Sometimes I write

Ask Box: OPEN! || Requests: OPEN! || I accept requests for drabbles / headcanons for multiple fandoms!

[occasional-drabbles]

Ask Box is: OPEN!!

RULES

Be Polite

Be Patient - Life comes first, and I don't want to put out a mediocre response just to get it out quickly

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Fandom

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Format - Head canons, small drabbles, one shots, general thoughts

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FANDOMS

Love and Deepspace

Hazbin Hotel

Genshin Impact

Bungou Stray Dogs

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

Obey Me! Shall We Date

My Hero Academia

Legend of Zelda

Dragon Ball Z Kai / Abridged

Transformers (Animated and Prime)

Honkai Star Rail

Yu-Gi-Oh

Lovebrush Chronicles / For All Time

If you want an example of the kind of requests I can do, go check out @tf-imagines , my old transformers writing blog!

I'm in the process of updating / cleaning this blog as well, so please be patient with me while I work on that! I'm trying to do my best to ensure that it's mobile-friendly as well

[love-in-deepspace]

Decided to try a little something with the new wolf boy, because brain wanna go brr. I'm not re-reading this, not proof read, Leap go Yeet!

Warnings: Very very slight suggestiveness, I suppose? Play biting. Let me know if I missed anything!

~

Hunters have to be constantly alert, prepared for any eventuality and always aware of their surroundings.

"What time izzit...?"

Despite the familiar voice, in the safety of your own home, you still found yourself jumping and turning towards the source. A very sleepy werewolf padding your way, rubbing the sleep from his eyes but still finding you with enough ease that it's as though he's been doing it all his life. Valko's arms wrap around you, still warm from being in bed, and ever careful to not trap your arms or hinder your movements.

Melting into him on instinct more than anything else, letting him help keep you upright while you turn your attention back to the stove, you let out a short laugh at the question. "Too early," you answer with amused ease, well aware neither of you particularly enjoy being awake at this hour.

The answer earned a groan that was both amused and disgruntled, followed by him leaning down more to nuzzle against your shoulder and the side of your neck. Innocent and affectionate, but ensuring that you can't squirm away from it, either. Even as you were forced to fight down laughter at how his ears tickled against your neck.

"Valkooo...," you fussed, a playful 'warning' with no genuine heat or threat behind it.

He let out an inquisitive hum in response, but you could still feel the way his lips curled into an amused grin against your skin, his fluffy ears twitching against your cheek in a rhythm that you know without a shadow of a doubt is on purpose. He just loves to torture you, after all. "What's wrong~?"

You rolled your eyes dramatically at his antics, turning your attention back to the stove. Maybe if you ignore him, he'll behave.

You really... Really should have known better.

It didn't take long for him to realize what you were doing, his self-satisfied grin slowly falling into a pout the longer you went without acknowledging his teasing. However it took even less time for his grin to return in full force.

Pressing his face into your neck again, he let out another hum. "'m hungry," he pouted.

"I'm working on fixing that," you reassured, if a bit hesitantly.

Valko sighed dramatically, resting his chin against your shoulder. "That's going to take too long...," he whined, "sooo I'm just going to eat you instead~."

Without giving you the chance to process it, he took to nibbling at every bit of exposed skin he could get his fangs on. Ears, shoulders, cheeks, anything and everything was fair game. Your startled squeal just made him laugh lowly into your hair, nipping at the top of your ear again.

"Two can play at this game!" You countered, turning your head quickly to try and nip at his ears in turn. You knew you wouldn't manage to do any damage, but you still tried to be careful all the same.

That finally made him back off, nuzzling the back of your shoulder one more time before he let you go. "Okay, okay, message received, loud and clear," he laughed, gathering some dishes to set the table with, and resisting the urge to start using his tail to tickle you.

He really is hungry after all, and he'd rather not end up in the doghouse before breakfast.

[occasional-drabbles]

Jumpscare

My first attempt at writing something for Lovebrush Chronicles / For All Time, playing with my version of the MC, Sienna, and Lars!

Lars frowned down at his phone, his eyebrows furrowed slightly. 

It’s not like her to not respond to his messages… It’s entirely possible that she was busy and couldn’t reply right that moment, or she hadn’t seen the messages, or might even have been taking a nap. Those thoughts still weren’t enough to satisfy the nagging in the back of his mind. 

So he decided he’d stop by her residence to see if she was there and willing to discuss the painting he wanted, fully intending to pay her handsomely for it. 

Meandering up to her porch, he knocked on the door casually, one hand settled in his pocket. He waited for a minute, the anxiety settling in again at the silence that followed. When another attempt at knocking was met with similar silence, he reached down to test the knob, eyes narrowing when it turned with ease. 

Why was the door unlocked?

Slowly pushing the door open, Lars stuck his head inside and looked around. Her coat and shoes were there by the door, so she should be home, but it was completely silent within the house. After barely a second of debate, he walked in and quietly closed the door behind himself. If she is home and just forgot to lock the door, he'll apologize. 

But on the off chance that something is wrong… it's best to have the element of surprise on his side. 

He moved quietly through the house, examining each room as he passed them. No sign of her in the living room or the kitchen, and he hadn't seen her in the gallery out front… however as he moved deeper into the house, he managed to hear humming. It was faint, but it was a sign of life all the same. Following it, it didn't take him long to find the source. 

Sienna, wearing what he could best describe as a ‘work outfit’ of an oversized white shirt covered in paint splotches and a pair of similarly stained jeans, had her back to the doorway as she stood in front of an art easel and humming without a care in the world. The headphones she had on were apparently good enough to block outside noise, and explains her lack of response to both his texts and his knocking. 

Letting out a small sigh of relief, Lars leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms to watch her. She apparently hadn't noticed him yet, based on the fact she was still humming and dancing to the music. Every so often she'd switch from humming to singing a few lyrics before going back to the humming. It was hardly the trained skills one would find in the Music Hall, nor was her dancing refined in the slightest, but those same imperfections made it all so uniquely Sienna. 

Tilting his head slightly, he watched her work in awe. Despite her relaxed movements, every stroke was purposeful and thought out. It looked like she was painting a large ballroom in vibrant reds and golds, and he could just make out the beginnings of people dancing within it. It felt familiar, perhaps due to the similarities to the backgrounds within In Passing. Either way, he was finding himself drawn to it. He might have to see if he could convince her to sell this one to him as well… 

When she finally started to turn away from her canvas to grab her water bottle from nearby, she finally registered the unfamiliar presence. An undignified yelp escaped her as she physically jumped, her already pink cheeks flushing deep red. 

“Lars!” She scolded, putting her brush down on her table to storm up to him with an adorable pout on her face and wiping any paint off of her hands using her shirt before tugging her headphones down and around her neck. 

“Aww, no encore?” He teased, just laughing when she smacked his chest with the heel of her palm. Not enough to hurt, but enough to get the point across. 

Her flush only deepened, huffing as she crossed her arms. “What are you doing here anyways?”

“Well,” he started, drawing out the word lazily before leveling her with a look of his own, “I tried texting you because I wanted to talk to you about a painting I was hoping you'd be willing to make for me. I'd pay you, of course,” he added, watching as her aggression faltered some in guilt at realizing she'd missed his messages. She stepped away to go check her phone, glancing through the notifications. “Then when I got here and you didn't respond to the knocks, I'll admit, I got worried. Plus your front door was unlocked. So…” he shrugged casually, refusing to betray just how deep his concern had run in those few minutes of uncertainty. 

Sienna pocketed her phone, her frustration completely gone from her expression now. 

“I'm sorry to have worried you…,” she apologized quietly, eyebrows furrowed in thought before offering him a sheepish smile. “Is that offer to get some coffee to discuss your painting still good? My treat, as an apology for spooking you.” 

Lars laughed at her question, grinning down at her. “It seems like I spooked you too, so I’d say we're even. But I've still got some time, and I know of a cute little cafe just down the way we can go to. It's got a lovely little patio we can sit on while we talk.”

[occasional-drabbles]

Ride

At this point, Sylus is used to other motorcyclists being intrigued by him and whichever of his bikes he chose to take for a joy ride. The reactions range from admiration to downright aggressive jealousy. It doesn't matter if he's in the N109 Zone, or if he's ventured into Linkon City, he always managed to draw attention. 

So he wasn't surprised when an unfamiliar bike pulled up beside him at a light on the outskirts of Linkon. He spared the fellow rider a quick glance, just to gauge what kind of reaction he's getting this time. 

A woman, practically dressed, if a bit bland. A leather jacket, gloves, pants, and heavy boots. All black. Her helmet matched, a glossy black with a visor dark enough he couldn't see inside. The biggest pop of color was embroidery along the sleeves of her jacket, though he couldn't fully make out the design with such a quick glance. At most he caught a glimpse of green and white.. Her bike didn't seem to be of note either, some run of the mill model, though it seemed a little big for her. 

He could feel her stare at him, but didn't pay her any mind until she revved her engine to get his attention. He turned towards her after sparing a glance at the red light, knowing it was bound to turn soon. 

He tilted his head in silent question, not bothering to try and verbalize anything over the sound of both of their engines. 

Her engine revved again as she hunkered down against the bike more, all without ever turning her head away from him. 

A race, hm?

Giving her bike another once-over, he debated his response. He doubts that it could keep up with him, considering all of the modifications he’s made to his own bike, but... perhaps it'll be entertaining to toy with her some. 

So he revved his engine in acceptance. 

He watched her sit up in excitement before they both turned their attention to the light. 

As soon as the light turned green, they both took off. 

Sylus took an easy lead, even while making an active attempt to not lose her right off the bat. He kept her in his mirrors, finding himself a little disappointed. Here he thought she was going to actually pose some semblance of a challenge with how confident she seemed…

Oh well, at least he can enjoy the ride all the same. 

However, all it took was that moment of distraction for her to catch up to him. Glancing over to her in surprise, he couldn’t help but gawk as she turned towards him, pretending to blow him a kiss before she focused forward again, easily leaning into the turn ahead of them. 

To the untrained eye, she seemed like she was about to wipe out spectacularly, cocky as she sped around the turn. Her leg was just barely avoiding the ground, and even from where he was, he could see her hand shift just slightly on the handlebar, as if wanting to run her hand along the ground to add to her taunting. 

But Sylus knows better. 

She has such fine control of her bike, easily standing it upright once more once past the turn. 

No hesitation, no doubt. 

Just complete confidence born from experience. 

Looks like this might be more entertaining than he thought. 

Smirking to himself, he urged his bike faster, closing the gap between them. It didn’t take long for them to be neck and neck again, the wind sharp as it whipped around them, but neither of them cared. Their only focus was on the road, the roar of their engines, and the hum of their bikes underneath them. 

Sylus knows that this path is one of many routes into the N109 Zone, but he figures that their little race will end long before they get there. Either he will lose his opponent when they get too close to his own territory for comfort, or she will wander off once realizing how her bike could never compare to his own. But for the time being, he was content to continue this back and forth, letting her get a small lead before he’d shoot past her, encouraging her to push her own bike to its limits. 

At this point, it was less competition and more lighthearted play. A game of tug of war. 

As the familiar clouds of the N109 Zone and its skyscrapers began to come into view, Sylus found himself a little… disappointed that their little game would be ending so soon. 

He started slowing down as they approached the last turn back to ‘safety’, away from his home. He fully expected for her to turn, their race technically inconclusive even if it was clear who would win if they took it seriously. 

So when she blew past him full throttle towards the N109 Zone, he nearly stopped completely in his surprise. 

Is she insane? 

Or perhaps, a fellow resident trying to avoid drawing attention? 

Curiosity piqued, he sped after her, the two of them blowing past every warning to turn back. 

Once again he found himself trailing behind her, curious where she would go. She seems confident, further feeding into his theory that she’s at home in this lawless land. Winding through the roads and taking more sharp turns, it took him far too long to realize that they were heading towards his home. Though, he couldn’t find himself too terribly concerned by it, either. As skilled of a rider as she is, she doesn’t pose a threat to him. 

Within minutes, she came to a screeching halt in front of the main base of Onychinus, skillfully spinning her bike to face him. He wasted no time doing the same, stopping his bike just a few feet away from hers, facing her head on. 

Sylus slowly sat upright on his bike while watching her, not taking his helmet off just yet. He watched as she leaned forward on her bike more, as if recovering from the rush, before she sat up to look towards him. She seemed pleased with herself, based on the playful tilt of her head. 

“That was some very impressive driving,” he praised, crossing his arms on the handlebars of his bike as he leaned forward, “especially for such a… simple model.” The woman’s shoulders shook in soundless laughter, and he found himself watching closely as she reached up to remove her helmet. 

Sylus lifted his head more in surprise at the familiar face that greeted him, only to find himself ducking his head in amusement. He really should’ve known. 

Freeing her blonde hair from being tucked into her jacket, Lily was quick to tie it up with an amused grin. “Why thank you~,” she teased lightheartedly, “I’ve had some wonderful examples to learn from.” 

“What are you doing all the way out here, sweetie?” he asked, finally taking his own helmet off so he could settle his chin in his hand while watching her puffed up in pride at having successfully deceived him, as minor as it was. 

Humming happily as she mimicked his pose, she batted her eyelashes innocently. “I just wanted to see you sooo badly,” she teased, snickering at the open doubt in his expression. “A co-worker asked me to take his bike for a spin, he said it felt like it wasn’t running right but he couldn’t pin-point what it was. So I figured taking it out of the city would be a good chance to push it and see if I could figure out what was up with it.” 

Now that made a lot more sense, earning a slow nod from Sylus as he motioned with his head for her to follow him to take this conversation inside. “That explains why it’s not your bike,” he hummed, quirking a brow. “So, were you able to figure it out?” 

Getting off of the bike to walk it into the garage, she followed after him. “No, it seems to be riding smoothly. It’s a little slow, compared to work’s bikes, and especially compared to yours,” she admitted, shooting him a playful look, “but it’s not running poorly or anything. I might give it a more thorough look-over later, though.” 

Gesturing to where she could park the bike for now, Sylus parked his own bike and put up his helmet. “You’re welcome to stay here while looking it over, if you’d like,” he offered, crossing his arms as he leaned against one of his workbenches. “After you join me for some brunch.” 

Despite it being mid afternoon, Lily couldn’t help but laugh at how natural that sounded, coming from him. “That sounds perfect. Plus I’m curious what you were doing on my side of town, too,” she teased, heading into the base just ahead of him so he could close up the garage behind her. 

Seeing her be so comfortable in his domain, unafraid of the dangers that lurked nearby, and smiling at him with such warmth… It satisfied a part of him he’d long forgotten. 

Perhaps later they can go for a proper race… 

After brunch. 

[occasional-drabbles]

Raine Meets Android 16

Continuing the trend of figuring out Raine's canon, here's what I managed to do of her meeting Android 16 and bonding with him over the course of the Cell Saga! Word Count of almost 6k, so... have fun with that :P

Sometimes, Raine wonders why she let herself get pulled into this group.  

Normally, this thought strikes her in more mundane moments. Helping to cook for a get together and realizing it’s like trying to feed five armies, or watching two of the fighters banter and bracing herself for it to turn into an all out brawl until someone far stronger than her intervenes, or the aftermath of some training and assessing the damages, that sort of thing.  

This moment had her questioning all of her life decisions that led to this point.  

Gripping her arms tightly in an attempt to maintain her composure, she stayed silent as she looked over the cliff at the fighting.  

Vegeta, in all his assholish glory, had taunted one of the Androids. 18, if she remembered correctly.  

Now he was down there, one arm completely broken and the other about to follow suit, still hurling threats and insults that even she knows he can’t follow through with.  

The other fighters were standing helplessly aside as well, kept at bay by Android 17 ensuring that his sister and Vegeta had a proper one on one fight.  

Raine shouldn't be here.  

Taking a half step back, she glanced towards Krillin, who stood protectively between her and the last of the androids, Android 16. A giant of a man, and even though he didn't have an energy signal for her to compare against, she could just tell that he was strong. Stronger than her and Krillin combined.  

Despite his size and clear strength, he didn't seem aggressive. He wasn't relishing the violence, even completely ignoring it in favor of looking towards some nearby trees.  

As Raine shuffled closer to Krillin, trying to debate her odds of either helping or running away, 16 looked towards them. More specifically, her.  

“You do not appear to be a combatant.” He stated simply, leaving no room for argument.  

Krillin kept his stance as he looked to 16, but did spare a glance back at Raine to check on her. He’s right, and she shouldn't be here for this, but he isn't sure if he can give her a safe enough window to escape…  

Raine swallowed anxiously at being singled out before nodding. “I'm not… I'm just a friend. I wanted to help them while I could, but I didn't realize it would lead to… this.” She admitted, trying to act calmer than she felt. “If anything, I'm just support. An extra set of eyes.”  

16 hummed thoughtfully before turning his attention to the fight going on below them again. “Leave, before they are done. They may attempt to drag you into the conflict.”  

Neither of the humans had expected that response, Krillin’s stance loosening somewhat.  

“Really?” Raine asked, even perking up a little. “Are you sure? They won't be mad at you for ‘letting me get away’ or anything?” 

“Raine!” Krillin hissed, shooting her a look. Why was she questioning the offer instead of taking it and running??  

Even with Krillin’s scolding, Raine didn't budge.  

“Affirmative,” 16 insisted. “They are not likely to argue, especially seeing as you are neither a fighter nor our target. Leave, now.”  

Finally accepting that it was a genuine offer, she nodded and looked at Krillin. “Be safe. I'm going to go check on the kids.” So that he’d know where she's likely to be, if anything happens.  

When Krillin nodded his acknowledgement, she hovered a few inches off of the ground to prepare to take off, then hesitated and looked towards 16 one more time. “Thank you.”  

With that she took off, staying low to the ground for now to not draw attention away from the fight and towards herself.  

