Title: Evaluation Day
Prompt: Free Day!
Word count: 1011
Synopsis: An AU based on Atelier Rorona. Ingo travels to Emmet's home perform his duties during Evaluation Day.
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The first day of autumn was cool and crisp, just as one would expect for a perfect change of the seasons. The weather had steadily been cooling off during the previous days, and today the grass had the barest whispers of frost on its tips. Not quite overcast, but not quite sunny, little patches of daylight poured into Ingo's room, aiding in waking him alongside his alarm.
Evaluation Day had finally arrived. Sometimes, it was hard to believe ninety days had already passed by. Although Ingo was tasked with a great many duties as a knight, serving as the judge for said evaluation was one of the newest. It fell rather outside his usual repertoire, but an order from the King was not one he could refuse. Besides, since the evaluation was not for him, that meant that most of the pressure was on someone else to perform to the proper standard.
Indeed, the one being evaluated was the person who should be most worried, right?
Sitting up, Ingo considered the person he had been assigned to work with. Emmet, the apprentice alchemist that lived on the outskirts of the city, was the one being judged during this evaluation. Originally, the one Ingo had been assigned to was his master, but that person proved more difficult to pin down. And so, Emmet had volunteered, with a slightly anxious look, to fulfill his master's obligation.
Emmet was friendly, but he had truly been a novice when Ingo had come calling the first time. In fact, Ingo was rather worried that he was going to fail after the very first ninety days. But somehow, he had managed to gather together all the items requested by the king just as Ingo had arrived. The items were, of course, supposed to be easy for any alchemist worthy of being the Kingdom's Grand Alchemist to obtain, either through gathering or creation. But the stare on Emmet's smiling face when Ingo read off the list was not very encouraging. It almost looked like Emmet had never heard of most of the items.
Going about his morning routine, Ingo continued to consider the alchemist. The first evaluation had been quite hairy, but Emmet had done considerably better during the second visit. He wasn't scrambling around his home turned alchemy shop as Ingo stepped inside; instead, he was adding the final touches to a display he'd recently added to the shop's wares. The quality of his items seemed better too, for Ingo's limited experience with them all. The first set were obviously from a beginner; even someone just browsing the goods would recognize that. The potions hadn't quite mixed all the way, requiring a swish to recombine. The salves were a little too thick, the color of the gemstones slightly off. But the second time, it was a more practiced hand at work. They were still the work of a newbie, but they were definitely passable.
In fact, his thoughts of Emmet held him all the way to the edge of the city. Emmet's home was in sight, a comfortable looking cottage with a well outside. It had a friendly atmosphere, though Ingo wasn't sure if that was just because he felt positively towards Emmet. It almost felt like the clouds parted just over his home, providing warmth on the cool autumn day.
When he was about ten paces away, Ingo began to pull out his list of required items. This time, they seemed rather difficult to obtain, likely requiring extra travel on Emmet's part. He seemed more capable, but it did rather worry Ingo when he heard of Emmet's forced adventures out into the wilderness to find special ingredients, or even just the items themselves. There had been more than a few cuts and bruises visible on Emmet's hands and forearms ninety days ago.
Ingo's eyes returned to the cottage to see it billowing purple smoke from the sills of the closed windows. List forgotten, Ingo dashed the rest of the way to the front door and threw it open. It had been unlocked, just like the last time he had arrived. Smoke rushed out the larger opening of the door, clearing just enough to see Emmet coughing as he stood holding the long wooden handle to stir his cauldron.
"Emmet!" Ingo shouted.
Emmet coughed a few more times as the smoke almost completely dissipated. Then, he peeked open an eye, catching Ingo's form in the doorway.
"Oh! Hi Ingo. I am Emmet. You're here early." He waved a hand in front of his face to disperse the rest of the smoke, then turned to fully face Ingo, wiping his hands on his apron as he did so.
Checking his pocket watch, Ingo realized that he was indeed early. He'd just been so focused on coming to see Emmet that he'd headed right over as soon as he'd gotten ready. Flushing slightly, he cleared his throat into his hand to regain his composure. "Yes, indeed it does seem that I'm early."
Emmet smiled, head tilted slightly to the side as he smiled more. "It's okay. I am ready for the evaluation this time." The confidence was quite encouraging to Ingo, who'd found himself starting to internally cheer Emmet on as he heard about his escapades. It was a difficult situation he'd been put into, but Ingo was gaining more and more faith in him.
