Apologies for the sudden drop in activity. There were a lot of things going on that kept me busy, busy, busy. It’s still a little hectic, but I want to write, so we’ll see what I can churn out this week. Sorry for being so slow. I totally understand if anyone wants to drop threads, since I’m still going to be moving at a snail’s pace here.  Anyway, I hope everyone’s doing well! I’ll reblog this post once later.

The first legitimate grin of the day, and it was reserved for Sakura. No falsities, no fear of potentially hazardous treats, no imposing on his personal bubble—her aura was uplifting. Seeing her so calm and contented with her basket of goodies for everyone (that she had made herself, no doubt) left him impressed and even proud, viewing it as another step for her to break out of her reserved shell. Even knowing that a certain Nohrian prince was receiving chocolates couldn’t put a damper on his mood.❝ And you know I got something for you too... ❞ he chuckled, taking the little package from her first before showing off the box he’d held beneath his arm. Within sat a pile of her ultimate favorite sweet—honey dumplings! Except these were specially made to resemble adorable, round rabbits with hardened sugar droplets for eyes. Of course, he hadn’t baked them himself, but Takumi did bribe the best chef in the army to whip them up and ultimately made sure they were made with only the finest and freshest ingredients, just for her. It was the thought that counted, right?❝ Just don’t eat them all in one sitting, alright? ❞ A tease.❝ It wouldn’t look too good if our best healer somehow managed to give herself a stomach ache. ❞

Eventually, when I feel comfortable with my draft count. If you really want a starter, though, you can just IM me and politely ask, or we can plot something. I rarely reblog memes, but you can also send in one of those whenever I do.

A glow rose over cheeks in a wash of red, body rigid at the surprise of the other’s body flush against his own. The sudden affection brought discomfort in the form of a thin wire of tension within his bones. What did the prince unconsciously exude that told Kamui this was remotely acceptable? Was this just a way to further attempt to pacify his detached temperament, well-deserved and aimed like a weapon? The mere thought only made him want to break free of her embrace; to leave without word. Despite his gradually waning hostility, it wouldn’t completely die until he knew her true intentions of returning to Hoshido; of coming❛ home. ❜❝ Tch… ❞ A click of the tongue. The prince couldn’t bring himself to leave. Teeth grit, jaw tense at the horrid❛ skrtch ❜ of bone scraping bone. Instinct had almost won, demanding he spit venom, that he sneeringly inquire as to why she hadn’t run off to her Nohrian siblings who actually found joy in the festivities. But nothing came.Instead, his hands rested with ease above her arms, form gradually unwinding in the warmth she provided. Through his mind’s sea of doubts and speculations, Takumi realized one thing, utterly new to him—he wanted to comfort her; to clutch her to him and push away whatever pain she was also holding onto, if only for a little while.Gawkily he shifted, turning to face Kamui and snake his arms around her in a tight, gripping hug. With a tired exhale, he mumbled,❝ You too…, ❞ hoping she would understand which sentiment he chose to acknowledge.

Immediately the prince flustered, jaw muscles working to keep his mouth shut tight to prevent any caustic remarks from slipping. Was that supposed to be funny? Cute? Endearing? If he wanted to take Leo down to his literal level, all it would take was a swift knee to the groin. That would show the other what the true definition of❛ funny ❜ was.❝ Sad, really. ❞ Instead of following his instinctive desire, Takumi propped himself up on his toes, fingers grazing the elder’s cheek to gently tilt his head downward. Lips parted, ghosting over one another, never solidifying the affection the other always seemed to desire. Glowering, he muttered,❝ I had something special for you, but I’m thinking someone else would appreciate it so much more. Maybe I should check on Odin? Or… Niles? Imagine what he’d do after getting something from me. ❞A brief, tight smile conflicted with the sharp smack! to the other prince’s cheek, the flare of pink blooming considered a small victory. With no more to say, he pushed past, their shoulders ramming together. Strike two. With how quick a learner Leo was, maybe he could somehow learn to grovel for forgiveness.

