save him, you get there moments before he's about to pass away from strangulation as the stranger behind him makes extreme effort to achieve his goal of secrecy.

After that, you make sure to train his response by sending to training lessons again but this time, his heart rate is going to be normal no matter who or what he encounters.

Rowoon:

Your personal assistant, can and will fight if and when required.

Very talented in the field but switched to assisting after a traumatic event with his previous group, they all survived but he could not compartmentalise what had happened so he left

Praised for his immense talent and often had the responsibilities of scouring targets and/or engaging with them in order to gather information

Is actually much more awkward than his first impression, mainly because everyone's first impression of him is based off his looks

His persuasiveness helped him encounter and secure targets making him ideal

Is the cook of the group when they were stuck somewhere, did it automatically and was not afraid to put anyone in their place if a fight broke out but never mixed the two

Spoke to his members and confided in their worries so that by soothing theirs, he would also soothe his.

Was ambitious to complete missions, looks out for himself a little more than he does for others which his superiors like and encourage but you have mixed feelings about it.

When you save him, he reconsiders his priorities during missions but you know that he had every right to look out for himself in a situation as dangerous as this so he has no obligation to change.

Is visibly shaken even after, you can see the fear in his eyes hidden with the idea that he is still alive and won't be encountering these situations as easily because of his current job as your assistant.

Is reprimanded and almost suspended by your superiors because had he almost failed his job, neither of you would be alive, strives to change after that

Zuho:

Reliable as a team member but insists that he should work alone and after convincing your superiors, they allow him to work in a remote, rural part of a country.

Your team is also stationed there but is working on a different mission, you knew that there would someone working alone towards one goal that your superiors need to achieve

You bought up the obvious considerable risks associated with a mission assigned in such a way, including whether the individual would pull through with their results

You choose not to doubt though, meeting him just before the dense forests that have been reconstructed to accommodate the growing population

He's immediately more interested in the suffering of the animals, telling you that they don't have sufficient water, food and space to live and you nod, preoccupied.

You ask him to take a look and he has to put this little animal that he's petting for the last twenty-five minutes down to start concentrating when he sees the absolute chaos

Fights with vengeance, he's angry that they have taken away the animal's nature and you sigh when you have to save him

He's overwhelmed with pain, the struggle of fighting multiple figures and not running into some big cat to become it's next meal

You help, are also wounded in the process so he helps you patch it up and carries your limping self to the medics. Comes back to check up on you and give his thanks.

You get just a little bit closer and from then on, it's just luck whether he's assigned to your team or not

Yoo Taeyang:

He's capable, tolerant of other people and does not easily lose his temper as compared to the initial reviews you received from his pervious superiors. However, he does easily misunderstand.

That is why he sometimes look as if he is forever annoyed with his furrowed eyebrows or pursed lips

Fun-loving guy, somewhat introverted so it takes time for him to get to properly know the team. Is also objective to your leadership even if everyone else seems to follow along exactly what you say and this is something you appreciate because you like the engagement.

When he trusts you enough, he won't question your orders but will ask for elaboration if any is needed, also the person you ask to sum up everything you have said, his memory is amazing like that

He's got exceptional fighting skills and the talent to predict the opponent's moves, was the same reason he earned a promotion despite his slight inability to work with others.

Very rarely comes to you with problems, often comes when he has the solution as well, similar to a report

Never lies so you can expect to hear the only and complete truth from him, says things as they are not as they should be so is reliable and dependant.

Usually the two of you spar, so if the opportunity arises in the field, you are able to fight together and once, you prevent his torso from being slashed.

He is surprised but quickly recovers and expresses his gratitude after it.

It's just work after all

Hwiyoung I Kim Youngkyun:

Puts in that little extra effort to make sure that the team's spirit is uplifted, like the the mood maker

Is easy to speak too and seek comfort from, when you were just a new group and you told him the truth about how you felt being the leader, he gave you some advice but feeling that it may have been too much, he ended it with, ''Just go for it.''.

A real sweet guy, for example, opens the door and lets people by, basically operates by the principle that you should people how you want to be treated, also goes for showing care or displaying kindness.

He's wounded in the leg, he's clutching it to try and stop the bleeding but he's down, the pain is so overwhelming that he's thinking how anyone could get up and run away and for a second, he even contemplates that this could be the end.

It's when you save him from the situation, let him lean on you till you find the medics, stay with him in the hospital and check up on him that he's going to put in all the effort he can to watch your back.

You tell to ease up and that's it is no big deal, because in line with his personality, you know that he would do the same

The two of you grow much, much closer after that

He no longer feels awkward to confide in his team leader and that's how you spend the end of your mission together after he almost dies, drinking beer and watching the stars in the night

Chani:

Chani panics, freezes as a result of the fear that had almost instigated his worst nightmares.

He's close to breaking down but rather than something simple like a single emotion or characteristics, he is conflicted. He knows that you are safe but his mind can not comprehend what you just did for him.

He's thinking that the your actions are multiple, behaviour complex, feeling safe amongst the unsafe environment because he knows that he can go home.

He's in shock, he's laying on the ground, kicked there, propping himself on his elbows after experiencing such massive fear that he would die.

You walk towards him, he wants to cry, for you to comfort him and tell him that you've got him but he doesn't say anything, he keeps this guard that when he stops along the way, he holds your hand and tells you thank you.

''There's nothing- I mean, I don't... What just happened was, thank you'' he says, fumbling for the correct words, wanting to attribute the success of his living to you.

But that was when he was a novice and you were teaching him the tricks of the trade.

Now he is much more confident, he knows how to compartmentalise and is frequently remarked as one of the best soldiers on and off duty.

He even saves you once, save is a stretch because he played a part and when you thanked him, he said that it was nothing compared to what you once did.

He was so cool about it that you teased him all the way till you dropped him to his house.

#sf9 reactions #sf9 requests #sf9 fluff #sf9 fantasy #sf9 x reader #sf9 fanfic #sf9 scenarios #sf9 writings #sf9 imagines #sf9 headcanons #youngbin #inseong #jaeyoon #dawon #lee sanghyuk #rowoon #kim seokwoo #zuho #juho #yoo taeyang #hwiyoung #kim youngkyun #chani

[youcanreadit]

AT LAST- NARUTO X READER (MODERN AU)

I hope you enjoy this UwU

"Btw Naruto did you hear? The new student will be joining our school today."

Naruto simply nodded and continued to stuff ramen into his mouth. Shikamaru shrugged and went back to finish his own meal. Of course, nothing can make him happier than his ramen.

Later that day, you accidentally bumped right into him on the way to your class. He was opening his mouth about to apologize profusely but the words died down on his lips. A surge of inexplicable emotion surged within him, rendering him speechless. You were the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, apart from his mother.

But he couldn't seem to recognize you. That's when it clicked. She is the new student that Shikamaru was talking about at lunch!

While he gazed at your face like an idiot with an obvious blush on his cheeks, you muttered a quick apology and hurried off, leaving him standing there staring at you, awed.

After the day he met you, he was more cheerful and giddy than he usually was. Ever since he lost his parents, he had felt like he lost a part of himself. It was as if you pulled him out of the darkness and brought him back to his old self.

He would always arrive at school earlier- astonishing all his friends and teachers- so that he could see you more.

He was always watching you when you were not looking. He liked that farway look in your eyes, the shyness that radiated from you, the warm smile playing on your lips.

It felt like adrenaline was injected directly into his veins when you both locked eyes. Your voice, your face, your smile were all his brain would dwell on.

At first, he repeatedly tried to deny his feelings for you.

"I am not in love with her! I like Sakura! I like Sakura!!"

And then he would see you enter the class, your cheeks tinted pink and offering him a smile as you pass by. "Man I am so in love with her.."

He finally decided to take Jiraiya's help. Which was of course a bad idea.

*after hearing the whole thing* "I understand.. It's the L word Naruto"

"W-what?"

"Lust"

Seeing him struggle with his emotions, Sasuke was the one who made him realize he was in love with you.

" Hey dobe, I think Y/n likes Kiba."

"WHATTTT!!!WHO TOLD YOU?"

"But you said you love Sakura, so why are you worried?"

"NO I DON'T!!I LOVE Y/N!!" *silence* (thanks Sasuke)

He would always notice if you didn't have the usual sparkle in your eyes. Whenever that happened, he made sure to put cute little notes in your locker and notebooks. He would hide somewhere and watch you read them, and smile like an idiot seeing your face light up at the cheesy lines he had written in his messy handwriting.

As for Valentine's day, he would spend hours in the kitchen making chocolate for you. Then along with Sasuke, he would arrive at school like an hour earlier to get rid of all the piles of gifts in your locker( he sure is competitive)

"Yeah! Mine would be the best chocolate she has ever tasted!!!" Sasuke simply face palms.

Little did he know that he had accidentally added salt instead of sugar. Yikes. Cooking ain't your thing Naruto

At first he was worried that you would go after Sasuke like all the other girls. It was a pleasant surprise when he found out you weren't a fan girl.*breathes out in relief*

Just in case, he decided to warn Sasuke. " you keep your bunch of fangirls, but remember, Y/n is OFF LIMITS" "whatever dobe"

He stopped at nothing to impress you. He pushed himself to get better at studies. Over time, his grades improved.

When he didn't understand a concept he would rush to you with his books. He was glad that you weren't impatient like the others, but explained to him in simple ways you could.

A total sweetheart he is, it was impossible to hate him. But he could be annoying at times too.

Like when he doesn't see you for too long, he would be a whining, blubbering mess.

"Sakura, I want to se-"

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD NARUTO SHUT UPPPP! I HAVE BEEN READING THE SAME SENTENCE FOR LIKE 10 MINUTES!"

"BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN HER IN TWO DAYS!!