And, actually, he'd been wondering if perhaps Emmet would allow him to join in on his adventures. After all, he was an esteemed knight and knew his way around a sword with a skill above most of his peers. Maybe he could ask Emmet this time, if the evaluation went well.
"Bravo! Excellent! Let us get right to it, then. I look forward to the results, as always."
Nodding, Emmet led him to where he'd prepared the items. With a glance, Ingo was sure that he would be able to return the results to the king with pride. And, it seemed he would have the perfect opportunity to ask if he could join Emmet.
Synopsis: Ingo and Emmet got new outfits for an event in Pasio.
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Ingo fiddled with the lapels of his newest suit. When he and Emmet arrived in Pasio, he had no idea that they would get special outfits made just for them at no cost. Previously, he had been gifted an outfit that looked just like his Subway Boss uniform but in a different color. Emmet also got a special colored outfit, and looked positively dashing in it.
Now, they had some incredibly fancy outfits based on butlers. The color scheme kept with his preferred colors just like his uniform did, and it fit perfectly. He had yet to put on his gloves, mostly so that he could experience the various nuances of his new clothes. The fabric varied ever so slightly between the body of it versus the trim. His tie was also a completely different texture from the rest of it.
Looking in the mirror, he wondered more on how Emmet looked than himself. They were getting dressed in separate areas, just out of simplicity for the changing rooms where they had been provided the outfits. Although it was very likely their outfits would be the same, he wondered what colors they would give his twin. Would he have white, just like his uniform from the Subway? He would also match Ingo, then. Would they give him a color other than white? Emmet was handsome no matter what color he wore, but he was happiest when he wore white.
In addition to receiving a new suit, he had been provided a new pokémon to act as his partner during the event. Karrablast was with him now in the changing room providing a running commentary as Ingo got dressed. Although he had not seen it in person, he knew that Emmet had been given shelmet as his partner. It seemed karablast knew this as well, and seemed as though it was vaguely disappointed that in order to grow stronger, it had to be traded away.
"Do not worry, Karablast!" Ingo said, straightening his tie with perfect crispness. "Emmet and I live together and work together. Even though he and I are going to trade with each other, it is only so that you may also reach the greatest heights you can." He gave karablast a smile and the little bug pokémon perked up at this newly acquired information.
"Though... it really is something like *that,* isn't it?" he mused quietly.
When he'd first seen the new outfit, his first thought hadn't been "butlers" as they had been told. Without the top hat, it rather looked like what one might wear when they were getting married. Thinking it directly caused a blush to rise to his cheeks. The monocle did nothing to hide it, but it did fog as his face heated up. Taking the eyepiece off, Ingo cleaned it off with a handkerchief as he continued to consider.
Not only did his outfit look like something he could be married in, they had been given pokémon that required a trade, or exchange, to be completed. Was that not exactly like what people getting married did?
Surely the event organizers on Pasio did not... know about what was between him and Emmet? He and his twin were very careful to keep that part of their lives private. Not even the employees of Gear Station were aware. (Well, Ingo hoped they didn't know. They'd certainly not been *told* in any case.) It was likely not something that would be accepted in most places, and while their feelings for each other were more important than anything else, it was not in their best interest to reveal it. Ingo could never stand to see Emmet go through trouble, especially not something that would impact so much.
Still. It really did match the set up for a wedding, down to separating the "bride and groom."
Tucking his monocle away into a pocket, Ingo put his face in his hands as he got even more flustered by the idea. Being married to Emmet made his heart feel warm and full and he felt foolishly eager as thoughts of married domesticity flourished in his mind.
He needed to compose himself so that he could leave the changing room and see Emmet. Emmet who was likely just as excited for his outfit and smiling so brightly. Emmet, the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Emmet, who hopefully felt the same way. .... Ah, if he continued thinking about it, he would never leave the changing room. Firming his resolve, he replaced his monocle and put his top hat on. As a final touch, he allowed karablast to hop into his arms. Emmet was surely waiting for him with his shelmet, and Ingo wanted to be just as perfect.
Title: Hisui Gaiden part one
Prompt: Hisui AU
Word count: 777
Synopsis: A side story to Bonds Forged Long Ago AU series. Emmet spends some time in a village, learning the ways of Hisui as he figures out what to do.
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Even after all this time, it surprised Emmet that pokémon were something to fear in the world he found himself in. Where he was from, pokémon were companions in the every day lives of people. People traveled both alongside them and with their help, enjoyed battling, and relied on their partner's skills in their day to day life. Some people just liked hanging out with their pokémon. There were many things that made living with pokémon good to live with.
