#lifedefined

“You have me, Kazuya…”

For as long as you need me. For the sake of your hope growing stronger…

“You’ll always have me. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

Making promises he might not be able to keep— ones of false hope covered up in love and affection… It isn’t something he’s used to, but he finds that his heart is set before his mind has the chance to catch up.

Ah, what is he doing? Someone who shines as brightly as Kazuya deserves better than him. Both versions of Kazuya do.

Once again, those words spill out of his mouth before he can stop to think about them.

“But… is it really me you need?”

How horrible of him, wanting to push Kazuya away at the same time as wanting to keep him close. Heart and mind both quickly catch up with his words, trying to stave off the thoughts that Kazuya deserves better. That isn’t the point here. He needs to be there for Kazuya above all else.

“… Uh, sorry. I know.”

He does, and yet he doesn’t. Haruki still can’t quite wrap his head around the concept that anyone would need him, let alone two versions of the same person needing him. He’s not the best with words, at comforting, even though he wants to be… sentences expressing admiration and his own lack of self-confidence come easily, but he pushes them aside.

Opting for silence instead, he wraps his arms around Kazuya, holding him close.

Rantaro… is quite drunk, isn’t he? Kaede has been sipping slowly at some tequila. Nevertheless, her boyfriend… He’s rather cute, isn’t he?

Affection is common between them, when they’re together. Surprise kisses, snuggling, hand holding. Even their icons have matched since they started dating. But… the boy? He’s being goofy. Unusually so. He’s prone to saying things that make her heart flutter. 

Drunken pick up lines are another level of adorable altogether. There’s soft pinkness to her cheeks. Her smile is warm, full of love for him. (And how she loves him, endlessly.)

She reaches out, lightly tapping his nose, interrupting him mid pick up line. “Rantaro? I think… you need some sleep.”

A fond smile is all he has for Kaede, cheeks only slightly rosy from the drink. He’s not sure why he thinks drunk pickup lines are the best idea, but he knows that it’s absolutely a good idea. A great idea, even. Maybe even incredible.

He’s soft at the edges. Even if his past lurks every time he closes his eyes, Kaede anchors him to this world enough. 

He frowns, when Kaede taps him on the nose. It’s a little thing, before it transforms into slightly upset, and that definitely is the formings of a hips sprite.

“Can handle myself.”

The words are slurred. His hand makes a movement that’d have swirled around the alcohol in the cup, if it wasn’t... empty.

“I’m finne.”

He considers a little.

“Must be dreaming, anyway, to have someone as beautiful as you in front of me.”

[ entwine ] for your muse to hold mine’s hand

how long has it been…? the sun rises again to annoy him awake, and rantaro rises with a quiet sigh. sleeping rough isn’t something his body is used to, but it was an experience that he’s glad to have. adventure had run out of his body long ago, and his body had ached for it— this was just the pain of trying to break in a body too new, too unused.

comparing the two pains, what would he prefer? well, that was a no brainer. he’d prefer this physical pain than any sort of politics any time.magic is clumsy when he tries to coax it out of his fingers, but he ends up cutting his cheek instead. his magic had always been geared towards survival. it’d been what stuck with him— but he’d never gotten to practice it… much… until now.

his beard is a little embarrassing. he thinks it suits him, but the last time he’d grown a beard, toshiko had howled with laughter.

fingers soon twine with his, and he watches the mermaid that had been watching over this whole ordeal, and he laughs embarrassedly— but doesn’t take away the hand… a flutter of warmth flickers in his chest, and he smiles at kaede, looking away then back again.

“Does it look bad?”

questioning, as he rubs at his chin.

“… Would have kept it clean back at the kingdom, but ‘s a little hard here.”

… the kingdom, the kingdom.

… that’s his obligation. but…

..

“haha. “

[ seduce ] for your muse to touch mine sexually 

sometimes— he wonders if he truly deserves this. loving boyfriends, a stable life— a happy life he never wasn’t sure he could have. love is a funny thing to him. love… love… 

love…

in an alternate world where he’d never met these two… would he have gotten love? haha, what a joke! he already knows that he would have gay chickened into signing his life away. into a game that ensured his death! wanted to see his death! his last moments a spectacle shown to the world. even animated beautifully should the detective want to give his life a worthy closing argument. 

