#writetober 2019

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Wild

Did Kuroko even realize how easy it was to drive Kagami wild? 

No, of course he didn’t. He didn’t, couldn’t realize Kagami was in love with him.

“Good practice, Kagami-kun!” Kuroko said, offering him a fistbump. Kagami grinned and fistbumped him back. “You too!” Kuroko took a long swig from a water bottle and tossed it to Kagami. And that was all it took to drive him crazy. 

Did he realize his lips had just been there? That he was offering him an indirect kiss? 

He hoped that his blush would be mistaken for him being flushed from the intensity of practice as he popped the top up on the water bottle and took a chug, all too aware that his lips were in the same space Kuroko’s had just been. “Kagami-kun, are you all right?” Kuroko said, suddenly standing much closer to him than he’d been aware of. Kagami jumped and spit out the water in his mouth. 

“Don’t scare me like that!” 

So much for not-quite-kissing. 

So the next time was actually Kagami’s own fault. But ever since he’d realized he was in love with Kuroko, he’d had to modulate his behavior carefully to make sure that he didn’t act any differently with him than he had before. Meaning a certain amount of touching was actually necessary. Before practice, he walked in to see Kuroko talking intently to Hyuuga. 

“What are you talking about?” Kagami said, walking up behind Kuroko and slinging an arm over his shoulders. 

And the simple touch he could have handled, but not the way Kuroko relaxed into him, and the soft little exhale he gave. 

“Just strategy,” Hyuuga said. 

“I’m brainstorming ways to make my misdirection last longer,” Kuroko said.

“Come up with anything good?” Kagami said. “Well, I was thinking…” Kuroko began. He turned to face Kagami, and their faces were so close, and his eyes were so blue. They were interrupted by Coach walking into the gym, and Kagami thanked his lucky stars that he had an excuse to extricate himself from the conversation.

The next incident was a few days later. They’d gone to Maji Burger after practice as usual, but their usual table was taken. Kagami had no choice but to head to a booth and sit down. 

Kuroko followed behind him, as usual, but once Kagami sat, he slid into the same side of the booth as Kagami. 

“Kuroko!” Kagami blurted out. 

“Yes, Kagami-kun?” “Nothing,” Kagami said. “Everything’s fine. I just...lost track of you for a second.” 

“You should have gotten better at keeping your eyes on me by now,” Kuroko said. 

“Yeah,” Kagami said, not knowing what to do but agree. “I’ll get to work on that right away.” 

He tried to ignore Kuroko’s shoulder brushing up against his, or the way their knees touched. 

A week passed with no incident. Then Kuroko came over to help Kagami study. Everything was fine until night came. 

“It’s pretty late,” Kagami said, standing on his balcony with Kuroko after they’d finished studying. “Are you sure you can get home okay?” 

“I told my parents I was staying at your place,” Kuroko said. “I hope you don’t mind.” 

“It’s fine!” Kagami said, a bit too quickly. “I just haven’t washed the guest room sheets since the last time my dad showed up.” 

Kuroko shrugged, way too easily for how momentous the words coming out of his mouth were. “I don’t mind doubling up.” 

“Yeah,” Kagami said, modulating his voice so he seemed calm. “That’s fine.” 

Kagami could only hope that Kuroko would be interested in sleeping back to back if he was to hold onto any shreds of pretending to be platonic. But no such luck would come to him. 

They brushed their teeth in tandem and then Kagami climbed into bed, holding up the covers for Kuroko. 

“Well, get on in here,” Kagami said brusquely. 

Kuroko smiled. “Thank you, Kagami-kun.” He crawled into bed and on top of Kagami’s arm. 

What was he supposed to do? Was he supposed to just leave it like that? Or was he supposed to wrap his arm around Kuroko? This might be the only chance he was going to get, so he went for it, and curled up his arm around Kuroko. Kuroko sighed softly, happily, and rolled over so his head was on Kagami’s chest. 

“This all right?” Kuroko asked. 

“Yeah,” Kagami said, voice suddenly hoarse. “It’s fine.” 

“Kagami-kun,” Kuroko said. “Your heart is beating so fast.” “I was just thinking about basketball,” Kagami said. He immediately smacked himself internally. 