Sasuke: *changes seat*

Not to mention that he is really protective over you. If anybody tries to hurt you, well let's say that would be the end for that person. "Fight me!!"

Naruto was known to be the loud, hyperactive, sunshine of the school. But he immediately transforms into a timid puppy when you are near him.

Like Naruto would be talking and laughing with his friends and then he turns around and sees you -

*you lean closer to his face* I need to ask you ab-Naruto?

*Naruto has stopped functioning*

It wasn't hard for his friends to figure out the reason behind his strange behaviour lately.

They teased him about how oblivious you were to his feelings and if he didn't hurry up, someone would steal you from him.

But he didn't want to rush. Some people are worth waiting for. And of course he was worried if someone like you would go for a person like him. Please tell the poor guy otherwise.

Many boys came forward seeking to be your boyfriend, but you turned them down politely. That left Naruto with a bittersweet hope. It could or couldn't be him. But he won't give up on you like that. His life motto itself was- Never give up,no matter what!

In the brief occasions that you spoke to him would be the best part of his day. The whole world would blur and he could see only you, and hear your velvet like voice.

You were the only one who laughed at his stupid jokes. Oh how much he loved that smile you gave him, he would later replay it over and over in his head.

He would imagine taking you to his favourite restaurant, Ichiraku as a date. From his stories about you, Teuchi and Ayame couldn't wait to meet you.

When you touched him casually, his whole body would light up with a warmth that only you could ignite. That made him wonder how it would feel like to run his fingers through your silky hair, kiss your soft lips and then his whole face would turn as red as a tomato.

On his weekly visits to his parent's grave, he eagerly tells them about the beautiful girl that he recently met. He would tearfully tell them about finally meeting a girl as fascinating as his mother.

As the years passed his feelings never dulled. He fell for you more, your smile, your alluring eyes, your easy going personality and everything else about you.

However, he started to worry when the graduation was getting closer. He couldn't bear to lose you.

The thought caused him such pain that he lay awake for nights, and then finally deciding that it was the right time to let you know of his feelings.

After the graduation ceremony, Sasuke held a party at his house for the new graduates. As much as Naruto enjoyed spending time with his friends, his eyes kept darting across the room from time to time, in hopes of seeing you.

When he finally spotted you amidst the chaos and the tightly packed people,his heart skipped a beat. You looked so beautiful in that blue dress you wore, the coloured lights dancing across your skin adding to the effect.

With his eyes on you, he excused himself from his group of friends and all but hurried over to you, ignoring the laughter and cheers that erupted from behind him.

After saying that he needed to speak something important with you,he dragged you through the mass of people- keeping a firm grip on your wrist to prevent you from getting lost in the crowd- to the backyard.

He finally dropped your wrist when you both reached a secluded spot near a cluster of trees. The loud music and noises from the house was now a distant, faint hum to your ears.

He took a step back and stood facing you. It was hard to believe how tall he had become over the past few years. You had to tilt your head back to look at him in the eyes.

"I am sorry I had to drag you away so abruptly." He hoped that you wouldn't notice the faint quiver in his voice. He clenched and unclenched his hands.

You laughed quietly and waved off his queries " It's alright Naruto. I was planning to get away from all that noise anyway" you grinned at him, flashing your teeth. "In fact, you helped me."

Naruto tried his best to smile back hoping you wouldn't notice anything amiss. But when your smile slowly melted away from your lips,he understood that he didn't fool you.

He was looking at you warily, like he was anticipating something bad would happened. His cheeks were flushed, and his eyes were full of worry and hope and some intense emotion that you couldn't quite pinpoint.

"What's wrong Naruto?" You asked quietly. You raised a hand as if to touch his arm, but then let it drop. "You can tell me"

He ran his trembling fingers through his spiky blond hair-which looked almost silvery in the moonlight-and nervously glanced at you with his blue eyes.

While you stared back at him in confusion, he was having a mental argument with himself.

I can do this! She is waiting for you to say something Naruto!do it!!

"I..." He faltered. He looked at the ground and then up again, at you.

Here it goes..

" Are you dating Kiba?" There was brief pause.

You looked utterly baffled "HUH??!"

Damn what the hell is wrong with me?! He awkwardly shifted his weight from one leg to the other, looking bashful " I mean- you both hang out with each other a lot.."

You laughed " He is a good friend of mine, that's all"

"So you both-"

"Nope" You sounded amused, but not at all annoyed, despite the fact that he basically dragged you away to ask you such stupid questions.

"Okay" he said with fake cheerfulness, turning his back to you. "Thanks for the information, I better get back"

You caught his sleeve, making him go still. He turned to look at you, eyes still wide and cheeks tinted red, but they slowly melted away when he saw you gazing back at him almost sadly.

"Naruto" you said his name so softly that his stomach fluttered in response " that's not what you were meaning to say. We both know that."

He blinked.

You were right. What was he doing?!

It felt as if your voice had brought him back to his senses.

He remembered Jiraiya's advice from the morning. It felt as if the old man sensed what Naruto was planning to do. Instead of giving his usual pervy tips, he had said : "Letting her know of your feelings is the way to get to her heart. If you want to know if she returns your love, tell her."

Determination and hope flared in his eyes. He took a deep breath and stepped closer until you could feel the heat radiating from him. You swallowed and felt your cheeks getting warm.

He reached out and took both your hands gingerly in his and stared intently at you.

" Y/n I love you..I always have..."

He watched your eyes widen and lips part with surprise. He continued before you could say anything.

"I know you probably consider me to be foolish and naive, but I mean it when I say that I love you more than I could love myself. I wish I could explain to you how wonderful you are, how beautiful your eyes or how your voice gives me butterflies every single time. I love who I am with you. I.." He swallowed visibly, but his gaze on you never wavered. " I don't know how to explain love..But when I see you, I imagine the two of us cooking together, fighting together..being together. And I can't imagine anything that would make me happier. I would like to do these things with you. That is'' he smiled shyly, his cheeks turning pink " if you feel the same."

Your vision blurred as you felt tears brimming your eyes. "Naruto ..."

Naruto's smile vanished quickly. Did he upset you?! Oh crap.

He immediately let go of your hands and started to panic. He raked through his brain,thinking back over the words he had just used on you, trying desperately to find where he went wrong. He had never been in a position before where he had to comfort a crying girl. Once he had borrowed Sai's book on human behavior. If only he could remember..

"Y/n I am sorry-"

He stopped abrubtly when he felt your finger on his lips, signaling him to stop. You slowly withdrew them to place your hands on either side of his cheeks, thumb tracing the whisker like markings on his cheeks lightly. His eyes widened.

"Naruto..that was beautiful.." You said wonderingly, as if you had just woken up from a dream. "No one has ever said such lovely things to me." For a long moment you stared into his eyes,those lovely blue eyes that has always reminded you of the blue waves crashing against the shore- a feeling of peace and warmth and comfort. You could feel yourself getting lost in them. Naruto was still dazed. It was as if the roles were suddenly reversed. He was staring at you open mouthed while you smiled back at him adoringly.

"You are such an idiot Naruto" you teased, but the affection in your voice took the sting out of it "my idiot"

Your fingers were still stroking his cheeks, making it difficult for him to concentrate. He swallowed "W-what?"

A giggle escaped your lips "you cannot seriously think that I didn't notice your feelings all these years" your smile spoke of mischief now "and it was not one sided. Why did you wait for so long to come to me?"

Naruto was shell shocked. His heart was pounding so loudly that he thought that it would jump out. Is this a dream?

You finally stopped laughing and gazed at his blue orbs seriously. "Naruto" you said " I have struggled to make friends all throughout my life. When my parents decided to move to Konoha I was absolutely against it. Starting a new life.." You shook your head slowly " I didn't want that. But then you came along, my personal sun. With your bright smile and cheerful personality..who always tried to cheer me up. Who was always by my side..Slowly I felt myself taking a liking to this place.. And I felt myself falling for you.."

You heard his sharp intake of breath and smiled again "Naruto, I can't find the right words to explain how much you mean to me, but I would like to spend the rest of my life with you showing them. "

He felt tears sting the back of his eyes. He wanted to laugh, cry, curse himself for having waited for so long. He was almost mad with joy. But when he looked at you, he knew that you could see the emotion plainly written on his face. Because love required no language.

His lips curled up into a smile that lit up his whole face. You had seen him smile before, plenty of times, and yet this was different from the others. This smile was the most beautiful one you had ever seen, one that spoke of love and happiness and gratitude, a gesture that was too deep to be explained in words.

The uncertainty in his eyes were long gone, replaced with hope and love. He cupped your face in his large hands so gingerly that you shivered sightly.

"It feels like a dream" he said huskily, brushing a strand of hair from your face "being here with you like this."

"Then let me prove it tlo you that it's not"

You pulled him down by the collar of his shirt until your foreheads almost touched. Leaning in, you kissed both his cheeks, his eyelids, the tip of his nose, over and over again. Your other hand was pressed on his chest allowing you to feel his rapid heartbeat.

When your gaze finally fell on his lips, resting on them for a second, made Naruto impatient. He craved for your touch,the warmth that you provided. He had waited to do this for so long, he couldn't bear to waste any second longer.

So he leaned in closer and his lips finally met yours, moving gently against your own.

Warmth and desire exploded within him, and the world slowly disappeared from around the two of you. It was slow and soft and perfectly natural, like breathing and yet so intimate.

His calloused hands were gentle as they caressed your cheeks, his warm breath mingling with yours. His hands went to the nape of your neck and drew you even closer, thus deepening the kiss. Sparks flew within you, and you wrapped your hands around his shoulder in response , to eliminate the space between the two of you as much as possible.

He loved the way your lips fit with his like puzzle pieces, moving in perfect sync with his. His lips tasted like ramen, making you smile into the kiss.

