What would you do if you woke up in the wrong century?
And what if you weren't there by accident?
Elina never meant to disrupt history. One
Give it a gooo! Let’s go on a mind experiment. What would you do if you would wake up in the medieval age one day? As a modern girl nonetheless. Let’s try to survive and find your new purpose along the way.
Pairing: Chihiro x Haku (Spirited Away) - romantic
Type: Fanfic (2.9 K)
Prompt: augt’tober
A/N: sfw & FLUFF. I made up a whole story after the movie - because it promised us, they’d meet again. They promised each other. So… this is how I would imagine their reunion. In this self-indulgent story they meet in the human world, years later, both in their 20s. Both can’t remember at all, but feel close to each other without having a clue. Friends to Lovers trope. Haku has a dog, a white dog (Kishu Ken) with a cute pointy snout like Haku had as a dragon - that was the initial thought that got me here. And I chose Haku instead of Kohaku. Their memories and his magic has been spirited away.
- - - - - - -
It was dark outside, the streetlights lit up when Chihiro returned from her evening walk. She was visiting her parents, a necessary little break from university and life. She’d moved out, nearly a year ago now, but it felt like ages, since she’d walked this path to her parent’s home. What if… she was always thinking about new stories, new plots and characters to create. What if she’d went for a longer walk instead of returning just now? What if… she was already on her way, her feet knew the direction. She felt the urge to visit the nearly forgotten path, little shrines left and right of it, dedicated to magical creatures and ghosts. Little birds, bugs and other small beings had moved into these little crafted houses. A tiny neighborhood. The young brunette smiled, taking a mental note to write it down. She had already a vision for her next adventure. Her feet stopped, right in front of an old arch, grass and moss had overgrown the walls, the huge bricks, a rose hedge with thorns was growing inside of the tunnel. No way to get through it, without getting scratches everywhere. It was ink-black inside of it. Chihiro felt goosebumps arousing, a shiver ran down her spine. Maybe she should head back? Or … what if … she could just stay a little longer, write down her thoughts, in the shadow of this arch, secured by the streetlight glowing next to it. She sat on the ground, typing into her phone like a maniac, prisoner of her creative flow. Her headphones secured her own mind-tunnel, not a single sound was getting through it. Noice-canceling tech was real magic. A sudden movement right in-front of Chihiro made her look up. A white ghost was running towards her, faster and faster.
“Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”, the young woman shrieked, trying to get up but failed, again and again.
“Sen! Seeeeeeeen!”, a low but soft voice was cutting through the air. Chihiro s headphones had fallen into the grass. It was wet, it had dampened her pants already- the night fog around her made the scenery beautiful, mystical and way too spooky for her liking. The ghost quite near now, a creature covered in a huge white linen, barked.
“Sen? Where are you?”, that voice again, it was much closer now.
“Ah-are you Sen?”, Chihiro asked the ghost - it barked, moving its head into her direction, the tail wiggled underneath the sheet.
“We are here”, Chihiro shouted back, a little raspy from her former screech: “Hey, uh, Sen? I am going to lift the linen now, all right?”
The steps came closer, little twigs broke under their shoes, the person was running now. Chihiro grabbed a corner of the white sheet, pulled it carefully into her direction and a friendly barking all-white dog, a ‘Kishu Ken’ was visible. Bark. Wiggle.
“I… I ahem soho sorry!”, a young man stood a couple of steps away from Chihiro and her ghostly intruder, Sen: “She is an escape artist.”
“Huh? Sen? Bad girl.”, he cooed, still a little out of breath, but smiling. He came closer now, holding his hands to grab his dog. Sen barked, ready to play another round of hide and seek or tick with her human. She jumped away, barking, wiggling her tail and bum, to animate her owner to play along.
“Nonoho”, he laughed: “Get here, koi (come).”
Sen, playful but trained to listen, walked over to her owner, while standing next to him, she got her leash back on.
“I am so sorry”, he said again, looking at the young woman now, who was still holding the linen: “I hadn’t closed the back door and she wasn’t done with our walk, as it seems. I hope, she didn’t scare you?”
Chihiro, blinked at him, still unsure what just happened.
