sportsanime | Bonus Round 5: Myth & Lore

Entry tags:

Bonus Round 5: Myth & Lore

Summer's a time for swapping stories around the campfire. With that in mind, this round draws inspiration from the stories humanity have told each other over the centuries.

This round is CLOSED as of 7PM on August 4 EDT. Late fills may be posted, but they will not receive points.

RULES

This round does not have prompts. Instead, we ask you to draw inspiration from the wide pool of mythology, fantasy, folklore, and fable. An urban fantasy or supernatural AU? A re-imagining of your favorite folk tale? Characters swapping ghost stories or playing D&D? As long as your fill in some way incorporates the fantastical and/or supernatural, it's welcome here.
Your fill still has to be about a ship from one of our nominated fandoms. What ships you create work for is up to you, though.
To submit your fill, simply leave it as a comment as a reply to this post.
Remember to follow the general bonus round rules, outlined here.

FORMAT

Bonus round shenanigans all happen in the comments below. Brand-new works only, please.

Required Work Minimums:

400 words (prose)
400px by 400px (art)
14 lines (poetry)

There is no max work cap.

Remember, this is a NO-PROMPT round. Format your fill comment in one of the following ways:

If FILLING:

If FILLING as a TEAM GRANDSTAND participant:

FILL: TEAM [YOUR SHIP], [RATING]

Replace [YOUR SHIP] with the name of the team you belong to
- Write it exactly as it appears on the team roster (without brackets) or your team will not receive points
Replace RATING with the rating of your fill (G - E)
Place applicable major content tags and word count before your fill (when applicable)
If no major content tags are applicable, make sure to state this-- even if including other additional tags
NSFW FILLS: Please cross-link these fills and use clear tags in your comment. Written/text fills should be hosted at AO3 ONLY as a new, unchaptered work. Art/visual fills can be hosted anywhere. You may include a small safe-for-work preview of the fill in your comment.
To place an image in your comment, use this code: <img src="LINK TO YOUR IMAGE" alt="DESCRIPTION OF YOUR IMAGE"/>
Visual example

FILL: TEAM GRANDSTAND, [RATING]

Replace RATING with the rating of your fill, G - E, as explained in the rules
Place applicable major content tags and word count before the fill, where applicable
If no major content tags are applicable, make sure to state this-- even if including other additional tags
NSFW FILLS: Please cross-link these fills and use clear tags in your comment. Written/text fills should be hosted at AO3 ONLY as a new, unchaptered work. Art/visual fills can be hosted anywhere. You may include a small safe-for-work preview of your work in your comment.
To place an image in your comment, use this code: <img src="LINK TO YOUR IMAGE" />
Visual example

Posts not using this format will be understood to be unofficial discussion posts, regardless of what they contain. They, like all comments in this community, are subject to the code of conduct.

SCORING

These numbers apply to your team as a whole, not each individual teammate. Make as many fills as you want!

For fills:

First 3 fills by any member of your team: 20 points each
Fills 4-10: 10 points each
Fills 11-20: 5 points each
Fills 21+: 2 points each

All scored content must be created new for this round.

Etc.

If you're hunting through the prompts looking for what to fill, a good trick is to view top-level comments only.

Have a question? Check The FAQ first. If you still need help, feel free to contact the mods. Happy fanworking!

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Haiba Lev/Yaku Morisuke, Haikyuu!!

Word count: 1021

No major tags. Love god au. Based on Bii's music video "Love More."

the explanation for why yaku can see lev is that yaku doesn't believe in love, which is also why lev's magic doesn't work on him.

Lev makes his way through the busy street, trying not to bump into anyone. He has a suitcase in one hand, the Love Serum in the other.

Smiling, he takes in the faces of the people hurrying past him, the tall skyscrapers, the sound of cars zooming by.

“Yup, I think this is it!” he says to no one in particular. “Today it’s Tokyo, Japan!”

He doesn’t have any particular cases he needs to work on, but he figures that in a city as large as this, there’s bound to be something for him to do.

He finds one not even five minutes later. A young couple, sitting outside a café. The girl is angry, he can tell, and the boy is trying to apologize. Lev gets closer so he can hear what they’re saying.

“You said that last time!” the girl says to the boy.

“I know I did, but trust me, this time I mean it!” the boy replies.

“You’ve ‘meant it’ for the last three times we had this conversation!”

An argument about a broken promise, maybe. Nothing that Lev hasn’t seen.

He moves even closer so that he’s almost right between the arguing couple. Lev studies the girl’s face, before turning to the boy. He thinks he knows what he has to do.

Unscrewing the cap of the Love Serum, he sprinkles a few drops between them.

Instantly, the girl’s anger disappears. The boy suddenly reaches for her hand, and she eagerly reciprocates. They’ve both forgotten about the argument, it seems. Lev grins.

Not long after, he sees a teenaged boy sitting on a bench, looking at the ground. He reeks of dejection, and Lev concludes easily that he’d just been rejected.

Hurrying over, Lev slides next to the boy on the bench. He snaps his fingers, and the boy perks up. A smile appears on his face and he cheerfully gets up from the bench and walks down the street.

Lev can’t help but let out a laugh. There isn’t a day where he doesn’t love doing what he does. And it was always so easy, too.

Or so he thinks, until almost three hours later.

He just saw a girl on her way to meet her date, and she’s nervous as hell. Since they’re conveniently by a flower shop, Lev grabs a rose out of the bucket and hands it to her. Her anxiety’s gone, and she picks up her pace on her way to her date.

Then:

“Hey! Aren’t you going to pay for that?”

Bewildered, Lev looks around. Seeing nobody else around who the voice might be directed to, he looks up to see a short man standing at the top of the steps leading to the flower shop.

“What? Me?” Lev bumbles.

The man rolls his eyes. “Yes, you. Who else? Do you see anyone else running around and stealing flowers?”

“You—You can see me?” Lev asks, unbelieving.

The man looks unimpressed. “Yes, of course I can see you! I’m not blind! What are you, an idiot?”

Lev’s mind is a mess. He hasn’t ever accounted for the possibility of this happening. The big-guys-up-there haven’t ever told him what to do in this situation either. Panicking, he does the only thing he can think of.

He bounds up the steps and shoves the man against the wall.

“Hey! What are you—”

And dumps the entirety of the Love Serum onto the man’s head.

Sputtering, the man shoves Lev back. “What—are you crazy?

At this point, Lev is beyond lost for what to do.

“Why isn’t it working?” Lev whines, before all but smashing the empty Serum bottle on the ground. “They never trained me for this at the Academy! The Serum is supposed to have 100% success rate!”

“What the hell are you talking about?” the man snaps. And for the first time, Lev feels kind of sorry for this guy. After all, Lev did steal a flower, even if he didn’t think the guy could see him. And Lev also kind of drenched the guy in the Serum without any explanation, so now his clothes and his hair are a mess.

Lev tries to find an explanation to tell this unfortunate stranger without freaking him out. “Uh—do you believe in love gods?”

“What?” If he’d looked unimpressed before, now this guy was looking really fucking pissed. “Look, sir, if you don’t get the hell away from me right now, I will file a lawsuit for assault.”

And that’s when Lev thinks he’s hit the lowest point of his life. The time he accidentally broke up an eight-year-long relationship? Or the time he accidentally spilled his Serum quota of the day before he’d completed his job? Nothing compared to this. And he isn’t even sure what a lawsuit is. But it does sound ominous.

“No, no, no! Don’t do that! I’m sorry, uh, what I meant to say was—” Lev frantically looks around for something that can save him. He spots a sign in the window of the flower shop and immediately takes advantage of it. “—I’m here to look for a job!”

“A job,” the man repeats. Lev nods, hoping that he seems convincing.
The man looks Lev up and down, scrutinizing him in a way that makes Lev feel like all his secrets are about to be discovered. Lev puts on his best charming smile, hoping it can win him over.

“Well, you didn’t make a very good first impression, but I guess you can have a chance. Nobody else has been interested, anyway,” the man says eventually.

Lev inwardly cheers, and mentally congratulates himself on having escaped from a “lawsuit.” But then he realizes he’ll actually have to show up every day to this new job of his, and that’s when the gravity of the situation hits.

“Well, great! Uh, I’m glad!” Lev says. The guy sighs. Lev decides that this guy must not like him very much, not that Lev really blames him. But at least this guy won’t be his boss or anything, right?

“Well, starting today, I’m your boss. I’m Yaku Morisuke.” Yaku Morisuke says.

Shit.

Thank you!!

Himuro Tatsuya/Murasakibara Atsushi; Kuroko no Basuke
no major tags, fade to black
word count: 462

The energy in the concert hall feels electric.