But here, Maki and the other people of her village were afraid of them. They worked in their fields with only the help of their tools and each other. They gathered vegetables and firewood and other necessities out of the forest and surrounding lands without pokémon. If things fell into disrepair, they worked on it alone.
Emmet had offered, more than once, to go out and find pokémon partners for everyone in the village. Or, at the very least, he could find strong ones to help with the most frequent needs. Maki always had use for various plants and roots from the forests. Strong storms hit the village sometimes and they needed to rebuild roofs or garden walls. Of course, they could manage it; they had been doing so long before Emmet got there. But he couldn't help but believe it would make things easier for them if they could just have a companion or two.
However, no matter how many times he tried, Maki just pleasantly refused his offer. There were others in town he asked were not as polite as she was. Emmet dropped it for the time being, but he was always mindful when he saw pokémon in the wild when he was traveling alongside the villagers. He would point them out, maybe explain some of their behaviors. If it was a pokémon he was familiar with, Emmet would even talk about his experiences with them. Most of the older folks were not as receptive of the information, though he could tell there was a faint spark of interest in their eyes. Usually, it was the younger villagers, the ones who were around the age when kids in his world would start out on their first journey, that were the most excited about the information he had to share. One or two of them even asked Emmet which pokémon he thought they would like the most as a friend.
That was a pretty good question, Emmet thought, and honestly he needed to figure out the same for himself. None of the pokémon he worked best with seemed to be in the area. Obviously, that would be the ideal, but perhaps that was pushing luck vastly beyond what he had stored up. From his short distance travels, there were a few good possibilities. Pachirisu was his most favored pick so far, though magnemite or a gible if he could find one again might also be acceptable. Pachirisu was a good choice for a variety of reasons, but Emmet's immediate thought was that pachirisu's disarmingly cute looks could be a valuable asset in winning over some positive responses. On the other hand, Emmet could look into a partner that gave off a more sturdy vibe to impress the elder members of the village. Machop perhaps?
In any case, Emmet had not decided yet, and taking on a pokémon partner was not something to be taken on lightly. It would be a companion for at least as long as he was here in this world. When he was able to go back home, it would be the pokémon's decision if it wanted to come with him or not. Whichever partner he picked, he would have complete faith in it.
Sighing, Emmet looked up to the sky between the tree tops. The stars were so bright and vivid in this world, and while the view was breath-taking, he missed being home. He wondered if Ingo was also looking up at this sky. Did he have a partner already? Was Emmet falling behind, like he had when they picked their very first partners together? Even so, Ingo would surely be encouraging him right now if he were here.
His right arm began to tingle as he thought of his brother, and he stiffened, immediately cutting off his thoughts of Ingo. Whenever he had Ingo on his mind, that voice or presence or whatever it was stirred to life. It was annoying, intruding on his memories or wishes to see his twin. Gripping his right wrist with his left hand, he huffed in frustration. Whatever he needed to undo this, he was starting to think he would do it.
Title: Cloud's Musing
Prompt: Outsider POV
Word count: 948
Synopsis: Ingo has gone missing, and it rocks the foundation of the Subway.
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Before the end of last year, Cloud thought the bosses of Gear Station were untouchable.
He could understand why there was a prevailing rumor that the Bosses were the great dragons, and it wasn't just because of their consistent color scheme. Their skill was nearly unrivaled, and honestly Cloud thought they were two of the strongest trainers in all of Unova. They were perfectly happy running the Subway, but if they wanted to, Cloud was certain they could beat the Elite 4 and probably even the champion.
Sure, they didn't win every battle they entered; the Battle Subway wouldn't be fun if it was literally impossible to beat them. But their skills in battle wasn't all that made them untouchable in his mind.
Even during the roughest times, the Twin Bosses of Gear Station could be trusted to have the solution. Team Plasma, Team Rocket, and any other team that dared to try an infiltrate the Subway were met with staunch defense from the Bosses. Cloud had been able to see first hand their efforts to stop an incursion by Team Plasma, and it had encouraged him to train more with his own team. They took their jobs as the masters of the Subway very seriously.
And that said nothing of the times that weren't so dire. Above average rush hour and difficult to handle guests were the most frequent troubles. The Bosses trusted the Agents to handle the small issues, but held no hesitation when the circumstance required their intervention. Sure, Boss Emmet was more blunt to troublemakers, but he always handled situations with the same level of skill that Boss Ingo did. You could believe that if either one came to your aid, the situation would be resolved.