“Oh, n…, well”, she blushed, stammering: „a little?” (massive understatement, because her heart was still beating like she’d run up the Fujiyama).
“I am Haku, by the way. And Sen is incredibly sorry too, right, girl?”, he cooed, holding up his hand to signal his dog a command. Sen barked one time, lifting her left paw up, placing it over her snout, closing her eyes. It was a cute gesture, like a barked “sorry” and a hand over her face, hiding her embarrassment. The young woman giggled: “Well, thanks for the apologies. I am Chihiro”.
„Nice to meet you, Chihiro.“, bark.
She folded the linen sheet, handing it over to Haku (what an extraordinary name). He had a special hair-color too, a green-ish grey, like a wintery midnight-sky. And his eyes were green like the forest around them. Chihiro blushed.
“Oh, that’s not… mine?”, he replied.
“Well, Sen was hiding underneath it. Like a ghost.”
“Oh”, he gasped, shaking his head afterwards: “one of my neighbors must miss it then.”, he wondered: “Where have you stolen this from?”, bark. It was amusing to watch the young man and his dog. They had a strong bond. Chihiro giggled, watching them.
“Oh, I should head back home.”, she gasped, with a look on her watch.
„May I… um“, bark. „Sen and I would like to guide you home, as an apology?“
„Sure, well, thanks I guess. My parents live up on that hill“, she pointed at their home.
„Oh! Sen and I have the same destination. We live up there too.“
On their way back to the village, they exchanged small talk bits of their lives. Chihiro, back from university over the weekend, studying literature and art, loved long walks, plotting stories, painting and would constantly listen to music. Haku had moved here a couple of weeks ago, starting to work as a chef at the one and only hotel in town. His job would start next week. He had graduated from university - hotel management - recently. They both were in their twenties, Chihiro at the beginning, Haku more towards the end of it. They shared the love for nature and long walks. And, they had a strange, familiar feeling, to know each other - Uni? Summer camp? Summer job? They just couldn’t remember.
„Well, I am home now - thanks for your company.“
„My pleasure. Oh, we are close neighbors then.“, he pointed at the house next door.
„It was nice to meet you“, Chihiro replied, blushing - her parent’s new neighbor was fascinating and cute and hot and…
„Chihiro? Where have you been?“, her mother was calling through the open door.
„Oh, I… got to go“, she told Haku.
„Good bye, Chihiro“, the young man waved, whispering: „koi“ at his dog, before they both walked home, too.
The weekend turned out to be the best uni-break for Chihiro, she could have ever imagined. She wrote less than expected, but spend a lot of time with her new friends, Haku and his Kishu Ken’, Sen. After they exchanged numbers, she had to return to her own life, uni was calling. Days turned into weeks, turned into months. They’d build up a strong friendship, little flirts here and there, but nothing serious. The distance stopped them from asking for more than that. They had regular video calls, checking on each other every now and then.
„What’s going on there?“, she asked, while Haku was wiggling in-front of the camera, the phone itself seemed to wiggle too.
„Oh-o, jjjust Sen“, he hissed: „Sen, don’t!“
„What’s the matter? Is she messing with your drawers again?“
„Noho, that’s not… Sen, enough!“
„Haku?“, Chihiro tried to guess, what was happening at her friend’s house but wasn’t sure at all. Suddenly, the cutest giggle she ever heard appeared and with a final shake of his phone, the scenery was visible. Sen, his white dog, was liking his neck, while Haku tried to push her away. Was she… was he… Chihiro blushed.
„I-I ahem so sorry, Chihihiro, I got to go“
Leaving his friend with her thoughts all alone, the video call died.
They haven’t spoken about that incident ever again. The situation didn’t reappear too.
„Mom? Dad?“, Chihiro stepped out of her shoes, leaving her huge backpack (art supplies, laptop, books) and trolley (everything else she owned) in the hallway: „I am hohooooome!“ She walked through the calm house. Where were they?
When she opened the sliding door to the yard, a familiar bark welcomed her.
„Sen?“, she slipped into her mom’s shoes, to run over the short grass towards the fence. Her neighbor’s dog peeked over the edge, her head a little tilted to one side.
„Hello, cutie“, she cooed.