Tatsuya can feel it against his skin, making his hair stand on end, one hand firmly around the microphone he holds to his mouth, the other spread out to his side. He likes the acoustics here; his voice is projected loud and clear, and his audience is in his trance. He can see the glowing light of energy in their bodies, following the way it pours out of them and into him, filling him up. He knows that his eyes are shining with the amount of power his audience is giving him, but that's why he insists on having so many light effects, and why he wears his hair over one eye. He knows that nobody will notice.

He feels a warm body pressed against his back, and a familiar hand on his thigh, sliding up over his stomach and to his chest, dragging his shirt up with it. He grins against the microphone as Atsushi bends to kiss his neck, and the crowd goes wild. Almost nobody will notice. Atsushi knows Tatsuya for what he is, but he doesn't mind anyway.

Tatsuya reaches behind him with his free hand, fingers stroking along Atsushi's thigh in return. It's the briefest moment of contact, but Atsushi will know that it's full of promise for later. The rest of the band doesn't really mind the fanservice, or public displays of affection on stage. They don't know that they function as a way for Atsushi to help him draw even more energy from the audience, and to keep him in check.

His heart is pounding and he's so full of other people's energy by the end of the concert that he needs somewhere to let it all out.

Atsushi is always a good choice.

"How aren't you tired yet?" Atsushi grumbles, as Tatsuya pushes him onto the bed of their hotel room and then climbs on top of him. He isn't tired either, though. Tatsuya can tell by the way Atsushi's lips are eager against his, the way his hands around his thighs and pull him even closer. "Do you know your eyes are still shining?"

"Are they?" Tatsuya smiles, wrapping his arms around Atsushi's shoulders.

Atsushi brushes Tatsuya's hair out of his face so he can see both eyes, then presses a kiss to the mole just under one of them. "They're so pretty. Just like your voice."

Tatsuya's smile grows wider and he brushes his lips over the shell of Atsushi's ear. "I'm already full of energy, Atsushi, but I'm always happy to take more from you, if you make me moan for you."

Growling at the back of his throat, Atsushi rolls them over, pressing Tatsuya into the mattress. "You already know I will."

Okay, I really like the dark Imayoshi dynamic, especially when Hanamiya's on the other end of it. This had such a lovely creepy feel to it.

Ayase Eli & Kousaka Honoka; Love Live!
no tags; dragon au
word count: 490

The student council room might as well double as Eli's den; the bookshelves and tables by the walls are all neatly stacked with books and folders and paperwork clipped together so it won't fall out of order.

Honoka always feels a little uneasy about stepping foot inside, because dragons are particular about this sort of thing. Especially when it comes to other dragons. Even though she knows that the student council room isn't Eli's actual den; that is, of course, her own room. It's not as if Eli actually hoards work to do, as much as it might look that way to someone who doesn't actually know her very well.

Still, Honoka waits outside the door, tugging uncertainly at a strand of her own hair, before she shakes her head at herself. Inaction is unlike her. Inhibitions are there for her to push past, after all. She raises her fist and knocks loudly on the door, hearing Eli's muffled voice telling her to come in.

When Honoka pokes her head into the room, Eli is sitting at her desk, reading through a list of forms. Another one for her hoard, Honoka thinks, smiling when Eli smiles at her.

"Eli-chan," she greets, stepping a little further into the room. "I wanted to know if you felt like stretching your wings."

An eager expression flickers across Eli's face for a moment, as is the natural response to a question like Honoka's, but then she sighs and shakes her head.

"I'm sorry. I need to get this done first."

Honoka takes note of the fact that Eli said first. So it's not entirely off the table just yet.

"Is there anything I can help with?"

"I wouldn't want to dump work on you when it's my job to deal with it," Eli protests.

"I'm always happy to help my friends," Honoka says, taking one of the empty chairs near the desk. "Besides, the sooner we get through this, the sooner we can go flying, right? Just teach me what I have to do."

"It's a little complicated," Eli warns. "We need to make sure all of these club applications for the upcoming school festival fall under the guidelines. I have a spare print out of all the guidelines here."

Eli is right; the work is a little difficult, and even though Honoka's pile is significantly smaller than Eli's, it still takes her longer to get through it.

Except it's all worth it, when they're done and Honoka takes Eli's hand, excitedly leading her up to the rooftop, where the sun is still shining in the clear sky.

"Are you ready?" she asks, pleased when she finds Eli beaming.

"Definitely," Eli answers, and they both let themselves transform, leaping in the air and flying playful circles around each other.

Flying is one of the best feelings in the world, Honoka thinks to herself, beaten only by one thing: flying with someone she cares about.

mentions of disasters

605 words

ashite (ywpd), magical singing.

--

Ashikiba looks at Teshima’s name in her address book for a long time before she picks up her phone to call him. She hasn’t spoken to Teshima in years, but she needs to, now. She needs to ask him to sing with her again.

Strange things happened when Ashikiba sings. She has sang the vines winding around the trellis in her family’s garden into flower; summoned swarms of butterflies of every hue and origin to the top of her school’s tallest building in the middle of the icy winter; serenaded the entire town until the spirits of everyone in it were soaring.

Ashikiba always used to enjoy singing. It was probably one of her favorite things to do aside from playing the piano. She would sing whenever she got the chance to - while walking or bicycling home from school, showering, doing chores around the house. Her voice was so beautiful that her neighbors would stop what they were doing to listen if they heard her, and people walking the same paths she took would hear her and then seek her out so they could listen more clearly. The only thing more beautiful, everyone agreed, than Ashikiba’s singing, was when Ashikiba sang with Teshima. But then Teshima moved away, and Ashikiba didn’t sing as much anymore.

Teshima’s voice doesn’t have the same demiurgic force behind it in the way Ashikiba’s does, but when Teshima sang with her, Ashikiba’s song was more potent, more powerful. Its effects traveled further and lasted longer. In the early days of their friendship, they’d sung away a drought that threatened to last all year. But towards the time where Teshima was set to move, they’d sung the river black with their melancholy and warbled a plague of locusts with their discontent, that had descended on that year’s harvest and decimated it. After Teshima left, Ashikiba had filled the sky with heavy grey clouds that persisted for weeks - after that, she decided it would probably be better for everyone for her to stick to the piano from then on.

The townsfolk had begged her to stop singing, then, but now that she’s grown up, with a home of her own, they’re begging for the opposite.

“There’s an illness,” Ashikiba tells Teshima in a quiet, worried voice when he picks up the phone.

He comes in on the train a few days later.

They’re silent all throughout the walk back to Ashikiba’s house. All that Ashikiba can think is: he looks older. Not different. Just older. She thinks about the years of change that she hadn’t seen as they walk over cobblestone steps, walk through the grove of trees leading to where Ashikiba lives.

She offers him tea when they get back and they sit at her dining room table, awkward, not looking at each other. Ashikiba doesn’t need to ask to know that he’s concerned about the same thing she is - if their relationship is as sour as it was when he left, they could just make everything worse.

Ashikiba opens her mouth and picks up the lyrics in the middle of a ballad, putting her voice to music for the first time in years. Teshima, tentatively, joins her.

She sings soap bubbles out of the faucet; Teshima spreads them through her house. Ashikiba flutes a rainbow over the table; Teshima transforms it into a double. When they’re done, they look at each other, smiling.

The disease that had been threatening Ashikiba’s home clears up within the next few days, and Teshima extends his visit to a fortnight. They have a lot of talking - and singing - to catch up on.

sdskjgdlskjgd kii this is SO CUTE?? I think it's funny how you said you didn't know how to write Eli because your Eli is SO GOOD, she's responsible and mature and honk is such a sweet contrast to her sdkjgldsjgd I LOVE THIS

Akashi Seijurou/Mayuzumi Chihiro; Kuroko no Basuke
mentions of violence; demon au, cardfight vanguard au (Amon!Akashi, Fixers!Generation of Miracles)
word count: 637

Akashi's castle is so large that it defies all reason.

Mayuzumi supposes that it shouldn't be particularly surprising, considering that this is Akashi, after all. Everything about him seems to defy any kind of logic or sense. It's exhausting.

Akashi seems to have made it work out for him, though.

The castle is so big that it feels almost as if Akashi is trying to fit an entire nation in there. An entire world, perhaps, and Mayuzumi doubts that it's far from the truth anyway. He understands, at least on some level, the way that Akashi thinks. He knows that Akashi's goals don't end at the demonic throne that he's managed to claim for himself. Of course not.

