#ghibli collab

[katsuki-nikiforov]

My ipad was broken so i have to do some tradi art

[p-antomime]

Shooting St☆r.

𖦹 minors don’t interact. ┊ wc: 3,3K.

𖦹 content: service dom!satoru, unprotected sex, creampie, nicknames, implied praise kink, scratching, oral sex (f! receiving), hair pulling, implied edging.

𖦹 pairings: howl pendragon!satoru gojō x princess!fem!reader.

✦. this is for Studio Ghibli Collab, collab by the prettiest @httptamaki! and thank you so much for letting me be part of this wonderful collab <3

"He's in town! With his castle!", was what reached your ears almost the first moment you woke up on a day that should have been ordinary. It should be because the news itself was already contrary to the simplistic, ordinary nature of your long week.

Why was he in town? And after all this time?

You couldn't even remember when was the last time you got to see even the waist of his silhouette or the emerald green pendant earrings he always use or even the jacket that looked more like a pink and blue diamond cape he always wore wherever he went.

As one of Madame Suliman's employees finished washing your hair and you remained sitting in the middle of that tub of warm water, your thoughts continued to run as freely as Satoru's hair was messed up by the light breeze that surrounded the two of you the last time you came into contact with him.

The only thing he left behind were: memories in the form of promises and a ring adorned with two central ruby stones that still remained on your index finger.

Why did he come back? To see you?

— Pff, definitely not. — You thought out loud and Sulliman's employee looked at you, thinking that you had spoken to her.

— Pardon?

— Oh, no, sorry, I just... thought too loud. — You justified yourself by shrugging shoulders and flashing an embarrassed smile before you felt her hands finish wiping the soap that was still on your shoulders and arms.

— Have you heard the news, Your Majesty?

— You may call me by my name, we're not in front of Suliman or my father. — You answered, even though you knew that she wouldn't take her princess' words into consideration because your father had trained each official to address you as if you were the highest authority, although he was. — But what news?

— Howl Pendragon is back in Ingary. — You bit your lower lip in an action that was read by her as apprehension, but you knew it was either anticipation or excitement.

"Howl". His name that wasn't actually his.

You knew this because the last time you and he had met, at his Moving Castle, when you were in Porthaven on one of several outings touring different cities in the kingdom and the two of you for the first time bumped into each other, he had told you that he "has as many names as it takes" as soon as you heard a child call him Howl and, soon after, an older lady call him Satoru.

At that moment you felt almost hypnotized to the point of memorizing the sound his green dangling earring made when he moved. Satoru Gojo was so handsome that it looked like a gift from a shooting star that it clouded your ethical sense when he raised his hand toward you daring you to take it and said that "you looked like someone who needed a little fun".

And it was fun. It was fun to go into his Moving Castle and meet what he called Calcifer – which you later learned was something like a strangely friendly fire demon, it was fun to sleep in his soft bed while he was busy rummaging through some things you didn't know about, but knew were magical artifacts and it was even more fun watching him scream from the bathroom almost three days after you climbed aboard in the Castle and ran out with a towel around his waist and getting pissed off because the shower water had somehow changed the platinum color of his hair to a coppery red – it was fun because he made a huge drama show of saying that he didn’t see a point in living if he couldn’t be beautiful with that shitty hair.

But, it wasn't fun knowing that the princess of Ingary was missing.

How long had it been since you had left the palace? Satoru made you think that almost two months equaled only two hours. And the last time you two had seen each other, he was trying to pull you by the wrist to stay in the castle and you were telling him a hundred times that you had to go back, that if you were caught living illegally, especially with a wizard not licensed by the king, he was going to be executed and you, perhaps exiled.

That day, before you ran out the door and bumped into one of the royal guards surprised to find you wearing such simple clothes for such an important person, Howl took your face in his hands and pulled you in for a kiss that was marked in your memory forever, maybe it was his spell to make you never forget him.

And, in fact, you couldn't forget him, proof of which was that while the castle staff finished fixing your hair and looking for the best outfit for you to wear during that afternoon until nightfall, your mind couldn't help but picture you back in his arms with his diamond cape covering you in the same way it did during the several nights you sat at one of his castle windows and watched the stars.

— Finished? — You asked, looking in the mirror and down at the ring decorating your index finger.

— D’you need anything else, Miss? — You nodded and gestured with the same finger that they could go, could leave you alone with a quiet room and a noisy mind.

If Howl was in town, he had probably been summoned by your father.

Or maybe he actually just wanted to see you.

— Impossible. — You whispered to yourself, sighing and stroking the blue dress around your body.

The blue of it sort of reminded you of Satoru's eyes, and you rolled yours as you realized that absolutely everything that day was forcing you to remember him. Even after months, he still wouldn't leave you alone.

As you continued to stare thoughtfully at the ring, almost half an hour had passed and you thought it strange that your father hadn't come looking for you to see if you were all right, since today his daughter had barely appeared in the corridors of the royal palace.

Almost at the same time that you got up from the dressing table stool with the dress around your body twirling elegantly, two knocks on the door were heard, and before you could say that the person could come in, it was already opened and you saw the typical hat of the palace guards appear, but the brim seemed bigger and wider, since you couldn't see who was that guard forgetting his manners.

— Excuse me? — The voice was soft, almost gentle, and you frowned, crossing your arms over breasts. — Are you busy, miss?

— My father wants to see me? — You saw the guard finish entering your room and took two steps back, who did he think he was? You didn't ask to be pampered, but a little respect sometimes is nice.

— I don't think so, miss. — His head moved to the side and the hat rose a little, that tinkling sound you memorized so well reaching your ears, the green pendant coming into view and the door being closed by his gloved hands. — But, I really wanted to, can I–

— S-Satoru? — You barely let him finish speaking before and seconds later the hat was being removed and disappearing from his hands like magic.

Obviously it was him, only he would be insane enough to go after you in the royal palace disguised as a guard.

— Oh, you haven't forgotten my names? What an honor! — A playful smile appeared on his lips and you felt your legs weaken.

All the emotions from months ago washed over you like a lucid dream. Deep inside, Gojo Satoru was in fact a cozy lucid dream that didn't take more than ten seconds to walk towards you quickly and open his arms to wrap around you.

And you took a few steps back with one hand raised, keeping him at a distance by placing palm and fingers resting on the middle of his chest.

— You think you can just barge into my house and come hugging me just like that, Satoru? You've been gone for months! I didn't even know if–

— Gone? — He raised an eyebrow. — You knew exactly where I was, I never left Porthaven, I was always wherever you could find me. — His eyes slid down your body to your ring finger. — It was you who ran away that night.

— Not everyone can live freely like you, Satoru. — Gojo licked his lips before he let out a chuckle and wrapped one hand around your wrist and pulled you against his body.

— I think you look like someone in need of a little fun and a little freedom. — You leaned over so that you could face him with a skeptical and annoyed expression that broke up as soon as you saw his eyes shining as brightly as ever, with that deep warmth and affection that only existed when he was looking at you.

You couldn't help but giggle embarrassed.

— Idiot, you haven't changed after these months, have you?

— Not for you. — Satoru answered with hands slowly moving up your back, as if he wanted to caress his most precious possession, and placing them on your face, one of his thumbs brushing against your newly made-up lips. — Is it okay if I ruin your makeup today? — His face leaned toward yours, his breath hitching against your cheeks and your heart beating so fast that you had the feeling you were about to faint.

— Better my makeup than the order of my life. — A chuckle escaped his lips and you felt them leave only a small kiss on yours.

— But I'm even better at that than I am at magic, my disorder brings your freedom, it's a fair trade, isn't it? — His feet started to move forward, consequently guiding your body backwards, and a few seconds later you were falling down sitting on the bed. — You busy today, sweetheart?

A shiver ran down your back, it had been so long since you had heard his voice in the form of that simplistic nickname and another one went the same way as soon as Gojo had pushed your body back to lay you down and taken his place over you on the bed.

— No, but you should be, shouldn't you? — You gasped, letting his hands slide down your dress and squeeze your thighs while he let kisses run down your neck without actually kissing the one place you wanted the most.

— Hm? Oh, wait, did you think I was being summoned here by your father? — Satoru raised an eyebrow before denying with the head. — I came here ‘cause I wanted to try to convince you to stay with me again. — You swallowed hard, putting hands through his hair and pulling his flushed face against yours, his hands going a little further and reaching for your panties to discard them. — I bet you missed me as much as I missed you, didn't you?

— Today... — You began to speak as you watched him loosen the grip of your hands in his hair and slide his body down to stand between your legs to slowly spreading them apart. — I couldn't think of anything but you and, frankly, I felt like an idiot for it.

When you confessed it, Satoru couldn't help but get red cheeks as his greenish earrings sparkled around his face. He looked like a Renaissance painting.

— You did? — He leaned down to kiss the top of your pussy after pulling the dress up to your crotch. — So, I guess I should give you more memories to think about while I'm gone, huh?

His tone was playful, but you knew that deep down he was serious. And you would have responded immediately, if Gojo hadn't wrapped his lips around your clit and sucked on it without much pressure.

This was not the first time that you had lain together, but it was the first moment that he seemed so sure of what he was doing to you. At first, there was no concise feeling, just the two of you trying to convince each other that it was no big deal and that it would be the last time.

But being the last time was the last thing present in both your mind and his as Satoru began to roll the tongue between your folds and suck you with the same eagerness as the first time. He liked to leave you dripping and pull you almost to the limit until your liquids were licking all over his chin and leaving his lips glossy only to then pull away and blow some cold wind against your puffy clit.

Your hands tangled fingers in his hair again and soon after Gojo whispered how much he loved your pussy, you whimpered and pushed his face against it so that you could dictate the rhythm with hips almost smothering him – and he loved this feeling too. His fingers bunched around your waist to help you keep using his mouth to take away and his eyes stayed fixed on your face contorting in bliss; he missed being able to see that kind of expression from you too.

When your legs started to get too wobbly and your up and down movements against his beautiful face became more erratic, he knew you were about to cum and started to focus a little more on your clit to give you exactly what you wanted most.

And your orgasm came hard enough to cloud your vision, make you bite your lip hard almost to the point of bleeding to keep from moaning too loudly and have your whole body squirming as Satoru licked your whole pussy like a starved man. It seemed that your bottled up feelings ended up making that climax longer and more intense than expected and as he felt your trembling fingers releasing his hair gently, Gojo stood up with a small, sideways smile on his smooth lips.