„You never called me that before!“, a soft voice with an audible smile made her gasp and giggle at the same time: „Ha-haku?“
„Hello, Chihiro“, he stood up from the ground, next to Sen and right in-front of herself. She had to lean her head back a bit, he was that tall. The tip of her ponytail tickled her bare back, not covered by her top.
„You don’t happen to know where my parents are, do you?“
„Um“, he gave Sen a little pat on the head: „They left a couple hours ago, by car?“
„Huh. Maybe they run some errands? Must have forgotten I’d come by today.“
„Will you stay longer this time?“, Haku asked.
„Oh, yes. I’ll do, actually. Long summer holidays, no dorm room until next semester.“
„The pleasures of being a student.“
„How’s life going here, chef Haku?“
„Oh, the pleasures of being a house owner - painting the fence all on my own.“, he was holding up his paintbrush in a quick move.
„OH MY“, Chihiro gasped, blinking with wide eyes at Haku: „you didn’t.“
She lifted her right index-finger, to touch her cheek. Wet paint was on her fingertip, when she looked at it.
The young man gulped: „I-ah, I am so sorry“, a surprised laugh tried to escape his lips, but he’d suppressed that impulse, more or less effectively.
„Oh-ho, you are not!“, she giggled, frowning: „He’s not“, she told Sen. Bark. Haku tried to stay focused, not to laugh but… well…
„Are you laughing at me?“
„Nohooho…“
„Oh, sure you do“, she hissed, giving his shoulder a little shoving nudge.
„Chihiro?“, her mother’s voice called for their attention.
„I am cooooming“, the young brunette answered her mom, patting Sen’s head and pointing at Haku afterwards: „Saved, for the moment.“
Since Chihiro had returned home, she’d spend every waking hour writing or painting. She was so focused, she wouldn’t eat much. Her parents weren’t home during the day, both at work, so the only time she would eat was at dinner time with them. Only to return to her laptop afterwards. Even in her dreams she was plotting her story.
„Chihiro?“
„WHAAA!“, the young woman screeched, nearly falling off the back porch, balancing her laptop on her knees: „HAKU! Don’t. Don’t scare me like that ever again.“, one hand on her chest, feeling her heart beating faster and faster, the other was putting her laptop next to her on the wooden surface.
„I ahem so, so sorry.“, he muffled his giggles behind his hand.
„And now you’re laughing at me? Again?“
„I have a reconciliation gift“, he said.
„Oh? What is it?“
„Food.“
„Oh, I am not“
„Don’t tell me you’re not hungry. You’re never eating, when I see you out here. You never stopped typing once today.“
„So? It’s still early.“
„It’s past two.“
„Already?“, she gasped. The time had flown by.
„I am heading out now, but, please, eat this. You’ll feel better afterwards, I presume.“
So, from that day on, Haku brought Chihiro snacks and lunches, every day. Between, before or after his shifts, depending on the time he had to leave. On his day off, he’d cook while she was sitting on his own porch, typing her novel, while Sen was lying next to her. She would also take Sen for long walks, when Haku was at work. The summer went by, Chihiro’s time at home was nearly over. Only two weeks left until she had to be far away again, studying.
„Um, Chihiro?“, Haku whispered, sitting next to her on his porch.
„Huh?“, she asked, typing further on.
„What is your story about?“
„Um“, her typing was slowing down: „It’s about a girl, struggling to find her place in her world. Stumbling through every day, until she finds a magical port to another realm. There she feels even lonelier. But she’ll make friends, eventually, and…“
„And?“
„Oh… I don’t know yet.“, she whispered, too shy to answer his question.
„There is more, right?“
„Um…“
„Come on, tell me.“, he poked her in the side.
„E-hey!“, she gasped, pressing her elbow over her ribs, to secure the spot he’d just hit.
„Oh-ho“, he chuckled: „Tell me, or else…“, he wiggled his eyebrows up and down a couple of times, teasing his friend(?).
„What?“
„You could tell me, freely, I could read it“
„NO! Absolutely not.“
„I could… just… make you“, he whispered, poking her a little under her elbow, into her side again. Haku tried to grasp her laptop with his other hand, but he wasn’t aware of her „offense is the best defense“-way of handling things. The second he reached for her computer, she’d squeeze his waist with her own hand. Soon, her laptop was shut on the porch and the two were rolling over the grass of Haku’s yard, giggling side by side.
