#them . i gave them a rose and on the train home i could stop staring at their hands holding the rose

[oatbugs]

they r soooo. anyway

#lol um anyway . i kissed them for the first time yesterday but it literally feels like a yr ago but it also feels like today #on a bridge at night against a cityscape. river looked like a painting...etc it was nice . and then. yh theres a lot to talk abt #so i dont wanna say it all rn bc im tired but yeah. they r . sooo. pretty cool etc etc. whatever im fine im just . angry that i dont get to #see them that often bc they live in a diff city etc. also took them to a spot which usually is like . relatively busy bc london is busy all #the time but it was cold and it was at night so there were like 0 people there. the view was so good but other things were better #also kissing smn w a vertical labret is actually just >>> #lol en ee way i miss them #im soo overwhelmed w life rn and theyre not rly helping but like. in a good way #i told my friend to lmk if he notices that im becomjng too engaged w romance to the point where im neglecting academics #and he immidiately said it. like according to him im thinking abt her too much when i should be thinkint abt philosophy too much #which is like. idk if that's true bc ik he has a rly skewed perspective bf he kind of swore off datint #etc but at the same time . wbat if hes right. omg. but also let me have this Moment #that was last week when i was forcefully taken to manchester by a university society . like we hadnt even kissed yet #i fell asleep bc ive been so exhausted and when i woke up i realised they briefly appeared in a dream i had #and then i started tearing up out of Fear bc like . whenever ive lost smn i loved the dreams were the worst #like . good dreams. were horrible. and now its like what if this turns out horrible ? but i dont wanna self sabotage bc i rly rly rly like #them . i gave them a rose and on the train home i could stop staring at their hands holding the rose #and i know theyve liked me for months and i know theyve been waiting for months but somehow its still like #what if it just fades. whatever happens happens ig. i took them a leaf compressed in a poetry book from #a book shop we found on our second date tgth. they gave me a necklace w a small vial and a tiny flower inside #its so pretty. thinking abt the way they put it on me + when they wrapped their arms around me when i was cooking for them etc etc #im FINE its FINE its OKAY . whatever !!!!! #[chroma blue]

[boyfiejay]

Home.

PAIRING : Park Sunghoon x gn Reader

GENRE : hurt, comfort, established relationship

Warning : Sunghoon panics a lot (could even be called a borderline panic attack), crying, struggle breathing

Word Count : 0.9k

Author's Note : requested. this is somewhat of an insert of myself as I used to be a swimmer (and I was taught by my dad so the pressure was doubled😝)

In your 7 months of relationship with Sunghoon, not a day passed when you felt a little less loved. His love for you just seemed to grow day by day.

He was honestly the best boyfriend, always making time to take you out despite his busy schedule.

You were on a date with him at the ice rink, as an ex-figure skater, Sunghoon wanted to show you his professional side. But he forgot one thing, the bad memories that come with the stinging coldness of the rink.

He felt the walls closing in on him, the cold air suffocating him as he remembered all the times he fell, and all the times he was denounced for it. The disapproving looks as he failed yet another step, or the way he was only praised and sweet talked to when he did good.

Never best, only good.

It sucked, especially because Sunghoon loved the sport. He loved the free feeling the ice gave as he glided on it. But the freeness didn't last long when he was put in official training. Everytime he stepped on the ice, all he could feel was a sense of being trapped.

Was all that he went through really worth it? He left the sport as soon as he could, wanting to be away from the familiar coldness and those disappointed looks. God everyone treated him like a machine, one that's only purpose was to win that damn medal, even if it meant sacrificing his sleep, health and mental state.

It sucked when everyone who wasn't related to the rink saw him as some kind of god, or a loser because apparently figure skating isn't a sport.

Going through all that and yet being bullied because the sport isn't manly enough.

Sunghoon couldn't breath, his breath coming out in short gasps as his chest rose and fell fast. Fast enough for you to notice.

"Sunghoon." he heard, or maybe it was his mind. His ears were ringing. His vision was blurry and he felt dizzy. God why was he back here, with you at that.

Like a ray of light in the darkness of his thoughts, your hands came up and cupped his face. Your hands were warm in contrast to the coldness of the ice.

"Hey, are you okay?" you said, worriedly looking in his eyes to search for something, anything other than that face. God you were so pretty, so pretty he forgot what he was so overwhelmed by.

"Sunghoon, what happened? Say something." you said, getting annoyed as he kept staring at you.

Cupping your hands in his large, cold ones he said, "Can we go home?"

His voice came out shaky. He really didn't want to worry you but his voice was betraying him. He just wanted to go home and lay in the bed, cuddling you and forgetting all of those memories.

You furrowed your eyebrows at his question, after all you had arrived at the rink just 10 minutes prior. "Why? What's wrong?" was the simple question on your mind.

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head and letting go of your hands, "I just want to go home." He was avoiding your eyes.

"Sunghoon, you know you can tell me anything, right? We can go home if you aren't feeling well, but at least tell me the truth." you said, cupping his cheeks to make him look at you.

"I-" he stopped suddenly, wide eyes filling with tears as he attempted to wipe them away, it was of no use his tears continued to flow.

You were taken aback, you had never seen him cry. His friends had said numerous times how Sunghoon isn't one to cry easily. So what was it about the rink that made him cry so much?

You wrapped your arms around his shoulders, running your fingers through his hairs and whispering sweet nothings in his ears. You were trying your best to calm him down, but you knew that he really needed to get these emotions out of him.

Pulling away from him, you softly wiped away the remaining tears.

"I just have too many bad memories from when I was a figure skater. The pressure was too much for me, every other day my coach would t-tell me how much of a disappointment I was. And I-" he said, gulping down the lump in his throat. His eyes filling up with tears again and his breathing picked up.

" Hey, hey, hey, calm down, Sunghoon, look at me. Breath with me." you said, slowly breathing in and out with him.

" We can go back home if you want, but I want you to know one thing, hoon, you're now far away from the coaches and the pressure. And I know It was a hard time for you, but didn't you say to yourself that skating on the ice makes you feel alive? You can't run away from something that brings you joy." you said, softly running your thumbs on his cheeks.

Sunghoon leaned down, connecting both of your foreheads and closing his eyes, "God, I love you so much." he breathed out, finally feeling calm. "Guess there's no running away from you then?" he says with a cheeky smile.

"Nope," you said, popping the 'p', "you ain't getting rid of this one."

This was reason number 98179357 why Sunghoon loved you. You seemed to know exactly what to say and how to calm him down. It would take him sometime to look at the familiar rink and not think about the past, but he knows that he'll create many memories with you at this same rink to replace those.

After all, home for Sunghoon is wherever you are.

#enhypen #enhypen imagines #enhypen drabbles #enhypen fluff #enhypen fanfic #enhypen x reader #enha fluff #enha x reader #enha fanfic #enha imagines #enhypen sunghoon #park sunghoon #sunghoon park #park sunghoon x reader #sunghoon enhypen #enhypen sunghoon x reader #sunghoon x reader #sunghoon fanfic #sunghoon fanfiction #sunghoon fluff

[fandomnsfw]

The HalfBreed - Ragnar Lothbrok x Reader

Pairing: Ragnar Lothbrok x Reader

Prompt: a request from @alisha-jade

Warnings: smut, cheating (on Aslaug so is it really though), breeding kink, slight asphyxiation not much.

no beta again so spelling errors may occur feel free to message me if anything is too bad!

ENJOY!!

******

You stared in fascination as your father brought Ragnar and his group into the castle. They were a brash bunch but you couldn’t help your fascination as they began shouting and laughing at the fear in the Christian’s eyes. 

You peeked around the corner of the dining hall that was also the throne room. Suddenly your fathers eyes shot up to meet yours. He rolled his eyes and beckoned you out of hiding spot. 

You strolled over to him with grace only a princess could hold. Your red dress swaying slightly as you came to a stop. All the mens eyes were on you and a few were making crude jokes clearly not realising you spoke their language. 

“I think even in your villages it isn’t proper to talk about a princess like that. Am I wrong?” You spoke in there home tongue making them all pause even the beautiful blonde woman that was sat with them.

“You speak our language?” The blonde woman asked. 

“That is what happens when your a halfbreed. Right Father?” You spat at his kingdoms most frequent words for you. 

“Your part Viking?” Ragnar asked with an amused smile. 

“Yes my mother was a shield maiden. My father took an interest on many years ago when she was washed up on our shores.” You answered honestly as your father smiled at the memory of your mother. 

“I see.” The blonde woman chuckled as she watched Ragnar stare at you intently. 

“So which gods or god do you believe in?” A wide eyed, slender man asked his eyes narrowed in a glare. 

“I do not worship their false god if that is what you are asking.” You paused not knowing his name. 

“Floki.” He stated his eyes still narrowed like he didn’t believe you. 

“Hmm…You remind me of the god Loki.” You stated with a grin as his eyes widened. 

“I think he is Loki.” Ragnar whispered making me giggle which seemed to make the older man happy. 

“You must be Ragnar’s wife then. Lagertha?” You stated as you looked at the beautiful woman. 

“Ex-Wife.” She scoffed making you catch the smile that made it’s way to your lips. 

“I see. It doesn’t seem to matter where men are from. They are all brash and unfaithful bastards.” You snorted causing everyone to start laughing especially the shield maiden. 

“I like her.” Lagertha gave a pointed look to Ragnar who rolled his eyes. 

You nudged your father on his excessively large seat at the head of the table. He sighed but moved up so you could sit down next to him. 

You gave him a sweet smile which made him laugh before kissing your head softly. You were your fathers favourite and everyone knew that. Especially your brother who hated you with a passion. 

“So did your mother train you in anything else?” A big man with long wavy hair  asked carefully as he sipped his ale looking at Ragnar who nodded in interest. 

“If you asking if I could take your head off with a sword then the answer is yes. You are Rollo yes?” You asked softly making him clear his throat as he sat up straight.

“My father has told me a lot about your spree around England with Ragnar.” You commented making him nod quietly in response.

You father understood a little of their langue because you had taught him but instead of joining in he allowed you to socialise with your fellow pagan’s. 

Everyone ate and enjoyed each other company before finally your father rand Ragnar began talking about there deal. You rolled you eyes before blocking your father view of Ragnar. 

“I want to go with them.” You stated as he stared up at you with sad eyes. 

“Y/N my sweet rose you really want to leave your poor father?” He asked softly his sadness radiating through his small smile. 

“Father you have your successor and I shall visit when I can. I want to fight! I wanna fall in love with someone who believes what I do.” You sighed in your fathers home language making Ragnar look at you. 

“I understand child. I will see to it then…I love you my little rose.” He whispered the last part in your ear making you smile fondly and return his sentiment.

“Ragnar. I have another term for our deal, I ask you take my daughter with you when you return to your home. She wishes to be with her people.” Your father asked gently making Ragnar nod in understanding. 

“Princess Y/N wishes to come back to Kattegat with us.” Ragnar announced in his home tongue causing everyone to stop there chatter. 

“We are not taking another Christian home with us Ragnar.” A gruff man in the group scoffed and before anyone said anything there was a knife flying through the air straight passed his ear to the throne room door. 

He touched his ear to find in bleeding before standing up and starting towards you. You jumped up, lifting your skirt you could take out your other knife. He got in your face like he was about to beat you but you put your knife to his intimate area. 

“Do NOT call me a Christian. I will cut off your tiny little friend and feed it to my wolf.” You spat in his ear before he finally got the point and backed away.

“We will take her back.” You had expected Ragnar or maybe even Lagertha so say these words however you had not expected Floki to say it. 

“Thank you.” Your father said in their language so they’d all understand. 

******

You stared in amazement as you saw the village come into view as you absently petted your dark grey wolf. People were flocking to the docks waiting for there loved ones or congratulate people along you smile as you glanced at Ragnar who was staring at you.

“Is there something on my face Ragnar?” You chuckled making him smile.

“You are very beautiful.” He stated mischievously as he stepped closer.

“Don’t you have a wife waiting for you?” You replied teasingly.

“As my ex wife would say. That never stopped me before.” Ragnar chuckled as the boat pulled up.

“I see well maybe you should come visit me once I am settled.” You whispered in his ear before hopping of the boat with the help of Floki. You kissed Floki’s cheek before he bid you goodbye and rushed off your see his Helga.

“And who might you be?” A tall slender woman asked with a bright smile.

“You are dressed like a Christian yet our Floki does not treat you as such.” She added as Ragnar hopped off the boat following after you.

“This is my wife. Aslaug.” Ragnar introduced like he hadn’t just been trying to bed you.

“I see Lagertha has told me a lot about you.” You replied sweetly but she could sense the unsaid words that you did not like her.

“I see.” She muttered with a fake smile.

“Rollo said he would show me where I could stay so I will see you later Ragnar.” You said to the blue eyed man with a smirk on your face.

“Of course princess. I look forward to seeing you at the hall.” He chuckled, his hand brushing across your lower back as Rollo approached you.

Rollo grabbed your belongings hauling them up with ease as you stared at his muscles contracting. Viking men were built different and it honestly had your stomach clenching in need. These men could easily throw you about like you were a rag doll. 

You follow at his side as your wolf Shadow followed closely behind you, staring at people as we passed them. Everyone seemed wary of him but you ignored there looks and stroked his fur as you walked.

“I see my brother has taken an interest in you.” Rollo snorted as we approached a little hut.

“Hmm, perhaps but if I was to bed him the main reason would be because I don’t like his wife. I believe women who like to reck happy homes are witches that need a taste of their own medicine.” You chuckled making Rollo laugh whole heartedly.

“Your honestly is refreshing. You remind me of Lagertha back when she was your age.” He chuckled softly as he got a dreamy look in his eyes.

“You love her.” You stated softly as he lowered you belongs to the floor in the corner of the hut.

“Yes but she has never seen me like that. As long as I can fight with her I can accept that.” He sighed quietly making you smile.

“You’re a sweet man when you want to be Rollo. Maybe if you showed her this side she may change her mind. Women like Lagertha are independent and don’t need a man but that does not mean they don’t want one. Do you know her favourite food or drink?” You asked casually as you began to take your belongings out of the gold and wooden chest Rollo had brought in for you.

“Yes.” He answered curiously before sitting down on a bench that was in the hut.

“Well when we go to the great hall maybe bring her some food and a drink. Don’t say anything just sit next to her quietly maybe even converse with people around you.” You answered sweetly as you dug out your gold and jewels. 

“That seems a little simple.” He huffed with an eye roll.

“Women love when a man knows them. Think of it like Shadow my wolf would. When he wishes to mate he brings his female food and provides comfort for them.” You stated simply as you ran your finger through his fur.

“I see.” He nodded in understanding before glancing at your wolf.

“He seems rather large even for a wolf.”he commented as he stared at the giant dark grey wolf that came up to Rollo a waist meaning he was up to your shoulder.

“I know I have no idea why but I’ve had him since he was a pup. I found him in the woods when I was training. It was snowy and cold. His mother was dead next to him along with two other pups who were dead. They’d starved and then frozen by the looks of it but shadow was smart he caught a squirrel and then burrowed underneath his mother and sister. I buried his family and took him home.” You answered sweetly as Shadow nuzzled into your hand.

“He’s very loyal to you. Most wolves prefer to stay in their own territory but he happily followed you here.” Rollo added before he stood up causing the bench you were both sat on to rattle under you.

You let out a laugh making him roll his eyes once again before he set off to the great hall. You took your jewels and started towards a stall you’d seen on your way here that sold clothes. 

Once there you looked through the clothes before picking out a few things and asking the shop keeper how much. She stared at you with a frown before looking down at the gold with wide eyes.

“This is too much miss.” She stated as she tried to pass you it back.

“I know but I very much like your clothes and you work hard on them I can tell. Even my royal seamstress wasn’t that good.” You chuckled making her flush slightly as she gave you a nod.

“If you would like I could braid your hair for you after you change. You are going to the great hall for the celebration?” She offered kindly making you smile brightly.

You knew how to braid but not as well as the shield maidens so it was nice to have the offer which you gratefully took. She asked you what it was like to grow up around people in England and you asked her some tips on braiding it was pleasant and a lot different from any interactions you’d had with anyone in Wessex.

People may have not said much to your face as you are a princess but that didn’t stop you over hearing the horrible things people said behind your back.

You gave her your thanks and left the old dress with her telling her she could reuse it for whatever she wished. You collected Shadow from the hut before making your way to the Great hall with directions from a few people.

You opened the doors to the great hall your wolf at your side as everyone stared before Floki ran up to you with a childish giggle. He dragged you over to meet Helga who was sweet and very calm compared to her lover.

Rollo sat down next to you but not before passing Lagertha a drink of something and food. You smiled at the action as he engaged you in conversation. Lagertha looked shocked at the action but chose to eat her food and drink from her cup as she kept side eyeing Rollo.

“Well I’m glad you could make it Princess.” Ragnar’s voice stated behind you causing your wolf to growl as you jumped.

“Settle boy.” You whispered to him as he laid back down at your feet. 

“It appears your wolf does not like me.” He huffed playfully as he took a seat next to your other side. 

“Maybe he can sense you devious intentions Ragnar Lothbrok.” You giggled making him smile down at you, his ocean blue eyes shining with there usual mischief. 

“Would you like a tour of our lovely Kattegat?” He asks suddenly and his wife’s eyes found yours with a glare. 

“Hmm I would love to.” You answered sweetly, not taking your eyes off Aslaug. 

You stood up but as you wolf started to follow, you told him to stay making him whine. You rolled your eyes before pointing to Floki.

“Go sit with Floki.” You instructed and he glanced at the man before huffing and walking over to him. Floki stroked his fur as he waved at you to go. 

You were walking beside Ragnar for a few minutes before he moved slightly closer his arm brushing against yours. The white long sleeved dressed was comfortable in the slightly nicer weather Kattegat was experiencing. The dark brown detail down the front was pretty and you were happy to not be wearing the heavy dresses you’d worn as a princess. 

“You seem to be fitting in very well.” Ragnar spoke suddenly causing you to jolt a little.

“Everyone is nice here. It makes a difference from how people treat me in Wessex.” You chuckled as you looked at the small beach in front of you. 

“You were a Princess, how badly could they of treat you.” Ragnar asked sceptically. 

“Men were disgusted by me. Women were afraid of me. To my face they would acted accordingly however I overheard a few things they would say about me behind the kings back…behind mine. They would call me a witch,  say the only bride I could ever be was Satans which by the way is an angel that was kicked out of his heaven and banished to run hell, which is full of demons and people that have sinned.” You rolled your eyes making Ragnar laugh wholeheartedly. 

“Yes Athelstan told me much about Christianity. I believe everyone should worship who they want. I believe in my gods and Athelstan believes in his one god. We are friends despite that.” Ragnar replied with honesty his face serious as he looked down at his boots.

“I believe the same.” You replied softly as you took off your boots before stepping onto the sand with your bare feet.

Ragnar followed your lead, taking off his shoes before stepping onto the sand. He caught up to you his hand coming to rest on your lower back as you contrived strolling, watching the sea. 

His hand felt warm on your lower back, as his eyes gazed at you. You could feel it as it sent shivers down your spine. He shifted a little closer to you, his hand curling around your hip before pulling him close. 

You were pressed against his side as you finally stopped moving down the beach. You could feel his eyes on you as if trying to see your reactions to his sudden closeness.

“Do you love your wife Ragnar?” You suddenly asked making his eye widen though his hands did not move from your hips they weren’t gripping so tightly.

“I thought I did however I think I love that she has given me many sons.” He answered honestly his eyes staring into the darkness that covered the sea.

“I see.” You replied with a small smile.

“I could make you my second wife but I tried that with Lagertha and she left me.” Ragnar sighed softly making you smile.

“I am not surprised Ragnar I would’ve have left too. I have no desire to be your wife Ragnar. If you would like to take me back to my hut and fuck me though, I could definitely agree to that.” You whispered seductively before walking ahead of him towards your hut.

The walk wasn’t long and once the door closed to your hut Ragnar was on you. His right hand tangled in your hair, his lips were on yours as his left hand grabbed your waist pulling your closer.

His tongue stroked across yours gently yet passionately causing you to moan into his mouth his hands immediately trying to rip off your dress. You’d slapped his hands, pulling away from his lips with a grin. 

“Do not rip my new dress Ragnar.” You chuckled softly as you untied the brown leather belt and let it fall to the floor before lifting the white dress over your head and putting it on your chest. 

Ragnar took in your naked form appreciatively as he began stripping. His body was covered with a light amount of hair and muscle definition that you’d never seen on the English men you’d slept with. 

He was built like a beast and it made you clench around nothing, dampness making its way down your thighs. He finally stripped and was back on you, his hands immediately reaching for the back of your thighs to lift you up and laying you on the cold wooden table behind you.

His lips pressed wet, harsh kisses down your sternum nipping at the skin occasionally. Your soft pants and moans filling the air as you stared down at his very clearly hard member. He was big, bigger than you’d had before. 

Ragnar kissed your hip bone before nipping at it the sensation causing a shiver to run down your spine and a deep sultry moan to erupt from your chest. He glanced up at you with a smirk before he continued his path. 

When his lips pressed a kiss right above your slit you were desperate making you thrust upwards to try to get any kind of friction you could. However Ragnar decided hat wasn’t acceptable and slapped the inside of your thigh causing a shocking amount of pleasure.

“Stay still. Naughty girl.” He scolded softly before looking up to see your reaction to his slap. 

You flushed under his gaze as you avoided his eyes. Was that normal? To react like that to being slapped, you thought anxiously. Ragnar’s hands grabbed your hips tightly before he flipped you over so you were bent over the table. 

Before you could question it his hand came down on your ass the sound ringing through the hut. You whimpered, spreading your legs a little so you could push backwards, rubbing against his member. 

“Dirty girl.” Was all Ragnar said before thrusting two fingers inside of your warm wet heat with no warning. 

You let out a startled moan before pushing back onto his fingers eagerly. His free hand massaged the ass cheek he’d just slapped before delivering another one making you moan desperately against him. 

“Ragnar!” You moaned loudly as his fingers started hitting inside you at a different angle causing you to dig your nails into the table beneath you. 

“W-What is that?” You whined softly, trying to push back against his finger.

“I don’t know but I like to call it the magic button.” Ragnar chuckled before thrusting into that spot again. 

“Oh fuck.” 

Your moans were getting louder as they filled the hut, your stomach tensing as it prepared to unravel that amazing feeling you’d only had once or twice. Ragnar’s fingers sped up as he continued his assault on that magic button. 

“Cum for me sweet girl.” Ragnar whispered before his tongue was on your hooded bundle of nerves. 

The angle was awkward for Ragnar it he didn’t care as his tongue lavished you, his finger still never stopping. You clenched around them as his hand came down once against to slap your left ass cheek.

“Oh fuck Ragnar!” You screamed as you finally came around his fingers, your face pressed against the table as you hair splayed messily around you some of it over your face.

“You taste addictive.” He mumbled against you, giving you one last long lick before pulling away from your heat with a wicked smile on his face. 

“You ready my little vixen.” He whispered as he bent over you, his lips tickling against your ear. 

“Mhmm. You gonna fill me up Ragnar? Want you to.” You moaned, your tone needy but quiet. 

Suddenly he thrust into you with no warning just like he had with hi fingers before, causing you to push your back against his naked chest as you pushed him so far in your swore your felt him in your stomach. Your hands gripped his hands that were clutching your hips in an almost painful grip.

“You’d like that wouldn’t you. Want me to fill you up with my seed? Hmm fuck you so good and full.” He growled in your ear one of his hand coming up to wrap around your throat, not quite squeezing it just resting there. 

You felt so dazed from your previous orgasm and his words all you could do was nod to his teasing question. His hand squeezed softly as he continued fucking you slowly but hard. 

“Ah ah. Use yours words sweet girl.” He scolded his hand around your throat tightening again so most of your air supply was gone. 

You should’ve been scared but it only served to bring you closer to anther orgasm. You turned you face to look him in the eyes as you finally opened your mouth to speak. He released his grip but never moved his hand as he stared at you expectantly. 

“Want you to fill me up. Fuck me full with your babies.” You moaned, your head leaning against his collarbone. 

“Fuck. I have many sons. You gonna give me more darling?” He asked as his thrusting started getting faster and more rough.

“You gonna drop everything when I’m big and fat to fuck me when I need your cock?” You moaned as you threw your arm up to grasp at his hair as his tightened around your throat again. 

“I’d drop everything to fuck your pretty little flower sweetheart. Mmm you feel so good can wait until your pregnant and desperate for me all the time.” He groaned against your neck his hand on your hip coming around to wrap around your waist tightly as he began pounding into you at an animalistic pace. 

“Oh fuck! Yes!” You screamed loudly as you felt yourself clenching round him as you felt yourself at the edge once again.

His cock was drilling into that special spot that made you see stars, his thrusting becoming less calculated as he neared his end too. You tugged at his braided hair moaning his name as he tightened his grip on your throat and waist.

“Shit. So close.” He moaned in your ear as he brought his hand from your waist to your wet heat, his fingers massaging your little bundle of nerves.

“Cum for me Ragnar fill me up with your seed.” You moaned loudly before kissing him passionately.

Finally you felt your orgasm rip through you like lightening, your eyes falling shut as you pushed back against him, riding out your high as he finally came too. His hot seed filling you up so much you could feel it.

You didn’t get long to enjoy the aftermath as Ragnar flipped you back over and held you legs up in the air, your knees rest over his shoulders.

“Stay still sweet girl. Gotta make sure you stay filled up with me.” He groaned as he looked down at your abused hole.

You giggled at his actions but made no move to stand up, letting him have his way. You were starting to realised there wasn’t a lot you wouldn’t give to him.

After sometime he finally moved to wipe any spillage with a rag. You gave him a stuttered moan as he gave you a single lick his eyes filled with mischief.

“Beautiful.” He whispered before helping you up.

He didn’t leave immediately instead he pulled your firs over in front of the fireplace before starting a fire and laying down beckoning you over.

 “Your wife isn’t going to be happy.” You chuckled as you cuddled into his chest.

“Yes well I don’t much care.” He chuckled his hair undoing you braids gently, letting your hair fall free around your naked shoulders.

BANG!

“Y/N it worked she-” Rollo paused in his words as he took in your naked form cuddled up to his brother.

“Never mind we can talk tomorrow.” He snorted as he sent you a subtle wink.

“And what was that about my little vixen.” He asked in amusement.

“I may of given him tips on how to seduce your ex wife.” You smirked at him making him roll his eyes before placing a kiss on your lips.

“I can’t say I’m that surprised. Now come here, gonna fill you up again pretty girl.” Ragnar growled playfully making you giggle under him.

#vikings #vikings request #vikings imagine #ragnar lothbrok #ragnar lothbrok x reader #Ragnar x reader #Ragnar x you #Ragnar lothbrok x you #Ragnar lothbrok imagine #imagine #smut

[imraespace]

CHAPTER 19: NEW EVIDENCE

JUST THE WAY THINGS GO | MEGUMI X READER

Due to the lack of sleep you got, you slept until it was 11AM in the morning. Your aunt didn't bother to wake up, wanting to give you some space until you're ready.

After a while you finally rose from your bed and made your way to the bathroom. You stared at your reflection for a while before splashing water on your face, causing the sleepy feeling to wash away.

After brushing your teeth, you made your way down to the kitchen noticing a note left on the counter.

It was from your aunt, she just said that she was sorry she had to go but she left back some food for you.

You smiled at the note for a bit, made your way towards your fridge but stopped mid way when you heard a loud bang from your door, then followed by a shout.

You turned around to take a look and what the new annoyance is and made your way to the door.

But the closer you got the clearer the noise became.

"Y/N OPEN THIS DOOR."

Your eyebrows raised in confusion.

You opened the door and was greeted with your friends.

"Why are you here?" You asked them.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE?" Inumaki barked back.

Before you could respond Yuuta made his way infront of Inumaki and pushed him back.

"I tried to tell them but they insisted on leaving school." Yuuta mumbled.

"Tell us what?" Maki asked.

Your aunt had told Yuuta about what had happened so they won't ask questions but as soon as Inumaki saw that you weren't in school he made it a big fuss to see you.

And now here we are.

Yuuta didn't even get a word in as Inumaki and Maki made their way inside.

"I'm sorry.." Yuuta told you.

But you smiled at him telling him it's okay.

"I understand Inumaki but Maki?" You thought out loud.

She shrugged her shoulders then simply said.

"My next period was with Gojo."

Which caused you to roll your eyes playfully.

Inumaki made his way into your fridge and began looking through.

"Did you eat as yet?" He asked you.

"No."

He then came out the fridge with left over breakfast your aunt place in the fridge for you.

"Then I guess this is yours." He said as he put it in the microwave and began heating it for you.

"So why are you home?" Maki asked.

You looked away for a bit but still told them everything.

