as it was.

current muses: bungo stray dogs: kunikida doppo, ranpo edogawa, karma haikyuu: tanaka ryuunosuke, goshiki tsutomu, akaashi keiji genshin impact: razor, gorou, kazuha kaedehara  my hero academia: denki kaminari, present mic, tomura shigaraki fire emblem: three houses: ashe ubert, balthus von albrecht  jujutsu kaisen: nanami kento dr stone: gen asagiri fire force:  akitaru obi

‘ moooooove, old man ! move, move ! you’re so sloooow ! ‘ 

kotaru pushes his back, urging the older man to walk just a little faster. he knows the storm is coming in, and he wants to be inside by the time it hits. he hates the thunder, and he doesn’t have any plans of getting all their clothes and bags soaked. and besides all that, he didn’t like being out in the dark out in the open like this. it left them too vulnerable to attack. even after all this time, he’s still looking over his shoulder at every turn, always waiting for the next monster to jump out of the shadows. you’d think the old samurai would share the same concern, but stupid no-name is moving too slow ! he groans again, pushing his little arms against an immovable wall. 

shinso’s brow furrowed,   the spark of childhood neglected across his features like a ruinous bruise…      he forgets his own youth.    it has always seemed a little intangible to him:    it faded into the background of his hopes and dreams   [   there was more hero than child about him   –   at least,  that’s the argument he made for every blotted out moment   ].         ‘         i know that you’re both heroes,   too.        ’

it was interesting to peer into the other’s life.      shinso listened patiently,   clinging to every word as if they would reveal something new and interesting about his heroes   –   something he could emulate.          ‘        it all seems like a lot of effort.          ’         at least he’s honest as he wears a deep - burned frown.           ‘         where would i even begin?         ’

well, at least it seemed like he was making some progress. he didn’t blame the kid for being hesitant. after all, if you’re used to being alone, staying that way just seemed easier. he really was a lot like shota. but it seems he’s at least hearing him out. this is what teaching is all about, right ? 

‘ yeah, it can be a lot of work. but it’s supposed to be worth the work, you know ? ‘ still, he had always been extroverted. making friends came naturally to him. how would he describe it to someone who wasn’t as chatty ? 

it’s nothing short of a gross understatement to claim she’s used to stares; has been raised on them, in fact—from mercenaries and her father’s clients alike, curiously and quietly wondering why a man of jeralt’s stature always came with a little doe-eyed brat trailing in his steps as a bonus, to children her own age, just as curiously but not so quietly wondering why she said and did the things she did. she’s used to attention—warranted or unwanted—because the lifestyle she leads invites it, but she’s not disillusioned to think others share in her experiences. in fact, she’s learned that hers are rather unique ones. experiences, that is.

“  are you sure?  ”  her question is like she is—free of judgement and to be taken at face value— as is the expression she responds to razor’s hesitance with.  "  there’s not many people around at this time of day—  "  she’s checked—  "  and i’ll be here to guard your back.  "  it isn’t in her nature to push, but this is how jeralt taught her, and … she wants to believe it’ll be easier for him than it was for her when she was left alone. she wants to believe the humans here are kinder.  "  we won’t go far.  "  then, as if rethinking her strategy, she offers, softer:  "  is there … anything i can do to make you feel safer? you have just as much of a right to be here as anyone else.  "

he trusts her completely, and knows she means her words. byleth was a little like him: neither of them spoke very many words, but they said the ones they meant. so when she said he would be safe, he knew she would protect him. but his instincts are telling him otherwise; years and years of surviving in the woods and avoiding humans at all costs. they had been cruel to him, sometimes downright aggressive. he knew he didn’t belong amongst them. but maybe with her... maybe it could be okay. and if things went south, they had each other. it was a lot less scary than venturing out alone.