“Don’t think too hard,” Kuroko said. “Just relax.” 

Kagami finally snapped. “How am I supposed to relax with the guy I’m in love with falling asleep on my chest?” 

Kuroko sat up and turned on the light. He grinned. 

“Finally!” 

“Finally?” Kagami said, fighting back tears of anger. “I bare my heart to you and you say ‘finally’? Were you just toying with me this whole time?” 

“Not toying,” Kuroko said. “Just making sure.” 

“Making sure of what?” Kagami said. 

“Making sure I could do this.” Kuroko leaned down and captured Kagami’s lips. 

[elventhief]

Fictober Day 19: Death

A/N:  Okay so I really wanted to write this scene since I have since changed my plans for the later fics so this is 10000000% au where Cara is the high queen of skyrim (its a long story come bug me about it in my ask box if you'd like) but i enjoyed this idea so much i figured i'd put it here!

Cara placed the Jagged Crown on her brow, the weight of it, making what was about to happen seem that much more permanent. She felt Miraak at her side.

“You do not have to do this, I know you do not want to.”

“I know your thoughts on the matter.”

“That does not mean that you have to do this.”

“He tried to kill me, if I let him live, who am I? Certainly not a queen. Not one that can lead her people anyway.”

Miraak gently grabbed her jaw to have her look at him, his eyes worried. “You have a gentle heart, dii lovaas. We all know this, no one can fault you for staying your hand.”

“It’s because I have a gentle heart they don’t take me seriously. It will break my heart, but,” she paused, stepping away from him, squaring her shoulders and raising her chin. “This is something that must be done.”

She left the tent without another word, and Miraak followed.

The wind whipped at their robes, the camp silent as Cara, Miraak, and their honor guard walked through the cliffside camp.

A large crowd had gathered, some of the Jarls that had ridden south with them to fight the Thalmor, some lords and knights of the Empire.

Cara’s gaze snapped to that of her mother, her sister, and two brothers.

“Carawen, please I’m begging you, please pardon him.” Her mother implored, fighting the grip of two of the honor guards that were holding her back.

“Please, escort them out of here,” she adverted her gaze from her family. “They don’t need to see this.”

“You traitorous bitch.” Her older brother, Koredil swore, spitting on the ground at her feet.

“King Voriiel will put your head on a pike for this.” Nelaril added.

Cara stared at her brothers, sadness in her eyes. “I know you will never forgive me, but I’m sorry.”

Her sister was crying into their mother’s shoulder, but the guards took them away as she had asked.

Cara brought her gaze to the man kneeling in the center of the circle that had formed.

“Lord Falnar Direnni. You stand accused of attempted murder, and attempted assassination of the High Queen of Skyrim. How do you plead?”

The Altmer in front of her stared at her, venom in his blue-purple eyes. “I only regret that I didn’t throw you to the sea when you were a child, graxifalas hulkynd. You’ve been a disgrace since your mother birthed you.”

“Before I sentence you, father, I would speak for myself for once, not as Queen, but as your daughter.”

“You are no daughter of mine.”

Cara smiled. “You have said that all my life, but my imperfection comes from you, your bloodline. For years I thought, like a stupid child perhaps one day we could reconcile. But now I know that would never be the case.” She paused, letting her words sink in. “You are right, though. You are not my father, not really. I share your blood, but you do not share mine. Auri-El gave me my soul, Mara blessed it. I am the Last Dragonborn, I am of the Dragonblood, and that still doesn’t matter. All that matters is, I became the very thing you didn’t want me to be. And that is enough for me.”

The elf shook his head. “I pray for the day you die, even if it is not by my hand.”

Cara let out a deep breath. “Lord Falnar Direnni, I, Carawen Direnni, Arch Mage of the College of Winterhold, Stormcrown, Laat Dovahkiin, and High Queen of Skyrim, sentence you to die for your crimes against Skyrim and her people.”

“You won’t do it. You’re weak.”

“May the gods have mercy on you, father.”

“MUL QAH DIIV!”

Cara’s spectral dragon form settled over her shoulders, a blanket of black, gold and violet shimmering against her robes. Regal horns formed and fanned out from her brow, great transparent black wings settling on her back.