Perhaps the Androids weren't as bad as they seemed…  

~~~~~ 

It's almost surreal, that with everything going on amongst their friend group, where they're having to take things day by day, Raine is… shopping.  

Given, it was getting some more non-perishable snacks for the gang as well as spare training clothes for herself so she can be a little more prepared. A little more helpful. More useful. But it still felt strange to be doing something so mundane, while her friends have their lives on the line.  

Humming as she turned to look in the window of one of the clothing shops, she noticed someone very tall down the road that caught her attention. A vibrant orange mohawk and bright green armor… the Androids.  

Swallowing down her anxiety, she couldn't help but wonder what they were doing here. They'd been causing chaos and destruction in other cities, is that what they wanted to do here? 

16 seemed to see her staring, making her kind of anxious. Though, before she could even decide how to acknowledge them, if at all, she could faintly hear 18.  

“What is with all of these stores not having anything good?” She was fussing, clearly displeased.  

“Maybe if you weren't being so picky, we could actually figure out something fun to do.” 17 countered.  

Okay, maybe Raine should run before they see her, so she doesn't get caught up in any tantrums- 

“Hey, isn't that the girl that was with those fighters? Vegeta and them, right?” 

Shit.  

Raine turned to the Androids, putting on a polite smile. She doesn't want to risk irritating them any further if she can help them, after all.  

“Anything I can help you with?” she asked, tilting her head slightly as she adjusted the shopping bags on her arms.  

18 regarded her thoughtfully before shrugging. “Do you know if there's any good clothing stores in the area? None of that cheap crap either.”  

Raine hummed, cupping her chin. “There's a lot of options, honestly. Do you have a preferred style? Colors, textures, fabric, that sort of thing?” she asked, finding herself slipping into some degree of Customer Service mode despite the stakes.  

Fortunately, it seemed like the care and attention was working in her favor as 18 nodded approvingly, crossing her arms. “I want it to look good, but not too gaudy. Practical and durable.”  

Raine nodded, perking up slightly. “Then I think I know a good store, and I was actually heading that way myself. If you'd like, I can show you?”  

17 groaned before his sister could even try to respond. “Ugh, why don't you girls go shopping or whatever it is that girls do, and 16 and I can go find something cool to do.” He pointedly ignored the annoyed look 18 shot him.  

16 shook his head slightly. “Negative. I will go with them.”  

“What, are you into shopping too, big guy?” 17 asked, quirking a brow as he looked up at 16. When he didn't get a response, he sighed dramatically and crossed his arms as he followed them, totally not pouting.  

With that, Raine motioned for the Androids to follow her, leading the way to the store she'd been heading towards. She could feel her hands shaking slightly, but reminded herself that she should be okay. 16 seemed kind enough and knew that she wasn't a fighter. Hopefully, so long as she cooperated with the Androids, they wouldn't be likely to turn on her. She just had to stay useful and entertaining…  

“So, what are you doing with those guys anyways?” 17 asked, figuring he may as well at least attempt to entertain himself with conversation. “You don't look like you're with them, but I do remember you.”  

Raine looked over her shoulder at him before laughing a little. “Yeah, I don't really blend in.” She agreed, shrugging casually. “But I managed to befriend them a couple of years back, and they're fun to hang out with. A lot, but it's fun.”  

“You don't seem like a fighter, so… what do you do?” He tried.  

“If you mean for the group, nothing too helpful. Give them a ‘normal person’s’ perspective, mostly.” She answered with a sheepish laugh. She figured it was best to not give away the fact that she's figured out any semblance of healing. That'll stay her little secret. “If you mean in general, I'm a tattoo artist.”  

While all of the Androids were visibly surprised by the answer, 18 was the one to comment on it first. “Really? You don't look the type to be anywhere near tattoos…”  

That earned a proper, full laugh from Raine as she flashed them a playful grin. “I get that a lot~!”  

As they finally reached the store, she held the door open for them. “And watch your head, 16.” She warned, gently reminding him to duck so he doesn't hurt his head, or the doorframe.  

Fortunately, the store has a wide selection, and everything was good quality. A bit more expensive, but worth it for being able to last for more than one training session. “Think this might have something you'll like?” she asked, turning her attention to 18.  

18 hummed contemplatively as she went to the nearest rack, shuffling through the options. “It's promising, at least…”  

Considering even that response a win, Raine took to exploring the store as well. She already knew where her favorite section was, but she didn’t want to risk the Androids thinking that she had abandoned them. So she stayed relatively close by, still able to keep an eye on them. She’d find the two men looking towards her occasionally, but neither of them said anything, and 18 seemed rather satisfied by the variety.  

Raine managed to find a promising navy blue jacket that was plenty of sizes too big for her, so she decided to try it on. Taking off her signature light blue jacket and setting it on a nearby bench, she caught the surprise on 17’s face when seeing the full sleeve she had on her right arm, and the few other tattoos she had on her left arm.  

“Told you, I’m a tattoo artist. Of course I’d have some of my own.” She teased with a grin, finally working on putting on the navy jacket. It wasn’t quite as big as her favorite one, but it was still big enough that it was comfortable, and she had to pull the sleeves up to expose her hands. “Hmm… maybe.” She mused to herself, fussing with the sleeves and how the jacket itself hung.  

18 peeked around a display to look at her, quirking a brow. “Suit yourself.” She commented, disappearing again to continue looking through the racks. Though, Raine noticed that she did have a few things draped over her arm. Similar enough to what she’s currently wearing, which tells Raine a lot about her style. Classy, but still practical.  

Satisfied with the new jacket she’d found, Raine swapped back to her usual jacket and went to keep exploring the store some. She meandered to the shoe section, and found a few promising options for both herself and 18.  

Not wanting to call out to her halfway across the store, Raine went up to 18, making sure she saw her before lightly tapping her shoulder to get her attention. “What size shoe do you wear? I saw some boots that I think might work with what you’ve grabbed.”  

18 blinked in surprise at the offer before telling her, watching Raine trot off again to go back to the shoe section to get down the correct box.  

It took some searching, but Raine finally saw the correct box... At the top of the stack. 

Out of reach. 

Great.  

While Raine could fly up to get it, she tries to avoid doing it in public to not draw attention to herself. Debating whether she wants to see if she can climb up enough to get the box down or if she wants to find an employee and ask them to help, she crossed her arms and pouted to herself.  

Just as she was about to turn and go find an employee, she bumped right into someone who completely blocked her field of view. Letting out a startled squeak, she managed to at least catch her balance quickly before she risked falling on her butt and making a fool of herself.  

Though, it absolutely helped when a large hand settled itself on her back to keep her upright.  

“Are you alright?” 16 asked, looking down at her.  

Raine’s face all but burned with embarrassment as she looked up at him, nodding sheepishly. “Yes, thank you. Sorry, I didn’t realize you were there.” Who would have thought that such a massive Android could move so quietly? 

16 seemed satisfied with the response, finally moving his hand off of her as he looked up towards where she had been reaching. “Do you require assistance?”  

Raine nodded, huffing as she pointed up towards the box she wanted. “I can’t reach it, and I don’t want to fly around civilians…” She admitted, back to pouting.  

Following her pointing, 16 reached out to tap at one of the boxes, then looked down at her for confirmation.  

“Up one and to the right.” Raine corrected gently. Once he was touching the correct box and got the nod of approval, he carefully pulled the box down to offer it to her. She accepted it eagerly, beaming up at him. “Thank you!”  

16 nodded in response, turning his attention towards the other Androids. 18 was still perusing the store while 17 tried to take a nap. “By my calculations, this is the longest they have gone in any city without destroying it since we have been woken up.”  

Raine sighed in relief, shutting her eyes for a moment. “Hopefully that means I’m doing a good enough job at being entertaining, for now at least…”  

“Affirmative.” 16… attempted to reassure. “However, I am uncertain how long they will stay entertained.”  

Not what she wanted to hear, but… it’s realistic, and honest. “Well…,” she sighed, “I’ll just have to do my best.”  

Dismissing the anxiety, Raine put on a smile and went over to 18, offering the box of shoes to her. “Here we go! 16 helped me get it down for you.” 

18 took the box and opened it to take a look at it, nodding approvingly. “I’m going to go try these on.”  

“Alright!” Raine beamed, letting her go off towards the changing rooms. She did turn her attention to 17, debating if she wanted to risk disturbing him to offer to try and help him find something as well. He seemed... relatively content for the moment, and he hadn’t seemed too into shopping earlier, so she figured it was best to just leave him be.  

Grabbing a fortunately more accessible pair of boots for herself and some more training shorts, Raine noticed that 16 seemed to be following her around the store. Even if he wasn’t right beside her or anything, he was always in roughly the same part of the store, and either looking out the window at the passerby or at her. It was strange, but Raine found it more flattering than unnerving. Though, that is a thought for her to think about when she’s not desperately trying to keep her cool while severely out classed outside of training.  

18 came back out after a bit, humming approvingly at her new outfit. Raine went up to her, beaming happily. “That looks great on you!” She complimented, still carrying her own armload of clothes.  

“I’ve gotta admit, this was a decent suggestion.” 18 admitted, smoothing out her blouse some. “But I think I’ve done enough shopping, so I’m done here.”  

Raine’s anxiety spiked, because that means that she’s bored, and Raine doesn’t know how else to entertain her, or at least spare the city.  

She could at least try to put off their irritation at least a little bit more when she saw the three Androids get up and ready to go. Raine went up towards check out, gesturing to the cashier to not say a word about 18 leaving without paying for any of her new clothes. Despite the frantic gesturing, she managed to keep her tone cheery as she called after them. “Stay safe you three!”  

Once the Androids were out of sight, Raine couldn’t help but sigh in relief and blob against the checkout counter for a minute. She got out her card to offer to the poor confused cashier. “I’ll pay for the blonde woman who just left’s stuff too, so you don’t get in trouble.” She told him. “Just... don’t call the cops or anyone about that.”  

Bless his heart he was so confused by those instructions, but just seemed to accept it and rang her up, charging her for 18’s outfit as well.  

Raine took her bags once she’d paid and hurried out of the store. After glancing around to make sure that she couldn’t see the Androids anymore, she ducked into an alley to start flying back home, far too shaky to continue her little shopping spree.  

This is so not how she expected today to go...  

~~~~~ 

Raine isn’t sure whether or not she should be concerned by the fact that this one incident is managing to finally get her accustomed to the craziness of her friend group. She didn’t even bat an eye when Bulma had called her, asking her if she could borrow Andi and have them help her while Raine babysits Trunks.  

Which is how she found herself here, humming quietly as she wandered around the outskirts of the Brief’s lab while Bulma and Andi were working on repairing Android 16’s head after Krillin brought him in. She’d long since given up trying to listen to Bulma’s instructions for Andi, all of the scientific jargon going over her head. So instead, she’ll focus on keeping Trunks calm while his mom is busy and try not to get too lost in her own head thinking about just how little she can do to help prepare for the Cell Games.  

She isn’t even remotely able to compare when it comes to fighting skill, so she can’t help when it comes to training. She isn’t strategic enough to come up with any sort of plan beyond ‘try not to die’. The best she can offer is to try and use her ki to help heal the others, but even that is a serious work in progress that can’t work fast enough, and they have sensu beans, making that ability pointless.  

“Hey, Aunt Raine.”  

Andi’s voice startles Raine out of her thoughts, making her turn her head towards them. “What’s up?” 

Andi was wiping their hands off on a rag, gesturing back towards Bulma with their head. “You oughta go help her. You’re better at fine details, and your hands are steadier than mine,” they said, not leaving too much room for argument as they offered their arms to take Trunks. “I can watch over him.” 

Raine blinked in surprise but handed Trunks over easily, helping them ensure they had a good hold on him. “Are you sure? I’m not near as tech-savvy as you two.”  

Andi shook their head dismissively, watching Trunks as he settled against them. “It’ll be fine, Miss Bulma is really good at giving instructions.”  

Figuring that there really wasn’t any point in arguing, Raine nodded and at least gently nudged them towards one of the comfy chairs in the room so they could sit down with Trunks before taking her jacket off and tying it around her waist.  

“Looks like I’ve been tagged in.” She teased as she looked over to Bulma.   

Bulma simply grinned and put her hands on her hips. “I might be able to make a scientist out of you yet.”  

Rolling her eyes, Raine accepted the tools that Bulma passed to her, paying very close attention as Bulma started to give her the instructions. Andi was right that Bulma was good at giving instructions, and didn’t mind dumbing it down so that Raine could understand.  

As she was working, Raine couldn’t help the passing thought that at least she’d understand even this much to be able to help 16 should he need it later down the line.  

The thought made her pause what she was doing, even tilting her head slightly as she considered where the thought came from, and why now.  

“What’s wrong?” Bulma asked, glancing over from the computer that she was working on when she noticed the silence.  

Raine debated how to answer the question, hesitating long enough that Bulma turned in her seat to face her fully.  

“Just... a strange thought hit me, that’s all.” Raine admitted, glancing towards Andi. They were already sound asleep in the chair with Trunks settled securely on their chest, even using their jacket as a blanket.  

Good, they both desperately need the rest.  

Bulma quirked a brow, leaning back in her chair slightly. “A strange thought, you say~?” She encouraged.  

Raine stuck her tongue out at Bulma before focusing on Android 16 again, her eyebrows furrowing once more. “It’s kind of hard to explain...” She started, slowly going back to the task Bulma had given her. “I suppose I thought that it was nice that I got this opportunity to help, so I’d understand how the Androids work even a little bit more. So I can help them if something happens in the future.”  

“You really think that he’ll stick around that long?” Bulma asked, not even sure what to make of the other two Android’s fates, having been absorbed by Cell and all.  

Raine tilted her head slightly, but still didn’t take her eyes off of her work. “That’s the strange thing. I don’t know.” It felt wrong to say, especially with all of the effort that she and Bulma are putting into repairing 16, but well… “We don’t even know for certain if we’ll all survive this whole mess, and while Goku may not seem concerned... that’s Goku, sometimes I’m not even sure he fully understands the stakes when it comes to these sorts of fights.” She continued, her eyebrows furrowing as she worked. “And even if all goes well, Cell is defeated, and so on... who’s to say what 16 will do? He may decide to wander off and become a hermit or something. Even beyond that, what you’re having me do right now pales in comparison to what you could do if he needs to be repaired again.”  

Raine hadn’t even realized she was rambling until she had stopped, her face flushing slightly in embarrassment.  

Bulma hummed thoughtfully as she watched Raine set the tools aside for a moment to shake out some of the energy. “It sounds like you want him to stick around, huh?” she asked, her tone not the slightest bit judgmental, or pitying for that matter. Gently intrigued, if anything.  

Raine considered the question, surprised by how quickly she had an answer. “Yeah, I guess I do...” She admitted, glancing over to the massive android on the table in front of her. “Honestly... I think he’d do well here, when there’s no conflict he’s being dragged into. He’s impressively gentle, and kind.” 

Getting such a sincere response from her typically playful friend, Bulma’s expression softened. She almost didn’t even want to tease her.  

Almost.  

Standing from her chair and stretching out with a small groan, Bulma went over and put her arm around Raine’s shoulders with a playful grin.  

“It almost sounds like you like him~!” Bulma commented, watching Raine’s expression closely.  

At first, she just looked confused. “I mean I certainly don’t dislike him, so far he’s been nothing but kind and civil with me. Sure, he wants to kill Goku, but it seems like everyone does at some point.”  

Bulma waited patiently, staring at Raine as she waited for the dots to connect, her playful grin never faltering.  

3...2....1... 

Raine’s face flushed bright red once she finally understood what Bulma was trying to imply. 

“Are you trying to say-,” too flustered to even finish her accusation, Raine set the tools back down to instead cup her cheeks in hopes of calming herself down and hiding her embarrassment. 

Bulma’s ensuing laughter just led to her ears turning pink in turn, so Raine instead moved to cover Bulma’s mouth, first glancing to 16, who was fortunately still powered down, then to Andi and Trunks. Andi stirred a tiny bit, but didn’t seem to wake up, so Raine considered that a win.  

“You aren’t denying it~!” Bulma teased playfully, even with her voice muffled by Raine’s hand.  

Raine huffed, her eyebrows furrowing. “I don’t... think... that I do? He’s just a nice guy, that’s all,” she attempted to defend, but it didn’t sound very convincing, even to herself.  

Bulma rolled her eyes, gently moving Raine’s hand off of her mouth. “You’ve only seen him, what, twice before now? Three times max?” She asked, continuing when Raine nodded sheepishly. “You’ve only seen him a few times, and you still get so flustered at an unspoken implication that you’ve gone and caught feelings. I think that’s telling enough.” While her tone was somewhat playful, she also genuinely meant it.  

Finally releasing Raine to give her the chance to decompress more properly, Bulma plopped back down in her seat. “As strange as it is to me that you’d end up falling for an android of all things, I can’t really be upset either. It could be worse.”  

Raine snorted, still squishing her own cheeks slightly as she turned her attention to Bulma again. “I could fall for someone who made active attempts to kill our friends and take over our planet?” She teased, as if she hadn’t managed to befriend the very person she was teasing Bulma about.  

Seeing Bulma’s own blush, as faint as it is, managed to give Raine some sense of accomplishment.  

“Hey, don’t go turning this around on me, we’re talking about you here,” Bulma fussed with a pout, even crossing her arms for emphasis.  

Once Raine’s snickers died down, Bulma gave her a soft smile. “I’m sure everything will turn out fine, though. It always does. And he’d have to be a fool to ignore how much you’ve done for him, even without taking this into account.”  

Raine hummed a bit, turning her attention back to 16. “I just hope that he gets the chance to enjoy existing.”  