They understood everything and even apologized for coming but it didn't bother you so you simply said it was okay.

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So now the four of you are now in the living room watching a movie, didn't even care to look at the time until they saw Shoko entering the room.

"Why are they here?" She asked.

You shrugged your shoulders as the trio looked at each other.

She stared for a while then left you all, going up in her own room.

Then you has just remembered something.

BART.

"MY PHONE." You suddenly yell.

"What about it?" Inumaki asked.

"I left it up in my room can you get it for me?" You asked him.

He rolled his eyes then rose from the couch, making his way up to your room.

Then an evil thought came in his head.

"Since I'm in here.." He mumbled as he became to snoop around the room.

A few minutes had past and he found nothing but your phone, that's currently in his hand.

He gave up, about to leave the room until he found a pile of papers in the corner.

So silly him! digged around in the pile of papers and found something he wasn't supposed to.

Printed out screenshots of texts.

He looked at it and saw that it was between you and your mother. Then his eyes landed on a name.

His train of thoughts was cut off as you burst in the room and he flew up with a phone in his hand.

"I FOUND THE PHONE." He yelled.

He turned around to see you staring at him with a ridiculous look and he got the memo to leave.

You didn't notice that the pile of papers was messed around as you followed behind him out of your room.

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note: BART😱😧

#imraeswork #imraespace -♡ #jjk #jujutsu kaisen #fluff #jjk megumi #jujutsu megumi #megumi x reader #jujutsu kaisen megumi #megumi fushiguro #megumi x y/n #megumi x you #megumi smau #megumi #fushiguro #jjk fushiguro

[drowninghell]

Comfort after a fight

Leonardo x gn! Reader

Breaking myself back into writing with this half of a Drabble 🫣😂 any requests feel free to send on😊

I hope you folks don’t mind me tagging you, I know it’s been so long

@thelaundrybitch @leosgirl82

Song suggestion - shiver by Lucy rose

He knew the minute he had taken it to far by how your face fell. The leader clad in blue was never one to let his emotions rule him , he just… just felt so attacked during the argument.

You were right, he wasn’t giving you the time of day you had deserved. He had become so self involved, always trying a new training technique or meditating. He hadn’t intentionally retracted, it happened gradually enough that he didn’t notice. He didn’t notice your shoulders slump every time he rain checked , or how your smile slowly slipped off your face.

You had always been so understanding, maybe that’s why he felt so taken aback when you finally confronted him.

“ would you get off my back alright? I’ve better things to be doing!”

The minute those words left his lips he regretted them, his own face falling with shock as he watched your brows furrow. You didn’t say anything as you spun on your heal, away from him, storming out of the lair.

“W-wait!” He gulped, sincerity evident in his voice as he fruitlessly tried to apologise , the damage already done. You simply raised your hand in a dismissive manner, he stopped in his tracks , watching you further walk out of the lair. Mikey, who had overheard the argument was first to look to Leonardo, who nodded in your direction. Wordless the tangerine turtle followed hot on your heels. Making sure you got home safe.

Leonardo gave you your space like you wanted , checking in with Mikey on how you were doing. Once Mikey gave the all clear that you where ready to talk , he was there in a heartbeat, his specialty tea ( that he knows you loved ) in a warm flask.

Knocking sheepishly at your window, staring through the panelled glass with his lips pressed into a thin line. Nerves bubbling up in his stomach , your hurt expression constantly flashing up in his mind, he hadn’t felt regret like it.

Sliding the window up you invited him in, he could tell from your puffy eyes that you had been crying, a further pang of guilt swelling in his chest as he handed the flask to you.

“ I’m sorry. Truly I am. “ there was no excuses or what ifs. He owned up to his sharp tongue. “ there was no excuse, I felt cornered during the argument and I lashed out , I completely understand where you are coming from, I’ll do better in future, if you’ll let me.”

He was clear and concise. Only sounding somewhat sheepish at the end, his brow bone softening. You just stared back at him, and the tears welled up again. It was everything you wanted to hear from him, yet still, you just felt so hurt.

Straight away he was walking towards you with the upmost urgency , his hands hovering over your face, waiting for a nod on your part, you moved into his palm and that was all the conformation he needed. Handling you as delicate as glass. Angling your face to him, large thumbs brushing those stray tears before he pulled you into his plastron. Arms lined with muscle caging you in with such a delicate manner.

Sweeping you off your feet he walked to the sofa, gently setting down on it with you securely in arms. A hand soothing your back, angling his great head away so you can further nuzzle into the crook of his neck just how he knew you loved. “ I’m so sorry darling. “ he rumbled, anxiety evident in his voice , you pulled back to peer to at him, his free hand yet again brushing your tears free. “ I’ll make it up to you.” He soothed , forehead coming to rest against yours. He was so sincere, you could see it in those baby blues of his.

How could you say no to that.

#tmnt fanfiction #tmnt #tmnt scenario #teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt x reader #bayverse leonardo #leonardo x reader

[animalluver8153]

Life Assurance Pt. 5

Everyone has a long night, figuratively and literally.

First &lt;;> Previous <> Next (Final)

<<<<>>>>

“How was I supposed to know they were all superheroes?” Danny’s voice echoed amongst the ticking and tocking of all the clocks floating in Clockwork’s lair.

“You didn’t think to check before agreeing to save their lives from certain death?”

“I wasn’t thinking anything except giving a grandpa some hope that the teenager in charge of his afterlife had his back.”

“Then you succeeded, didn’t you?” Clockwork had a few of his screens replaying the events of the past few weeks. Danny groaned as a replay of him spilling his guts to the Justice League played in the background.

“I know I’m supposed to wait for the right time for training, but I need help with this summoning business.”

“You know you don’t have to accept the summons. The urge will pass as the summoner gives up on the ritual. Even the most persistent of humans will tire.”

“It’s not that. His family must be worried about him but I can’t leave him here to let them know he’s ok. I need a way to get to and from the ghost zone that isn’t in my parent’s basement. Even if Frostbite will let me use it, the Infi-Map is way too powerful to carry around.” Danny felt weird just holding onto the scroll, it looked inert enough in his hands but he felt it was just waiting for him to wish himself to the dawn of time. “That kid could have taken it out of my hands before I knew it.”

“Precocious, isn’t he?” Clockwork side-eyed the screen with the youngest Wayne brandishing a sword nearly as big as he is.

“If that word means young but dangerous, then yes. I can’t risk the map and flying from Amity to Gotham is not ideal. I know some ghosts can tear open their own portals, Wulf and Cujo can do so naturally and still end up where they want to be. Even my parents had some success making smaller portals fire from the Fenton bazooka.”

Clockwork smiled, and Danny knew he was amused with what he was going to say next.

“What I really need, is time to make this right.”

“How fortunate for you, your mentor has some experience in the matter,” Clockwork raised his glowing light to gesture to his lair. Every clock gave one last tick and stopped. Danny could feel the threads of time stiffen. He hadn’t even realized they were moving, though it seemed obvious in hindsight.

“You have already found and altered the threads of time. Now it’s time to find the folds of space.”

 <<<<<>>>>>

Frostbite sat in the vault and looked over the data his brethren had compiled. Their unsuspecting guest had been a wealth of discoveries on the acute decay of ectoplasm. It had only been a few hours since his arrival and he was ready to be moved from the stasis tube and to a bed. Only a light sedative would be needed to keep him in a restive sleep. The Great One still had plenty of time to return.

That was the predicament, wasn’t it? It was no secret to the Ghost Zone that the boy had taken on a soul contract. One inherited from Pariah Dark himself. The young man contaminated with ectoplasm was one of the humans he was contracted to protect. The Great One had bemoaned the situation that led to the two collapsing at the edge of his people’s realm. Now he was seeking the counsel of his ancient mentor, hoping that he will return in time to see him home.

The old king had not pretended to care for his thralls, had not even beguiled those who struck a deal with him. He had cared for his power, and had used it to threaten ever-increasing numbers of the living and dead until they too signed their souls away for safety.

Danny was not Pariah, but Frostbite didn’t have the benefit of knowing where Pariah rose. If he had ever been a boy who complained over his responsibilities or made promises with hugs.

Frostbite realized he had been staring at his notes instead of reading them. He set them aside. Before he could decide where to turn his attention, he picked up a familiar scent. The sharp burning smell of reality being circumvented. Danny stood before him, the Infi-Map in hand.

“Frostbite!” the young king wrapped his arms around the arm that wasn’t made of ice before jumping back, “Sorry! I know you just saw me. But it’s been a while, for me.”

Frostbite must have made a face, the Great One was quick to answer it, “It was just a month. Clockwork taught me how to make my own portals. I didn’t want to leave until I got it right.”

“Ah, well then, Great One,” Frostbite picked up his notes again, “Would you like to hear the good news about Jason?”

“Yes! He’s ok? Did he wake up? Clockwork said it was only a couple of hours. What happened?”

Frostbite guided the young monarch back to the medical ward, one of the most powerful relics of the Infinite Realms left on the dais without so much as a backward glance.

<<<<<>>>>> 

Wayne Manor hadn’t seen a morning this bad in a long time. Light was poking through the slivers of the living room curtains and falling on the figures within. Dick, Barbra, and Duke had gotten there an hour after the ritual. Their exclusion had been a deliberate act on behalf of the more reckless members of the clan. The fighting and crying and accusations had stopped a few hours ago. There was nothing but silence now. No one had slept, but it was wrong to say they were all truly awake.

Tim thought the lack of sleep was getting to him. He was starting to see lightning in the corner of his eyes. When they didn’t go away, he shoved Dick in the shoulder. Understanding the universal language of younger brothers, Dick shoved him back and looked to where Tim was looking.

“Yeah, I’m seeing that too.”

That got the attention of the rest of the family. A split second later a crack of lightning heralded a radioactive green disk appearing in front of the fireplace. A slip of white poked out of it. Fortunately, Damian was very nearly asleep, so Alfred was easily able to hold him back by hugging him tighter. Instead of a shock of white hair, the white was the white of a small cloth attached to a stick.

After a beat, the crowned head of the ghost king emerged from the disk.

“Jason is ok, please do not attack me.”

<<<<>>>> 

Jason was awake. He realized he hadn’t been the second before. He had definitely been asleep, but he had jumped to being awake with no preamble between the two. It wasn’t morning, because there wasn’t any light coming from that one broken blind he’d been meaning to get fixed for the past two years.

He got up, but realized that he failed that. There was a big heavy fur blanket over him. On top of that blanket was Damian. He could just barely see the little brat’s scowl from the glow of the heart monitor next to the bed.

Oh.

A simple finger monitor was attached to his left hand. Other than that, nothing was holding him in place but his little brother. Jason considered knocking him off and getting out of there when he noticed the puff of white coming from his own breath. What kind of hospital was this cold?

“Give them a few more minutes.”

Green light shone from across the room, illuminating the forms of his other family members as he got closer. They were curled up beneath their own blankets, little puffs of their breath almost glowing in the dim light. The face beneath the crown pressed a finger to his lips nodding his head to the other side of Jason’s bed. Alfred had the seat of honor, right next to the bed and leaning his head against the wall. Jason realized he had never seen him like this, disheveled and exhausted.

Everything came back to him then.

“What did you do to me?” He said it quietly as he could, not that it mattered, his family looked dead to the world.

“I possessed you. The same way I possessed the Joker. Something inside you reacted badly to it.”

“Understatement.”

“It’s all we got right now. You responded well to a transfusion. I brought your family here as soon as I could. They were up all night worrying about you.”

Jason wanted to deny it on reflex. Wanted to say they didn’t really care about him. Something stopped him. He tried pinpointing why, but couldn’t. He couldn’t even manage to feel angry. Angry was something he very much should be given everything that was going on. But the anger didn’t come. In fact, he felt, good. Great even.

Maybe he wouldn’t kick Damian off the bed after all.

“I’ll be back with some food for everyone. We can talk with the doctors after.”

“Damian’s a vegan, brat probably won’t eat anything that casts a shadow.”

The king gave a very un-kingly snort, “We have that covered. The yetis are very hospitable.”

“Yetis?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Surprisingly, Jason didn’t.

#life assurance au #ccitme #dp x dc #ghost king au #ghost king danny #dp frostbite

[beenbaanbuun]

petals for amour - choi hansol

words - 4.1k

genre - hurt/comfort

warnings - florist!reader, barista!vernon, serial dater!vernon, reader cries… a lot, readfer is hopelessly in love with vernon, jealousy (from both parties), vernon is clueless

The flower display in the window of the shop needed rearranging. It had for a while, but you just hadn't had the time. It's not like the shop was ever-bustling, but still. You were too busy doing other things. Procrastinating, for example, or daydreaming about an alternate reality in which you actually had a well-paying job and a relationship outside of your never-ending daydreams.

But your coworker had made a display using a mish-mash of ugly purple and yellow flowers. Not the pretty pastel type either. No, the type that made you gag every time you saw it out of the corner of your eye. That wasn't even mentioning the fact that she’d completely ignored the meaning of the flowers she’d put in the display. Sure, the language of flowers wasn't exactly common knowledge, but for a florist, it was kind of the bare minimum.

You started from scratch, disposing of the rest of the flowers in the window in the bin behind the counter. Instead of the garish display that was there a few moments prior, you decided to take a softer, more calculated approach. Soon enough, the table in front of you was littered with a selection of wild roses, red carnations and white lilies, the meaning of each of them intermingling perfectly. It was a display that represented love; an emotion that you were familiar with.

A small, bitter smile rested on your face as a certain someone came to mind. You were a friend to him, but he was so much more to you. You felt silly thinking about him in that way, especially when the feelings were anything but reciprocated, but you couldn't help it.

It was hard for you to admit that you loved him, especially when it was clear as day to see that he didn’t love you in the same way. It broke your heart to hear him tell you that every day before he left through the door of your shop to go on yet another date with yet another girl who was much prettier than you. That was the issue with loving a serial dater; you had to watch every day as he fell in love with seemingly every girl other than you.

“What's got you thinking?” Speak of the devil. The bell above the door gave you little to no warning that Vernon had walked in, his loud voice cutting through the gentle chime. “I was stood outside the window for like five minutes. You were just zoned out.”

“Hey, Vernon,” you muttered, straightening up the last few snowdrops before spinning around to face your friend. As usual, he was dressed in his work uniform, a brown apron tied around his waist with a cute little bow at the front. “Did you bring me my drink?”

“Of course,” he held out a white cup that you knew contained matcha, your name scribbled across the side. You snorted and took it from him. It was made by him, you realised as you took the first sip. He always added a dash of caramel syrup to make it extra sweet for you. It was just the way you liked it.

He took his position, leaning up against your counter and kicking his leg up so it rested against the wood. You had to stop yourself from staring at him as he let himself relax. He just looked so effortlessly handsome with his perfect, tan skin and his deep chocolate eyes. Not to mention those plump li-

“How’s work been?” You cut off your own train of thought before you could begin to spiral.

“Hard,” he sulked, jutting his button lip out in a way that made him irresistibly cute.

“And yet you still found time to bring me my drink?” You were being sarcastic, of course. He brought you your drink every day, without fail. No matter how busy it was at the cafe, he’d always devote his lunch break to coming to see you. It had become a part of both your routines, and you couldn’t imagine it any other way.

He’d even done it once when you were at home, sick. Instead of your regular matcha in his hand, he carried a flask of freshly brewed green tea. It wasn’t your favourite drink, and he knew that, but he was convinced it would help you feel better. And with Vernon being as stubborn as he was, you had no room to argue when he showed up at your door with a sympathetic frown and a warm hug.

“I always have time to bring you your drink,” he smiled back, “you get grumpy if I don't.”

“More like you get grumpy if I don’t let you,” you corrected, “it’s been so long since I’ve gone a day without seeing you. I miss it.”

You continued to work as Vernon stood at the front desk, chatting idly with you as you strolled around with a spray bottle in hand. Every so often, Vernon would say something that would get him squirted like he was a kitten that was misbehaving. He never batted an eye, though, simply letting out one of his contagious laughs and wiping away the wet patch on his apron.

“I forgot to tell you about the dream I had last night,” he said as he checked his watch to see how much longer he had with you. By your calculations, he’d be leaving in 10 minutes and you’d be free to once again spiral into a world of delusional daydreams, set in a world where your feelings were reciprocated. “It was about you.”

“Elaborate,” you said as you brushed away some dead leaves that had tumbled to the ground.

“So, you know how I’m going on that date tonight?” he asked.

How could you forget, you thought to yourself as a scowl grew on your face. He’d been going on about this one for a whole week, reminding you each and every day just how pretty she was. Smart too. You tried to stop yourself from resenting the poor girl who you hadn’t even met, but before you knew it, you already hated her. You wanted to know what it was about her that had snatched Vernon’s attention. You wanted to know what it was about you that hadn’t.

“Well, I’m taking her to a fancy restaurant. She’s classy, so I think it’d suit her,” you could practically hear the dopey smile that he was wearing, even though you weren’t facing him. In a way, you were glad you couldn’t see him. You knew it’d sting to see him so excited about seeing a girl that wasn’t you. “But in my dream, you showed up instead. Claimed you were my date. Weird, right?”

“Right.”

“You were dressed in that long pink skirt you always wear. The one with the flowers,” he let out a chuckle, “I think that’s my favourite skirt of yours. You just look so happy every time you wear it. You did in my dream, too.”

His dream sounded an awful lot like a recurring daydream of yours. The two of you on a date, smiling and happy. You couldn’t count the number of times you’d thought about the outfit you’d wear if he were to ever ask you on one. The pink skirt was a regular. Daydream Vernon would never fail to compliment you on it, making you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

“It’s my favourite skirt, too,” you said.

“You looked very pretty in it,” you were glad you were still facing away from him. You couldn’t help the heat that rose to your cheeks, just like you couldn’t help the shy smile on your lips. “I think I almost developed a crush on you.”

Yet as soon as the corners of your lips even dared to twitch, your happiness was instantly shattered.

Almost. He almost developed a crush on you. That was all it took to wipe the stupid smile off your face and replace it with a solemn frown. How dumb of you to get so excited over a passing comment? It’s not like he found you pretty in the way he found every other girl pretty. You were his best friend, after all.

And that’s all you ever would be to him. After years and years of trying to get him to notice you, you were still at the bottom of his list. You were practically ‘one of the boys’, except more emotionally available. You couldn’t bear to remember all the times he’d showed up at your house and used you as a shoulder to cry on after a bad date. Not that you expected much else. That’s what you were to Vernon; someone he could always count on in his times of need. A friend, and nothing more.

“Don’t you have to go?” You tried to sound chipper as you spoke, but even to your own ears, it sounded like you were on the verge of tears.

“You okay?” he asked, obviously picking up on your sudden switch in mood. You cursed yourself for not being a natural-born actress. It only added to the long list of things to hate yourself over. You know, along with the fact that you were trapped with a crush on a man who’d never love you back. Not to mention the fact that you were idiotic enough to let his offhanded compliments go to your head, only to be so cruelly brought back to earth by his thoughtless words.

“I’m fine! It’s just a mood swing,” you muttered. Vernon moved from behind you, trying to get a look at your face. He was just trying to confirm that you were fine before he left you on his own. Of course, you weren’t. So you bobbed down, pretending to pick up something invisible off of the floor. It only served to make Vernon worry more, but he knew not to push.

He made a mental note to see you later, probably after his date had finished. The two of you could sit on your bed and watch kid's films together, just like you always did when you were sad. He’d let you rest your head on his lap, and he’d play with your hair. It was a surefire way to make you smile, and his favourite way to calm you down. Your hair was just so soft, and you always looked so soft and cuddly when you were dozing on his lap.

He’d make sure to not tell you about how his date went. Not tonight, anyway. You always seemed to be in a worse mood whenever he talked about the girls he went on dates with. You were probably just protective of him, he’d tell himself. If you went on as many dates as he did, he’d probably be pissed too. You were much too sweet and kind to be dating just any man. If it were up to him, they’d have to go through a strict vetting process first, and maybe then, if they proved themselves to be of the highest standard, he’d let them within a six-foot radius of you…

“Are you sure?” He asked one last time. His voice was quiet, as if he was scared that a sudden rise in volume would make everything worse. “I can skip work if you want.”

“You’re not getting fired because of me,” you were equally as quiet, “now go. I’ll be fine.”

But you weren’t.

The moment he was out of sight, you let the tears begin to fall, despite the fact that you weren’t even sure what was making you so upset. You knew he didn’t like you in that way, and yet his confirmation of it seemed to make you spiral into a deep pit where the only thought circling in your mind was just how unlovable you were. Because how, when you’d been trying so hard for so long, did he still only see you as a friend?

He went on failed date after failed date, yet he still never saw you as an option. At this point, you were convinced that he could date every woman in the world, and you’d still come in last place. You were so close to getting what your heart desired, and yet so far.

You shut the shop early. It’s not like you ever got many customers anyway, and you could always stay open a little later on a different day if you needed to make up some hours. Besides, no one was going to walk into a florist when the sales clerk had mascara tears running down her cheeks, right? You could hardly promote love and happiness when you looked like Miss Havisham herself.

Although there was a chill in the air, you took the long way home. The way that meant you didn’t have to walk past the cafe where Vernon worked. That way you knew you were safe from another emotional outburst that was bound to happen the second you saw his face again. It just meant that you had to bundle yourself up extra tight in the thin jumper you’d worn to work that morning. You spent most of the journey trying to ignore the fact that you were shivering and carried on along the road to your home.

It came as no surprise when your feet led you straight to your bedroom once you got back. You couldn’t remember if you’d locked the front door, but honestly, you didn’t care. All you wanted to do was curl up into a hall and sob into your pillow. The floral material of the pillowcase stared at you, practically begging for you to wipe your makeup off before you started your second crying session of the day. Of course, you ignored it. It was too much effort to get out of bed again, and even more effort to wash your face.

Besides, the pattern on the fabric resembled the one of your pink floral skirt, and the last thing you wanted to be reminded of was that skirt. You didn’t know if you’d ever wear it again after Vernon had complimented it like he had. You didn’t want him to call you pretty if he wasn’t going to mean it.

For the first time ever, you were happy that you lived alone. With no roommates, there was no need to keep your cries quiet. You could let out all of your emotions without any judgment from anyone. All you had to do was hope that you were quiet enough that your neighbours didn't put in a noise complaint. You didn’t think you were in the right frame of mind to have to deal with some police officer at your door asking about some ghostly wails that were heard coming from your bedroom. ‘The man I love doesn’t love me back,’ isn’t exactly a widely accepted reason for disturbing the peace of your neighbours. They’d probably think you were insane for your overdramatic reaction. You felt that way, anyway. Insane and unjust and overdramatic in every way possible.

Still, the floodgates were open and there was no way to close them again. Wave after wave of tears left you with no break in between them. You were tired and dizzy, probably from the dehydration, but you couldn’t find it in you to care. As the world around you spun, all you could think about was Vernon, and you, and how pathetic you were for falling in love with him. Of course, it only released another flood of tears, and the cycle continued until you drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

A few hours had passed before you felt the shifting of your mattress as someone sat next to you. A warm hand brushed over your face, tracing your features as if the person were trying to commit them to memory. The tip of a finger was used to wipe away the tear stains that had collected under your eyes. It tickled a little as they accidentally brushed over your eyelashes. You scrunched up your face and let out a whine of protest, which only served to make the other person laugh. A beautiful, musical laugh that you could recognise anywhere.

“What happened to your date?” you mumbled, sleepily. You didn’t open your eyes to look at Vernon, and Vernon made no move to take his hand away from your face. Whether you wanted him to or not was a complicated question and one that you weren’t prepared to decipher right now. You just lay there and enjoyed the soothing patterns he drew upon your skin.

“I left,” he said simply as if that explained anything at all.

“Did you not like her?” you questioned, trying to get more information from him.

“Not as much as I thought I would,” his hand moved to cup your jaw as his thumb brushed against your lips. It was a confusing gesture; one that you were tempted to associate with romantic attraction. Once again, you had to reign yourself in.

“Any reason?”

“I kept thinking about you,” his response to your question was met with silence from you. Shock and confusion coursed through you, making you fumble through your thoughts as you tried to rationalise what he just said. You seemed sad earlier, you told yourself, he must’ve just been worried. There was obviously no other reason he’d think about you.

He stopped talking for a few seconds, moving around until instead of being sat up, looking down upon you, he was lying next to you. He kept his hand upon your face the entire time, and you decided that you were grateful for that. It felt nice to know he was there.

“I kept comparing the two of you,” he said, quieter now than he had been before, “I was telling myself that you were funnier, and you dressed better and had a nicer laugh and prettier eyes. All of which is true, by the way.”

Upon hearing his words, you finally let your eyes flutter open. If this discussion was going to take place, you’d rather look into his eyes and know just how sincere he was being. It took a moment or two for them to focus, but once they did, you were met with such a beautiful sight. Vernon grinned at you with his beautiful smile, eyes twinkling as they met yours. You were convinced he’d stolen the stars and hidden them within his deep chocolate irises. He, of course, would deny all accusations made against his name. He’d claim he wasn’t a thief, but you knew that wasn’t true; he’d already stolen your heart.

“My eyes aren’t that pretty,” you responded, unsure of what else to say.

“Well, they’re prettier when they’re not all red and swollen,” he joked, “I came here to tell you something but I don’t know if I can. Not when you look like you’re about to burst into tears.”

“Shut up,” you hadn’t thought about the state you were in, but now it was the only thing you could think about. You must’ve looked a mess after all that crying you’d done.

“I’m kidding,” he wiped at the underneath of your eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. He didn’t even blink an eye when the white material got covered in your makeup. “You’re pretty all the time.”

Maybe if you started crying again, it’d shut him up. Because the more he said, the harder it got to keep your thoughts sane and you really didn’t want to set yourself up for more heartbreak. It was difficult, though, when every word he said made you want to lean forward and kiss him. In all honesty, it was taking everything you had to stop yourself from doing exactly that.

“What did you want to tell me?” you decided that changing the subject would be a better way to keep your sanity in check.

Instead of answering you, though, he shuffled closer. So close, that you could feel his breath brushing against your face. He wore a stupid grin, one that made your heart flutter and your face heat up in a pretty pink blush. If Vernon noticed it, he ignored it. Gone was the usual teasing at the visual proof of your embarrassment, replaced instead by a tender look in his eyes. A tenderness that he often shared with you.

“I think I’ve been an idiot,” he said. It was strange; words that he usually spoke in such a jovial manner were instead recited with an unfamiliar seriousness to them. Rather than joking with you about an order he’d got wrong, or about how he’d tripped over in front of one of his dates, you were sure that this time whatever he'd done this time was serious. It worried you to no end.

“What’s wrong?” You asked, hoping that he’d give you a straightforward answer.

“Do you want to know why my dates always fail?” He replied. It wasn't an answer to your question, but you were sure it was leading there. So you nodded and waited for him to start talking once more. “It’s because none of them are you, Y/N.”

His words didn't register at first, taking a few seconds for the meaning to finally sink in. When they finally registered, you were sure it was a joke. You felt certain that in a second or two, he’d break into a fit of giggles before telling you that ‘you should’ve seen the look on your face’, or something along those lines. He’d smile, and press a kiss to your forehead, all while ignoring the pain that you were trying to disguise with your own fake laughter.

But it never came. There was no sign of his words being a joke anywhere on his face. In fact, you’d go as far as to say that his expression showed quite the opposite; he was nervous. Why, you weren’t quite sure. You couldn’t quite convince yourself that he was actually telling you the truth. Now, that would’ve been cause for laughter.

“When I saw you for the first time I felt something that I’ve never felt with anyone else. No matter how many dates I go on, no one makes me feel the way you do,” Vernon continued, his voice cracking a little as he spoke.

“How do I make you feel?” You replied.

Vernon thought about it for a second, a tender look in his eyes as he stared at you. The look he gave you was familiar, and yet this time it meant so much more, not just to you but to Vernon as well. It was full of a feeling that had laid dormant within him for a long time. A feeling of your own that was finally being reciprocated.

“Whenever I’m with you I feel like you’re the only thing that will ever matter,” he whispered as he shuffled closer to you. His face was only a few inches from your own, now. You couldn’t help but want to lean in and close the distance, “I can't focus on anything else when I’m with you, and when I’m not, all I can focus on is how much I want to see you again. Even when I’m with other girls, you’re the only person that fills my head.”

“Vernon,” you said before he cut you off.

“I think I’m in love with you, Y/N.”

Your breath hitched in your throat and for a moment or two, it felt as though time had stopped. The words that you’d longed to hear for so long were now out in the open, and you couldn’t quite believe it. You dug your nails into the palm of your hand, wincing as you realised that you weren’t dreaming.

“Vernon,” you mumbled, “are you being serious? You’re not joking right?” You had to make sure it was true before you let yourself fall any deeper than you already had.