— Was waiting for me for these months worth it?

You tried to control the breathing before answering, although your head still remained dizzy in the minutes it took Gojo to strip off his own clothes and finish pulling up your dress.

— For you? Always worth waiting, I guess. — You whispered, propping yourself up on elbows and watching him sit down on the bed before pulling you onto his lap.

— You "guess"? — He stared at you with pupils dilating and hands kneading and stroking your ass as his long dick slid between your folds. — Are you asking me to fuck a certainty into you?

— I'm asking you to keep your promise not to lemme go again, Howl.

— If you... — His tip inserted itself inside you and you arched the back, his arms wrapping around your hips to hold you still as he invaded your little pussy that always tried to push him out the first few times he tried. — Come with me this time, I'll never let you go again. — His cock invaded you completely as soon as he finished speaking, and your head fell back in bliss.

It was so good to feel it again filling you completely and stretching your walls, and more than that: to feel his hands possessively gripping your waist and his lips gluing themselves to your neck to leave wet kisses and to hear the tinkling of the green pendant of his earrings.

For the first few thrusts, Satoru kept you still so that he could feel himself going deeper and deeper until you put hands on his chest, pushed him back until he was completely laying down and began to ride him as if you had done this countless times before.

The wet sound coming from between your legs getting louder and louder and Satoru's eyes fixed on the way your tits moved up and down with your movements

You were able to enjoy a few minutes of dominance over him before his hands returned to your waist and held you still as his hips slammed against yours harder than before, you could feel his veins pulsing against your tight walls, he was so close; it was obvious by the uncontrolled nature of his movements and the louder and louder gasping moans escaping from between his lips.

The moment you leaned in to kiss him was the same moment he buried himself deep inside your pussy and let all his cum drain out to the last drop, your nails clawing at his back and your head falling back as Gojo pushed his hips against yours just to make sure he had thrown his cream as far as possible.

Just then, as his dick left you empty, your body slumped against his and you were soon propped up on your bed by Satoru’s nimble hands, he didn't waste his time to hug you sideways as he normalized his own breathing.

— You... — Your voice came out as a whisper, your head resting against his chest and you could hear some of his heartbeat. — Are you going back to Porthaven later today?

— Maybe, but I hope I won't come back alone. — You bit the lower lip nervously, but didn't have much strength to answer, the fatigue from the previous physical exertion started to make you yawn and feel like sleeping.

— Can you stay a little longer with me here?

— I can stay as long as you want, sweetheart. — He left a tender kiss on the top of your head and you snuggled a little better into his arms.

Soon you drifted off to sleep as you listened to his heartbeat and felt his hands gently caress your back. Your sleep was so deep that you didn't even feel or hear it when Howl slowly got up, put on his own clothes magically changed to look like the guards' and opened a portal in the floor that swallowed both you and him.

When your eyes opened again, it took you long minutes to be able to discern what was around you. It was his Moving Castle, the same way it had been months ago, but a little more messy since its owner didn't care much for keeping things organized. And Gojo had even cleaned you up thoroughly and dressed you in more comfortable clothes that he had probably bought for you days ago.

— Satoru? — You called out to him before you rubbed your eyes and saw, with the low light of the candles illuminating the room, that the door was open, just as the front one of the castle, which was actually in the back, was also open; you saw this as you passed through the main hallway.

Walking outside Howl's castle, your eyes caught a glimpse of perhaps the most beautiful landscape of your entire life. They didn't look like gardens with patches of grass and flowers surrounded by calm water humanly possible to make, had he made them using magic?

Almost in the center of the garden was the only magician who could create it with his bare hands looking up at the star-sprinkled sky and as soon as you put one foot out the door to step onto the grass, Satoru turned toward you and smiled brightly; he was wearing the same pink and blue diamond cape of always and the white shirt underneath that you knew was soft.

— Hi, love! You're looking all pretty with this clothes I brought for you! Did you like ‘em? — You walked towards him calmly, your eyes busy admiring the garden around you. — Wow, Y/N! Your hair looks like starlight now, it's beautiful! — He said this even though your locks were a bit messy, you barely managed to wake up properly.

But in that moment, with him taking one of your hands and the two of you watching the stars above his garden, you knew once and for all that this time you would not run away from him again, after all, a fickle heart is the only constant in the world.

ㅤ🏷 tagging: @wakasa-wifey @hirwishin @inu1gf @dukina @ravenina14 @qudvxnkanx @slut4manjiro @kuroaka @sleepy3 @mizurimirai @semisgroupie @goldenmnr @mrsvaleska @k-ryuuguji @no-name-jack @binglebonglerightonthemoney @vlyntage @novaresque @fuyuus @amaejiki @bontens-cum-slut @rxcked .

[keibea]

this is my contribution to the ghibli collab! i hope you all enjoy! the other people that contributed are @kerriganhouse , @mechtasims & @johziii !! be sure to check them and their beautiful work out! i apologise im late with this, a stupid boy decided to rip my heart out and stomp all over it just as i was meant to be finishing :)

This collaboration was made in an effort to raise awareness for the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Japan. The museum, opened in 2001, showcases the art of Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli, who created many of our beloved childhood favourites, such as Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle. The museum has suffered financially due to COVID restrictions and a fundraising campaigned was launched back in June to help keep it afloat. Though the campaign has already surpassed its goal, non-EU members can still donate until February 1, 2022 by following this link.

For more information please visit the official campaign site here (you can find English instruction at the bottom of the page). Additional context can be found here.

the download link will bring you to a folder with individuals or a zip file that you can choose from. enjoy! let me know if you have any issues or problems!!

DOWNLOAD // MIRROR

more information below the cut:

INFO ;

1. Ghibli Sketchbook

non-recolourable, 5 swatches, hq textures, hlod; 3829 verts, 4220 polys - mlod; 1682 verts, 1388 faces, $13 found in misc deco

2. Ghibli Tucked Tee

fully-recolourable 2 channels, 4 ghibli-themed overlays + one plain swatch (i apologise for the bluriness, there wasnt much i could do), hq textures, pregnancy morph enabled, hlod; 4607 verts, 7547 polys

issues; with some sliders, there will be some issues with the neckline of the shirt, like there were in the picture with elodie as an example. i couldn't fix this, but with normal body types it should be fine.

3. Whisper Dress

fully recolourable 2 channels, maternity-enabled, hq textures, hlod; 3142 verts, 4501 polys

issues; the skirt part of a dress will likely clip and look weird with some poses, i tried to fix it but just couldnt. as well as this, with big boobs, the straps may go all wonky, i couldnt fix this either. and finally, slightly bigger sims or sims with some sliders may find clipping with the straps at the back of the dress. sorry, again i couldn't seem to fix this.

4. Yuko Hat (mesh made by @kerriganhouse )

best with hat sliders, made for hat sliders, fully recolourable 3 channels + 5 custom overlays that may or may not look like shit idk it changes depending on the lighting, hq textures, male + female + teen & elder enabled, hlod; 2579 verts, 5951 polys, i used sketchbookpixels cowboy hat as a base which is why the mlod is that :)

[mrskodzuken]

"He who catches a falling star, oh heartless man..."

Redrew Kenma as the wizard Howl from the 2004 Hayao Miyazaki film, Howl's Moving Castle, for @arlertslove's Studio Ghibli collab. (Screencap references under the cut.) tagging @hanayanetwork @hqlabels @tokyometronetwork

Likes are okay, reblogs are nice, reposts and plagiarism stuff are frowned upon 🥰 | ALL WORKS BY MADKITTYBLOSSOM © 2022

[flurrys-creativity]

Heimat

Heimat (n.) - a place that you can call home; a sense of belongingness, acceptance, safety and connection to homeland

Pairing: Lee Felix (Stray Kids) x GN!Reader x Bang Chan (Stray Kids); Genre: Romance, kinda Shifter AU, kinda Love Corner, Fluff, Angst; Rating: sfw, PG-15; Warnings: incurable illness, coughing, mentions of losing consciousness, hinting at coughing blood, hinting at Totoro being a shinigami (death god), vomiting from coughing, mentions of painkillers, hinting at taking an overdose, hinted death; Wordcount: 9.873; Collab: Ghibli Collab by @daemour based on the movie “My neighbour Totoro”

Summary: After years of living in the big city you moved back to your old little town in the countryside. While being in the familiar area you remember more and more things about your early childhood. Even your imaginary friend Totoro. At least you concluded he was imaginary cause no adult had ever seen him. Until now.

You leaned your head outside the open window of the bus. The wind blew into your face, brushing away some strands of hair. You took a deep breath and closed your eyes. “Just like back then”, you mumbled and a smile played over your lips. The fresh air filled your lungs and brought back a sense of nostalgia.

When you opened your eyes again, you noticed the small houses up ahead and your smile got even wider. “Home sweet home.”

The bus entered a small forest, the shadows immediately cooling the air down. You sat back on the seat and pushed a small button to sign the bus driver you wanted to get off at the next stop. The stop at the end of the small forest.

You grabbed your luggage and stumbled towards the exit, giddy to get out already. You leaned forward and looked through the glass doors. As soon as the bus stop came into sight you nearly squealed out loud.

“It looks just like back then!” You traced your fingertips over the old rusty bus stop sign that tipped a little to one side now. The letters were barely visible, fading away due to time. 

You grabbed your luggage again and walked down the dirt road, skipping every other step. It has been years since you’ve walked down the road and it truly felt like a melody to your feet having an uneven setting instead of the never ending concrete.

You passed large fields of crops, few farmers working on them in the heat of the sun. You waved at them when they looked up with curious faces, not having seen a stranger for quite a long time.

You remembered how they had the same questioning look on their faces almost fifteen years ago, when you first moved into this area with your family. 

Back then your family bought a small house near a large sacred forest, hoping the fresh air and countryside would be a better environment for your health than the smoke filled big city.

You only lived here for some years though, making most of your teenage memories here. Once you turned sixteen your parents moved back to the city and you along with them.

“Is that little Y/N?”

You stopped upon hearing the old, raspy voice and turned around until you saw the person behind it. 

Your face lit up as you dropped your luggage and ran to the old woman. “Nanny! It’s so good to see you!”