Considering that to be that for the conversation, both women turned back to their work. Raine figures she’d worry more about her thoughts and feelings regarding 16 after the Cell Games, when they don’t have to worry about the fate of the world for at least a little while.  

~~~~ 

( Bonding time prior to Cell Games? - Focused on 16’s perspective? - watching for news of the Cell Games, so 2 weeks prior)  

Nothing in 16’s programming could have prepared him for any of the events that have transpired since he was woken up by Androids 17 and 18.  

Killing Son Goku? Absolutely within his expected course of action, not even remotely surprising. Even if he doesn’t want to, really.  

Dealing with another Android who is determined to absorb 17 and 18 to make himself stronger? Being cared for by small humans who are so much weaker than him, but who helped put him back together, quite literally? Having the entire world at risk of destruction based on some knock-off martial arts tournament, with Son Goku as their last remaining hope? 

That is something that no amount of calculation could prepare him for.  

Yet here he sits, in one of the large common areas of the Briefs compound, with quite a few of the human fighters sitting in the room and snacking together while discussing the Cell Games and what they’ve done to prepare.  

16 hadn’t really spoken much for the conversation, simply listening to them and observing. The fact that they have shown such kindness to him, even Goku’s son, with full knowledge of his mission to kill Goku... it didn’t make sense to him.  

That despite what he’s capable of, they still made the effort to repair him so he could function at full capacity, to their own detriment as well, based on the state of those who had worked on him.  

Bulma was sitting at the table with the fighters with a cup of coffee in one hand and the other arm holding baby Trunks, Andi sitting nearby with their own cup of coffee and half laying on the table, and Raine... Raine was passed out on the couch, swallowed up by her jacket. At least now he understood why she seemed to prefer jackets so large that they all but swallowed her whole.

“16?”  

Distracted from his thoughts, 16 turned his attention to Krillin, who had been trying to get his attention. “Yes?” 

“You okay there, bud?” Krillin asked, his voice a little hesitant. “You seemed really spaced out there.”  

16 quietly considered his response carefully, trying to decide how best to phrase it. “Despite the fact that you are aware of my purpose to kill Son Goku, you still brought me here and repaired me. You trust me enough to relax and joke in the same room as me. I do not understand.”  

Perhaps even more confusingly for poor 16, everyone who was relatively awake and functioning started to laugh.  

“I don’t think there’s a single person at this table who hasn’t wanted to or tried to kill him at some point in time, save for his own son.” Bulma explained once seeing his confusion. “Hell, when I first met him, I tried to shoot him.”  

Andi sleepily raised their hand, still not sitting up however. “I don’t want to kill Mr. Goku.” 

Bulma gestured towards them dismissively with her mug. “You’re too young to think about murder, give it some time.”  

16 knows that he shouldn’t be surprised, some part of him knew that his former enemies kept ending up his allies... that still didn’t stop it from feeling strange that so many of his friends despised him at one point or another.  

Sparing a glance towards the couch at Raine still sound asleep, 16 tilted his head. “Does that mean that she has wanted to kill Goku in the past as well?” 

Bulma followed his gaze before shrugging. “I dunno, but I don’t think so? At this point most people are used to him being the way he is, and she makes joking threats to all of us,” she answered honestly.  

“If she did not want to kill him, how did she end up here, then?” he asked, “She admitted that she is not a fighter, and stated that she does not contribute much beyond a ‘normal person’s perspective’.”  

This time it was Krillin who spoke up, laughing a little. “She may not be a fighter, but honestly I don’t think we really need more fighters in this group. It’s kind of refreshing to have someone who’s just used to the messes we get into that they don’t panic, but still ‘normal’ enough to remind us that things are crazy,” he admitted.  

Bulma huffed, puffing her cheeks out for just a moment. “I would get upset that you don’t think I’d fit that bill, but... I’m way more desensitized to all of this sort of stuff since I’ve been through so many years of it with all of you. I’ve been here from the start, after all.”  

Krillin was quick to wave his hands defensively. “No no no, I wasn’t trying to say you’re crazy or anything! But you’re right that you’re way more used to it. Hell you went to an alien planet with us, Bulma.”  

“Aunt Raine said she has fun confusing people by having her aesthetic contradict her profession and interests...” Andi spoke up again, though it looked like they were barely fending off sleep any better than Raine herself.  

Bulma nodded slowly in understanding. “That explains a lot, honestly...” She hummed, glancing towards 16 and snorting.  

Krillin followed Bulma’s glance curiously, then turned his attention back to her, his head tilting slightly in silent questioning.  

16 found himself silently watching the interaction, aware that he was missing something, but he isn’t sure what. All that he can figure is that he and Raine are at the center of it, and Krillin is very surprised by whatever the unspoken conclusion was.  

“Not like you’re in a position to judge, Krillin,” Bulma pointed out with a smirk, snickering proudly into her mug when Krillin got so flustered.  

Krillin couldn’t seem to think of a retort, just grumbling incoherently for a moment before focusing on 16 again and offering the Android a sheepish smile. “Don’t worry about it big guy, just means you’re in good company,” he reassured, recognizing the confusion.  

16 nodded slowly, turning his attention to Raine once more. “She should rest somewhere more comfortable, and quiet, correct?” He asked, glancing around the room for confirmation. 

Bulma offered a shrug in response. “She seems pretty comfy there, but you can move her if you think she needs it. She has a spare room here. Vegeta, if you wouldn’t mind-”  

Vegeta cut her off with a scoff, his arms crossed as he looked away stubbornly. “I am not going to be showing that Android around.”  

“Fine,” she huffed, getting ready to stand, only for Vegeta to storm over to 16 and glare up at him.  

“Don’t pull any tricks. I will not hesitate to break you into so many pieces that no one could put you back together again,” he warned.  

Bulma rolled her eyes at the sudden shift in Vegeta’s attitude, biting down a grin at his failed attempt at being subtle about his protectiveness. “Don’t go wasting my hard work, Vegeta,” she called, only half joking.  

16 ignored the banter to instead turn his attention to Raine, moving to the couch while deciding how best to pick her up. Not bothering to over-think it, he simply slid his arms underneath her legs and shoulders and carefully scooped her up. While she shifted slightly in his hold and her eyebrows scrunched up slightly, she didn’t wake up properly.  

“Poor thing must be worn out...” Bulma hummed sympathetically from the table, watching the little show.  

“Affirmative,” 16 agreed, “she exhibits clear signs of exhaustion.”  

“All the better that you’re taking her to get some proper sleep, then.”  

Sick of the teasing, Vegeta started down the hallway towards the guest room that Raine had claimed for when she’d come to visit, not really caring if 16 followed or not. If he didn’t, then this was a prime opportunity for Vegeta to sneak off for more training instead of having to sit there and listen to this planets’ pathetic excuses for fighters pretend that there isn’t anything wrong and that everything is sunshine and rainbows.  

Unfortunately for him, 16 still followed, his long legs making it easy for him to catch up. The two men didn’t say a word to each other, walking down the long hallway in complete silence. When they reached Raine’s room, Vegeta opened the door for 16, watching as he ducked down, careful to avoid bumping Raine into anything as he took her inside. He shifted to hold her with one arm, pulling back the covers before carefully laying her down and covering her once more.  

Vegeta stayed in the doorway with his arms crossed, not bothering to hide his displeasure with 16’s presence, or his blatant distrust.  

16 didn’t seem bothered though, and after ensuring that Raine was properly settled, he left the room to return to the main group. He is sure that there are many updates he has missed regarding Cell, after all. 

[occasional-drabbles]

Bulma Meets Raine

I realized I don't have a lot of drabbles posted so I'm working on fixing that. Here's me playing around with how Raine meets Bulma in her version of canon!

Bulma couldn’t help but think about how lucky they were, for one of the Dragon balls to be right there within the city! Normally they have to go on a scavenger hunt all around the world and search every wild nook and cranny. Not having to get her hands dirty while still being able to contribute to the effort to save the world from the Saiyans was a very welcome change of pace.   

It was still strange, though, for it to be in the city. Perhaps someone managed to find it and was holding onto it, similar to how Goku had all those years ago? Or was it hidden in some bush in a park or a neglected plant pot? Somehow this dragon ball was gradually moving up on Bulma’s list of ‘strangest places to find a dragon ball’, purely from the sheer mundanity of it.   

She found herself drawn from her thoughts when the radar in her hand indicated that she was close to the dragon ball. Very close.   

“In the shopping district?” She mused to herself, looking around in confusion. The Dragon Radar had never been wrong before, but... here?   

Continuing her search, she followed the radar until she stood in front of one of the many shops lining the street. A tattoo parlor, of all things. At this point, her curiosity is getting to her as much as her need for getting the dragon ball.   

Slowly pushing the door open, Bulma took to looking around the building, not even flinching when the bell chimed above her to indicate her entrance.   

A woman called from deeper in the building, out of sight behind a set of heavy dark blue curtains. “I’ll be there in a minute!”   

Bulma didn’t bother calling back for now, too invested in her search. Directly ahead of the door was a simple black table with a computer with a few simple knick-knacks displayed on top of the counter. No Dragon Ball, though...   

The far half of the room seemed to have been made into a comfortable sitting area. A plush couch under the tinted window, with a few chairs across from it, and a large square table in the center. The table was covered in binders and books with tattoo references, and Bulma found herself flipping through them, momentarily distracted from her search.   

She’s not entirely sure how long she was looking through the binders before she heard footsteps approaching the front, making her lift her head, standing up from the couch- when had she even sat down?  

A young woman with brown hair only partially tied back and glasses poked her head out from between the curtains, beaming when she caught sight of Bulma and came out properly to greet her.   

Bulma admittedly had some preconceived notions about what a tattoo artist might look like. Usually men, relatively toned if not full on muscular, covered in tattoos and piercings to the point she’d almost expect their blood to be half ink.  

Not... this.   

The young woman was in a severely oversized blue jacket, with long shorts underneath, and some simple sneakers. Bulma couldn’t see a single tattoo on her, but the familiar wrist-rolling to ease the stiffness of a repetitive action was confirmation enough that she was an artist.   

“Welcome to my shop!” The woman greeted cheerily, still giving Bulma space as she stood by the front counter. “My name is Raine, is there anything I can help you with?”  

Bulma found herself glancing around the room again proper, looking for a familiar splash of orange and red, to no avail. “I’m actually looking for something, if you have a moment?”   

Raine nodded in response. “I have a client at the moment, but I can try to help,” she offered, tilting her head slightly to show she was listening.   

How to explain the Dragon Balls to someone who doesn’t know what they are...   

“I’m looking for an orange orb, about this big, kind of like a marble? And it has a few red stars in it?” Bulma tried, looking to Raine hopefully.   

The look of recognition across her face made Bulma’s shoulders sag in relief. Looks like she doesn’t need to recalibrate the Dragon Radar!   

“I think I know what you’re talking about, if you don’t mind waiting a little while so I can finish up with the customer I have in the back right now?” Raine asked, putting her hands together in an apologetic plea. “You’re more than welcome to take a look around though, I have some snacks and drinks available as well.”   

Bulma waved a hand dismissively. “I don’t mind waiting, take care of what you need to.” She reassured, even sitting back down on the couch to prove her point.   

Raine let out a small, relieved sigh as she nodded. “Thank you very much!”   

With that, Raine scurried off behind the curtain again, leaving Bulma to her own devices.   

Once Bulma was bored of flipping through the binders, she started to wander around again to see if she might be able to find the Dragon Ball before Raine even gets back. The more she looked around, the more it made sense that the Dragon Ball might catch her eye. There was a wild assortment of various trinkets on shelves, each of them unique and distracting. Little sculptures, cool rocks, a ‘large orange marble’ would fit right in with this sort of collection.   

About half an hour later Raine was coming back out with a muscular man in tow, a clear plastic film covering one of the tattoos on his leg. Must be the one that was getting worked on, based on what Bulma understands of them. For now she stayed where she was, listening as they scheduled another appointment and went through the basic pleasantries.  

Once the man left, Bulma turned to Raine to see if she was ready to chat just yet.  

“I need juuuuust a minute longer so I can finish cleaning up, and I’ll bring out some tea too.”  

At this point Bulma’s getting a little impatient, but she can’t really blame her either. She’s got a business to run, after all, and Bulma did just drop in uninvited… So she obediently went and sat back down, figuring that the talk would be longer than a simple ‘yeah you can have it’.  

True to her word, Raine didn’t take long to come back out with two cups of tea and some snacks on a tray, setting them on the table carefully.  

“Now then! What’s the deal with that marble thingy that you’d come all the way here?” She asked, sitting down across from Bulma curiously.  

Bulma took up the other cup of tea gratefully, humming as she debated how much to explain. It’s not like she expects Raine to suddenly go mad with power or something, and the guys could easily stop her if she tried to gather them herself, but… she also doesn’t know her very well and would rather not have more competition for gathering them in the future. “It’s… part of a collection I’m working on?” She tried 

“So there’s more marbles like it?” Raine asked curiously, not seeming the slightest bit suspicious of how Bulma was dancing around the topic.  

Bulma nodded. “There’s seven of them, and they all have a different number of stars in them.”  

Raine’s eyes seemed to be sparkling with interest, simply holding her own tea for the moment. “Oh that’s neat! Is it from a show or something?”  

“No...” Bulma hesitated, sighing as she decided that there’s no point in beating around the bush. “They’re magic, and gathering all 7 of them together lets you make one wish.”  

Raine listened in a mix of awe and skepticism. She took a sip of her tea before setting it down and going into another room, coming back after a minute holding the five star dragon ball. “So there’s seven of these,” she started, sitting down again and looking Bulma in the eye, “and if you gather all seven, you get to make a wish?” 

Bulma watched her carefully, nodding. “That’s what I said, yes.”  

Raine turned her attention down to the dragon ball in her hand, and Bulma could almost see the gears turning in her head as she processed.  

“What do you plan to wish for?” 

A logical question, all things considered. But oh how Bulma had been hoping that she could avoid having to explain what’s going on. After some consideration, Bulma finally decided to start with “Do you want the long answer, or the short answer?”  

“Let’s start with the short answer.” Raine decided, even as she settled into the couch again with the dragon ball safely settled in her lap.  

Bulma sighed, taking a sip of the tea to calm herself down and also buy a little time to think of how to summarize everything. Especially to someone so... normal.  

“The short answer is that I want to wish back one of my friends.”  

“Wish them back?” Raine echoed curiously, tilting her head.  

Bulma nodded. “From the dead.”  

Raine clearly hadn’t been expecting that, based on how she snorted tea up her nose in her surprise. She was quick to set her cup back on the table, covering her face because hot tea hurts. Bulma almost felt bad, but also... that was a kind of fun response. She doesn’t get to shock people with the dragon balls anymore.  

Once she had recovered some, Raine picked the ball up off of her lap. “These things can bring back the dead?”  

Another nod, then a pause before Bulma did a so-so motion with her hand. “Well, the balls summon a magic dragon, and the dragon is what grants the wishes and can bring people back from the dead, grant immortality, that sort of thing.” She explained casually.  

A lightbulb seemed to go off above Raine’s head at the mention of the dragon. “Is the dragon green?”  

Now it’s Bulma’s turn to be surprised, nodding slowly. She jumped when Raine suddenly stood again, this time leaving the dragon ball on the couch, going over to the front desk. After rummaging through the paperwork on the desk she came back with a sketchbook, flipping through it before setting it on the table so that Bulma could see. There were multiple drawings of a long, thin dragon with multiple small legs. Some were colored, the colors matching Shenron’s near perfectly, even having a glowing effect around one of the more coiled designs.  

“I saw that dragon in the sky once or twice, and I swore I thought I was hallucinating or dreaming it or something.” Raine explained, absolutely beaming as she watched Bulma look over the drawings. “I thought it was so cool that it ended up influencing how I design dragons.”  

“This is amazing!” Bulma praised, looking up at Raine after taking in all of the drawings and the impressive accuracy for having only seen Shenron a few times from a distance. “There’s some stuff you’ve missed, like how his eyes are red instead of blue, but still!”  

Raine laughed sheepishly as she sat back down, picking her tea up yet again. “Thank you! Honestly he’s a lot of fun to draw. I didn’t realize that he was magic though, or that he could grant wishes!” 

Bulma nodded, much more relaxed now as she settled into the couch. “Mmhm!” Then she got an idea, beaming. “Hey, why don’t you tag along? Once we’ve gathered all the dragon balls, you can come with us when we wish our friend Goku back! Then you’ll get to see Shenron up close and personal!”  

Raine beamed at the suggestion, her excitement reminding Bulma of a young child with how eagerly she nodded her approval of that idea. The oversized jacket probably didn’t help with the comparison, but she’s just going to keep that thought to herself.  

“That sounds great!” Raine agreed, finally offering the ball over to Bulma. “I won’t be able to help much with the search, since I still need to be able to work, but I’d love to come see the dragon!”  

Bulma accepted the dragon ball happily, putting it into her purse for the time being so she wouldn’t lose it or anything. “That’s totally fine! As is you’ve already saved us who knows how long in trying to find the five star dragon ball,” she reassured, waving a hand dismissively. “I was surprised to find that it was actually in the city, for once.”  

Raine nodded with a small laugh, curling up in her chair. “I actually found it while I was out exploring some, looking for inspiration for some designs,” she explained, “As I’m sure you’ve noticed, I like finding cool things.” She gestured towards the wall of knick-knacks playfully. “I found it just a few days ago, actually. I hadn’t figured out a way to display it just yet, which is why it was still in my back room.”  

“Usually, we end up having to search the world for it, so the fact it ended up so close to home is honestly amazing.” Bulma laughed, shaking her head slightly in disbelief.  

Raine was about to ask her more about the dragon balls when she was interrupted by another voice breaking into the conversation and startling Bulma.  

“Raaaaaaine-” the new person started with a whiny tone, sticking their head out from the back room that Raine had been storing the dragon ball in. They froze, however, when seeing Bulma. “No way.”  

Bulma and Raine both turned their attention to the new person, Bulma racking her brain to see if she’s supposed to recognize this person.  

“Hey Andi, finished with your homework?” Raine greeted casually.  

The new person, who Bulma noted looked pretty young, maybe early teens, waved a hand dismissively towards Raine even as they approached the two women. “I need help with one of the questions, but that can wait. Why is Bulma Briefs in the shop??” 

