Elements' Drabbles

[EmeraldThread]

I think this might end up a random short story thread. Anyway, most of these will probably be anime/manga fandoms, a novel here and there, and all male.

I'm going on and off the themes, and I'm not really sticking to any particular challenge. So it's just kind of...everything-ish? Basically I just wanted to join the drabble party.

I've only got a couple to start off with, but I hope you enjoy them! Feedback is lovely~

Fandom: Hunger Games

Gale (m)

Word Count: 688

Note: This actually started as the beginnings of a full fledged fic. But that didn't really work, so I turned it into a drabblething instead.

“Huh’tghshh!”

The sound reaches my ears from several yards away. I let my arrow fly, so startled by the noise that I miss the rabbit completely. I look over to see Gale bent slightly at the waist, then rising with a fist to his nose.

“Gale?” I say questioningly.

His eyes snap open as if he’s forgotten I’m there. “Yeah, Catnip?”

“What was that?”

He laughs. “A sneeze, I’d say. You’d think a healer’s daughter would know what one sounds like,” he teases me.

I don’t even crack a smile. I’m worried about him. He’s been in a daze all morning, thrashing about the forest and scaring away our game. None of the snares caught anything either, so the hunting trip has been a colossal failure.

“I know what a sneeze is,” I say humorlessly. I trudge farther up the hill, bow at the ready in case we miraculously come across some incredibly bold or deaf animal that hasn’t been driven off by the noise.

I can hear Gale breathing behind me. Another sign something’s wrong. After a few more yards, he coughs deeply, muffling them into an elbow.

When it happens again within ten minutes, I can’t take it anymore. “Gale, you’re driving away our game,” I snap, more harshly than I mean to.

He pulls an indignant face. “Well, sorry about that, let me see if I can…” He trails off, a vacant look passing over his features. He tries again. “C-can…heh…heh’GgtchSHH! Hh’ETSCHhh!”

“If you’re sick—“

“Don’t worry about me.” Despite how shiny they are, his eyes take on a hardness rivaling that of diamonds. “I’ll be quieter,” he promises. He doesn’t understand that I’m not really worried about how loud or quiet he is.

I know there’s too much pressure on Gale to provide for his family. He’s had more in his eighteen years than people in the Capitol have in their entire lives – in five lifetimes. Gale would hunt for his family until he couldn’t move anymore.

And that seems more and more likely the farther we travel. We’ve gone farther than usual, hoping to catch a deer or turkey off guard deeper in the woods, and soon we reach the lake my father and I used to swim in.

Gale has broken into a few more coughing fits, and I can tell we’ve come too far. If the coughing didn’t tell me so, the muffled thud of his knees hitting the leaf-coated forest floor does. I immediately rush over to help him up.

“We’re going back,” I say firmly, taking his arm.

He shakes his head weakly, but not quite in protest. “Let me rest a minute, Katniss.”

His request catches me off guard. It’s not like Gale to ask something like that, so I know he must be feeling very poorly. His pale limbs tremble, though it isn’t particularly cold for autumn, and I feel him leaning on me as we make our way to the little house beside the lake.

Once we’re inside, he nearly collapses on the floor near the fireplace while I get a fire going with some of the logs nearby. Gale’s eyes droop and again he shivers with fever and I wish I had a blanket or something to absorb the heat. He sniffles quietly and soon I hear his breath hitching.

“Heh…hh-hih…Hept’SCxhshh!” After the first uncovered sneeze, I offer him a piece of cloth that once held some of our earlier meal. He accepts, fumbling it to catch the next one. “Hah…Heh’ePTCHshh!”

I sit beside him and brush his hair from his forehead. It sticks, clinging to beads of sweat adorning his skin, and I realize for the first time just how serious this could be for Gale. He can’t work in the mines like this.

But I’m not a healer, and no healer can cure a cold. So I beckon him closer, gently positioning him so his head is in my lap, cushioned on my travel sack. He makes weak protests, but he’s exhausted. Light snoring reaches my ears in minutes, and I content myself with keeping him still for once in his life.

Fandom: Ouran High School Host Club

Tamaki, Kyoya (m)

Word Count: 293

040. Foolish

“Only fools catch colds,” Kyoya chastised.

Tamaki shivered before him, wrapped in two blankets that covered everything up to his nose. He’d been like that all day, miserably sick and spreading germs to the point that Kyoya forbade him from hosting at all. At that moment, he huddled in the back office of the club, assigning himself the task of keeping his friend company, despite numerous requests that he go home and rest there.

“Why did you come in today?” Kyoya went on, not looking up from his computer. “If you’re feeling this terribly, common sense ordinarily dictates one stay home and recover.”