„Hehey, not fahair!“, Chihiro’s fingers were scribbling over his waist: „You staharted it!“
„Tehell me, what your stohory is about.“, Haku squeezed her hip twice.
„Nohooho.“
„It’s about love, right?“, another squeeze to her waist now.
„Nohoope?!“ Haku grasped her flailing arms, holding her wrists now.
„Oh, it is about love then.“
„Absolutely nohot.“
„Must be a handsome one, if you forget to eat when you write about them.“, he teased Chihiro, seeing her cheeks blushing even more now. Oh, he liked this view. She wiggled underneath him, his hands were holding her wrists on each of her sides at the moment, no sneak attacks on each side possible. Their breathes calmed down, while they were still fighting for the upper hand, a little less wild now.
„Let. Me. Go“, she giggled.
„Not before you told me.“ Oh gods. What if…
„Ok, I’ll let you read it.“
„Tell m… what?“
„You can read my novel.“
„Just… like that?“
„Yup.“, she smiled, blushing. Chihiro could feel how he’d let go of her wrists. The perfect moment to turn the tables once again. With a wild screech she pushed him to the side, onto his back to straddle him.
„Wahaihait, you tricked me?“
„Yup.“, she giggled, leaving no doubt what for. She went right for his ribs, scribbling over them on each side, poking into the muscles to tease her neighbor / friend / date (?????). A familiar bark was coming along, closer and closer: „Oh, yes. Come here, Sen. Help me out“, Chihiro chuckled, while Haku giggled, frowning: „What ahare you doing?“
„Us girls, we support each other.“
„Wha.hahaaht?“, the young man tried to wiggle free, but Chihiro was securing his position underneath her. While her own skilled fingers went for every known and potential weak spot on his upper body. At the same time, Sen barked happily next to them, happy to join their human’s playtime: „Get his neck, girl“, Chihiro said, teasing his skin there with a short tip-tap-tip, to show her partner in crime where to attack.
„Noho, Sen, dohon’t!“, Haku couldn’t help himself but squeak. His own dog was licking over his cheek, ear and neck all at once and Chihiro’s fingers were everywhere, squeezing, poking, prodding and scribbling over his shirt. After a while of helpless laughter, he cried: „Dame (no), Sen. Tomare (stop).“
They both panted, giggling: „Youhuu two are evil.“
„No, we are not, huh?“, Chihiro cooed, patting Sen over her head: „Good girl“
„Oh, yes. You-hu are cruel. No snacks for the two of you“
„Do you hear that, girl?“, she cooed: „Sounds like your owner needs“
„No! Don’t, please“, he giggled underneath her. His eyes were closed, his chest was moving fast from his deep breathes. A giggle here and there escaped his beautiful lips. Chihiro blushed. Where did that thought come from? But… what if…
„Haku?“
„Hmm, yehes?“
„What if… what if my story is about love?“
„I knew it!“, he clasped his hands together, hugging her afterwards, pulling her close to his chest and turning them both around again. He was on top of her outstretched body now, balancing his own weight on his elbows under her arms, trying not to crush her.
„Chihiro?“, his nose nudged hers a little.
„Haku?“
„Is it… is it about us?“
„Maybe?“
„Maybe?“
„Ok, ok. Yes“
„Good“, he hummed, lowering his face, so his lips were stroking over her lips, softly, gentle movements: „May I kiss you now?“, he whispered. She felt every breath, every word on her lips: „Yes, please“ Bark.
Sen was wiggling her tail and bum, barking along, while she jumped around her two humans. They giggled, hummed and kissed each other the whole afternoon.