A realization settled over the old elf’s features as she took several steps towards him. “It wasn’t a lie, you really are-“

“Dovahkiin, geh, bormah.” Her Voice made the sky rumble.

Cara saw the fear in his eyes .“I’m sorry it has to end this way.” she murmured, no one but perhaps Miraak understanding her through the rumble of the sky.

“KRII LUN AUS!”

Her Voice rang out into the night, and Falnar slumped over into the dirt without a sound.

A/N: translations

graxifalas hulkynd- Aldmeri for 'Disgraceful Broken Child'

[pe-ersona]

Tonight

Taglist: @thenightofthelivingwriters @sunshineomeara

“I want it done tonight.”

“Yes, sir.”

The servant leaves with a low bow, he doesn’t straighten his back until he is by the door. In one motion, he turns around and swings it open. He takes a single step and the door shuts behind him. 

Wooden legs scrap the floor and hands push away from the desk. Strolling to his window, a hand pushes the curtains away to reveal the night sky. The stars twinkle bright and the moon is bright too. Looking down, the walls of the palace stare back, too tempting. 

The whiteness of the walls reminds him of a white flag. He could easily wave it in his hand if he makes the climb and jump over. To surrender to his want to leave everything behind. To return to the bar he left only a month ago. To release the heavy feeling on his chest that resurface from where he pushed down for years.  

It feels like a hour later when there’s a knock at the door. The curtain falls back. He won’t run away this time.

[laolympiadejanedoe]

Writober 2019

Una semana después, me estreno en el Writober de este año.

Como he empezado un poco tarde (aunque espero solventar los días que me faltan) no estoy siguiendo ningún writober en particular, sino que cojo los temas de aquí y de allá según las musas me van inspirando.

Te dejo aquí un pequeño avance y el link de mi blog donde podrás encontrar el relato que tiene como tema “Espíritu”.

Silencio. Parecía decir la noche. Silencio. Gritaba.

https://laolympiadejanedoe.blogspot.com/2019/10/afterlife-silencio.html

[aj-the-satyr]

Invisible Forest

(Once again it is October and once again Night of the Living Writers is BACK! Thanks to @thenightofthelivingwriters and the wonderful peoples organising it as once again there are 3 prompts a day during this month. Today I shall go with the one word prompt of TREES...... so here goes)

Maximus sighed as the General pounded his fist on the table as if to emphasise his point.

“Why are we even listening to you!? You’re a Poet not a warrior!”

Maximus smiled. “And you are a battleaxe and not a dagger.”

The General straightened. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

Maximus raised a hand cutting off anyone else’s reply. “You are not suited to this particular task. Would you dress in your finery for a battle?”

“Well..... not if I actually had to fight.” The General looked around uneasily.

“Exactly. And if we do as you suggest and simply burn a path through the forest because we have military might in comparison to the Elves we will be making a grave mistake and sending a rather poor message to our neighbors.”

“Who cares!?”

Maximus sighed again. “The King wishes for us to maintain peaceful ties with the lands that surround us.”

“The King doesn’t know what...” The General paused all too aware of the fact that the person he was talking in front of was not merely a poet but someone with more power than his title suggested.

“Good. As a wordsmith I always advise others to choose their words with care, they have a power that few truly understand. I am afraid that you simply cannot see the forest for the trees in this case General. We shall be going with the other plan forthwith. Find a Druid to make your troops a path and traverse those lands with care.” He dismissed the man and turned to the guard on his left. “I have assigned you to this sortie, you know what to do.” The guard left without a word and Maximus leaned back in his plush, velvet chair allowing the stress of the last encounter to slowly drain away. There were more pressing matters to attend to like earning the money he had been given to write a poem to help with the seduction of one of the serving girls.

(And there we go, just a little something to start. Snippets of scenes, windows to the world etc etc. Anyway check out Night of the Living Writers ( @thenightofthelivingwriters ) So you too can take part in this wonderful little thing.)

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Day 15: Legend

Kuroko had long made peace with the fact that he was never going to be in a Hall of Fame, never going to have his name on everyone’s lips. There were no gaudy trophies for best passes, no parades for the most assists. 