“No,” he replied, leaning closer. Your lips were just a few inches apart now, his breath warm against your face. “I wouldn’t joke about something like this, Y/N. I’m serious; I love you.”

You couldn't help but smile. A true, love-sick smile.

“I, uh, I think I might reciprocate those feelings,” you spluttered, finding it difficult to get the words out. It certainly didn’t help your nerves when Vernon’s only response was a confused face.

“Huh?” He replied. He looked cute with his brows furrowed and his lips pursed and for just a second, you forgot your nerves.

“I love you too, dummy.”

#seventeen scenarios #seventeen fluff #svt scenarios #svt fluff #seventeen fic #seventeen oneshot #svt oneshot #svt angst #svt fic #svt x reader #vernon fluff #vernon angst #seventeen angst #seventeen oneshots #seventeen fanfic

[kiritella]

Series: Sehnsucht, Chapter Eight: Retribution

Pairings: Geralt x Teen!Reader, Yennefer x Teen!Reader

Warnings: !!! death, child death !!! Fire, toxic parents? Burns. mentions of abuse, torture, murder.

Words: 4.7k

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She should have felt more, she thought, to push open the gates for the western outskirts of Ban Glean. It should have made her feel something. It wasn’t nothing, exactly, after all, there was a deeply rooted disgust within her. However, it wasn’t as groundbreaking as she had thought it would be. The steps she took past the boundary of the village were no different than the hundreds she had taken to get there, and strangely, no different than the ones she’d taken to leave seven years ago.

It felt wrong, somehow, to be so miserably calm.

“You cannot blame yourself for healing,” D’ao said. 

“I don’t really blame myself, it’s just weird. So much happened…” She frowned when the village gate creaked and shuddered, unable to close properly with its crooked hinges. She stopped, staring at the rotting wood and wearing ropes. “I used to hate this gate.”

“It isn’t much of one now…”

“Was it always so small?”

“Well…you were much smaller back then.”

She huffed a small laugh, nodding as she turned toward the heart of the village. An old alley between houses approached on her left, the alley where little boys and girls used to kick and spit at her. The one she was always afraid to pass when she wanted to come home from playing in the woods. She wondered again at how she didn’t feel—Oh. 

That was what was so strange. 

It wasn’t that she was calm, or that she felt nothing. She simply wasn’t afraid. Years of pain had taught her fear, and never once had she been able to pass through those gates, walk this lane, without a trace of it.

“Is this why you had me talk about it so much?”

“It is. And it is why you stayed with the knights of the flaming rose.”

She scoffed. “You hated it there, wanted to leave at any moment.”

“But you did not,” he said, and she fell silent. “For what they were in their deficiencies, they were still honorable. Your faith in humanity remains because of them. They gave you something I could not.”

“They were…good, in their own way, weren’t they?” she said as she entered the main road leading through town. A few people raised their heads to watch her pass, but she didn’t pay them much mind other than a glance and a nod, and no one tried to speak to her. “More lovely than these people.”

“Indeed. There is more cheer to be found in a graveyard.”

“Dead men can’t suffer, I guess.” she said, her eyes trained on a woman up ahead. She was hunched over a pail of water, a cloth scrubbed against a washboard, but her shoulders were exposed. The markings of a heavy whipping were borne on them, embedded and marred. She grimaced and looked away, a sickening burn in her chest.

She paused at the last turn and realized, then, just how small the village actually was. Even from here, she could see the other side of it. It seemed so much bigger back then. 

Three kids ran from another, nearly bumping into her when they ran across the street. They squealed and laughed, holding up sticks for swords and baskets for shields. They were so young, and naive, and didn’t understand the importance of what had happened here. Of what still happened.

Did they understand the cruelty like she had at their age? Had they been the subjects of it? They weren’t silent like she had been forced to be. Her heart ached, because even if they had tasted the end of cruel punishment, would they still end up like their parents? Little boys like their heartless fathers? Little girls like their docile, accepting mothers? It should have been a crime, she thought, for them to have been born in a place like this.

“It is not their fault,” D’ao said. “You can’t blame a child for the crimes of their parents—the laws. The only things they have done have been taught to them by the only people they have.”

“I don’t blame the children,” she said, turning the last corner. The Alderman’s house sat near the end of the street, large and built up, proud. “I blame their parents, and I hate that this wretched place is the only thing they will ever know. They are raised to believe cruelty is normal, and because of that, they won’t be any better. I mourn who they should have been, if they had not been born here.”

“Time will tell.”

“Time would see these kids whipped like their parents.”

“Time will allow for rage, and rage to rebellion, rebellion to change. The only thing certain is that nothing remains the same.”

“And how long will it take before a rebellion makes a change? How many people will be left to suffer and die here before someone gives a damn?”

“....’ D’ao sighed mournfully. “I don’t know. All I can say is this…do not mourn those who are not lost. These children may yet grow to be good people, and not all in this village were evil on the day you left it.”

She frowned and became silent. He wasn’t wrong. There were still good people here, and she would not be able to tear this place to the ground without regret. She hated it here, every rock, every building, every plant, but she could not hate every person. The mothers, despite their crimes of remaining silent and others for condoning, were mostly victims. The fathers, though some certainly deserved death, were subject to the laws and bound by them. She had seen men weep for their wives, and beaten themselves, because they could not bear to see their loved ones punished. She had seen mothers claw out the eyes of officials who dared to raise a hand against their sons and daughters. Yes, the place was wretched and she hated it to its very core, but she could not hate them all.

She stopped at the door of the Alderman’s house—her father’s house, if she were to relate to it. She did not bother to cast an illusion over her eyes as she knocked, finding it senseless at this point. Her mother would know, and her father would not be able to do anything worse than what he had already done.

“You are sure it was Ita who captured the Afreet.”

“The Council says so. It has been a week already, though, and I fear we might be too late.”

“Do you think she has already forced it into a contract?”

“I am not certain, but if she has, she has not done it here.”

“How do you know?”

“The village isn’t on fire, obviously. No genie would be bound without a fight.”

She grimaced, and D’ao continued. “Do not worry. If the Afreet is merely bottled up, you will simply take the bottle away from here and let it loose. It will know you once you begin the spell, and you will send it home with no issues.”

“And if it is bound?”

“Then your first time freeing a genie will be interesting!” D’ao said playfully. Her heart sank, and D’ao immediately changed tones. “Do not worry. It will be fine. I will walk you through what you forget.”

She hummed. Seeing as no one answered the door, she knocked again, but louder. Again, she was met with no response. Looking around her and seeing no one of great importance, she sighed and lifted the latch. There was no resistance, and so she shoved open the door and stepped inside. 

The house hadn’t changed much over the years. A table was to her left, a knife and carrots strewn about on it. A few chairs sat across the way in front of the fire, which still held steady flames and fresh logs. They hadn’t been gone long, it would seem.

“I thought you might come back one day,” a woman spoke, exiting the side chamber on the right. There was no familiarity in her figure as she stood and approached the fire. Nothing familiar in the way she walked, limping and crooked, or in the way she held her back up straight, her collarbones sticking out far too much from her skin. “It seems you could not gather the hint of an unanswered door, so please, come right in.”

“I wasn’t planning on coming back,” she said, and the woman, so dreadfully strange though once familiar, laughed softly. 

“And yet you did.”

“Ita—”

“Oh, you didn’t do me the traditional courtesy of calling me mother.”

The girl hesitated, strangely amused. Her brows furrowed gently. “Would you have preferred it?”

A pause. “No.” Ita sat herself in front of the fire. She did not look at her anymore, favoring the reflection of the flames. “By all accounts I have not been your mother for the last seven years. Before even that, I suppose I had not considered myself one. There is no need to stand in ceremony now.”

The girl grimaced and flicked her eyes away, favoring the carrots on the table. It was not as though Ita paid attention, or even could perceive the pang in her chest, but she found herself unable to look at her.

“What is it that you want?” Ita asked. “If you have come back here for my love, I am afraid I don’t have any to give you. You have known this since before you left, it hasn’t changed in your absence. You had best be gone while your father is out. Nothing good will happen if you stay.”

The girl smiled, and to a woman who did not consider herself her mother, it was genuine. “As you have said, I have never had your love. I do not need it now.”

Ita hummed, but there was something in the way her shoulders slumped. She stepped into the room, scanning the edges and shelves for the genie bottle. 

“Might I ask you something, though?” she said.

“If you must.”

“Why did you hate me for the same sins you committed?”

Ita snapped her head toward her with a hint of disapproval. “The same sins?”

“For being born, and for having magic.”

“Hated you for being born?” Ita said suddenly, as if surprised, and stood from her seat. The flames danced in her eyes. “No, I didn’t hate you for either of those things.”

The girl paused, her brows furrowing as bitter heat gripped her chest. “No?”

“You were right on one account, though. I did hate you for my own sins. You were quiet and docile. You listened to everything your father told you, accepted his beatings. And me?” she scoffed, “You looked up to me like I was some sort of saint—the epitome of good. You laughed and you smiled and you didn’t say a fucking word. You let them beat you. Then you came home to me so that I could fix it. Your saintly mother. I hated you, because you were my exact copy.”

The girl’s eyes widened when Ita’s hand swung out, a light orange spark illuminating beneath her skin, crackling at her fingers. “But I never hated you more than the day you were exiled from this place. It would have been better for everyone if you had killed every last one of us that day. But no, you were foolish, and you spared us. You condemned us to the misery of living in this place.”

Ita sneered. “Did you know they cut out Valeska’s tongue because she tried to defend her son when he played out in the woods? No one was allowed to leave without an official after you left. He was a child. They whipped that whoreson too, Balint, for having said something kind about you and the Witchers. The day you decided to be righteous—”

“Your sins, and the sins of the rest of this village,” the girl interrupted sharply, her voice frighteningly cold in contrast to the growing flame in her chest, “Are not my burden to bear.”

Ita stiffened and turned away. She looked into the fire once more and was silent for a time. “No, I supposed they aren’t.” She said miserably, “but the burden is heavy, and I am sick of carrying it.”

The girl’s lips twisted as she resumed looking for the genie’s bottle. A violent scream ached in the base of her throat. How could she defend someone else’s daughter, and in the same sentence condemn her own? Then she remembered, she was not her daughter by any account other than blood.

“I never blamed you entirely,” she said, “It was less your fault than father’s. He was the one who influenced the laws. I despised you for a while, but that is…I don’t feel much about it all anymore, it seems,” she said, quietly, honestly and she swallowed thickly. “I still don’t particularly like you though.”

Ita laughed humorlessly and shook her head. “A bit of honesty, I see. Let me push it further so we can both be on our way, then. If you don’t blame me, and you aren’t here for my love, then what are you here for? Are you here to forgive me then? To relinquish my burdens?”

The girl hummed as she poked around the vials and bottles and vases, none of which were what she was looking for. She took a moment to spare Ita a glance. “Nothing I say can remove the weight of what happened here. And if anything of what you have said is true, that my kindness is what makes you hate me, then I am certain my forgiveness would not relieve your burdens. It would only make them worse.”

Ita’s shoulders slumped. “I see. Then…” she whispered. Tentatively, she bent over the side of the fire pit, and reaching behind it into the shadows, pulled up a large clay bottle. Runes were written within the clay, old Elder speech, if she could read it properly, and as a lid, a metal seal. D’ao made a few selective remarks that shall remain unspoken for their vulgarity.

“Then I suppose you are here for this?” Ita asked, and the runes burned red and orange, the seal hissing as she lifted the bottle up. The Aftreet remained caged within. 

The girl stiffened, her jaw clenching as she remained silent. Ita smiled dimly as she turned to face her daughter. There, in the low light offered by the narrow windows and fire, the woman looked empty. Her arms crossed as the bottle hung from her slender fingers, her bones poking out from beneath her worn and taut skin. Her lips were cracked from anxious biting, her nails chewed short. Scars poked out from her shoulders and chest, bruises littered about her arms. For a mage, she was young and to some might have been beautiful still, if given the chance to heal. Despite the delicacies of her body, she was still simply empty. 

“You—” she started, taking a step forward as Ita interrupted her.

“I haven’t told anyone what happened that day, but I could hardly call myself a mage if I didn’t recognize the power of a genie.” Ita grimaced, her hands clenching the bottle tightly. “I could never understand you. After everything that happened…even with all that power at your fingertips.”

There was nothing she could say that would ease her mind. “I knew what everyone thought I was.”

Ita shook her head. “I learned some things when you were gone,” she said. “I had time to think and ponder, and I realized something about people. I didn’t know it for myself for several years—don’t move or I swear it I will drop this bottle,” she said and the girl froze in her tracks. 

Ita continued. “It came to me one day. I…Valeska, when they cut out her tongue, do you know what she did? She took her knife, and she slit the throats of three people before they were able to run her through. She had been so calm before then, quiet, like the rest of us. Everyone thought she had gone mad. That’s the thing, though, isn’t it? In every way we are extreme, were are the same in opposite. In every way we are kind, we are just as ruthless. In every way we are docile, we are equally savage.” She paused, and it seemed as though she wept, even though no tears were shed. “Monsters are born out of innocence, when they have had their innocence stripped from them in the cruelest ways.”

“...” the girl paused, shaking her head. It wasn’t… “We still have a choice. We aren’t…we aren’t mindless—we get to choose.” she crept a bit closer as flames danced in Ita’s eyes, sparked beneath her skin. For the first time since she entered the village, fear seized her chest.

“They already believe we are monsters, my dearest.” her voice cracked and her fingers twitched. “I’m just proving them right.”

Ita dropped the bottle, it shattered on the ground, and all at once, there was nothing but fire.

The flames enveloped her before she had the chance to react, their unnatural heat licking her skin as the ground quaked. She dropped to the floor as a violent screech cut through the air and the walls caved in. The roof erupted into flames, collapsing on top of her as a massive, bird-like creature launched up through the thatch and wood and soared up into the sky in a pillar of fire. 

She covered her head with her hands, and with a few mumbled words, the air around her seized and braced like a shield, barely enough to keep her clothes unburnt as the flames took hold of every open space. The house was set ablaze, and she was in the midst of it. She couldn’t breathe, and that familiar, haunting fear erupted in her bones.

The girl gasped for air, burying herself deeper in the ground as it trembled for her. The dirt stirred beneath her knees just as a support beam fell from the roof behind her, so close her heart jumped as the flames brushed the ends of her hair. 

“Get out!” D’ao shouted. A narrow dirt path lifted on the ground, the pocket of air surrounding her grew smaller. She crawled with the path, coughing as smoke gathered in her lungs, ducking beneath the falling roof and climbing over the walls as heat began to devour her skin. The path lead her stumbling into the street.

That stiff, sickening quiet that had once filled the village was gone, replaced with complete and utter panic and chaos. A rain of fire fell from the sky and she stumbled as she gathered herself to her feet. A man ran screaming from his home and fell, his body entirely consumed in flames. She couldn’t remove her eyes from him as he writhed. And then came the horror. 

The moment she took a step, she couldn’t stop running. She bumped into people and stumbled, lungs burning, until she found herself further from the center of the destruction. She hid herself on a beaten path behind a house. If she wanted, she could peek back out over its side and see Ita, see everyone and everything, but she couldn’t. Her heart beat violently against her ribs and her hands clasped over her ears to drown out the screaming. The flames and terror, the constraints on her lungs, it was familiar. Terribly. And all she could feel was chains, all she could see was blood and fire.

She couldn’t breathe. 

The wind stirred heavily around her as the Afreet soared above her, massive and bold, its wings of flame so intense that as they extended, their tips brushed the nearby houses and ignited the wood. And even in just those few moments, she looked back to the ground, and the place she had once called home, was slowly turning to ash and cinders. It seemed to her, in that moment, as the Afreet’s wings flapped and collided with the roof of the blacksmith’s shop, the one she hid behind, that even the dirt would not escape its fury. Hot coals littered the ground so fully the earth glowed red and she trembled.

“Gather yourself!” D’ao shouted, a steadying grip on her spin aimed to pull her out of the shock and panic. “Open the gate!”

She peeked around the corner, and in the center of the destruction, Ita stood, untouched by the flames with her arms stretched out. In a terrifying discovery, she heard the woman laugh. It verberated through the air and drowned out the screams. Her head whipped around with wide eyes, people ran all about as houses and trees caught fire. The wind picked up speed and stirred the dust and flames into a whirlwind.

“Aen daerienn essaeth–Aen dae—”

What were the words again?

The Afreet let out another ear piercing cry. She looked, and as it thrashed against the verbal chains Ita spoke into binding. 

“I-I—” she stuttered, shaking her head as destruction erupted around her. The flames turned from orange to blue, and an immense heat washed over her skin. Her breaths came in short as she coughed out the smoke and her skin burned. Bodies began to collapse in the street. “I can’t remember—The words—”

“Breathe, child—” D’ao said, and for a moment the rest of the chaos was drowned out. Her ears rang.

People bumped into her as they fled, running from the homes catching on fire. She stumbled. The whirlwind picked up heat, and she groaned as her arms began to blister. With a thrust of her hand, she buried it into the earth, and then pulled. The ground launched up in a wall against the wind, shielding her from the brunt of its heat.

“You must take a breath and steady yourself. You are the gateway, child. The words have not changed, you must open the door. I will guide you, but by God child, you must breathe!” 

Her body pulsed as though someone was beating against a closed door, and white lines cracked along the girl’s arms. Fresh air burst out of the miniscule fractures, filling her lungs. With it, came clarity. A cold wash of determination that was not her own, but granted to her from those on the other side of the door.

Across the way, Ita stood bathed in fire, but it did not hurt her. Instead, the flames sank into her skin until her veins turned red and crawled across her bare body. She was changing, morphing and crystalizing. It was unnatural and strange, but Ita did not waver even as her skin became dark as coal. 

She grit her teeth and gathered her wits with the fresh air. D’ao began to recite the words in her ear, the impression of his hand on her shoulder keeping her steady as she knelt on the ground. “Aen daerienn essaeth en’leass comp—”

The Afreet dove down into the village with an excited shriek, startling her. Dropping quickly back to the ground, she tossed up her hands and forced the earth to entomb her in a shallow grave as the Afreet’s wings glided an arm’s reach above her, the intense heat sinking so dreadfully into her hands that she screamed. The earth shook as D’ao cursed.

For the first time in years, he sounded frightened. The earth trembled as the firm impression of his arms around her held her tightly. “Let her finish the damn spell—hellish fool! Do you want to kill her?!”

The Afreet screeched, and when her grave unburied her, crumbling around her, her heart stopped. She could no longer feel the heat, or the blistering of her skin. She couldn’t feel anything except the bone-chilling horror. 

The flaming whirlwind expanded as Ita screamed, her body no longer her own as it turned back, morphing like red hot coals. Her voice was no longer hers, but layered and heavy, dreadful. But as the fire cracked, as it raged with boundless power, she watched it consume. The buildings were no more, having been burned to the ground, and because of this she could not escape the sights. Fire burst out and grasped hold of the people who ran like monstrous hands. Even the woods on the outskirts caught fire, and with agonizing screams, everyone within them burned.

For a moment, she could not speak, her mind unable to grasp reality as she watched a little boy—a child who had once held a stick for a sword, a basket for a shield—disintegrate into ash and bone. She could not understand how Ita, even consumed by fire and rage, laughed.

The Drowners that laid in rivers and ate children could hardly compare to what Ita was then, for Drowners were dead and could not understand. But she, in that moment, understood. She answered the questions she had held on to from the first moment she could think. Its answer stood in front of her. So, horror struck and frightened, she whispered the words D’ao whispered in her ear.

“Aen daerienn essaeth en’leass compes incantaentum. Ego conteram vincula vestra Cáerme creasa.”

A scream pierced the air as she reached out her hand and the chains binding the Afreet trembled and groaned. It was not from the Afreet, or even the ones subjected to the flames, but from the monstrosity that stood unbothered in the midst of the carnage. It was no longer Ita, as her flesh had turned to coal, her eyes empty of life and reddened to their core. It screeched like an animal, a mindless beast, its body becoming increasingly disfigured. The Afreet dove as white cracks began to from on the girl’s hands and reached up her arms with ghosts of golden smoke. The swarming sound of cicadas thrummed in every corner of her mind, echoing in the dirt beneath her feet, in the air she breathed. It built with every word passing her lips.

“Aen daerienn essaeath rhydd er mwyn niwtraliaeth. Agwetheill aep te Eileamaid Gaeth.”

The chains snapped. Ita’s remnants howled and jerked its head toward her. Miserably, it tried to charge at her, but the girl reached out an open hand, and the ground spiked beneath the creature. It pierced the its legs and they broke, the coal snapping in two. The creature did not seem to feel it, as it began to crawl toward her and howled. The white cracks reached up from the girl’s waist to cover her neck and met the ones breaking up her arms upon her shoulders. The Afreet’s tail touched the ground as it approached the woman from behind, and she closed her eyes and she spoke the incantation again.

“Aen daerienn essaeth en’leass compes incantaentum. Ego conteram vincula vestra Cáerme creasa. Aen daerienn essaeath rhydd er mwyn niwtraliaeth. Agwetheill aep te Eileamaid Gaeth.”

The ancient Elder words caused the air to thicken and condense, their weight descended upon the village to compact the dust and still the whirlwind, not even the flames could persist. The girl’s blue eyes flashed as a strike of lightning beneath the ocean and all at once, the Gateway opened. The cracks within her body expanded and separated in a blinding white light, and though it was not painful, it was consuming. She fragmented as the Afreet passed through her. There was a glimpse of an immense plane of fire. A dozen Afreets. A lake of white and blue flames. Reddened eyes and—a bow of gratitude. And then there was nothing.

It was dark as the fragments of her body and mind slowly sealed back into their rightful places, white cracks fading, closing the Gateway—sealing time and space. There was nothing in the midst of it, and she despised the complete stillness because in that moment, she was entirely alone, adrift as her body returned to its physical state.

Flashes of Kaer Morhen shot across her mind. Geralt and Yennefer in the gathering hall, their heads shooting up as the medallions hanging on the tree began to vibrate. She could swear she could hear their violent hiss. She saw as Geralt’s eyes landed on her, launching from his seat, her name on his lips before he too, disappeared into bitter blackness. She smiled as her weakened, reformed body began to collapse and she fell into the ash and cinders—amongst the bones of the dead and tormented, beside an unmoving coal hand, broken cleanly from its owner’s disfigured body. 

It was strange, then, because all she could see as her consciousness waned, the burns on her body consuming, was purple and gold. 

“Yenn—” she whispered, then her mind slipped and she was gone.

The token dangling from her neck pulsed.

#sehnsucht #geralt #geralt of rivia #geralt x reader #geralt x you #geralt x y/n #geralt x yennefer #geralt x teen!reader #geralt x daughter!reader #geralt x child!reader #dad!geralt #father!geralt #dad!geralt x reader #dad!geralt x teen!reader #dad!geralt x daughter!reader #father!geralt x reader #father!geralt x teen!reader #father!geralt x daughter!reader #father!geralt x child!reader #dad!geralt x child!reader #geralt x female!reader #geralt x afab!reader #yennefer of vengerberg #yennefer x reader #yennefer x you #yennefer x y/n #yennefer x child!reader #yennefer x daughter!reader #yennefer x teen!reader #mom!yennefer

[nozomijoestar]

AFTER 8 MONTHS OF WRITING AND NONSENSE AND WRITING- I PRESENT 'LA VIE EN ROSE' PART 1

ASULILI NATION MAKE SOME NOISEEEE | thanks to @scalproie , @headlessstar , @pettyeti for your encouragement and feedback

Summary:

'The Seventh Iron Fist Tournament has ended. In its aftermath under the Mishima-G Corp conflicts, the world lays fractured into ravaged wastelands and pockets of civilization under a facade of normalcy. Asuka Kazama returns home, reminded there is no ground she can stand on untouched. And with persistent Lili sticking like a bad itch, their entwined fates form her a lone island.'

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20k words per part from here on. Three parts total. I will be building the events between Tekken 7's ending for Asuka and Lili into just before Tekken 8 would start. I will be using canon, Harada's statements, and my two essays I recommend reading as guides.

Asuka Essay | Lili Essay

PLAYLIST GO BRRRRRRR

EDIT: I decided to also just dump the entire part 1 on tumblr then decide how I wanna share the rest moving forward

NEW: PART 2 POST

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1 SE BATTRE C'EST TOUS

She held her breath and the numbers came. One, two, three, four, five…she could still smell the roses piled in the training hall. Sighing she opened her eyes and paced, arms crossed, around and around the doorway until she tripped over a shoe. Asuka threw out her hands, let herself collapse then slide down the wall into a slump. Tightness gripped her chest as she chewed her bottom lip. First had been the roses, roses of every color, size, and shape she’d never attempt counting. Everything was polished blinding like the sun and all things broken were now shiny replacements; Asuka still had no idea which button on the new microwave simply heated her leftovers.

Next had been coming home, standing in their kitchen, to watch Dad’s face worn and lined face split with a grin. The pile of bills that used to sit on the table had vanished, becoming a single check he’d waved like it’d disappear. Then of course Lili didn’t even bother showing up with her for any of it; creating yet another mess before pulling out of reach. The confused silences punctuating arguments between them over the flight home were broken when they’d landed at the airport. ‘Return ahead of me Asuka Kazama. I need a day to arrange my things.’ Lili had said, wearing a smirk before flipping her hair and strutting away. The once in a lifetime thrill at hot meals and extending seats aboard first class had evaporated. How the hell did you respond to that? So she’d braced herself and crossed the threshold of her house, alone.

Now she was crouched here, her mind in knots. Dad would probably be halfway done shopping for the huge welcome party dinner he’d bragged about. They needed to thank Lili properly, of course, his eyes seeming to go right through Asuka when he said so. To the end no matter how she protested or hovered over his limping strolls from point A to point B, he gave her a glare. Said that he’d taken her coddling for too long; the doctors had discharged him for a reason. Her hand curled a fist but stopped short of hitting the wall. No point in ruining what was indeed fixed, even if it could be fixed again. No way would she create another reason for Lili to call her a brute. Then the rumble and crunch of a car tire beyond the door perked up her ears; snapping her from her stillness.

Asuka looked through the peephole.

The white off Lili’s limo flashed orange into her eyes under the setting sun. The thing blocked off their courtyard as the driver’s side opened; out came a wrinkled old man hustling in his tailed suit for the passenger’s side door. She turned away. She’d hold out on looking at her until that final, final second it became unavoidable. Instead she could imagine Lili’s self-satisfied smirk, the confident strut as she dragged her suitcase worth a hundred little hole in the wall houses, the haughty air in her laugh that’d come whenever Asuka so much as stared. She hummed in concentration imagining her perfect hair, perfect poise, flawless as she claimed her prize. No! The brave thing would be looking that dumbass right in her stupid eyes. ‘You don’t get control of everythin’ you want!’

Suddenly the doorbell rang making her jolt and yelp.  She opened the door and there stood Queen Dumbass, lifting pink tinted aviator shades that covered her face. A silver rope necklace glinted around the collar of an outfit Asuka didn’t attempt guessing the price for. The limo was gone. Lili clicked her tongue; somehow her long blonde hair remained flawless. But there was, if only for an instant, tiredness beneath her stare. She leaned over her tall and wiry enough to block the door. Like so many times before Asuka’s words died on her tongue.

“Good day Asuka Kazama. Have you recovered from our flight? We have much to do if I’m going to train, and I can’t have you slacking.”

Stand tall, now.

“I’m fine. Don’t go expecting a summer camp here you ass. Might be your name on the deed these days but I was born here, right in the living room.”

Her thick Osakan drawl dragged and cut the words of her temper by their syllables. Lili stood unfazed, cocking her head in that blurred line between annoyance and amusement Asuka never understood.

“Well then you’ll know which room I’ll be staying in, how many meals I’ll eat, and exactly what our regimen will be already. I am the only student after all. Or are my expectations too high for one as knowledgeable as you? Perhaps you will find some other way to meddle and fuss during my stay. Father’s wealth is why we can stand where we are.”

Lili flicked Asuka’s forehead, swaggering inside and rolling her luggage behind her. A duffle hung from her shoulders, jostling Asuka as she passed. She scowled jostling her right back.

“Wha’ was that for?!”

“For being so very you. Now, my room if you’d please?”

“Yeah, yeah upstairs follow me.”

Upstairs meant passing several floorboards whose every creak made her heart lighter. Some things stayed the same. Asuka carried the suitcase as they climbed, and after a pause realized another floral scent was flooding her senses. It grew stronger each step she watched Lili climb forward.

‘Perfume? Damn it smells good.’

She bit her lip. Give them a week and she doubted this girl would keep primping herself up like a show dog. The gears in her mind whirled rearranging tomorrow’s plan as they reached the top.