When you both finally broke apart for air, he rested his forehead against yours, his warm breath hitting your cheeks. He was breathing hard like you, but his whole face was lit with joy, a smile so beautiful playing on his lips that you couldn't help but return it.

Your slender hands went around his waist, cheek resting against his sculpted chest, and listened to his hammering heart. Physically, he had changed a lot since the first time you met him. The childish roundness was long gone from his face. You could feel the solid hard muscle as you held him,the sharpness of his cheekbones,the callousness of his hands. And yet he was still the same. The same luminous blue eyes that sparkled even in the darkness,the same exuberant personality and that infectious smile.

For a while you both stood in each other's embrace, basked in the silvery moonlight with a wide grin plastered on both your faces.

"Thank you Naruto " and in those syllables he heard everything. He closed his eyes in content and hummed in response.

This was the love he'd waited for, hoped for. And now finally, he was home.

At last.

Mom, dad are you watching?

#naruto x reader #naruto uzumaki x reader #naruto headcanons #naruto x you #naruto scenarios #naruto uzumaki

[wintrgarden]

a latte for your thoughts?

// a fan fiction dedicated to the winter garden couple of hospital playlist //

-----

"Ikjun, do you have my warm cup of hot latte?" Jeong won said, while walking towards him in the hospital's open space to take a break during his night shift.

"Here. Isn't it tiring in the PICU these days?" Ikjun replied with worried eyes.

"A little. I don't mind it though.

Yah, do you remember my liver transplant patient, Mina?"

"Yeah, the one where we had to cut the donor's liver to a quarter because it won't fit the tiny baby's body. What about her?"

"I went to her a while ago. She woke up, and winked at me like this!" Jeongwon lit up whenever he talks about his patients' recovery. His eyes sparkled and his smile widened. He repeated the wink so much that it could have been mistaken for a blink. In fact, he was so giddy that he didn't notice someone approaching.

"Professor Ikjun? The test results of patient Jiwon are out. Could you take a look at it?"

Jang Gyeoul, the third year resident of General Surgery has been standing there for a few moments, waiting for the two professors to actually notice.

While hiding his laugh, Ikjun followed suit. Jeongwon was left on the bench with an unwavering smile on his face.

Looking at him, one would think that his drink was too sweet to make him smile like that. Eavesdropping on their conversation would transform him into a humanitarian. But to delve into his thoughts --- now that, that's a different story.

It's nice to actually see an angel, once in a while. Just enough to keep me on my feet. I might be even enthralled by its eyes that don't wink but are enveloped with fascinating halo-like things. Even if this angel doesn't have wings, it has the most power to chase evil away. I wasn't sure if this angel could save me --- until it actually did.

------

"Yah, Ahn Jeongwon, are you sleeping here again?" Junwan said, while entering their shared office.

"O~ I just finished my night shift. I just lied down."

"Have you eaten?"

"I'll eat later."

"I also haven't eaten yet. Let's eat breakfast."

"Will you stop bugging me if I eat?" Junwan then pulled Jeongwon out of the cot, and dragged him to the packed cafeteria to fall in line.

------

"One iced latte, please. Oh, and a sandwich."

With the same baggy eyes and pale skin, Gyeoul was ordering her morning coffee. Just enough to keep her awake until she gets home.

"Annyeonghaseyo~" She greeted the two professors.

"De~" Jeongwon said, while Junwan nodded in response.

CODE BLUE --- CS. 3RD FLOOR. CODE BLUE --- CS. 3RD FLOOR.

Without a beat, Junwan, a Cardiothoracic Surgery Professor, left hurriedly. Jeongwon was then left alone. Gyeoul took her order and searched for a seat.

"One warm cup of hot latte and a pancake, please."

After getting his order, Jeongwon followed through and tried to find his way in the crowd. It was full of doctors and nurses waiting to start their morning shifts, so the noise was understandable.

"Professor! Here!" Gyeoul pointed to a newly vacant seat in front of her. The morning rush got the best of them that Jeongwon didn't think twice and made his way.

The crowd was boisterous. Jeongwon and Gyeoul's silence was awkward. It was not the kind of environment you'd want after a 12-hour shift.

But it was all worth it. At least for one of them.

"How was the Emergency Room last night?" Jeongwon blurted after taking a bite of his pancake.

"It's okay. There were a lot of unpredictable cases, most of which were tiring, as usual." Gyeoul's detailed answer was so calm. It seemed that the Professor's unexpected friendliness didn't bother her.

"Do you have someone to take you home?"

"What? No. I can go by myself." With a polite tone, Gyeoul showed her surprise with the question.

"I'll give you a ride home."

"No, you don't need to---"

"I insist. I still haven't bought you the meal you asked from me, anyway. Can a ride home suffice?"

Gyeoul was bewildered. But with the professor's kind nature, it seemed like something he would do for literally anyone. He wasn't called the "Buddha" for nothing, anyway.

-----

"It's that apartment on the right, Professor."

"This one?"

"Yes. Thank you for the ride."

"It's not a problem. The next time we catch ourselves on a rough patch, I can take you home again."

Gyeoul smiled. Her first that day. Then, she opened the door to get out.

"Oh, shit! I forgot!" The car stopped. Jeongwon's shock even surprised Gyeoul.

"Why, Professor? What happened?"

"I totally forgot about it. I was scheduled to get my car battery change the other week, then I forgot and was planning to do it today."

Sleeping in the cot that morning wasn't just to save time to rest up. He actually had long, overdue chores and was saving some energy to do them.

"Do you have a contact to a car battery seller?" Gyeoul asked.

"Yeah, I'll contact them now."

It was still early in the morning, around 6 o'clock. The service opened at 9 o'clock, so delivery wasn't possible after an hour or so.

Gyeoul stayed with him until things got settled. It was getting chilly, and the overwhelming fatigue got the best out of Jeongwon.

"Professor, you could rest a little in my place... if you like. You can sleep while waiting."

Jeongwon hesitated a bit, but decided to give in.

------

"I'll just get an extra pillow and some blankets." said Gyeoul, while Jeongwon helped in fixing the convertible sofa bed in her living room.

Once fixed, he sat and removed his shoes.

"You live alone?" he asked Gyeoul once she got back.

"Yes, for a while now." she replied as she handed him the pillow.

"Ah, I see."

"I'll just be in my room. You can call me if you need anything."

"Thank you... Also, I'm sorry for being so troublesome." His shy look gave him away.

"It's nothing, don't worry." Gyeoul smiled, and went into her room.

Jeongwon lied down. He couldn't believe what was happening --- and how the situation could naturally give a wrong impression. If he told Ikjun about this, he would make fun of him and joke about how he got things to escalate so quickly. Junwan would tap him on the back and commend him for finally picking up some tricks of his. Songhwa would be very much amused, and would romanticize the whole situation. Meanwhile, Seokhyeong would remind him that he's an OB-GYN Professor, and that he delivers babies very well. He would be of service to Jeongwon if ever he needed one.

His thoughts started to tone down, and after no time, he was asleep.

-------

"Professor?"

......

"Professor? I fixed some lunch. Do you want to eat?" Gyeoul wore an apron over some loose shirt and pajamas now, and sun was already high up.

Jeongwon looked at his wrist watch.

2:24 PM.

He quickly sat up.

"I'm sorry, did the service arrive? I must have been in a deep sleep."

"Yes, they arrived a few hours ago. I tried to wake you, but you were soundly asleep."

"I'm really sorry. You had to pay them, didn't you? I'll just pay you back."

"The receipts are there, over the table."

Jeongwon went to get them, and was distracted with the smell of food coming from the kitchen.

"Professor, I fixed some lunch for us, if you want to eat..."

He felt ashamed to take another offer, but hearing his stomach grumble made him look the other way, again.

Gyeoul was already fixing the table for two, while Jeongwon sat quietly and contemplated how much trouble he caused her all in a single day.

"I'm really sorry... I meant to wake up, seriously. I was just really tired from last night."

"It's okay." Gyeoul said with a chuckle. "I'm not holding anything against you, Professor." she added as she handed out his chopsticks.

"Thank you for the meal." he then said.

Everything was new to Ahn Jeongwon. He didn't need to wipe the table, or arrange the food, or even wear an apron. He didn't even need to worry if he was going to get enough food, as everything was already at his disposal. This new scenario keeps him gushing.

Being alone with a girl, in her apartment, eating her cooked food, and feeling something that only grown-ups alone in an enclosed space would feel. It wasn't like this was the first time something like this is happening, he often said to himself. It somehow eased his discomfort.

All while knowing the truth that this is in fact the first time.

But it's not like Jeongwon didn't have the opportunity and ability to; he just chose not to. His faith led him to a different path, and he was decisive to go this way. For the longest time, this weighed more than any choice he had to make in his life. But this time, something, or perhaps someone, was gonna tip the scale.

-----

"Yah! Jang Gyeoul! What's this?" Chu Minha screamed as Gyeoul entered the GS Department, in time for another night shift.

Someone left iced latte for her. With a double bacon sandwich. And some patches to ease pain. It came with a written note, saying:

"To my Good Samaritan. Thank you~

---- Ahn Jeongwon"

The handwriting made Gyeoul smile.

"Why did Pediatric Surgeon Prof. Ahn Jeongwon gave you coffee? And why are you smiling?"

"Nothing. It's just to repay a good deed."

"That's the most vague yet unsuspicious answer I've ever heard! Good deeds really cannot be questioned at all. I wish someone would also give me coffee." Minha wouldn't stop, but Gyeoul wasn't listening either.

She focused on the note. And the coffee. And the sandwich.

While remembering the long day with Ahn Jeongwon.

#hospitalplaylist #wintergarden #fanfiction #ahnjeongwon #janggyeoul #shinhyunbin #yooyeonseok

[cocojosse]

A short story

The end sucks, but it’s something.