Their flirty friendship transformed into a proper relationship, eventually. Since they’d fallen head over heels for each other, everyone cooed, that their match was made in heaven. The two of them never found out, where they might have met each other before. They would never find out, that Chihiro’s dreams, as well as her published novel - she’d written that summer - had been their reality once.
i need to rant about how much i love levi ackerman
first off he’s so cool??? remember this mf’s first scene slicing two of these near destructible creepy naked giants in one go??? his intro to the main trio with his cape flapping??? HIS FIGHTS OH MY GOD
his fights get their own bit: you dont wanna know how many times ive rewatched levi vs kenny or levi vs zeke THE ANIMATION IS INCREDIBLE like seriously these animators be working their asses off so this dude can do cool tricks and i love them for it
he’s really complex too not just a classic cool guy like someone pointed out that he has the most compassion out of all the senior leaders and i completely agree the way he is just so aware of everyone around him and like the way he is with the 104th in season three especially
he’s so fucking compelling. like he’s lost so much and the way he always chooses the good fight is so incredible to watch even just the way he’s still finding the fucking strength to get up and go again and the way he’s fuelled by so many emotions and grief for so many people and it’s a thing of how far is he gonna go, is he gonna cross some dark lines, and what’s his end goal, revenge, justice, peace??
also: he has normal human qualities and quirks outside of captain/soldier/superhuman, the teacup thing, the cleaning thing, making fucking poo jokes
hes also not perfect. in fact, hes a known asshole. he has flaws and fucks up, sometimes to the point it loses him some fingers and an eye, because of course he does he’s a person
bonus: 5”3 short king and my 5”2 self definitely loves that
bonus bonus: he pretty (saw someones describe it as pretty in a trampled flower kinda way and i love that)
To avoid spreading too much on this ask, I decided to make a little recap / analysis here of the relationship Jean - Mikasa, and of all clues it raised, showing that Jean’s still in love with Mikasa currently in the manga. Hope it’ll interest some of you !
*
Tbh, I’ve never been a fan of this ship in a serious way because it was written as a light and comical story at first. More than comic, it’s even a kind of satire. It wasn’t really a relationship made to be found of it, but rather to deconstruct the myth of love at first sight, as Isayama very often likes to break the most common codes of fiction.
Love at first sight is something very widespread and sacred in fiction. It’s supposed to be a form of sudden love which evokes the destiny and inevitability of love, in its greatest strength as in its weakness. It’s supposed to be enigmatic, full of meanings, of conflicts / obstacles between the person loved and the transmitter of this love… But here, what’s funny is that the magic of the moment is immediately ridiculed and turned in burlesque humor :
So, why be interested in the Jean - Mikasa relationship since it isn’t serious or important scenaristically ? Well, Jean himself wasn’t a serious and substantial character at the very beginning. He was a character belonging to the comic register especially. He didn’t have a particular traumatic past like the trio EMA, RBA, the vets and so on, he had no particular philosophy like Marlowe who pushed him to act for a noble cause … He was just a boy who wanted to comfortably live his life out of worries.
But, to quote myself :
Jean’s development was precisely that of turning him from adolescence to adulthood by making him realize what is the world in which he lives.
Firstly, by the confrontation with Eren, who made him understand that living eyes closed to the world when he had taken a path that implied responsibilities in it wasn’t possible. Secondly, by realizing that he had a potential to serve humanity, a greater good, and that he now had comrades to protect, an individual good. And lastly, by taking the irreversible path of those who are ready to take away lives for the necessity.
And the same goes for his relationship with Mikasa. From a comic love that was based only on “she’s my dreamed girl with whom I have no chance”, it must has moved on to a deeper and purer love that has matured over time and Jean’s evolution. That’s why, while the evidence of his crush was more obvious and juveniles before :
these have become discreet with time, and especially with his change at Uprising Arc.
One could even have the impression, since he crossed the baptism of fire to kill people, that he’s no even longer “in love” with Mikasa because he’s more realistic maybe and alongside, his crush have stopped. But, as the anon of the initial ask raised, there are in fact a lot of hints in current arc this story isn’t extinguished yet.
When SC discovered Eren’s letters, he looked at her :
When Mikasa proposed herself as the next heritor of Eren’s titan, he bounces immediately because already guessed she would, and had already proposed a counter-argumentation :
For him to already have prepared his sacrifice :
When they discussed the Eren case, one of the first things he pointed to was Eren’s surprising lack of care for her :
And kept his eyes on her many times :
When she came out wrecked of her conversation with Eren, he kept looking at her and and didn’t let her claiming that her despair didn’t matter :
Even though he could have tried to take this opportunity to his advantage to comfort her and pick up the pieces, he reassures her on Eren. And if he managed to see immediately through Eren, it’s probably because he’s able himself of something comparable (hiding his true feelings for her well-being). Jean’s ability to empathize thanks to his common experience with others has always helped him to read situations.