So, when Ingo disappeared, it sent a faint ripple of disbelief through the Agents, Cloud included. It was unfair, of course, to imagine that the Bosses were above all things, even tragedy. But they were so competent, so caring, so effective that it quite honestly had slipped the minds of the whole staff. The Bosses were in the Subway, ready to take on every day together - that was just the "fact" of Gear Station.
Cloud managed to convince the other Agents to hold their composure, with the help of Ramses and Jacky. Before this, Cloud had considered Jacky to be a good kid, but with a strong penchant for silly antics. Perhaps, because this was similar to the bosses who loved nothing more than to cause mischief on slow days, he was the perfect candidate to help keep Boss Emmet from spiraling into despair over the mostly fruitless search for his brother. Jacky was not, of course, following the Boss everywhere, but the Boss was definitely more cheerful whenever Jacky would check in on him.
It hurt, honestly, to see Boss Emmet so torn up. The smile was still on his face, but it felt hollow to anyone who saw him nearly every day. It was like a mask, as if he couldn't let anyone see how truly upset he was. Cloud didn't have siblings, least of all a twin, but it wasn't hard to figure that the situation was life-shattering. The Bosses worked and lived together - there was no facet of Emmet's life that hadn't been made more difficult with his brother missing.
There were some... unsavory rumors that tried to worm their way into the guests of the Station, but all of the Agents swiftly put a stop to it whenever they overheard it. They didn't even need direction from Cloud or Emmet; none of the Agents wanted to allow such attempts on the reputation of their boss. The very ideas that were whispered - that Emmet had something to do with the disappearance - made Cloud sick. In fact, he had actually lost his temper once, and while he had maintained a mostly professional attitude, he very soundly told someone off for even insinuating that Emmet had done anything wrong. Cloud considered himself pretty relaxed in nature, but that guest had gone too far.
"Hey Cloud."
A quiet, exhausted voice caught Cloud's attention, and he looked up to find Emmet.
"Oh, hey Boss. What's up?" Emmet looked terrible, as he did every day. Of course, he was still smiling. Even before everything happened, the Bosses usually kept their hats down low enough to cast a shadow over their eyes. But now, the brim of his cap was lowered to hide the dark circles that never seemed to leave from under his eyes. It was probably enough to hide from passengers, but close like this, they were stark even in the shadow.
Emmet's smile softened, averting his eyes as he listed oh so faintly to the side. "I am going to take a nap. Can you make sure I do not ignore any challengers?"
It was an unexpected request, but also one that somehow relieved Cloud. Cloud saluted, clicking his heels together. Honestly, it felt like the best instructions he'd received in a while. "Of course! You can count on me. Rest as long as you need to, Boss."
Emmet brought a hand up to his cap, tugging it down in an appreciative gesture. Then, without saying another word, Emmet wandered his way to his office. Cloud watched until Emmet was out of sight, making a mental note to check on him in about fifteen minutes. He didn't want to hover for there was always a chance Emmet would get caught up in speaking with someone, but he wanted to be sure that his Boss made it to his room safely.
Title: Knowledge from the Surface
Prompt: Pet AU
Word count: 624
Synopsis: Kudari is the mervant (mer-servant) in charge of the offerings to the Sea God. Over time, he's learned what are the most important ones.
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Although some things had changed in the realm of the Sea God, other things remained the same as always.
As he always did, Kudari went to gather the offerings that humans had placed near and into the sea for the Sea God, and he brought them back to the carefully tended 'garden' where they were kept. It was Kudari's life work, a place where all of his pride was put into, somewhere that others could see all the devotion to his God. It was how Kudari showed his own faith. He carefully organized all the offerings, and rotated out the ones that were no longer in good condition. There were some offerings he thought Emmet would not like, but it was not his place to dispose of them. Unless it was decreed by his God, all offerings were brought into the garden. However, Kudari was allowed to show his own favoritism by placing the ones he thought Emmet would like best to the center.
However, now, someone else was frequently in the place where the offerings were kept. It wasn't Emmet, the Sea God Himself, but a human that had been somehow given to Emmet. He had not been gathered by Kudari, but Kudari found him as fascinating as the rest regardless. In the beginning, Kudari was shy - how could he approach someone who was sent to be at the side of his God? That human must be amazing beyond all measure!
Eventually, the human caught him watching from afar and beckoned him closer. Kudari's heart had pounded so hard he thought it might burst! But he still did it, and even now Kudari was glad that he had been brave enough. Up close, the human named Ingo was smart and interesting and had a wide variety of knowledge. He was also more polite than the other human, named Nobori. They were both very precious to Sea God Emmet, regardless of the difference in their personalities. But, Kudari liked talking to Ingo better.