Gaining dominion over his follow demons is only the first step on whatever grand plan Akashi has. As far as Mayuzumi is concerned, it's so laughably obvious that those who are caught by surprised and crushed only deserve it. They aren't the kind who are built to survive in this hellish landscape, of demons consuming other demons, adding to their own magic and power. Mayuzumi has seen the way that Akashi has fed upon demon after demon, tearing them limb from limb slowly so as to prolong their suffering, taking power from that. Mayuzumi can feel the magic in Akashi's mere presence. The sheer density of his power feels like some sort of deep chasm that Mayuzumi is standing on the very precipice of. All it would take is a light push, or a strong gust, and Mayuzumi fears that he would find himself losing himself in Akashi, so full of hidden depths that perhaps there would never be anything to break his fall.

There's the nagging feeling that tugs at the back of his mind that tells him that in one way or another, he's already falling.

He swears himself as a lowly servant to Akashi, and hopes that it buys him some time. Akashi must see exactly what he's doing, and perhaps it amuses him, because he keeps Mayuzumi nearby, hidden somewhere in the shadows as he holds court.

Mayuzumi watches as Akashi appoints his generals; Fixers, he calls them. He doesn't tell them what they're fixing and Mayuzumi wonders if they realise it at all. Akashi grants them permission to betray him, to overthrow him if they have the power for it. Mayuzumi wonders if they realise just what kind of game he is playing with them.

They don't notice Mayuzumi as they bow their heads together, speaking of how they can work together to ensure that Akashi is finally defeated. None of them have good intentions; they all mean to take Akashi's throne for themselves, and Mayuzumi watches as, over time, the rest of them come to this realisation as well.

He watches as the high ranked demons begin to tear each other apart. Power changes hands, magic flaring and spiking and then winking entirely out of existence, only to be added to someone else's. Akashi, sitting comfortably on his throne, is safely away from all of it.

"Do they realise?" Mayuzumi asks, standing by Akashi's throne. "That their fighting only keeps you safe? The colourful ones; nobody is going to challenge you before getting through them, and it means they'll have to challenge all four—"

"Five," Akashi corrects with a small smile, and Mayuzumi looks again.

The fifth in a phantom, wavering in and out of visibility. The kind of demon that no one would see unless they knew to look. Judging by their behaviour, the other four Fixers clearly do.

"Oh," he breathes, his eyes narrowing. "You're clever, aren't you?"

"Perhaps I should make you a Fixer too," Akashi hums, resting his chin on his hand.

Mayuzumi looks at the five demons who unwittingly serve as Akashi's royal guard, and snorts derisively. "Pass."

major character death (temporary)

619 words

bokuaka + bonus Kuroo (HQ!!), gods and mortals.

--

When Akaashi first notices Bokuto in the scrying pool, he dismisses the event out of hand. There are millions of mortals walking the earth - the odds are high enough that at least some of them would catch his eye now and then, but he forgets about them just as quickly. Sometimes he thinks of them again, but by that time their lives have already come to an end. Time moves so quickly for them, so slowly for him. Their lives are all so short and fleeting.

But there’s something in the bright amber of Bokuto’s eyes, the jubilation of his smile, that has Akaashi looking in on him again. It becomes a habit. When he isn’t attending to his duties, he’s scrutinizing the minutiae of Bokuto’s day in the scrying pool. It’s not long until he descends to the Earth from the realms of the gods to pay him a visit.

He’s an athlete. He runs sprints and does high and long jumps, but his specialty is throwing the discus. When he complains about a rival in an upcoming competition, it’s easy for Akaashi to watch and grant him a surge of strength when it comes to his turn to throw. The loud, joyous whoop he lets out when he finishes the event in first place brings a smile to Akaashi’s face.

Akaashi ends up speaking to him, sometimes, passing him by in taverns, markets, gardens when Bokuto is alone. He makes him one of the most accomplished athletes in the nation, watches him age. And then, in what feels like a day, decades have passed and Bokuto is old and feeble.

Akaashi thinks nothing of it when he saps a few years off of one of Bokuto’s neighbor’s lives to inject a bit more vitality into his favored one.

This, too, becomes a habit. Kuroo even comes to reproach him, armed with his scroll listing out the names of the souls he’s owed and the dates to expect them.

“His death day is long overdue. It’s up to us to keep a balance. Usually you’re the one lecturing me about that,” he says. “Look, I know you like him, but you have to let him go.”

Akaashi doesn’t want to.

He visits Bokuto, again, but this time Bokuto is suspicious, resentful.

“You haven’t aged a day,” he comments, peering into Akaashi’s youthful face with his weathered, wrinkled one.

Bokuto asks if he’s human. Akaashi confesses no. Bokuto asks if he’s responsible for his oddly long life. Akaashi, reluctantly, says yes. It’s been too long, Bokuto says. His friends have passed on. The world is becoming alien and unfamiliar. He’s ready for his next adventure, he says.

He asks Akaashi to stop, so Akaashi stops. And then he doesn’t visit Earth for a long while. He doesn’t do his job for a long while. Instead, he sleeps, deep and unrelenting.

Kuroo is the one who wakes him up.

“This is even worse than what you were doing before,” he scolds gently, but his face is worried.

“Go away and let me sleep,” Akaashi says, voice flat.

“No,” says Kuroo. And then: “I’ve come to ask you to look into the scrying pool. I’ve found something you’ll be interested in.”

Akaashi swallows a sigh, drags himself out of his slumber long enough to look.

It’s a baby. He’s half a world away from where Bokuto used to live, but the bright amber of his eyes is unmistakable.

There’s wetness on Akaashi’s cheeks and happiness in his heart. He brushes the tears away, puts his face in his hands. Kuroo slaps him on the back, says balance, emphatically, again, and Akaashi doesn’t brush him off.

Edited 2016-08-02 14:57 (UTC)

Himuro Tatsuya/Murasakibara Atsushi; Kuroko no Basuke
mentions of violence; ice demon!Himuro
word count: 527

Tatsuya freezes people out of his life, because that's one of the only things he's good for.

He can't call it a talent, when it's something that he's born with. He's an ice demon; his touch is so cold that it burns, he breathes frost into the air, and warmth is something he knows as a concept but has never actually felt.

People stop trying to get close to him, because they only ever get frostbite for their trouble. He's aloof, he's silent, he works with others when he needs to, and then he's gone, keeping to himself once again.

Murasakibara Atsushi happens to him the way that Tatsuya imagines curses must happen to other people.

Atsushi is—

He's frustrating. That's not the only word that Tatsuya can think of to describe him, but it's certainly one of the more polite ones.

Atsushi is everything that Tatsuya wishes he could be, but isn't. He's naturally talented at magic, beyond the size-shifting powers that he was born with. He's strong and imposing, in a way means he doesn't need to use his magic to convince people not to challenge him.

He's also incredibly bored with the world around him, so used to the strength he has that he doesn't see the point in making more than the minimal effort.

It makes Tatsuya want to tear his hair out. It makes him want to plunge his hand into Atsushi's chest, to freeze him from the inside out, to watch him turn blue, then white as the frost claims him—

He clears his throat softly and shakes his head in an attempt to clear it.

That's the other thing that he doesn't like about Atsushi. He sparks something inside of Tatsuya that makes him feel uncomfortable, like he can't possibly sit still, like no amount of cold will do. He tries using more magic, he tries distancing himself from the people around him, but none of it helps.

He can't even scare Atsushi away the same way he does with others. Atsushi's skin is too thick for that; part of his demon nature. He's so big and so talented at defending himself that it comes without thought. He shrugs off even the strongest of Tatsuya's ice magic without so much as a blink.

Tatsuya hates him more than he can bear. He thinks about it all the time, until Atsushi is at front and centre of his thoughts. He can't stand it, constantly restless, constantly wanting to push Atsushi into motion, to stop him from wasting the ridiculous amount of power that he has.

He doesn't understand it until the moment Atsushi crowds him against a wall, with no place to move. Tatsuya isn't used to this feeling either, isn't used to feeling so trapped, or someone even wanting him this close.

"I can't stand you," Atsushi grumbles, his hand holding Tatsuya's face. Tatsuya can feel Atsushi's breath against his face, against his lips. "You're making me burn up. I hate it."

Atsushi kisses him, hard and bruising, and Tatsuya thinks that he finally understands the unfamiliar feeling that's been plaguing him ever since they first met.

He feels warm.

Relationships/Fandoms: Nitori Aiichirou & Sugawara Koushi, Sugawara Koushi & Yagami Tomoe (Free!, Haikyuu!!, Prince of Stride)
Tags: supernatural elements, blood loss (no blood though), child Nitori, healer Suga, Wraith Tomoe
Wordcount: 999 words

"Papa. Papa!" Nitori whispered urgently as he shook Suga's shoulders.