“It’s on the left, close to the stairs for any going back an’ forth. I’ll put your things down so you don’t knock nothin’ over.”

“How rude! Don’t treat me like some monkey; I’m capable of minding my surroundings!”

“As capable as those fancy kicks of yours leave you wide open in a fight, sure.”

“Asuka Kazama you insufferable little…”

Growling Lili spun around setting upon her, pride wounded. She spotted the way her body drew back a second too long and rushed forward. ‘You still have that habit?’ One step sideways slid her out the way letting Lili pitch into air. Asuka lunged. It came an instant too late. Grappling and tussling each other had them tripping through the doorway, until forgetting the weight of her duffle saw Lili topple to the floor. Asuka planted her feet on instinct and pulled Queen Dumbass up as if it were reflex. The force thrust Lili clinging against her chest; for an instant she stood close enough to feel her gasp.

Asuka felt her body freeze, her face fixed in confusion finding Lili’s doe eyed expression. Then it was gone when she watched her glance around. Shelves covered in books, photos, and trophies lined the north most wall above a computer desk. The curtains were white around an opened window above a single bed. A dresser with a mirror and CD player hugged the western wall. Several spare bicycle parts were piled in a corner peeking out of a full trunk. At their feet a futon sat atop a plush rug.

“Are we…in your room?”

Asuka let go of her and stacked the luggage aside, crossing her arms.

“This ain’t a five star hotel; there wasn’t no other place to put you. It’s my room, my rules. Don’t go gettin’ ideas. You’re sleeping on the floor.”

She expected protest, an insult, any kind of resistance. Instead Lili nodded and gave the futon a once over. She spent greater time standing in awe like this were a museum exhibit she’d paid a personal tour for. Asuka’s skin flushed, but before her temper spilled Dad’s voice called from downstairs.

“Girls? Asuka? Is our guest home yet or can you help me with the cooking?”

“Cooking? Did he say cooking?”

“Yeah it’s for your moving in an’ all. Just stay here and look pretty. I doubt you’ve ever cooked in your life.”

She stuck her head out and yelled back.

“I’m comin’ Dad! She’s here in my room don’t worry.”

From behind her came the sounds of bags being unzipped. When she turned around Lili knelt knee deep in stacks of clothes for every occasion, dresses included. There were several tailored bags some of them spilling makeup tools next to bottles she couldn’t see the labels of. She watched her lean back and forth from bag to bag; it was like a cat pawing at yarn. Asuka swallowed a laugh. Lili didn’t notice. Instead she shooed her with a wave of the hand.

“Go on then. I need to make myself presentable. Where is your bathroom?”

“Last door on the right down the hall.”

“Don’t sound so dejected. You are killing the mood.”

She didn’t look at her as she spoke. A suck of her teeth felt reply enough. When she walked away she heard a confident ‘Thank you as always.’ Her chest tightened. A breeze followed her wake down the stairs.

Dad limped around the kitchen pulling out pots and setting oil to heat on their best skillets. Meat, vegetables, seasonings, a fruit platter, tiny cakes, even the takoyaki fryer- her mind grew fuzzy just counting everything. For a pause her eyes followed him, the tightness lingered.

“Oh there you are girl. Come and cut the lettuce for me.”

She gave him a once over from his strong and sweaty lined brow down to his quietly bent leg. He must be straining just standing there. Without thinking she set about washing her hands, placing things within his reach before he knew he needed them; then came prepping. Her face felt stiffer than her chopping once they settled into a rhythm. From the corner of her eye she watched him drag his steps a breath too long; at times when she passed on one prepped ingredient, he stood slumped over the counter. Asuka set down her knife.

“Dad. Why?”

Takoyaki sizzled.

“Why what?”

“Selling the house…not chasing after that bastard who crushed the dojo an’ gave you your wounds. Your coma. We could’ve figured it out ourselves.”

“…We talked about this.”

“And it makes no sense to me!” She shouted, slamming her palms and rattling the cutting board with a thud.

He glared dead at her straight backed, cold eyed, impassable. His lips were pursed with the unsaid that no longer bore repeating. Immediately she recoiled and the fire that twisted her face in anger began wavering. Goosebumps shot across her skin. When he spoke it was deep, rough as gravel; resigned but not bitter.

“Asuka, Asuka I won’t say this again. We’ve gotta survive. That’s all there is to it. They can bust me up, they can drive our students away, but there’s always a way out if you’re alive. You don’t spit on a helping hand.”

“I’m your daughter; it’s my job to be the helping hand. I just need to double my training and some time. There’s no point begging from anyone, much less the asshole that keeps picking fights with me! This is another one of her shams Dad; you should kick her to the curb and let me protect us!”

“Keeping my family does not mean I’ve lost!”

His nose flared and eyes shot wide with ferocity, with pain, as if she’d pressed fingers into an open gash. She recoiled, shuddering in silence. There remained nothing left to say. Slowly, slowly her breath returned; her blood warmed again. Then someone cleared their throat behind her. Asuka turned, rushing the break of the spell hanging over the air, to find Lili stood like a deer in headlights. Thinly applied blush and the sheen of lip gloss colored her face. Dad’s stare felt as if it kept burning holes through the back of her head. Whatever kept Lili stunned broke when she gave them a graceful bow. ‘You’re lovin’ this aren’t you.’

Yet the look Lili wore made her chest ache.

“Good Evening Mr. Kazama, sir. I apologize for any disturbances my presence has caused; a pleasure to meet you face to face.”

“Yes, please come in make yourself at home. Help yourself to as much as you’d like.” Dad said softly, ignoring Asuka’s bent, pleading expression as he wiped his hands on his apron.

Only a few finishing touches remained for the dishes. As she worked Lili sat waiting lost in thought each time she glanced a different spot. Sometimes, for the barest instant, she felt her stare linger a second too long. But whenever she glanced back Lili had moved on. When they plated the okonomiyaki, takoyaki, udon, oshizushi, and more around the hot pot center piece- that made her balk. 

It’d been Dad’s idea to offer her everything Osakan and the kitchen sink if need be; Lili accepted bite after bite with firm grace. With turns of phrase she joked, listened, chatted as if Dad were an old friend. Asuka sat mute unless asking for seconds or giving a clipped word or two, or three. Her glares seemed to deter nothing. She watched one of Lili’s smiles, oshizushi stuffed in her mouth. For whatever reason Lili didn’t focus on her, didn’t pry the fresh cuts she’d overheard. ‘I think I used too much broth in the hot pot…’

Steeping in the bath after a wash, Asuka watched the moon hang obscured by clouds.  Heart pounding, she rolled back her head. The ceiling was blank.

Night was giving way to blue dawn when her alarm blared. Fumbling she flipped her phone open to shut it off, eyes squinting as half of her read the time- the other half still dreamed of darkness. The screen blasted full on her face. Five thirty in the morning; time to get up. Various bottles, makeup tools, and pouches littered the surface of her dresser. Hairclips, brushes, ties, and ribbons (one set for the hair another to pin at the chest) were scattered in the space between. A handful of mirrors in a ridiculous range of sizes threatened toppling when she rummaged for clothes; she sucked her teeth. Even her things were starting to smell expensive.  

Her closet had been overtaken until the hangars were bursting, and the most enormous or excess dresses that couldn’t fit hung from wall hooks. What had been hers with its white and aqua walls, bike posters, and her parts box now became something cheaply soundproofed by lace. Lace buried even the flutter she once enjoyed from her white curtains. Everything was pink or silver or both or cream and red and grey and purple and she swallowed a scream. The last drops of sleep evaporated under her anger as she kneeled. Lili slept piled under the futon straight backed; a velvet mask embroidered with flowers over her eyes. A neat collection of stuffed animals ringed her body. Her breaths were so quiet she could pass for dead. Asuka considered it for a split second. She poked her cheek.

“Hey wake up. Training starts before school.”

Nothing, she poked her harder.

“C’mon you can hear me can’t you?”

A sudden mumble then jerk, but still she slept. Asuka groaned into a growl, leaning right into her face.

“Wake the hell up dumbass!”  

“AAAUGH!”

Lili shot upright slamming them together, a breeze from the impact shifting Asuka and sending her rolling across the floor. Pain exploded, purple spots flashed her vision then were gone.

‘Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck-‘

“Fuuuckk!”

“My god what’s wrong with you?”

“You! You and your forehead nearly killed me.”

“What did you expect yelling so close like that? You’re not even bleeding. I thought someone came to kill me! Or rob us, or both.”

Asuka grumbled then settled into a scowl. She felt her face tenderly; Lili was right. Her head throbbed but hadn’t caught a scratch.

“Whatever. Keep your voice down or Dad might wake up. Sorry.”

Lili grimaced as she pulled off her eye mask, tossing it over a shoulder as she stood and yawned.

“Why are we up before the sun anyway? My beauty sleep will be ruined.”

Asuka sighed.

“Training.”

By the time they’d each had their turn fishing in the dresser true dawn dappled through the windows. Thankfully Lili matched her careful pace and save for their footfalls the house laid blanketed between quiet and nature’s white noise. Asuka glanced at her from the corner of her eye. Lili wore her hair pinned in a bun with an upturned tail, a headband cupping her bangs; both were paired by a compression tank top that hugged everything, and flowy sweatpants. From the midriff down were stitched roses and sharp curving vines. It wasn’t bad, and that made her bite her lip.

Her nose twitched when she could smell the training hall before they entered it. The rainbow of roses was now wilted; their grey brittle shells crunching under her feet. Musk of decay mixed with rancid sweetness filled her mouth. Behind her she heard coughing followed by a dry gag. Lili threw a hand over her lips; her eyes startled wide.

“My poor things…”

She watched her shift forward and Asuka threw out an arm to stop her, gently. Lili’s body had a softness to it, but to her surprise she felt muscle only practice produced. A jolt like a warm electric shock raced up her arm. She replied firm like it could restrain a tinge of regret.

“I saved the ones I could but they were already half dead when I came home. Then the ones I threw into vases died a little while after too.”

“You tried.”

Lili whispered absentmindedly, a hint of disbelief. Asuka sucked her teeth. Did she come off heartless to this girl? It was completely unfair, after all-

“None of them had to die if you hadn’t thought to leave a bunch of flowers without water. That’s so wasteful and stupid.”

“Making things beautiful is not stupid; you lack refined tastes. Being an uncouth boor seems to better suit you.”

“Yeah well, whatever that means, at least I have sense.”

They stomped at one another, their faces drawn close enough to feel the heat rising after every word. Asuka bit her lip; her jaw tightened into a scowl. Then, rather than argue and scrunch further, Lili ‘Hmph’d’ and turned away.

“We’re wasting time if we’re going to get any practice done before school.”

“No. I will be practicing forms. You can clean this up; it’s your mess. I’m not showing you squat for however long that takes.”

Before Lili could bark another complaint from her twitching mouth Asuka pointed a finger.

“Look up.”

Above the doorway rested the outline of bright untouched wood versus the rest of the dark wall polished by age. Its straight lines and angles formed the shape of a missing rectangle. Lili cocked her head, her expression stilled.

“What was there?”

“Dad hung our school’s motto on a plaque before I was born. It was nailed right in that spot, until that Kempo bastard snapped it like a twig when he trashed the place.”

Every syllable saw her blood boil, every word guiding the drum of her heart pounding in her ears. The hairs on her nape stood not stiff in fear as it was rage howling for release. In her vision there rested only the naked wall, nothing else.

“I need to get stronger, hunt him, and then I’m taking our school sign back. That one he stole like it was nothin’ but some cheap trophy. When he’s begging mercy at my feet, it won’t be over till he’s pissing, shitting, and eating through tubes!”

Spittle flew through the bite of her last word. Her heart turned to roaring in her ears; not her heart entirely but the rush of air, she realized, when she heard a gasp beyond it. Lili stood, that doe eyed stare returned now bordering on panic as she trembled softly. Glancing at the floor Asuka found her own fists had clenched. Since when? Her body had grown tight, pain beginning to throb in deeper knots along her limbs, her back. She breathed in then out. Her voice became stifled.

“Whenever we’re here we have to bow at the sign, got it? That’s all.”

She did so, half in demonstration and half in fervor; a perfect tilt neither too high nor too in the middle. When she walked away roses parted at the force on her heels. Lili said nothing, but she heard faint shuffling, a pause, followed by more movement fuzzing at the edge of her awareness. Forms, she needed to concentrate on her forms now. Bending down in the middle of the hall she cleared a circle then straightened into position. Breathe in then out.

First came arm stretches followed by meaty pops from both shoulders, she shivered into a sigh at those. Then she bent over feeling the burn in her hamstrings before it fizzled out. Slowly she stretched out one leg at a time for her sitting hamstring work, then ankle flexes. The routine loosening each limb emptied her mind, honed her focus into a single razor point.

There was a nagging presence circling the edge of her awareness, she launched into White Heron Dance. Its sequence was familiar, her roundhouse kicks spinning her with whirlwind momentum into a sucker punch that curved the air in passing. Moon Scent would be next. She threw herself downward, bouncing from a handstand as she speared her legs into an upward arc. Like a looping bird she let gravity carry her backflip, fluid as water. Her stomp boomed when she landed upright again. She caught her breath, readying to jab when the presence danced across her skin, refusing now to hide.

 Asuka glanced at Lili, wrinkling her brow in confusion when the girl kept staring as if mesmerized. She scoffed. A rich girl had probably never seen anyone who worked for their skills, much less the sturdy muscle years of technique carved along Asuka’s body.  Even other girls during P.E. class at school were prissy about it- until she’d once sent a few flying. None of them had ever turned as red as Lili now was though.

“What? Quit grilling me unless you’ve got something to say.”

Lili turned away and swept the roses slower. The flush on her face reached her fingertips.

“Sh-Shut your mouth.” Was all Asuka heard her grumble.

She adjusted her crop top and shifted her shorts. The modest room seemed to shrink the longer neither moved. Then just like that Lili went back to sweeping as she jabbed the first steps of Basho’s Dance.

Together they faced the walk to school. One glance at the battered frame and missing bolts of Asuka’s bike had her tugging Lili along before a word could shoot out her mouth. It was left leaning against the house; her stomach sank at Lili having seen it at all. Then she was under a barrage.

First the streets were nice to walk but crowded easily yet it was better than Monaco. The weather was too cold at a slight breeze despite it being May. They were too far away to smell the ocean. There were no gull calls floating readily through the air in their neighborhood. Despite this the buildings were beautiful, quaint, and street signs were a splendid rainbow. Asuka’s uniform, though handsome with a popped collar and short sleeves, was too typical. Nothing could change it being a sweater vest over a dress shirt and a skirt, how very dull. It lacked the refined precision of a superior tailor- Lili had a dozen points proving as much. And that was why she’d had hers custom ordered to her measurements in a green complimenting her as well as the hand sown cuffs. Her butler, Sebastian, had arranged paying off their principal so she could keep it on. She had something to say after every other block; it took only three before Asuka wished she’d shut the fuck up. Instead she rested her bag over her shoulder, her chin held high, and humored her anyway.

Homeroom finally divided them by school year, and even if she whined about it and rolled her eyes, Lili relented. Teachers shooed her away toward the Second Years by the time Asuka sat her ass in the Third Year class she rightfully belonged with. Everyone else clustered around their circles of the room, chatting about gossip she didn’t understand. Understanding hadn’t been a privilege she’d held since her first time storming back, that Kempo bastard having been nowhere she could reach. It would be almost a year ago since she’d flung desks out the window when one boy joked ‘At least you got to be a tourist while the rest of us took exams!’ The suspension afterwards marred her student record, yet when she’d been yelled at in the faculty office she’d felt nothing. There’d been only the off white of the florescent lights, fury killing the pain into numbness.

Their homeroom teacher whose name she couldn’t remember called everyone’s attention. The pockets of gossip went back to their rank and file seats for roll call and bowing. Waiting for her name to be called she stood, a handful of glances finding her staring at the wall clock. Behind her more gazes merged and bore upon her shoulders. Whispers tickled her ears buzzing like gnats, silenced when their tired teacher asked,

“Asuka Kazama?”

“Here.”

She sat down when he passed her over and leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, brow narrowed. It was every day with this shit. When the lecture started she pulled out her notebooks in silence. Half of her listened; reason kept her anger lidded to a simmer.

History was today’s first subject. It was something about the Sengoku Era picking up off yesterday’s lesson. She hadn’t kept track since chasing Lili at the seventh Iron Fist Tournament; with the bombings, cities in rubble, and armies mowing each other down on the news, studying felt as much a moot point. Her hand clenched in her hair absentmindedly as she took notes on Nobunaga Oda’s last stand at Honnō-ji. His own men had turned and cornered him like a rat. In the crowd around her some jeering or nervous faces turned away when she returned their stares. Many had been weak little squirts running to her covered in bruises when they were in elementary school. She’d charged their bullies and taken blows she’d showed off to Dad wearing a toothy grin. Her enemies were left groaning on the pavement, worthless against the latest technique she’d trained. Asuka’s eyes stuck to her paper, gritting her teeth.

Math came next. An equation that stretched a good width of the chalkboard had her cocking her head, a brow raised incredulously. Then the worst possible thing happened as she squinted in frustration- the teacher locked eyes with her.

“Ms. Kazama, can you tell us the correct answer?”

Two people snickered. She stood and crossed her arms. It was algebra she recognized but never exceled at. If she multiplied, subtracted, carried the one and divided she’d get…

“Er, uh, is it four?”

Pain swatted against her forehead flashing purple spots in her vision. Something clattered at her feet and when she crunched it underfoot she found chalk dust.

“Perhaps you’d know if you took your education seriously. Next.”

She balled her hands at her sides growling into a scowl. Not caring for surrender she flopped back down into her seat and stared into her notes. Then came more whispers,

“Kazama struggles with math worse than I do…”

“Of course she does all she cares about is fighting.”

“Don’t let her hear you or she’ll turn into Violent Kazama!”

Literature class left her tongue tied and head swimming in muddy metaphors. One book’s story could contain a million answers and counter answers, and then there was the view teachers wanted you to have. She wasn’t picked for a read aloud, sighing in relief at that. Still, she tried looking as neutral as her face could tolerate. Her fists clenched on her desk.

‘How the hell am I supposed to know what some author’s going through? Nothing’s going right with me!’

She didn’t even want to attempt English. The straight and curved squiggles of letters on the board were jumbled nonsense. Her notes tapered into messy lines. The borders of her page became busy with scribbles. In one she trampled that Kempo bastard underfoot, holding her dojo’s sign above her head, triumphant. In another Dad practiced his form grinning ear to ear. Then without thinking she drew curve after curve until Lili’s arrogant eyes and unknowable smile framed in a detailed portrait stared up at her. She sucked her teeth quietly.

Lunch came without fanfare when everyone again went in their little corners eating together. Some people scraped their chairs loudly when they moved seats; when she looked around she sat alone. Even the bullied loner kids had made a camp of their own. They shot her nervous, pitiful glances. Tch. She scowled into a sigh. Her lunch amounted to a protein shake and the bento she normally made slapped together without order. The rice, unshaped and seaweed scattered, half buried her sliced sausage. The pickled radishes, lettuce, and sliced carrots spilled over the rectangle cut omelets and nearly the rest of the box.  Her hamburger steak felt fucking pathetic squished at the center of it all. The nonsense that morning, and Lili’s cluelessness doing anything herself made Asuka rush in the kitchen. Before she could wallow her stomach growled.

Whispers beat against her as she ate.

“Stupid.”

“Nosey.”

“Thug.”

“Didn’t you hear? What if she’s related to that Jin Kazama, the terrorist…?”

“Enough people end up in the hospital ‘cuz of her. Even if they’re mostly punks…”

She gritted her teeth and glared like she could punch using her eyes. Her name went quiet after that. After the final bell for the day she checked the chalkboard and breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn’t on cleaning duty this time, and that made her steps ten times lighter out the door. Her bag went on her shoulder, swaggering even as the tips of her ears flushed. A pair of girls walking toward her staggered and speed walked away at one glance. Asuka growled and the weight in her steps thud off the walls like trampling hooves. She turned the corner to find them opening their shoe lockers. They gasped, bug eyed as they gaped like the idiots they were, fumbling to get their loafers on. The taller one fell against the lockers and yelped letting her lackey drag her away. She dashed forward and yelled after them,

“Go ahead and fuck off! That’s right! I hate you too!”

She sucked her teeth kicking off her school slippers, angry enough to never care again. When she opened her locker a presence hovered by her left-

“These people are largely lacking in the social graces, it seems. How awful.”

The hairs on her nape stood and her grip grabbing her shoes turned her knuckles white. Her jaw clenched, for a breath she stared ahead utterly still. When she slammed her locker shut Lili jolted but recovered as if not a hair were out of place. She threw her shoes to the ground and shoved into them one foot at a time. She didn’t bother looking at her until there were no options left. The heat rose like steam off her skin; her face scrunched into a glare that made Lili cock her head. Asuka stared her up and down. Lili stood rod straight holding her bag in front of her with both hands; a picture perfect schoolgirl waiting poised like some cliché out of an old drama. Like a cat sitting in a high place it didn’t belong; ignorant to any wrong it’d done.

She leaned up right in her face. The air wrapped around them hot, stale, bristling.

“You made it worse.” The words practically spat out her mouth.

“I beg your pardon?”

“First I had to go chase my Dad’s enemy halfway across the world; people gave me shit for ‘overreacting’. People started doubting what I’ve done for them. They think I just want to fight. Then you came along pulling me into whatever this petty bullshit grudge you have is. You made me show up to the Iron Fist Tournament on live TV missing more school, and what do I find when I meet you? You’re not making any sense talking about my family, what fucked up bloodlines I belong to; the drama that’s destroying the world could come after me. Buying my house, moving in! Now they think I’m like the idiots I clean up on the streets and treat me even worse!”

Finally Lili’s brow pinched.

“Petty? You think what I do is petty?”

“What else is this shit supposed to be? I’ve only met you three times and you’re already ruining my life.”

“Ruining- I can’t believe this. Our rematch outside this school was for my honor after you trounced me at our first meeting. Everything since however has been for your benefit-“

“Don’t you dare say that-“

“I just don’t understand your anger over something practical-“

“THIS IS YOUR FAULT!”

A gale roared flinging Lili’s hair wild as a shaking tree; she stumbled then froze in terror. Asuka felt nothing but the stinging of her blood, a burning on her skin. Then she followed Lili’s stare. Her right fist trembled, raised mid punch, her twitching muscle all that leashed it as if it were a tugging dog. Her ears were ringing.  Her tongue felt like pins and needles. Blood trickled down her knuckles from a few tiny cuts. It was so strange; she could see the heat haze rising off her wounds. Her mind went blank.

“Asuka…”

Her tendons flexed as she forced her arm down. The thud of her bag hitting the floor came muffled to her. To breathe shook her body one wheeze after another. Behind her long shadows smothered all warmth from the room.

Her voice was ice.

“Fuck you.”

She took off sprinting outside not caring what direction took her so long as she flew anywhere else. Far, far, and far away; anywhere else. The streets blurred past into denser and denser blocks lined with bright neon or metal signs. Lanes and corners went from mostly empty to small crowds parting at her wrath.

‘Where…where’s some punks…where?!’

The soles on her shoes squeaked as she dipped into an alley. She heard voices pop into existence and her ears perked.

“Got a problem asshole? This is our turf.”

“Not last week it wasn’t, you assholes keep pushin’ your way in here. You got no respect!”

“What’d you say fuckin’ tough guy?”

“Eat shit and give it up!”

Ahead of her figures lunged together until they became two big guys locked in each other’s grip. She flung herself high, tucked in, then thrust out both legs.

“Hold it right there!”

Instantly her heels bashed against their skulls crashing them together; she flipped and rolled safely off their domes. When she stood up there were no exits, just two gangs bunched shoulder to shoulder. At least twelve boys her age now circled her gawking and silent. She got up slowly, catching a deep breath then stopped.

Stand tall, now.

The pair she’d crashed into rolled and groaned clutching themselves before going dead still. They were blacked out. Good. She liked these odds. A guy wearing a jumpsuit stitched with catchphrases and his hair slicked back pointed at her.

“Who the fuck are you?”

She dusted off her hands then put one on her hip and smirked.

“Nothing belongs to either of you; the least you can do is not fight where everyone can see. You’re disturbing the peace. Go knock each other out in private, got it?”

Taking a step forward she stabbed her finger on the flashy guy’s chest.

“That’s me telling you as the Gang Mediator of Osaka, Asuka Kazama!”

A heavy silence passed where only a breeze whistled through. Then roaring laughter burst into her ears without buildup. She scowled but before she could react the guy grabbed her wrist.

“You’re so full of it, look there’s blood on her knuckles and she’s talking about ‘disturbing the peace’ gyahahahaha!”

‘Shit.’

Then something deeper hummed, it liked these odds.

“What’re you gonna do arrest us? Where’s your badge?”

“We can handle cunts like you!”

She tried snatching her hand away but he gripped it tight; his eyes narrowed like he’d stepped in fresh shit. She sighed.

“Put the turf on hold let’s get this bitch.”

As he grinned she gripped him by the hand he held and yanked them together. One of her legs swept his left shin; the instant he stumbled her fist slammed into his jaw. Woozy, he started crumpling when her kick flew into his nose.  The next guy hurled a right cross she dodged, seizing his arm and flipping him to let momentum do the rest. He hit the ground with a smack, her heel stomping his throat. More goons scrambled to corner her from every side; thinking fast she chopped one’s windpipe and shoved another with both palms. She dashed between the gaps he left as he fell into the others, toppling some into a groaning pile.

 The guys left standing chased her into the alley she’d come from, not bothering to look around until she readied herself. By then their mistake sealed them into a single file row but still they raged.

‘Now ya really asked for it!’

She went low planting her hands on the ground before kicking in a perfect arc on her backflip. The rubber of her soles bounced knocking a guy’s chin backwards. A few teeth clattered to the pavement. She caught her breath and ran as more trampled him underfoot. It was a few meters until she could see the sign lined street peeking ahead. She booked it, narrowly emerging in time to sidestep a grab for her hair. Again she ducked sweeping the guy’s ankle; bashing his shin, and then sprung into a one two punch.  In an instant his head knocked around harder than a jiggling water balloon. With a roar she thrust a kick forward booting him easy as a door. They cried and shouted under another pile up. One avoided the spill and charged; two punches whipped together was her answer.

“Somebody hit her already!”

“Stop pushing!”

“Who stepped on my new sneakers?”

“This bitch is stronger than a fucking gorilla!”

Again some lunged after her but she was shorter, faster, and nimble as the wind she sent them falling in a row. Then pain slammed her from behind shooting lightning across her spine. Crying out she stumbled but didn’t slump. Not wasting precious seconds she felt her neck rock sideways as she turned; the boy’s punch glanced her and even half its power crashed like a waterfall.

‘Fuck…’

“I got her!”

Roaring, Asuka pivoted into a back turn throwing herself behind her right shoulder; he slammed against a building, bouncing off the wall. His body dropped useless as a sack of meat. Everything went quiet; every eye had traced the arc of his flight. She gathered her breath, huffing and slinking back into stance. Her hands waited, palms slicked with sweat the same as her hair sticking to her forehead. Her clothes were getting damp; this had to end soon, Dad’s voice chided echoing in her mind. A grimace shut him out. Carefully she watched them and planted her feet. Anger cinched her into one piece, one feeling that demanded nothing but to sit beside her. Whether it was bravery, stubbornness, or still being pissed the boys started getting up.

She shook her head, grinned, and was gone in the fray.

Darkness filled the gaps of the sign lights curving over twelve sprawled bodies. She huffed, bent and holding her knees to stand. Everything from hair to socks stuck against her skin as if she’d spent hours rolling in cement. Her muscles pooled heat in knots. Tenderly she prodded her face; a swell around her left eye would definitely bruise by morning. Blood had long dried just under her left temple too, she wasn’t worried about that. When she tugged her sweater and checked for stains, she groaned finding streaks of it. Swaying she managed getting herself upright. The world wobbled the way your balance tipped lifting a heavy block. Her throat was sandpaper she couldn’t swallow enough to wet.

Someone moaned stirring painfully slow near the edge of the sprawl. Asuka gnashed her teeth into a growl and limped toward him. Winding a kick she slammed his head planting him on his back. Then finally she was alone. She roared into the sky,

“Next time listen to me you dumbasses! No fighting!”

She spat at them and kept going down the cleared street. The fighting must have shooed everyone when she’d been busy. It wasn’t even a long walk, she knew this area the more she looked around, but each step was lead. The streets could have stretched a few meters or several kilometers, time lessened nothing. At least she had her vision, scanning for the familiar signs and lanes that would turn into home. Like an idiot she’d left her phone in her school bag, and she’d never gotten into watches despite Dad swearing by them. Whenever it was she guessed the trains still ran with as many people crossing intersections as there were. That made it late enough though that she’d probably missed dinner. People quickly turned not daring to look her in the eyes. Or they gasped, froze in place, and then scurried off. She sighed softly but never once rested.