“My, you got so tall! How long has it been?” She hugged you tightly despite her almost frail appearance. “What are you doing back here?”

“It’s been way too long!” You folded yourself into the hug, trying to become a little smaller.

“It truly has been. So what are you doing here?” She slightly pushed you away, still holding you at your upper arms to look you up and down with a smile.

“I bought the place we used to live at.” You vaguely pointed into the direction of the old house, shortly glancing there as well.

“What? My, you’re so grown up now.” She squeezed your cheeks. “I’ll send Felix over with some food once he’s back.”

Your eyes widened in surprise upon hearing the familiar name. “Felix? He’s here? Oh my god, I haven’t seen him in years!” As if on cue your head turned around in search of the freckled boy.

She patted your shoulder. “Not right now, sweety. He’ll be later on. I’ll send him to you! You should come over after you settle in. We can talk then. My, you’re so grown up now. Look at you!”

You laughed along with her and hugged her again, promising to visit soon. Even while walking away you turned around every few steps and waved at her with the biggest smile on your face.

“I can’t believe Felix still lives here”, you giggled as you skipped along the road. “What else has stayed the same?” Your eyes wandered around the area, remembering everything from when you were a kid. The little stream where you and Satsuki used to play after hot school days, the little shrine where you had to stand underneath whenever a heavy rainfall surprised you.

You stopped at the small path leading away from the road, taking a deep breath. Your gaze wandered along the road for one more time, remembering that you only needed to pass the sacred forest to get to Satsuki’s place. 

For a second guilt spread through your chest and the corners of your lips turned down. You wondered whether her parents still lived there - or at least the father. You weren’t able to picture Satsuki’s mom, remembering she stayed in a hospital most of the time due to an illness. You remembered how much Satsuki used to worry, wishing for nothing more than her mom to recover and come back.

Not only Satsuki though. Mei used to worry as well, even though she couldn’t express it quite right. After all she had only been four. 

You grabbed your shirt in front of your chest, clenching the material between your fingers. The painful memories you had buried deep down resurfacing again.

Your eyes wandered to the sacred forest while trying to blink away the upcoming tears. Once you settled in you would go and pay a visit to the large tree in the middle of the sacred forest, praying for Satsuki and Mei.

With that thought you turned and walked the small path up to your old home. Your solemn mood quickly got replaced as soon as the small house came into view. 

The colour had faded from the planks, the windows were covered with dust and dirt and the veranda had large piles of leaves littered on it. 

You placed your luggage down and stemmed your hands into your hips, letting your eyes roam over the house and scenery around it. You had a lot of work coming up to get everything clean and repaired again. Still, you smiled upon seeing your old house. “Home, sweet home.”

You brought your luggage to the edge of the veranda before you walked into the house, opening every window and door to fill the rooms with fresh air. After you found a broom you started sweeping the ceiling, getting rid of all the spider webs and dust. It only needed one sweep for you to cough heavily, rushing back out of the house with your hand covering your mouth and nose. You looked back into the house. “That won’t do.”

With a soft glare in your eyes you grabbed a scarf and wrapped it around your lower face, ready to storm back into battle. You grabbed the broom again and continued sweeping. You narrowed your eyes as much as possible, barely seeing anything, just to prevent the dust from falling into your eyes. 

After you swept the ceilings you started to sweep the floors, pushing all the dust and dirt out of your home. It was rather easy to get everything done with no furniture being in the way. You cleaned out the four rooms and the veranda before you walked around the house to get to the kitchen and bathroom. 

With dusty fingers you pushed down the lever of the water pump, waiting several seconds until the water came. You scrunched up your nose, seeing the rusty colour of the water. After a few more pumps though the water turned transparent and you quickly filled a bucket with it. You then grabbed a cloth and dunked it in the water. 

You carried everything back to the main house and placed the bucket in the middle of the living room, taking the cloth out and wringing it, before you wrapped it around the broom, wiping the floors. You did the same with the veranda floors.

Your face twisted slightly when you looked into the murky water bucket, deciding to get new water before you would start cleaning the bath and kitchen.

You were half leaning into the old bathtub when you heard someone calling. You pushed yourself up a little to answer. “Back here!” You didn’t recognise the voice but didn’t worry too much about it, continuing to clean the bathtub.

“This wasn’t a view I expected to see today”, a dark voice snickered. 

You pushed yourself up again, balancing yourself on the edge of the tub, as you turned around to see the person standing in the doorway of the bathroom. You looked the man up and down, feeling he was somehow familiar but with the dim lighting you weren’t too sure about it.

“Long time no see, Y/N.”

Your eyes widened in shock and you immediately dropped everything and scurried over to the man, looking up into his face. “Felix?” As soon as you saw his grin widen, you squealed and pulled him into a tight embrace. “Oh my god! It’s so good to see you!”

He wrapped his arms around your form and pressed you against his body, hugging you just as tight. “Same to you. Haven’t seen you in a decade.”

“God, that makes it sound so long”, you giggled and moved slightly back to look up into his face again. 

“It’s been long.”

“You’re right, you’re right. I know! I was honestly so surprised to hear you’re still living here. Is Kenta still here as well? How about Satsuki’s father?”

“Woah, woah, woah! Slow down.” Felix snickered again and grabbed your hand, pulling you outside towards the veranda.

You noticed the sun setting at the horizon and the breeze feeling cooler than before but you quickly shrugged it off, your attention turning back to Felix, who now sat down on the edge of the veranda. You sat down as well, watching him with big eyes.

“I did move to a nearby city when I turned eighteen”, Felix started to tell you, “but I didn’t like it and came back two years ago. Kenta actually moved out with me. He stayed in the city though. But he visits once or twice a year, mostly during Golden week. About Satsuki’s father - I don’t know. He shortly left after the.. - after you and your parents moved away.”

You nodded solemnly, knowing exactly what Felix actually wanted to say.

“Anyways, I think I’m way more surprised than you when I heard you appeared out of nowhere. What are you doing here?” Felix turned to look at you, quickly changing the topic again.

You smiled at him. “I bought this place.”

“So you’re staying here?” His eyes shone with hope and he moved slightly closer to you.

“That’s the plan at least. The moving truck should arrive here tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, bringing my furniture and more of my things.” You pointed at your luggage with a giggle.

“Ah, then I’ll stop by tomorrow and help you move all that stuff.”

“You don’t have to! I paid the moving company to do that.”

“Don’t turn down my excuse to see you”, Felix laughed and rubbed the back of his neck.

You laughed as well and hid your face against his shoulder. “You don’t need an excuse. I’d love to see you more often.” Your heart rapidly pumped against your ribcage, reliving your crush on him.

When you were twelve you had been playing with Satsuki around the stream and lost your balance, falling into the water. Felix stood above you and offered you his hand back then, looking at you with concern in his eyes. He helped you up and offered you the jacket of his school uniform. Felix even asked you a dozen times whether you were alright and only after you promised him you simply got surprised did he relax again and smiled brightly at you. Back then you compared that smile with the sun, illuminating the day with its rays. That was the moment you knew you had a crush on him.

You looked up at Felix, seeing he was still grinning, now with a light blush over his freckled cheeks. You still thought his smile resembled the sun. Maybe his smile was even brighter than the sun in your opinion. 

You two continued to talk late into the night, until Felix had to leave with a lantern, which he promised to bring back tomorrow. 

You waved him goodbye until you couldn’t see the light of the lantern anymore. You placed both your palms over your chest, feeling your rapid heartbeat for a while. Never did you imagine your body would react so intensely to seeing your teenage crush again.

With all the excitement in your body, you decided to grab the second lantern and continue cleaning the bath, as it was the last room to clean anyway.

Long after midnight did you finish cleaning. Slightly sleep deprived and exhausted from the long day did you fill yet another bucket of water. You grabbed a clean cloth and started washing yourself as much as you could this way. You placed your dirty clothes in the basin, wanting to clean them tomorrow while the sun was up, and continued to rub over your skin with the damp cloth. 

Feeling somewhat refreshed, you walked in your underwear towards the veranda, grabbing your suitcase and picking a simple top to sleep in. You also pulled out a sleeping bag and a sheet you would use as a makeshift mosquito protection.

When you woke up again it was still dark outside. You rubbed your eyes and groaned softly, reluctantly getting out of your sleeping bag. You stretched yourself, feeling and hearing the joints in your back crack. Still hazy from your sleep you stayed in a seated position with your eyes closed contemplating why you even woke up in the first place.

That’s when you heard something like a bead dropping to the floor again. You lifted the sheet and glanced through the darkness. 

The full moon was the only source of light illuminating the veranda and parts of the room in a blue hue.

You saw little shadows scurrying around the edges towards the darkness. Confused and curious, you tilted your head to the side, focusing your attention on the movements.

Before you could make out what you were seeing, the same sound drew your attention to the veranda outside. Intrigued by the sound, you crawled out of your makeshift bed and towards the open veranda door.

Clink - Clink - Clink

You laid down on your stomach and stretched your neck so you could look around the frame. 

Three shadowy figures rummaged through the dried up leaves in front of the veranda. The ones you had swept off the veranda earlier this day. Every now and then the sound appeared again and you noticed they threw something onto the veranda.

You squinted your eyes, trying to make out the things they were throwing onto the wooden surface.

Clink. One of the little things rolled towards the door, stopping right in front of your eyes. You grabbed it out of curiosity, raising it to your face. You twisted and turned the little thing between your fingertips until you realised it was an acorn. 

You looked around the corner again, blinking several times to make sure you weren’t just imagining things. “Little and Middle?”

Back when you were a child Satsuki had told you about the spirits living in the sacred forest. She and Mei used to call them Chibi, Chu and Totoro, meaning Little, Middle and Big Guy. At first you didn’t believe them but when you had a sleep over at Satsuki’s one night and met the spirits yourself you were awed. 

You had thought they were childlike imaginary friends. You even tried to use that explanation to convince yourself later that you never saw them in the first place, refusing to believe in them with Satsuki gone.

The figures stopped moving, two pairs of large eyes now staring at you. They squeaked upon making eye contact and immediately rushed towards the edge of the sacred forest.

“Wait!” You called after them, getting up on your knees and holding the acorn between your fingertips. “Your acorns!” You looked between the thick bushes they had vanished into and the acorns on your veranda. Several seconds passed before you jumped up, grabbed a sock and filled it with the acorns and rushed after the two figures.