"What is it, Ai?" Suga asked, immediately awake. It was unusual for Nitori to wake in the middle of the night, much less to wake him.

"There's something scary outside."

"What do you mean."

"The spirits are all coming inside. They're scared."

"Of what?"

"They don't say, but they've never been like this before."

Suga looked out the window, but he didn't see anything in the dark forest. Perhaps more worryingly, he couldn't sense anything nearby either.

"Do they know where it it?" he asked.

"Nearby."

"Do you think you could show me?"

"Yes, Papa."

Suga wanted nothing more than to double-check the bolt on the door and keep Nitori and Shiro safely inside, but he needed to know what was outside, so he thought a brief prayer to any deity that happened to be listening and ushered his child out the door ahead of him..

"He's right over here, Papa," Nitori said, taking Suga's hand and leading him around the side of the house.

As his eyes adjusted to the night, Suga saw a dark shape sitting against one of the large trees that bordered their cottage.

"He's right there, Papa" Nitori said, pointing directly at the shape that had drawn Suga's attention.

Suga shivered. He had no gift of the Sight himself and could see only the mundane world. Nitori was blind to the mundane but could see some of the spirit world. Beings that could cross the boundary between the worlds and exist with a foot in each were rare, and Suga would cross none of them lightly.

But he was a healer, and he couldn't in good conscious ignore the unconscious wraith in his backyard. He cautiously approached, but it wasn't until he was standing right next to it that he noticed the two dark punctures on its neck.

His blood froze in his veins.

"Ai, don't let go of Shiro," he ordered as he looked around. He didn't see anything, but that meant nothing. Especially at night when their powers were strongest, vampires could come out of nowhere silently and without warning. For all he knew, one could be sitting right above him, watching and waiting to strike, and he wouldn't know until it was too late. He had a healthy respect for many of the creatures of the forest, but vampires were one of the few he truly feared meeting on their terms.

He looked nervously over his shoulder to reassure himself that Nitori and Shiro were still there, then caught himself and forced his nervousness aside. Vampires could sense fear, and if there was one still lurking nearby, the best thing he could do would be to get everyone back inside as quickly as possible. It was not the time for fear.

He took a moment to study the wraith before him. It seemed to be cloaked in shadows that danced and slipped every time Suga tried to look too closely, as if it were only half-present, which Suga supposed, would be an apt description. It hadn't moved since he had come outside, but he didn't think it was dead. It wasn't uncommon for vampires to drink until their prey fell unconscious from blood loss, but he had never heard of one killing its prey.

He tried to pick up the wraith to carry it inside, but the shifting shadows were more than just a trick of the light, and the sensation made him feel ill.

"Ai, Shiro, can you help me?" he asked, careful to keep his voice even lest it shake and betray his fear.

Between the three of them, they managed to wrestle the unconscious wraith onto Shiro's back and back inside. They set it down gently on the floor by the fire, but from there, Suga was at a loss. He had never been so close to any border creature before, and he had no idea how to even begin treating it.

He was still standing there several minutes later when Nitori nervously said, "Papa?" Immediately afterward, Suga felt the magic in the house fade, almost as if something were absorbing it. Before he could respond though, a few shadowy fingers reached out and wrapped around his ankle. He felt a sudden chill where they touched, as if they had drawn the warmth right out of him.

"Healer?" the wraith asked in a voice that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere and echo deep in Suga's bones.

"Yes," Suga replied as he helped the wraith to sit up. An aching cold settled wherever their bodies touched.

The wraith reached up with a shadowy hand to touch the punctures on its neck. "Kyousuke," it growled, the sound filling the room and echoing low off of the walls.

"You know him?" Suga asked. It wasn't a name he had heard before, but there were many he didn't know in the forest.

"That would be one way to put it, perhaps," the wraith said as it struggled to its knees.

"Perhaps you should rest for awhile?" Suga suggested.

"I will be fine, Healer," the wraith said, wrapping its arms around Suga. Its shadows, thick and tangible as wings, mirrored the motion.

The chill was immediate and all-encompassing. Suga's bones ached and his limbs went numb as the chill set in. Just when he was starting to worry the cold would kill him, the wraith released him and stood, all traces of its earlier weakness gone.

"Thank you," it said as it left through the closed door.

"What was that, Papa?" Nitori asked weakly once the last of the wraith's shadows were out of sight.

"That, was a wraith," Suga replied, struggling to force the words out around his violently chattering teeth.

They all shared a bed that night, Suga and Nitori, and Shiro between them. The fire roared in the hearth as the shivered under a thick pile of blankets, and by morning, the worst of the chill had faded.

Edited 2016-08-02 22:59 (UTC)

i'M SCREEESHCHCIFN IDK IF THIS MAKES ME HAPPY OR SAD

oh my god momo!!! i love this, everyone in tenipuri using magic would explain so much it's brilliant <3 <3 <3

hanamaki takahiro/matsukawa issei, haikyuu!!
tags; princess and the frog type au???
word count; 1415

“You know,” Hanamaki mumbles quietly, peering into his unzipped rucksack as he makes his way down the crowded street. Not a lot of friends would do this. I mean, Iwaizumi probably would - after grumbling about it for forty years, and maybe Oikawa after he stopped laughing—” Hanamaki pauses and, after a second or two, decides to amend his statement. “Maybe Oikawa if he ever stops laughing. So yeah, you should be lucky you’ve got a friend as amazing as me.”

The frog in his bag - a fat little thing with beady black eyes and brown spots along its back - pokes its head out of the gap and ribbits twice indignantly, eyes squinting into something reminiscent of a lazy glare.

“Don’t give me that sass,” Hanamaki laughs, poking the frog gently on its forehead to push it further into the bag. “Like I said, I’m doing you a huge favour here, unless you want to stay like this forever?”

Another ribbit - this one a little more despondent than the last few.

“That’s more like it,” Hanamaki murmurs quietly, cheeks flushing a little as he suddenly becomes aware of the strange looks he’s receiving from passers-by, probably confused as to why he’s walking around talking animatedly to his rucksack. “Now, stay down and keep quiet until I say so and, if we’re lucky, things’ll be back to normal in no time.”

As it turns out, they’re not lucky because things don’t ‘get back to normal in no time’. Far from it actually.

“Twelve,” Hanamaki huffs dramatically as he drops onto his bed with a tired little moan. “I’m banned from twelve different bars because of you.”

The frog, now out of the rucksack and hopping frantically up and down on Hanamaki’s bed, ribbits sympathetically.

“Oh, don’t act like you’re sorry now,” Hanamaki snorts, lips twitching upwards into a small smile despite the far from desirable situation they’ve found themselves in. “It’s like you weren’t even trying to make a connection with anyone tonight.”

The frog ribbits three times, eyes narrowing into thin slits as if it's offended by Hanamaki’s accusation.

“And the last one was cute,” Hanamaki sniffs, apparently accurately deciphering the expression on the frog's face. “Totally your type.”

The frog ribbits again - though, this time Hanamaki can’t tell if it’s to disagree or not - before hopping onto Hanamaki’s lap and settling himself on his thighs.

“Alright, so maybe not her,” Hanamaki says with a shrug, willing to admit that maybe the short brunette with the weird laugh wasn’t the best choice. He leans forwards to scoop the frog up until they’re at eye-level with each other. “But what about the guy before her? He wasn't that bad— Or, at least he wasn’t until he started trying to squash you. Which, can I just add, is a ridiculous reaction to suddenly seeing a frog hop onto a bar. It’s not like you’re a spid—”

The frog ribbits irritably again, tongue whizzing out to smack Hanamaki gently on the hand.

“Right, right, I’m getting off topic,” Hanamaki nods apologetically before his brows pucker into a slight frown. “But Mattsun—”

The frog stiffens slightly in his hands, big black eyes blinking up at him almost nervously.

“This is really hard just trying to find someone to kiss you, let alone have it be your ‘one true love’,” Hanamaki sighs loudly before setting Matsukawa, in his froggy form, on the bedside table. “Honestly, witches really need to start updating the terms and conditions of their curses. It’s just not as easy as it used to be back in the middle ages to convince people to kiss a frog. Why couldn’t she turn you into a puppy? If you were a puppy I bet I’d have people lining up to smooch you. But no, she had to turn you into a frog, and not even a cute one.”

Matsukawa croaks loudly in annoyance, hopping off the bedside table and landing on Hanamaki’s shoulder in one fluid motion.