It’s 7076 words, English is not my first language.

As silly as it might sound, I honestly thought that what I heard when speaking to people was them speaking to me, even if they half of the time they didn't move their lips. I thought it was normal and didn't question it when I heard people say the answers to their own questions, or when I saw people on the street holding hands and laughing but said out in the open that they would rather be anywhere else. I often asked what people meant with what they said and for the most part only got weird looks in response. Instead of understanding that what I could hear wasn't normal and stopped talking about it, I instead spoke my mind and questioned almost everything I heard.

When receiving gifts, when I was younger, I used to always guess what I believed to exist in the package. Of course, I was always correct no matter how much they tried to hide the content. I would also always win in rock, paper, scissors when playing it in kindergarten. In the end everyone started to just give me money on Christmas or as birthday present. Everyone in kindergarten also stopped trying to be my friend as I always speaked my mind and unknowingly spred others secrets around. I realized quickly that something was wrong with me but was too busy self-pitying myself to figure out what.

My father worked a lot and would often not be home until late at night after leaving early in the morning. My mother on the other hand started staying at home as soon as I was born, you would think that a mother should have noticed its own child's strange behavior, but I learned quickly that she was blinded by the thought of having a perfect child and brushed every weird act away. I could hear what people really thought about me and would, without explanation, distain myself when knowing I wasn't wanted. I grew self-conscious of how I acted, dressed and spoke. Even though I grew weary of my speech I still asked about the things I heard. My dad noticed my strange behavior and distanced himself from the family even more and either worked harsher hours or passed free time at bars. Whenever I was lucky enough to see my father, he was in an argument with mom. Mostly about how stressed he was from work and often whined about the smallest things, like how the food he warms up after coming home always was either too bland or too salty. The biggest reason to why they argued though was because of my weird actions, he understood what it was I could do and didn't feel safe in his own home and therefore tried to explain this to mom.

Just a week or so before my seventh birthday he left for another woman, stated how mom has grown to dense for comfort and that I was a monster he never wanted, at the same time exclaiming the impossibility of me being his daughter. When leaving, mom broke down by the doorstep and closed herself in her room, for weeks living as a ball of depression in her room with meals being delivered to her door, she finally stepped out of her cave. And for the first time in a long time saw my face. It was like a string in mom snapped and she quickly started blaming me for dad's disappearance. She no longer wanted to see me as the perfect daughter and instead searched for flaws around me that she could comment on. While searching she found my strange ability, she grew outraged finding the one thing that father always tried to explain was there and the biggest reason for his departure.

She started giving me rules to follow to be allowed in her home. I was no longer considered family. For me to not be able to spread her secrets I was not allowed to talk, to be allowed to eat I had to make the food, I had to do everything in my power to make myself the house ghost. Every time she saw me, she sneered, gave me a row of dirty looks and thought the worst things she could think of about me, knowing that I would hear and take it to heart, I wasn't worth her words. I spend most of my time in our library, mother didn't bother putting me in a school so until I could attend one, I took care of my education on my own. When mother was home, I obeyed every big or small rule she had for me, didn't speak, never looked her in the eye and cooked the best food I could because of the many cook books I studied. I did after all still love her and wanted her to be happy even if the thought wasn't mutual. Mother quickly started working again and worked just as long hours as father did, I barely saw her. She must have started to enjoy her work more or just wanted to be even further away from me, either way she started going on business trips for weeks at a time. After all the reason behind mother's fortune and big house wasn't because of her and fathers divorce but because of her own efforts as a business woman.

On my ninth birthday mother contacted me while being on a vacation in Dubai and asked me rather harshly if I have been studying, and even if originally not told to I told her that I have been spending most of my free time in the house library and should be on the same level as others my age in most subjects. Mother told me with a lack of interest that she had enrolled me in the school closest to her home. She gave me strict instructions on what kind of equipment I was supposed to buy and told me that I was supposed to start in about two weeks when summer break was over. Even if she forgot about it, I like to think that was my birthday present and had hope of her maybe still having gentle and loving feelings towards me.

Everything went on as usual except that the ghost of the house danced around laughing and singing to express her joy. I had always wanted to meet new people and liked to think that I had learned my lesson from kindergarten. I had under two weeks straight daydreamed about countless scenery's, different conversations and the kind of people I would meet. I set up a countless set of rules for how I should act and speak. I picked out the perfect outfit and studied extra hard for a couple of days just so mother wouldn't think of me as a disappointment.

The high hopes I had for my new beginning quickly crumbled when what first greeted me was scared and angry looks, I didn't understand that those who went to the town's kindergarten could have gone to the same school as me. So, I didn't have time to make a name out of myself with the new me, because others already had. I was supposed to go there from third grade to sixth, I knew mother wouldn't care about my situation, so my only option was to suffer through three years of hair pulling, name calling, pushing, things being thrown at me as well as my things being destroyed and, in some cases, punching and kicking. I hadn't even once out loud said a thing I heard someone think, most of them had no proof of what a few others were saying, even teachers just believed what children said about me being able to read other minds.

When I went through the last day of sixth grade, I was welcomed home to mothers' servants and maids packing the hole house away and when looking out the window I saw three moving trucks. One of the maids came to me and explained that my room was already packed and that I could wait out in the one of the cars. She must have seen my questioning expression because she then quickly explained that me and mother were moving to Scottsdale, Arizona and explained that mother was already there. While in the car on my way to the airport I remember doing some research on the town we were moving to and started getting a little worried when I saw six cases of kidnaping in the area but quickly pushed the thought away. I thought that this time, in a new state, new city, miles from my first ever home, I could maybe have a new start where no one knew who I was.

I ended up spending all my free time for summer brake looking around town, getting to know my surroundings. I found the town library and passed a lot of my time studying the towns history, I have for a long time been interested in geographic history but once again grew worried when looked at one of the TVs in the library that showed another case of a missing child. Because mother usually isn't home, I have and is still being raised by our house maids and was delighted when knowing that our staff moved with us.

And here I am in Scottsdale, Arizona's very own Mountainside Middle School, in one of thier classrooms for seven graders. They started school a week ago and because there were so many knew students except me, I wasn't as big of a mystery and I have been able to stay out of everyone's way. This school is already a lot better compered to my first one, everyone is a lot nicer and of what I can tell, bullying is extremely rare here. I met almost all the teachers except my math teacher who apparently have been sick for most of summer break and still felt a little sick a week after and stayed home. I have made one friend though; her name is Emma and she is currently sleeping in her seat next to me using her arms as a pillow. I kind of understand her reason for falling asleep, our history teacher Mrs. Owen is trying to teach us about the golden age while most of the students are either talking with their seat mate, in hushed tones, or are almost sleeping. Lucky for all the student as well as the well ignored teacher this school has a bell to alert us of when class has ended and that bell just rang.

Everyone starts standing up making the chairs scrape against the floor as well as the volume quickly started to raise, this didn't wake Emma though. I poked her cheek a couple of times with her just turning her face from me while grumbling. I sigh, "Emma, wake up", she doesn't move. "Please Emma, wake up", I try once again while poking her cheek. No, go away. "Emma, I won't go away. Just please get up, people are starting to stare." She knows how I don't like attention and kindly enough turns her head gives me a small glare but, in the end, rises and takes her history book, note book and pen from the end of the table. Fine, she thinks while starting to turn to face me. She can be incredibly stubborn and hard headed, but she was the first and only one who talked to me on our first day just four days ago and our friendship just kind of bloomed from there. She's loud, I'm quiet, she hates school, I appreciate it. But she is kind, she usually doesn't show it, but she cares and doesn't judge easily. I don't know her that well, of course I want to get to know her, but I don't feel an extreme need to, she is my first friend in years and I just want to live in that dream for a while before I maybe open my mouth and destroy it all.

While walking out of the classroom we are met with a wall of students quickly walking to get to their locker to get home. While being in this big crowds I'm happy that I learned how to close out most thoughts, before it all crashed on to me and I couldn't help to hear everything on a 15 meter radius around me or anyone I made eye contact with, now I here just a few and of course also anyone I wish to hear the thought of. I use the ability now more mostly to get to know the real character of someone I never met before.

Finally finding an opening in the moving wall of students me and Emma quickly starts walking in the same direction as most others. "You busy this weekend?", she asked while walking. "No, I was just planning on studying for the most part, why". She made a funny face as soon as I mentioned studying. "Well, if you want to do something that's actually fun, I thought that we maybe could have a sleep over." She stops by her locker while I continues walking to mine which is just 7 lockers down. Thank god. Mr. Wilson is finally starting on Monday; this substitute is killing me. Who is Mr. Wilson? It's going to be so much easier when Mr. Wilson comes back. These are just random thoughts from random students but who is that? I don't think we have a teacher named Wilson.

I start putting everything in my bag with Emma looking over my shoulder. Hurry up. Hurry up. Hurry up. Hurry up. I can feel a headache coming along, I wonder why. She is still doing her little chant while having the decency to look completely unbothered by how slow I am while leaning on the locker next to mine. The halls are emptier now with only a few still by their locker while some are walking towards the exit. "No, I'm sorry but I can't this weekend, mother is holding a gathering slash party for the company she works for." I say while closing my locker and putting my bag on my shoulder. It's a black Armani shoulder bag, sure mother doesn't like me, but I'm still related by blood and can't, in her words, run around bringing shame to her name because of cheap clothes and products. "We could maybe be at my home; my family shouldn't be bothered by it." I would honestly really like to, I mean she is my first friend in a long time but one of mother's rules is for me to stay at home at all time when she is home. Not for my company but to keep an eye on me while at she is able to. "I'm sorry but mother doesn't like me being out of the house when she is home, I'm sure she will be away again next weekend and would love to have a sleep over then if that's alright?" She looks a little sad, her shoulders slumping and eyes darting to the floor but quickly goes back to being normal with a small smile tugging at her lips when hearing that I maybe could next weekend.