You shortly stopped in front of the sacred forest, glancing back over your shoulder to your home. Before you were able to second guess your choice though, you fought your way through the branches.

A small path winded itself through the thicket, a few branches and roots being in the way every now and then. Whenever the ground got especially soft you even saw the footprints of your two visitors, as well as a third set.

You stopped on the path in surprise. These footprints looked human. You crouched down and traced the three prints with your index finger. Two of them resembled large paws, which were likely to be made by Chu and Chibi. Even though they weren’t as small or middle anymore. Their sizes matched a young teenager now. Yet they still looked the same from back then. The human footprint next to them appeared to be from an adult. 

You frowned and looked back up. So far you couldn’t see anything else but plants, trees and bushes. Though with the footprints facing the same direction you were heading, you would probably meet whoever it was soon enough.

After following the path for a little longer you reached the middle of the sacred forest with the largest three towering right above you. 

Your head automatically tipped back to look up to the massive canopy. Only then did you notice dozens of glowing spirits floating through the air, explaining why you were able to see inside of the forest in the middle of the night. Your mouth dropped open in awe and you turned around yourself, taking everything in.

Until your back collided with something behind you. In an attempt to see what it was, you stretched your neck even more, noticing a figure standing right behind you.

Surprised, you turned around to face whoever it was, eyes widening in shock when you saw a person standing right in front of you. At the same time you dropped the sock full of acorns, hearing how they landed on the ground - some of them rolling out of the sock as well. You barely noticed the small spirits rushing around your legs to pick them all up, too focused on the man looking right back at you.

He tilted his head to one side, observing you curiously. His hands were hidden in the pockets of a dark grey hoodie. His eyes wandered from your face down to your bare feet and back up. His gaze lingered for a moment on your chest before he looked back into your eyes, a warm smile spreading over his lips. “You came back.”

Your brows knitted in confusion, your own head tilting to one side as you mustered the young man in front of you. You neither saw him before nor were you able to remember that voice. Which wasn’t a good indicator to begin with, thinking back to Felix’s voice that drastically dropped a whole lot of notes. “I don’t think I know you”, you whispered with an unsure expression painting your face.

The man snickered shortly. “So you don’t remember the spirit of this forest? Or do you just remember a different form of me?”

You squinted your eyes in suspicion, looking once over again, but only after he grabbed his hood and placed it over his head, showcasing two large ears and a wide toothy grin printed on it, did your memories connect the dots. You gasped in surprise and took a step towards him, glancing up into his face hidden underneath his large hood. “Totoro?”

He snickered again. “That’s what you guys used to call me, right? I am pretty big, I’ll admit that, but you can call me Chan.” He pulled the hood back down from his head and stuffed his hands back into the pockets. “Long time no see.”

You pointed at him and vaguely waved your hand around, stuttering some nonsense until he grabbed your hands and squeezed them with a large grin. “I could have sworn you weren’t human”, you mumbled, feeling the heat spreading all over your face.

“Technically I am not human”, Chan teased you, wiggling with his eyebrows before he continued to speak, “but you are right. I changed my form. I can change it to any form I like and I often choose the one most needed.” 

“So I need a guy now?”

Chan laughed loudly, throwing his head back in amusement. “I would have said you needed someone to be there for you, to listen to your worries, to help you out when needed. Stuff like that.”

“That’s very kind of a spirit?” 

“What can I say”, Chan still grinned at you, “I am a pretty good guardian. Let me walk you back to your house.” 

With that he let go of one of your hands, intertwining your fingers on the other one, as he walked down the path you had used earlier. The whole walk back Chan talked to you and asked you questions, making you feel comfortable and safe. He even promised to visit you the next night, so you wouldn’t have to walk through the cold to meet him again, telling you it wasn’t good for your health to be that reckless. You simply rolled your eyes, telling him he wasn’t the first one to say that to you.

For a moment you felt something like sadness wafting off of Chan but before you could pick it up for sure it vanished again. Instead he pulled you into a hug and ushered you then back inside your house, before he disappeared in the blink of an eye.

When you woke up the next morning you were quite sure that you simply dreamt all of it last night, thinking your nostalgia tried messing with your head.

Yet every time you found an acorn while checking the rooms again before all your furniture arrived, you storaged them in a sock again

“Hey! Y/N! I brought your stuff!”

You looked up from the book you read on the veranda, smiling brightly when you saw Felix followed by a bunch of workers, carrying your furniture and boxes. You got up from your spot and hopped down on the ground, widening your arms for Felix to hug you tightly. You snickered and coughed softly when he held onto you a little too strong.

“Sorry. My bad.”

“It’s alright”, you waved him off and turned to the workers. “Please just place the stuff on the veranda. I'm gonna do the rest from then on.”

The workers followed your instruction, bringing more boxes and furniture on their next three stops, announcing afterwards that was all.

You thanked them over and over again for their quick work, waving them off when they left. 

“You want to get all this into your house alone?” Felix crossed his arms in front of his chest and switched looking between you and the furniture. “Isn’t that a little too heavy?”

You laughed and shook your head, hitting his shoulder playfully. “I’m not carrying it all at once, dummy.”

He only raised one eyebrow but didn’t question your decision further. “If you need help just tell me, okay? I know you just came back, but I don’t want you to overwork yourself now.”

You stepped next to him and leaned your head against his shoulder, hugging him slightly. “Thanks for the offer. It’s gonna be alright though.”

Felix immediately wrapped his arms around you as well. “You always say that. Even back then. Only for you to break down because you tried too hard.”

“I was a kid back then”, you whined and hid your face from him. Not that you were any better now, but you didn’t need to tell him that. Instead you diverted his attention, proposing to him that you could make lunch for the both of you. 

It felt slightly ridiculous sitting between all the boxes on the veranda, yet you wouldn’t want to change a thing. Sitting there with Felix and listening to him talk about his time, was the best you could ask for. It never really occurred to you over the years but you definitely missed being around him - despite your cheeks already hurting from smiling too much.

After lunch Felix tried to insist on helping you, saying he could call his work and take some time off for you, but you reassured him you’d be alright, waving him off until he was out of sight.

As soon as you were alone again you sat back down, taking a few deep breaths. The last one and a half days had been eventful and you finally noticed how exhausted you actually felt. All the new impressions needed a lot more energy than before.

You looked over the boxes, feeling how the rest of your little energy slowly vanished as well. Why did you have so much stuff again? You sighed deeply before you got up once more, grabbing the first box and carrying it inside the house. 

After all of your boxes stood inside the right rooms, the sun set once more. You turned on your small lanterns and sat down on your plush chair that still stood on your veranda.

You coughed lightly and leaned back against the headrest, gazing up into the sky. A few clouds chased each other through the ever darkening sky. “Hopefully it won’t rain until tomorrow”, you mumbled and closed your eyes, sighing deeply. Carrying boxes definitely took its toll on your stamina. You pulled your legs up on the chair and moved slightly around until you felt comfortable in the small space. 

Disoriented, you woke up again and looked around with half lidded eyes. 

“Hello sleepy head”, a soft voice greeted you, “long day, huh?”

You turned your head until you spotted Chan, standing in your doorway. He closed your door and came over to you, crouching in front of your chair. You sat up and blinked several times, feeling slightly confused. “Wha-, When, I, uh, how?”

Chan grinned up to you and sat back down on the veranda, leaning back on his hands. “You fell asleep on that chair. Took me a while to find a blanket for you.”

You looked down and noticed the blanket, mumbling a little “oh”, before you looked back up at Chan. “Thank you.”

“No problem. You need to take better care of yourself though. Especially when you’re on your own.” 

“Not you too”, you whined and leaned back again, pulling the blanket up over your head. Only after you heard him snicker, did you peak out from underneath it, slightly grinning upon seeing his toothy smile and half moon eyes. 

“Moving on! I hope you’re happy with the placements of your furniture. I’m sorry if they got a little soot on them but the little soot sprites tried their best to keep them as clean as possible. You wanna check it out?” Instead of jumping up and offering you a hand to pull you up as well, Chan stayed seated on the ground. He simply looked up at you and waited for your response, as if he sensed how weak you currently felt.

You didn’t like to show your weaknesses. Most people immediately tried to overpower you or showed you pity, which you hated more than being overpowered. Even though you knew neither Felix nor Chan were the types to pity or overpower you, you were damn sure they would try to help you out wherever they could, meaning you wouldn’t have to move a muscle anymore. And not doing anything would drive you crazy sooner or later - probably sooner.

“Why did you guys move the stuff into the house? I would have done it tomorrow.” You frowned, feeling confused and helpless as you noticed all the missing furniture. “I, I don’t know what to say.”

Chan only shrugged with his shoulders. “You seemed exhausted and the soot sprites were ecstatic, knowing you came back. They wanted to surprise you.” 

In that moment a dozen little black balls rushed towards Chan, jumping around him and making high pitched sounds.

“Why does it feel like they aren’t agreeing with you?” Your mouth pursed in amusement, watching the soot sprites jump around even more. “And why does it feel like I just hit bull’s eye with my question?”

Chan laughed loudly and shooed them away, mumbling something about not embarrassing him in front of others. 

You watched them with endearment. The soot sprites jumped around him once more before they scurried away into the shadows, leaving you and Chan alone again. “I really thought meeting you was a dream.”

“Do you still think I’m part of a dream?”

You hummed softly, tapping with your index finger on your chin. “Not too sure.” You snickered shortly, when Chan clutched his hoodie right over his heart and gasped loudly. “I just woke up, feeling totally disoriented again. I’m not sure I actually woke up.”

“I’m just as real as the moon above us or the mist wafting through the grass. Here, take my hand.” Chan leaned forward and stretched out his arm, offering you his hand. He waited patiently, ignoring your questioning gaze all together.

You bit on your lower lip, suddenly being afraid everything would turn into smoke if you actually tried touching him.

“You did hold my hand yesterday”, Chan reminded you.

“Actually you grabbed my hand. This time it’s completely different!” Before Chan could answer your ridiculous statement though, you shut your eyes and reached forward, placing your hand in his.

He carefully drew circles on the back of your hand with his rough fingertips. The sensation of his touch sent tingles and sparks through your body until you shivered in delight.