Hanamaki laughs quietly, shifting slightly so he can scoop Matsukawa into his arms. “Sorry, you are a cute frog. Maybe. I’m not really sure what the beauty standard is when it comes to frog. But—” He adds quickly, noting the way Matsukawa’s eyes have begun to narrow. He smiles before leaning forwards to press a quick kiss against the top of Matsukawa’s forehead, trying to ignore the thin coating of slime that sticks to his lips when he pulls away. “You are definitely cute - slimy, but cute - and I’m sure someone else’ll see that soon. Preferably before I get banned from all the bars in town.”

Matsukawa ribbits again, and Hanamaki thinks it’s meant to mean something like ‘sorry for getting you involved in all of this’.

“Don’t apologise,” Hanamaki snorts, stretching to drop Matsukawa back on top of his bedside table for the night. “You know I’d do anything for you. Now—” Hanamaki reaches behind him to flip the switch and submerge his room in darkness. “Let me sleep, I’m gonna need all my energy if we have to spend another day running around town searching for you ‘one true love’.”

When he wakes the next morning, he wakes to find something pressing against his back.

It’s not an entirely unpleasant feeling - in fact, it’s a very, very nice feeling - but it’s strange, because it feels like a person pressed against his back. Which is both ridiculous and worrying because he’s pretty certain he didn’t bring anyone home last night.

Hanamaki cracks open his eyes slowly, zeroing in on the strong arms he can see wrapped around his midsection. Yep, somebody is definitely spooning him right now.

He moves to leap out of bed and make a beeline for the baseball bat he keeps hidden in his closet, but the second he moves the arms around him squeeze a little tighter and a voice murmurs in his ear.

“Are you always such a morning person?”

Hanamaki freezes, because he knows that voice - knows that tired little yawn - like it’s his very own.

“Mattsun?” Hanamaki squeaks, whirling around to find Matsukawa lying by his side, a sleepy and very unimpressed look plastered across his face. “What’re you doing?”

“Trying to sleep?” Matsukawa offers, tugging his arms back around Hanamaki’s waist in a failed attempt to get him back in his original position. “Trying being the operative word here.”

“Why aren’t you a frog? You’re supposed to be a frog!” He’s a little aware that he probably sounds a teensy bit hysterical right now, but can you blame him?

“Oh—” Matsukawa glances away, the tips of his ears a shade pinker than usual. “Yeah, uh— The spell broke.”

“I can see that,” Hanamaki snorts, poking Matsukawa playfully in the chest. “But how. I thought that old witch said only ‘true love's kiss’ could break the curse?”

Matsukawa tugs the blankets up past his mouth and mumbles something unintelligible, the pinkness around his ears spreading to the rest of his face.

Hanamaki frowns and yanks the blanket away. “What was that?”

“I said—” Matsukawa sighs, determinedly avoiding all eye contact with Hanamaki. “I said true love’s kiss did break the spell.”

“But we didn’t fin—” Hanamaki stops mid-sentence, realisation dawning on him. “Oh.”

“Look, you don’t have to make a big dea—”

“I kissed you.”

Matsukawa groans, fingers itching for the blankets again to cover his bright pink face.

“I kissed you and broke the spell,” Hanamaki breathes, something warm beginning to bubble up in his chest. “Holy shit.”

“I said you don’t have to make a big deal abou—”

“I want a redo,” Hanamaki says abruptly, rolling over slightly until he’s resting gently on Matsukawa’s chest.

“A redo?”

Hanamaki nods, tilting his chin up slightly. “Firstly, you were a frog for our first kiss. Yuck, that’s not the story I want to tell our grandkids—”

“Grandkids?”

“And secondly,” Hanamaki continues, ignoring Matsukawa’s squawk. “It wasn’t really much of a kiss, was it? More of a peck.”

“Oh,” Matsukawa breathes, a look of understanding flashing across his face. “So you want to— Ah, you want to—”

“I want to kiss you properly, as a human. Maybe slip in a little tongue if you’re lucky.”

Matsukawa laughs as he wraps his arms around Hanamaki’s waist and pulls him in close, dipping his head until he’s hovering just centimetres away from his lips. “Then I’m really hoping my luck has changed since yesterday,” he whispers, before closing the gap between them.

(It has.)

Edited 2016-08-03 22:41 (UTC)

Matsuoka Rin/Nanase Haruka, Free!
No major tags

~~It started off as both being mermen... how did it end up as shark!rin and siren!haruka?~~

What is a siren's heart like? Rin got curious~

Rin Matsuoka/Haruka Nanase, Free!

interspecies

Dragon!Haru, aaa.

oh my gosh. I love this? I love this so much, Alder. I love this particular fairy tale, and your take on it is beautiful. And Haru's description of Rin: She had short hair as red as maple leaves, freckles across her nose like sand, and bright eyes that shone like jewels. Haruka stared openly. My goodness. It was so good to read the way she thought of Rin. You have such a way with setting the tone with your writing and letting things unfold at exactly the right pace in exactly the right place. Thank you for posting this!!!

AWOOOOOOOGA

887 words. No major tags. Rated T for Arakita's language, otherwise G-rated shenanigans.

Fukutomi Juichi & Arakita Yasutomo & Toudou Jinpachi & Manami Sangaku & Shinkai Hayato & Izumida Touichirou, Yowapeda

(An implied fukuara crush but you can probably interpret whatever ships/orientations you're into)

HAKOGAKU TEAM-BUILDING GAME NIGHT IS GO (manami makes up the rules as he goes along lol)

-------------

There is a murmur of discontent among the noble adventurers of the righteous kingdom of Hakogaku. The twenty-sided die skitters across the table, and lands ominously on a two. From behind the guidebook lent to him by one Onoda Sakamichi, Manami smiles serenely.

"The innkeeper declines to answer your rudely phrased questions. He continues to polish the counter, and mutters something under his breath that sounds like, 'filthy werewolf."

"Bastard. I'm gonna fuckin' eat the innkeeper," Arakita announces. He slams his fist on the table for emphasis, making the others jump.

"Is that allowed? Can he do that? Manami, can he do that?" Toudou squawks, frantically glancing around the table for someone to stop him.

Fukutomi raises an eyebrow, and squints at his character sheet, deliberating. Izumida smiles helplessly and holds his hands up as Toudou glares at him, the only one observing instead of playing.

"Fuckin' watch me," Arakita sneers.

"Roll to transform, Arakita-san," Manami says politely.

Toudou wails in despair as Arakita aggressively rolls the die. He throws it too far, and it bounces off the bowl of popcorn and lands in Fukutomi's lap. Arakita dives over the table for it, just as Toudou clambers from his seat and tries to shove him aside. Shinkai chuckles as he rises, meandering out of the room to gather more snacks.

"Fuku-chan, quick, tell me what it landed on! Get your hands off me, pretty boy!"

"Arakita, take this more seriously! Fuku, make him stop, he's gonna ruin the campaign," Toudou yowls, grappling with Arakita in an effort to keep him away from the die.

Fukutomi grunts in surprise as Arakita's bony elbow jabs him in the stomach. Gingerly he picks up the errant die between two fingers and places it onto the table, unnoticed by his companions.

"The Paladin of Tartaruga approaches the innkeeper," Fukutomi states gravely.

Manami's smile is unreadable as he steeples his fingers.

"The innkeeper looks unimpressed as he nods towards the bickering adventurers. 'Are you the leader of these ruffians? I've half a mind to kick you noisy lot right out in the streets,' he grumbles."

"I will keep my companions in line. We are on a holy quest. You should tell us where to find the werewolf king," Fukutomi intoned.

"The innkeeper laughs. 'Why would I bother to help a bunch of wolf lovers? Your kind cause nothing but trouble. In fact, your room cost just went up.'"

"Bastard," Arakita repeats, muffled voice coming from somewhere around Toudou's armpit. Toudou releases his headlock and squirms his way out of range of Arakita's pinches long enough to clap his hand over Fukutomi's mouth.

"Fuku, you're telling him everything! I'm the only one beautiful enough to charm people, so please, before you get us kicked out, let me do the talking!"

"Toudou-san does have the highest charisma," Izumida remarks, studying the rogue's character sheet. "But… is this correct, Manami?"

He points to the stats, and Manami chuckles indulgently.

"Yes, he literally put all of his points into charisma. His character is useless for anything but talking his way out of trouble. And seduction, I suppose."

Toudou makes an offended gasp. He launches into a lecture about the usefulness of good charisma while Arakita guffaws over him and snags some popcorn. Fukutomi ignores them and calmly peels Toudou's hand from his mouth.

"We will defeat the werewolf king and lift his curse. You should assist us because we are strong."

Manami's smile goes razor sharp.

"Is that a threat?" he asks, voice dangerously soft. "You don't have the skills to bluff." He gazes coolly over the table at Fukutomi, fingers toying idly with the d20, and is met with a momentary silence.