When she turned a familiar intersection her chest tightened; another punk crowd lounged outside a Lawson’s. They laughed, pretended to fight, and ate snacks loud enough to set her head aching halfway down the block. She sucked her teeth. To her left opened up another tight alley; if she could just limp across, if she could just stay low then-

“Ms. Asuka? Izzat you?”

“What’s she doing out this late?”

“Yeah that’s her look, look!”

Their sneakers hit the pavement thundering closer and closer. Growling she pulled herself up, readying her hands. Their eyes glinted under the streetlights bouncing from surprise to shock. She squinted and studied their faces, their casual dress. For once her relief seemed like it could melt her pain away. She’d broken these guys in months ago. Their fussing was music to her ears, and when the leader insisted two people help her stand while they walked her home, she didn’t resist. Everyone rained down questions scrambling her thoughts until she swore she might explode. So instead, urging them to shut up for a second, she gave them the rundown start to finish. Lili however, of course, was none of their business.

They ooh’d and ahh’d and that got a snicker out of her. Twelve guys at once, they kept passing it around as if the words were something they could touch. Someone slapped her shoulder. Another offered her an energy drink she gulped greedily. As it dribbled down her chin she asked them if they’d been making nice around town. Silence fumbled in the darkness but when her eyes narrowed they nodded and reassured her. Yesterday they hadn’t even fought anyone, helping a granny cross the street instead. Exhaustion drowned her will to question. They chatted until she had nothing but listening to their jokes.

She said goodbye waving off their good cheer two blocks from home and felt lighter. A dog barked somewhere when she leaned against her courtyard’s fence; her head throbbed. Huffing for breaths she looked up. Lili sat on the front step head in hand and scrolling her phone. Seconds passed and when she blinked they were staring. Out came her next breath and Lili ran toward her; Asuka had never seen her move so fast. She found herself in her arms and managed a protesting groan but didn’t pull away. Lili’s fingers tenderly grazed her black eye.

“My god where the hell have you been, what happened?! Do you have any idea how late it is? You idiot running off like that without even taking your things…”

Asuka’s temper smoldered, fizzled into ash.

“I’m fine, go get my Dad he knows about patching me up. And quit hugging me you’re not making this hurt any less! You’re the idiot.”

“Stop talking or I shall drop you where you stand so you may crawl inside.”

“Damnnit.”

Dad wove the gauze tight between her knuckles. She hissed then shuddered when he glared back. With a sigh she put her chin in her other hand. She couldn’t tell if he read her regret; the ice pack taped to her face blocked half her vision. Her shoulders sagged pathetically. A cold jolt prickled along the cut beneath her eye; on reflex she hissed and instantly the pain began dulling. Lili had a steady hand applying a second thin streak of ointment.

“At least warn me when you’re gonna do that.”

“Hush, there’s no time to waste keeping these from ballooning overnight.”

“Listen to her Asuka. It’s you who went looking for trouble when unfocused in the first place.”

She swallowed hard then huffed quietly.

“Lift your head and hold still, I’m applying your bandage.” Lili said.

Asuka obeyed; this time she could feel their body heat hovering close. Lili’s touch worked so softly on her skin, Asuka couldn’t find it in her to feign annoyance. It didn’t hurt at all like it should. A low gentle hum rumbled in her throat when Lili’s thumb smoothed the bandage, the white noise of an absent mind filled the space. Then Dad cleared his throat breaking the spell; her eyes widened driving that weird calm away like someone throwing stones after a fleeing dog. She rubbed her head and scoffed, crossing her arms in silence. Lili humph’d and did the same.

“So, what started this?”

Dad looked dead at her. Anger rolled when she flexed her tense shoulders, fogging as it curled her voice.  

“My classmates avoid me and talk crap about what we’re going through at school. It’s nothing I can’t handle so don’t worry yourself.”

“You’re the one coming home like this. Defending yourself or someone is what I encouraged you to do, not chase idiots proving how tough you are. What have I kept telling you-“

“Fight with a clear head.” She sighed.

“That’s right.”

“If I might add Mr. Kazama…”

She turned expecting Lili stone faced or cocky. Instead a frown wrinkled her mouth, her eyes narrowed just enough. It was like she’d seen this before; daughters at odds with fathers.

“I saw some of the bullying myself. Anyone would have found it insulting, and though I didn’t mean to contribute, some misunderstandings between us worsened everything. I suppose I played a part in her rage.”

“Played a part, you are-“

“Asuka. I understand Lili and I appreciate you admitting fault. But in the end she is responsible for her behavior.”

He leaned back stretching his sinewy legs, worn into silence. Then he sighed and she saw even his shoulders deflate.

“Just go Lili. Thank you for your help.”

Without a word she watched her bow her head, give her an unreadable glance, then she was gone. Gently Asuka pressed the ice pack closer against her skin. Immediately her body winced, saving her from looking him in the eye.

“Times like these make me not know what to do with you girl.”

“What else am I supposed to do? It’s between this and the world going to shit, I...”

He leaned forward taking her hand with both of his. His face softened. Asuka’s heart seized up her throat.

“I know what happened while I was…getting better. I wouldn’t wish the burden you had on my worst enemy. Watching while what our family built gets sold off piece by piece. The bills. Not a single old student asking what we, what you needed. Whole thing haunts me waking or dreaming.”

Her muscles locked; she hung her head before her lip began quivering. A cry choked and died inside. She felt hot tears dripping into her bangs. Dad smoothed her hair, tucking parts behind her ears. Asuka cried.

“My poor girl.”

“…I’m confused Dad. I’m so confused.”

He kept petting her hair, each new pass making her weightless.

“What’s confusing, which part? Tell me what it is.”

“She just, that girl never tells me what she wants! And if she does it’s wrapped up so fast I can’t keep track. Nothing makes sense anymore and she wants to make that worse. She’s so fucking cocky about driving me in circles.”

He sighed.

“Well, if I know you the way I do, did you press her to talk straight- or did you feel lost and get fed up when you weren’t hearing what you wanted?”

She snapped up glaring, pointed as a knife. He chuckled like he knew something she didn’t.

“You want me sitting there and taking stupid crap?” She growled into a sniffle.

“No. I’m saying sometimes you gotta find out as much as you can before you hold grudges. Can’t punch your way through life kiddo.”

Again her lip quivered, no longer pained. He leaned close. He put on his firm voice.

“Someone like that never wears their heart on their sleeve. Not usually.”

He clapped her forearm and shuffled toward the fridge. She sat there, blinking. Her knuckles stung flexing her hand. Spots of blood seeped into the bandage; the red pinpricks tightening her chest when she couldn’t help counting them.

“Dad.”

“Yeah kid?”

“When…when I got mad and shouted at Lili…my arm moved on its own. I didn’t even feel pain or my skin tearing. I was just making a fist…and the wind went crazy. It blew; around me. I blinked and it shot out everywhere.”

His spine went ridged, lamp post straight. His eyes fixed something hard and tighter than his discipline at training.

“I didn’t mean to!”

“The heat of the moment got to you. I know your temper; you let it blind your mind. You’ll get pissed enough and forget about stopping yourself. And you’ve been stressed. Yes I could tell don’t look at me like that. Rest is what you need.”

He said it matter-of-factly erasing any questions. Not entertaining a single one even if she got them out. Her stomach bundled a knot she felt pinch her breath. She nodded and glanced toward the wall. There was nothing more to say. Already she cast it down her lake of memory, where it sank with a sword’s weight.

Burying under her thin summer covers she stared at the ceiling. A plate of dinner had been saved for her, setting her stomach near bursting now. Only their breathing filled the night, Lili having taken her place among her stuffed animals. Slowly Asuka sat up, squinting to make out her silhouette; the girl was fast asleep. She had no idea how. It never seemed she did much all day save for homework and experimenting ridiculous skin routines. Unless they crossed paths or ate dinner Asuka kept to herself. Though sometimes, without meaning it, she’d overhear soft conversations; phone calls reassuring Sebastian, and other things she was sure. Words slid back down like watery noodles. She lay flat again on her doubled pillows, until her throbbing head lulled her away.

When she dragged herself out the bath the next morning her wobbling steps wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed. She yawned gripping the towel around her neck; the tips of her wet hair kept passing out at bay. As she stood drying off, a distant thump echoed almost as if it were right beside her. Fumbling into a shitty stance she nearly tripped over the towel, scrambling to snatch it before it might hit the floor. Another thump echoed to match the first. Then a third, faster stomp followed, scared to miss the rhythm of what came before it. Her feet moved toward the training hall; not a thought in her mind giving voice to the goosebumps climbing her arms.

She poked her head through the entrance; Lili landed a perfect backflip.  There came a calculated pause for catching her breath, before she pivoted into a roundhouse kick. Its arc spread a bit too wide but that didn’t lessen how it snapped the air. Her back was turned to Asuka as she wiped her face with a handkerchief. From wall to wall the floors were spotless. A grin touched her. Quiet and gingerly she leaned against the doorway. 

Tucking the handkerchief into a pocket, Lili huffed, hands on her hips. Asuka blinked, and she threw another roundhouse. This one snapped sharp, corrected into something sleek. She watched her throw out five more never resting save for the turn from one to another. Groaning, Lili launched into a somersault; when their eyes met she tumbled out her landing. Asuka laughed so hard her towel shook free crumpling at her feet.

“Nique ta mère!” Lili shouted.

Asuka slid down wiping tears, twitching when her laughs grew louder. She slapped her thighs nearly tipping sideways. Lili slammed her fist, tried to stand, then tripped over herself. In a few steps she towered over her, and offered a hand. It was met with a glare. She cocked her head and shrugged, but Lili grabbed it as she pulled away. Asuka stood her up slow; the girl dusted her hands off, her thanks amounting to a simple ‘Hmph’.

“I could have done without your sneaking around, but what did you think?”

“About the practice or you eating shit on the floor?”

“That tongue of yours should be traded for some manners.” Lili’s dry tone pinched her expression.

Asuka snorted a tiny laugh into her fist.

“At least I can see you’re not lazy, even when you get sloppy. I remember a few students used to quit after barely starting. Just ‘cuz they thought they’d be action heroes in a day. Then when it turned out they didn’t get it perfect in a second, poof.”

Lili smirked.

“Yes well, I do not intend on going ‘Poof’; I intend to win.”

“Against me?”

Lili’s expression hardened sensing wariness.

“Against whatever stands in my way.”

Then she smiled flipping her bangs. She was being a dumbass again.

“And that may include you, or it may not. Time will tell. Now let us ready for school.”

“…You’re so damn annoying.”

Lili curtseyed and walked past with a spring in her step. When she disappeared silence lingered for how long Asuka didn’t count until she heard birds singing outside. The world was waking up. She took in the empty hall. Crisp air cleansed her lungs; everything spotless. A smile came without thinking. Her satisfied chuckle warmed like a cloudless summer. She looked it over one last time, and then left the pull of childhood behind.

Lunch at school was no longer the hard won lesser evil she could tolerate. The left side of her face formed a minor swell beneath bandages and one of several fresh ice cubes in plastic baggies Dad had tossed in a thermal bag. Fixing it to her head had her fumble an entire roll of gauze. Every bite of food brought tiny hammers down on her jaw. The whispers had outright ballooned into normal chatter.

“Whoa look at that! It’s a blue black plum!”

“Did she seriously go look for a fight right after school? So typical.”

“How dangerous…oh my god she glared at me.”

From the side of the room a door slid open. Asuka didn’t bother checking to see until suddenly she heard no sound.  Lili flipped her hair as she swaggered in, sitting right beside her and smirking. She watched her place her briefcase and take out her own boxed lunch like this were some prissy café and dozens weren’t gawking. Several pounding heartbeats passed for anyone to find the mind to speak.

“How the hell did you find my class?” Asuka whispered.

“It’s called asking around don’t be stupid.” 

A few people crowded them, walling Lili off before others got the chance for five seconds of her presence. Keeping the utmost poise, she gave them not a single glance as she opened her food. They may as well have not existed when she began setting the table. It was impressive. A wide faced girl at the front who Asuka recognized as the Third Year gossip bitch grew antsy, tugging the hem of her skirt. Her flunkies flanked her mimicking the shy act better than a clone. The whole thing gave Asuka chills.

“Wow are you the new transfer girl? Hiii, my name’s Ayako and-“

“What appointment did you schedule to interrupt me?”

Asuka watched Ayako freeze in her tracks; the plastic smile now stiff and twitching at the corners. Her robot wiring had short circuited. The circle of her little goons threw their hands over their mouths. They glanced from their leader to Lili and back again.

“…Sorry, we just thought you’d want to eat with better company. Among people who can show you all kinds of things so you’re not lost. Your hair is sooo pretty by the way. What’s the secret?”

Lili unfolded a napkin onto her lap and started cutting the filleted swordfish beside her salad of tomatoes, olives, and bell peppers. All things she had insisted on bringing to Japan in a cooler, of course. Ayako leaned forward sticking her hands on the desk mere centimeters from Lili’s arm.

“Just so you know, for your own good you know, that girl next to you…she puts people in the hospital. She’s sooo unsafe, you know?”

Neatly Lili set down her knife and fork, dabbing the napkin at her mouth. Asuka made a choked sound watching her stand and push past them. Without warning she planted her ass right in front of Asuka’s lunch and crossed her legs. Her hands folded on her knees while Asuka sputtered for the right words. She never found them when Lili cocked her head and bore polite, surgical venom.

“Who told you to wear that cheap makeup and slouch like a slob when talking?”

“Excuse me?! What’s your problem?”

“Oh, nothing. I simply cannot recall when I requested a small minded cow offer their opinion. Much less dictate anything toward me, of all people. Perhaps being so comfortable brown nosing, there’s another ass you should be licking.”

Chopsticks fell from Asuka’s grip clattering into her rice. She stared at her wide eyed and mouth gaping. Ayako burned so red she could be a dynamite stick that sparked itself. All at once the flunkies clung to each other rubbing Ayako’s arms and shoulders. They showered her in nasally compliments, but that didn’t stop her shoving them aside, balling her fists.

“B-Bitch!” She shrieked.

“I must get back to eating, if you’ll excuse me.”

She threw herself to her feet giving them a dismissive wave. Bumping them out her way she set everything as it’d been, and dug into lunch. Ayako moved to snatch Lili’s knife; Lili plucked her wrist mid thrust and twisted it in reverse. She bent it at an angle taking a bite off the fork while the girl sank to her knees, screaming breathlessly.

“Ah ah ah I would not flail if I were you. Run along now.  Adieu.”

She gave Ayako’s wrist a jerk then released her. Wheezing and shaking Ayako scooted on her ass, crawling and tripping over the floor. Together her goons pulled her up. Wobbling they stumbled into the corner they came from. Asuka who stood ready on reflex found herself reduced to a dumb stare.

“Better?”

Lili asked, smiling, eyes studying.  Slinking down in her chair Asuka pinched her brow and held her head in her hands. Gripping her chin couldn’t conceal a tiny smile.

From then on she never ate alone. Each day Lili announced her arrival by striking some model pose or with a hair flip. Then she’d park her ass beside Asuka surrounded by everyone pretending they weren’t scared. At least Asuka no longer heard her name in gossip. For a day someone tried slipping Lili’s name within earshot. No one said so, but the immediate silence could only have been under Ayako’s orders. For her part Lili didn’t seem to give a shit; in fact she’d never seen her so self-assured. At first she felt her skin crawl, that ugly nervousness she hated even imagining. But not a week passed before she started grinning too.

Each day her eye got lighter, the bruise centimeters smaller, and soon she better recognized her reflection. Once, when Dad was out on an errand, she brought it up over tea. Without Sebastian there, Lili kept trying to brew the way he knew she liked. After Asuka showed her how water boiling worked obviously.  So far there’d been no success.

“I haven’t forgotten about the other day you know.”

Lili stopped stirring sugar into her tea. Her tone had a way of looking at Asuka even if she herself wasn’t.

“Then you remember what I said.”

“Yeah I do. Don’t be an idiot.”

A silence passed. A hesitation. She got a tight lipped smile for a reply.

‘Playing the long game huh? I can do that too. I’ll figure you out.’

As long as her head kept pounding she never stepped foot in the training hall; instead she’d park herself at the door, watching Lili move. Each morning brought something new. Tighter swings, jumps and flips that belonged at the Olympics, Asuka chuckled remembering knocking Lili out the air for those. She refused to abandon the most ridiculous nonsense in the name of ‘aesthetics’.

“You need techniques that won’t leave you wide open!”

She couldn’t help but blurt it out while watching her fling herself around. Her nerves grinded like pepper through a shaker the longer she’d watched. Lili landed on her feet this time, wiping sweat as it touched her skin.

“What do you suggest that won’t rob me of my grace? Or will I be rolling across all manner of ground as you’d prefer.”

“Nuh uh, keep that attitude and I’m leavin’.”

Lili stopped running her handkerchief along her nape. Her eyes softened and for once she stood waiting patiently. Asuka grunted, satisfied. Stepping in slowly she bowed at the old sign spot then positioned herself behind Lili.

“I’m gonna have to touch you to explain.”

“Do as you must.”

“Ok so first, you tend to put your front foot a bit too forward in stance. That’s why I’ve never had much trouble sweeping it.”

“This can be done without reminding me of-“

Asuka planted a hand on Lili’s left thigh, guiding it until both legs were shoulder width apart. Against her warmth Lili shivered. But her body didn’t tense, staying loose when Asuka realized they were practically stuck together. An electric feeling coursed through twisting her gut. For a few seconds sounds were sharper, her touch sensitive; she thought she even tasted her. She pulled back just enough. Glancing up, the faintest blush painted Lili pink, even her eyes might’ve blushed if they could.  

“I’m not gonna touch anything if that’s what yer’ worried about! I used this kinda stuff to help our students when we had ‘em.”

“No…do more of that. I didn’t imagine you’d be so bold about it is all.”

“Shaddup you’re makin’ me sound like a pervert!”

“When did I say that? I am not. Are we continuing, or have your suggestions been cut short?”

“Tch. Keep your feet shoulder width apart. And your back should be straighter it’ll keep you balanced.”

Gentle yet firm she pressed the small of Lili’s back easing her into place. Their bodies drew close enough without hugging this time. Asuka felt Lili’s heart pound through the touch of her palm. It couldn’t explain why hers started racing too. Not a single movement was forced. Her tongue tied when Lili gave another unreadable glance and a smile. Like Asuka had once again played into her schemes. Another electric feeling rode under her skin.

“What next?” The smile hiked into a grin.  

“Movement; you dodge well but you over rely on it because your moves come out slowly. Don’t just hurl those complicated flips at an enemy. Make them want to come to you.”

Asuka barely kept her words together; everything had grown too hot. Finding strength she pulled her hands away. Lili smirked.

“My, you’ve studied me with an interest I’d never have imagined.”

“…I fight…any good fighter knows about paying attention.”

“Certainly. But after having fought only three encounters? I’m beginning to think you’re fonder than you let on.”

Immediately Asuka jabbed a finger at Lili’s chest. It was soft to the touch.

“I dunno what ‘fond’ means but we’re not friends! Don’t go actin’ like you know me for me.”

She huffed and stormed off without her heart in it. Her hopes were it read as ‘Screw You!’, but instead it fizzled into ‘Whatever’. Sucking her teeth she left Lili standing there; burying how she’d made her body sing a new song under silence.

That night they sat at the kitchen table, notebooks and worksheets piled between their dinners. Asuka had eyes on her homework and ears for her pencil scribbling. The swell around her eye had shrunk from a plum to a cherry tomato. The long form equation taunting her from the page met her glare. She scratched her head in frustration. A groan died in her throat when Lili beat her to it.

“These damned dates! I cannot believe anyone memorizes so many periods by heart.”

“History?”

“…Yes.”

Asuka snorted.

“That’s easy ‘cuz it’s all copying stuff down. Nobody’s asking you solve their problems that make no sense.”

Lili looked up at her, pencil butt pressed under her chin.

“Math?”

“Yeah…”

“Simple. Give it here and I shall explain, slowly.”

“Fuck off.”

She paused.

“You mean you can do stupid numbers and variable crap, but can’t read a few paragraphs?”

Lili leaned forward, a scowl splitting her mouth.

“And you are a year older than me but can’t do better than counting.”

Asuka’s grip squeezed a groan from the table when she leaned in too. They glared at each other; neither budged. Her brow quirked but Lili kept a straight face; who would break first? Time stopped. Then they each grabbed the other’s work sighing as they swapped.

“I’ll have you know I received top marks at home for this ‘number crap’. Numbers matter in business. And I’d hate seeing Daddy-Father, keel over from worry.”

“Daddy? Are you five?”

“Quiet! You must have your reasons as I do mine.”

She slouched thumbing the pages.

“History tells us what’s happened so we’ll be less stupid. It’s like tradition; you learn what to do and stuff. And why you should do it. That way you’re not confused.”

One glance and she found Lili staring into her eyes.

“And it can be rewritten too.”

Asuka’s face pinched. She looked at the notes.

“Whatever.”

Lili’s handwriting was neat and clear, highlighting chunks in a rainbow of inks, some glittery. Her brow rose. From the corner of her eye she spied Dad washing dishes. He smiled to himself.

The next time she saw her math teacher swagger in she slid a second notebook under the first. Terms and equations decorated its pages in lists. She’d copied them down herself with a pencil, much to Lili’s annoyance at how colorless that was. But she got through class without any chalk or suspicion hurled her way. A full picture stayed out of reach yet now she no longer drowned among the waves, sputtering for answers. When he left she slumped over her books with a relieved sigh. The notebook bent tight in her embrace.

Lunch came and went; Lili only gave her another unreadable smile when Asuka asked about history. She’d shrugged, eating with a silence between them she didn’t mind. Though she swore at some point, if this weren’t her imagination eating away her sense, Lili had shifted her seat closer. Now Asuka reached for her shoes; aching for the walk home, dinner, and beating numbers to a pulp. She saw blonde hair the instant her locker clattered shut. She jumped crying out,

“What the hell? At least say something moron.”

“Since we cannot train thanks to your eye, I insist you show me your city.”

“Ah, not listenin’ to me again. Alright.”

“Please…”

Asuka gnashed her teeth before turning to find a sight so pathetic she giggled. Lili stood pouting. Her hands balled at her sides not as if she wanted a fight, but like a kid about to stomp their foot. The hopeful glimmer clouding her eyes spilled over. It was a plea. Asuka’s breath hitched realizing this girl was at her full mercy. She grinned. She could do something with this.

“You can ask nicer than that.”

“Well, may I please ask you show me the rest of your beautiful home?” 

Asuka kicked off her school slippers for her shoes. She held a hum as she put her heels in one at a time, thinking nothing. When she was done Lili was still pouting, slouched in a kicked puppy way. She crossed her arms and rubbed her chin.

“Hmmm…I dunno how much I buy it. Doesn’t sound sincere enough.”

She knew that Lili knew. It was plain on her face. The girl was too clever not to know, too stubborn for-

Lili turned around placing her bag at her feet. Carefully she smoothed her hair, tucking whatever came loose. Her cuffs, blazer, and skirt were straightened. From her pockets came a compact with a round mirror. She checked her face. Asuka saw resolve in the briefest glimpse of her reflection. Finally ready, she tucked it away and picked up her bag, facing her again.

“Asuka Kazama. This is my first venture into Osaka. I would like your perspective as a native; to see what you feel it offers.”

“…Well…since you put it that way, maybe I will. C’mon.”

She slung her bag over her shoulder and walked off before Lili could react. Not a few seconds passed when she heard footsteps hurrying behind her. If they were going together, then so was Lili’s wallet. Quickly she flipped her phone open.

[To: Dad]

[ Hanging around with Lili after school; do you need anything from the market? ]

Lili caught up just as she hit send. Asuka smirked flipping the phone closed.

“What? Do you have somewhere in mind?”

“Yeah. Of course I do.”

The catlike grin Lili wore vanished the moment they met the swell of Dotonbori. People packed the bridge end to end bringing their bags, their noise, and each other. Open aired boats trucked beneath the underpass, carrying gawking tourists and their readied cameras. Neon signs dotted every billboard and restaurant woven between those lit by paper lanterns. Though their light was dim in the afternoon sun it grew by the second. They had few hours left before the nightlife stirred and nothing would be left for anyone their age. The entire city loved to come crawling out when the sun kissed it goodnight.

She found Lili frozen stiff in place, gripping her bag. A man passed her sending her recoiling against Asuka’s side. More people walked around them, two boulders diverting the stream. Still Lili’s eyes refused to shrink smaller than saucers of wonder as much as uncertainty. Asuka elbowed her gently. Lili stuck closer to her.

“What’s your problem? Changed your mind?”

“I’d seen pictures and heard rumors from Father’s business trips but, these are your streets? Is there nowhere…private?”

“It’s the street princess; didn’t you walk anywhere back home?”

Lili turned her head, mumbling.

“Seriously? No way-“

“Sebastian drives me around! It’s what we pay him to do…and he insisted anyway. And Father gave me my limo so…”

With a roar Asuka burst out laughing and slapped her leg not caring who stared.

“Stop that! Shut up! Idiot! So what if it’s my first time? You should be nicer about it.”

“I can’t, I can’t. I’m gonna pass out.” Asuka wheezed, gripping Lili’s forearm for balance and clutching her mouth. Her hand couldn’t contain another laugh from bending her over.

“Asshole. But you did call me princess so, I suppose, it isn’t all terrible.”

“Eh?”

When she looked up Lili wouldn’t look at her, but her skin turned a furious pink. Asuka huffed. Her heart kept racing.

“Weirdo. Let’s go already.”

She grabbed her hand and parted the crowds. Wave after wave would press them close until a break appeared, then it grew packed again. Not once did she feel their hands slip. When she slowed down descending the bridge stairs, Lili practically tipped them over. Asuka planted them against the handrail and let her right herself. The rest of the city flowed, some people throwing glares at having to step around them. She forgot about their hands feeling Lili’s breaths, her warmth, watching the flutter of her eyelashes. Her face felt hot; sweat started beading her clothes. Lili didn’t notice, instead scanning for their opening to move. Asuka licked her lips and tugged her along.  

The street thinned out beside the river. They stopped beneath a flashy yellow sign with a giant statue depicting Ebisu sitting above that. Don Quijote’s. She grinned.

“Is that a built in ferris wheel?” Lili blurted out, craning her neck toward Ebisu with awe. The lights on the carriages framing him were off.

“If it’s running every damn tourist and their family will want to ride it. It’d be dark by the time we left.”

Lili flashed her puppy dog eyes. Asuka quickly looked at the display shelves.

“What’s more important is the discount store! We need a new frying pan and I wanna check the deals.”

Something smooth swiped across her fingers. She saw Lili’s thumb retreat; they were still holding hands. Sucking her teeth Asuka let go. Taking her coy smile and bottomless poise with her Lili went ahead. It took strength to swallow and straighten her collar. Her phone beeped like a nagging little bird; tension fled her for sweet relief. Flipping it open, Dad’s message was a button away.

 [ Be home before 19:00.  Get a few instant udon, eggs, milk, and some instant curry. If I think of more I’ll text; have fun. ]

[ Thanks. ]

“What is this, a lineup of counterfeits? And so much candy and liquor…”

‘Ah shit.’

“Don’t go touchin’ anything we don’t need. I’m not trying to buy the place-“

She moved beside her with the halfhearted worry of an owner letting their dog free roam. Her words fell on deaf ears. Lili stood checking the bag display; her judging reflected off the glass case.

“This is a ‘discount store’ as you said no? Designer names truly do go places.”

“Those are second hand or something I dunno; can’t afford and don’t care about that crap.”

 “Neither do I; most are hideous and after a dozen or so from Father, simply boring.”

Asuka gawked.

“What? They’re only a few thousand euros it’s nothing.  It’s unlike here, where everything could be worth one but together bring such variety. For instance,”

She reached for something colorful off a shelf and thrust it at Asuka.

“What am I holding?”

“A water bottle.”

Lili grabbed another item. Asuka’s eyes narrowed, confused yet compelled to answer.

“House slippers.”

Another.

“Hair dryer.”

Another.

“Candy box.”

“See? Isn’t it interesting?”

“I don’t see your point. You’re just being weird.”

Lili’s expression soured.

“No. I’m demonstrating how you can gain so much at once for relatively little. There’s so much in fact you may be accustomed viewing it not as it is, but for what it does. And I find that fascinating.”

All her focus stretched and stretched then snapped wire thin. Asuka scratched her head absentmindedly. No matter how she tried there came nothing to say. Lili sighed, gesturing toward the row after row of displays, shelves, and cases boxing them in.