“I might just believe you’re real”, you whispered with a smile on your lips, still refusing to open your eyes. That was until you heard Chan moving closer to you and placing his head on your lap and your hand on it, while he hugged your legs. You ran your fingers through his locks and opened your eyes again, looking down to your lap. “Okay, I definitely believe you’re real.”

Both of you laughed quietly and neither of you tried to change your positions, relishing in the comfort that surrounded you.

“Can I expect your visits every night from now on?” You shortly glanced down at Chan again before you looked over the fields surrounding your home, watching some fireflies dancing across the grass.

“As long as you live here.”

You hummed softly. “I should build something comfortable for the both of us when we continue to stay out here during future nights.”

“Who says I’m not comfortable”, Chan mumbled with closed eyes, relaxing from your gentle ministrations. “I could stay like this forever. If it weren’t for the approaching sunrise.” Chan sighed deeply and got up, dusting off his pants despite them being clean. He looked down at you with an almost rueful smile.

“Can’t wait to see you again tomorrow”, you offered him. You stood up yourself, ready to see him off, when your vision suddenly went black. Out of habit you aimlessly let your hand move around, searching for a counter or anything to lean on before you could actually fall. You felt your body losing its balance more than seeing it. 

You braced yourself mentally for hitting the floor but instead you got caught and pulled against a sturdy chest. You clung to him until your vision finally returned, waiting a few more seconds to make sure you wouldn’t just crash down again.

“Remember to take it slow.” 

“Remembering stuff and taking it slow are both not my strong suits.” You joked and stepped away from Chan, immediately yearning for his touch again. “But I promise I’ll try to do better.” 

With that promise you waved Chan off, watching how he disappeared within the thicket of the sacred forest.

~~~

Weeks passed ever since you moved to your old home. Felix and Chan visited you daily and it became quite amusing to you that they never met each other so far. Still, you enjoyed both their company, your heart always pounding stronger than ever when they were around.

After all this time you finally got everything you needed to build a porch swing, having enough of only being able to sit on some pillows whenever you got visitors. Sure, you could simply go inside and sit at a table but as long as the weather allowed it, you liked to stay outside as much as possible. Hence the porch swing.

You moved around, trying different spots for the swing and checking whether it would hit something as soon as you’d hang it. Once you finally found the perfect spot, you got your ladder and began to drill a hole into one of the wooden joists above your veranda. You got back down and moved your ladder to the other side, repeating the process. Sweat slowly ran down your spine and temple, letting some strands of hair stick to your skin.

With the holes drilled into the wood you got back down from the ladder to get the hooks, climbing back up and installing them.

You stopped counting how often you climbed on the ladder and back down again, after the third time adjusting the height of the swing. You counted every ring of the chain and hung it up to the hook, climbing down to do the same on the other side, climbing down yet again to sit on the swing and decide whether the height was good enough or not.

You stopped on top of the ladder, about to adjust the height one last time, when you felt your lungs constricting painfully. Your fingers clung to the ladder, knuckles turning white from the force, when you started coughing heavily. The ladder shook dangerously underneath you.

It took everything within you to get down from the ladder while coughing. Right as you placed one foot on the veranda, you shook hard from a deep cough, pushing the ladder away. It landed with a loud thud, the metall ringing uncomfortable in your ears, while you got down on your knees and hands.

Your whole body shuddered and started to writhe in pain as you tasted iron on your tongue. You pressed one hand against your chest, hoping to suppress the coughing somehow.

“Y/N!” The deep voice of Felix reached your ears, the panic evident in his tone. “What’s wrong? What happened?” He clumsily dropped down next to you, his hands hovering above your body unsure what to do. 

“It’s. al- right”, you told him between coughs, “I. just. choked. on. my. spit.” 

“Are you sure?”

You nodded, trying to get control over your body again. When the coughing finally subdued, you nearly slumped down if it weren’t for Felix catching you.

He pulled you close against his body and hoisted you up on his arms, carrying you to your bed and placing you on the soft mattress. 

The second your head hit your pillows, the exhaustion took over your body and you drifted off. When you woke up again your limbs felt as if they were attached to several tons of weight, making it especially hard to move around.

“You scared the living shit out of me”, Felix whispered, catching your attention.

You turned your head around until you saw him on a chair right next to your bed, holding your hand with his. “I’m sorry”, you croaked, face twisting in pain from your sore throat.

Felix immediately handed you a glass of water, helping you take a few sips before he placed it on the night stand again. “I remember you told us once that your parents moved here in hopes to improve your health.” Felix stared directly into your eyes, searching them for an answer to his unspoken question. “You’re back because of that.” 

You smiled sadly. “It does seem like that, doesn’t it?” 

“What happened?” 

“Nothing really”, you reassured him and patted his hand. “I’m just too dumb to breathe.” 

“I don’t believe that.” Felix said sternly, his eyebrows furrowing from disbelief.

“True, I was too dumb swallowing. That’s what caused it all.”

“Stop joking! This looked a lot more serious! You’re important to me! I can’t just stand by and do nothing when you’re obviously sick.” Felix cried out, tears brimming at the edges of his eyes.

You pushed yourself up, despite the numbness being replaced by dull pain. “I am alright.” You opened your arms and silently offered Felix a hug, smiling to yourself when he lurched into your arms, hiding his face in the crook of your neck, tears now running freely down his cheeks and onto your shoulder. 

“Always worrying about others”, you whispered softly and rubbed his back, “just like back then. It reminds me of the day I fell in love with you.” 

Felix tensed in your arms and you did as well as soon as you realised what you just blurted out without thought. Felix straightened until he looked right into your eyes, his focus switching between the right and left one. The tips of his ears turned red as he slowly leaned forward, gaze dropping ever so often to your lips.

Before you knew it you had your arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him closer, kissing him as if your life depended on it.

Felix crawled over you, wrapping one arm around your body to pull you against him while he leaned on his other, making sure not to crush you with his weight. “I was heartbroken when you and your parents moved away”, he mumbled between kisses, “you have no idea how excited I felt when I heard you were back. It felt like a second chance.”

“You never told me.”

“Neither did you.” His hand slowly glided over your body, resting at your hip where it played with the hem of your shirt, his fingertips brushing your bare skin underneath it ever so often. 

“I thought you liked someone else”, you admitted breathlessly, arching your back and throwing your head back to give Felix more access to your throat and collar.

“Never.” He kissed along your bare skin, nibbling at it every now and then, eliciting soft moans out of your mouth. “It has always been you.” His hand slipped underneath your shirt, fingertips ghosting over your skin there until you shivered from the light contact. “Your laugh, your eyes, the way you talk or move, how you tried to count my freckles numerous times, the way your hand felt in mine, every time you ran up to me and jumped into my arms. I fell in love with you every second we spent together. Even right now. I’m falling in love with the way your hair spreads on the pillow, the way your lips are glossy from our kisses, the way you look at me from underneath, the way it feels to touch you, the way it feels when your hands are touching me. Everything makes me go crazy for you.”

“I,” you gasped and grabbed his hand, noticing how your breath became uneven from his ministrations. 

“I don’t think I can continue watching you overwork yourself. I wouldn’t forgive myself if my ignorance would cause you harm.” With that Felix dropped down on the mattress next to you, wrapping his arms and legs around you and pulling you close to his body. 

You turned around and snuggled up to his chest, smiling softly. “Don’t take the responsibility from me. I’m a grown adult. Nobody but me is responsible for my well being.”

“If you’re out cold you need someone to help you though.” He squeezed you gently, brushing strands of hair out of your face.

“And you’re offering to be that someone?” You asked cheekily, running one finger across his chest.

“If you’ll accept me.” Felix kissed your forehead, before he placed his chin on the crown of your head. 

“Of course.” You closed your eyes as a few more coughs rippled through your body. “I’d like that very much.” 

Soon enough the both of you fell asleep in each other's arms, snoring softly deep into the night.

You stirred on your bed, the heat you felt becoming almost overwhelming. It took you a while to remember why you felt so hot in the first place. You immediately smiled again as you opened your eyes and saw Felix sleeping soundly next to you. He still had his limbs wrapped around you, holding you tightly against his body. You traced his cheekbones with your fingertip, contemplating turning on the light so you could see his freckles, but you quickly decided against it.

Instead you wriggled yourself out of his hold and stood up, grabbing a light cardigan and throwing it over before you walked out to your veranda. Before you even opened the door, you noticed the familiar silhouette sitting on your swing.

A soft melody reached your ear when you opened your door and silently tiptoed towards him. 

“How are you feeling?” Chan suddenly asked, his head turning to you.

A pout formed on your lips, disappointed you weren’t able to scare him with your arrival. Though it turned quickly into a soft smile when he patted the swing right next to him, offering you a seat. “I’m alright”, you answered him as you sat down, immediately scooting closer to him, seeking his warmth during the almost chilly night.

“Is that so?”

You sighed and leaned your head on his shoulder. “I’m better now. There are good days and days I try to ignore as much as possible.”

“And today was a day like that?”

“Not really.” You hummed in thought. There was still a tightness in your lungs and you could still feel how your lungs tried fighting against something invisible. You knew for damn sure there was nothing in your lungs but it still felt like something made its way inside and tried disrupting your breathing. It felt like embers burning in the depths of your lungs, ready to burst and catch on fire at any given time.

Sometimes when you choked on your spit or when you had a hiccup, those embers would fire up, leaving you a coughing mess for hours and sometimes even days. Usually it was a few coughs here and there but occasionally something like today happened, where your lungs constricted so hard that you were close to seeing stars.

“I want to ignore the incident this afternoon but otherwise it was a good day. I even got this swing up for us!” You grinned and patted on the wood underneath you, a sense of pride filling your chest.

Chan looked at the swing and every little detail of it. “Really? That’s incredible!” He then looked at you, locking eyes. “You can be proud of yourself. It must have been quite a challenge.” Chan wrapped an arm around your shoulder and pulled you closer against him, gently cuddling with you. “I also feel honoured you did this for us. I wouldn’t have minded to sit on the floor each night though.”

“But I minded it”, you scoffed and pulled your legs over his lap, snuggling into his embrace. 

You stilled for a second as your heart suddenly stung and your thoughts wandered to Felix, who still slept soundly in your bed. Yet you felt at ease with Chan next to you. It was a different kind of ease from the one you felt with Felix but just as strong. 

You tilted your head back to look at Chan’s profile. Your eyes wandered over his fluffy hair, to his dark eyes, his big nose, his seemingly soft lips and his contradicting sharp jawline. As if your body had a mind on its own, you raised your hand and traced his jaw with a finger, smiling softly and cupping his cheek when he looked at you.

You loved Felix, adored him even but at the same time you loved Chan as well. 

Chan’s grip on you tightened and he slowly leaned closer, his breath now fanning over your skin. His large hand and fingers splayed over your neck, pulling you closer to him as well. His gaze shifted between your eyes and your lips.

You felt his lips brush over yours but instead of sealing the kiss, he changed directions and kissed your forehead instead.

“It’s not time yet”, he mumbled and brushed his nose along your temple, jaw and neck.

“What do you mean?” You pouted again and leaned your head against his chest, closing your eyes as you listened to his heartbeat. “Are there rules you have to follow because you’re a spirit and I’m a human?”

Chan sighed deeply. “Something like that.”

“Can you explain it to me?”

“I’m not sure. It’s complicated”, he sighed again, “but I promise you I’ll kiss you one day.”

You snickered and hit his chest playfully, before nuzzling your face against his hoodie. “Don’t say something like that. It’s embarrassing.”

“Oh ho? I can be even more embarrassing if you want me to!”

“That wasn’t a challenge”, you whined and curled into yourself, hiding away from Chan so he wouldn’t see your large smile.

“Alright, alright, I’ll go easy on you for tonight.” With that Chan pulled you onto his lap and wrapped his arms around you. He placed his chin on top of your head and started swinging back and forth, using his foot to control the pace.

You two stayed like this until the dark blue night sky slowly turned purple, red and orange. You knew what that meant and yet you still prayed silently for Chan to stay even after sunrise.

“It’s time”, he murmured softly and pressed a kiss to the crown of your head. “You should go back inside so you wouldn’t worry Felix once he wakes up.”

Your eyes widened in surprise upon him mentioning Felix, since you hadn’t brought the topic up. 

Chan grinned slightly when he saw your surprised expression. “I can hear him”, he answered your unspoken question. “I’m glad you found a human companion.”

“You’re not angry?”

“Why should I? Part of you is still mine.” He grinned mischievously and nibbled at your neck. “I’ll share, but only because I know he’s a good kid.”

You snickered and hid your face in his shoulder. “So you do remember him from back then.”

“Sure thing. It’s a shame he isn’t able to see me anymore.”

“He’s not?” You looked back up, tilting your head in confusion. “Why am I able to see you then?”

“You’re special.” Chan kissed the tip of your nose and pulled you down from his lap, standing up and stretching his limbs. “Take care of yourself.”

You watched him leave through the open field and into the sacred forest, disappearing out of your sight after he passed the first few branches. You longingly gazed towards that spot, rocking on the swing mindlessly.

Until two arms wrapped themselves around your upper body from behind and Felix snuggled his face against your neck with a soft sigh. “You’re up early”, he mumbled, still half asleep, “how’re you feeling?”

“I’m good”, you answered him, raising one hand to his soft hair and playing with it. “I was just thinking about the past. Do you remember Totoro?”

Felix hummed softly and for a short moment you even thought he fell asleep on your shoulder before he piped up again. “Yeah, we used to think he lived in that forest, right?” Felix rounded the swing and sat down on it, pulling you close against himself and hugging you tightly again. “I think Satsuki said he was the guardian of the forest?”

“Do you remember seeing him?”

“Wasn’t Mei the only one seeing him? I thought we all played along, just for her.”

You nodded shortly, guessing becoming an adult also meant finding reasonable explanations for your childish fantasies. “What if he’s real?”

Felix rocked the swing back and forth, thinking about your question. “Well,” he started and a soft smile grew on his lips, “if he’s real, I hope he won’t just guard the forest but its neighbour as well.”

You leaned into Felix and cuddled up to him, smiling too as you nodded your head. You knew full well that Chan was looking after you.