We started walking towards the exit, in a calmer fashion now when we aren't being pushed forward by a wall of bodies. I can't keep my smile from blooming on my face while looking towards the door but at the same time hearing her thoughts. She seems to be delighted thinking of how she wishes for Monday to come quicker. That reminds me. "Emma." She looks towards me. "You have been at this school since fifth grade, right." She turns her head more towards me and nods slowly. "Yeah, why?" I keep walking with my face facing forward while looking to and from her face moving only my eyes. "It's nothing really. I just heard some people talking about somebody called Mr. Wilson. I haven't heard the name here before so I'm just wondering if you know who it is." My eyes stay on her face when she turns her head towards the exit with a sour expression on her face. Ugh, I forgot that guy existed. Okay, someone has a grudge. "You know how we have had a substitute for a week in math? Mr. Wilson, full name: Oliver Wilson, is the actual math teacher." She answers quickly and snappily, seeming not wanting to talk about him. It's okay, I got the hint Ill drop it. Awkward silence quickly fallows. And I regret dropping it.

We continue through the school exit down the small stairs to the place where we are supposed to part ways, me going right towards the school bus stop that's just barely seven meters from where I am standing, and Emma going left towards her apartment that's just 10 minutes from here. I start turning my back towards her and begins to walk away. I make it about three steps before a hand takes my left arm turning me ninety degrease left. She sighs running her left hand through her hair with her right one still holding my arm. "I'm sorry. It's not that I'm mad at you or anything I just really don't like the guy. "He is extremely annoying with a way to care free attitude. And his smile is super creepy." As she thinks the last thing, she shudders with an expression making her look partially scared, partially disgusted. "Hey. It's okay, you don't need to apologies." I quickly say back while putting a comforting hand on her left shoulder. I noticed this a while ago, Emma gets emotional very easily so it's easy to accidently hurt her feelings if you don't know her well. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." She raises her head and gives me a grateful smile. Thank you.

When looking around I see my bus about 15 seconds from the bus stop and quickly turn my head toward Emma. "I'm sorry but I really need to go, my bus is coming." I turn around and for the second time today I start walking with the bus stop as my goal only to stop half way and turn around to face Emma to see her already walking in the towards her home. "Emma!" I scream and see her turning around. "I'll see you on Monday, we can start planning our weekend sleep over then." She lights up as a big smile glues to her face and at the same time she nods her head franticly. Okay! A voice happily screams in my head. I hear the bus stopping behind and I turn around quickly and run to the entrance, blip my card and take a seat I the middle of the bus on the right side. Not many people take the bus on Fridays: the reason for all the empty seats.

I don't have to wait to long for the bus to stop right outside mothers' home. I see her black Lamborghini in the spacious drive way while hopping out of the bus. While walking on the stone path leading towards the door, I make sure to be looking down to not accidentally looking her in the eyes for when I see her and check my posture to make sure I'm walking with a straight back, she hates when I don't. I open the door and as usual, its open. The maids know my schedule and unlock the door when my last class ends so it's open when I get home. I walk in, closing the door behind me, locking it as well. I see a couple of boxes on the right side of me, stocked neatly by the wall part of the TV room's wall with the rest being glass so you can look out to the garden. The boxes are all closed using a tape where it said Arizona Nights, I guess its stuff for mothers gathering/party tomorrow. I found out about it under summer break. One of the maids told me that as soon as mother comes home, she was going to hold something party-ish to celebrate the move and that when she was on her business trip, she landed an important deal with a company from Sydney, Australia. I know from the way she said it that I was, as usual, to stay in my room. So, I'm doing exactly that. After all I didn't lie to Emma when I said that I was going to study.

My room was on the second floor that you reached by going up the stairs that were on the far-left side of the house, in the living room. Before going there though I took of my shoes and put them on the floor to the right of me by the hallway wall. Mother and everyone who works here doesn't usually take of their shoes, but I like walking in just my socks. I think its cozy. I turn my body to the stairs and swiftly made my way over there then quietly made my way up and turned right and went in to the first door on the left. When I was younger, like very young, I made a name sign to hang on my door. At the time mother still acted like a mom should so we made it together in our former kitchen. You can really see how its homemade, with a cotton candy blue background and messily written Molly with baby pink glitter. I quietly close the door while facing my room and walked to my desk that's positioned forward in the right corner of my square room. While sitting on my chair in front for my desk I put my shoulder bag in my lap and took out my math homework for next week, as well as all the necessities to finish it.

That's how I used my weekend, finishing the math, science as well as the English homework, the biggest problem probably being keeping my concentration on just that, mothers party started on Saturday afternoon and kept on going with countless different attractions on the schedule, so it ended very early morning on Sunday. Waking up Monday morning wasn't that fun either, I slept only three hours the night before, the smell of alcohol still slightly lingering in the air making it only worse. School starts at eight AM every day so, just as today, I always put a timer to wake up twenty minutes over seven. I get out of bed slowly making my way to my closet, putting on a pair of black high-waisted skinny jeans and a baby blue off-shoulder blouse, keeping my hair straight after brushing it. Taking my school bag with me, I walk out my room and down the stairs quickly noticing my especially quiet surroundings, it being explained to me when I can't see my mother's car through the living room windows. I put on the TV listening to Arizona's NEWS as background noise while making breakfast in the kitchen on opposite side of the house but with no walls closing of the connecting area. "Another child kidnapping took place somewhere between six PM and nine PM yesterday evening in the middle of Scottsdale saying to have connections with the other 7 kidnappings in the area. The thirteen-year-old Emma Rodrigues had a goal of going to the closest food store to her home and then quickly coming home again. The trip should only have taken 20 minutes, but she never got home and have been informally declared missing." The news anchor continued with talking about other events while I stood in front of the TV with a half-eaten sandwich in my right hand staring wide eyed at the screen, processing the former information. Emma, is gone? I mean, I have read about kidnappings accruing in the area all through the year but didn't believe it would be this close.

In my daze I see the bus stop by my house, I will have to think about this when I'm not in shock, I can't think like this. I quickly run to our hallway to put on my shoes, hang my school bag over my shoulder and take my jacket with me just in case. Opening the door, I just run seeing the line of kids shrinking, not thinking of locking the door hoping the maids notice and lock it in my stead. Luckily the bus driver sees me and waits for my arrival, I get on, bleep my card and find an empty seat in the back-right corner. If I would have just had that stupid sleep over with her at her house, then she wouldn't have gone there alone and might have had a better chance fighting back whoever that kidnaping freak is. I feel my hands clenching in my lap and my teeth roughly rub against each other. How could her parents let her out that late on her own? Haven't they heard about the kidnappings in the area? My first friend in years gone after just one week of knowing her. No, I will find her, and we are having that dumb sleep over this weekend.

Should I tell her, or just poke her? I mean the bus have stopped, haven't she noticed? Huh? I look up to see a guy from my class sitting in a chair tree places from me looking nervously in my direction but quickly looks down when seeing that I cough him. No one else is in the bus except some walking out of it, the boy from before now also trying to accomplish the same thing. I stand up and walk to the bus exit my body now on auto pilot while putting my full attention on planning. If she disappeared while going to, or from, the shop then that is the most obvious place to start searching: I don't have any other leads. The police still haven't caught the kidnapper after so long so I can't count on them that much. I have been getting an allowance for some years and have barely used any of it so I should have more than enough for a private detective if its needed. I notice my body stopping in front of my locker and decide to leave the subject occupying my mind to after school pulling out my math book as well as my note book with some pens. That's right. The actual math teacher is supposed to start today. Until proven different my opinion of him will remain the same as Emma's.

When walking in to the classroom I see most of the students sitting like normal but seem way to happy about having math first thing in the morning on a Monday, I guess Mr. Wilson is more popular with the students than I thought. I take the seat furthest in the back on the right side, by the windows. A man, maybe twenty-five years old, walk in six minutes later, a big smile on his face. "Hello kids!" he greets us while putting down the papers he had with him. "Goodmorning!" Some of the kid's greet back while some of the new ones in the class look as confused as I would have been if I didn't know who it was. He does a quick look through on the sitting students, his left eye twitches slightly but I don't think anyone else noticed it. "I see a lot of new students. And I guess by the looks some are given me; an introduction is in order." He pauses, turning to the board with a chalk, writing as he speaks. "My name is Oliver Wilson, you can call me Oliver or Mr. Wilson, it's up to you. I'm 27 years old," eh I was close enough, "and have been teaching math in this school for almost seven months now. I hope I can meet your expectations." For the last part he does a little bow. He raises and then asks if there were any questions for him. One in the middle of the class raises their hand, Oliver quickly points at her as a sign to speak. "I heard you have been sick for a while, are you feeling better?" He chuckles looking down at his shoes but looks up again grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Yes, thank you Melisa. I'm feeling much better." Yet again no one seems to notice the scary glint in his eye or how he is smiling like a psychopath. Another girl raises her hand, takes it down again and without permission asks her question. "Well, what did you do while sick. It was like, hole summer break, right?" Okay, already hate her. What's worse, she was blowing bubble gum while speaking, could she be any more cliché? Ugh no, girl I don't know the name of, I sorry mentally, you know how it is, stress isn't fun so sorry for being mean to you mentally. "Yes, you are right, I was sick for almost two months. And for what I did, I just took care of some bugs." 13-year-old bugs with a pair of arms and legs that is. He chuckles a little for himself. Paus, what did you just say, I mean think? You are officially number one on my list of subjects, containing just you. It seems that I might not need to search the area from ger apartment to the food-store. This ability of mine is making it a lot easier than it would have been originally. "Okay, enough questions, let's start shall we." He picks up the stack of papers that he had with him. "I hope you have been listening to the substitute last week because we are having a pop quiz on the content, she was instructed to teach you." Even if this is a misunderstanding, I would rather follow him after school and be wrong than letting it go and later finding out to be right. Everyone in the classroom is showing their displeasure by loudly groaning, some throwing their heads back with a sigh and some roughly putting their head on their table side looking like they are giving up on life. Now he's standing in front of the class looking at all of us like we are his cherished friends. Emma was right, he is creepy.