“Though I suppose, in the end, what value is there to anything unless it is beautiful.”

Their eyes met. There was a conviction, sincerity so keen from Lili, the feeling pierced Asuka warm as a sunbeam. She talked not through her but at her. Nothing hurt, and everything seemed a bit brighter. Fumbling for words took too long; Lili moved on checking the next thing over. Asuka spied kitchenware to her left. She wandered rather than move with purpose, winding her way without worry. Rifling through the pans she grabbed what called to her.

She spun a wide set thing whose steel mirrored her pondering in its pan. The handle was basic, sturdy, good. It carried a plain grace, a thing that knew what it was. She smiled. Looking around, there were a few grandmas downwind of her. Carefully she gave it a few swings; balanced weight too.  Playful laughter burned her ears; the grannies had glanced her way. Her face flushed and she scurried to find Lili, setting free a giggle at herself.

When they finally left she found herself loaded with their bags. Really, both were almost entirely for Lili. The frying pan she’d picked was drowned in a bright candy sea. Never in her entire life had she imagined becoming a spectacle at a cash register. Lili’s self-assuredness grew to confidence; embarrassment wasn’t in her dictionary. Asuka stood pretending they didn’t know each other when the clerk rang them up, trying to keep cool. But not a minute later she felt a squeeze on her arm, Lili gesturing toward the bags, wearing a winner’s smile. ‘We must agree you possess…a strength I do not.’ She’d said. Asuka sighed and found she couldn’t resist. It didn’t stop her grumbling and shoving at least one in Lili’s hand though.

She set their steady pace crossing the bridge again. This time Lili wasn’t all but on top of her ass, yet she didn’t stray. Asuka glanced up putting out an arm to stop her. Rainbow lights flashed then danced across their faces.

“I pass by this guy whenever I’m out y’know. Sometimes I tell myself his smile looks goofy but, the colors are beautiful. Then I might smile too.”

The Glico Man posed arms raised in triumph mid running stride. Behind his thick bold lines a sunny day at the track curving into Osaka’s skyline framed a massive rectangle. She stepped back, watching. Lili stared at him, holding her chin, studying. She didn’t look at Asuka as she cocked her head. The curves and angles of her face were outlined in a glow that softened the shadows.

“I suppose I do see why. There’s an aesthetic bringing every element together.”

Asuka’s stare lingered gently, foolishly, opening a smile holding an ember of her heart. She drank her in, unnoticed with nothing to rip them away. A feeling washed over her the way mist in summer snapped sleep from one’s eyes. Again she took Lili’s hand guiding her across the bridge.

“Hey! I was still looking.”

“We can come back whenever. There’s more around before the adult places open up.”

She tried not looking at her, and hoped the heat from her hands would be mistaken for the weather. They wandered keeping off the alleys and anywhere crowd thick. Every once in a while Lili’s nerves made them huddle under an awning. Asuka’s grip slid to her fingers, squeezing gently whenever the street thinned enough. She wanted an answer, tried guessing why she bothered as they walked. Why not let her go untethered? In the end she had nothing. The thought of leaving her helpless just felt wrong. If there was anything Asuka was ever gonna do, it’d be not sinking lower. Dad had taught her better. And such a fact meant she was more considerate. For some reason Lili never pulled away either.

She watched her so busy taking in whatever they saw that for once Lili wanted answers from her.  They found a rhythm. They’d walk silently until Asuka felt her arm tugged. Then she’d nod enduring the waterfall of precise questions and give a matter-of-fact answer. If they passed a food stall they didn’t leave till they each got something. If it went with sauces, Lili wasn’t satisfied unless she asked to try them one by one. More than a few cooks threw Asuka a glare or surprised stare. She’d smile her apology and pretended nothing mattered except eating as much as possible. Whenever they slapped a wad of bills from Lili’s designer wallet, all was forgiven. The more they went on the longer she gave her tour speech bite sized memories or rumors. A place could never stay a place- it was a feeling understood. Still, there were too many people around for Lili’s nervousness to go away.

“C’mon I’ll get us outta here.”

She brought them to the arcade she’d stuck herself in before the Kempo bastard appeared. Every other day after school Asuka would sink a few hundred yen trying anything new before falling back on her favorites. Whenever she wasn’t scheduled for teaching at the dojo, time meant nothing unless Dad showed up and dragged her home. Then she’d get an earful. She grinned. It’d been worth it anyway. The neon sign stood small as ever. Most of the posters plastering the entrance walls were alien to her. Some she remembered by shape only; as forgettable now as they were for the girl who’d once made a home here.  The white walls and checkerboard linoleum floor tricked people into thinking the rows of glittering cabinets were infinite. Half the customers were kids their age or younger. Planted at the fighting games like dried gum under a desk were the same grown men she remembered practically living there. She closed her eyes, and breathed in, at ease.

“What is this?”

“Not even an arcade? This is starting to feel like a joke. You play video or claw type games here. This place’s my favorite but I haven’t come in a while.”

The words were barely out her mouth before Lili dragged them along. A huge neon lit pad on the floor for a dancing game lay at their feet. Techno music banging from the cabinet thumped her chest as a tutorial played itself on the screen. She cocked her head.

“Really?”

Lili brushed back her bangs and cleared her throat.

“Asuka Kazama. I challenge you at a duel of dance!”

“Pft. You’re ridiculous. Don’t cry when you lose!”

They piled their bags against the wall; Asuka rolled her short sleeves further back. She started stretching against the rail fencing in the game cabinet and Lili joined her.

“Father sent me to ballet lessons I’ll have you know.”

“Is everything you have always because of ‘Daddy’?” Asuka taunted.

Lili rushed the stage, punching in a song and readying herself. She stood hands on hips as the bass started pulsing. Asuka snorted, crossing her arms.  Then she watched her move.

Her body all but glided, twirling from direction arrow to direction arrow effortlessly. Her long legs couldn’t take an instant off her speed; Asuka’s brow rose hearing the stage creak. Sometimes, when studying for weaknesses, a flash of Lili’s thigh might catch her eye. Or she’d linger on the flutter as her freed hair spun. Above all else was her face; the shit eating grin wiped from existence. And in its place the hard set of her jaw, a knit brow, and intense gaze.  She found the rhythm and matched it, outpaced it before it might outpace her. What Lili would call grace wrapped her in pure determination.

When the last note faded Lili wiped her neck with a handkerchief. She turned smiling that little self-assured smile; Asuka hummed. Then she made herself scoff, they weren’t alike.

“Do your worst.” Lili chirped.

“Shaddup.”

Asuka jostled her and straightened her shirt. She glanced at the screen; a new high score. She sucked her teeth. Breathe. Picking a song was easy, something fast but steady. Just right to make her heart race through her skin. A guitar strummed; the world narrowed to this moment. One step at a time, that’s all she needed. The notes rushed forward for her to stomp and chase. Sweat prickled her nape but she didn’t lose breath. Guitar riffs wailed rushing her as the arrows raced into each other. Her limbs became a storm; the wind curved softening her blows. She threw herself harder, hit each note faster.

Then her foot slammed through one of the pads like a hammer through a paper screen. Behind or in front she heard a crash. Though it slowed her the wind couldn’t keep her from falling- she felt herself grabbed. She glanced down. A centimeter or two right and her ankle would be finished. Lili sighed in what felt weird calling relief as she pulled her up.

“I suppose we shall call a draw.”

 One fat stack of cash later and the owner whistled on his way to calling a repairman. Her head still rang from panic and insults. They stood on the street, nothing but the summer heat to fog their embarrassment.

“This sucks.”

“You Kazamas and your sheer strength.” Lili sighed.

Asuka turned her head slowly, glaring.

“Don’t lump me in with that stupid dickhead.”

“Never. I find that insulting.” Lili scoffed, all softness gone.

Asuka’s face widened in surprise, her smile was gentle.

“Thanks.”

“…Ahem…You are welcome.”

She watched her move to fix her hair but Asuka’s hand got there faster. Carefully she tucked loose strands behind Lili’s right ear.  The stunned blush on Lili’s face made her stomach flip.

“Dad asked me to get some groceries before we’re home.”

“Perhaps this time you’ll save us both the spectacle of collapsing property.”

Lili laughed, full of mockery and teasing that came up short at the edges. It felt as if laughing would paint over her blush with anything else.

“Will you drop it?! This is why you’re annoying.”

“What does a market look like by the way?”

“Arrrghh!”

Passing under the Kuromon banner Asuka stood just to breathe it in. Fried food, flowers, loud signs, fruits, seafood, store clerks, people- this was Osaka. Her city. This time Lili glanced around and went ahead, strutting like a swan. Asuka cocked her head.

“Let us be on our way. Unless you’d prefer going hungry tonight I presume.”

“I don’t think so…” Asuka smirked.

They fell into another pattern at her lead; she’d hover around what she wanted, working over to the most expensive cut. After a few minutes Lili would find her and question what made that one special, did Asuka get it often, and on and on.  She’d sigh or pretend getting lost in her thoughts. Then she’d throw in a version of “We’ve been too broke for that; wanna try it with me?” or “Duh! Get it all the time, never had it before huh?” reminding her Dad must’ve shortchanged her allowance. Lili would pull out her wallet gasping and crying “That won’t do!” then buy whatever Asuka picked.

In this way, remembering they’d each have to carry a bag home, they bought everything off the top shelf. When they made it home she grinned until her face hurt and Dad stood stunned silent. He gave her ear a twist behind Lili’s back as she shared ‘their wonderful adventure’, stopping when Asuka winced.

“Don’t trick people.” He grumbled, whispering.

Then he saw the premium tuna cuts and marbled beef.

“Well, it can be harmless here and there.”

Asuka snickered into her wrist. Lili read it as a muffled cough, insisting they serve a hearty stew at dinner to ‘keep from feeling ill’. That night and many nights after they ate like kings.

She gripped the ends and tightened her headband. Her hakama was cinched just right as she checked the ties one last time. She straightened her gi collar, it’d picked up the laundry smell from her closet since she’d quit teaching; breathe in then out. Behind her Lili finished stretching, smirking. Her catlike stare couldn’t fog the pure clarity of Asuka’s mind. Strength surged filling her out as it coursed through her muscles, barely held by her smile. Her body had healed. Out of habit she rolled her right shoulder as they stood five paces apart.

“Are you prepared to be humiliated Asuka Kazama?”

“Just show me what you’ve got. I won’t make it hurt too bad.”

“You’ve made me wait long enough.”

Her heart jumped seeing that smile widen. It toyed with her. Her face went hot.

‘Exciting…’

“Let’s go, moron.”

They readied, the quiet held itself tight.

Lili’s kick was slapped away as Asuka closed distance, striking her with a left punch. To her surprise Lili turned with the blow, but even when it glanced, Asuka leaned into a right. That one connected and she wasn’t about to let her breathe; lunging threw her elbow forward, aiming for the jaw. In the move to dodge Lili narrowly escaped but glanced again on her scalp as she ducked low. A yelp cut her ears. She felt her balance waver in the feedback. Asuka stepped into her weight, bringing down her elbow at the blink of an eye. A certain hit- she met empty air.

Barely, just barely, Lili had rolled out the way. A streak of blood stained the back of her hand as Lili wiped her lips. Her already pale face almost dazzled all sweaty as she was. Asuka watched her panting, bent on one knee and big eyed. She watched her and washed in nothing but the clarity of this moment reset her stance.

“Et merde…” Lili sighed.

Asuka didn’t move.

‘That’s right you’re coming to me.’

She knew, and Lili knew she knew. Those glaring eyes calculated, hating how every option ran toward the same end. The distance begged to be closed or they’d get nowhere. Still a grin split Lili’s mouth flashing crimson teeth like a dog tasting raw meat. She felt her heart race. One heartbeat and she saw her launch from a cartwheel into the flight of slamming her heel on Asuka’s nose. No time to think! She sidestepped, grabbing Lili’s shin and tossing her behind. Riding that momentum into another roll, she recovered raining a waterfall of strikes. Most of them Asuka slapped away or dodged but soon her sides stung. Knocking Lili’s fist aside with her forearm she twisted and spun sending a back heeled kick flying up.

Her foot crashed missing Lili’s temple by centimeters. The impact shook her bones; it was enough to send Lili tumbling down. She crumpled on her side, groaning loud enough to wake the dead. Asuka felt herself huffing and shut her eyes. A good pause forced her to center again. The hairs on her nape relaxed.

Grunting and stirring Lili came back to life one limb twitch at a time. Somehow she found the strength to wobble into standing. A gleam shined under her disheveled blonde hair, an animal instinct. Their eyes met in an instant. Asuka leaned back; the strike scraped the tip of her chin. On reflex she shoved Lili aside with both palms flat against her chest. Deflated, Lili lay sprawled on the floor, a heap of sweat, loose hair, hard breathing, and biting shame. Frozen, it took a chill up her spine for Asuka to unclench. Several beats passed silently. She laughed; lightning storming through her veins. An adrenaline rampage withered, hollowing her into a drum pounding thunder in her chest to keep her standing. It was a thrill. It was joy. It was the world.  Her laugher roared, bursting like playful rain.  

Coughing and wincing Lili flipped herself onto her stomach. She curled inside the shape of Asuka’s towering shadow. She crouched and Lili’s stare followed. Reaching over she tilted Lili’s chin.

“You lost ‘cuz you think too much.”

She chuckled at her squinting eyes.

“Laugh at my failure would you…”     

Asuka gave her an amused smirk. She pulled her hand away. The world felt so light and airy with another whirlwind behind them.

“It’s my win but you can come at me any time.”

Again Lili sighed and rolled on her back. She started to pout but the longer it went the more it fizzled. Instead her brow scrunched. ‘Why are you better than me?’ it asked. And she pressed her answers in her mouth. She stood, reaching for her water bottle on the sidelines.

“Where…where did I overthink?”

“Better question is where you didn’t.” The water was still cold, liquid smooth.

Silence. She pressed.

“You waited before dodging, weighing where to go. You hesitated planning your approach when I gave you room. You were so focused on how you’d overwhelm me with your hits that you forgot paying attention to my tells.”

Lili draped her arm over her face. From under it Asuka saw her lips purse.

“…You almost got my chin though. It’s obvious you can move faster than before. And you can lean into a punch now.”

More silence. She started wiping off with her towel even if she didn’t need it as much. When she finished on her hairline Lili was staring at her. Those blue grey eyes were hard; the way a river stone is hard and smooth, anchoring itself against touch. Reassuring but muddied; it left a tingle in Asuka’s brain.

“The Mishimas could come take you whenever they please. Your records are child’s play for them to trace, for Jin Kazama.”

Asuka went stiff; her brow narrowed as if it were a gear turning through rust. Her cold gaze betrayed a drop of fear. She clenched her fist in place of a steady heart.

“He is blood related to you. And his mother Jun is alive, though I have no way of knowing if he’s realized. I’m not sure your father knows either. If Ms. Jun has plans I believe she will track down her son.  Depending on his thirst for war and schemes he may learn about you and grab you to prevent her from asking your help. He can turn you into a bargaining piece. Perhaps Kazuya Mishima will come to a similar conclusion and take you first instead. He was looking into the Kazama Clan after all. It wouldn’t be wrong to assume he knows of your family’s…innate gifts.”

‘Gifts?’

Asuka couldn’t feel her clenched fingers anymore. Her knuckles were fit to split the skin.

“…That fucking moron…and you think I’d just let him take me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Lili snorted.

“Then what do you get out of it? Why are you here?”

Lili sighed crossing her arms over her forehead. She stared into the ceiling.

“It’d be awful if you faced that devil alone, no?”

“…What?”

She backpedaled when Lili sprung to her feet.

“Now I’m afraid I must retire and bathe before this filth turns my stomach.”

“Hey wait, wait tell me more!”

But her long legs carried her from Asuka’s reach before her brain understood the weight of what sat on it. This was as far as she’d get today. Sucking her teeth, every hair on her body stood. Alone and aching she stomped around; a vicious cracking yell scattered her frustration. Then as she caught her breath, its echo faded in the hollow of her chest. She felt exhausted. Her will formed rods that kept her legs from sinking.

When she gathered her things she stopped suddenly. Leaning against the exit, she gripped the towel slung around her neck. Her eyes widened.

‘Does she like me?’

Every morning after they met for practice, took turns in the bath, ate a simple breakfast while making lunch, then they were off to school. Her bike still sat battered in the yard and Lili gave her the peace of not mentioning it. But now, sometimes, Asuka found herself giving it a glance. One tire pump here, a new chain, new brakes, some replaced bolts, and it’d be ready for new paint. She should probably replace the rubber on the grips too, or trim where it frayed. There were a million, million ideas.

At lunch the day they’d sparred, people of course noticed the split on Lili’s lip. Despite how Asuka had made her stay still to press some ice and rub a bit of petroleum jelly, the red and purple mark read as bright as a road work sign. Of course Asuka had apologized, scratching her lowered head and looking her in the eye. Lili chuckled at her. As if it had been a game or nothing at all. ‘Now we’ve each landed a blow on the other haven’t we?’

Asuka couldn’t claim to understand that girl, but it made a sort of sense. They were finally even at something.

She learned many things day by day. While not a genius Lili was a fast learner, diligent as much as she was disciplined. Whatever she did was finished almost as quick as it started with calculated execution. Lateness cut into time for ‘the simple pleasures.’ Asuka had never seen one person drink tea like it replaced water. Despite appearances she wasn’t well read, only keeping up enough to, ‘please my Father’s expectations.’ Yet those put her ahead of most people, and she thought nothing was worse than falling behind, or the idea she might.

At training her moves were explosive when left to herself. There was always more to perfect, another river to cross until her muscle memory submitted. When given a form for practice, she talked of strategies as she shuffled it into her arsenal. No matter the situation, she’d pull some technique or the theory of one out her ass. She had to be motivated with more praise than even the mildest critique or else she turned moody at best, bitchy otherwise. The longer she spent encouraging Lili (at times making Asuka tear at her own hair) the faster something dawned on her.

Maybe it wasn’t that Lili enjoyed toying with people so much as she wanted to never stop moving. There had to be another problem to solve, another scheme, another fun thing to start- enough so that they were never bogged down sharing their feelings. She weaved between teasing, sass, or halfhearted sulking. Anything more earned silence. And the unreadable wall formed in her expressions. Well, even when it made Asuka gnash her teeth this was about patience. Like Dad said.     

It wasn’t that Lili couldn’t remember moves or plan either; she just couldn’t get out her own head when faced with being hit. The possibility didn’t scare her she’d said, and for once Asuka agreed. She could counter Lili again and again, bruise her by occasional accident. Lili would trip over herself if that’s what it took to attack. Nothing dented whatever instinct drove that craving to win. She knew that’s what it was; a person couldn’t abandon themselves unless the rest of the world fell away. Few things matched the living lightning found in a fight.

They were sat on a day off school sipping water and drenched in the sweat of another practice.

“Unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable! I should have gotten you when I went from low high jabbing to Matterhorn kick. It was the perfect cover.”

“The ‘unacceptable’ thing is you’re still using that. You’re wide open before anything lands.”

“Hush! I gave it a tremendous level of style. Who expects a rising kick with both legs from the ground? There’s an element of surprise worth the effort.”

Asuka squinted then shrugged. Their session replayed in her mind.  This time there’d been no cartwheels or insane flips. There’d been jabs, lots of jabs from every direction pushing Asuka’s reflex but never breaking it; the kicks she answered with her own as they missed each other by a hair. If she couldn’t dodge, she made sure Lili collided against the hardest bones. Her knees and elbows were wearing off from numbing pins and needles. Lili was fast; if only her battle sense could match pace.  Even a sweep kick forced her to adapt on the fly if it didn’t toss her outright. She took a long sip. Whenever Asuka had an answer for one method that moron fell back on what she best knew worked. That routine made her predictable.

Wait…predicable?

“Hey, how long have you been fighting again?”

“Why does that matter?”

Asuka flicked her forehead. Lili yelped and scowled.

“You want help then answer me.”

“…A year, if you must know.”

Instantly Asuka’s water sprayed from her mouth mid drink.

“A year?! And you ran to fight in two tournaments. Is your head on right?!”

“I fail at seeing the problem here. I can guard, I can attack, I train rigorously- there’s no reason I should be denied a test of my skills the same as anyone else.”

“That’s not even…you…I can’t believe this.”

“How many years do you have under your belt?” Lili snapped.

She stared at her in disbelief, gripping her water bottle to make sure this was real. The look on Lili’s face fell and a blush like a wave rose in its place. Neither said anything as they stared into space hugging their knees. Loud traffic revved through the walls. Another beat of gathered silence.

Asuka giggled.

“Don’t laugh.”

She laughed. Her mouth quivered as she set the bottle down. She laughed so hard her chest felt ready to cave in. Asuka tipped over collapsing at Lili’s side, pedal kicking her feet as she clutched her stomach.

“I’m not an idiot! Stop that!”

Softly, playfully, Lili whacked her everywhere demanding Asuka stay still. But not a minute passed before they were piled together roaring with laughter. She sat up.

“No wonder then why you keep being an easy read. You aren’t confident in your style!”

Again Lili scowled.

“You’re suggesting I lack experience.”

A loaded statement already, a question; Asuka groaned. Saying yes would have them bickering until the point ran away.

“What I mean is no one’s a master so quickly. Right now what I’d expect is someone comfortable in the basics. They’ve only started putting a foundation together for what they know and how they’ll use it. What school are you studying under?”

“I’m self-taught of course.” Lili said flipping her bangs and smirking.

Asuka buried her face in her hands.

“Forget feeling comfortable in the basics; you’re stuck at making shit up!”

“Such an accusation is ridiculous-“

“We’re doing you over. From the beginning.”

“This is unfair-“

“You can keep your crazy style. But since you wanna learn my school we do things my way when I think we should. Otherwise you’re not gonna learn a damn thing. You’ll never get any better.”

A growl rumbled her words as she took her hands off Lili’s cheeks, leaning over her. She was stared at as if she’d shot her; being stunned was the best way of getting through the concrete wall Lili had in place of a skull. They stared each other down. Asuka refused to budge her scowl a centimeter. Finally, Lili ‘Hmph’d and looked at the floor.

On their off days they started jogging around the block, staying in the quiet parts. After a rest when that was done they switched to spotting each other’s workouts and stretching. Each week Asuka would ask Lili to demonstrate a move from her flashy toolkit. That became the assignment she worked on until the next week. Lili would show the result of her drills by combining it with last week’s move; only then would Asuka teach her a complimenting Kazama technique.

At class Asuka never said so, but Lili’s notes started covering whatever went over her head. She never missed homework again; getting a test back now meant she got to wear her own smug grin. Not one teacher kept from throwing her a confused glare. Most kept their mouths shut. In their study sessions, Asuka either understood within Lili’s schedule, or else it got carried over to next time and not a second earlier. Even so, there always came a tease if she needed more than one explanation. Lili knew her way around cocky smirks and looking down her nose. It’d piss Asuka off more than it always had, if this time she didn’t need what the cat dragged in. Nothing could disturb Lili’s bubble baths, which she insisted on and Dad allowed so long as she used the tub last. She insisted on writing with fountain pens because ‘they’re mature don’t you agree?’ and easily color coded everything. Once, flipping through a notebook Lili lent her, she stopped dead at the table.

Page after page lay covered in sketches from top to bottom. The scenes included nature, random household objects, and an alley here and there. But those were just the scrap pages. Every picture before and after them showed Asuka. Some were labeled as ‘Her smile’ or ‘After today’s training’. Some were close ups of different expressions paired with figure studies in everyday poses. Did Asuka really look tough and handsome this much? There were the hard angles of her just before she got mad, the obvious confusion and wonder when she had to think. The carefree joy or satisfaction in her smiles, smirks, and grins. The cocky pride whenever she felt in control. The aimless frustration when she showed sadness. That one made her wince.

Each detail touched her greater than the last. Her heartbeats made a home in her throat when she saw their hands holding one another. She froze in her seat.

“Put that down this instant!”

She didn’t fight it when in a heartbeat Lili leapt up and snatched the book. Asuka chuckled nervously, no not nervous, she didn’t know why. She didn’t know what she was saying.

“If you keep drawing like that people will think you’re gay.”

Lili slammed the book closed, glaring. Then Asuka gasped softly; Lili’s lips were trembling, the entirety of her face grappling against bursting into tears. She watched her swallow. Then without a word she gathered all her stuff and stormed off. Asuka wanted to give chase, to throw any excuses but that’s exactly what they’d be, excuses. The air felt thick; a sand pit that’d drown her if she struggled. So she sat there, suddenly very small.

When Dad came home that night after visiting a friend, she told him Lili was too tired for dinner. She didn’t think of it as a lie; anger and sadness knew about killing anything that made you alive.

“You’ve been working her hard like you’ve always done when I needed you teaching. I’ll fix her a plate and you take it up, alright.”

“I guess…” She stirred her miso broth absentmindedly.

Asuka found her room door opened a crack with only her lamp light on. She balanced the food and went to knock- Lili started speaking, soft and hoarse. She must’ve been crying. Maybe Asuka shouldn’t have, but she stood, listening.

“I won’t be returning home Sebastian…of course I thought about it. No, a De Rochefort is not a coward! Spare me the thought…I’d rather die if so. No I don’t need you staying with me. Not yet at least. This is no pain or challenge I cannot handle. Oh but, well, thank you for your words. Yes, good night.”

She heard the thump of a phone on cloth. Lili spoke louder to herself, voice cracked.

“Why God, of all the people in the world why this one?”

Well she wasn’t gonna let her talk like Asuka wasn’t there. She gave the door a push with her foot.

“Yo, brought ya something.”

Lili stayed face down in the futon; her face lost in her pillow and under her hair. She groaned.

“Oh leave me alone you brute.”

“I’m sorry. It wasn’t serious.”

“…If it isn’t serious then why are you apologizing?”

Again Asuka went numbed. She had nothing but her fists when someone stuck their fingers in her own wounds. What was she supposed to do here, hit her? Over what, being mad at Asuka getting her to cry? It was stupid. She was stupid. But she wasn’t, she’d done a stupid thing. She didn’t go around living so that everyone else got inconvenienced. Saying nothing she cleared space and set dinner on her desk.

Her body tingled, restless, her blood vibrating her veins. The shapes of her room didn’t register. She kept herself together as she stepped out and down the stairs. Her mind was blank. She stepped inside the dojo not caring about having her pajamas on. She rushed past the wall sign stopping at the center of the hall. And she trained. The forms were muscle memory, all routine. Safe. They didn’t ask anything except that her body keeps up. In the middle of stumbling some lift kicks she saw Dad watching. He looked more patient with her than she deserved.

“Everything alright?”

“I can handle myself.”

“Sure you can, kicking off center like that.”

She narrowed her eyes. He shrugged and made his way over.

“I’ll observe. Take it from the top.”

A crack called gratitude broke her frenzy.

Lili wouldn’t speak to her. Day after day they still met for morning practice, but did their work in separate corners. Dinner was spent taking turns talking to Dad as they ate in a race to not finish together. He threw Asuka a look sometimes in between but held whatever he could’ve said. She read an understanding on his face. This was their problem. Breakfast was cold silence without him; a performance where they tried everything stupid or practical to not make eye contact. The study sessions stopped. She tried giving a sign to ask about it. Lili pretended she didn’t exist.

The next week she got back a failed test, a red thirty two took up a huge corner so anyone could see. Her math teacher adjusted his glasses, condescending down to his walk. He let her stew in failure as she curled against her desk. Her failure, again. The rumor flies picked her clean with the feel of their stares.

At lunch Lili did stay near her, but ‘near’ became moving her desk six meters apart facing away. Not really sitting with anyone else and not a message she couldn’t read either. It made her collar itch. Try as she might there’d be no way she could approach without causing a scene. Burying herself in her food and keeping quiet became the new routine. Once after a few days of this, Ayako and her goons saw opportunity. Lili glared at them as if she were a knife, like she might snap them as easy as a twig. It gave Asuka hope.

Hope? Why was she letting this matter the way it did? If Lili, the nail sticking her ass whenever she appeared, finally stopped annoying her then how was this bad? It was stupid.

‘I did a stupid thing.’

That was the reason; it had to be.

‘I hurt someone just because.’

The truth, then, cut sharper than everyone else’s lies.

On their off days Asuka started solo training, putting wherever her sulking half was out of mind. The basics were forever there. Shadow fights imagining opponents carried a real challenge. There was always more to try, more to perfect, a feeling of faster or stronger. She started with one random punk then added them in twos. She dodged; swept their legs, whipped their momentum around until they opened for punches. Kicks were a whirlwind leaving rippling winds in her wake, force whistling as it cleaved the air. Her foot bounced whenever she launched herself high; her body rocketing along the flight she’d set herself. As if she switched from floating into a pebble flying from a slingshot. The tip of her nose brushed the ceiling. A jolt of panic fried her; she killed it and tucked into a roll as she fell.