Time had passed since then, and Kudari watched as the humans grew closer to each other and even to the Sea God. Amidst all of that, they included Kudari, and he too grew close with them.
Now, Kudari was braver than before. Instead of merely peeking up out of the water and pulling offerings into the water, he used the skills he had acquired while being an offering-keeper. Because there were many books in the offerings humans made, Kudari had been practicing over the years on how to read and duplicate the writing of the humans. He was far from perfect, and not up to the task of teaching others what he had learned through sheer force and stubbornness. But what he *was* good at was writing requests for the humans to bring books that would teach that.
He didn't know if it would work to teach his God, but he thought it would be good to try. And since both Nobori and Ingo spoke the language naturally, they could help.
The first batch arrived and Kudari hummed happily as he swam, arms full of books that he hoped were useful. He would show them to Ingo first. If he was lucky, Ingo would tell him he did a good job. Kudari blushed faintly at the thought, and a little giggle escaped him. Doing a giddy little twirl in the water, he clutched the books closer. He'd never wanted to make someone other than his God proud before, but it felt really good.
As he arrived in the garden, Ingo was there, waving to him. Kudari swam faster, eager to meet him and show him the prize. The books were big and impressive, and surely Ingo would think so too.
Title: An Invitation
Prompt: Vampire AU
Word count: 1002
Synopsis: Kudari has been working with a newer client, one who is slightly stranger than most.
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As Kudari walked, the sound of his footsteps echoed crisply in the halls of the grand castle where his newest client resided. Kudari had been here a few times already, but he was always impressed by the impressive interior. He had never been in a castle before dealing with this client, but he was certain this was top tier. Although he prided himself in not prying into his clients' affairs outside of the case he was working on, he couldn't help but take a slightly different path through the duke's castle to the office where they usually met.
The walk from the front was much longer than with his other clients, and although Kudari knew there were servants to tend the castle, he rarely saw them. Kudari appreciated the trust that was already placed in him, considered it a sign that the relationship with this client was progressing properly. But also, it gave him time to appreciate the decor and interesting displays Duke Nobori had.
Speaking of the Duke, he was a somewhat strange but wondrous man. Kudari had never heard of him before accepting the job. While an important part of his job was doing basic research into his clients, there was very little about the Duke beyond his more recent acts of charity. The Duke had come to this more remote area on behest of the King himself, and it seems like he had settled down in an old castle. Impressively, he'd made it seem like brand new construction on the inside with little to no intrusion to the folks of the nearby small town.
Yes, the town thought the Duke was quite curious, and Kudari had heard many stories about him, some conflicting, others mysterious. Some people told of the Duke riding into town, standing on the back of his horse with swords drawn to stop a dangerous incursion on the town. The Duke came into town under a parasol at the edge of dusk, usually draped in all black; there were small whispers of him being a vampire. The last two years were full of festivals at the expense of the Duke, though that knowledge was limited to documentation with no ostentatious praise towards the Duke as was often seen by other nobles. The Duke rarely left his castle. The Duke was always throwing scandalous parties, full of masked, rich, elegant people.
Kudari coughed into his fist as he held his case in the other hand. Well, the language that had been used to describe the parties was far more salacious than that. But Kudari had never seen anything inappropriate while he was here. And if the Duke wanted to do such things, well, it was not Kudari's business! He would not intrude on the Duke's private life.
Finally making it to the office of the Duke, Kudari rapped against the door three times, as he was asked. Nobori's voice was muffled behind the door, but he very clearly called for Kudari to enter.
"Good afternoon, Your Grace," Kudari said, dipping forward slightly in a bow as he walked in.
Nobori swept around, offering a smile and a raised glass of brandy to him. "Good afternoon, indeed!" He was in good spirits as always. He gestured in a small arc towards a chair sitting in front of his desk. "Right on time as always. Please, take a seat so that we might begin our discussion."
Kudari did, of course, as he did every time he visited the Duke. Their conversations were always precise and to the point. Afterwards, he would invite Kudari to have a drink, each time a different selection from his vast collection. It was probably more respectable of him to not accept the drink, but he felt it allowed him to bond better with his client. Also, it was likely he would never get to try these various drinks in any other way. He was a bit embarrassed but he rather liked having the new experience.
During their drinks, Kudari and Nobori would chat about various things related to the region. Kudari had to travel quite a few days to this area, and would usually stay at an inn somewhere within the village.