Under the school day I planned how I would follow him, how far behind him I would be and what I would do if he drove home. I'm extremely happy right now that I took my jacket with me, its black which means I can wear it over my blue shirt so that I can bland it better. I did some research on him as well, he's not famous but there is always at least a little of information on everyone. He is quite normal except for the thing that he moves every year. Not just cities but states, he moves miles every year, but I can't find a non-written or a written explanation. That's about how weird it gets with him, I might be completely wrong about him but for the moment he is my only lead on Emma's disappearance. I know that the teachers' shifts on Monday's end at five PM so after my last class, I wait in one of the school's bathrooms. While waiting I just read on my phone, I don't want anyone hearing I'm here so the quietest form of entertainment for me was reading, changing every so often to looking through Instagram. When I see the clock on my phone turning 5.15 PM I slowly and quietly walk out the girl's bathroom and make my way to the teachers' lounge. The hallways are deafeningly silent, a feeling of an empty airhorn going of next to my ears is as clear as day. Their door has a window I can look through, into the big room with chairs and messy tables and one very prominent desk light outlining the back of one Oliver Wilson. Now, why haven't you left yet? Finally, I think everyone is gone now. He sighs. This was easier under summer break when it was empty all the time. He turns his desk light of fixing his papers putting it on the corner of his table together with other papers. He stands up and I swiftly turn around hiding in the boy's bathroom hallway peeking from the corner. He walks out the door, closing it behind him and locking it. But instead of going to the exit he goes in opposite direction. Okay, maybe there is a backward exit only teachers use. Not before he gets to the end of the corridor and turn right, I get out of my hiding spot and follow his footsteps hearing them echoing in the dark empty space. It feels like I'm in a horror movie and have taken the character of that one dumb kid that follow the scary sounds. I shake my head disappointed in myself.

I stop by the corner where he turned right and look towards his direction hearing and seeing him slowly without a care in the world walking down the hall while fiddling with a key in his left hand. In that pathway there is no exits, none that I know of anyway. This is just getting creepier and creepier, if he isn't the kidnapper after this, I will honestly be surprised. But then again how would no one know where the kids were if he hid them in a school. He stops in front of a room labelled girls bathroom. Now when I think about, that one has been out of use since a year back, Emma told me. Maybe today she will finally brake tell me what I want to know. While thinking this he unlocks the door and steps inside, fortunately I can't hear him locking it after closing. I run to the bathroom door and put my ear to it, his footsteps are growing quieter every second. Just how big is this bathroom? When I can't hear him anymore, I slowly open the door seeing something not so bathroom like. The actual tiles used in most bathrooms on the floor cover only about half of the ground with the rest being a stair case down and then a path continuing to the right. This is getting ridicules, when was this build and who in their right minds go to these lengths for, well, anything. Should I maybe just call the police and then leave? But what if she really is down there, and I heard what he thought before, I can't just leave her with something like that. I pick up my phone from my right jacket pocket and call 911, I will need backup to help if I go down there and it doesn't work out in my favor. "Nine one one, what's your emergency?" A manly voice asks. "Hello, my name is Molly Anderson. I'm right now in Mountainside Middle school and I think I have found the kidnapped children as well as the kidnapper." I answer quickly and in a hushed tone, even though I closed the door I don't want to risk it. "How old are you?" The man asks in an angry tone. "13, but I can't see how this has anything to do with the task at hand!" I answer back in the same tone, what the hell is he doing. "Mis I have had enough of you and your friends prank calling over this matter, it's incredibly insensitive. "I clench my teeth together. Right now, my patience isn't that high, and he is making me use all of it. "I know its insensitive since one of the kidnapped kids is my friend," I spit out, "and I understand if there have been people prank calling about this subject. But right now, I don't have time for your nagging and/or complaining, I just thought that the police would like to know that if you go straight ahead, left and then open the broken girl's bathroom there is a Goddam basement that's not on the maps and I just saw a very suspicious teacher called Oliver Wilson walk down there opening the door with his own key talking to himself how he hopes a "she" will finally brake and tell him what he wants to know. I'm about to go down that basement because obviously you aren't going to help. So have a good day knowing my, maybe, future blood is on your hands." I growl out before hanging up putting my phone in my jacket pocket after turning it on silent. I take a deep breath calming myself down, I can't make any small mistakes just because I'm angry. I open the door again, complete silence greeting me. With a shaky breath I start going down the stairs looking to the pathway on my right to be met with a faint light at the end of the long tunnel.

I heard soft murmurs coming from the other end that grew louder with each passing step. Softly placing my right hand on the right wall while walking forward, its pitch black so I can barely see what's in front of me. The only sorce of light coming from behind me in the bathroom, and far ahead of me. Coming closer to the end of the tunnel but still out of sight if anyone were to look in, I see a white sterile room shaped like a rectangle with one of the shorter ends being towards me. My eyes quickly catch three sitting forms in a small cage furthest away from me, at the end of the room. They all are sitting with their knees to their chins and their arms around themselves, seeming to shiver, two more so than the other. Something is dropped on the floor creating an echo in the room traveling in the tunnel. I try making myself even smaller while my gaze quickly falls on Oliver who is now crutching down to pick up the needle that fell. Behind him I see a metallic table with papers, more needles and small bottles with liquid in them. He takes three needles from his collection and fill all of them with the liquid from one of the smaller bottles that seems to have been used a lot. I have to say, Boomslang venom really is effective. It's good that I learned how much to give. He chuckles lowly. In the beginning I kept trying with the wrong amount, so they grew crazy a lot quicker than intended. It was fun to watch though. He smiles like in school again, like a psychopath.

When he turns his back to me, walking towards the cage with the three bodies, I quickly look around to find a big bookshelf to the left off me. Its barely thirty centimeters place inbetweener the bookshelf and the wall, I try my luck while his back is facing me and run to quietly hide in said space. "Let's see if-

"Order 37! One medium vanilla latte with a slice of carrot cake!" Amelia looks up from the book hearing the barista yell out her order. She quickly puts the bookmark in the book while putting it on the table, stands up and swiftly walks to the place you order/take your order. Amelia got a little frustrated now when the barista interrupted her reading, she knew it would happen eventually since she ordered but it was still frustrating. Amelia took her order from the barista that she now could see was named "Julia" from her name tag. Julia smiles at Amelia while wishing her a good evening. "Thank you, you to", Amelia response. She, more calmly now, walks to her seat seeing her jacket hanging from the chair she sat on, her school bag sitting on the table in front of her chair while leaning to the right on the window to the right of her tablet. The whole right side of the cafés wall being one big window. The seat Amelia's stuff is on has been her favorite seat for a year and a half now since she started coming here. If you look at it from entering door, it's the seat in the furthest left corner with the place you order just five meters to the right of it. Amelia softly puts the plate with the carrot cake as well as the cup of steaming coffee down on the table next to hers, since they are connected, and she needs to rearrange stuff on her table to be able and fit it all. Since her bag is taking up the most space, Amelia takes it and puts it on the chair next to hers. She sits down and puts the plate and cup in front of her, next to her book.

Amelia started reading this book just ten minutes or so ago, right after she ordered and sat down. It got recommended to her by one of the librarians who told her a summary of it. This girl Molly goes through this experience with her kidnapped friend and in the end managed to save just the two other kids, but not Emma. The police show up in the end and helps her, after all that she gets a new view of the police. She believes them to not being good enough for their jobs. Through the book then, the librarian explained, you follow Molly growing up and becoming a detective, and since she can read minds, she becomes one of the best. She moves state to state to different police headquarters who asks for her help, specializing in kidnappings. Amelia likes pretty much any genre when it comes to books but absolutely fell in love with the summery the librarian told her and just had to borrow it. She can't wait to read about Molly when she is grown up. Amelia picks up the book and opens it where she put the book mark, taking it out and putting it on the last page in the book. Finding the sentence where she had to stop, Amelia continues reading "The Clairvoyant".

[fragmentedshards]

The Final Curtain, Chapter Six

Matilda Livesey and the Dinner Party

-

Undertaker was used to the general gloom that pervaded his shop, but he wasn't sure how he would adjust to his returning solitude. He helped Matilda pack her remaining belongings in a carpetbag, thinking how much he would miss the magenta-haired woman.

"I'm sorry it turned out to be this sudden," the mortician apologized as he placed Matilda's nightdress on top of her other clothes. "Apparently external circumstances have interfered with one of the servant's ability to work tonight, and they need you to start immediately. I realize I should have asked you before volunteering your services-“

Matilda shushed him, facing the older man and gently laying her hand on his shoulder. "You needn't be sorry. It's the life of people like us. I am honored to serve the Phantomhives."

Undertaker chuckled to himself a little bit as the girl closed her carpetbag. "Call us people if you like; whether or not that's true anymore is more than I care to ponder."

Matilda laughed along with him, allowing him to help her into her coat. "The only thing I'm worried about is how will the school continue to function with me gone?”

Undertaker tapped her nose gently with his forefinger. "Never you worry about that; I will take care of everything." He stood a few paces away and took in the whole image of this woman. Everything, from her messy magenta curls to her glowing golden eyes to her plain white-and-green dress to the wedding band on her finger, was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He grasped both of her shoulders and gazed at her through his bangs. "I'll miss you.”