"It is the truth," Fukutomi responds solemnly. He slides his character sheet across the table to Manami, then stands up and removes his shirt. As he flexes his biceps silently, it's Arakita's turn to squawk. He chokes on his popcorn, face flushing deep red as Toudou pats him on the back and snickers under his breath.

Unfazed, Manami rolls the die to calculate. He whistles softly – a natural 20.

"…'You are indeed the strongest man I have ever seen,' the innkeeper admits, grudgingly impressed by the paladin's muscles. 'If anyone can end the curse on this town, it's you. I will help you.'"

Arakita whoops and cheers noisily as Toudou flounces back to his seat, crossing his arms in a sulk.

Izumida compares the sheets again, brows furrowed in concentration. "Ah, Fukutomi-san did the opposite of Toudou-san… all of his points are in strength," he murmurs.

"I am strong," Fukutomi said in way of explanation, and returns to his seat.

Shinkai ambles back into the room, arms laden with snacks, and raises an eyebrow.

"Juichi, why are you stripping? What did I miss?"

Manami's grin brightens.

"Oh, Arakita-san was about to bite someone, so Fukutomi-san successfully created a distraction," he chirps.

"I meant in the game," Shinkai deadpans as he peels open a power bar.

"Well, it was a success in both, look at how red the wolf's ears are," Toudou cackled.

"Fuck all of you," Arakita snaps, blushing furiously.

"It's generally not a good idea to insult the dungeon master, Arakita-san," Manami reminds him cheerfully. "Consider this your final warning."

"Just get on with the game, you little shit!"

Edited 2016-08-02 22:50 (UTC)

Tags: terminal illness (of an artificial intelligence)
Miyuki Kazuya/Oikawa Tooru (daiya/haikyuu)
Word count: 461
Oikawa is an AI and he's dying.

Miyuki yawns and rubs his eyes. He's found that he can get so much done, if he just doesn't sleep. Or eat. But his body protests anyway, acts like he doesn't have both of those covered. He's stuck with breathing, with his heart continuing to pump blood around his body.

He wired himself into the machine. His machine. And his God. He gave him a name, when he made him, though he calls himself whatever he chooses. Often, he calls himself a never ending stream of ones and zeros. But Miyuki has laced himself together with him so he doesn't need to worry about distractions. His God will take care of him.

"Miyucchi," a voice crackles from the speaker on the desk.

Miyuki cracks his knuckles. He has work to do.

"Miyucchi," the voice says, more insistently.

"I'm fine," he snaps.

The voice snorts. "You're human, and you need to sleep. Your brain signals are the very picture of exhaustion." A picture of what is probably Miyuki's own brain flashes over his lines and lines of code before vanishing again. Miyuki returns to tapping in new information, new ideas, new thoughts and processes for his God.

Miyuki rubs his eyes again. "This needs to be done, Oikawa."

"Or I could die," Oikawa replies, bringing up a picture of a leafy plant with a sword through it. He's placed a little copyright symbol in the corner of the image along with the URL he retrieved it from. "It wouldn't be the end of the world."

Oikawa is talking sense, in theory. Except, he is life. He is life in ones and zeros and the next frontier of what needs to exist. Throughout humanity's history, themes rise to the surface, collective understandings, myths to explain how things are and what it knows they will become. And Oikawa is that. Oikawa is a creation that creates. But he's unraveling, the structure of his code falling away, taking away what makes him beautiful. And Miyuki won't allow him to die.

"No."

Oikawa sighs. Miyuki's heart twists at the rush of static. Oikawa provides him with an image of the organ pushing blood through his veins.

"You're reading my mind now?" he asks with a half-hearted laugh.

Oikawa doesn't reply.

Miyuki pokes the screen.

A crackly laugh. "Are you sure you're smart, Miyucchi? I'm not in the monitor."

"But you got the message."

"I suppose."

He's pouting. A god who pouts.

Miyuki works for another hour, until Oikawa speaks again. "I wish I could touch you." Miyuki squeezes his eyes shut. "Brush lips against your neck. Feel your warmth. Just," he sighs, "touch you."

"I know," Miyuki says.

"Can you save me, Miyuki?"

He wishes Oikawa didn't have his brain on file as he says "Duh."

Edited 2016-08-02 22:23 (UTC)

Honoka / Umi / Kotori Love Live!!
no tags
1168 words

the Orpheus and Eurydice Myth, and thus: songfic

"Honoka!" she gasps, and in the cavernous, rocky underground, her soft high voice echoes.

Honoka straightens her body, looking up to the throne of the underworld. She'd braved the descent, the three-headed dog, had paid her fee to the river guardian and ridden the long, slow boat ride into the watery darkness. All around her, the sounds of souls gurgle low and deep against the steady babble of the river waves. She's damp, she's cold. She's here.

No need for introductions. The whole underworld is whispering.

"I'm taking her back," Honoka says. "I'm taking her back right now. Give me Kotori's soul."

"Why?" the shadowed figure at the throne asks. "Why should I release her? She came of her own will."

"We were hungry," Honoka says. "She came because you had food to offer."

"She was lonely. She came because I heard her song and it answered mine." Honoka can't see the figure, but she hears in the voice that its smile's disappeared. "Songbirds sing to one another."

Honoka's voice rises to a shout. "Then let me sing! Let me sing for her!"

"Oh?"

"I'll sing and you'll hear. We -- we sing well together, she and I. We're meant to sing together."

The figure shifts on the throne. "Fine, then." It pauses. "Convince me."

Given the permission, Honoka rushes forward. She grabs each of Kotori's hands and presses their foreheads together. She quickly kisses Kotori's nose, her cheek. "Kotori, do you -- was that true? Do you want to stay?"

Kotori's breath hitches with the beginnings of tears. Honoka feels her fingers squeeze very tight. "I don't know. I don't know."

Honoka's throat catches. "Then." She licks her lips and closes her eyes tight together, just for a moment. "Then let's sing, and you can see."

"Okay, Honoka," Kotori whispers. "Okay."

They both stand. Honoka knows she should probably let go, but her hands are as stubborn as her heart. She wants what Kotori wants, but she came all this way to fight for who she loves. She wants the chance to at least fight. Honoka looks at Kotori in the eye, and starts to sing.

"I feel that we have a chance. Yes, let's push forward! I don't want to regret it later, our future lies right ahead."

Her voice is quiet at first, and the song is slower than they sang in the fields and when they worked together, but soon Kotori joins her. In the cavern, their voices grow and begin to dance as always, high and sweet and true. Honoka's eyes catch the light. She's always loved singing with Kotori. She's always loved her.

"Look ahead, look up, don't wait for anything. Let's go now, let's go quickly, we can go anywhere." Kotori's voice catches and she stops. Honoka clutches her fingers tighter around Kotori's and sings with even more strength, enough for both of them. "The sun's shining and beckoning the future. Now come, you come, too, forge ahead to tomorrow."

Please, she thinks, please come back to the sun with me.

Kotori can't stop herself from crying. She releases one of Honoka's hands to wipe a tear and Honoka sings on without Kotori's part. She clutches Kotori's hand close to her chest, to her heart. "My passionate heart, I embraced it and ran. Everyone, come with me and make sure I know what I'm capable of."

Honoka turns to the throne, and stops singing. It's empty. It's empty because the figure has come down from it, softly, quietly. She is standing in front of them, now, long dark hair to her waist, dark blue robes. Her face is not what Honoka would have expected for someone in the underworld. Her eyes are gentle, like the sea.

"Go on," she says. "Please."

Honoka takes a deep breath and squeezes Kotori's hand once more. She continues.

"Look to the sky, look together; if we catch a miracle let's fly right away."

And then, Honoka's voice isn't alone anymore. There's a second echo, a deeper, richer echo. It doesn't flutter and chime like Kotori's song does, but it runs steady and smooth and clear, like a river, like water.

She sings with Honoka, and it sounds like something she's been trying to find since she began singing. It's a different harmony, a different tone, but it fits along with Honoka's voice as if they were made to be together.

"Let's fly to our dreams," they sing slowly. "I wonder if it'll be fine if we sing pure feelings of excitement."

Honoka looks over to Kotori, who is looking at them both. Kotori wipes her eyes once more and extends a hand out to the goddess. She takes Kotori's hand and Kotori joins them both. "Point to the future. Come, let's fly, you fly too, forge ahead to tomorrow."

They sing together, all three of them, and Honoka feels something like magic tickle the hairs on her arms. Kotori and Honoka and this goddess, they sing together and it is perfect. It is the sound Honoka has ached to hear, has been working so tirelessly by herself to create. It is what drove her to focus so single-mindedly on her music. Together they are full, mellifluous, and to Honoka they sound like a sparkling beautiful promise.