❝ That’s not what I meant... ❞ An exasperated sigh. To give away what Hinata would call ❛ rejects ❜ was far beneath the dignity of a prince, and insulting to his retainer who he’d considered a friend. While he hadn’t the time to prepare an actual gift, he did at least remember the elder’s favorite food—dashimaki tamago—and had ordered the kitchen staff to cook up the dish at the highest standard possible, and in copious amounts to feast on. ❝ Would you rather go to the kitchen and get your gift yourself, or should I ask them to bring it to my room? ❞

Fear.What else would one feel when confronted with Hinoka’s cooking? Not that she was the worst in camp, but she was definitely contender for the top five. Last time Takumi was forced to eat one of her dishes, his stomach rumbling rivaled the legendary daidarabotchi, only settling after several days had passed. And to think what would have happened if it had been someone worse than his sister… Death would have been an understated reaction.❝ I—You shouldn’t have, Hinoka! Really! ❞ he stammered, taking the gift and peeking inside. Did he have to try one in her presence? She seemed so eager, and he’d have hated to crush her feelings, knowing full well she must have worked so hard. With a nervous chuckle, he pulled a chocolate free from its box, silently gulping before taking a tiny nibble…And it was… well, good enough.Quickly he popped the whole truffle in his mouth to make sure he wasn’t imagining things, accidentally spraying cocoa powder as he spoke,❝ Did you make this?! Or did you ask someone else? ❞ Eyes narrowed, playfully suspicious. His sister must have put her all into the cooking practice she’d started with Setsuna for her skills to have flourished so quickly. While she still had a ways to go, at least this was more than acceptable.❝ I mean—thank you. I’m not trying to deny—I… They’re great! ❞As if he could cover up his sheer astonishment at her budding talent, Takumi quickly changed the subject,❝ But, I got you something too. Don’t be mad if it’s not that great. ❞ Hinoka’s gift was hastily placed upon his bed before he dug through his belongings, pulling out a tiny box with a crinkled red bow. Flushed, he didn’t say a word, only shoving the present toward his sister in hopes she wouldn’t deem it pointless—a custom-made push puppet of the princess’ own pegasus, every joint movable, the little creature bowing and flapping its wings when the button was pressed on.

Tension corded thick at the other’s presence. The game hadn’t quite been figured out yet; how to thwart salacious comments and swipe that cloying smile off Niles’ horrid visage. The original plan had been to avoid the retainer at all costs, regardless of what it would do to his schedules and mood, but it was proving fruitless as the master tracker appeared everywhere. A simple ❛ go away ❜ wouldn’t suffice, and tattling to Prince Leo would only make matters worse. ❝ Depends, ❞ he drawled, hoping the edge in his tone wasn’t noticeable; that he sounded as casual as could be. Carefully, Takumi plucked the treat from the elder’s hands, slowly rolling it in his own to falsely examine the wrapper. Gaze rose to meet the elder’s head on as an idea ushered forward—would it work? Taking a step back, the prince wound up before giving the chocolate bar a throw into the nearby thicket of woods, the crash almost inaudible.  ❝ Bring that to me within the next thirty minutes like the desperate mutt you truly are, and you might get a taste. ❞ 

backstreetboys_quitplayinggames_withmyheart.mp3 begins to play

No answer.Silence stretched, enveloping them in a thick smog that seemingly blocked all of the surrounding camp’s babble.What had Takumi expected? A pat on the back since they were expected to be in-laws now, an apology for being a constant thorn in his rear end, some sort of sweet morsel to be shared? Not at all. From the very git go, he knew this was coming. And he was wholly prepared.Hands shot forth, grabbing a fistful of tunic to haul the elder prince forward. Within the span of a mere second, his foot swiftly hooked behind Leo’s ankle before he gave a ruthless shove back. Even the lush grass couldn’t cushion the fall, a satisfactory thud! bringing to life a high-rising grin.❝ This position suits you better, Prince Leo, I have to admit, ❞ he mused, taking a near-predatory step forward.❝ It shows me what you truly are. ❞ Before the other could rise, Takumi’s moccasin came forcefully down onto his chest, driving him back onto the ground. The grin faltered; left behind was a feral snarl, teeth bared and clenched tight. Each word was enunciated through a thick growl as the Hoshidan prince slowly ground his heel into the elder’s chest.❝ You… are but… a lowly… worm… ❞Weight nearly crushed sternum before lifting. With a breathy exhale of amusement, Takumi sauntered off before Leo could catch bearings and retaliate any further. One point for him in their little game of scorn and contempt. This Valentine’s Day was shaping up to be a good one already.