~~~

The time flew by and the long sunny days became colder and shorter. A harsh wind blew over the fields and you had started to repair spots of your house that weren’t completely water- and windproof. 

Both Felix and Chan had been chiding you whenever they caught you working too much but you always waved it off, feeling completely fine. After all, you were able to dance around with Chan at night before both of you were too exhausted and sat down on the porch swing, or played around with Felix during the day where you ran around and laughed until either of you were able to breathe properly. So doing some light work didn’t feel straining at all.

You just finished preparing dinner, knowing Felix would arrive at any moment after his workday, when you suddenly started coughing again. You grabbed the door frame with one hand and pressed the other on your chest, desperately trying to get a hold of yourself again. Instead the frequency and the force behind the coughs just increased. You leaned forward, about to drop to your knees, when an especially hard cough clutched your insides strongly enough to let stomach acid rise up to your mouth.

Panicked, you let go of the door frame and stumbled outside. You pressed one hand on your mouth, hoping you could reach the bathroom in time. Instead another cough forced itself through your body, letting you drop to your knees in the grass and hurling your insides out. Tears sprung into your eyes as your stomach continued to pump acid out into the open, only interrupted by heavy coughs.

Small whimpers escaped your lips when you noticed through your blurry vision how some red was mixed into your vomit. Your ears were ringing and your whole body shook from exhaustion, barely letting you stay in that kneeling position.

“Try to breathe”, a soothing voice told you, while a warm hand rubbed over your back and another pulled strands of your hair back.

You whimpered again, relieved someone was by your side. “I have medicine in my night stand”, you said shakily, hoping the usual cough medicine would do the trick.

The person hummed behind you, before they pulled you up and guided you to the bathroom. “Felix is calling for a doctor. I’m afraid your medicine won’t work the way you’re hoping it would. I suggest we clean yourself up a little, get you to your bed and hear what the doctor has to say after he checks on you.”

You stumbled alongside that person, half carried to be more precise. For the first time you looked up and saw Chan, who grimly stared ahead of you, guiding you towards the bathroom. “How does Felix know I need a doctor?”

“I told him.”

“How?”

Chan shook his head and shortly looked down at your questioning expression. “You shouldn’t worry about that now. I have my ways, that’s all you need to know.”

You nodded shortly, dropping the topic when the exhaustion overwhelmed you again. You were more than thankful that Chan helped you clean up as much as possible, wiping your face and neck, cleaning your hands and helping you to brush your teeth. He then carried you back out and to your bedroom, placing you on the mattress and pulling the sheets over your form. You lost consciousness the minute your head hit the pillow.

The next time you woke up again, was when Felix and the doctor silently mumbled in one corner of the room. 

You turned your head and tried to locate them properly with bleary eyes. Once your vision became sharper, you noticed Chan standing near the window, silently listening to the conversation, before you turned to look at Felix. You were about to call out to him when another heavy cough disrupted your peace. You rolled on one side and leaned over your bed, clasping your shirt and silently begging to make the coughing stop.

Felix was immediately next to you, holding you and gently rubbing your back until you stopped coughing and rolled to your previous position again. 

The doctor stepped forward, clearing his throat and addressing you. “I’m afraid…”

“I know”, you interrupted him with a sigh, closing your eyes in annoyance when another coughing fit started just from that. Once you calmed down again, you tried speaking again. “It’s only getting worse from now on.”

“I assume you visited another doctor before you came here?”

You simply nodded to answer his question, too tired to actually recall your last doctor’s visit. It was enough knowing that your illness was incurable and that you were dragging out the inevitable.

“So you knew?” Felix asked you, unshed tears making his voice shaky. 

You turned to look at him, raising your hand to wipe away the tears that made it past his waterline. “I’m sorry.” 

He vigorously shook his head, having trouble accepting the truth. “There must be something! Maybe if we check with some alternative medicine?”

“Felix”, you softly interrupted him, catching his eyes with yours, “it’s going to be alright. Let us just enjoy the time we have together.”

“I can leave you some painkillers behind”, the doctor spoke up, rummaging through his case already, “there is not much else that I can do.”

“Thanks.”

Felix accepted the small bottle and placed it on the nightstand for you, shortly excusing himself to guide the doctor back out and towards the main road.

Once you couldn’t hear their voices anymore, you turned to look at Chan, patiently waiting for him to say anything.

“Are you in pain right now?”

You shook your head. “Not more than usual.”

“It happened quite suddenly, didn’t it?” Chan looked out of the window, following the silhouettes of Felix and the doctor with his eyes.

“Not really. It comes and goes. This was just an especially extreme phase.” You swallowed, dread started to fill your chest and for the first time since you came here, you actually felt fear. You weren’t afraid of the outcome, not really, but the path from now on scared you. Losing control like that mixed with the pain you felt while coughing and knowing it only got worse, scared you beyond comparison. 

As if Chan sensed your fear he came over to you, sitting beside you and rubbing softly over your leg. “You’ve got the medicine to ease it”, he whispered and offered you a hug, which you willingly accepted. “I promise you won’t suffer.”

“That’s quite a huge task you burdened yourself with.”

“I’m sure Felix is going to say the same in a few minutes.”

As if on cue the young man stormed back into your room, staring at you with wide eyes and breathing heavily. He only calmed down again when you patted the mattress next to you, waiting for him to crawl into the bed. Felix almost carefully laid down beside you, afraid anything he did could worsen your condition.

“As long as you’re not starting an open fire right next to me, nothing you’ll do will hurt me.”

Chan stood up to give you some room, smiling sadly when he saw how timidly Felix took his place, shaking like a leaf when you leaned against him and tried to relax. “Spend some time with him. I’ll see you again.” With that he leaned down and kissed your forehead, leaving you and Felix behind as he walked out of the room.

Felix hugged you gently, caressing your upper arm with one hand and leaning his chin on the crown of your head. “We should probably rest”, he mumbled, noticing how the adrenaline wore off and tiredness took over his body.

“Yeah.”

Surprisingly both of you fell asleep after whispered ‘I love yous’ and shared kisses. The dread you had felt before slowly disappeared while you stayed in his arms, letting you sleep peacefully.

You woke up again in the middle of the night, feeling like someone was stabbing into your lungs over and over again. You rolled out of Felix’ embrace and grabbed the bottle with the painkillers, swallowing some of them dry. A violent tremble ran through your whole body and you knew you had to drink something to get rid of that unpleasant feeling.