So… Yes, he’s probably still in love with Mikasa.
*
As the anon of the initial ask noted, it’s been a long time since Jean integrated the fact that Mikasa loves Eren and that he can’t do anything for that. But the impossibility of his love to be reciprocal, if it’s sincere, doesn’t prevent it from existing. His love for Mikasa, like the one she has for Eren, is irrepressible and unconditional. A very mature and profound love in sum, since Jean places the happiness of Mikasa far before his (for someone who always placed his comfort as sovereign, it’s a remarkable change) and doesn’t seek to derive any glory of it.
*
Now, about how it’s going to end … Logic would say that if this relationship was neat and kept until the end of that kind, it’s to make the story close on it. Many fans, and rightly, see as survivors certains of the story, Jean and Mikasa (imo Armin, Levi, maybe Hanji too, but that remains to be seen). Mikasa, because to make her survive to all of it would be meaningful for her development, and Jean because there were several times elements that told he had an important future in front of him.
Perhaps they’ll “finish” together, but will love be reciprocal? Probably never. But that’s not really what matters after all, since one of the main characteristics of love is to be free, and unconditional, even if it does not bring happiness. But we’ll see what it gave afterwards !
for the record, i think this is what happens for the 3 choices we had today:
let’s talk about the choices:
infinite power
it means we have the option to choose power. to take over rheya, or probably overthrow her in exchange for it when the time comes. we will be so much powerful than what we used to and even more so than her. but in exchange for that infinite power, everything around us will wither... die.... love will fade, friendships will be gone.... and we will become as miserable as her. we will change forever. but our life is bleak.
undo the last two wishes
now this, we have the option to undo everything that happened, and probably quite possibly the most ideal one out of the 3 choices. why? it’s because rheya will never be. that’s the sole purpose right? to destroy her? so why not take it to the source the most morally possible way ever? we might have the option to never let her find the white oak tree thus she will die in that cave as planned. mydiea is going to continue living until the next big thing wipes it out. gaius might die from war in that era, xenocrates might become king who knows really?
kamilah would perish in one of the conflicts of her age or probably die with honor and status, like a queen that she is. she can retire from the conflicts as she grows old, live her life to the fullest without even knowing what lies ahead if gaius met and turnd her. hell she wont even know he existed??? she might even have a family of her own.
adrian would rest from the civil war with his family and the man who tried to kill them (possibly orchestrated by gaius just to turn him) won’t even be there. he will lead his original life with his wife and child. eleanor and charles would grow with him. he will die a happy man.
jax won’t be attacked while clubbing. he will continue his education (probably), he won’t meet takeshi or that vampire who killed him. he will meet someone, establish a family, live a happy life, grow old (as he is supposedly) and retreat somewhere with a family or whatever where he can live in peace for the remainders of his days.
lily.... we won’t meet her. as we will never have the reason to go to nyc. we wont have a reason to look for an apartment or even struggle. perhaps we may, perhaps we may not. she might find a different roommate, or we would be lucky to cross paths with her again but for a different job interview. raines corporation, ahmanet financial, etc. wont be existing as kamilah and adrian wont even be around breathing in today’s age.
all four of our friends? they will continue experiencing the daylights for the rest of their lives... living in the sun.... just that we are not with them. we never knew them. we never crossed paths nor had the chance to meet them. no, we probably never will be able to. but they are alive, happy, contented.
this option is the morally correct one.... let’s say the most ideal outcome. u will be able to destroy rheya and free ur vampire friends from all the suffering they will face in exchange for immortality. rid the humans of the entire vampire race like it never happened.
but are u happy?
murder the genie
all of our friends are alive.... maybe. this route is undoubtedly the less morally correct one. we will kill rheya and be shrouded with darkness. we may drown in it, use it, bend it to our will. nothing serious right? no harm done? go dark they say! after all, we’re gods at this point. since we just killed a goddess....