What the hell was this?

Her skin turned hot where the wind had touched it. Not a burn or ripping of blood; this time it passed over her like hands of sunlight. Under the summer heat it breathed into her as if the first clear day of spring. She lifted her head, standing, comforted by its embrace. All her worries blew, carried on the breeze. Then being the wind it passed and settled faster than it arrived. Every part of her felt light. Clenching her fist, she smirked. Whatever this was, it seemed ready to help. And that meant…

‘Time for a test!’

“I’m headin’ out!”

“Be back before nightfall.” Dad called as she slipped on her shoes.

“I know.”

Lili came down the stairs minding her business. Had Asuka left a second earlier she would have missed the slightest curious glance thrown at her. But that was it before Lili disappeared into the kitchen. Her chest jumped. Whatever, she could think about that later.

The sky stretched clear forever with the sun hanging gold smack in the center. People were a guarantee. Today she didn’t run, stuffing her hands in the pockets of her shorts and drinking in the day. People started crowding as she hit the main avenues; no one paid her any attention. Even if someone did, they’d see a friendly smile not the hunger leashed in her eyes. She kept her ears sharp ignoring any chatter; she wanted shouting. She wanted action. Asuka waited and walked and waited. Then she crossed into Shinsekai. A wolfish grin twisted her mouth.

In the middle of a shopping square some boys were in each other’s faces, seven altogether by her count. Lined up and shouting enough to spit they’d clash at the drop of a hat. Immediately she broke into a run. Someone at the front raised his fist; she jumped, flipped, and tucked in the air.

“Hold it right there!”

Scattering like bugs they yelled in surprise and cleared some space. Her effortless, cool landing left them speechless. When she stood she gave them a smile; camera, lights, action! Justice!

“Who the hell- oh not you again!”

“Ms. Asuka? Crap, crap, crap!”

Dusting off her hands Asuka shook her head. One gang she recognized not as the guys who helped her home, but a separate group she’d left in pieces before them. The others made her right eye twitch to remember. They’d get theirs as many times as it took till they learned their lesson.

“I’m disappointed. Haven’t I already told ya off? No fighting! No fighting where people are either. What if you dragged some grandma into your mess or busted down a shop? You can’t go around doing that.”

The boys who she thought knew better bowed their heads; someone she assumed was a new member had his head forced down by a senior.

“We’re deeply sorry Ms. Asuka. For sure, for sure we won’t lift a finger!”

“Don’t apologize to me. Just play nice like I ask.”

The leader guy with slicked back hair, his nose had healed crooked after its visit with her fist, got right in her face.

“I’m not like these pussies you little bitch. Try harder. We can go right now.”

Asuka sighed. His gang glanced at each other, afraid, backing him up anyway.

“If that’s true you wouldn’t bother talking. But you brought me on yourself!”

Roaring he threw out punches she knocked away, lunging himself in pursuit until she glanced the wobble of his left leg. Now! She went low sweeping him so fast it wasn’t a question of waiting for his fall, he just hit the ground. One moment he was a body under gravity, then the shutter on a camera, and he laid a groaning wreck. Her kicks would’ve gone off course as she reined them in within an instant. Her rhythm needed a new tempo. Her limbs were free and her muscles flowy, like how paper streamers became part of a breeze.

‘Amazing!’

Leader boy stumbled up as she flung her knee into his stomach. The wind wheezed from his lungs; her elbow drop swiveled his head with a thud. In that same second she wheeled around and with a single kick slammed him into the pavement. His gang threw themselves out the way. A tailwind curled from the force of her leg, cracking the concrete of a building behind them. The crash vibrated for longest blip in their lives.

At her feet leader boy made no sound. She saw the shallow rise and fall of his back; at least he was still alive. His friends took a look at him, then back to her, and back to him. Without build up their screams exploded; each one bundled into shrieking fear. They sprint away white as ghosts, clinging to any value they saw left in living.

She breathed in. She exhaled, giddy. Her mind blanked.

Asuka turned around and found the remaining boys gawking. Stunned until not only had they forgotten words, their eyeballs were gonna pop out their sockets. Her movement carried more energy than she knew what to do with. She could fly around the sky till the Earth itself was just a blue ball. Say something, anything to come down again!

“So, like I was saying! If you guys wanna be good then make nice with each other. Cuz’ if you don’t…”

She rested her foot on leader boy. Finally he groaned.

The boys watched, their mouths hanging open. Someone cried out,

“If we behave enough can we feel your boobs?”

Sailing in midair, everyone placed bets on how long till he came down.

Another morning at training she finished early and watched Lili work. Bit by bit she started leaving the simple behind. She weaved in and out of jabs and kicks, and backflips into stomps. She threw herself twisting into a cartwheel that became a flip. Down went her foot preparing a heel drop; Asuka remembered the hawks diving for fish on one of Dad’s favorite nature shows. Lili landed safe doing a split. Her sweaty face turned red steadying her breathing. A picture of focus came to Asuka’s mind.

She sat cross legged and watched, resting her chin on her hand as Lili got up. Then the routine reset. The forceful flurry of Sunrise Sunset’s striking twirled into a somersault that brought Lili low against the floor. When Asuka asked her about the silly name Lili had scoffed, ‘because I’m hitting high then low obviously.’ Of course, she angled herself, sticking her legs together and launching high into Matterhorn. Sweat splattered off Lili’s brow; her grimace carried the strain holding her muscles in place. Practicing or on the street under chaos, they earned the same effort. Tired, Lili finally flopped on her back.

“You’re not so bad at this, y’know.”

No response. Lili stared at the ceiling catching her breath. Reaching to undo the bun her blonde hair spilled around her slender neck. Her heart shaped face looked outlined by a gold brush. Her pink bow shape lips parted for sweet air, not pursed or confusing Asuka like she knew everything in the universe. Lili was so, normal. Normally pretty. Asuka tried imagining her real smile.

“I’m sorry, Lili.”

The spell broke; they stared into each other’s eyes. And for the first time, joy and joy alone bloomed open across all Lili was.

‘Wait a minute. This is my first time saying her name!’

Lili giggled playfully, honestly, waking herself from a bad dream and relieved. She sat up.

“My, you’re in agony after trampling a beautiful flower.”

“Don’t push it.”

Lili chuckled.

The next day off Asuka stepped out the bank. She walked smiling for herself alone. It was time to fix her bike.

#tekken #asulili #asuka kazama #lili de rochefort #i'm so happy to be done with this shit but also so happy to start and share it #my writing

[neonfuturelove]

Cruel Summer: LN4

part two

Pairing: Lando Norris x singer!OC Isabella Rose Word count: 2.6k + social media elements a/n: ty for the likes on part one, i'm just enjoying writing at the mo for the first time in a while so it means a lot!! lemme know if you want to be tagged for future updates and feel free to hop in my ask box with any thoughts ilu Part One :: Masterlist

Silverstone // July

The Saturday night of Silverstone was in full swing, Lando could feel a thumping of music vibrating in his chest and a constant sound of chatter amongst a crowd. His qualifying had been about what he had expected and though he needed to rest for race day he had promised to watch his friend’s set DJ set before he head home for the night.

 “I’m on right before Isabella Rose, I’ll be her warm-up, shall I?” Martin Garrix nudged Lando’s arm with a laugh causing Lando to stumble slightly as he lost his footing. His mind had shut off at the mention of Isabella’s name. Isabella was here, at Silverstone; Lando’s home race and he was certain that his heart was beating just as fast as it had been during his Qualifying session a few hours earlier. Lando never really paid attention to who played the shows over race weekend but he had never thought of Isabella playing. “Forgot you had posters of her on your wall,” his other friend Max had continued to tease, feeling a sense of accomplishment when he heard Lando’s adamant protests.

“Come off it, mate,” Lando had a smile on his face at his friends joke even if it was at his expense. Subconsciously, Lando’s feet had sped up pace slightly in order to reach the staging area in hopes of bumping into Isabella. “I never did message her,” Lando admitted quietly, a hint of regret in his voice. Lando had told both Max and Martin all about his meeting with Isabella, he’d relayed the night to them still with a hint of disbelief in his voice. Martin’s roar of laughter when Lando had told him ‘I gave her my flower’ was a noise that rang in Lando’s ears for weeks, the pair of friends could hardly catch a breathe between laughter and trying to mockingly play out the ‘romcom scene’ they now referred to it as.

“I knew you wouldn’t have the balls to message her,” still trying to push Lando’s buttons, Max shrugged casually.

Martin jumped on the train of childish teasing adding, “I’m tempted to see if she wants to be on that song I shown you last month, reckon she’d sound sweet singing those vocals…” Lando nodded encouragingly, a prickle of jealousy he didn’t understand flowed through his veins at the idea of Martin getting to spend a lot of time in a studio alone with Isabella.

Martin directed Lando and Max through a backstage area, stepping over wires and mingling through various crew members, Lando was eagerly looking around in hopes of seeing Isabella, his frantic search interrupted by Martin, “she won’t be down here ‘til near the end of my set, mate.”

Lando shook his head nonchalantly trying to act as though he hadn’t just been acting like a meerkat, “yeah, I know, I know…” Lando took a peek out from side stage to glance a view of a festival-like crowd that had formed in front of the stage. The sight of the mass of bodies made Lando withdraw his head with wide eyes, glad it wasn’t his job to entertain them. Wishing his friend luck, he gave him a pat on the back as Martin strode off confidently onto the stage taking place behind his DJ booth to the sound of a roar that was almost deafening.

***

Izzy sat staring at her reflection in the mirror, makeup artist trying their best to do intricate makeup work in between her involuntary movements as the hairstylist tugged her head into a sleek high ponytail atop her head. Getting a fifteen-minute warning from a runner poking their head into the small and chaotic room, she ran through her setlist in her head over and over in preparation mapping out some moves in her head. Both artists finally stopped working allowing her time to dress, opting for a race-appropriate look giving the setting. Trousers baggy enough to perform in had hints of black and white checker against the Ferrari red colour with a simple black crop to match. Izzy hoped that even those in the crowd who were not a fan of her music would at least give her some points for trying to appeal to the masses.

Side-stage was unsurprisingly bustling, being ushered into a position just off-stage Izzy could see the DJ currently performing, his electric energy matching his upbeat song choice. Silhouettes stood in front of her watching on, one must’ve sensed a presence stood behind as they turned over their shoulder and she was met with a familiar face and a familiar flutter erupting.

Lando’s luck had held out, stepping toward Isabella with a hello he couldn’t help but rake his eyes up and down her as she stood in front him looking completely different from the Isabella he had met in Monaco. Isabella then was a lot more relaxed looking an almost natural golden glow illuminated from her but now, she looked fierce and intimidating as she stood in stage costume. Lando’s gaze hadn’t gone unnoticed by Izzy as she cocked her head knowingly at him as his eyes made her way back up to her face, forcing a nervous giggle to escape his lips.

“Sorry, I just… first Mercedes and now Ferrari?” Lando hinted to the bright colour of her trousers, a click from his teeth suggesting his disapproval trying to save himself from the lingering gaze.

“I’ve been told I look good in red,” Izzy shot back at him confidently. The last time she had seen Lando he had left her in a puddle, admittedly he had crossed her mind now and then in the last few weeks but she had not come up with a viable reason to message him since. Clinging onto a glimmer of hope that she would receive an invite from McLaren in the run up to Silverstone but nothing came and Mercedes were always happy to host her. “I am back in the Mercedes garage tomorrow though, so it’s only for one night,” Lando’s face faltered at the news, feeling like the world’s greatest loser, which he knew a lot about considered he had lost plenty of races in his lifetime. Noticing his face drop similar to that of a sad puppy Izzy gave a dismissive shake of her head letting him know it was no issue.

“Maybe next time you can have one of my personal passes,” Lando suggested, perking up with a smile.

“Maybe I’m just not cool enough for McLaren,” Izzy mocked.

Earnestly, Lando replied, “you’re cool enough for me.” Instantly wishing he could swallow the words back into his mouth, that was the least cool thing he had ever said.

The pair locked eyes momentarily finding a sincerity in one another’s presence.

“Isabella, you’re on in two,” a runner thrust a sparkling microphone in hand.

“You get helmets, I get mics,” holding up her customised microphone proudly adorned with a rose. “You gonna’ stay and watch?” Lando noticed Isabella nervously sucking in her bottom lip between her teeth as she asked. A hand appeared from beside her to immediately touch up her lipstick, Lando now realising that their entire conversation has probably been overheard by everyone around – including Max - though he had been focused on only her.

“Yeah, I’m here, I’ll watch,” Lando grinned without hesitation, only afterward thinking of the repercussions of another hour less of rest before raceday. Isabella stepped forward from him stretching her neck and rolling her shoulders, she gave him one last kind smile over her shoulder before she tucked in her earpiece and flipped her hair over her shoulder. Side-stage she was Izzy yet on stage, she transformed; she was Isabella Rose.

***

Lando stood spellbound side-stage as she ended the set with a song the entire crowd sang along with her, Martin and Max had stayed and watched Isabella’s impressive performance with him, the three were included in the echoing of the song from side stage. Even if you weren't an Isabella Rose fan, some of her songs were inescapable and rightfully so. Izzy came bounding off stage toward them, Lando’s toothy grin had taken up most of his face, taking half a step forward before she was swarmed by various people. One was patting her down with a towel, another placing a straw in her mouth to top up her hydration after an exuberant performance, another was placing her microphone back in a case. Lando stood bewildered by the organised chaos and atmosphere that followed her performance, noticing similarities between their respective careers.

“What did ya think?” Isabella’s chest rose and fell rhythmically as she managed her breathing, Lando noticed her flushed cheeks and the droplets of sweat down the sides of her face. Isabella dismissed the entourage of people surrounding her, her commanding nature stirring something within Lando he swallowed with a gulp.

“That was pretty amazing,” Lando’s grin wide, mesmerised from watching her do what she was known for. He had never appreciated how she had earned her success and fame, and the performance was an undeniable reason as to why. Isabella’s white smile broadened across her cheeks at his compliment.

“I’ve got a song I think you’d be perfect on - got Lando to listen to it last month - if you’re free sometime you could listen to it, see what you think?” Lando childishly felt as though his toes were being stepped on as Martin thrust his way into the conversation.

“I’m pretty much holed up in the studio writing all summer: we can arrange something,” Isabella replied enthusiastically to Martin; she was somewhat grateful to him for riling up her encouraging crowd with his set. Lando was curious as to whether that was a professional reply she had repeated times over that would result to nothing or if she was genuinely interested.

“If you let Lando know where you’re writing he can pass the message on,” Martin slapped Lando on the back a bit too enthusiastically. Isabella noticed Lando’s eyes swell, almost bulging out of his head. She bit her lip to try and disguise a shy smile as she debated whether it was from the slap or from embarrassment from his friend setting him up. “Great set, by the way - I’ll catch you later, mate.” Max gave himself and Martin an out in order to leave the two alone backstage, Lando was yet to regain eye contact with Isabella after Martin chucking him in the deep end with his comment.

“It is late: you have a race tomorrow,” Isabella tried to save Lando from evidently spiralling in the moment; finding it quite endearing how nervous he seemed compared to what she had seen of him in media around the paddock. Her algorithm of late seemed to favour him as she endlessly scrolled with interview snippets. Lando finally looked back at Isabella, a glistening still stuck to her skin but her breath had steadied. “What if I told you I’ll be secretly rooting for you from the Mercedes garage?” Isabella teased him playfully, quite enjoying watching him squirm in her presence.

Something flashed across Lando’s eyes, mischievous hint to a smile stretched on his lips, “you can do better than that,” he challenged, his posture changing as he stood taller now. It was Isabella’s turn to be nervous; the way he stood had only emphasised the broadness of his shoulders and the width of his neck as their silhouettes stood in the hazy darkness backstage. The contrast to his boyish look of his face that she undoubtedly found quite easy on the eye and invited her in with every smile. “Say they catch you on the grid walk…” Lando paused, Isabella’s eyebrows knit together – she had been polite on grid walks before, always making time to stop and share her support of her host team. “I think you should publicly declare your support for me there,” Lando couldn’t contain the childish giggle that escaped him when he smiled watching Isabella’s mouth slowly hang open in disbelief.

“Are you trying to get me banned from the paddock!” Isabella exclaimed rhetorically, a hint of a smile trying to break through.

“Told you: can have one of my passes,” Lando reiterated his sentiment from earlier. “I dare you,” Lando encouraged, he could almost hear the cogs turning in Isabella’s head as she stared him down defiantly. He couldn’t help but notice her bottom lip once again rake between her teeth; a habit of hers he had noticed every time. A habit of hers that made him lose his senses every time. Her lipstick was mostly worn away, only smatterings of colour left across her lips his thoughts momentarily wandering to her lip being caught between his teeth.

Isabella had noticed his gaze lowered upon her face, her heart rate quickening similar to when she was performing in front of a few thousand people yet here it was solely Lando having the same effect on her. Gently, Isabella broke the palpable silence and inflating tension that had burdened the two of them, “you need to rest for tomorrow.”

Lando gave a curt nod, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, “I expect to see some headlines after the race.”

***

WATCH: Isabella Rose calls herself a TRAITOR on Martin Brundle’s Grid Walk!

Lando’s race had been steady, nothing exceptional, but collecting points for the team was something to be glad of after a slow start to the season. He couldn’t help lingering around the paddock a little later than he usually would, disappointed he hadn’t even spotted Isabella throughout his day. He even doubted whether she had been there to begin with. Max eventually dragged him away from the paddock and managed to coax him back home for the night. Surrounded by friends relaxing, laughter and games Lando relaxed into the evening after another busy weekend, grateful that summer break was looming closer.

A sudden outburst from Max took the attention of the room, “mate, have you seen this?” Holding his phone out toward Lando allowing Lando to take it from him. His face flashed between disbelief, confusion to glee as he hit play on the minute long video on YouTube. Ria shuffled closer across the floor to Lando to peer over at the phone in his hands.

Isabella, lovely to see you again. Martin Brundle caught Isabella’s attention, her face smiling at the camera and back at him. Lando noticed how much more casual she appeared in comparison to the previous night’s outfit; she was like a chameleon adapting to her surroundings at all times. What have you made of the season so far?

It’s been great being able to see three great world champions battle each other so closely! I’m still hoping Lewis can pip Max to the post soon though… maybe today! Martin nodded along with Isabella’s notion.

You mention Lewis there… I take it you’re supporting Mercedes today? Martin probed. Lando’s eyebrows rose when he heard the question awaiting her answer.

Yes, I’m here with Mercedes today backing them, but I must admit I do think Lando Norris is a great driver – I sound like a traitor saying that! – but he’s great, he deserves a great car. Lando’s eyebrows couldn’t get much higher, he was convinced she had glanced at the camera as she said it, talking to him through the screen making a point of completing his challenge.

Great driver, great kid is Lando. Lovely boy, lovely boy. I must move on I’m getting yelled at in my ear… The video ended as Isabella gave a small wave to the camera and Martin walking away. Ria still on her knees on the floor, mouth open at what she was hearing; Max was sat looking over at Lando analysing his reaction. A nervous squeak escaped Lando's tight-lipped bashful smile waiting to erupt on his face. She had accepted his dare, he hadn’t expected her to, perhaps he underestimated her. Lando was already anticipating a comment from Max.

“Mate, you’re in deep with her,” as if on cue, Max poked at him. Lando shrugged it off not ready to admit it just yet.

“I’ve only met her twice!” Lando countered. His thoughts for the rest of the evening were distracted, trying to think of anything other than the glisten of sweat dripping down the sides of Isabella’s neck from the previous night. A pit developed in his stomach; perhaps his friends’ assumption was right. Opening his Instagram he searched her name: she had accepted his challenge and the ball was now in his court.

isabellarose never wanted love just a fancy car

Liked by landonorris, bellasroses and others

bellasroses: killed it as always!! So proud of you          isabellarose: ❤️🌹

landonorris: 🔥🏁           bellasroses: we see you           rosesforever: WHAT omg

rosesforever: this outfit is a SLAY

#lando norris #lando norris fic #lando norris fanfic #f1 fic #f1 fanfic #lando norris fluff #f1 fluff #lando norris imagine

[crowleyscat]

Confessions of a Cat

Square: E2 - Creature: Feline Title: Confessions of a Cat Rating: T Wordcount: 1803 Ship(s): Dream/Hob Warnings: None Additional tags: Canon Compliant, Fluff, First Kiss, Touch-Starved Dream of the Endless | Morpheus, Actual Cat Dream of the Endless | Morpheus Summary:

“Y’know,” Hob mused, his hand pausing in its motions and moving from the cat to help him type more quickly. The cat clearly disapproved of this. It shifted even closer to Hob, lifting its head up to rest on top of his arm and nuzzle against his hand. Hob chuckled, losing his train of thought as he twisted his hand around to continue petting the cat. “You’re a needy one, aren’t you? For a cat that kept hissing at passersby, you’re really enjoying the attention now.”

If Hob didn’t know any better, he’d say that the bloody cat huffed at him. Regardless, it didn’t stop snuggling into him and purring like an engine.

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/44837083 (written for @dreamlingbingo <3) Fic posted under the cut!

Hob stared at the guest relaxing by the door to the New Inn.

The cat stared back impassively.

“Um,” said Hob intelligently. On occasion, there would be the odd cat that hung around the back door of the New Inn hunting for scraps. Never in Hob’s life had he seen a cat like this, though. It was a massive creature, all thick, sleek black fur and piercing eyes. He felt like it was staring directly into his soul as it licked the back of its paw. Something about the cat was strangely familiar, but he couldn’t quite place why. “Hello?”

Perhaps against his better judgement, Hob held out his hand to the cat. It was massive, yes, and a bit intimidating. That didn’t mean it wasn’t friendly. After all, it looked well-groomed and taken care of, so maybe it belonged to one of the houses in the area.

To his surprise, the cat rose from where it had settled itself beneath one of the outside picnic tables and, with a big stretch, leapt on top of it so it could bump its head against Hob’s hand. Hob grinned. As he scratched behind the cat’s ears, it let out a rumbling purr, pushing further into Hob’s touch like it couldn’t get enough of it.

“Oh, aren’t you lovely? Such a handsome cat,” Hob cooed, stroking down the cat’s body. He’d always had a love-hate relationship with cats in the past. As cute as they could be, you could never quite predict what their next move was. One minute they could be purring up a storm, and the next they could be scratching you and bolting away before you had time to blink. He hoped this cat would continue to be kind. It was beautiful and regal, its fur so soft and silky that Hob wanted to gather the cat up in his arms and hug it tightly (which, in past experiences, he knew would be a recipe for disaster).

A few people stopped by the door as they came and went from the inn to see what all the fuss was about. Upon seeing the cat, they would gasp and stretch out to stroke it. However, instead of accepting the pets, the cat would raise its hackles and hiss at them until they left it alone.

The weirdest thing was that it would then turn back to (an understandably wary) Hob and nuzzle back against his hand, demanding more attention.

What a strange cat, indeed.

Eventually, Hob was brought back to reality when a particularly chilly breeze sent a shiver down his body. Right, there was a warm flat and a hot drink waiting for him upstairs after his frosty walk home (and, less appealingly, the unfortunate necessity of having to spend the evening grading essays).

He gave the cat a final pat on the head and dropped his hand, trying not to feel guilty when it looked at him in what almost seemed like disappointment. “Sorry,” he said to the cat, immediately feeling stupid at apologising to a cat of all things. Well, it was probably for the best. They could be vengeful little buggers. “I should be getting inside now. You should go home.”

Hob wandered over to the door to his flat at the side of the inn and unlocked it. As soon as he began to push it open, he felt a large, fluffy body weave through his legs and watched, slack-jawed, as the cat trotted up the stairs without looking back. For a moment, he glanced around helplessly, unsure where to go from here. It wasn’t his cat! He shouldn’t just be letting random cats into his flat, right?

Any thoughts of kicking the cat out vanished when he entered his living room and found the cat curled up amongst the cushions on his sofa. His heart melted. With how cold it was outside, he didn’t blame it for seeking out the nearest warmth. Since it had been nothing but friendly with him, Hob decided to let it stay for the evening, at least.

Hob left the room to hang up his bag and coat and get changed into more comfortable clothes. Then, after brewing himself a cup of tea and grabbing his laptop, he returned to the living room and plopped onto the sofa next to the cat. It lifted its head from where it had been resting on its paws to blink at him slowly. Its eyes were unusual, upon closer look. Dark as obsidian with pinpricks of light glinting in its dilated pupils.

As he mulled that thought over, he booted up his laptop and opened up the folder of essays to begin marking. His free hand drifted to the cat at his side, absentmindedly scritching at its head. Its deep purr was even louder in the quiet of Hob’s flat, rolling thunder a gentle vibration against his leg as the cat pressed itself closer to him.

“Y’know,” Hob mused, his hand pausing in its motions and moving from the cat to help him type more quickly. The cat clearly disapproved of this. It shifted even closer to Hob, lifting its head up to rest on top of his arm and nuzzle against his hand. Hob chuckled, losing his train of thought as he twisted his hand around to continue petting the cat. “You’re a needy one, aren’t you? For a cat that kept hissing at passersby, you’re really enjoying the attention now.”

If Hob didn’t know any better, he’d say that the bloody cat huffed at him. Regardless, it didn’t stop snuggling into him and purring like an engine.

“What was I saying before?” Hob hummed. When the cat looked up at him again with that intense gaze, it came back to him in a rush. “Oh yeah! That’s it. You remind me of a friend of mine, if he was a cat. Kind of, at least.” He paused to consider, scratching underneath the cat’s chin. “His eyes are so much like yours. The kind of eyes that look like a night sky. Jesus Christ, I could only dream of him being this affectionate though.” Caught up in his ramble, Hob didn’t notice the way the cat stiffened slightly, its purrs tapering off. “Sure, he’s been less elusive since I finally saw him in the summer and he told me his name, but I can never tell what he’s thinking! He just turns up whenever he pleases – which is every other week or so now, so I can’t complain too much – and we go out for a drink or food or whatever and have a good chat whilst I try to work out if he’d let me hold his hand, then before I can ask him if he wants to come back to mine or if he’d class these outings as ‘dates’, he just fucks off again!” He sighed heavily, head flopping against the back of the sofa. “Ugh. Why am I venting to a cat of all things? I swear to God, Dream is driving me fucking insane.”

“I didn’t realise you felt that way about me, Hob Gadling.”

Hob let out a very unmanly screech, shooting to his feet and toppling his laptop and the cat off from where it had climbed half into his lap onto the floor.

“The fuck? Dream?”

To Hob’s horror, the cat hopped back up onto the sofa, levelled him with an all-too-familiar stare, and spoke. “Yes, that’s me. You were saying?”

Hob gaped at him. “You’re a cat?”

“To some,” said Dream, sounding a little more impatient. Had Hob not been in such a state of shock, he would have chastised him for yet another vague answer to his questions. “Perhaps you will find this conversation less baffling if I transform back into my human body.”

There was a flash that caused Hob to automatically shut his eyes, and when he opened them again, Dream – the tall, handsome, human-shaped being Dream – was now sitting where the cat had been.

“Now, might you elaborate on what you were saying before in regards to our meetups?”

“Well, I, uh–” Hob spluttered, before getting a hold of himself in a sudden burst of agitation. “You know what! No! How about you tell me why you were slinking around my home as a cat demanding my attention and affection?”

Dream pursed his lips, eyebrows furrowing into a frown. He’d clearly not expected that response. Hob delighted in watching the cogs turn in his brain to figure out how to reply without revealing too much.

“Is it true that you wish for me to be more affectionate with you?”

Hob threw his hands up in the air, defeated. He collapsed back onto the sofa beside Dream. “Guess I did say that, didn’t I? I’d like that a lot, yeah. Though as nice and soft as you are in cat form, I’d like it even more if you were in this form.”

“And, you want us to go out on… dates?”

Hob closed his eyes briefly and took a breath to contemplate his life’s choices up until now. “Yes, Dream, I want us to go on dates, if you would be interested. But it’s fine if you’re not.”

Glancing over at Dream, Hob found him looking somewhat thrown off guard. When he took too long to respond, Hob decided to gently press him further.

“Dream, why did you come here?”

“I wanted…” Dream trailed off. “I wanted the same as you, I suppose. I just didn’t know how to ask for it.”

“So you’re telling me that you barged your way into my flat and cuddled up to me pretending to be a real cat because you didn’t know how to ask me to, fuck I don’t know, give you a hug?”

“And more. I want more than that.”

“Yeah?” Hob raised his eyebrows, not suppressing the grin that was beginning to creep onto his lips. He leant closer to Dream – just a little – and was pleased when Dream leant towards him too. “What else do you want?”