"The village is quite charming this time of year," Nobori finished, taking a sip from his drink.
"Indeed," Kudari said, taking a look at the bottle their beverages came from. It was quite the vintage! It was amazing that the Duke had this.
"But, perhaps you would enjoy spending the rest of your trip with me as your host." Nobori was not looking at him as he said this, and Kudari's grip on the bottle slipped. Luckily, he was holding it over the desk and it only dropped a few inches. The loud thunk made him jump slightly, and Nobori turned to look at him.
"Oh, I couldn't think to impose!" Kudari said, both hands on his glass.
Nobori's expression was soft, an inviting smile insisting his invitation was sincere. "It would be no imposition at all. I have been planning on asking you for quite some time, but no time like the present, yes?" He finished the question by raising his glass again.
Kudari thought about it. It would possibly give him a chance to explore more of the castle without worrying about being late to a meeting. Perhaps he and the Duke could talk more, and he could learn more about him. And it would save on expenses with the inn... There were many pros to this agreement. The con was that it wasn't very professional, right? Though, he supposed that on such long trips it wasn't unheard of to be hosted, right?
Nobori was still watching him expectantly. After another moment of consideration, Kudari nodded. "Alright. That will be amenable to me, if it is with you."
"Excellent!" Nobori declared, reaching over and clinking his glass with Kudari. Shortly after, Kudari had returned with his belongings and was shown to the extravagant room that would be his for the remainder of the month.
Title: Out to Eat
Prompt: Fae Husband AU
Word count: 1476
Synopsis: Nobori urges Kudari to take better care of his eating.
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"Hey~ What did you eat yesterday?"
Kudari looked up, dark circles under his eyes more prominent in the low light of his study desk. It was early morning on a crisp autumn day, so even though he had his curtains open, it was still dark out. The light over the desk was more than enough to read the materials spread out on it, so he'd not put any effort into turning the overhead lights on.
In any case, Nobori, the obnoxious fae man who'd been intruding on his life lately, glowed slightly, so he was also lighting up the small room. Kudari squinted at him, a combination of many things causing it.
Although today was Saturday, he'd planned to study the entirety of the day in preparation for exams on Monday. There was not a lot of willpower in his heart lately, but he'd set several alarms for this early hour, and managed to drag himself up after the fourth on. His bed was still so inviting in the chill of his dorm room even after he'd had a cup of heavily-creamed coffee. He had gone down to the commons area to get that coffee, meaning getting fully dressed because "it was proper that way" and he didn't want it getting back to his parents that he'd done it any other way. Plus, getting dressed was a better deterrent for climbing right back into bed.
Nobori had been here waiting for him when he'd returned with the coffee, stating that he'd come to watch over him. Kudari sighed, told him it wasn't necessary, and went about trying to study while drinking his coffee. Nobori, of course, stayed there the whole time, floating just above Kudari's bed as if he was reclining in it. He'd been silent the entire time until now.
Kudari considered the question while Nobori watched him with pleasant anticipation. He was floating on his stomach, chin resting on his crossed hands. He seemed genuinely curious, though the more Kudari thought the less he was certain he remembered. Kudari's eyebrows creased together as he struggled to recall even yesterday's menu.
"Uh. Probably instant ramen?"
Nobori's hands pushed up, creating a slight triangle, chin still resting on them. "Is that it, my beloved?" He looked troubled, distracting enough that Kudari let the 'beloved' slide this time. "Is that enough for a human to sustain themselves? Do not humans usually eat decadent amounts of food?"
"What? Who told you that?"
Shifting to a sitting up posture, legs crossed, Nobori sparkled. "Why, that's part of the interesting appeal of humans! They are well known for having lush banquets and creating vast amounts of food to share amongst their brethren."
Kudari pushed away from his desk and swiveled in his chair to face the fae fully. Sighing, he shook his head, one arm resting on the back of his chair. "That's not an every day thing, you know? Besides, you've lurked around me long enough. Have you ever seen me do that?"
They both stared at each other, nonplussed in conflicting ways. The rising shock on Nobori's face as he realized that his information was outdated contrasted with Kudari's unfazed expression. Kudari waited for Nobori to fully come to the conclusion, a variety of expressions playing across the fae's face.
"You ok?" Kudari finally asked.
Nobori, who had been staring at his hands as if reevaluating many choices in his life, looked up to Kudari with a deep conviction. Kudari leaned back at the intensity of the expression. "My beloved has been starving himself!"
"What."