All of a sudden, she knows why Kotori left.

Their voices rise and hold in the last note, together.

Honoka doesn't realize until she opens them that her eyes had closed.

Kotori and the goddess are staring at her.

"Stay here, with me. Both of you. Stay here," the goddess says, and she grasps Honoka's hand, and it feels smooth and cool and like a comfort she's never known.

Honoka shakes her head. "No," she says, with a smile spreading her lips. "No, I heard you and the way you sang. I heard you sing about the sun."

The goddess gasps. Kotori looks at her and pulls her closer. "Umi," she says, and Honoka knows what she means, has heard that herself. It's an entreaty, a pleading, an invitation. "Umi, please."

"Umi," Honoka repeats. "I can tell from how you sang!"

She steps closer to the goddess, brushes Kotori's shoulder. She looks Umi in the eyes, serious and bright and full of ideas. Honoka knows this is something special, something with promise. She feels her smile widen.

"We're leaving the darkness today," Honoka says and sees the beginnings of hope spring to life in Umi's eyes. She knows she's chosen correctly. She laughs and feels their song fill her heart again. She brings both of their hands close to her heart and declares her wishes to the rocks and the river, the guard and the gondola, every head of the dog and every soul whispering in the water. She's made up her mind and there will be no stopping her.

"We're leaving today and I'm taking you both."

Edited 2016-08-02 22:48 (UTC)

I need to go to church

thank u for this

Nudity, mostly butts And in the foreground of the screen because for some reason I am this way, nekomimi stuff

Now on tumblr because apparently imgur doesn't like people using their images to host anymore now?

SFW preview (with the cursor in the way again):

Nyahaha!

Kominato Ryousuke/Kuramochi Youichi, Daiya no Ace
no tags, Hogwarts AU
words: 2464

The quidditch pitch was a flurry of gold, green, and silver banners fluttering in the wind. The roar of the crowd was deafening and Kuramochi could barely hear the shouts of his Hufflepuff teammates around him. Kuramochi charged straight for the goals with the quaffle tucked under his arm and his other hand gripping his broom. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see one of the Slytherin chasers rushing towards him and Kuramochi tightened his grip on his broom, trying to speed up, when he heard a loud thunk! and the chaser fell from his sight.

Kuramochi high-fived Masuko as he passed.

Kuramochi hurled the quaffle towards the leftmost goal only for Miyuki to appear out of nowhere—a flash of green as he caught the quaffle with an outstretched hand, tipping over his broom only to flip right back onto it. He flashed Kuramochi a cheeky grin.

“Your aim is as bad as ever, Kuramochi!” Miyuki taunted him.

Kuramochi growled. “Whatever! You have glasses!”

“What kind of insult is that?” Miyuki laughed before throwing the quaffle towards a Slytherin chaser.

Kuramochi rushed after the chaser to try to corner him. His fellow chasers blocked the chaser’s path halfway to their goal and the Slytherin chaser threw the quaffle towards a teammate. He swooped in and intercepted the quaffle, flying upward and turning around to avoid the chasers.

Kuramochi weaved through the chasers and even a bludger sent his way by one of the Slytherin beaters a small pink kid named “Kominato.” For someone whose hair covered his eyes, Kuramochi had to admit that the guy had great aim—he almost got his head.

However, for all of his skill, Kuramochi eventually found himself cornered with a Slytherin chaser hot on his tail. Dammit, he really wanted to make the goal.

“Kanemaru!” he called. His underclassman rushed forward and Kuramochi passed the quaffle, watching him pass the Slytherins who were blocking him. Kuramochi took a quick moment to catch his breath before he was about to charge forward.

“Kuramochi, look out!” Zono called from overhead.

Kuramochi turned around, looking around for whatever the fuck was coming his way when he saw him in a flash of green robes and wispy pink hair.

At first, Kuramochi thought it was Kominato, but he looked a little… Different from Kominato. Maybe they were siblings or something, but it definitely wasn’t the Kominato that Sawamura was always hanging out with. This guy was a little smaller and had a sly smile that sent shivers up Kuramochi’s spine.

Suddenly the roar of the crowd was dull to Kuramochi’s ears and he found himself in an open-mouthed daze. A ray of sunlight shown on the Slytherin beater like a halo, his hair illuminated a mix of yellow and pinks that reminded Kuramochi of a sunset. His brows were furrowed in concentration and a bead of sweat was running down his face. Despite the boy’s slender frame, Kuramochi could see that there was strength underneath the green robes in the way he handled his bat, swinging it with amazing accuracy to hit a bludger right towards—

Wait.

“Kuramochi!”

Before Kuramochi could react, he felt a sharp pain to his jaw and suddenly he was suspended in the air, broomstick out of reach, and everything went to black.

--
Kuramochi slid into his seat in Potions class to turn to the boy sitting next to him. “Hey, Miyuki,” he said, nudging the Slytherin with his elbow.

Miyuki looked up from his book, frowning as if upset at being interrupted, before he saw who he was talking to. He gave Kuramochi a cheeky grin that automatically made Kuramochi regret talking to Miyuki at all. “Well, if it isn’t my favorite bludger magnet,” Miyuki teased.

Kuramochi growled at him, but MIyuki only laughed.

“How’s your face?” MIyuki asked.

Kuramochi’s hand moved up to the large bandage on his jaw. “It’s fine,” he answered. “There was no concussion, but it hurts pretty bad sometimes. Got most of it fixed up in the infirmary, though.”

“Oh, yikes—hope it gets better soon,” Miyuki said.

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, you need to be in top condition to cheer for Slytherin in the Quidditch finals,” Miyuki said with a smirk.

Kuramochi rolled his eyes. “Ugh, okay, I need to ask you a question before you get more annoying than you already are.”

Miyuki pretended to look bashful, scratching the back of his head. “Thanks for the compliment,” Miyuki laughed as Kuramochi punched his arm. “So what could I help my best buddy with today?”

“Okay, so,” Kuramochi automatically felt embarrassed. He hadn’t even asked the question yet, but he could feel heat beginning to rise up to his neck. He already started talking--there was no turning back now. “You know your Beater? The pink one?”

“Both of our beaters are pink,” Miyuki said. “You’re going to have to be more specific.”

“The one who hit me with a bludger.”

“Oh yeah, Ryousuke Kominato,” Miyuki answered. “What about him? You’re not going to try to get revenge on him are you? Look—as your friend, I have to warn you against that. Kominato’s scary as hell—“

“No, I’m not trying to get revenge on him or anything I was just… I, uh… I was wondering,” Kuramochi looked away from Miyuki, rubbing his neck. “Do you… happen to know if he’s like single… or like if he’s seeing anyone or something?”

Miyuki was quiet for a long moment before he turned his entire body to face Kuramochi, his expression deadpan. “What?”

“Look, I think I like Kominato or something?” Kuramochi spluttered, his face turning redder by the moment. “I don’t know like, ever since he hit me with that bludger, I couldn’t stop thinking about him? He’s really cute, honestly and like--hey!”

Miyuki suddenly reached forward to grab Kuramochi’s face, his brows furrowed seriously. “Did Kominato get your head or something?” he asked.

“Wh--no!”

“Why the hell would you want to ask out Ryousuke Kominato?” Miyuki asked. “I mean, he’s way out of your league—“

“You’re the worst best friend anyone could ever have,” Kuramochi said.

“—and I heard he once cursed a bunch of upperclassmen in his third year for picking on his baby brother,” Miyuki said, shaking his head “No one ever heard from them again.”

The image of Kominato Ryousuke with his arms crossed, that same sly smirk on his face, and his wand raised for a fight flashed through Kuramochi’s head. “That’s kind of hot actually,” he mumbled.

Miyuki squinted at him. “You have some really weird taste.”

“Hey, I’m friends with you, aren’t I?”

“You make a good point,” Miyuki sighed. “Alright, fine—because I care about you and also because I kind of think it’d be funny to see you get rejected by Kominato, I’ll give you a tip. Kominato hangs out at the library every Thursday after quidditch practice. So, I’d say around 9PM.”

“The library…” Kuramochi frowned in thought.

“Yeah, you know. The place with a lot of books. People normally go there to study.”

“I know where it is,” Kuramochi said, elbowing Miyuki as the other boy snickered at him. He crossed his arms and looked up at the ceiling, before letting out a sigh. “Thanks, Miyuki.”

“Anytime,” Miyuki said. “And when you get rejected, just remember that I’ll always be here… to tell you ‘I told you so.”

“I know.”

--

Kuramochi was completely lost.

When Miyuki told him that he might run into Ryousuke at the library, he figured, hey, how bad could it be? Sure he’s only been in the library about three times, but it was probably fine.