…

he knows what would have happened if he stayed in his world. his own life was a signed death warrant with an end.

…. 

and here he was, now, with someone he had thought a character. his life was a fanfiction. he really didn’t deserve a lot of this love — all his love was uneasy for him. it felt like an act–

“rantaro…”

a quiet embarrassed sound, as his hand slide beneath his shirt, going red so easily. the beating in his chest is partly out of fear that maybe rantaro would notice his thoughts. it’s not possible, of course. but he knows that if rantaro knew, it’s … well, rantaro… 

…

rantaro is really too nice for him. he still makes his heart skip in his chest, and when rantaro looks at him, the love there and between them makes most of his worries melt away. 

“you’re really not being subtle. you can tell me if you’re horny. really.”

[ embrace ]  for your muse to hold mine 

Being King is not easy. And yet, someone had to do the the job — the kingdom would not run itself. In fact, if it did, Ben doubts that he would have met the love of his life in the first place. The position had brought him many gifts, and they were not ones that Ben was about to ignore. He had a chance to make people’s lives better. This was one of the greatest presents his position could give.

But this was, of course— easily topped by the girl hugging him— A smile easily lifts his face into a grin, and his arms easily wind around her. 

“Hey, Mal.”

Greeting her again even if he’d already greeted her once— the closeness warrants another hello. Every moment felt like a new moment with her, an exciting turn of life— her very being was the one that he wanted to fill with love. He wanted to give the world to her.

“Are you holding up alright?”

Lady of the court… it was a big title, and it was a big responsibility. He wasn’t about to let Mal get overwhelmed again.

you meant 10 and you’re getting 10 bc. stares at 11. no

Golden irises lock onto the Grimm that stands before them, narrowing as she readies her blade. Though it doesn’t immediately seem like anything too threatening, they’re halved in number, having decided to tackle this mission together while Yang and Ruby went on ahead to the next. 

Despite the odds, Blake has faith in her battle partner, and their teamwork in this fight proves as much. After all, they’re family now, aren’t they? All the earlier talk of camaraderie and how friendship in a team should be unavoidable after everything they’ve been through… part of it causes a sense of unease to grow within her, but that hadn’t been caused by Weiss’ words. No, those brave words replace the ones prior that had caused anxiety in her mind, and her hand reaches out to Weiss once more— this time to be passed Fire Dust as she launches herself forward into the enemy’s path, leaving behind a shadow clone of herself. An explosion swiftly rings out upon enemy contact, serving as the final blow to the Grimm.

Ears prick up a little in surprise when the other takes hold of her hand, and she half expects to see the same expression on Weiss’ face that she’d held when faced with her father’s manipulation. However, that had been different. Whereas then, Blake had held onto her hand, the opposite is now true. Not only that, but neither of them wear any expression to be concerned about— rather, they’re happy. Revelling in a victory that hadn’t been as easy as it may have appeared at first glance. 

“This is just another victory to add to your battle count this week, Weiss.” How many battles had there been? Who knows. But the most important one hadn’t been physical, in Blake’s opinion, even if far from over. “Really. I… couldn’t have done this without you. Thank you.”

love is a language he’s slowly learning-- he stumbles over the letters, the hand gestures and the smiles-- it’s still foreign to him. but it wasn’t like he was helpless like he had been before--what could he say? he had an amazing teacher. this student teacher relationship might be illicit. but that’s the way he likes it. 

kaede reaching for his hand isn’t new, but his heart flutters as if it was the first time anyway-- how embarrassing! allowing the fingers to entwine, squeezing once kaede’s hand makes itself home... or at least, he liked to think it as home.

he knows-- that he’s far too volatile, to be called a home. his heart was for the sea, for adventure-- even the knowledge that had been written in couldn't change that. there was a reason why he was called an amami, after all. it’s odd, for him. making that balance...

but .. he couldn’t leave kaede here alone, either. the thought of it makes his heart tense, drop-- and he realizes that if back where he had been from... he’d been fighting out of pure obligation, now he was fighting for something much deeper.

“Affectionate today.”

Smiling down, and it’s not unwelcome at all. his free hand goes to tuck kaede’s hair behind her ear.