At this point Bulma is kind of amused, but also realizes she never actually introduced herself. Based on the look of confusion on Raine’s face... she may not have realized who she is. Oops?  

“She was here to ask me about one of my trinkets.” Raine explained casually, head tilted.  

Andi deadpanned at Raine, seeming doubtful. “One of the smartest and richest people in the world, a genius pioneer in the world of technology and in charge of Capsule Corp, just happened to stop by to look at your little knick-knacks?” They asked, crossing their arms.  

“Uh...yeah!” Raine laughed, and Bulma couldn’t help but be amused and shocked by the difference between how lightly Raine was reacting and the intensity of Andi’s explanation.  

In true teenager fashion, Andi groaned and moved to plop into the chair next to Raine’s. “I swear you don’t know anyone cool or famous.”  

“Hey, I know you, and you’re cool. So there.” Raine teased, sticking her tongue out at Andi before focusing on Bulma again, letting Andi get all flustered in peace. “Sorry about that, this is my cousin, Andi.”  

Bulma nodded politely, trying not to be too openly amused by the situation. “I’ve got to agree with them, though. I’m a little surprised that you didn’t seem to have heard about me before, let alone recognized me.”  

Raine shrugged casually. “Who and what is popular is always changing, it’s too hard for me to keep up. So I just focus on my little circle of interest, and only learn enough to keep up with my work.”  

Bulma could honestly respect that, humming appreciatively. “That’s fair enough. Though I must say, I really appreciate such high praise~.” She teased as she turned her attention back to Andi, who turned deeper red and pulled up the hood of their hoodie to hide in. Similar to Raine they had a large jacket on, though it wasn’t quite as oversized in comparison and much darker, and they left their jacket unzipped so they looked less blob-like than Raine.  

Raine beamed as she watched them, giggling into her cup. “I’m honestly not surprised they’re offended on your behalf. They live and breathe technology.”  

“Raaaaaine!” Andi whined, curling up more into themselves in their embarrassment.  

“Whaaaat, it’s the truth!” She insisted.  

Bulma laughed easily as she watched the two, a little proud of herself for having flustered them so bad. She felt a little tiny bit bad... but mostly proud.  

Raine turned her attention back to Bulma, once again at least attempting to give Andi a breather... for the moment. “But yeah, just let me know when you do the thing, and I’d be happy to join you!”  

Bulma nodded, trying not to draw attention to the way Andi opened their hoodie just enough to give Raine an incredulous look, even getting her phone out to make a reminder to herself. “Of course! I’ll keep you posted about our progress with it too. And of course, if you find any more, don’t hesitate to try and get ahold of me, okay?” 

Raine gave a playful little salute, grinning at her. “Of course! I don’t anticipate it, but if I do, I’ll let you know,” she reassured.  

Bulma hummed approvingly and put her phone away, finishing her tea and standing up. “Well, I don’t want to take up too much more of your time, so have a good day!” 

Raine stood as well, beaming happily. “Of course! Have a good one and stay safe!”  

[occasional-drabbles]

Colors and All

Even more LND, because brain go brr! This time is Azalea / Lea and Zayne!

LND Masterlist

Words: 2.k

Warnings: None that I can think of? Let me know if I need to tag anything!

Azalea would not consider herself a self-conscious person. 

She’s typically very comfortable in her own skin and expressing herself as she is. All of her scars, quirks, and everything in-between. Her ever-changing hair streak was one of her signature features, and she liked it that way. She stayed true to herself, and let people decide whether they wanted to stay or not. 

So it’s strange for her to be so damn anxious. She flitted about her apartment, sharing her thoughts out loud with Buddy and Lulu, who simply watched her pace between rooms from their beds. 

“He wouldn’t have invited me if he thought it was a bad idea, right? But I don’t want to manage to disappoint him! This sounds like it’s a big deal, and there’s going to be lots of people there, and the focus should be on him, so I shouldn’t draw too much attention-” 

She huffed as she stuck a few bobby pins between her lips, leaning closer to her bathroom mirror while she fought with her hair streak, which was currently dyed a muted pink, making it harder for her to hide it underneath the rest of her brown. 

“S’oul’ ah sti’ go wi’ the b’ue d’ess, or go back to my usual green?” she mused out loud, talking around the bobby pins as she slowly managed to fight her streak into place. “Knowing him, he’s probably going to be in mostly black…,” her eyebrows furrowed, trying to decide what to do with the rest of her hair, if anything. It should be fine like this, right…? 

“He does have that one emerald green shirt, but I don’t think he’d wear it for this… I should just go with the blue. I bought it specifically for this, and it’s the only one I’ve got with a long sleeve.” 

Nodding in determination, she went over to her closet to finish getting dressed, forgoing most of her jewelry save for some simple floral stud earrings and a cute little choker she got recently that had little paw prints along the chain. Fighting on the strappy heels that she just prayed she wouldn’t eat shit in, she jumped when hearing knocking on her door. “Just a minute!” She called, cursing under her breath as she stood up. 

Taking a moment to make sure that she was stable, she finally went to answer the door. 

When she finally swung the door open, she tilted her head in confusion. “Zayne?” She greeted in surprise, looking up to her partner for the evening. 

Zayne tilted his head slightly in return as he looked down at her, his eyebrows having a concerned pinch to them as he took in her slightly flushed face and faintly labored breathing.”Is… everything alright?”

“Yeah, I’m just trying to make sure I’ve gotten everything taken care of,” she answered with a smile, leaving the door open so that he could come in if he wanted, “I should’ve known you’d be early.” 

“Well, I was…,” Zayne confirmed as he stepped in, shutting the door gently behind him. “But you weren’t responding to my messages when I told you I was here.” 

Lea blinked as she turned to face him from where she was grabbing the small purse she’d chosen for the night, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “Your messages…?” She echoed before her eyes widened, cursing again as she pulled her phone out, ears turning pink as she scrolled through the increasingly concerned texts from Zayne. Starting with him being there 5 minutes earlier than he’d told her he would be, and ending with one just a minute ago simply stating ‘I’m coming up’. 

“I’m so so sorry,” Lea apologized, stuffing her phone into her purse again and quickly glancing over the apartment to see if there was anything she missed. There shouldn't be anything else she'd need, right? She was going to try and do some semblance of makeup, but they're already behind schedule-

She didn’t even notice Zayne crossing the room to her, carefully placing his hands on her upper arms, trying not to startle her. “Lea,” he tried, frowning at how almost panicked she seemed. 

Fortunately that was all it took for him to get her attention, prompting her to look up at him. 

“Take a deep breath,” he instructed, his tone softening once she had done as instructed. “What’s going on? You aren’t typically this anxious.” 

She glanced away from him again, absently running the chain of her purse between her fingers just to do something with her hands. “I just…,” she started before faltering again, trying to figure out how to verbalize the whirlwind of thoughts. “I’m not used to events like this, and I don’t wanna mess it up.” 

Zayne’s expression relaxed some once she was able to explain what was wrong, still gently holding on to her arms to keep her still. “I apologize for putting so much pressure on you, but I assure you, you won't ‘mess it up’,” he reassured, giving her shoulders a gentle squeeze before relaxing his grip. “You don’t have to come if you would rather not. I didn't intend to make you so anxious.” 

“No no no,” Lea reassured, reaching up to place her hands on his elbows, the best she could do without invading his space while he held onto her in turn. “I want to go, I want to be there to support you. But I know I'm not really the formal type… I'm loud, and hyper, and I can't sit still. That doesn't tend to work well for formal events where you're supposed to always have your best foot forward.” 

Zayne tilted his head slightly as he gently squeezed her left arm, hidden underneath the singular sleeve of the dress. “Is that why you covered your tattoo? So long as the weather is fair, you’ve always seemed to prefer sleeveless outfits.” 

Lea nodded sheepishly. “Tattoos and colored hair aren't exactly subtle, after all.” 

The mention of her hair made him glance up, eyebrows furrowing again as he released her to instead gently run his fingers over her bangs, noticing the lack of color. It didn't look like she'd re-dyed it though, and the shape wasn't right… “Did you…?” He asked hesitantly, looking down at her worriedly. 

“I didn't cut it or re-dye it, no,” Lea reassured with a giggle, running her fingers through her hair just enough to reveal the streak of pink hidden under layers of brown. “It's a trick I've used for interviews too.” 

Shoulders relaxing ever so slightly in relief that she didn't go cutting her hair for a single event, he nodded. “Good.” Then he paused before giving a thoughtful hum, moving his hand up beside hers to run his fingers along the streak gently before carefully and skillfully pulling out the bobby pins to let the streak fall into its place. 

“There you are...” Satisfied with her looking more like herself, he tucked the bobby pins into his pocket. 

Lea startled but didn't stop him, tilting her head as she looked up at him uncertainly. “Are you sure…?” 

“I did not invite you for how you could present yourself. I do not spend time with you because of who you could be. I enjoy spending time with you because of who you actually are. I invited you because I know you will find a way to make tonight more bearable in a way only you could. I wanted to see you by my side tonight. Colors and all.” 

Azalea did not consider herself a self-conscious person. 

Yet Zayne’s reassurance still made her eyes water, his determined and confident response making her want to hug him. Taking a breath to keep herself from actually crying when they still have the whole night ahead of them, she offered him a playful grin. “Give me 5 more minutes, and we can show them that Dr. Zayne has a very colorful social life?”

Zayne chuckled at the question as he looked down at his watch. “I suppose this could count as ‘fashionably late’,” he agreed with amusement. 

Lea beamed, grabbing his hands to give them an excited squeeze before hurrying back into her bedroom. 

5 minutes later she emerged in a short, flowy dress without any sleeves, in her favorite vibrant green that sparkled with every shift. Her tattoo was on full display and accentuated with small rhinestones added along the vine. She beamed happily, eager to see Zayne’s reaction, only for her to soften when seeing him sitting on the couch with his back to her, Buddy and Lulu seated in front of him with Buddy’s tail wagging excitedly. 

Quietly approaching, Lea peeked over his shoulder, biting back a laugh when she could hear him talking to her dogs. 

“...to be good and behave while Lea is gone, correct?” 

When he got the tiniest little ‘ruff’s in response, he gave each dog one of the treats he held. 

“You spoil them as bad as I do,” Lea teased, leaning against the back of the couch. 

Zayne turned to look towards her, only to turn his attention back towards the dogs to hide his embarrassment at being ‘caught’. “I don't want them to be upset with me for stealing you for the night.” 

Lea laughed as she rounded the couch to grab her purse, offering her hand to Zayne so they could finally leave. “You could always make it up to them by letting me steal you for a night one of these days,” she teased, her nose scrunching up happily as he took her hand despite his eye roll. 

“We shall see,” he answered non-commitally, despite knowing full well it was bound to happen. 

With that he guided her downstairs and to his car, which already had the venue’s address pulled up and ready to go. Ensuring she got into the car safely, Zayne took off towards their destination. As relieved as he is to see her feeling more comfortable, being so far off schedule was still making him anxious. He didn’t even realize he was tapping against the steering wheel until they reached a red light, when Lea reached over to gently place her hand over his with a reassuring smile. 

“Once we’re done at this event, why don’t you come back up to my apartment? I’ve got a fresh tub of ice cream and a pack of cookies with our names on it,” she suggested, her tone playful but the offer genuine. 

Glancing over at her, Zayne’s shoulders relaxed slightly at the offer as he nodded. “That sounds wonderful.” 

Satisfied that she managed to soothe his nerves at least somewhat, and not wanting to distract him from driving, she let his hand go to settle into her seat again. Though, she didn’t let the silence linger for too long. “How surprised do you think your co-workers are going to be?” 

Zayne quirked a brow, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye as he urged the car forward once the light turned green. “That I’m bringing a date?” 

Lea snickered, “That too, I guess, but I mostly meant that I’m the date. They seem to think you’re some super-serious, intimidating guy, so what’ll they think when I walk in with you?” 

Humming thoughtfully as he considered it, he tilted his head slightly. “Perhaps something to the effect of… ‘Lucky him’?” 

Hearing her sputter beside him in flustered surprise was exactly what he’d been hoping for, chuckling quietly. “I do genuinely imagine they’ll be happy to see it, though. Considering how often Yvonne has tried to not-so-subtly ask if I have found anyone to ‘get me out of my shell’...” 

An amused snort sounded from his passenger seat, followed by light-hearted laughter. “Well, for what it’s worth, I like you as you are. I get to drag you out every so often for whatever activity strikes our fancy for the weather, I’m content,” she teased. 

“Thank you,” came his simple response. 

Silence settled once more until they reached the venue, Zayne finding a parking spot before getting out, opening Lea’s door and helping her out, making sure she didn’t risk stumbling in her heels. 

“Ready for your toughest battle yet, Dr. Zayne?” Lea asked playfully, holding on to his elbow. 

Zayne looked down at her in amusement, nodding. “With you by my side? Of course.” 

Now she’s right back to being flushed, still following him into the building, giving his arm a light squeeze. “I don’t care what Yvonne thinks, you’re too good of a smooth talker,” she huffed, trying to calm herself back down. 

[occasional-drabbles]

Bare Handed

Lily does not always have the braincell-

LND Masterlist

Words: 927

Warnings: None, just fluff!

“There you are.” Xavier greeted when hearing familiar hurried footsteps coming up to the bench he had been waiting at. “I was starting to doze off, I thought you'd forgotten about me.” 

Lily huffed at his teasing, knowing that there's no real heat behind his pouting. “I told you when I left, I was just finishing up tea with Tara.” She reminded, putting her hands on her hips while looking down at him. 

Xavier looked rather comfy, still wearing a few layers, but they were all lightly colored and looked rather sophisticated. Not too bulky, either. Certainly warmer than his more signature sweater or hoodie. He almost seemed to have buried himself in the royal blue scarf that Lily had gotten for him not that long ago, which made her heart skip a beat in a good way, this time. He even found almost-matching gloves, the sight of which made her expression soften further. 

“Still…” he pouted, stretching out slowly before finally standing to greet her more properly. “I was lonely.” 

Lily chuckled softly, gently hooking her arm with his to lean into his side, a makeshift little hug. “Well I'm here now, so you aren't alone anymore, you big sap.” She teased affectionately. 

Xavier didn't seem to notice the teasing, instead having a very focused look on his face, not unlike when he was on alert on a mission. Lily’s carefree expression fell, her brows furrowing as she tried to follow his gaze and figure out what had his attention. What was he looking at?

“Where are your gloves?” He asked, moving one of his hands to take her own. That's when she finally realized she didn't have her gloves, and her fingers were getting as flushed as her cheeks. 

Eyebrows going up in surprise, she used her other hand to pat down all of her pockets, even checking in her purse. “I know I had them when I left the house… did I leave them at the cafe?” She mumbled to herself, groaning at the conclusion that that is precisely what had happened. Tara had already long since left too, so she couldn't ask her to pick them up… “I'll have to grab them tomorrow, I don't want to go all the way back right now.” 

Not satisfied by the answer, Xavier shifted to hold her bare hands between both of his gloved ones, trying to warm them up. “They're cold… I can go get them for you.” 

It wasn't a question, but he still looked to her as if for permission, deflating slightly when she shook her head insistently. “No no, you don't have to do that. I'll be okay for now, honest.” 

Eyebrows furrowing, he debated how much he trusted her word before getting another idea. Releasing her hands, he started to take off his gloves to offer to her. She figured out his plan quickly, gently moving her hands to try and cover his in hopes of stopping him. “Xavier, you don't have to worry about me! Let's get going, hm? Sooner we're home, sooner we can be nice and warm under some blankets with some hot cocoa and a movie.” Maybe temptation and distraction would work?

While he faltered, it didn't work completely. He hummed, one hand still gloved. “What if we shared?” He offered, after a minute of silence. 

Lily, while having been at least attempting to predict what he might suggest next, was still thrown off by the suggestion. “Share your gloves? How? Just pass them between each other every block?” She asked, unable to help getting a little sarcastic. 

Xavier shook his head, deadpanning as he offered her the glove he'd already removed. “No, that would be too inefficient and wouldn't trap enough heat. But we can each wear one of the gloves.” He explained, as though it were obvious and she was just being difficult. 

Lily quirked a brow, her hands going back to her hips. “What about our other hands?” She asked, half tempted to start walking home and just… see what he does. 

Giving a thoughtful hum, he held his hand out to her, palm up. “We could hold hands, and put them in my pocket. My jacket is very warm, and the pockets are plenty big enough.” 

Lily’s face flushed, this time with fluster instead of cold. It was such a sweet offer, and she couldn't deny the logic… or his pleading puppy dog eyes. 

Relenting with an affectionate sigh, she finally took the offered glove from him, putting it on the opposite hand from his. She couldn't help but take a moment to marvel at how the glove was a bit big on her, yet seemed to have fit him so perfectly they may as well have been custom made. She wasn't able to dwell on it for long, however, before her thoughts were very quickly diverted. 

Xavier gently took her bare hand into his own, guiding them into the pocket of his jacket, settled at roughly hip height. The position required them to be close together, not that she really minded. He was comfortably warm, even with the bitter cold. 

“How is this?” He asked, looking down to her with sincere concern. 

Lily cleared her throat, hoping her face wasn't as red as it felt. “You're right, it's warm.” she answered stupidly, which didn't help with her flush in the slightest. 

Fortunately that seemed to be enough to satisfy Xavier, who nodded and gave her hand a small squeeze. With that, he finally started to lead the way back to their apartments. 

[occasional-drabbles]

LND Amaya Intro

Welcome to my multi-fandom chaotic mechanic, Amaya, being shoved into LND to bring chaos and color to Linkon :P feat. Captain Jenna being done with her shit!

LND Masterlist

Words: 912

Warnings: None

The Technological Development Lab of the Hunter’s Association is a busy place, and no one can deny that. The technicians are hard workers, always trying to come up with ways to make things easier and safer for the Hunters on the field. Combine that with the genuine love of the field that the technicians have, it's no surprise that the lights are on well into the night. 

However, Jenna realized that for the second day in a row, she was not the last one in the building late at night. The light was still on in part of the lab, and as she opened the door quietly, she saw a familiar head of short black hair hunched over the table and deeply focused. 

“Amaya.” She called, startling the other woman who had been so engrossed in her work that she didn't even hear the door opening. 

Amaya almost fell off of her stool in her attempt to stand, saving herself by clinging to the table for stability and staying seated. “Captain Jenna!” She greeted, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment at being caught so off guard. 

“Relax.” Jenna reassured as she approached, eyeing the work space. A few empty snack wrappers were set off to the side alongside Amaya’s admittedly large signature coffee cup which now sat empty, the lid sitting beside it likely as a reminder to refill it. “Do you know what time it is, Amaya?” She asked, her tone more concerned than scolding. How long has she been working, and when did she last take a break?