But sometimes he wished he wasn’t a shadow, wished that he could be the one in the spotlight. It wasn’t FAIR, is the thing. He loved basketball just as much as any of them. He practiced just as hard and for just as long, but by some cruel quirk of his birth, he was doomed to always stay in the darkness. 

Sometimes he thought he wouldn’t mind so much, living in shadow. The moment of his first alley-oop felt like a revelation. As the ball left his hand and Kagami slammed it through the hoop, he felt something swelling in his chest like pride. The feeling lasted when Kagami came to find him, and when he and Kise backed him up in street ball. He felt the warmth of the sun the whole way home. 

It was the Rakuzan game where he cursed himself, cursed the gods, cursed his body for being too small, too weak, too low on stamina. When his misdirection ran out, he felt useless. If he’d been born tall and strong like Kagami or Aomine or Kise or even Midorima, if he’d been born a giant like Murasakibara, then he could keep being useful. But he wasn’t. This was his body. This was his role, and it was suddenly taken away from him. 

Then he cracked the secret, figured out how to overwrite Mayuzumi, and suddenly nothing mattered but winning. Nothing but the ball, but Kagami’s skilled hands waiting for his pass. Their final alley-oop was so much sweeter, even, than their first. It was an expression of all the trust they’d built, of the love between a shadow and his light. 

He wondered if perhaps being a shadow wasn’t so bad, if it meant him and Kagami being their own kind of miracle. 

After the game, Kagami hung behind in the locker room, waiting for Kuroko to finish showering. 

“I love you,” he blurted out. “Thank you for winning with me.” 

“Kagami-kun--” Kuroko started, but he was cut off by Kagami’s lips on his, by his arms around his shoulders. He kissed like he played basketball, desperate and wild. Kagami finally pulled back, their tandem lungs burning. 

“I love you too,” Kuroko said. “Taiga-kun.” Kagami’s face lit up and Kuroko was once again reminded of why he called him his light. He smiled like the sun. 

Maybe he didn’t have to be a legend, so long as his Taiga kept looking at him like that.

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Day 5: Build

“This should be easy!” Kagami said as he hauled the box full of their new IKEA couch out of the car and into their apartment. Kuroko handed Kagami a box cutter, and he sliced down the tape seam, pulling the box open and lifting out the individual pieces.

“Okay, so the instructions seem pretty straightforward. You want to get started while I start dinner?” Kagami grinned and handed Kuroko the bag of nuts and bolts.

“Are you sure about that? You know you read English better than I do,” Kuroko said.

“Lucky for us, they’re just pictures. How hard can it be?”

Half an hour later, dinner was ready, and Kuroko was staring at the instructions and the pile of couch pieces in front of him. “Food’s getting cold!” Kagami said, walking into the living room to see the jumble that didn’t even remotely resemble a couch. “Whoa, you doing okay there?”

“Get over here and help me, Taiga-kun,” Kuroko said. “Besides, you should be the one building it. It’s your fault we need a new couch anyway.” Kagami turned bright red. “Fine, I’ll help. But only because you’re cute.” Kagami picked up the instructions and cocked his head at them.

“Taiga-kun… You’re holding them sideways.” “I knew that!” Kagami said. “Okay so I just need the leggy bit and then the side there of the base…. And I think this hole is for this screw?” Time passed. Kuroko handed Kagami pieces. And what they assembled did not so much resemble a couch as an art installation.

“That’s it,” Kuroko said. “We need help. Start unscrewing things.”

Destroying the “couch” was easier than building it in the first place. Kagami and Kuroko made short work of unscrewing everything.

“Okay now sort it into piles of things that look the same.” Kuroko said. Once they had it organized, Kuroko stepped back and took a picture of the pile. He also took a picture of the instructions.

“What are you doing?” Kagami asked.

“Calling in reinforcements,” Kuroko said cryptically.

Kagami’s phone vibrated in his pocket.

We have been vanquished by furniture assembly, his text to the Vorpal Swords group chat read. Please offer any assistance you may have.

Kuroko cracked his knuckles, sat back, and watched the chaos unfold.

Aomine: Lol they may be good on the court but they got beat by a couch.

Momoi: Play nice. Unless you intend to help.

Midorima: I’m pretty sure the things in the top left pile are the legs.

Kise: Because they don’t know what couch legs are. Very helpful.