Suddenly, the fae swooped towards Kudari, taking both of his hands in his. "We must hurry and obtain you nourishment. If you cannot even recall what you had to eat yesterday, it is a very serious situation. Humans must eat delicious and fulfilling meals."
Kudari tried to tug his hands free, but Nobori's strength was something else. He didn't even seem to be holding on that hard, and yet Kudari's hands couldn't even wiggle. Amazing that it didn't hurt, but the grip was firm. "But I have to study today."
"You are very smart! Eating something will only enhance your studying ability."
Kudari blushed at the unexpected compliment, losing the battle to stay in his chair as Nobori pulled him to standing. Since he hadn't changed when he returned to his room, he was still dressed in an oversize cable knit sweater and skinny jeans. His sturdy boots sat in the gray boot tray by the door. That made it even easier for Nobori to usher him out the door, slipping his boots on as they passed.
As they walked, Kudari sighed, finally having a moment to think after his hurried shuffle out of the dorm. "You know. I don't really have the money to be eating out like this." Nobori had wanted to take on a form that other humans could see, but Kudari vetoed the idea. If anyone saw him with Nobori, who was sure to dress flashily even when trying to blend in with humans, it would cause a total stir. So, instead, Nobori walked alongside him but totally unseen, as a compromise.
"It is alright, my beloved. I will take care of all the details, so you can just relax and enjoy yourself." Nobori flicked a hand casually, but Kudari caught the slight glimmer of magic as he did so. Nothing major seemed to change, so he didn't bring it up. But he was still curious.
It seemed his curiosity was quickly sated as they passed by a premium ramen shop. Kudari stopped to look at the display food in the window, easily accessible as there was no line at this time in the morning. As they were looking, Nobori asking what a variety of the foods were or how they tasted, a shop employee stepped outside and headed straight to them. Wide-eyed, Kudari accepted a special promotional coupon for a free ramen set, valued all the way to their top priced menu items. He was so shocked that he barely registered why he was being given the coupon, and even more surprised to realize a line had built up behind them without him noticing.
Since the ramen shop wasn't officially open for a few hours yet, but the coupon guaranteed him a spot as well as the deal, Kudari gave the employee a bow and continued on his way. It was an amazing coupon, so he could find a way to make it back to the shop today. In between his studying of course.
Still stunned by his luck, Kudari continued down the street with Nobori at his side. The fae was happily chatting away about something that Kudari only vaguely listened to. The luck he had with the coupon was still buzzing along his nerves, making him feel oddly excited. He never ate at that ramen shop, despite being close by, because it was expensive and always busy. But, he really did want to eat there sometimes...
Rounding the corner, another place he had wanted to try for a long time came into view. It was a fancy bakery. Well, fancy in so far as it had a wide variety of breads and pastries, well beyond what you would find in a normal shop. It wouldn't be so bad to take a look inside, right? If he was already out like this, he could afford to peek.
Once inside, the person behind the counter clapped once in apparent joy and came out to the floor to greet him. They said that Kudari was a customer of some special number to the bakery and that because of this, he was able to pick out 3 items of his choice for free. This time, he couldn't stop himself from leveling a suspicious look at Nobori, but luckily it was after the shop employee had returned to the counter. Nobori just gave him a smile and returned to floating around the shop, looking at the various items.
Kudari got two sweet and one savory item and decided that he would come back again another day so that he could properly pay for some items.
Deciding that was more than enough to satisfy Nobori, they started to return the way they came. "That was all your doing, right?"
Nobori hummed happily, returning to walking alongside Kudari. "My beloved deserves to have the best." That was all he said on the matter, and Kudari sighed. Grabbing another coffee on his way up to his room, Kudari convinced Nobori to let him study until it was time to return to the ramen shop. And surprisingly, Nobori did not interrupt him until then. Of course, he wanted to be seen with Kudari for this outing too, but Kudari steadfastly refused again. He would need to explain the problems with it. Perhaps over ramen.
Title: Play It Up For the Viewers
Prompt: Streamer AU
Word count: 1054
Synopsis: The brothers are popular streamers, and it's time for Spooky Month!
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
"I can't believe you talked me into joining for this horror game," Ingo sighed from the corner of the screen that his avatar was placed. Unlike his brothers, he never showed his face on streams, or any other videos for that matter. Even though he was a quadruplet, and his brothers showed their faces almost all the time, it still made him feel deeply uncomfortable to show his own face. Despite that, he also felt like the odd one out if he was just a disembodied voice. For his solo videos, he showed just his hands, usually gloved unless it messed with his dexterity. For this, his brothers made an avatar for him, and changed it occasionally with fun images or seasonal changes.