Amaya blinked at the question and seemed to finally take stock of her environment. Everyone else had long since gone home, and the clock on the wall indicated “Ohhh wow it's already 2 am.” She mumbled, lifting her goggles to see if she was reading the clock correctly, then checking her watch for third confirmation. Once she seemed convinced that yes, it really is that late and she is well past overtime, she turned her attention to Jenna with a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I got caught up in my current project…” 

Jenna shook her head to dismiss the apologies, leaning casually against the table. “There's no need to apologize. Just try to take better care of yourself, okay? This makes two days in a row you've stayed so late. I don't want you to go exhausting yourself.” 

Amaya huffed as she tidied up her workspace, standing more carefully this time and shifting her weight between her legs a few times before she moved to put her tools away. “I know, I know.” She sighed “But there's always more, more ideas, more improvements, and never enough time in the day for me to get to them all.” 

“And it's not something you can ask others to help with?” The captain asked, quirking a brow curiously. “We have some of the best minds working in this lab with you, after all.” 

“They each have their own projects, and you know I'm very picky.” Amaya answered with ease, laughing as she looked over to Jenna with a grin. “I've actually found out they consider it a challenge amongst themselves to try and make something that meets my standards for myself. It's good to see them working so hard, and thinking outside the box to problem solve before they ask for help.” She hummed, carefully putting the pieces of her latest project together on the table so they weren't taking up as much space. “And I still think the newbie is a little scared of me.” She snickered, shaking her head. 

Jenna listened to the rambles with a relaxed smile, her arms crossed casually as she watched the other woman flit about the lab. Even in the wee hours of the morning, after spending all day working diligently, she still had the energy to chit chat so freely. “You do have a rather imposing thinking face.” She teased with a small smirk. “And with your goggles down it's harder to read your expression.” 

Amaya blinked, reaching up to touch her goggles. “Really?” She asked, even taking them off to look at, as if it would somehow be any different than when she put them on each day. 

Jenna snorted and shook her head, pushing herself off of the table. “Come on, Amaya. Let's go home. And you're taking tomorrow off.” 

Amaya groaned dramatically, turning off lights before following after Jenna, hands trailing over the tables as she went. “But I want to keep workiiiiing.” She fussed. 

“Your projects will still be here when you come back.” Jenna countered, not budging on her decision. “You've been working hard and more than earned a day or two off. Do I need to make it two days?” Jenna asked, amused by how being given time off was almost a threat to her companion. 

“Nooooo….” Amaya groaned like a toddler in trouble, keeping close to the walls as they left, and a firm grip on the rail of the elevator. 

Of course, the caution didn't go unnoticed, Jenna humming. “Let's get a cab. It's late, and I want to make sure you don't go sneaking back into the building once my back is turned.” She teased

Amaya stuck her tongue out at Jenna playfully, but relented with a small laugh. “I suppose I can't argue that logic, because that is absolutely something I would do.” 

“You have done it.” Jenna reminded, quirking a brow. 

Amaya flushed, waving a hand dismissively. “Semantics.” 

[occasional-drabbles]

Life is a Stage

Another Lily re-write! This time with the main story bit where Jeremiah puts together her identity for going into the Nest.

LND Masterlist

Words: 1.4k

Warnings: Neither of these fuckers have healthy coping mechanisms-

Lily had to admit, if the weight of what she was doing hadn’t already hit, this was absolutely making it sink in. 

Watching Jeremiah effortlessly pull up various false personas on the screens, Xavier critiquing each one. As much as she had figured there was something off about the duo, between Xavier’s unparalleled skill and Jeremiah’s acting skills (or lack there-of), this was… something else. She wasn’t sure what exactly she was expecting, but for them to be navigating the dark web without the slightest hesitation, to be putting together an entire fake-persona for her to get into the N109 Zone, so perfectly that it was up to her own acting skills to not reveal the lies? That certainly wasn’t on the list. 

She came back to focus when Jeremiah seemed to be making his suggestion more directly to her, meaning it’s probably more promising. 

“Heiress from the Grand Duchy of Gwarentz. Born with a diamond spoon, your wealth rivals that of nations. What do you think?” 

Lily hummed, her eyebrows furrowing as she considered. “That seems a little… much.” She admitted, looking at the picture on the screen. 

Jeremiah didn’t seem phased by her critique and simply nodded, pulling up yet another profile. Lily watched as the image changed, the more vibrant colors of everyone’s outfits switching to black, more intimidating. 

“Heiress to a mysterious crime syndicate. Last name is- well, we should just use yours to keep your story straight.” He offered, looking at her again. “I’ll create a comprehensive profile and put it up on the dark web. I can make it convincing enough to the point where even professionals will have a hard time distinguishing fact from fiction.” 

Lily nodded approvingly, shifting her weight. “That should be more doable than heiress to a country. It avoids the high-scale political stuff I can’t really keep track of. Though I’ll admit it’s more… intimidating than I was expecting.” 

“It won’t work if it’s not intimidating enough.” Xavier explained, as though he were simply telling her the forecast for tomorrow’s weather. 

Jeremiah looked between the two before stepping closer to Lily. “Clothes maketh the man. I just need to find an outfit that matches your status-” 

His voice, and attempts to get her measurements, are cut off by Xavier spritzing him with the spray bottle that he’d been using on flowers just moments ago. 

Lily rolled her eyes and reached over, lightly smacking Xavier’s arm as a scolding. Fortunately for Jeremiah, she was able to give him her own measurements easily, since she had measured herself for her Hunter’s uniform not terribly long ago, so it should be a good enough reference. Satisfied with what information he had, he hurried out of the greenhouse to avoid Xavier’s spray bottle being turned on him again. 

Lily watched Xavier move about the greenhouse quietly, her arms crossed as she stayed out of the way. Normally Lily would find herself exhausted when she’d stayed up all night, and rarely was she awake so late she’d catch the sunrise. Yet now, as the sun begins to brighten the sky, she found herself still wide awake. Perhaps it was thanks to her racing thoughts, trying to figure out how Xavier and Jeremiah know how to do all of this, facing the gravity of what she’s preparing to do, and trying to mentally figure out her new role. 

Xavier caught her staring at him, tilting his head curiously. “What’s wrong?” 

“You and Jeremiah… there’s more to you two than you show.” She answered, not even phrasing it as a question. There’s no doubt in her mind that there’s something, she just doesn’t know what. 

Xavier seemed caught off guard for only a moment, shaking his head. “I’m just a normal Hunter.” 

Lily quirked a brow at his response, such a blatant lie. She hummed and stood straighter, slowly walking over to him. Might as well give her upcoming persona a little test run, since she has a sneaking suspicion that Xavier is a good baseline of the skill of the people she can expect to be dealing with soon. 

“Just a hunter?” She echoed, looking him in the eye. “Just a hunter doesn’t have connections at the ready to get people a complete fake identity. Just a hunter isn’t completely casual about manipulating the dark web. Just a hunter isn’t able to solo wanderers that would typically take at least two decently skilled hunters to take down.” She stopped approaching when they were just inches apart, her expression stern and unwavering. 

Xavier seemed to be startled by the sudden aggression, even momentarily concerned. Though he finally managed to catch the spark of amusement in her eye, his shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. Despite his relief, he still wasn’t able to answer her, simply offering a small nod and looking away from her eyes. He’s lied to her enough as is, to do it when she’s so directly calling his bluff?

Lily hummed disapprovingly, reaching up to grab his chin, still keeping her grip gentle. As much as she’s enjoying the practice, the last thing she wants is to actually be forceful with him. No matter what he’s hiding, she’s not going to just start manhandling him. “Look me in the eye.” She instructed, watching him closely. 

Xavier obeyed, looking her in the eye. Instead of answering her question, he opted for changing the topic. “You’re better at this than I was expecting…” 

Lily snorted, gently rubbing his chin with her thumb as an apology before releasing him. “A skill I tend to avoid flaunting. I’m surprised you never realized I could do it, though. I at least try to be serious when we’re on missions.” She commented, her tone much lighter now as she put her hands on her hips. 

“You are… but it’s strange having it directed at me.” He admitted, his expression shifting slightly. Despite how closely he watches her, somehow this slipped right past him… Was she pretending when she was with him? Or is it an act when she’s confident on the battlefield? Which one was worse?

“Did you expect me to be comfortable with diving headfirst into the centerpiece of all things illegal without being able to at least play pretend?” Lily asked, pouting as she looked up at him. Honestly, she was rather reassured by his surprise. Hopefully the attitude will be more fitting once she tries on what Jeremiah puts together for her, but it’s a relief that she’s good about coming across as honest and kind on a regular basis. 

“No…” Xavier answered, trailing off as he tried to think of how best to explain his racing thoughts. The doubt and uncertainty, and the realization that… perhaps this is what she thinks of him, as well? She’s right that he hides so much from her, but he didn’t realize how big of a distance even such a small act can cause. 

He was snapped out of his thoughts when feeling a gentle hand on his cheek, Lily urging him to look at her again. She looked concerned, and oh how he hated it. 

“Xav…?” She asked softly, rubbing his cheek with her thumb. He started to reach up, hesitating for a moment before taking her hand in his and giving it a small squeeze. 

Hoping to lighten the mood, she offered him a small smile. “What, was my acting just that good? I didn’t mean to scare you.” She teased lightly. 

Xavier couldn’t find it in him to laugh, his eyebrows furrowing instead. “You… are a very good actor.” 

Lily faltered before letting out a small sigh. “I have to be.” She spoke quietly, taking a slow breath to keep her voice steady. “As a Hunter, I have to be confident. If I doubt myself, I’ll seem untrustworthy, unreliable. If I look scared, the people I’m trying to help won’t feel safe.” She explained, shutting her eyes. “Even with friends, I don’t want them to worry about me, so I have to act okay. Even if I’m tired, or don’t feel great, or if I’m hurting.” 

Xavier listened quietly, guilt hitting him like a bowling ball in the stomach. How didn’t he notice? Did she do the same thing? How could he be so blind? 

Lily took a slow breath to recompose herself before letting out a small laugh and offering him a smile, standing up straighter again. “But it’s okay, honest.” She reassured. “It’s serving me well for this mission, after all!” 

While she was trying to comfort him, it honestly just further served to disturb him. That she could flip that switch so easily after a moment of vulnerability, all to give him peace of mind, before he could even try to offer her any semblance of comfort… 

[occasional-drabbles]

Aggressive Assistance

More Lily and Sylus, Lily got hurt in the N109 Zone but she's stubborn, so Sylus decides to offer a hand... and a word of advice.

LND Masterlist

Words: 1.3k

Warnings: Brief mention of injuries, nothing too descriptive

Lily likes to think that she’s a pretty decent fighter. She’s worked her way up in the Hunter’s Association rankings, working hard to keep improving. But that doesn’t mean she’s perfect, or that she was prepared for the skirmishes in the N109 Zone.  

Which is how she found herself here, hiding away in Onychinus’s headquarters and patching herself up. She’d gotten the information she’d wanted, and some extra information to boot, but not without a few scratches.  

Well, more than just a few scratches. Cuts, gashes, and some forming bruises. Still far less than she gave, but worse than she would’ve liked to receive.  

“So stupid...” She grumbled under her breath, trying to carefully keep her arm still to balance some gauze over a cut while she prepared the medical tape to hold it down.  

“Come now,” A deep voice scolded from the doorway, startling Lily enough she jolted, the gauze falling off of her arm as she looked up to the source quickly, “don’t talk about yourself like that.”  

Sylus was leaning in the doorway with his arms crossed and an eyebrow raised as he took in her condition. Somewhat disheveled and sitting on the edge of a couch with a first aid kit open next to her, her jacket off to the side and a frustrated furrow to her brow.  

After a moment of debating whether she had the energy to play along with him right now or not, Lily finally let out a small sigh and turned her attention back to her injuries. “What do you want, Sylus?” 

Sylus offered a hum in response and no further clarification, walking closer to watch her struggle to balance the gauze once again.  

When he didn’t respond, she rolled her eyes and started to carefully try to position the tape, only for it to be taken out of her hand.  

“Hey, I need that!” She huffed, glaring up at him.  

He wasn’t the slightest bit phased by the harsh treatment, grabbing onto her arm carefully to start taping down the gauze himself. “Calm down. As entertaining as it is to watch you be independent, you don’t need to go struggling.”  

“I was not-” Lily tried to argue, only to falter when he quirked a brow doubtfully, not even looking up towards her. “Not that bad...” She continued, though it was mumbled and lacking the confidence she’d had at the start.  

Shaking his head, Sylus finished taping up the gauze and moved on to tending to a few other cuts he could see on her arm, humming. “Hopefully you gave at least as good as you got?” He asked, glancing up at her for a moment.  

The question earned him a scoff, Lily not even attempting to hide how completely and utterly offended she was at his doubt. “What kind of fool do you take me for?” She asked, not resisting his help anymore. 

Chuckling, Sylus hummed and shifted to examine a small scrape on her cheek, reaching up to feel it, but pausing so that she wouldn’t be too startled. “I just wanted to know if the twins would need to run an errand, that’s all,” he reassured. 

Lily didn’t even think about it as she tilted her head slightly into his touch, focusing more on her banter than how much she’s letting her guard down. “I don’t need them, or you, cleaning up after me. I’m a big girl, Sylus.” She reminded, her tone at least becoming more playful as their banter continued. 

The blatant contradiction between her words and behavior startled Sylus, if only for a split second. She had been so harsh and on edge not a minute ago, even now her words implied she still had her guard up with him, yet she’s trusting him to tend to her injuries, including ones she can’t even see. 

She really is a curious one. 

“You may not need us to, but you also don’t have to blaze your trail alone.” Sylus countered as he worked, his piercing gaze flickering to her own eyes for just a moment. He knows how much she wants independence, to prove herself. Honestly, he probably understands how desperately she wants it better than she herself does. “The ability to delegate is just as important as having the strength to handle matters on your own.” 

Silence settled over them as he worked, the rustling of medical supplies and the ticking of a clock somewhere in the room their only company. 

Normally, she’d have some sort of retort, teasing him for relying on the twins, or for putting himself at her command. But she didn’t. Not this time. 

Instead, she genuinely thought about it, while letting the Leader of Onychinus, one of the most insufferable men she’s worked with, patch her up. While she’d never claim to be a genius, nor would she say she’s exceptionally creative, and the furthest thing from the most powerful person she knows, she likes to think she’s done a decent job at making the most of the hand she was dealt. 

She’s always pushing her Evol, trying to learn more ways to apply it, to find its limits and surpass them. She trains hard to keep up, while minding her condition to avoid it getting any worse. She learns from everyone she works with, everything she sees. Observing and analyzing and adapting, learning to blend in and make a place for herself. 

Yet it was never enough. She’d surrounded herself with people who surpassed her in every department, comparing herself and getting frustrated when she fell short. 

As much as she’s loath to admit it… Sylus is right. She needs to take advantage of the connections she has, to let them help her. 

“As cute as your thinking face is, you shouldn’t stress about it right now.” 

Sylus’ voice startled her out of her thoughts, making her sit up straighter, meeting his gaze for just a moment before glancing around to try and get an idea of how long she’d zoned out for. 

The deep chuckles resonating throughout the room made her huff, sticking her tongue out at him childishly. “Oh shut up.” 

“Make me.” 

A classic response, but one she can work with. She quirked a brow before smirking, her head tilting ever so slightly. “Is that a request?”

Sylus is no fool, he knows a taunt when he sees one. But someone having the gall to taunt him? 

Color him intrigued. 

“Perhaps it is.” 

Lily hummed and shifted to lean towards him, slowly settling one hand on his thigh to support her weight. Her eyes were half lidded, and while she still wouldn’t look him in the eye, her attention was completely on him. 

Her other hand came up to cup his cheek, goosebumps prickling his skin at how cold her hand felt. 

What is she doing? 

He almost wanted to ask, but found himself too entranced by their proximity. He wanted to figure out whatever game she was playing, especially once she was barely even a breath away. 

The hand on his cheek slowly began to move lower, snapping him out of his reverie when it settled over his mouth to cover it, a mischievous look in her eye as she finally broke the tense silence between them. 

“I win~”

With a fluid motion she shoved his head, throwing off his balance so he fell onto his back on the couch while she stood up, quick to put distance between them before he could get a grip on her. 

He watched as she all but sauntered to the door to leave, a prideful pep to her step. 

Pushing himself up to be sitting on the couch more properly again, he noticed her pause in the doorway instead of leaving her victory there. 

“...Thank you, Sylus. For the help, and the advice.” 

With that, Lily finally left the room. When hearing her giggles echoing from the hallway, he shook his head with a small smile. 

She was something else, and he adored it. 

[occasional-drabbles]

Sylus Test Run

I have a lot of LND OC drabbles I haven't posted so... yeet? This one is Sylus and Lily, fairly early on in Lily being in the N109 Zone! I also thiiiink I wrote most of this before Sylus was officially announced / had dropped? It's kind of incomplete, but it's something!

LND Masterlist

Words: 1.5k

Warnings: None that I can think of? Let me know if I need to though!

Sylus is a very curious man. All of his motivations can be boiled down to ‘what if’s, in some way shape or form. As a result, it’s unsurprising that the source of the building tension and frenzy in the underworld would catch his interest. The eye of a hurricane she’s only just beginning to see the scope of.  

“You are a fascinating creature.”  

The woman in question turned towards him from where she was standing beside a large window, surveying the world outside. She quirked a brow, as if doubting he was speaking to her.  

Sylus crossed the room easily, pausing in front of her and placing a finger underneath her chin to tilt her head up to look at him. Her skepticism didn’t falter, only making his smirk widen. “Yes, I am speaking about you.” He confirmed, obediently backing off some when she uncrossed her arms long enough to nudge his arm away from her. He held his hands up slightly in surrender, though his confidence didn’t falter in the slightest. “You used yourself as bait to enter this lawless land, of your own volition, and you have adapted marvelously.” He praised, circling around her slowly, keeping her trapped against the window.  

Lily turned alongside him, rolling her eyes. “I just want information. Is that really so strange?”  

“Wanting information? Hardly.” He answered easily, casting a glance out the window before placing a hand against her shoulder blades to guide her deeper into the room. “Being willing to lie and manipulate your way into the N109 zone for your information? Less common, but clearly not unheard of.”  