Midorima: I don’t see you being any help either.

Murasakibara: Why am I still in this chat? I’m not interested in your furniture emergencies.

Kise: Because you secretly love us, Murasakibaracchi!!!

Murasakibara: :-(

Kise: :3c

Akashi: Do any of you intend to offer actual help, or are you all going to sit here making fun of them for not being able to read hieroglyphics?

Aomine: I was hoping to sit here making fun of them.

Murasakibara: I was going to ignore them till they went away, actually.

Midorima: I don’t understand why they don’t just print out the instructions in words.

Kagami: It’s a Swedish company.

Akashi: I speak a bit of Swedish.

Aomine: Of course you do.

Akashi: From what I can figure out, you start by assembling the frame. That’s the six largest pieces, on the middle left, assembled into two connected rectangles.

“Don’t just stand there,” Kuroko said. “Start building!”

Kagami screwed the pieces into two large rectangles. Okay, so he could kind of see how they looked like a couch. There was a chance he had it upside down the first time.

Kuroko: Got it!

He attached a picture of Kagami finishing up attaching the last slat.

Kise: Looking good, Kagamicchi! ;) Kurokocchi I’m jealous!

Midorima: That makes one of us.

Aomine: lol burn

Akashi: Now you screw in the slats, one by one. Those are the long, thin pieces. They go on the inside of the angle. He sent an image of the couch in progress with lines where the slats should go.

Kagami : Got it, next?

Akashi: Now you want to take the side pieces--the ones with the upholstery on them, somewhat club shaped--and attach them to either side of the base with the longest screws. The base is the one with the holes for screws on the side.

Aomine: Now’s your chance, Tetsu. Hit him with the side piece.

Kuroko: I will not. For one thing, I love him. For another, he’s already screwed them on.

Aomine: Damn.

Akashi: You’re going to want to flip up the base and screw each leg in with the screws already built into the top. The legs are in the top left pile.

Midorima: I told you those were the legs!

Kise: Good job, Midorimacchi. You can identify legs.

Akashi: Now just put on the cushions and you should be done.

Kuroko put cushions on the frame of the sofa and grinned, holding out his hand for a fist bump. Kagami fist bumped him and grinned back at him.

Kagami: Thanks, Captain. :)

Kuroko: Thank you, Akashi-kun.

Kuroko climbed onto the sofa and bounced up and down a bit, testing it.

“I think we have a sofa!” He grinned. “Good job, Taiga.”

Kagami blushed and shrugged. “It was all Akashi, really.”

“You did the hard part. It’s pretty comfy, too.”

Kuroko stretched out on the couch like a cat, and Kagami snapped a picture to send to the group chat.

Kagami: Houston, we have a sofa!

Aomine: Please stop making references I don’t understand.

Kagami: So you don’t want me to make any references to anything ever. Got it.

Momoi: How cute!!! Tetsu-kun looks so comfy!!! <3 <3

Kuroko: DELETE THAT IMAGE, TAIGA!!!

Kagami grinned and went to join his husband on their new couch.

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Day 14: Overgrown

“You’ve got to do something about your hair,” Hyuuga said as they were getting ready to leave practice. “It’s getting in your eyes. I am not going to lose the Winter Cup because you decided to look like a bad boy!” 

Kagami frowned, hair still wet from the showers and flopped into his eyes. “I can still play just fine.” 

Hyuuga raised his eyebrows. “Cut your hair or I will cut it for you.” 

Kuroko came out of the locker room and stood by Kagami. “What are you talking about, Kagami-kun?” 

“Nothing,” Kagami said quickly. 

“His hair,” Hyuuga said. “It’s getting out of hand.” 

Kuroko looked up at Kagami, cocking his head. “Why don’t you just get a haircut?” 

Kagami turned red. “Maybe I will.” He turned on his heel to leave. “Come on, Kuroko.” 

As they walked home, Kuroko turned to Kagami. “What’s going on? It’s not like you to let something affect your performance.” “It’s nothing,” Kagami blustered. “It’s obviously something, Kagami-kun.” Kuroko leaned towards him, brushing their shoulders together. “You can talk to me about it.” 

“It’s dumb.” Kagami turned red again. “I don’t want you to think less of me.” 