Nobori laughed cheerfully, obviously glancing at Ingo's avatar on his second screen. His camera showed his face at a 3/4th angle, highlighting his headphones and showing the shoulders of his raglan shirt. "It wasn't for me, it was for the chat."
It was the first week of October, and the brothers had decided to do streams and videos themed on Halloween. The schedule went all the way to the holiday, with a special all-brothers stream planned for Halloween night. Ingo himself wasn't all too keen on playing scary games, though he did enjoy various crafts and foods with a spooky theme. Still, it was more fun doing different things together when they all decided on an event schedule, so they were brainstorming ways for them all to interact throughout the month. In this case, Nobori invited Ingo to join his stream as he played a popular survival horror game.
Amazingly to Ingo, Nobori was nearly unflappable when faced with horror games. He would make clearly faked and casual "aa~hhh....." responses to scares, or even chuckle in the face of things that would make most people jump. And since his face was on camera the whole time, people couldn't accuse him of hiding his reaction and then pretending like he wasn't scared. His commentary throughout was also engaged with the material, though he didn't often read anything from the chat. Ingo wasn't easily scared in reality, but jump scares or scenes that created tension worked really well on him, and usually stressed him out too much to play by himself. He could tolerate watching others play, and he was going to do his best during the event end stream.
"Yeah, I'm sure it's just for the chat," Ingo rolled his eyes, even though it couldn't be seen because of his avatar. His tone was amused so hopefully it translated to the viewers. Judging from the emojis being spammed, it seemed so. His brothers were naturals when it came to interacting with a live crowd, while Ingo preferred to read the comments that came after his videos posted. Interacting with faceless commenters online was so different from his customer-facing job that took up most of his time. He loved helping guests at Gear Station, and was able to provide the best service with no issue. Nervousness jumbled his confidence online.
Nobori was quiet for a moment while he navigated a stealth segment. Then his eyebrows raised and his smile turned mischievous. "Well, maybe I just want to show off for my sugar daddy. If I do well enough, my allowance will be raised." His gaze flicked to the camera briefly, as if encouraging the chat.
"Wh..." Ingo huffed taking a second to register what Nobori was implying. "You rapscallion!" he scolded, though the chat flooded with various excited emoji. There were official stickers and emojis of them with various expressions; the chat was mostly using ones of Kudari making a gentle smile with flowers around him or cartoon-style images of an energetic Emmet with his hands animated to flap up and down. "I certainly do not give you an *allowance,*" Ingo huffed, holding onto his composure. Nobori was just being silly for the chat; he knew this. But more than ever, he was glad he was just an avatar. No one could see his blush from Nobori's teasing. He would chastise his older brother for real after the stream.
"You hear that, chat?" Nobori continued, skillfully but temporarily dispatching an enemy. It made an unpleasant cricking sound as it curled up on itself and just stayed there. Ingo was glad he was mostly distracted from the unsettling interaction. Perhaps that was part of why Nobori was teasing him. "I need at *least* a couple of likes to handle the sting of having my allowance revoked." In a way, Ingo mused, it was sweet that Nobori was distracting him from the things that would make Ingo cringe.
Ingo watched with new amazement as the chat eagerly did as Nobori asked, in between running commentary on both Nobori's playing as well as his banter with Ingo. If all of his brothers were this good with the chat, maybe Ingo didn't have to worry too much for the final stream of the event. Maybe he could just focus all his energy into playing the game (that he trying to practice when he could), and let the others wrangle the viewers.
A cut-scene began to play and Nobori swiveled in his chair to face his second monitor more. Setting down his controller, he typed something on his keyboard. Their chat pinged, and Ingo moved his attention from monitoring the chat to their messages. In it, Nobori spammed a bunch of his own emoji, some winks with blowing kisses, or heart-hands. A few were fan made, but somehow captured the charm of his brother. Ingo rolled his eyes affectionately, and typed back "I'm going to yell at you later (❁´◡`❁)" to which Nobori spammed an emoji of a man on his hands and knees. In a rare bout of thought for appealing to the fans, Ingo wondered if maybe they could customize that for themselves.
Remaining completely unfazed on his video feed despite their conversation, Nobori returned his attention to the screen exactly as the cut-scene ended and immediately jumped back into commentary and playing. Ingo thought, once again, that Nobori really was amazing at this. Deciding that they could be a bit naughty for the spooky month, he did his best to match Nobori's energy for the rest of the stream.