Silently you tiptoed out of the room, after you kissed Felix once more, smiling softly when you saw his sleeping face. You clutched your hands together and pressed both of them against your chest as you walked through the darkness of your house.

Even after you reached the porch and the moonlit night helped you to see your surroundings, did you keep your hands close to your chest. Somehow the pressure soothed your mind into thinking you had the coughs under control, ignoring the fact that you couldn’t control them at all.

“Water?” Chan stood at the end of the porch and held a glass of water out to you, looking at you attentively. 

You silently thanked him and eagerly gulped the cool liquid down. “I should place a can full of water and a glass on my nightstand from now on.”

“I can do that. You should sit down and rest some more.” Chan pointed at the swing and waited shortly until you moved towards it, before he left to prepare the water. Once he was done, he sat down next to you, pulling you into his lap again and rocking the swing back and forth.

“I’m going to miss this”, you mumbled and snuggled against Chan’s firm chest, “just being out here with you.”

“With a bunch of blankets we can continue to meet here. Even when it’s colder.”

You sighed and closed your eyes, feeling as if you couldn’t keep them open for too long. “Soon enough I’ll be bedridden and not able to do anything at all.”

Chan gently placed his thumb on your chin and raised your head, waiting for you to open your eyes and look at him directly. His hand moved from your chin to your cheek, cupping it gently, while his eyes switched between yours and your lips. He ever so slowly leaned forward, his breath fanning over your skin.

Despite your sleepiness your heart skipped a beat when his lips brushed against yours. Your eyelids fluttered shut and you involuntarily held your breath.

“I promised you, I won’t let you suffer.” Chan mumbled against your lips, sealing them right afterwards and holding you tightly against his form.

© all rights reserved

Taglist: @xavi-in-kpopland​

[limjaeseven]

Flying to You

Pairing: Kun X Ten

Genre: Angst, Romance, WW2!au

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 4,191

Summary: Kun has dreamt of flying high among the clouds all his life. Things take a turn though, when the war breaks out and he's forced to leave his own plane for a fighter jet.

Warning(s): Major character death, implied smut, mention of war related casualties, mention of corporal punishment

[a/n]: Written as part of the Ghibli Collab hosted by the one and only @toikiii. Thanks for proof reading this, dae! This fic was inspired by the movie 'The Wind Rises'.

Travelling to London was not something Kun had ever thought he’d get the opportunity to do. The trip was slow but it gave the man enough time to ponder over his plight.

Kun had grown up in a small village, where his main form of entertainment was a book about planes that his uncle had brought for him from the city. He spent his waking hours memorising every word in the book, engraving the drawings in his brain, and spent those he slept dreaming of flying those beautiful machines high in the air.

He was never alone on these fantastic adventures, there’d always be a lady by his side, some twenty years of age, one he’d never seen before. “Concentrate, Kun, your focus is drifting. One mistake and it’s a one way ticket to hell, you know that,” she’d remind him when he’d let himself get lost in the scenery around him.

Kun knew he was dreaming, but those dreams felt so real, sometimes he wondered if he was wrong about the difference between reality and his imagination. There was always a feeling of disappointment when he’d wake up, waiting for the moment he could go back and enjoy the open fields and vast oceans from the sky.

Kun’s father wasn’t the nicest man he knew but he did fund his education without qualms, which he could never be grateful enough for. Getting an engineering degree wasn’t easy, but he managed to get through it. His dream of flying only became greater as he studied, having gotten the opportunity to actually see some in real life and study them.

His actual opportunity didn’t come until two years after he’d graduated, when one of his co-workers shared that he knew the owner of a private airfield who gave lessons. The fees were exorbitant, and despite saving every penny Kun could, it wasn’t enough. He felt bad asking his mom, but she only smiled, spoke to his dad and returned with the money he needed.

“Hands go there and there,” The instructor showed him on the third day of training. He’d run him down on all the basics on the days prior, and was actually showing Kun how to put that knowledge to practice. The cockpit was small, barely enough for the two of them, but without even having left the ground, Kun felt at home.

Once they’d completed a tour of the plane, the instructor told him to hop in, promising him his first ride. Kun could feel himself buzzing as he sat down behind the man, fastening himself into the seat and bracing himself for what was to come.

The taxiing process was nerve-wracking, as Kun felt every hair on his body stand on end. The instructor threw him a thumbs up to signal that they were taking off before the plane began picking up speed. The feeling of his body being forced into his seat was grounding to Kun as the plane left the tarmac, pushing them full speed forward into the vast skies.

Kun has his eyes glued to the window that showed the world outside shrink rapidly. The clouds felt tangible for the first time in his life, not mere swathes of white painted on the endless horizon. He could barely process the words his instructor spoke, his mind trying to make sure this wasn’t another dream.

When it was time to land, Kun wished he could stay up in the air forever. He swore in that moment to spend every spare moment of his life doing this, regardless of what came in his way. Work would fly by as he thought of himself in that cockpit again, this time with his hands on the controls, floating through the air. His instructor could see the passion in his eyes and kept it burning as he guided Kun through his training, and before he knew it, Kun had a licence.

Flying became an escape for Kun after that, when work was hard or he was missing his mother, he would rush to the airbase to pull a helmet on his head and set off into the infinite skies above him. Things were fine for a while, the dreams of flying had ceased because Kun was able to fulfil them in his waking hours, but then all hell broke loose.

Everyone knew the war was impending but it still surprised people when it finally broke out. The military was conscripting able-bodied men and Kun knew his father would never forgive him if he didn’t serve, so he was amongst the first to enrol in the wartime efforts. Basic training was short and brutal, a cruelly abridged regimen to get the men into shape and out onto the battlefield.

Training had sucked the life out of Kun, but he knew that this was where he was supposed to be. His father may not have been the nicest man he knew, but he was deeply patriotic, and had instilled a sense of responsibility in Kun, one that made him strive for the betterment of those around him.

By the end of the month, he was going through one evaluation after the next, before he was redirected to the air squadron as a consequence of his licence. The deployment was quick to come, the war was evolving rapidly and men were needed in London, where the British had developed jets that could help the Allies in the war.

The trip to London from Hong Kong was long and nerve wracking, men packed like sardines in the back of a large plane. There was no communication with the outside world in those hours they spent between stops, and the atmosphere was too sombre to say much during. They would only be able to tune into the radio while the plane refuelled, a few quiet hours of listening to the worsening conditions and climbing body counts.

Kun didn’t get to see much of London before he was whisked away to the Royal Air force's base. He was with a team of nine other men, the best Hong Kong had to offer. They were shown planes of iron and steel, war machines meant to annihilate populations with a few well placed bombs. They were to fly it into Germany, an act of retaliation against the increasing violence on their part.

Kun sat down on the bunk assigned to him at night, hours after the briefing of their mission, wondering what he was doing. All he had wanted was to fly to escape from the world below him, not to hurt people. He wished he could go back to the air field back home and enjoy the peace of the green fields and infinite skies again.

That night, he dreamt again, just like he did when he was younger. He was sitting in the cockpit of his plane with the same lady behind him, now a little older, her sharp eyes making sure he was flying properly. Out of nowhere, he found himself speaking something he’d surprisingly never wondered. “What’s your name?” He asked.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” she said with a hearty chuckle. Kun didn’t have the time to ruminate on that comment, he had to keep his eyes in front of him.

It was after they’d landed that he spoke to him again. They were sitting on the ground in the grass, their helmets next to them. “I know you’re worried about what you’re doing, but you have to take a call, Kun,” she said, “In war, you either have conviction, or you run away.”

When he awoke, warm sunlight was streaking out of the window, his bunkmate still asleep above him. He left the room to find the mess and have something to eat. Their training with the new jets would begin soon, the final mission just over a month away. His English was good enough to be able to communicate with the British officers, and they led him down to the dining room.

That’s when he saw her, his eyes blowing wide at the sight of familiar short hair and sharp eyes. “Ms Lee, this is Kun Qian, one of your trainees,” the officer introduced before turning to Kun, “Mr Qian, Ms Hazel Ying Lee will be guiding you through your upcoming mission.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Hazel spoke, extending her hand to Kun. He returned the gesture, trying his best not to look too flustered. It was weird standing in front of the woman who had guided him for so many years and have her not know who he was. She asked him to join her for breakfast, which he did, and enjoyed an amicable conversation with her.

“Kun, things are going to get tough from here, not only physically, but emotionally as well. You’re clearly not a military man, so war isn’t something you were trained for. I suggest spending your free time in the city, enjoying what is left while it lasts.” Hazel was just like she was in his dreams, just as fierce and just as wise. Training under her was harsh, but the end result was far better than what Kun could have anticipated. Flying with Hazel was always a challenge, her sharp eyes ready to point out the smallest mistake he made.

He did take her advice though, and started to spend his free time exploring the city. He visited cafes and spent afternoons reading by the river, the atmosphere calm till he was brought back to reality by loud air raid sirens which made him run for cover.

It was in the evening, one week after he first arrived in London, that he saw him. He was standing by the fountain in a big park where Kun was taking a walk. His dark hair sat prettily over his forehead, plain white shirt tucked neatly into a pair of trousers, leather belt accentuating his tiny waist. He was playing around with a small child, helping her toss coins into the water and make wishes.

Kun didn’t realise that he had stopped in the middle of the walking trail to admire the man till someone politely asked him if he could move so that they could walk ahead. Finding the nearest bench, Kun pulled his book out of his jacket and tried to distract himself but his eyes kept wandering to the man in white. His eyes were so kind, face lighting up as he spoke to the child.

Just as Kun was about to force himself to leave, the man glanced up, catching Kun staring at him. Kun froze in his place as the man smiled at him, turning back to the child and sending her off with a wave before making his way to the bench.

“Do you spend your evenings ogling young men at the park?” The man asked, his tone light.

Kun knew he was joking but still felt the strong urge to apologise. “I’m so sorry. You just caught my eye,” he tried, even though he knew it was a terrible explanation.

“You’re nice, so I’ll let it be,” the man said, smile widening. “I’m Ten, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Kun, and pleasure’s all mine.” Ten sat down next to Kun after their introductions, and the two men quickly fell into a comfortable conversation. Ten explained that he was an elementary school teacher, explaining his skill around kids. He had tried to join the war efforts but a frail body had denied him the opportunity.