Lily narrowed her eyes slightly but followed his guidance, sitting down in one of the plush chairs in the room, safely away from the window now. Perhaps there was an unwanted observer she hadn’t noticed yet…  

Sylus settled down across from her, his posture much more relaxed than hers. Clearly he’s enjoying this little ‘game’ of theirs. “Finding your way all the way to my side, adapting yourself to this hellscape without a moment’s hesitation? Blending in so well that the uninitiated would assume you belonged? Now that is a talent, darling~.”  

Lily hummed, finally offering a small smirk of her own. “You sought me out more than I sought you out.” She reminded, her tone taking on a more playful lilt, but still so unlike how she’d usually tease. This was more of a challenge, daring him to say she’s wrong. “But I can’t deny that adapting is a talent. A necessary one, but one I had fortunately already refined before my little ‘stunt’.”  

Sylus’s grin widened with dark amusement, his eyes half lidded as he watched her. Yes, perhaps he had sought her out more than she had chased him… but he had no intentions of letting her leave his side so soon. It’s almost amazing how patient she is, waiting for their next chance to strike at information like a coil, ready to spring into action.  

Or perhaps, more like a loaded gun.  

Ready and waiting, poised to shoot off in whichever direction he pointed her.  

Sylus snapped out of his thoughts when Lily leaned forward in her seat, her eyebrow quirked. “What is going on in that head of yours?” She asked, the genuine question laced with amusement as she watched him through half lidded eyes. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say that you were planning to eat me, with that look.” She teased, resting her elbow on her own leg and her chin in her hand.  

He hummed thoughtfully and stood up, sauntering over to her seat, placing a hand on one of the arms of the chair to lean down in her face.  

Lily uncrossed her arms to lean forward slightly in turn, placing a hand on his chest.  

“Oh?” He hummed, quirking a brow as he looked down at her. “How bold-” 

Sylus’s comment was cut off by Lily shoving him away from her so that she could stand up, smirking down at him with her head held high as he braced himself against the table that had been just behind him, not having the room for him to stand up properly. “I learned from the best~”  

With that she took her turn to go to his desk, sitting in his chair and smirking at him as she settled herself in comfortably.  

Sylus watched her in a mix of awe and admiration at the sheer audacity of this woman to push him around in his own domain, then act like she owned the place.  

He can respect it.  

Still he wandered closer, watching to see what she’d do with her newfound power.  

Lily looked around the desk with a thoughtful hum, opening a few drawers before pulling out the little tablet he uses to monitor the crow he uses for spying on things. “How does this work?”  

“You always say you want a challenge, why don’t you figure it out?” He asked, leaning against the side of his desk and crossing his arms while watching her still.  

She looked up at him, completely deadpan this time. “If I want a challenge, I’ll try to use my Evol to see if I can match the frequency. Unless you want to risk me breaking all of your fun little toys...” she trailed off.  

Sylus paused, watching her closely, debating whether she was joking or not. When she shut her eyes to focus, a tell-tale sign of her trying to do something unfamiliar with her Evol, he was quick to pluck the tablet out of her hand.  

“I knew you’d see reason~.” Lily hummed playfully, watching closely as he selected a few options before offering the tablet back to her. Now the black screen displayed an impressively high-quality video, currently showing off a part of the N109 zone.  

“I must admit, this is a really clever idea. The crow cameras, and all that.” She admitted, figuring out how to direct the crow to go different places with some, fortunately very simple, commands.  

Sylus found himself caught off guard by the praise, but quickly settled into pride, leaning against the back of his own chair to watch over her shoulder. What would she do with the crow? Check in on loved ones? Tour the city from a birds eye view – quite literally? The options were near limitless, and she has proven time and again that she defied expectations.  

An oddly comfortable silence filled the room as Lily maneuvered the crow, guiding it first into the city. Unsurprisingly, the first place she checked was her apartment. Sylus at least recognized that much, humming as he watched her have the crow perch on the balcony, looking around. There was a small sitting area on the balcony, as well as a couple of various potted plants, mostly flowers, from what he could tell. A few suncatchers managed to catch the crow’s eye, Lily letting out a small hum of approval. What in particular she had been checking, Sylus wasn’t sure. There wasn’t anything different from previous times he had checked there... perhaps it was precisely that? Did she steal his tablet, usurp his crow, just to check on her plants? 

Before he could voice his thoughts, Lily moved the crow to fly again.  

“Taking me on a tour of all of your favorite places?” Sylus teased, even if he was genuinely asking what she was doing.

A small, short laugh was the initial response he got, Lily debating her reply as she guided the crow through the city once more. “In a way.” She answered vaguely.  

After a few beats of silence, Sylus leaned down just a tiny bit more, speaking more directly into her ear.  

“Come now, surely you can be a little more descriptive? You’ve always seemed rather chatty, and now you’ve gone and gotten quiet on me...” He teased, smirking to himself as he watched a shiver go down Lily’s spine at the sound of his voice being so close.  

She turned her head ever so slightly to shoot him a look, somewhere between amusement and frustration.  

“I’m checking up on a few people.” She finally elaborated, turning her attention back to the screen.  

“At the hospital?” Sylus asked, quirking a brow when seeing the crow settle itself near Akso hospital. Lily gave a drawn out hum of affirmation, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she looked intently at the screen. “There wasn’t even anyone there at your apartment when you checked it.” He commented.  

Lily rolled her eyes, hoping to hide her growing amusement. Has she managed to stump the all-knowing Sylus?

“There didn’t have to be anyone there. If anything, it’s probably better there wasn’t. I saw all I needed to. And yes, I’m checking on the hospital too. They take great care of me, after all.” She explained vaguely, letting out a small ‘aha!’ when she saw... something. There was so much on the screen that Sylus wasn’t entirely certain what she was looking at.  

[occasional-drabbles]

Masterlist - Yu-Gi-Oh

REQUESTS

OC STUFF

Iris

Return

Off the Rails

Iris's Date Gone Bad

Krysa

Braid

MISC

[occasional-drabbles]

Gotta say, I love what you are writing for your Yu-Gi-Oh! OCs! Keep it up! 👍

Thank you! I've still got a few ideas I'm slowly picking at, I just need to... finish my notes and Season 5- XD

But if there's anything you'd like to see, be it of my OCs or even the canon charas, feel free to let me know!

(If you need any inspiration, here's my prompts tag for you to look through :P )

[occasional-drabbles]

Return

Last one I'm queuing up for right now, basically my current idea for a post-plot reunion where Iris went off to travel for a few years before returning to her friends in Domino City.

Of all of the places that Iris has gone over the past few years, all of the traveling she has done, all of the fantastical places she has been, nothing compares to coming home. 

As she walked out of the airport, her bag tossed over her shoulder, she took a deep breath and tried to calm her pounding heart. She’s glad to be home, without a doubt, but that doesn’t stop the seed of anxiety that had sprouted the moment she resolved to taking this trip and surprising her friends. 

Would they be glad she’s here? Upset she didn’t come back sooner? Was the group even still together? 

Sure, it’s only been a few years since she left to follow her dreams, and she’s done her best to keep up with the group through the occasional news article she could find, but… She knows she didn’t reach out as much as she should have, and with how much she moved around, she was near impossible to reach out to in turn. 

Shaking her head to dismiss the thought and lock it away, she started down the street. She didn’t even have to think anymore, simply letting her legs carry her down the path she’d walked thousands of times before, and hopefully thousands of times more. 

She passed the school where she’d first met everyone, and unparalleled adventures began. The same hair pieces that started it all still framed her face, a daily reminder of where she started, as a shy little girl falling victim to brutish bullies. Now she was stronger, smarter, and braver, thanks to the friends and experiences that she gained after a kind young boy offered a helping hand. 

It’s hard to believe that it was all real, the dangers and triumphs, threats and promises, everything that they had faced. Yet those memories aren’t going to be fading any time soon, and Iris wouldn’t want it any other way. 

Continuing down the road, she tried not to get too lost in her thoughts. Not yet. 

She’s on a mission. 

It didn’t take long before the familiar game shop came into view, exactly as she remembered it. The posters out front were new, of course, but everything else was as it always was. 

Her steps faltered as she started to doubt herself, but she couldn’t stop here. She’d come so far, she couldn’t give up when she was just a few steps away. 

“You can do this,” she reminded herself quietly before putting a hand on the door and gently pushing it open. 

If she thought the outside of the game shop was nostalgic, going inside was doubly so. It took her back to being 15 again, walking in for the first time with her brand new friends and intending to learn a whole new game. The memory made her throat feel tight, but she swallowed back the emotions. 

Not yet. 

She was startled out of the nostalgia by a familiar voice calling from deeper within the building, out of sight. “I’ll be there in just a minute!” 

Oh how she missed that voice, spending late nights studying and talking about anything and everything. Hearing him encourage her with each tentative step she took towards becoming a duelist in her own right. Having him be so determined to succeed, no matter what they were facing, and the confidence in his voice making them all more sure that it would be okay in the end. 

Setting her bag down near the front counter, she couldn’t help but start fussing with her outfit, making sure that it wasn’t quite so obvious she’d just gotten off the plane, even running her fingers through her hair. 

“Sorry for the wait,” the voice called, much closer now, “How can I help… you…?” 

When Iris looked to the doorway, the first thing she saw was familiar purple eyes, wide with surprise. He’s certainly grown taller, seeing as they’re about eye level with each other now. His style doesn’t seem to have changed much though, seeing as he was still covered in thick belts and chains, and his hair was as spikey as ever. 

“Iris?” Yugi asked, taking a few tentative steps towards her. 

Iris offered him a small, relieved smile as she put her hands on her hips. “I’m glad that the King of Games hasn’t gone and forgotten about me- oof!” 

Her teasing is cut off by Yugi launching himself at her, almost knocking her to the ground with the force of his hug. She didn’t hesitate to wrap her arms around him in turn, squeezing him as much as she dared. A reminder for them both that this is real, and they’re together again. 

She doesn’t bother trying to fight back the tears anymore, finding herself almost melting into the hug. 

Yugi pulled away just enough to look up at her, his own eyes watering, even as he beamed up at her. “Of course I remember you! We’ve missed you so much! It feels like it’s been forever since we saw you last!” 

Iris laughed a little, reluctantly letting go of him to wipe away her tears. “I promise, not a day went by where I didn’t think of you guys. I’m sorry that I couldn’t write more, or come back to visit sooner…” 

Yugi shook his head, taking the chance to wipe at his own eyes quickly. “You’re here now, and that’s what matters.” 

He seemed to get an idea, jogging to the front door and switching the sign to close the shop. “The others are gonna be so excited when they find out you’re here! How long are you here for, anyways?” 

Iris giggled watching him run back to her, still endeared by his open expressions and honesty. Despite everything he’s been through, the horrors he has been forced to face, he still manages to be as kind and sweet as he was the first day they met. 

“I’m here to do some presentations on the Egyptian exhibit that’ll be setting up at the museum in a few days, and I intend to stay for a few weeks at the absolute shortest,” Iris answered, watching Yugi hop onto the counter while they talked. 

“At the shortest?” He echoed, tilting his head curiously. 

Iris nodded, absently fidgeting with part of her bangs, a habit she never managed to completely outgrow. “I figured, if all went well when I came back… I’d come back home to stay.” 

With how he lit up at that news, Iris swears Yugi would give the sun a run for its money. “Really? That’s great!” He held his hands out to her, a habit they built up to ground each other when the stakes got high and words weren’t enough. She responded without hesitation, taking his hands in hers and giving them a small squeeze. “And it sounds like you’re taking after Ishizu, huh?” 

Laughing quietly, she nodded again. “In a way, I suppose. Between Ishizu and Pegasus, and everything I learned helping you, I realized that I’d actually be able to make use of the knowledge and skills I gained for the sake of others. Plus, if I get well-respected enough, I can help make sure that no one dares to treat Egypt and its relics without proper respect, hopefully preventing your hard work from going to waste.”

“Our hard work,” Yugi insisted, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. “I never would've gotten through any of that all by myself. It only turned out okay because I had you, Joey, Tristan, Tea, Grandpa, and so many other people in my corner. Don’t forget how much you did, Iris….” 

Sighing affectionately, Iris relented. She knows this is a losing battle, after all. No one wins against Yugi when he’s trying to convince someone of their self-worth, after all. “Okay, okay, our hard work. Once again, you win, Yugi,” she teased, squeezing his hands again. 

Yugi laughed, the seriousness fading as quickly as it showed up. “I have a habit of doing that.” 

Iris snorted, raising their hands to put her forehead against for a moment. “I missed you, Yugi…” she mumbled quietly.

[occasional-drabbles]

Off the Rails

This one's a re-write of part of S4, so there's a fair bit of dialogue yoinked from the 4Kids dub as a result. But Iris is sick of Weevil's shit- I don't.... think there's any warnings needed? But let me know if I need to tag for anything!

Iris isn’t sure what’s stressing her companions out the most at this point, the threat of Orichalcos, the Pharaoh’s constant presence, or her own silence. 

While she knows having both herself and the Pharaoh closing in on themselves isn’t going to help, and she can even hear Tea trying to help convince him to talk about it, they don’t need her having a sob-fest on top of everything. So she pulled her headphones on and got out her notebook and pen, absently twirling it between her fingers. 

She needs to figure out a solution. What information do they have? What pieces are they still missing? 

Apparently Professor Hawkins didn’t have what Orichalcos was after, and they still want the Pharaoh’s soul to complete whatever their plan is. So the top priority should be- 

Her scribbled notes pause when registering movement, glancing up just in time to see the Pharaoh leaving his seat and stalking out of the passenger car. Iris can’t decide if he looks mad, or frustrated, or… scared. Perhaps all three, honestly. He was influenced by a dark magic, and lost someone so important to him that he essentially lost a piece of himself as a result. The confidence and certainty that they’d all come to associate with him were gone, replaced by a heavy guilt. 

Taking a slow breath as she swallowed down the thoughts of how much Yugi meant to all of them, and how deeply his absence was felt, Iris turned her attention back to her notebook. 

Their top priority is protecting the Pharaoh, for the sake of stopping Orichalcos, for the Pharaoh’s sake, and for Yugi’s sake. 

The next time Iris comes back to focus, it’s from Joey poking her arm to get her attention. She looked around curiously, realizing that the train car was empty, save for Joey, Tristan, Tea, and herself. Did she miss the announcement that they reached their station?? 

Nudging her headphones off, she started to close her notebook and toss everything back into her backpack. “Sorry, I didn’t realize we reached our stop-,” 

“We didn’t,” Joey interrupted, but didn’t stop her from re-packing her things. “All the other passengers just… disappeared.” 

Iris paused, eyebrows furrowing as she glanced up at him “Where’s the Pharaoh?” 

Joey shook his head, “He hasn’t come back after stormin’ off when Tea tried to get ‘im to talk. We wanna go take a look around and see if we can find him, or anyone for that matter.” 

Nodding in agreement, Iris slung her backpack over her shoulders. Satisfied that they were all on the same page, Joey took the lead to start exploring the train. Iris kept towards the rear, occasionally pausing to stare out the windows at the passing scenery. 

They were in the middle of nowhere, no civilization in sight, and no people in sight. As though they were the only ones on the train from the start… 

By the fourth car, they finally at least managed to find the Pharaoh, who clearly didn’t expect to see them in this part of the train as Tea called out to him. 

“In case ya haven’t noticed,” Joey started as the group caught up to the Pharaoh, “Somethin’ weird’s goin on.” 

Tristan stuck his head over Joey’s shoulder, nudging Iris a bit closer towards the center of their group in the process. “If you asked me, I’d say this whole train ride is another trap!” 

“I’m sure those same slime balls are behind this, and I bet they’re on board,” Joey sneered, torn between wanting a break from said ‘slime balls’, and looking forward to maybe getting some answers. 

Tristan nodded eagerly, “Well, what’re we standin’ here for? Let’s get ‘em!” 

The familiar intensity of determination flashed across the Pharaoh’s face, Iris managing to see it for just a moment before he turned to run back the way he came, further towards the front of the train. She couldn’t help a small sigh of relief. Looks like he hasn’t lost all of his spark, yet. 

She took off alongside Tea, Tristan and Joey following just behind them as they all followed after the Pharaoh. Though, as they crossed through the small connector bridge with Iris hot on the Pharaoh’s heels, she heard an uncomfortable and loud screeching noise. Gripping onto the straps of her backpack to resist the urge to cover her ears, she startled as she crossed the threshold into the new train car and the car shuddered, the sound of metal breaking beneath them. 

Both Iris and the Pharaoh turned to see the connecting tunnel breaking off from the car the others were in, Tea having almost fallen in the new split. 

“Grab my hand!,” the Pharaoh called, bracing himself against the door with one hand while the other reached back for Tea. Iris opted to do the same, bracing most of her body inside the train car while reaching out to help catch Tea. Tea made the leap and reached for their hands, letting them work together to tug her into the safety of the train car. 

The trio turned to look behind them at Joey and Tristan, stuck in the other train car and with far too much distance between them for either to try the same maneuver. 

“What do we do now??” Tristan called, struggling to be heard over the roaring wind as the train car he and Joey were in slowly began to decelerate. 

The Pharaoh only considered for a moment before yelling back “Get help!” 

Tea lightly tugged on Iris and the Pharaoh’s sleeves, her eyebrows furrowed anxiously. “We have to find a way to stop this train!”

Since there’s certainly no argument that that’s their next immediate step, the trio ran further into the train car to try and get to the front of the train. When they passed by a small speaker, Tea paused to try calling out to the conductor through it, but received no response. 

As the trio continued forward, Iris saw the ladder on the outside of the engine car, and didn’t hesitate to start climbing the railing to get to it. 

“There might be an emergency hatch on the roof, good idea!” The Pharaoh called, following her lead. 

When he reached the top, he realized Iris was standing just a few paces ahead, leaving just enough room for him and Tea to safely climb up. Though, the familiar sound of obnoxious laughter told him why she hadn’t continued forward in search of the hatch. 

“Weevil Underwood!,” he yelled, helping Tea up before turning his full attention to the young boy standing at the front of the train, “Are you behind this?? You’d better start explaining yourself!”

Iris’s hands clenched into fists, not paying attention to the back and forth banter. All she cares about is that Weevil was in their way, spouting the same nonsense as Orichalcos, and trying to duel the Pharaoh. 