She embraced him tightly. "I'll miss you too." They shared a quick kiss before walking outside, where Sebastian was waiting with a carriage. Undertaker helped Matilda into the carriage, and waved almost wistfully as Sebastian drove away.

~

Sebastian was grateful for Matilda's help in the kitchen that evening. Under normal circumstances he would have been able to make enough food for a small party such as this entirely on his own, while also cleaning up the blunders of the other servants. However, whatever strange feelings he was beginning to experience seemed to be taking a toll on his capabilities, and with Paula preoccupied with an unexpected baby and Mey Rin helping with that situation, it was a stretch for even he and Agni to complete the task on their own. Agni had managed to find suitable tasks for Bard and Finny in the kitchen, but that still left a great deal of preparations elsewhere, and at that point Sebastian knew he had to bring the Undertaker's friend to the manor as soon as possible.

Matilda had taken Sebastian's place in the kitchen that evening and allowed him to make all the other preparations for supper; setting the table with the proper tablecloth, silver, and china, as well as creating a suitable centerpiece of impeccable white roses. He checked back in the kitchen every few minutes to see all operations running smoothly. He put all the finer touches on the meal while the others prepared it. In the end, the group had produced a magnificent supper fit for the diverse guests that would be dining at the Phantomhive manor that evening.

As the dinner guests were Prince Soma, Lau and Ran Mao, and Lady Elizabeth, and of course the Young Master himself, the servants had taken the liberty of adding a little something to appeal to each person at the table. Ciel sat at the head of the table and watched as Matilda and Agni served the food, listening to Sebastian describe each course as it came in between the conversation he was having with his guests.

"This curry soup has been prepared with the finest tumeric and cumin, premium chicken and fresh produce," Sebastian said as Agni ladled soup into bowls and Matilda places the bowls before the guests. Ciel did not appear to have heard the butler, as he narrowed his eyes at the unusually smug expression resting on Lau's face.

"What's the matter with you? You're grinning like a Cheshire cat, what do you find so amusing?”

"Cheshire cat, my lord?" Lay questioned cynically as he dipped his spoon into the steaming bowl of soup. "I always thought I was much more of Major Caterpillar, wouldn't you say so, Ran Mao?" The ever-silent Ran Mao merely nodded her head once in response, rolling her eyes when Lau was not looking. "In answer to your question, I am not sure amusing is the right word here. This business with you and your demon butler is very curious, I must say; it sparks many questions. Does this mean you can now perform the dirty work you so often left to Sebastian?”

Prince Soma gripped his spoon so tightly his knuckles turned white. "Of what exactly are you accusing Ciel?" he demanded.

Lau merely smirked. "I thought you were aware of all the goings-on of the Queen's Watchdog, my prince? England's Underworld is a very nasty place; it follows that anyone involved with it, in any way, should frequently find themselves handing nasty business. Young lord, are you going to kill your enemies yourself now, with your newfound demonic abilities?"

Elizabeth shot an angry look at Lau, and Ciel tried to keep his composure. "I am still the earl of Phantomhive," he replied in an even, complacent tone. "If I must perform a task I see unfit for a member of aristocracy, it falls to Sebastian to commit these actions in my stead. That is the way of a butler.”

Matilda brought out the second course, a magnificent roast turkey, which Agni began to serve to the guests as Sebastian described it.

Elizabeth watched Ciel raise a bite of turkey to his mouth, chew it and swallow. "Ciel... do you still need to eat human food?" she inquired, as politely as possible.

"I do not necessarily need it," the earl answered without so much looking at his cousin. "However, I do like the taste, and consuming human food does not hurt me in any way." He sighed inwardly. He knew this dinner gathering would be tiresome, with all these questions.

"Say, young lord," Lau spoke again. "I thought demons consumed souls. How shall this work? Are you going to make contracts with us now? I wonder how our souls would taste to you...."

Elizabeth exhaled forcefully. "For heaven's sake, Lau, why would you ask a question like that?”

"Certainly Ciel would never do something like that," Soma added, though even as he spoke he felt his assurance within him waning away.

"Begging your pardon, Mr. Lau," Sebastian interrupted the conversation at the table. "I must ask whether these inquiries are to extract information from the young lord, or to confound him.”

Lau was unmoved. "I would never intentionally place the young lord in a compromising position," he replied coyly, raising his wine glass to the butler. "I merely wish to know the changes in the dynamic beyond this household.”

Ciel dabbed his mouth with a napkin, fixing Lau with a stern gaze that would unsettle anyone else. "I would not expect the dynamic beyond the Phantomhive manor to change a great deal, if it changes at all," stated the earl. "That is the point in my continuing to run Funtom and monitor the Underworld; nobody should know the difference. Now if you are all quite finished with your interrogations, I propose we finish this meal in silence.”

Lady Elizabeth and Prince Soma glanced at each other and gulped, complying with the earl's wishes. Lau smirked to himself, but did not say another word. For the entirety of the remainder of the meal, the only sounds were the clinking of dishes and utensils and Sebastian's commentary accompanying each new course.

"These vegetables have come fresh from the market this morning, and they have been cooked to perfection and seasoned with Sichuan pepper and star anise.”

"Additionally we have the now-infamous curry bread, as well as a citrus ice with fresh fruit.”

"For dessert, we have a strawberry and almond layer cake, prepared especially by our new maid Matilda Livesy.”

Matilda smiled humbly at this recognition and continued to help Agni serve the food. The silence that had settled on the dinner party during the second course was broken with each person's bite of the cake, as every guest in turn exclaimed how delicious it was and complimented Matilda. Sebastian, for his part, thought it best to respond in his signature method to the maid's compliments: "If she could not prepare an exquisite layer cake for a dinner party, what sort of Phantomhive maid would she be?”

Matilda nodded to Sebastian's words, adding "A right poor one, that's what.”

Her sudden words surprised the rest of those present, servants and aristocrats alike. Sebastian laughed softly to himself and explained, "That question is more rhetorical than anything else.”

"Is it?" Matilda questioned as she refilled the wine glasses of each guest. "I suppose it doesn't make any difference whether or not the question is rhetorical as long as my answer is correct.”

"Matilda Livesey." Ciel said the woman's name as if hearing it for the first time. "I thought you were here to assist Mei Rin, not replace her.”

"I am here to assist everyone," Matilda confirmed. "This evening Mei Rin had other business to attend to, so Agni and I took over several tasks for tonight.”

"I see," Ciel muttered, audibly disinterested in the backstory of the new help. "Well, I'm sure Sebastian or Tanaka, or even Agni while he is still here, can teach you anything you do not already know - such as to not answer a rhetorical question.”

"Sir... did you say Tanaka?" the magenta-haired woman gaped at her master in confusion. "Is he here?”

The dinner guests watched Matilda in confusion, while Agni and Sebastian shared a quick glance that communicated an on-the-spot plan.

"Whatever the urgency is, Miss Matilda," Agni said to the maid with concern. "We can finish tonight's tasks without you. You may go see to whatever this is.”

"Tanaka is in his part of the servants' quarters," Sebastian added, poised to point in the direction Matilda needed to go.

"No need to come find me," an old creaky voice said from the doorway to the dining room. Everyone turned to see Tanaka standing there, at full height. He smiled kindly at the new maid. "Hello, Matilda. I'm so glad it's true.”

Matilda broke into a wide smile and rushed forward to embrace the ancient butler. "Hello, Grandfather." Her voice was muffled against Tanaka's body.

"Grandfather?" The guests collectively exclaimed. Even Ciel looked questioningly at Matilda.

The two broke from their embrace and turned to the rest of the people in the room. "Matilda Livesey is my granddaughter," Tanaka confirmed. "Her family lives on a farm in a very rural part of England. But many years ago they turned her out, for a series of feeble reasons. If I had known she came to London after that...."

Matilda grasped her grandfather's hand and looked at him in admiration, continuing the story. "I came to London and was able to find work at all sorts of places, but never permanent employment. I was very lucky that the mortician was able to use my help in his shop. Instead of paying me, he allowed me to live in his home. I'm very grateful to him.”

"If you speak of the Undertaker that I know, his home is merely a coffin-" Ciel froze, a forkful from a second slice of cake halfway to his mouth, and changed his sentence abruptly. "Hang on... just how close are you and that batty old reaper?”

Matilda blushed, then began helping Agni clear the table. "It's not a very interesting story, my lord," she said as she began stacking empty plates. "I'm sure there are a number of more riveting tales on other topics out there for you.”

"Speaking of which," Sebastian's voice startled the guests, who had risen from the table in plans of retiring to the drawing room. They looked sharply at one another, wondering when the butler had disappeared and reappeared. Even now, wise to the true nature of the butler, they were still baffled by him. He ignored their gaping faces and made his way to Ciel's mildly pouting one, holding a letter on a silver platter. "This is urgent from the Queen, my lord.”

"What on earth could even the Queen have to bother her watchdog over at this hour?" Lau wondered aloud, looking at an eternally placid Ran Mao.

Ciel opened the letter carefully, scanning the words once, twice, thrice. Then, sighing, he announced to his guests; "I will be retiring early this evening. You are welcome to stay the night,

as I may require your services come morning. I will reveal the contents of this letter to you tomorrow, after I have had a night to ponder over the next course of action.”

With that, Ciel made a regal exit from the dining room, followed as always by Sebastian, leaving a collection of utterly confused dinner guests and three curious servants.

#fanfic #fanfiction #my writing #write #writer #writing #black butler #black butler fanfiction #kuroshitsuji #kuroshitsuji fanfiction #the final curtain #lau #ran mao #black butler lizzy #black butler sebastian #sebastian michaelis #lizzy midford #prince soma #soma asman kadar #ciel phantomhive #undertaker x oc #undertaker #tanaka #black butler tanaka

[wr1t3-my-wr0ngs]

Farewell, Chapter 2/2

It's a year before he sees her again.