A click of the tongue—❛ tch. ❜ The prince almost opted out of answering, deeming the question just a little too personal for casual conversation. Jaw and shoulders tensed; his guard had risen.❝ Those who trust easily are always the ones that come out on bottom. ❞ Each word had been drawn out, precisely pronounced and sharply articulated.❝ The one I trust most is me. ❞—( out of arrows. ) I don’t. Sometimes it’s a good thing, sometimes it’s not. It keeps unwanted people away, but at the same time, it’s something that can make me lash out if I feel like someone isn’t being trustworthy, and that’s obviously no good. As for who I trust the most, that would have to be my mom!

A question he liked! Usually he wasn’t one to admit his love for wuxia and xanxia novels, but he was close enough to Veles to let him in on that little secret, wasn’t he? The prince’s hand reached for the elder’s, tugging him close so as to show him the cover of the massive tome he’d been reading—a cerulean cover with silver leaf pages, Hoshidan script along the spine. ❝ You can’t tell anyone I read anything besides history books… ❞ he muttered, a sheepish smile working its way across he cheeks.❝ It’s called A Thought Through Eternity. This is just the first part, at fifty chapters. But it goes well over a hundred and fifty, and—  ❞  Excited to finally share, the prince went on and on in depth about the world-building, the main character overcoming multiple obstacles and villains, about how utterly amazing it was… while also expressing regret that Veles could never read it, seeing as it had only been written in Hoshidan.—( out of arrows. ) I have too many, so I’ll stick to just five. Death: A Life by George Pendle, The Accursed Kings series by Maurice Druon, A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr., the Shattered Sea trilogy by Joe Abercrombie, and The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury.

The answer didn’t come quickly or easily enough, leaving the prince a bit more irritable than he’d like to admit.❝ I wish… that others would learn to think before they speak. ❞ It was hypocritical, but most of Takumi’s pain stemmed from unintentionally hurtful words laced over detached actions.❝ I admit it’s something I still need to work on, but… it would save a lot of trouble. And prevent any grudges from taking hold. ❞—( out of arrows. ) Learn to enjoy being alone, and use it to your advantage. Figure out who you are, what you truly enjoy, and what you want to do. Too many people focus on trying to find a friend or significant other to constantly be with and morph themselves around. I’ve seen it happen, and it’s not healthy to completely lose yourself to someone else. And when you do find someone, make sure they help you grow and appreciate the differences between you two!

Nah: If you could change your name, would you? To what?

❝ I would prefer if you didn’t speak to me at all. ❞ Quick, biting; a sharp riposte. If the command hadn’t been to persuade opposing soldiers to join their own ranks, he’d have truly preferred to toss the elder’s head on a pike as the rest of the Nohrian army was laid to waste. Instead, the prince had been forced to play the role of a hound, fetching whatever and whoever they requested. Despite the growing disdain for the task, Takumi obeyed, giving his all. Some soldiers were easy to bribe or coax, some had to be threatened. The ones who refused were killed, no mercy or compassion getting in the way. Eyes narrowed into a scrutinizing gaze, trying to figure how the other—Nix, was it?—could be put to use; what he’d have to do to make her bend to their will, if anything at all. Ire took over energy, granting little ideas to rise. Rest first, persecution later. With a snarl, the prince took sharp hold of the other’s arm, quickening the pace as the fort came into view. Soldiers ahead already began to flood into the welcoming gates, a soft push from those in back rising to get inside and prepare for the next battle. ❝ You’ll be confined once we reach the prison, no need to worry about that, ❞ Takumi muttered beneath his breath. ❝ If you can prove your worth to my sister—and me—things might just look up for you. ❞