“Weevil! Don’t you realize that if you go through with this duel, one of you guys is gonna lose your soul forever?” Tea yelled, hoping to make Weevil come to his senses. Though, considering the grip he kept on that stone, there was no sense left. 

“Of course I do,” Weevil scoffed, “That’s the whole reason I’m here! To make him pay, by sealing him away!” He pointed to the Pharaoh, a maniacal grin on his face. “Don’t worry,” he taunted, “soon you’ll be locked away with your friend Yugi, Pharaoh!” 

That seemed to be enough to knock the Pharaoh out of his stupor as he took a step closer to Weevil, now side by side with Iris. “Where is he?? Tell me!” 

“I’m afraid the only way to find out is to duel me,” Weevil answered, feigning confident nonchalance. He knew he had the Pharaoh’s attention. “So if you back down, then you’ll never see that twerp again!” 

“Very well-” the Pharaoh started, only to be distracted by Iris shrugging off her backpack. 

“Fine.” Reaching into her backpack, she pulled out her own duel disk and placed it on her arm. 

“Iris?” Tea asked, startled by the sudden action. 

Weevil started laughing, placing a hand over his face. “You? Duel me? Have you ever even been in a duel?” 

Once reassured that the duel disk was secure, Iris pulled her deck from its pocket in her backpack, promptly slotting it in place on the disk. “I participated in Duelist Kingdom and could have been a finalist in the Battle City Tournament alongside Yugi and Joey if I wanted to. Yugi taught me how to duel, and I have done my best to be present for, and learn from, every duel my friends have fought. If it’s a duel you want, it’s a duel you’ll get.” 

Weevil quieted when realizing that she was serious, moving to point at her angrily. “I don’t want to duel you, I want to beat the Pharaoh! I have to prove I’m the best!” 

“Iris, this isn’t your fight, it’s-” the Pharaoh tried, startling when she held her backpack out for him to take. Her expression was almost completely blank, save the furrow to her brow. It was strange, and wrong, but he still slowly accepted the bag. 

Iris turned her attention to Weevil, narrowing her eyes at him. “If you’re dueling anyone, it’s me, Weevil. Take it or leave it.” 

Reaching out to carefully grab her arm, the Pharaoh tried yet again to dissuade her. “You don’t need to do this, Iris. I can duel him.” 

“No.” Iris shot back, finally looking at him. “This brat needs to learn to stop sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. I’ll deal with him, you and Tea see if you can figure out a way to stop the train.” 

Even as she pulled her arm out of his grip, the Pharaoh didn’t give up. “Iris, wait!”

Growling in frustration, Iris whirled around to face him. “Shut up! You aren’t the only one who lost Yugi! And right now, you need to get a grip on yourself before I even think about letting you touch your deck to duel right now.” 

Tea and the Pharaoh startled at the sudden harshness from their friend, Tea’s hands going to her chest worriedly. 

“I know it’s a lot, and it’s scary, and you screwed up. I know. But they’re after your soul, and I’m not going to let you just hand yourself over on a silver platter just because they taunt you about Yugi!” Iris’s voice shakes from the emotions she’d been bottling up, her eyes watering. “So this is going to be my fight, not yours.” 

Taking a slow breath to regain control over herself, Iris turned her back to her friends to face Weevil again, holding her arm out to let the duel disk activate properly. 

“If you want to duel, Weevil, you’re dueling me. Any attempts to get past me to focus on the Pharaoh, and well…,” She walked closer to the edge of the train and looked down thoughtfully, “I hope you enjoy the taste of gravel and metal.” 

Finally seeming to realize he didn’t have any other options, Weevil activated his duel disk as well. “Fine. Once I’m done with you, I can move on to the Pharaoh… I suppose you’ll suffice as a warm up. It’s a shame, though,” he mused in mock disappointment as he pulled the first card from his deck, “I was hoping to give him the honor of being the one I test this card against.” 

Holding the card out to show the trio, he grins when Tea gasps when seeing the increasingly familiar teal symbol. The Seal of Orichalcos! 

“What’s the matter?” Weevil asked, his eyes on the Pharaoh, “You’ve played this card before, haven’t you? If I’m not mistaken, this is what you used to lock little Yugi away!” 

When the Pharaoh moves to approach, Iris sticks her arm out again to block him, glaring at Weevil. “Shut up and just play the stupid card!” 

“Iris!” Tea cries, taking a few steps forward worriedly, “If he plays that, you’ll both be in danger of losing your souls!” 

Iris’s hands are shaking again, even as she places her hand on top of her deck. “I know, Tea, I know. But they’re after the Pharaoh’s soul, and we can’t even risk playing into their hands. So if they’re going to get a soul, we may as well ensure that, no matter the outcome, it isn’t the one they want. Besides…,” she sighed, glancing over at the Pharaoh, “It’s about time that I put all of the lessons from Yugi and the Pharaoh both into practice, and I actually help for once instead of standing on the sidelines. Now you two go see if you can find a way to stop this train!” 

“Enough talk,” Weevil interrupts, growling in frustration as he places his Seal of Orichalcos into his duel disk, “let’s duel!” 

The green sigil forms on the ground and spreads, encompassing himself and Iris. However, the barrier takes up the entire roof, tossing the Pharaoh and Tea both to the next car, with barely a single hand hold for them to reach. 

Iris’s eyes widen, rushing to the barrier despite knowing that she can’t help them, just as they can’t help her anymore. “Guys!” 

Relief almost makes her drop to her knees when she sees them manage to grab onto a hatch on that car, safe from falling to the rushing ground below. For now, at least. 

Turning her attention back to Weevil, she sneers. “It’s time to teach you a lesson, Weevil!” 

With that, she draws her first card. 

[occasional-drabbles]

Iris's Date Gone Bad

Another Yugioh fic that I don't have a more creative name for. This time it's Iris, who's part of Yugi's friend group because I said so.

Iris likes to think that she’s normally good about keeping herself some semblance of composed, no matter how anxious or excited she may be. Right now, however, she’s absolutely certain that she is failing miserably at pretending to be normal. It was taking every ounce of restraint she had to not start half-jogging half-running towards the Game Shop, meaning she was slightly breathless by the time she actually made it inside. 

“Good afternoon, Mr. Muoto!,” she greeted, seeing Yugi’s grandpa tidying up one of the displays of the shop. 

“Good afternoon to you too, Miss Iris!” He greeted in turn, groaning slightly from his spot kneeling on the floor as he stood to look at her properly. 

He had to do a double take, so used to seeing the young girl with her backpack and extra layers that he was startled by her lack of said backpack, which seemed to have been instead replaced by a small purse. What’s more, she was instead in a short skirt with shorts underneath and a rather cute ruffled blouse, forgoing her signature jacket as well. She also had more accessories than he remembered her wearing, which finally started to clue him in that this was for a special occasion. 

“You look absolutely precious, my dear! What’s the occasion?” 

Iris flushed at the praise, moving to fidget with the straps of her backpack, only to realize its familiar weight wasn’t there, so she took to smoothing out her blouse instead. “I, um… I have a date today, and I was wondering if I could, um… ask Yugi to help me with my makeup?” 

Solomon blinked in surprise before laughing lightheartedly, nodding as he motioned her deeper into the shop. “Of course, of course! Last I heard he was upstairs working on some new Duel Monsters strategies.” 

Iris all but sagged in relief, nodding gratefully to him before she hurried a bit deeper into the store and up the stairs towards Yugi’s room. The stairs at least forced her to slow down once again, because even her tiny heels would be enough to throw her off balance, and the last thing she wants is to trip and eat shit at Yugi’s house before her date. 

When finally reaching the familiar bedroom, she knocked on his door. “Yugi? It’s Iris,” she called, hating how nervous she sounded even to herself. 

Fortunately it didn't take long for Yugi to answer, even if he sounded confused about what she was doing at his place. Last he remembered, they weren't planning to hang out today, right? Not that he'd complain, of course! 

All thoughts halted when he saw her, flustered and frazzled and definitely more dressed up than he's used to seeing her. 

“H-hey Iris! What's up?,” he asked, stepping aside to invite her into his room. Good thing he'd cleaned it up some before working on his deck, so it was just his desk that was any sort of chaotic mess. 

Iris followed him easily, cheeks deep pink as she tried to figure out how to ask for his help. Finally deciding it was easiest to show him, she reached into her purse and pulled out the small tube of eyeliner and tiny palette of eyeshadow she brought, holding them out to Yugi hopefully. 

“Help, please?”

Yugi blinked in surprise, taking the items to get a better look at them before processing what the request was. “You want me to help you with eye makeup?”

When Iris nodded sheepishly, he perked up and offered a determined nod of his own. “I’d be happy to! Is this for a specific event?” He asked, looking at what she’d brought him to work with. Fairly basic, nothing dramatic, and not used very often… 

Iris started to fidget with the hem of her blouse as she watched him go to his desk to grab a small brush instead of getting out the tiny applicator that the eyeshadow came with. “Y’know Anthony, in the grade above us?”

“Yeah?” Yugi answered, opening the tiny eyeshadow container. “Why don’t you sit on my bed, so I can reach better? And close your eyes, but don’t squeeze them shut, okay? Let me know if it hurts or bothers you.” 

With a small, obedient nod, Iris sat down on the edge of Yugi’s bed and shut her eyes, just as he instructed. “Well, he asked me out on a date, and we’re supposed to meet up at the park in an hour.” 

Yugi paused at her answer, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Anthony wasn’t exactly what he’d call a nice guy, even if he didn’t seem to be an outright bully. He was glad that Iris had already closed her eyes, because she was already nervous enough about this without him doubting her date’s intentions. 

Finally putting some pigment on the brush, he used one finger to very gently nudge her chin up so he can get a better angle, ever so careful as he started to put the eyeshadow on for her. “Do you know what you two are gonna be doing?” He asked, wanting to encourage his friend. He’s just going to hope that his gut feeling is wrong, this time…

“No, not really,” Iris answered, almost starting to shake her head, but his thumb pressing against her chin ever so slightly reminded her that that would risk messing up his work. “He just told me to meet him by the fountain. I was planning to suggest we get some ice cream or something since it’s a nice day out, though.”

Yugi hummed in response as he shifted to work on her other eye. “I heard a new shop opened a few blocks from here, and it’s supposed to have all sorts of cool new flavors, and even encourage you to mix and match!” 

Iris perked up at his suggestion, still trying so hard to keep still so she doesn’t disrupt his work. That didn’t stop her from grinning though, tapping her hands on her lap to get some of her energy out. “That sounds like fun! I’ll definitely have to suggest we go there, then. If he doesn’t want to, then you and I can go, or we can go with the others!” 

Finally done with the eyeshadow, he let her go so she could move and he could prepare the eyeliner. “Sounds like a plan!” He agreed, mirroring her grin as she blinked back to focus. 

It was strange to see her with make up on, but at least now she seemed more excited than nervous, so he’ll consider that a win. 

After giving her a chance to stretch out, he opened the eyeliner. “Okay, last step. It’ll probably make you want to blink a lot since you’re not used to it, but try to let me know if you have to blink, okay?”

When she gave a nod of understanding and closed her eyes, he gently took hold of her chin again, his eyebrows furrowing slightly in concentration. It was so easy to do it to himself now, but it felt strange to do it for someone else… Either way, he refuses to mess it up for her! So he tried to be as careful as he could, while trying to do it quickly so she won’t risk blinking and smearing it everywhere. 

“Aaaand, done!” Yugi beamed, stepping away and closing the eyeliner. 

Iris opened her eyes again, almost immediately moving to try and touch her eyes at the foreign feeling before remembering that she really should not. She beamed at Yugi, stepping forward to hug him. “Thank you, Yugi!” 

Yugi felt his face flush almost immediately, but he managed to regain some semblance of focus in order to hug her back. “Of course! Honestly I'm flattered you came to me of all people for help,” he admitted with a sheepish laugh. 

Letting him go after giving him a happy squeeze, Iris couldn't help giggling. “Who else would I go to? You're my best friend and you're the best at eyeliner that I've ever seen. I don't think there’s anyone better qualified than you!” 

At this point Yugi swears his entire face is pink, and he's fairly certain he can feel his other self laughing at him. 

Iris wasn't too much better with the giggles, since she always finds it fun to fluster Yugi. Both Yugi's, if she's honest. 

Distracted from her amusement when catching sight of the time, Iris straightened up slightly. “Oh, I need to get going! I don't want to be late.” 

She let Yugi go and picked up her purse, flashing him another grin. “Thanks again, Yugi! I'll see you later, okay?” 

Yugi startled from his own thoughts as the sudden movement, but nodded and waved her off with a smile. “Have fun!” He called after her, smiling until his door was shut again. He went over to his window in time to see her hurrying down the street, his eyebrows furrowing once more. 

His other self appeared nearby, his arms crossed as he followed Yugi’s gaze. “You're worried about her,” he commented, knowing that it wasn't a question. 

Yugi nodded, sighing as he moved to sit down on his desk chair, doing so backwards to rest his arms on the back of his chair. “Yeah…,” he admitted, almost sounding guilty for the fact, “I don't want to doubt her choices, but I don't trust Anthony. I don't know him or anything, but I haven't heard anything good about him. I don't want her getting hurt, especially since she's so excited…” He sighed, resting his chin on his arms. “I just hope I'm wrong about all this…” 

“I see…” His other self hummed in response, watching him quietly for a moment. “Well, either way, we will be there for her, whether this ‘date’ goes well or not.” 

Reassured by the reminder, Yugi offered a more determined nod in response. “Yeah. I can try calling her later to see how it went, too!” 

—

That evening, once he and his grandpa finished their dinner, Yugi found himself anxiously staring at their phone. It's less so making the call that's stressing him out, and more so what he'll find out through said call. 

“I hope I'm wrong…,” Yugi sighed before finally dialing the number for Iris's house. 

Waiting impatiently as the phone rang, he startled slightly when her dad answered the phone. 

“Hello?”

“Oh! Uh, hi Mr. Bell! I was wondering if Iris was home? I'm Yugi Muoto.” 

Mr. Bell went quiet for a bit before sighing. “She's home, yes, but she's locked herself in her room ever since she came back home…” 

Yugi frowned, not liking the sound of that in the slightest. Looks like his gut feeling was right… 

“That doesn't sound good,” he mumbled to himself, not even hesitating as he asked “Would it be okay if I came over?” He fully expected to be told no, it's too late, something like that. But he still had to try. 

Iris’s dad was quiet for a few beats, and Yugi couldn’t help but start shifting his weight nervously. He wouldn’t want to disobey what her dad wants, but… he also really wants to be there to support Iris. 

“Do you have any idea what might’ve happened?” Her dad asked finally, “All she told me was that she was going to hang out with someone from school, and she would make sure she was back in time for dinner. Then when she got home, she didn’t even acknowledge me and went straight to her room. That’s not like her…” 

Yugi frowned, agreeing that that’s not like Iris at all. “Yeah, she told me she was going to meet up with one of our upperclassmen, though she wasn’t sure what exactly they were going to do to hang out.” He opted to leave out the fact that it was intended as a date, figuring that was best left between Iris and her dad. 

A hum came from the other end of the line, followed by a sigh. “Come on over… it sounds like she’s more willing to talk to you than she is me, and I just want to make sure that she’s okay.” 

Yugi immediately perked up, standing straighter. “Okay! I'll be there soon.” 

With that he hung up, thinking before going upstairs to grab a few things to shove into his pockets. Anything that could be a good distraction, including his deck of course. He's not sure what will help, but Iris has been there for him, so he's going to do his best to make sure she knows he's there for her, too. 

Once satisfied with what he had, he hurried back downstairs, calling out a quick explanation to his Grandpa before he was running down the streets towards Iris’s house. 

When finally reaching their door he was out of breath, making a mental note that he really needs to work on his stamina. Duel Monsters may not be the most physical of hobbies, but that’s no excuse for him to not try to be at least a little more active. 

Dismissing the thought for now and knocking on the door, Yugi anxiously readjusted his jacket to give his hands something to do while he waited. Fortunately he didn’t have to wait long, Iris’s dad opening the door and seeming a bit surprised when seeing Yugi. 

“You’re Yugi?” He asked, stepping aside once the young boy nodded in confirmation. “I’ll be honest, I had a completely different guess on what you looked like, based on what Iris has told me,” He admitted, shutting the door behind Yugi once he was inside. 

While Yugi is used to people not having expected for him to dress so punk when they hear him talk, he’s not used to it being because of how someone else described him. “Really?” He asked, tilting his head curiously. 

Mr. Bell nodded, his worried expression softening ever so slightly at the question.”Whenever Iris starts talking about your friend group, she ends up talking about how smart and clever you are when playing that card game you kids are into, and how kind you are to everyone. So to be completely honest, I had expected something a bit more on the nerd spectrum, maybe a bit jock, but not punk. It makes sense in hindsight, though.” 

As he explained his reasoning, he watched Yugi’s cheeks grow warmer and warmer, flattered to know that Iris thought so highly of him, and even said as much to her dad. 

“That’s why I'm hoping that she’ll be more willing to talk to you about whatever happened with that upperclassman you mentioned…,” Mr. Bell sighed, motioning for Yugi to follow him towards Iris’s room. 

Yugi’s expression fell slightly, fidgeting with the Millennium Puzzle absently, tracing the seams. “I'm sorry…,” he started quietly, looking down, “I… I had a bad feeling about it all, before she left our game shop, but I didn’t want to worry her if I was wrong… She was so excited…”

He jolted when feeling a hand on his shoulder, looking up to see Mr. Bell offering him a small smile. “It’s alright, you did what you thought was best. I appreciate you looking out for her, just as much as I appreciate you trusting her. I'm glad that she has friends like you.” 

They stopped at Iris’s door, her dad patting Yugi’s shoulder as a silent ‘good luck' before he went back towards the living room. He doesn’t want to risk Iris keeping Yugi out just because she hears him there too. 

After taking a deep breath to brace himself, Yugi knocked on her bedroom door. “Iris…? It’s Yugi,” he called, hoping he wouldn’t risk startling her or anything. 

He heard some quiet shuffling from within the room before she approached the door, but she didn’t open it just yet. 

“Yugi…? What’re you doing here?” She asked, her speech slow and slightly slurred. Did she just wake up? 

Relieved she’s at least talking to him, he opted for honesty. “I wanted to know how today went, so I called your house, and your dad told me that you haven’t come out of your room since getting home, so I was worried…” 

Silence continued on the other side before Iris finally opened her door for him, though she was still out of sight. Yugi obediently went in, distracted for a moment by taking in her choice of decor. 

Lots of pink in the form of her curtains, bed spread, and a small rug in the room, but also lots of gold accents in a mix of actual metal items and metallic paint on the fairly large and well-used bookshelf in the room. The blankets on the bed were tossed off to one side, and a fluffy brown… something was sitting on top of the pile, as if it was set there after she got out of bed. 

It was absolutely what Yugi would call organized chaos, and felt very Iris. 

When the door shut behind him, he turned his attention to Iris, startled by how… disheveled she looked. 

Her hair was mussed, halfway out of its ponytail and one of her gold hair pieces was at risk of falling out all-together. Her clothes weren’t fairing too much better, the same adorable outfit she’d worn when she stopped by the game shop was now clearly slept in and ruffled, her shoes having been carelessly discarded into a corner. 