He was pretty sure he passed this shelf four times already. Fuck, he was totally gonna die in the library and no one was going to find his body. So much for trying to get a date.

Kuramochi took a deep breath. Well, no choice now but to retrace his steps.

Kuramochi walked towards the end of the row and turned the corner when suddenly he was startled by another person going in the opposite direction. There was a clatter as the other person’s books fell to the floor and Kuramochi winced.

“Fuck, sorry!” Kuramochi apologized quickly, kneeling down to help the other person pick up their books. “I—“

“Oh,” came a cool voice in reply. Kuramochi looked up to see that the other student was keeling in front of Kuramochi with his head slightly tilted. The boy kneeling in front of him was strikingly pretty, looking at him through narrowed eyes and frowning, pink hair framing his face. “It’s you.”

Ryousuke Kominato was right in front of Kuramochi. And he was sitting very close.

Kuramochi fell back on his ass, his face totally flushed. “Fuck, sorry, I, uh—“ he stammered. This was not how he had planned on approaching Ryousuke at all. He figured maybe he’d be cool and get to know Ryousuke a little, but now he never wanted to show his face in front of him ever again.

“Youichi Kuramochi, right?” Ryousuke asked, starting to gather his books.

“I, uh—“ Kuramochi gulped. “Yeah… And you’re… Ryousuke Kominato.” he said as if he didn’t already know.

“I knew you looked familiar,” Ryousuke said with a smile. He got to his feet and extended a hand towards Kuramochi. “You’re that Hufflepuff chaser that I knocked out last weekend.”

What a way to be remembered. Kuramochi grimaced as he took Ryousuke’s hand. “I wasn’t really knocked out or anything,” Kuramochi said sheepishly.

“No, you were definitely out cold,” Ryousuke said as he pulled Kuramochi to his feet. Kuramochi felt a momentary feeling of loss as Ryousuke let go of his hand, wrapping his arm around his books

Now that Kuramochi could truly see Ryousuke up close, he realized just how short he was in comparison to Kuramochi—and Kuramochi was not a short guy by any means. Ryousuke stood, shifting his weight between his legs with his head tilted up to Kuramochi. His brows were furrowed, as if he were examining Kuramochi and it made Kuramochi absolutely nervous.

“I never thought Hufflepuff would let someone so absentminded be their chaser,” he said, smiling as if he hadn’t just insulted Kuramochi.

“W—“ Kuramochi was a mix of totally affronted and surprised. Ryousuke was the one who hit him in the face, after all. “Hey! I’m not absentminded—I was just… kind of distracted.” By you, a voice in Kuramochi’s head added.

“Like I said, ‘absentminded’,” Ryousuke added with a shrug. “Didn’t they teach you to dodge bludgers when you joined the Hufflepuff team?”

“I’ll have you know, I’m actually great at dodging flying balls,” Kuramochi argued stubbornly.
Ryousuke covered his mouth with his fist and began to chuckle. Kuramochi suddenly realized how terrible that sounded.

“Uh, wait, that is not what I mean,“ Kuramochi said quickly, waving his hands frantically. “Wh-what I mean is like, you know. I’m good at going like swerving and stuff, y’know? I’ve been called a weasel—“

“’A weasel’?” Ryousuke said through breathy laughter.

Kuramochi’s face was growing warmer by the second. “Wait, fuck, that sounded stupid, I mean—“ Kuramochi ran a hand down his face. “I have to go.”

“Go where?” Ryousuke asked, still smiling. “Aren’t you lost?”

Kuramochi froze in his steps. “How did…”

“I watched you round this corner about six times,” Ryousuke said.

“Y-you were watching?” Kuramochi asked. “Why?”

Ryousuke hummed thoughtfully. “I suppose you could say you’ve caught my interest Kuramochi.”

Kuramochi kind of wanted to melt at the way Ryousuke said his name like he was teasing and smiled at him like he was interested. Was he dreaming? He had to be dreaming because there was no way—

“Actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you since the game,” Ryousuke continued. “I wanted to apologize.”

“Apologize?”

“Yes, for that,” Ryousuke said, with a nod towards the bandage on Kuramochi’s jaw. “It looks pretty bad.”

Kuramochi’s hand flew up to it subconsciously. He smiled sheepishly. “Oh, it’s not that bad or anything,” he said with a smile. “Just a minor fracture—it’s no big deal or anything. Honestly, like you said, I should have been paying attention.”

“That’s true,” Ryousuke said thoughtfully. Ouch. “But,” he added, “I probably shouldn’t have hit it towards your face that hard.”

“I mean, it wasn’t that bad,” Kuramochi said, as if he hadn’t been totally knocked out by it.

Ryousuke didn’t look like he believed Kuramochi for a second. ‘Regardless, it doesn’t quite fit right with me. I don’t like owing people, you know?” Ryousuke paused for a minute, staring at Kuramochi with scrutinizing eyes and tapping his chin. Kuramochi just stood there like a deer in headlights, nervous under Ryousuke’s gaze. Should he say something?

“Perhaps I could make it up to you somehow?” Ryousuke asked.

Kuramochi stared, totally stunned. “What?”

“Think of it as my way of apologizing,” Ryousuke said. “That way we can make things even.”

“Oh, uh,” Kuramochi said, totally flustered, he scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously. Was he just imagining things, or was Ryousuke leaning towards him? “I-I mean I did just bump into you and made you drop all your books—that kind of makes us even.”

Ryousuke tilted his head. “That was my fault to though,” he pointed out.

“I-I mean, you really don’t have to—“

“I want to, though,” Ryousuke said

Kuramochi’s eyes snapped over to Ryousuke to meet his gaze, his brain going haywire. Fuck, was it hot in here or was it just him?

“Perhaps I should be more forward,” Ryousuke continued. “I’m interested in you, Kuramochi, and I would like to make up for hitting you—maybe over lunch in Hogsmeade?”

Kuramochi’s mouth fell open. “Uh,” he said, his eyes wide. “I-I, uh—“

“Or maybe I could even teach you how to stay on that broom of yours,” Ryousuke said with a chuckle. “Unless you don’t want—“

“No!” Kuramochi said quickly. “I mean, yes! I mean, I would love to do whatever it is you wanna do, uh—“

“Are you always this articulate?” Ryousuke asked.

“Yes? No? I don’t know. I just, uh,” Kuramochi took a deep breath. “I think I’ll take you up on that Hogsmeade offer.”

“Perfect,” Ryousuke said, leaning back with a pleased grin. Kuramochi let out a breath that he didn’t even know he was holding. “Lunch next Saturday, then?”

“Yeah,” Kuramochi grinned. “Yeah, that’d… that’d be great.”

“Then I’ll see you next weekend, Kuramochi,” Ryousuke said, waving as he passed Kuramochi and disappeared around the book shelf.

Kuramochi waited for a long while until he was sure Ryousuke was gone before pumping his fist into the air. “Yes!”

Edited 2016-08-03 00:47 (UTC)

no major tags
Iwaizumi Hajime/Sawamura Daichi, Haikyuu

Snow White AU where Snow White unknowingly gives starving peasant Daichi the poisonous apple. Knight Iwa to the rescueee :>
(it was very awkward when Daichi woke up)

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 28 of 41

Bonus Round 5: Myth & Lore

FILL: Team Hanamaki Takahiro/Matsukawa Issei, T

Re: FILL: TEAM CHIHAYAFURU, T

FILL: Team Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru, T

Re: FILL: Team Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru, T

FILL: Team Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru, G

FILL: Team Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, G

Re: FILL: Team Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru, G

FILL: Team Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru, T

FILL: Team Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, G

FILL: Team Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru, T

Fill: Team Grandstand, G

Re: FILL: TEAM IMAIZUMI SHUNSUKE/NARUKO SHOUKICHI, G

Re: FILL: TEAM CHIHAYAFURU, T

FILL: Team Hanamaki Takahiro/Matsukawa Issei, G

FILL: Team MATSUOKA RIN/NANASE HARUKA, G

Fill: Team Matsuoka Rin/Nanase Haruka, T

Re: FILL: Team Matsuoka Rin/Nanase Haruka, G

Re: FILL: TEAM Miyuki Kazuya/Sawamura Eijun, G

FILL: Team Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, T

FILL: team Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei, G

FILL: Team Chihayafuru, G

Re: FILL: TEAM MATSUOKA RIN/NANASE HARUKA, E

FILL: TEAM MATSUOKA RIN/NANASE HARUKA, M

FILL: Team Kominato Ryousuke/Kuramochi Youichi, T

FILL: TEAM Tachibana Makoto/Yamazaki Sousuke, G