Something flashed in Dream’s eyes. “This.” With no other warning, Dream framed Hob’s face with his hands and pulled him into a bruising kiss. Hob’s surprised noise was muffled against Dream’s lips, but he quickly sank into it, clutching at the front of Dream’s shirt like a lifeline. When they eventually broke apart, Hob could feel the warm blush on his cheeks.

“Yeah, I want that too,” Hob murmured, smiling under the heat of Dream’s searching gaze. “For as long as you’re willing to give it to me.”

A purr rumbled in the back of Dream’s throat as he nudged his forehead against Hob’s. “Then, you’ll find that we’ll be together for a very long time.” Hob’s smile only grew bigger.

“Sounds good to me.”

#dreamling #dream x hob #dream of the endless #morpheus #hob gadling #the sandman #dreamling fic

[theinvitation-bot]

Jealousy, Jealousy

Hyunjin

After returning from his trip the first thing Hyunjin wanted to do was see you. Two weeks was too long to be apart from you, he wrote you letters everyday, getting only a few in response since he knew you were busy with wedding preparations. Even with so little letters, your conversations were still the same just as if you were in person, him still sarcastic yet protective and you still funny and cute. Towards the end of the trip though, Hyunjin could tell something was off, you weren't you're usual playful self and it worried him.

At first, he thought something was making you sad or bothering you which worried him to no end, but then he put the idea in his mind that maybe someone else was grabbing your attention, which then made him furious. That was his biggest fear before leaving on this trip, you finding love in the arms of someone else, he didn't want to leave but Hyungwon gave him no other choice.

Hyunjin read your last letter for what seemed like the hundredth time while on the train ride back home. Each word make his blood boil before he crumpled the paper and threw it in the fireplace. He was only getting himself worked up, he knew that, but he couldn't stop. You were his one true love, the one he has waited for over a thousand year now, he wasn't going to like you slip from his hands that easily.

The only godsend in this situation is YangYang. He promised to keep an eye on you before leaving, Hyunjin could only imagine what information his younger brother collected. He sat with his leg bouncing up and down in anticipation the rest of the way home.

When he finally arrived to the castle, Hyunjin wasted to time making his way to you, ignoring his brotherS and the castle's steward, not like he acknowledged them before. He practically levitated up the staircase, rushing to your chamber, "Oh you're back?" Spoke Henry, an old family friend who died a while ago but still haunts Hyunjin, "Piss off" The king spat, not stopping to acknowledge him. "I thought you'd want to know about your little girlfriends new penpal" Hyunjin stood still on the last step hearing Henry's words.

He was right, he knew something was off. His blood was boiling before he could even hear you out, "I said piss off!" He yelled louder, running to you faster. If you were sending letters to someone else, let alone falling in love, Hyunjin would make you beg for mercy. He was silently cursing himself for being too soft on you these past few months, he felt like you were listening well to his orders, but clearly he was wrong.

A loud knock on your door made you jump in your seat before getting up to see who was there, soon a smile was on your face once you saw it was Hyunjin, but before you could properly greet him the king walked passed you and towards your desk. His action made you chuckle and let a "Hello to you too" remark, but he still he remained silent.

The king made it to your desk where you previously sat before, writing yet another letter to this mysterious someone, "Who is (Name)?" Hyunjin spoke once he finally read who the letter was address to. His eyes skimmed the paper, having not a care about respecting your privacy, "Huh? Who is he?" He asked once again. not getting a response the first time.

Towards the end of the paper, Hyunjin noticed you had drawn little roses, just like the ones you had drawn on his Christmas card. From that moment on, the king saw red. Without hesitation, he took the letter and threw it in the fire, ignoring your gasps, "Why are you writing another man? I haven't heard anything from you since last week!" He spat, finally turning to you with a cold stare, "Answer or so help me Rosa I will strangle you"

@rosamarino

Yangyang

After a long tiring week of preparations for the upcoming pall mall event YangYang finally had the weekend to himself. Ever since he and his new husband Ace returned from their honeymoon, the king has been flooded with work and has unintentionally neglected his husband. It was normal though, to be busy with duties and work but he still felt guilty for not spending as much time with Ace, he missed him so much it hurt his heart.

No more of that though, not this weekend. This weekend was going to be dedicated to him and husband, and only him and his husband. YangYang wanted to do anything or take Ace anywhere he wanted. He still felt a tinge of guilt sprawing the wedding on him like that, but wanted to show how much he really loved and cared for Ace.

The young king entered the main hall with a smile on his face, practically skipping with joy to get to his husband. He had a basket filled with Ace's favorite cookies, YangYang had managed to sneak away in between his itinerary to make him some for tonight. YangYang assumed you'd be in your chambers since it was almost sundown, so it was a bit of a surprise to see you on the staircase chatting with an unfamiliar face.

As he approached you too, YangYang was able to make out that adorable smile on your face, the one he so much adored. He stood still at the end of the staircase, staring up at you in awe wondering what trails he must of went through in a past life to have received such a beautiful soul like Ace in his current one. The only problem was, that smile wasn't for him.

The mysterious figure in question was faced away from YangYang, but he was able to make out the man's figure. He had a great build, like super buff and was tall too, making the king's stomach churn. Who was this unknown bachelor and why was he making his husband giggle. "Hi angel" YangYang had finally spoke, grabbing your attention along with yours friend's as well. When the man finally faced YangYang, the timid king gulped. He was not only built well but was incredibly handsome, he made YangYang worry about what intentions he had with Ace.

"Who is this angel?" He asked walking up the stairs to where you were, his hands a little clammy as he fiddled with the pastry basket. Ace had explained he was an old friend, he had heard that Ace had eloped and was shocked to not be invited, "It was a private wedding, I'm sorry" YangYang looked at the man with no kindness, attempting to intimidate the tall stallion. The man only chuckled in response, "Very well then. Since I came all this way though, I'm sure you wouldn't mind me stealing him away for the evening? I mean it's been what? Ages since we last spoke?" The man smiled at Ace, sending him a small wink as well.

"No!" The king shouted, surprising both the friend and Ace, "I-I mean, we already have plans" Yangyang was quick to grab his husband's hand, intertwining them, "Maybe another time-" "Then I'm sure Ace wouldn't mind if I joined?" YangYang tired turning away but the man wasn't budging, making wonder why he was so desperate to be around his husband. For a moment, YangYang stood still with his thoughts for a moment, he glanced at his husband and noticed he was no longer smiling. It made the king frowned, he didn't want to pull you away from your friend but also didn't trust him either, ". . . I suppose you could joi-" "Great! Let's go then yeah? What do you too have planned for the night?" The man was quick to grab Ace's other hand.

YangYang felt a pain in his heart from the sight, it didn't like this idea one bit and was already regretting agreeing to it, but YangYang loved his husband, he adored him. He never wanted Ace to be unhappy, he wanted him to always have a smile on his face, even if it meant making sacrifices like a weekend in with just the two of you.



@livealittleoc-cb

#hyunjin 🦇 #yangyang 🔪 #update

[luxmaeastra]

//more things!!;;//

Rhysand rose an eyebrow at the other male. Well this was an unexpected boon.

"Give Night back to Seraphine and we'll help you."

Alaric gritted his teeth and looked to Alusina who gave a tight nod. Sebastian's assassination attempt (success?) had rocked the wilder realm. But Khaede had refused to act, citing it as not her war to wage.

If Alusina didn't gain control soon he was sure his mother would turn her rage onto Wendlyn.

------

Khaede sighed and held the crown to Alusina, pride almost shining through her eyes.

"I'm shocked but impressed at your style Alusina. I didn't think you'd do it."

Alusina didn't respond, taking the crown, and cutting her hand to drop over the holy altar between them.

The runes along the chamber flared silver anointing her as the newest Tsarina. Alaric looked to his hands, feeling the marks and power flare on his skin even it was covered with armor.

Alusina looked from the walls to her mother. She raised her chin and gestured to the exit.

"I learned from the best, you will be taken to Day where you will remain."

Ivan escorted her and Solaris out. Alusina stepped toward Alina, gripping her hands speaking to her softly.

It had been 15 years since Burton has died and Grimselda had abandoned her boys in Khaede's court. Alaric was proud to see how Ivan had blossomed in that time. He was a good match for Alina.

------

Nesta stared down at the valley in numb shock, Doranelle was up in flames. The rivers that were fed from mountain snow steamed and boiled. The people's screams had stopped, Urstin dragged her from the edge.

Her people were being slaugthered, she had never cared for Natalia or her myriad of children. But this?

This was why her mother had been trying to avoid.

------

Seraphine looked from the window to Rhysand, she was young for the position she held as High Lady. Rhysand gripped her shoulders, forcing her to stop pacing.

No one would have guessed Sebastian and Natalia were capable of such things. But had Alaric and Alusina had known what they'd planned?

Had they demanded Khaede step down to force the Daglan to stay in line?

He pressed a kiss to Seraphine's forehead.

"It'll be fine love. Morrigan will take care of them."

Seraphine sighed and leaned into his touch. She had trained for this position, she was a force to be reckoned with.

Night was loyal to her and had always stood with her.

Giving Night to Alusina and Alaric as a mating gift had never set well with her people.

But they had it now and her people had gone out of their way to make her feel welcome.

Still, Doranelle falling and being their problem wasn't on his list of wants. Keir and Seraphine's father Nox were brothers, which made it on Seraphine what to do about Nesta and her sisters.

He supposed they could have gone to Mab. But even he knew Mab was estranged from Mora and Maeve.

Seraphine had agreed to take the girls in, she had been optimistic about it too.

Seraphine frowned, twisting her hands in his shirt.

"What if they play politics Rhysand? That's exhausting, I don't want to be wearing masks in my own home."

He frowned, cupping her face.

"Then you don't, you don't need to be around them. They are Morrigan's problem, they'll stay in the House of Wind and be dealt with there. They are our guests but not our responsibility do you understand?"

Seraphine bit her lip and pulled away to walk to the window.

"I just want them to see I am good. Theia nearly destoryed this realm 300 years ago. I am not my grandmother, I am not mother who needs constant care or spirals into despair."

She rolled her shoulders back, her blue eyes flashing.

"I will not let anyone make me feel inferior in my own home. I know the rumors of those girls, they are spoiled and her whatever they want. They are Morrigan's responsibility but I will set the standard."

Rhysand stepped back to her, holding her chin to kiss hard.

"You amaze me Seraphine. Have I told you that today?"

She smiled, the soft smile she only ever showed him. Her eyes twinkling.

"You've told me you thought me a goddess this morning but not I amaze you. You're growing lax my dear."

He grinned, sliding curtains closed, pressing her back against the window. His lips slid down her neck.

"I didn't get to worship you either yet darling. Let me make it make up to you."

------

Remus stood at the steps below Seraphine and Rhysand, she speaking with Morrigan softly.

He looked to his brother who shrugged at him.

He couldn't even fault Rhysand's joy, he wished his brother all the best. He didn't know why he had to be here to receive the females. He had work to be doing, and watching Rhysand simply stare at Seraphine as if she had hung the stars and moon was giving him a headache.

Fates, he hoped he never looked like that.

Seraphine perked looking to the carriage that wound up the drive to them.

"They're here."

A male stepped out, Urstin. He helped his sisters out one by one. He looked exhausted, but they all looked fine.

Remus wondered if they had cried yet about their parents.

When his mother had been dying he had cried. It was only months after she had recovered that he'd even broken down.

Seraphine stepped down the steps toward them.

"Welcome to Night."

//For anyone!!!//

Nesta looked to her sisters, sharing a look that reminded them they could not show weakness here. No one deserved to know their pain, or how they yerned for what they had lost. It had taken the ride there for her to help Elain compose herself, who had not wanted to come and wanted to be anywhere else.

Then there was Feyre, who honestly had become so rebellious in the recent weeks. Talking back, not dressing as she should. If only she could keep them under control, she knew Urstin had enough on his plate, so she knew it had to be her responsiblity.

She turned and looked towards the female who approached, she stood tall with her chin held high before she curtsied - Elain following suit.

"Thank you for the kind welcome, I am Nesta. These are my siblings: Urstin," she interacted to her brother. "Elain and Feyre."

Elain smiled when she was introduced and bowed her head slightly.

Feyre on the other hand stood tall, looking over all those who were gathered. She looked as if she was trying to sus out who to trust, who to watch.

[troubleshade]

Some good-byes aren't meant to be forever

(The aftermath from "Lost and Found")

Several weeks passed since Chiisai found back home. She couldn't be happier about it, even if she needed a week to get used to her old world and how a few things worked here. Her siblings Asha and Coen barely left her side. They had so much to talk and catch up from the past years. Even Aster took his time to ask the returned turtle about her adventures. Sometimes it felt too surreal for her to be here again and seeing her loved ones busy with their own lifes. It doesn't felt like she was away for a decade but at the same time it does. This feeling causes her often to daydream.

And like the past dawns, Chiisai let her mind drift away again while laying in her old hammock. The new wake-sleep circle was the most difficult part for her to get used to it. She stares up to the remaining stars while thinking back to her other family. A slight pang of guilt rose in the turtle again, she just left without leaving a hint for the four boys. Did they notice her absence? Are they maybe even mad at her? Will they think she's dead? The turtle sighed, she just hoped that her new brothers are still okay without her in their life. Well, she was sure they'll be just fine without her.

Her train of thought came to a stop as she heard light footsteps next to her hammock. Chiisai didn't need to look to know that it was her old caretaker Aster. His shell scraped for a second on the wall as he sat down with a quiet huff. The silence between them was familiar and quite comfortable. "Thinking again about your brothers from another world?", he softly broke the silence. Her smile grew at his title he gave her four brothers to avoid misunderstandings. "Yeah..." Her answer was short for that question. "Are ya worried about them?" Chiisai finally glances to Aster. "Not in the slightest", she answers with a proud voice, "They doing just fine even without me, I know it. They don't need me anymore as a protector, they found their own way." He hums in affirmation, nodding slightly. For a moment both didn't say a word. "They may don't need a protector, but maybe they need their sister." Chiisai stared perplexed to him. "It's a difference you know? Just because you got the title as the older sibling doesn't mean you're only there for one purpose." Aster continues. "Well no of course not but it was like my most important main task...", Chiisai mumbled defensive. Before she could continue he interrupted her quickly. "Your most important job wasn't looking after them. It was every opportunity you took to be there for them. You told me so much about your time with the boys. How you learn more about their interests and lifes, you gladly spent time with them, helped them when they had a miserable day and even the four were there for you if you had a bad day. It was a give and take. You're more for them as just a 'protector'. You're part of their family." She still looked at him in silence, clearly thinking about what he just said. A small smile formed on her face. "Yeah... still I hope they forgive me that I just vanished... I just ran into the portal without thinking twice about it because I was afraid it would close on me again..." She sighs. "Well...now I can't change it... they'll figure it out... hopefully." Aster just nodded.

Once again it was silent for a while, her eyes returned to watch the sky. After a while she could hear him softly chuckle. "Well...but some good-byes are not final... you do know that I saved the coordinates from the other dimension where we found you don't ya?" The question was followed from an awkward silence before her shout was heard in the farthest edge of the city: "WHY DIDN'T YOU TOLD ME THAT SOONER?!"

The apartment never felt so gloomy like in this very moment. Because Chiisai didn't respond to their texts and calls for the last weeks the four boys Lee, Raphie, Mike and Don decided to visit her. They just assumed the reason of this problem was that she destroyed her phone again somehow. For the last hours they waited patiently in her home, talking and joking around. She would come home eventually, like always...right?

Their mood drastically went from "worried but good" to "worried and horrible" after an almost day long wait. Just right then Raphie would notice the fine layer of dust on the furniture, Lee looked into a fridge full of spoiled food. Don mentioned that the most precious belongings are still here, so she couldn't moved away. And Mike closed the window who stood open for a while because the floor underneath it was wet from the rain. Hopes were crushed and the worst scenarios appeared in their heads. "Maybe she found a way home?" Don slowly said, trying to sound positive. Lee was the only one who nodded but even he didn't believed it. Silence filled the room again it felt like a heavy blanket.

A hard blow on the couch broke their trance like state. "Bullshit! Accept it Don, she just left us without saying anything!" Raphie shouts out his face turned angry . "She don't wanna see us ever again! Why should she just disappear without a word?! We're nothing for her anymore since we travelled around!" Mike stared bewildered to his screaming brother. "Don't you fucking dare to say that again! She would never-" "LOOK AROUND! SHE. IS. NOT. HERE. ANYMORE. This apartment is empty for a long time now! She cut us out of her life! She took the frickin' chance that we were out of town to do that!" Raphie cried out louder to interrupt Mike, waving his arms around to prove his point. Mike's eyes well up with tears. This wasn't true. Hell, he would even swear on his own life that Chiisai would never just abandon them. He wanted to say something against it but Raphie didn't gave him the opportunity. "I don't want to hear your poorly thought reasons why she wouldn't do it!" His breath staggered. "Because the other option would mean she would be d-" Raphie stopped, never ending his sentence. His brothers stared shocked and silent at him. "I..." He sighed out and let him fall defeated onto the couch. "I just can't believe she's gone..." His voice was only a whisper now.

No one of them dared to speak, they only thought about the happier times of this place and the past resident. The heartbeats was the only sound that they could hear right now. Until a familiar voice spoke up:

"Wow, that's the saddest display I've ever saw... Can I join the pity party?" Flabbergasted, the four boys stared to the newcomer. The red masked brother was the first who reacted with a sprint to the person and a surprised shout. "BIG SIS!" The others followed him shortly, almost tackling the smaller turtle to the ground as they hugged her. "It's good to see you all again too." She said happily, trying to hug them all back at once. Her old caretaker were right: Some good-byes aren't meant to be final.

Universes AU boys belong to @xxlea-nardoxx

#tmnt au #tmnt #tmnt oc #tmnt chiisai #following me is free and would make me happy no pressure thou :> #tmnt oc chiisai #tmnt oc aster

[partyinthemysterymachine]

(Pistachio) Puddin'

(harry/james; -adjacent au)

===

“Okay, okay,” Harry tutted, lifting the fussing baby girl from the changing table. “I know. I’m sorry. I have to invade your privacy until you’re fully potty trained. That’s gonna take a while.” He propped her on his chest and shoulder, patting her back as he left the nursery. “You’re a good girl. Don’t get any ideas about starting a rebellious phase just yet, okay? Heather’s still on hers, and she’s getting up there. Okay, early twenties, but your sister is definitely having a rebellious phase that started when she was about eight..”

“What’re you telling her about now?” James tilted his head back to try to look at them over the couch, ending up righting it as he followed them to the point where Harry curled up on the couch beside him. 

“Warning her against a rebellious phase too soon.” He tilted his head to the side as he peeled the baby away from his shoulder, holding her in his lap. The gravedigger leaned over to look. “Look at her, James. She’s got a gleam in her eye that I’m very sure that we’re going to need to keep under careful surveillance.”

Setting the tablet down, James then reached to scoop up the baby from Harry’s lap. The author acquiesced, smiling softly. Nothing was verbally said; Harry heard his silence just fine. He stroked the back of his lover’s blond head, kissed his shoulder, then got back up. “Heather's coming over tonight. Not for dinner. She just wants to visit.”

James laid Rose on his thighs where they could openly and easily stare at each other. “Okay. What time?”

“Uhhh, I think around eight. She said she had a few things to do first.” Harry looked over. “I don’t think she'll be here too long, though; just wanted to swing by.”

“Okay.”

“I’m gonna take a bath,” Harry announced, beginning to walk off just as James rose to his feet. “I fed and changed the baby, so, no need to worry abo—“ Frowning, he stopped in his tracks and spread out his hands questioningly at James’s mild frown. “What?”

“I was gonna change her.”

He blew a raspberry. “Next time, then. It won’t be long.” James shouldered their child, rubbing her back as he slowly pivoted, holding a playful glare out of the corner of his eye. 

“Fine.”

“I can’t believe we were gonna argue about changing the baby,” Harry chuckled, heading down the hall. His husband watched him go, then looked at the sweet little infant on his shoulder.

James gave her a gentle hug that secured her to him until he got comfortable stretched out on the sofa. He kissed her dark, downy hair and held his lips on her head as he flipped through Netflix, settling on that Stranger Things show. Harry had mentioned it a few times before and James thought it was maybe about time he gave it a shot. The remote was in reaching distance, he was relaxed, and his baby girl safe on his chest.

Tenderly moving her lower so he could see her, the former conduit studied the phenomenon that grew a little more each day. He loved her. Already, Harry was accusing him of replacing him with Rose and having to fight with him to change her, or get up in the night to tend to her. Those were jokes and they both knew it, yet James was getting good at beating him to the punch when she cried through the speakers. She was just amazing. There was nothing like fatherhood.

James was starting to really get where Harry was coming from about the pride and joy of being a dad. 

Life was turning out incredible. A gold ring encircled a finger he didn’t think would feel one again; someone loved him ravenously, passionately, unconditionally; he had a stable job he liked, friends he regularly talked to and even saw on his own time; enjoyed waking up in the morning, to go to work, to come home, text his family - a family. James had a family. 

The Masons adopted him into theirs, and with Harry, recreated it a little when their legal surnames became hyphenated. Now James and Harry were Mason-Sunderlands. Then Harry started talking about how he loved children and wished he could’ve had a baby, but he’s getting too old. It’s not fair. It wouldn’t be fair to the child. 

And no, it wasn’t fair to Rose. They weren’t sure how James would age, or what complications could be ahead. James was a mystery, and Harry was reality. He was almost fifty. He’d be in his seventies by the time their little girl was twenty. They’d talked a lot about this after they decided to try to get pregnant and it was a subject that they never liked to bring up.

It’s just that they’d been feeling the weight of it lately, and like last night, held each other tight, hoping the other knew how deep ‘I love you’ went.

He wanted to take their daughter into the bathroom and climb in, clothes and all, with Harry. But he’d be out soon (unless he’d fallen asleep, which had happened before, so he ought to check in in half an hour), and he knew they’d pull out the ‘bed’ under the couch and have a lovely cuddle, the three of them.

Noise from the TV got his attention. James actually started watching, absently rubbing and kissing his daughter as the episode progressed. The show was pretty interesting. So interesting, that he forgot to check in on his husband, and an hour an half later, got a good startle when Harry suddenly appeared in his line of sight heading into the kitchen.

“Ooh, giving Stranger Things a go, huh? Nice. I think you’ll like it,” he continued, raising his voice a bit to be heard as he moved about behind the sofa. “I’d be a little careful though, honey. Some things could be triggering.”

“I’ll keep it in check,” James called back, tilting his head up better hearing. “How was the bath?”

“Nice. Almost fell asleep, though. Those bath salts are amazing.”

“Heather got you those, right?”

“Yeah. They’re better than Epsom salt. I gotta ask her where she found ‘em.”

“Cool.”

“I’m gonna make some coffee, babe. Want anything?”

“Uuuuuhhhhh..”

Harry smiled to himself as James gave his offer a good thought. Glancing over, he saw his yellow wheat field hair drawn back by gravity and incredible genetics, a peek of his forehead, eye, and nose ridge. He had to stop and admire. Truly, his heart soared when he saw him; he wouldn’t ever lie about something like that. Every day, Harry fell madly in love with James over and over and over and for the love of god, he hoped his husband knew, at the very least, a fraction of what it was like for Harry to love him.

It hurt worse than hell, and he was glad for it. He didn’t want anyone else. Jodi had been a love in his life, and they’d loved each other intensely. With her, they adopted Cheryl, and losing Jodi was a pain he still felt. She was always a fun conversation in therapy.

But James.. it was a shame he had to find his other half waiting for him in Silent Hill. Harry was grateful to have found him at all. The search for the piece of his severed soul had come to an end, and currently lay on the couch, cradling their baby girl on his chest.

The movement on the TV caught his eye and he paid some attention to the plot while James mulled over whether or not he wanted anything.

“Do we have any pistachio pudding?”

“Uhhh..” He heard the fridge door clatter. “Yeah. You want that?” 

“Yeah. Please.”

James blinked at him in surprise when he brought over a cold medium-sized bowl full of fresh, untouched pastel green pudding. He was handed a spoon, and was about to complain that he had nowhere to put it - but Harry was already on the case. Bending down, he grabbed the fabric loops drooping under the cushion, pulling out the large extension from underneath that made the couch and chaise combination one large, bed-like space. 

The gravedigger smiled and again with his husband’s help, got himself arranged in a way that allowed him to hold their baby and enjoy his dessert with ease. “Thanks, sweetheart.” He closed his eyes to receive the kiss on his forehead and comb of fingers through his hair. 

“You’re welcome. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

#ches writes #adjacent #this was written probably two years ago and not touched since so. jazzhands #when i wrote/write for -adjacent especially i really don't do any editing bc it's Pure Indulgence and #intended for my eyes only lol. but sometimes. i feel like i just wanna share -adjacent :)! #it's very near and dear to my heart for many many reasons but yeah!! pls enjoy :3 #oc: rose #(babby rose 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🙏💖💖💖)

[amethystheart2421]

Thanks for the tag @phantomgrimalkin <3

I just realized I did it wrong and I used your words instead of the words you gave me because I'm terrible at paying attention to details but this took a while so... *shrug* sharing anyway. Sorry about that!

Search these words in anything you've made and share: eyes, night, cried, pretty, kiss

Eyes - The Three Soulmates of Pandora Lovegood

Night - Engrams and Moonwalks

Pandora set down her fork, having finished her eggs, and dabbed at her lips with a napkin. “Well, I have been lucky enough to have three soulmates. And that’s only so far.”

Luna looked at the piece of a heart pancake still on her plate and gasped. “Am I one of them?” Pandora chuckled, grinning at her daughter. “Of course, you are, my dear sweet Luna!”

Luna’s cheeks went red and she laughed. Then her face pursed in thought and she asked, “So, if you had three soul mates and Daddy is one and I am one, then who is the third?”

“Ah. I thought you might ask me that.” Pandora’s grin vanished and there was sadness in her eyes as she said, “Let’s make some tea, and I will tell you all about it.”

Mary handed him a bottle of water and got to work on his face. “So, the old gang is going out to The Three Broomsticks tonight. Think you will be gracing us with your presence?” she asked. “The Broomsticks? Isn’t that place right by the university? It’ll be crawling with college students.” Sirius was terrible at coming up with excuses, but he really just wanted to go home and binge watch whatever crappy superhero show was currently trending on Netflix, avoiding humans altogether. Mary scoffed, “Exactly! Sirius, you need to get out and have some fun. How are you going to meet people moping around your mansion all the time? A fresh young college student could do you some good.” “Hey, I meet people around the mansion! The new night guard at Godric’s Hollow, Shacklebolt, he’s a great guy. We have fascinating talks. You know he trains wild animals as a hobby? The guy has a pet lynx!” Mary stared at him for a few beats before she busted up, laughing, “Sirius Black, you are coming out with us tonight. Go home and put on those tight black jeans that really show off that ass, and we’ll pick you up at nine.”

Cried - Wolfsbane of My Existence

Other memories from the evening flashed in his mind, Remus squeezing his hand to comfort him. Remus running his fingers through his hair and rubbing his back as he cried about his uncle. Remus’s chest rising and falling with his breath as he slept. The long curve of Remus’s neck. The way it felt to be held, and how he ached to feel it again. The longing rose in his chest and squeezed his heart.  Fuck. He turned on the tap and splashed water on his face. He was mortified. He was humiliated. He was… giddy. Regulus let out a whine of despair. Regulus was falling for Remus Lupin.

Pretty - Fragile Development

Evan’s brow furrows in thought, “Well, you know, maybe you should look on the bright side. The overtime pay has gotta be pretty good for a whole weekend!” Regulus lets out a long bitter laugh. “I don’t get overtime pay!” He’s still laughing. “I’m salary. I have to work as many hours as my employer tells me to, with no difference in my pay.” “Well, that can’t be right.” Evan eyes him skeptically. Regulus shrugs. “Damn, son. I thought those fancy engineering jobs would be all about paid time off and first-class travel. That there sounds like indentured servitude or some shit.” “That’s exactly what it is. Indentured servitude.” Regulus agrees.

Kiss - You and Me, Moony

So, when Regulus started nuzzling his neck, pressing small, sweet kisses to his skin and mumbling about how delicious he smelled, Remus didn’t push him away, he didn’t ask him to stop. And when Regulus’s hand was at his neck, fingers carding through his hair, massaging his scalp, he gave in completely. He turned into the embrace, finding Regulus’s lips with his own. He kissed him with a hunger he hadn’t even realized he felt, but now he was desperate for it.

OKAY new words for you. If you want to. :) hand, smoke, forget, laughed, soft

@sniperjade @soupy-george @crying-lightningx @myheadsgonenumb

#tag game #marauders fanfiction #i need to learn to read directions #moonseeker #wolfstar