The farm grows slowly, but as Lothal recovers and the Galaxy needs less and less resistance help to remove the remaining Imperial presence, Rex is able to spend more time with his hands in the soil.

He's planting Biituian Orange trees (they won't produce fruit for another three years, and the thought that he may never see their first harvest is not lost on him) when he hears a shuttle land by the house.

Wiping sweat from his brow and dust from his hands, Rex stands and makes his way over to greet his visitor.

Despite the cloak and their back being to him, Rex's heart jumps at the sight of Montrals beneath the grey fabric. When she turns, he can't help the smile that stretches across his face.

She smiles back, in a way he can't remember her doing since she was still a padawan: open and joyous and carefree.

One day becomes two, becomes a week, becomes a year.

She stays in fits and bursts, at first in the spare room, her things packed away neatly ready to be collected at a moments notice, the job of a Jedi never truly done. Over time they spread out; a toothbrush in the bathroom, her preferred blend of caf in the cupboards, until it eventually becomes her sabers next to his their bed, her armor by the bedroom door, his head tucked under her chin as they lay together beneath light sheets in the heat of a summer night.

It's not perfect; she has her duties; he has his. They argue and they fight, learn each others edges and curves in this new domestic world, learn to fit together as Rex and Ahsoka, not Captain and Commander.

On days when she doesn't have to go, when the fledgling Jedi order does not demand the assistance of their greatest Knight, she is in the fields beside him—directing the hired hands as needed, entertaining curious younglings that come to see for themselves two legends of the rebellion, dirt-stained and beautiful.

When she must go, her ships leave early in the morning, and despite the protest of his knees in the cold air Rex is always there to see her off. Leans in to press a kiss to her dark lips, his beard brushing her face, feeling her smile at the sensation. Watches as she climbs the ramp, her grey cloak swishing about her ankles, and stays there until her ship is nothing more than a speck in the sky.

The days (weeks, sometimes the occasional month) that she is gone pass in a regular fashion, filled with the farm, friends, and sometimes a mission of his own. It would be a lie to say that he does not count them, does not miss her warmth in bed, or her half-awake shuffling to the caf maker in the mornings.

She's been gone for three days, and the sun beats down on the clone's neck as he winds his way through the open market, passing stalls of fruit and parts and various other things, having purchased his necessities and now just wandering, letting the idle chattering of the crowd wash over him.

From the corner of his eye, Rex spots the glinting of metal, and he finds himself standing in front of a jewelers stall, looking over a selection of bands and rings, occasionally dotted with a brightly colored stone.

The stall owner chatters away as he looks over the assemblage, more curiosity than actual interest when one set towards the back catches his attention. Brushed steel shines in the the afternoon sun, faint scratches and grooves that catch the light and remind the clone of worn lightsaber handles, utilitarian and elegant. Of course, the ring fits, and in the depths of his mind, he hears General Kenobi mutter about the force working in mysterious ways. The stall owner mistakes the smile on his face for joy at having found the perfect gift; Rex doesn't correct him and tucks the small box into his jacket.

His speeder bike hums as it flys over the grassy fields around his home, not an overly long ride, but long enough that by the time he sees the ranch in the distance, the sky is beginning to darken. When he arrives, the lights are on, and as he dismounts the bike he throws the bag over his shoulder while his other hand reaches for his hip, fingers brushing over where his service weapon used to sit out of pure habit, before the aroma of cooking stew reaches him and he relaxes.

Sure enough, standing in the kitchen, stripped down to her leggings and undershirt, humming along to the radio while mindfully watching over a simmering pot, is Ahsoka.

He takes a moment to lean against the doorway and drink in the sight of her, from the movement of her hips as she lightly dances to the sway of her rear head-tail. The music changes, and so do her movements, in time with the now slow staccato beat. Its when he catches her grin over her shoulder that he knows he's been caught in his silent watching, suspects that she knew the whole time.

Walking past the table, Rex sets down the bag, hardly pausing before he's behind her, hands on her hips and chin hooked over her shoulder.

"You're back early."

She leans back into his chest, and he can feel her smile where their faces touch.

"Surprised?"

He hums in response, and kisses her on the cheek.

"Its a good surprise, though."

They stand there for a few minutes, the music softly playing in the background as the aroma of stew fills the air. Rex eventually lets go and pulls of his jacket and begins setting the table.

The food, as always when Ahsoka cooks, is delicious — but Rex knows he could be eating rations in the rain, and it would still be the best meal he has had as long as he's sharing it with her. The conversation flows, and they swap stories of what their time apart held, why her assignment to Mon Cala was cut short, how the new farmhand is working out, no detail too small to be not of interest.

When the two are done, he clears the table, puts away the leftovers, and is halfway through washing up when he hears a soft gasp behind him.

He dries his hands and turns, only to be caught motionless at the wide-eyed and open-mouthed (wondrous his mind supplies) look on Ahsoka's face as she stares down at the Togrutan wedding bands in her hands, his jacket a heap on the floor.

Slowly, oh so slowly, she looks up at him.

His heart thunders in his chest, and suddenly he doesn't feel Thirty-Seven/Seventy-Four, doesn't feel like an old grizzled war veteran, forgets for a moment that he's a clone that outlived the purpose he was bred for.

In that moment he's Rex, just a man, feeling like a shiny standing for his first inspection, confident and nervous all at once.

It's her voice that sets time back in motion, (and it's fitting that it's his name from her lips that calls him back, knows he would follow has followed that call across the galaxy so long as it's her calling).

He finds his feet and walks over to her, answering that call, cups her hands in his holding onto the box together. And he couldn't stop this hope that has bloomed in his chest if he wanted to, the kind of hope that hurts for how full it makes you feel (he doesn't want to, made a choice a long time ago on a barren, frozen planet, to hope in Ahsoka Tano, and twenty-odd years haven't changed that).

She launches herself at him, all twelve inches of space gone in a moment, wraps her arms around his neck. And he laughs, lifts her off her feet and spins around, her shouts of "Yes! Yes! Yes!" the sweetest benediction he had ever known.

And he knows that she cannot stay, would never ask that of her, but the knowledge that she always returns, that it is him and his side that she has chosen to call her home is all the sweeter for it.

In the end, he's the one to leave.

Two years later, three years after the fall of Endor, with the scent of Biituian blossoms that will bear no fruit hanging in the air, he knows his time is up. He had hoped for longer, but it was a faint thing, knows the ins and outs of Kaminoan cloning too well to have truly fooled himself. Even if he didn't, he can feel it in his bones, almost a voice in the back of his head that become him to rest.

Of course he tells her, does not want this to be one more thing that the Galaxy pulls on her without warning. But from the way her hands grip his over the table, the sadness (but not surprise) that fills her eyes, he suspects that she already knew. Her grip tightens, and sunlight glints off the ring on his finger, matching the shine from the steel bangle secured on her right head-tail.

And he is sorry, so very sorry that he has to march ahead of her. But he is relieved, too. After so long wondering when and how and who would be his death (In battle? Friendly fire? An Imp, or a brother?), to finally know is as freeing as it is horrible.

They do not work in the fields that day, leaving the running of the farm to others, instead spending the day with each other, holding, talking, memorizing.

He can see her mask of composure cracking, so he pulls her close, trying to offer what comfort he can before he can't, not sure if he's making it better or worse, uncaring of the dampness that has collected in his shirt from her tears (more then aware of his own as they slip down his cheeks and into his beard).

He makes her a cup of tea, and hands it to her. Asks if she want to stay, (not to stay — never that, not even for this, no matter how much he doesn't want to be alone), because he understands if she doesn't, and even with puffy eyes, red from crying, she fixes him with a look. It calls him crazy, a idiot — her idiot, and even to the end his heart flips over itself at the thought — and she tells him as much.

Night falls and they settle into the couch, his head resting lightly on her shoulder, a blanket spread over the two of them keeping away the chill. Perhaps its childish, the way that he fights off sleep, despite having spent a day months, years preparing. Beside him, he can tell Ahsoka is still awake, knows that she will sit a vigil all night, and it is that knowledge more then anything that lets him slip his eyes shut.

As the darkness pulls him in, he swears he can feel the ghost of her breath on his skin as she whispers her farewell.

------

And because I feel really evil leaving it at this (even though this IS the end of this part of the story), take a sneak peek at part 3.

Its the feel of the planet, the taste of the air, burned into his memory in a way that few things are.

He knows beyond any measure of doubt where he is, when he is: it's the start of what would lead to the worst day of his life. Worse even, then finding out the news that Ahsoka had fallen to the hands of Vader.

Umbara.

But that's not right. It can't be right. Confusion swirls round in his mind, the memory of her smile crisp and clear and impossible. Not if he's right (he wishes he wasn't, but every sense is screaming that he's back, and after years of surviving on his intuition he trusts it).

His arms around her.

Impossible.

The sight of her markings, stretched and grown, as they stand before a dying fire at the end of the war.

Impossible.

Unless...

And his mind —the part that wants to believe, to hope— catches on to the flaw in this pattern of denial. If it was a dream, how could he know about this place? If it was a dream, how could he know about Krel, Dogma, the treachery?

Impossible.

He scrubs a hand down his face, jarred by the lack of a beard, familiar and foreign all at once, and the feel of cool metal scraping his skin.

He pulls his hands away to look at them and for the third time that morning his heart catches in it's chest because it's there. Solid and silver, and very very real.

#i made myself cry writing this #rexsoka #rex x ahsoka #captain rex #ct 7567 #ahsoka tano #star wars #star wars: rebels #star wars: the clone wars #star wars fanfiction #character death #chapter update #chapter 2 #Remembering Yesterday's Tomorrow (In the Here and Now)