“Is it scary, being that high up in the sky?” It was late in the evening, the two men having spent hours talking about anything and everything. They had relocated to a restaurant for dinner, not wanting to let go of each other just yet.

“It’s liberating. I’ve never felt scared, just free.”

“Can I fly to Hong Kong with you when the war is over? I’m too scared to go on my own, but I really want to go there.” Ten had already told him about being born in England to Thai Chinese parents and how he had never left the country before.

“Of course, I’d love to show you around. The food is incredible there.” Kun couldn’t help but picture the two of them wandering through night markets and munching on street food, shoulders brushing as they walked through the bustling crowds.

He went home that night, unable to get Ten’s face off his mind. It was as if the man had engraved himself on the back of his eyelids, being the only thing Kun could see when he closed his eyes. He knew the way he thought about the man could get him in trouble if anyone found out, but he just couldn’t deny the feelings that raged in his heart.

Of course Hazel could tell that something had changed, and she pestered him about it whenever they were together in private. “Tell me, Kun. Is it a girl? Wait, of course it is, you wouldn’t look so lovesick otherwise. Is she pretty?” She kept throwing questions his way and he kept trying to avoid them, till one day the dam broke.

“It’s not a girl, Hazel,” he mumbled, unsure of how she would react.

“Oh, a boy, then?” Kun couldn’t help but stare in wonder at the cheeky smile on his trainer-turned-best-friend’s face. Of course she would be supportive of him.

“Yeah, and he’s really handsome. I met him at the park a few days ago,” Kun admitted.

“I know I don’t need to tell you to be careful, but I do want you to enjoy yourself while you can, Kun. If he does know, make the best of the time you two have left, if he doesn’t, at least make a friend who’ll make your days better.” Kun felt tears well up in his eyes as he pulled Hazel in for a hug. He didn’t have the words to express the gratitude he felt towards her, but he hoped she could feel it through his gestures. “Go get your man, boy.”

***

In the month leading up to the mission, Kun lived two lives everyday. One, on the training field, and one in Ten’s company. Mornings spent doing push ups and getting used to flying jets, evenings spent getting coffee or dinner at small restaurants tucked into quiet corners of the city. For someone who’d always loved daylight, Kun couldn’t wait for the sun to set, just to be able to see Ten again.

“Do you have to go back now?” Ten asked him one evening, less than two weeks before Kun had to leave. Kun couldn’t actually tell Ten his d-day for his team’s safety but he’d alluded that he’d have to leave ‘soon’. The moment he heard that, Ten had become adamant to spend as much time as they could together. Kun had a curfew to get back on the base but he’d gotten Hazel’s help to extend them by a few hours to follow Ten wherever he took him.

“I have till midnight, there’s only so much they’d loosen up,” Kun sighed, not wanting the night to end. It was just after ten thirty, meaning they only had a little more time for the day.

“Come with me, I want to show you something.” Ten grabbed Kun’s hand and dragged him up from the bench they were sitting at, leading them to the nearest tram station and hopping onto the right one. Kun followed quietly, enjoying the man’s company as he spoke enthusiastically about the new student in his class. They stayed till the last stop before the tram would turn back to return the way it came before they got off. The area was secluded, bordering the bustling city. It was definitely a change of landscape for Kun, only having seen the tarmac of the air field and the busy streets of the city in the preceding weeks.

They followed a narrow trail that led them up a hill, the night sky blanketing them in hues of blue and black. They didn’t have a light on hand but the shine of the moon and the neighbourhood nearby provided them with just enough visibility to make it to the peak. A lone apple tree sat there, old and dry, leaves frail, as if waiting for just the right moment to fall off. Ten sat down with his back against its bark, patting on the ground next to him as a silent request to Kun.

“I used to come here a lot as a kid. There was something very calming about being here alone, under the stars. This tree was mine, I had carved my name into its bark to make sure it would remember that this was my spot,” Ten said, his voice barely above a whisper, “I came here two days ago, for the first time in years. It was after you’d gone home, and I had felt this sinking feeling when I saw you leave. I thought coming here would make me feel better like it always did. It didn’t, and I couldn’t figure out for the longest time why I felt alone in a place that had always kept me company.”

Ten paused, turning to face Kun. Their knees brushed from how close they were sitting. Kun could feel his heart race, seeing the man’s face up close.

“It dawned upon me long after I’d left, upset at the lack of answers.” Kun held his breath, anticipating the words that would follow. “I had found something, someone else, to keep me company.”

Ten had barely gotten the words out when Kun leaned closer, his hand cautiously reaching up to cup the other man’s face. If he was wrong about this, it would absolutely doom Kun, but in that moment, it was worth the risk. He couldn’t tell who initiated it, his senses full of the feeling of Ten’s lips against his own. Kun couldn’t help the surprised sound that left him when Ten reciprocated the kiss, hesitant at first but quickly melting into something comfortable.

“I’ve wanted to do that since the first time I laid my eyes on you,” Ten admitted when they pulled away for air, his forehead resting against Kun’s. Their time was running out, with only a few short minutes left before they would have to return to the tram station and head home, but they savoured every moment they could spare, lips never parting for longer than the few seconds it took them to catch their breath. If their smiles were just a bit brighter on their way home, they’d blame it on the lovely weather.

***

“It’s D-5, boys. Five more days to prepare yourself for war. The mission is going to last for as long as you and our resources do, so better strap in for the long ride,” Hazel briefed them. She was already dressed in her flight suit, ready to run the squadron through offence and defence manoeuvres. While Kun wanted to concentrate, his head was still reeling from the happenings of the night prior.

They had finished dinner early as-per Ten’s request, heading to the river side to admire the late evening for a bit before Ten dragged him to his apartment. It was a small, dingy room with a little kitchenette and bath in a not so great part of town, but it was the best he could afford. Letting Kun step inside first, Ten was quick to lock the door before pushing Kun against it, his lips claiming the smooth expanse of his neck. Kun bit his bottom lip to stop himself from moaning as Ten ravaged his body, sending waves of pleasure crashing over his body.

They had spent all of that night making love, basking in the short lived intimacy. They both knew they were fighting against the clock but they were not going to give up. It was twenty minutes to midnight when they finally calmed down, Ten’s head nuzzled in Kun’s bare chest, hands clasped tightly together.

“I always imagine you turning into a mouse when the clock strikes midnight,” Ten muses, his tone teasing yet melancholic.

“Wouldn’t you love to see that? You’d become the most popular teacher. The kids would call you Prince Charming.” Kun stared at the clock that hung on Ten’s wall, trying to will it to slow down. It didn’t, and when there were five minutes remaining, Kun dragged himself off the bed and put his clothes back on, easing the wrinkles out with his hands. Ten didn’t move from where he sat on the bed, though his eyes followed every motion Kun made. Pressing a kiss to the man’s forehead, he bid him a quiet goodbye before finding his way out.

“Kun?” Hazel’s voice pulled Kun out of his thoughts. He looked up at her apologetically, and she just shook her head before pulling him away. “Is everything alright?”

“I’m in love, Hazel,” Kun said before he could really process the words that came out of his mouth. Noticing the worried look that crossed her face, Kun was quick to clarify, “We’re on the same page.”

“Oh Kun, I’m so sorry.” It felt odd having someone feel bad for him for having his love be reciprocated but he knew all too well what he meant. He had five days left, three of which he could spare Ten, before he’d leave. There was no certainty that he’d return, that he’d see Ten ever again.

The hours he spent with Ten shortened drastically in those last few days, their usual five hours turning to three, to two, to one. The minutes would fly by them as they tried to grasp them between themselves. It was hopeless and they both knew it.

The last time he saw Ten before his mission, they had spent their time under the apple tree, Ten carrying a knife with him to carve Kun’s name right under his own. “It’ll keep me company while I wait for you.” Kun had to muffle his tears into his pillow that night to make sure his bunkmate didn’t wake up.

***

“It was a pleasure to work with you,” Hazel said during her last briefing, the morning of their D-day. She gave Kun a tight hug, tears in her eyes, “See you on the other side.”

Once he was in the jet, his body worked on autopilot, hands moving from one side to the other, fiddling with the controls in front of him. He knew his job like the back of his hand, and he carried it out without second thought. Hours of flying blurred into mere minutes, and before he knew it, they were landing in their designated hiding spot. They would spend the night there and restock before they set off again.

Days turned to weeks and Kun spent his spare moments trying to figure out how long it would take them to run out of resources, forcing them to return. He knew it would be a stretch for him to survive till then, his fellow pilots going down one by one as the days went on. He was still hopeful as he watched their stocks deplete with every trip, the end coming closer and closer.

By the time of their last restock, their squadron of ten was down to three pilots and three jets that were barely holding together. All Kun could think of was dropping the last of the payload and returning home. He could picture Ten waiting for him by the river, his eyes flickering between the horizon and the sidewalk, counting the seconds down till Kun would show up next to him.

He flew with vigour that day, his mind on reaching the right spots at the right time, wasting not a millilitre of fuel. The moment he hit the button for the last drop, he signalled to his team that they were done, and they raced back to their home airbase, impatient to have their feet on the ground.

Hazel was waiting for them on the tarmac when they landed, having been alerted of their arrival. Kun had expected a big smile and a tight hug, but the expression on her face as he took his helmet off scared him.

“There was a bombing the day after you left,” She said, her voice apologetic, “One fell on Ten’s school. He couldn’t make it out in time.”

Kun could barely hear her words as he fell to his knees, tears pouring down his face. As much as he wanted to mourn losing Ten, a part of him knew he’d just administered the same fate to hundreds of other people. An eye for an eye, fate had asked of him. He might be on the right side of history, but it didn’t mean he could fight without getting blood on his hands.

Kun’s father wasn’t the nicest man he knew, he had beaten Kun black and blue when he was a kid for daydreaming too much, but when he funded Ten’s funeral without a single question, he hoped he’d be able to learn something from him, for himself and for Ten.

[katsuki-nikiforov]

Spamming Yuri on Ice ghibli collab till my ipad get fix

Today is "The wind rises"

[suyacho]

Hii I know it's almost ending your studio ghibli collab but it's so lovely and I'm in the mood for that so I would love to write for gojo in a kiki's delivery service scenario <3

Hii! It’s a pretty flexible dead line so no worries!! Ill put you down with gojo and it sounds so cute already hehe, thank you for joining <33