Her makeup was the most telling though, with how the eyeshadow and eyeliner were smudged all across her face and her eyes were still somewhat swollen and red. The fact that she wouldn’t even lift her head enough to look at him, her shoulders slumped in complete and utter defeat, made Yugi absolutely livid. 

Not at her, of course. 

Never at her. 

He was angry that anyone could hurt his friend this badly. Whether it was done intentionally or not, to have her go from so excited that she was all but glowing, to being so distraught that she had clearly cried herself to sleep and tried to isolate herself…. It just wasn't right.

Even his other self was seething inside his mind, a powerful anger that Yugi still wasn’t familiar with, even if he agreed. 

Their anger didn’t matter, though. The important thing is to make Iris feel safe, and cheer her up again. 

So Yugi offered her a sad, sympathetic smile and opened his arms slightly “I’m guessing it didn’t go well, then…?” He asked gently, if a bit awkward. 

Iris shook her head slightly, her hands gripping tightly at the hem of her blouse as her shoulders started to shake again. It took a minute for her to answer verbally, her voice barely above a shaky whisper. “He… didn’t show up…. I waited and he never showed up…” 

All of his anger surged forward again, making it feel like his blood was boiling just below the surface of his skin, only for it to immediately run cold when he heard her start sobbing. 

Not bothering to waste another moment, he took a half step forward to be able to hug her, pulling her close to his chest. When she wrapped her arms around him in turn and hid her face in his shoulder, his expression fell as he slowly started to rub her back. He wasn’t sure what to say, if he even should say anything. But he is sure that she needs him right now, so he’s perfectly fine with standing there for as long as she needs him. 

Her muffled sobs filled the room, and oh how he hated not knowing what to do about it. 

Minutes passed before she slowly started to settle down, at least enough to slowly try and pull away and start rubbing at her eyes again to get rid of the tears. He let her go so she could move freely, but she still wouldn’t look at him, even if she didn’t try to distance herself any further. 

“...’m sorry…,” she mumbled quietly through hiccupy breaths, wiping a few more tears away as they slid down her cheeks, taking some of the eyeliner with it. 

“What?” Yugi asked incredulously, flinching at how it sounded even to him, quickly adding “You have nothing to apologize for, Iris! You didn’t do anything wrong.” 

She didn’t seem too convinced, still all but curling up on herself while still standing. “I-I ruined your work, and now you have to deal with me, a-and I ignored Dad, and-” 

Her voice cracked again, and Yugi decided that enough was enough. He wasn’t going to let her keep thinking like that. So instead he gently took her hands in his, tugging them away from her face to instead guide her towards her bed. 

“You don’t need to feel bad about the makeup, or about me being here right now,” he reminded gently, letting her hands go to instead push on her shoulders ever so carefully to make her sit down on the edge, “and I’m sure your Dad will understand. He’s just worried, that’s all.” 

When she didn’t say anything, he looked around and found a tissue box, bringing it over to her with a soft smile. “What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t come over when you needed me?” 

That finally seemed to make something click in her head as she offered a sheepish nod, accepting some of the tissues to blow her nose. 

Relieved that he seemed to be on the right track, Yugi set the tissue box next to her before starting to look around for anything to clean the makeup off of her face with. “You’re always there for me, for Tristan, Joey, Tea, even for other-me. So I’m glad that I can be here for you, this time.”

Sniffling, Iris tossed the used tissues into her trash can before grabbing some more to try and clean off her face. “It’s weird being on this side of things…,” she admitted quietly before groaning when seeing the makeup smudged all over the tissue, “ugh I’m a mess…” 

“You’re no more of a mess than Joey was that time he walked right into the wall because he was too busy mocking Tristan and spilled his lunch all over himself,” Yugi reassured with a small laugh as he went over to her, having found a water bottle that would suffice for now. 

Snorting at the memory, Iris finally relented. “That’s true, he was covered in it, and his shirt was stained for the rest of the day, even after he tried to wash it in the bathroom sink…”

Hearing her laugh, as small as it was, was exactly what he’d hoped for, and made his smile a little wider. “Let’s get you cleaned up now, yeah? You can just close your eyes and leave the rest to me.” 

Not having the energy to even pretend that she was in any condition to try and clean herself up, Iris simply offered a small nod and shut her eyes again, similar to how she had earlier that day. 

Though, now her eyes were red and puffy, and she had clear tear tracks down her face, partially obscured by the hair that wasn’t being held back properly anymore. 

Yugi’s eyebrows furrowed once more as he slowly set to work dampening a tissue to wipe off her face, starting with her eyes to get most of the makeup off. Then he would work his way down her cheeks, and then he can worry about her hair.  He was ever careful to keep his touch gentle, not wanting to risk further irritating her face since he didn’t have the right stuff for cleaning makeup off anyways. 

It wasn’t until a few minutes, and plenty of tissues, later that either of them dared to break the silence. 

Yugi had just finished cleaning up her face and was about to start working on her hair when Iris spoke again. 

“Yugi…?” she started, voice quiet and uncertain, much like she was at school. 

He offered a small hum of acknowledgement, gently working on freeing her bangs from the ponytails, trying to ensure that it wouldn’t get snagged on the metal or ties. 

“Do… do you think I did something wrong? And that’s why he didn’t… show up?” 

Glancing towards her face, Yugi saw her eyes were just barely open, and not focused on anything in particular. She almost seemed resigned to the fact she must have caused all of this mess, even if she wasn’t sure how. Fortunately, he didn’t have even the faintest shadow of a doubt in his mind that none of the blame fell on her. 

“No, I don’t think so,” Yugi answered honestly, gently setting the first hair piece on her nightstand before working on the second one. “I don’t know him very well, but… I do know you. And you’re too kind to do anything that would warrant ghosting you like that.” 

She still didn’t seem terribly convinced, making Yugi’s eyebrows furrow slightly in concern. “Besides, if you somehow did do something, if he didn’t say anything to you about it, then that’s on him.” 

With how her shoulders slowly relaxed after he said that, Yugi concluded he’s doing a lot better than he thought he would with this whole ‘comforting after a date-gone-wrong’ thing. Proud of his success, he finished helping her clean up by carefully taking her hair out of its main ponytail, finally stepping back. “There we go…” 

She still looked like a worn out mess, of course, and it was strange to see her with her hair completely down, but… She looked like she felt better, and that was the important part. 

“Why don’t you put on something more comfy, and then we can hang out for a while, okay? I can go let your dad know how you’re doing, too,” he offered, figuring that would be the last step to making Iris feel properly comfy and fully put today behind her. 

Iris seemed hesitant, but did relent with a small nod. “Yeah, that’s a good idea… and could you please tell Dad I’m sorry for not answering him earlier…?” 

At her request, Yugi’s expression softened with a nod of his own. “Of course. I’ll be back in a bit then, okay?” 

With that settled he finally left her room, gently closing the door behind himself. He went back towards the living room, finding Iris's father reading a book on the couch. He was quick to look up when Yugi came into view, his eyebrows furrowing in concern. 

“How is she doing…?”

Yugi offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile, though it wasn’t exactly a happy one. “Better now, at least… Turns out the person she was going to hang out with never showed up, so…” 

That seemed to be enough to explain the situation, Mr. Bell frowning but nodding in understanding. “I see… that explains why she was so upset about it too… But she’s doing better now?” 

“Yes sir,” Yugi confirmed, more confident this time. “She’s putting on something more comfortable right now, and asked me to let you know she’s sorry about ignoring you earlier.” 

“That sounds about right, for her…” Mr. Bell mused with an affectionate, if somewhat guilty, sigh. “Thank you, for looking out for her…” 

Yugi nodded enthusiastically, his smile widening to something more genuinely happy. “Of course! I was actually going to ask if it would be okay if I stayed for a while longer to hang out with her, so she can end the day on a better note?” 

If he’s being completely honest, Yugi fully expects Mr. Bell to say that he’s done enough and it would be better for him to go back home, so he’s not prepared for the response he receives. 

“Will your family worry about you being out so late?” 

Yugi blinked at the question before laughing sheepishly and shaking his head. “No, I told Grandpa I was coming to check on her. He's probably already asleep anyways, so so long as I'm back by sunrise it'll be okay.” 

Mr. Bell still seemed somewhat uncertain with the answer but nodded. “Alright, if you're sure. You're more than welcome to use our phone to call him if you need to, though.” 

For a moment Yugi considered before nodding. “If you don't mind, then?” 

Mr. Bell nodded with a tiny smile, and Yugi could see where Iris got it from. So he thanked him before going to the phone, calling his Grandpa first to let him know he was okay and staying with Iris for a bit, but he'll come straight home once he was done. 

Once he hung up with his grandfather, he hesitated before also calling Joey. 

“Joey Wheela,” his friend greeted on the other end, sounding a little confused, “Who's dis?”

“Hey Joey, it's Yugi,” Yugi answered, keeping his voice down for right now. 

“Oh, hey Yug! What's up? Why’re you callin’ so late?” Joey asked, his tone turning concerned “Everythin’ alright?”

Yugi hesitated, debating how much he wanted to tell Joey. He knows full well just how far Joey is willing to go for their friends, after all. He’s willing to go up to bat for them, no matter the odds, and refuses to stand by and accept his friends getting hurt. So Yugi knows what Joey would want to do if he knew what happened today, and that Tristan would be right behind him once he undoubtedly found out. 

While not one to wish for violence, he can't deny that even just remembering Iris’s heartbroken sobs made his blood boil and his hands shake. 

“Yug?” Joey asked again, snapping Yugi would of his train of thought. “Y’still there bud?”

“Yeah, sorry,” Yugi apologized half-heartedly, taking a deep breath to calm himself. “I'm over at Iris's house right now, cause she had a really bad day.” 

He heard Joey make a confused sound before shifting, presumably stopping whatever he'd been doing when Yugi called. “Is she okay?” 

Hesitating on how to answer, and sparing a moment to glance towards the living room where Mr. Bell still sat, he sighed. “She's better now, but… it was bad, Joey.” 

“How bad we talkin’?” Joey’s tone had completely shifted, a seriousness falling over the line. They don't have to see each other for Yugi to know that Joey was already feeling the same anger he had, a fierce protectiveness for their friend. “Does somebody need a patented Wheeler Rough-Up?” 

Not even finding it in him to laugh at the name, Yugi found himself absently tracing the seams of the Puzzle around his neck. “Joey, have you ever seen her cry?”

“....,” the silence on the other end is telling, since normally he knows Joey would make some joke about how she gets emotional with most movies they watch together. But this time Joey doesn't have a retort, and the only way Yugi knows he's even still there is his breathing. Finally, after a few tense beats of silence, Joey speaks again. “What happened, Yug?”

Yugi finds himself hesitating again, debating if he should just give Joey a vague rundown. Not give him any names. However before he can change plans, he feels his other self trying to nudge his way forward, to take control. For once, Yugi didn't question his want to take over outside of a duel, and simply let him. 

“Anthony from the next grade up asked her out and they were supposed to meet up today. She even stopped by the game shop beforehand for assistance with her makeup, having clearly put a lot of effort into today,” the Spirit explained, his tone matching the seriousness of Joey’s. He still honored Yugi’s desire to keep this from Iris and her father by keeping his voice down, but he made no attempts to hide his anger from Joey, his free hand shaking. “It turns out that he never showed up, even when she waited for him. She came home and cried herself to sleep, isolating herself until her father agreed to have us come over to see if she would be willing to speak with us instead. She tried to blame herself-” he growled, cutting himself off to attempt to regain control of himself. 

Joey's reaction is immediate, cursing sharply. “That slimey sunnova- wait till I get my hands on him-” 

“Joey,” Yugi interrupted quickly, taking over once again in hopes of getting his attention before he can run off and do something rash, “I’m mad too, believe me, but… for now I just… wanna put together something for all of us to do tomorrow, if she's up for it. Remind her that she's still got us.” 

Joey sighed and audibly deflated on the other end. “I know you're right Yug, and you know I'll be there. I'll let the others know too. But I still wanna give that bastard a piece of my mind. We can figure that out later, though. It sounds like she needs you right now.”

“Yeah…,” Yugi agreed, now turning his attention down the hallway towards Iris's room again. Was she done changing yet? He saw her door was cracked ever so slightly, so probably? “She was putting on something more comfortable so I just wanted to tell you know what happened and see what we can do tomorrow for her.” 

“Oh~?” Joey teased, his tone turning Yugi's face bright pink before he'd even had the chance to imply anything “Somethin’ more comfortable, eh?”

“Oh shut up!” Yugi huffed, his face still burning as he hung up on Joey so he wouldn't have to hear him laughing. Looks like now he's going to have that to deal with too, next time he sees the others. 

Taking a moment to pat his cheeks and try to calm down, Yugi finally went down the hallway to knock on Iris's door. 

“Iris? Are you done changing?” He called, waiting for a response before he'd dare to peek. The door may still be somewhat open, but he knows better than to assume. 

When he heard a quiet hum he nudged the door open, seeing Iris sitting on her bed again. This time she had on a pajama set, dark blue with pink polka dots across it, and her hair was still down. It was strange, but she looked far more comfortable now. Her exhaustion was still evident, but it's better exhaustion than sorrow. 

Offering her a small smile he walked in properly, sitting down beside her. “Feel better?”

Iris nodded lazily, promptly leaning against him once he sat down. When he offered his hand to her, palm up, she accepted it without hesitation and found herself absently tracing one of the bracelets he was wearing. Recognizing that she wore herself out to the point that talking was tiring, Yugi was perfectly fine with filling the silence himself this time. 

“I checked with Joey and he and I are going to see if everyone can get together to hang out, if you're up for it,” he started quietly, watching her hands twist his this way and that, “We could go to that ice cream place I mentioned earlier, then maybe the arcade? We can see if we can get Joey to challenge Tea to one of the dancing games.” 

The suggestion seemed to work, based on the little giggles that bubbled up from beside him, followed by a happy nod. Sounds like they've got a game plan, and he knows that Joey won't hesitate to accept the challenge. “And if we get worn out, we can head back to my place. I think Grandpa’s been hoping you'd stop by again soon for more of his stories,” he teased lightly. 

Iris snickered against his shoulder, humming happily. “He's a good story teller…,” she mumbled, her eyes half lidded. 

“Yeah, I guess he is,” he agreed with a small chuckle, leaning into her slightly in turn. “So long as it's not one he's already told a million times, at least.” 

A comfortable silence settled over them again, and lasted long enough that Yugi half wondered if she fell asleep again. Just as he was mustering up the courage to shift and check on her, she spoke again. Her voice was barely above a whisper, and if they hadn't been so close together he probably wouldn't have heard it. 

“Thank you, Yugi…” 

He shifted just enough to look down at her, but she hadn't moved from her place against his side, still holding his hand in both of hers. Not sure what to say in response, he just hummed and gave her hands a small squeeze. “It's getting late, and you sound tired, so I should probably get going. We've got a full day ahead of us tomorrow, after all.” 

Iris nodded reluctantly as she slowly sat up on her own again, releasing his hand. As soon as she had, she was using her hand to cover her mouth in a feeble attempt to hide a yawn. Yugi couldn't help but chuckle as he finally stood up, stretching out with a small groan. Hopefully they'll both be able to get plenty of rest tonight… 

As he glanced back to wish her a good night, he paused before ever getting a sound out. She'd grabbed the bundle of brown fluff off of her blankets and was smoothing it out, revealing some green limbs underneath. 

“Is that a Kuriboh plushie?” Yugi asked curiously, moving closer to see it better. 

Iris flushed in embarrassment and nodded, turning it around so he could see the embroidered yellow and purple eyes. “Mmhm… Kuriboh is really cute, and I saw it at the store the other day. Plus this one's nice and soft, so…” 

Yugi laughed, amused and not the slightest bit judgemental as he reached out to feel the fur thoughtfully. “Yeah, Kuriboh is honestly really cool, and despite being the weakest monster in all of Duel Monsters, it's still really handy.” He can't count the number of times that having Kuriboh in his deck has saved him in duels, and despite Dark Magician being his favorite, he can't help but feel happy that Iris is so fond of one of his go-to monsters. 

Not wanting to keep her up too much longer when she could barely keep her eyes open, his expression softened. “Sleep well, Iris, and I'll see you tomorrow.” 

Iris nodded with another yawn, already flopping over on her bed. 

“G’night, Yugi… sweet dreams.” 

Before Yugi could even make it to her door, he could hear her already snoring softly, biting his tongue to keep from snickering. While he’s certainly not a fan of why she's so worn out, the fact she apparently feels comfortable enough with him to fall asleep that fast still felt… nice. 

Glancing back as he started to open the door, he tilted his head when seeing she hadn't even pulled up her blankets yet. Even back at Duelist Kingdom, she didn't sleep without some sort of blanket… 

Quietly going back, he bit his lip, trying not to disturb her as he awkwardly tried to pull the blanket up to cover her. 

Once again his other self nudged at him, a much gentler request to take over this time. Trusting that there's a good reason for him to want to take over for the second time today outside of a duel, Yugi relented easily to the trade. The Spirit adjusted his grip on the blankets, gently pulling them over Iris with practiced ease, and even tucked them under her arms slightly. It was as though he had done this a thousand times before, even if he couldn't remember it. 

Satisfied that she was appropriately bundled and comfortable, the Spirit backed away from the bed and let Yugi have control once again so they could finally leave. 

Mr. Bell was still reading in the living room, though it looked like he wasn't fairing too much better than Iris when it came to fatigue. Yugi tried to be quiet, not wanting to disturb him, but apparently Mr. Bell wasn't as asleep as he thought. 

“Heading out?” He asked, nudging his glasses up to rub the sleep from his eyes. 

Yugi nodded with a sheepish smile. “Yes sir. Iris already fell asleep, so I was going to go ahead and go home. She's doing a lot better now, and the group wants to get together tomorrow and hang out.” 

Mr. Bell nodded approvingly, offering Yugi a grateful smile. “Thank you for looking after my little girl. I know she's in good hands.” 

Something about the sincerity in his voice and the weight of his words made Yugi flush, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “Of course! She’s one of my best friends, and she always looks out for us. I’m just glad that I can be here for her for once…” After everything he’s dragged his friends through, it feels like it’s about time for him to be able to support them in turn. 

Mr. Bell hummed appreciatively as he watched Yugi, setting his book aside. “She comes by it honestly, at least, but I’m glad her effort isn’t being wasted. Now get home safely, okay, Yugi?” 

Taking the cue, Yugi nodded with a smile. “Yes sir!” 

With that, he quietly left Iris’s house to start walking home, his hands in his pockets. Definitely not how he was expecting the day to go, but at least it has a relatively happy ending. Iris seemed to have genuinely been feeling better, and they had plans to hang out with all of their friends tomorrow, so he'd consider today a win.