“I’ve already seen you run away from a puppy,” Kuroko said. “I don’t think you can get much more embarrassing.” 

“Fine,” Kagami said. “I just...I don’t like people touching my head, okay? And I can’t cut my own hair because it’ll look stupid.” 

“How did you get it cut before, then?” Kuroko asked. 

Kagami shrugged. “My dad dragged me kicking and screaming to the barber’s, and then after that, Alex started cutting it for me.” 

“So it’s not everyone you mind touching it, just people you’re not close to?” Kuroko asked. 

“I guess. It wasn’t so bad when Alex did it.” Kagami was still pink, and wouldn’t look at Kuroko. He obviously hated talking about it. 

“Then I’ll cut your hair,” Kuroko said. 

“You--what?--my?--YOU?” Kagami stammered. 

“I’ll do it. I know you better than anyone in the country, so I’ll do it.” 

Kagami frowned. “Do you even know how to cut hair?” 

“I can watch YouTube tutorials. How hard can it really be?” “That’s not encouraging, Kuroko!” 

Kuroko offered a small, teasing smile. “Would you rather have Hyuuga-senpai do it? I’m sure he’d be thrilled.” 

Kagami sighed. “Fine. You can come home with me tomorrow and cut my hair.” 

When Kagami got to practice the next day, Hyuuga immediately zeroed in on his unruly locks. 

“I thought I told you to cut your hair!” 

Kagami took a step back. “Don’t worry. Kuroko’s cutting it right after practice.” “That is correct,” Kuroko said, appearing from behind Kagami, not exactly startling him but not exactly not. 

“If you don’t show up with it cut tomorrow, I’m coming home with you myself with scissors,” Hyuuga said. “Kuroko, make sure you cut it.” 

“I will,” Kuroko said, nodding decisively. 

Kagami groaned. He didn’t see why he couldn’t just wear a headband or something. Tatsuya had played for years with hair over one eye, and it didn’t seem to affect him. But his captain’s word was law, and, worse yet, he didn’t want Coach to get involved. 

Kuroko followed him home from practice. Part of Kagami was hoping that he would be able to shake his shadow, maybe try a hack job at home regardless of how ridiculous he would look afterward. 

“I’m going to cut your hair now, Kagami-kun,” Kuroko said as the door closed behind them. “Let’s go to the bathroom. Bring us a chair?” 

All the times he’d imagined being alone in his bathroom with Kuroko had involved a lot more water, a lot fewer clothes, and a hell of a lot fewer scissors. But he obediently hauled in a chair and sat down, waiting for Kuroko to take the first snip. 

Kuroko laid a hand on his shoulder. “You can relax, Kagami-kun. I’m not going to do anything suddenly.” 

Kagami tried to relax but his shoulders just wouldn’t tense. 

“Will you wet your hair down for me?” Kagami nodded. He turned on the faucet and stuck his head under, fumbling for a towel to get the worst of the drips off. He looked back at Kuroko with a flushed face from the heat of the water and from Kuroko’s proximity. 

“That good?” 

“Thank you,” Kuroko said. “Now sit back down. I’m going to comb your hair first.” Kuroko reached in his drawer and pulled out a comb--and wasn’t it just like them that Kuroko didn’t know he was in love with him, but knew where everything was in his apartment? 

He tensed up again but once the comb drew through his hair, started to relax. Kuroko’s free hand rested on his shoulder, calming him down. 

“Kagami-kun, I’m going to start cutting your hair now. Is that all right?” Kagami grimaced. “Just get it over with.” 

Kuroko took the comb and held it horizontally through his bangs. He frowned slightly as he began to snip. Kagami waited for the discomfort to pool in his gut, but it never happened. As soon as Kuroko moved the scissors slightly away from his face, he laughed softly. 

“What is it?” Kuroko asked. “I don’t hate this,” Kagami said. 

Kuroko smiled, small and soft and sweet. “You don’t?” 

Kagami would have shaken his head, were there not two blades snipping away at his hair. “Turns out I trust you.” Kuroko outright grinned at that. “Kagami-kun, I could have told you that.” “Well...I mean…” Kagami sighed. “Shut up, you’re ruining the moment.”