“B-because,” Tamaki stammered into the blanket. “I can’t ab-bandon the club. And as Haruhi’s father, I—“

“Don’t be so dramatic,” the bespectacled host interrupted. “Staying at home for a single day isn’t abandonment. As for Haruhi—“

“Het’ExTschuu!” The sneeze cut off whatever Kyoya was about to say, spraying his glasses mercilessly. He stiffened. Slowly removing the glasses, he fixed Tamaki with a glare that might have killed the young blond, had he not been wrestling with another problem. “Hht’ptsCHUu!”

“Cover your mouth!” Kyoya demanded, dodging another attack.

Tamaki brought the blanket back over his face, emptying a lungful of coughs into the cloth.

Kyoya heaved an exasperated sigh, becoming impatient with his friend. “Ridiculous,” he muttered, not speaking again until he roused Tamaki from a restless slumber, lifting him gently from the chair before him.

It was only the next morning, when Kyoya forced his head from his pillow that he found himself in a very unpleasant predicament. He had barely formed a thought when the tickle traveled down the length of his nose and his breath hitched. “Hh-heh’etNTsChu!”

I’m going to kill him, he thought vehemently.

[SapphireSong]

OMGOSHOMGOSH Element's started a drabble thread~!!! *dances for joy* I'm so excited!! XDDD Seriously, these are great! I still haven't seen or read The Hunger Games but I always enjoy reading fics about it anyway especially since I know what actors play the boys and UWAAAH!! OURAN!!! One of my favorite fandoms of all timeeee And you did Tamaki and Kyoya ♫♪♫♪ I'm loving it! Thanks for doing these! XD

[Emily]

I read this before reading your reply to my post because I was just like OMG DID SHE REALLY NO WAI SHE DID (yes I'm just going ahead and assuming you're a "she" even though that's terribly sexist of me considering your gender could be undisclosed due to the fact that you were born with a woman's torso and a man's lower half) or you just haven't edited your info LOL

now as for this wonderful feverish Gale...OMGOMGOMGOMGCANIGLOMPHIMPLEASE I wanna just like...eat him. And worried Katniss is simply delightful! GAAAAAALE no amount of love for him will ever reach Suzanne Collins I'm afraid. that's what the fans are for, though oh LOL derp, I sneezed.

[VividBubbles!]

OMFG, I read your comment on Emily's fic and well, I sorta flipped out a little bit. I guess I just LOVEGALESOFREAKINMUCH! Also, I ^ditto^ Emily's comment! Can we pretty please have more of your amazing drabbles? Please? LOVED THIS LOTS!

BYE!

[EmeraldThread]

Whoa, I didn't expect such a great response for these! I really didn't expect anyone to take all that much notice. xD

smileyfacegirl^^: I'm so happy you like them! Your comment made me smile like a dork the first hundred times I read it. I only recently read the Hunger Games series myself after many months of reading fanfics (mostly from here). I liked the first book best out of the three, so I'll probably end up sticking to that one or the second when I write about it. And Ouran is just MADE of awesome!

Emily: Haha, no you're right, I'm a girl. I never put a gender in my info because I just like to see whether people think I'm a guy or a girl (I've gotten all sorts of guesses), so it's just fun for me. I really should edit it sometime, but I keep forgetting. xD Suzanne Collins needs some of our love. Gale needs love, period, he's just so underappreciated! Feverish Gale is so beautiful in my head.

VividBubbles!: Thank you!! Hahaha, YES, Gale is the best!! I wish there were unending fics of him so I could read his fevery-sneezy-hotness all day all the time. Wish granted, have some drabbles~

I'm trying not to post any fewer than two of these at once. After I wrote the first one, I had a block (not terribly uncommon for me lately) and whipped up the second tonight. It was not fun waiting for myself to write. xD Enjoy~

Fandom: D.Gray-Man

Kanda (m)

003. Falter

They’d been on a mission for about a week. It was freezing, pouring rain for the past two days, and they’d been stuck fighting akuma almost the entire time with a grand total of about seven hours of sleep in the past three days. Needless to say, Kanda and Lavi were thoroughly worn out.

Kanda woke up coughing on the seventh day. They were dry and deep, and Lavi wasted no time in commenting on them.

“It’s none of your business,” Kanda barked, even grumpier than usual. Throwing on his uniform, he led the way out of the inn to hunt down the last of the akuma. He wouldn’t admit it, but he was relieved that this mission would soon be over.

Lavi chattered the entire time they searched. It irritated the Japanese man, and after several attempts at shouting at the redhead to shut up (mixing in a few choice insults), he resorted simply to ignoring him. The yelling hurt his throat anyway.

“Hht’ngXt!” It was muffled and stifled, but still not enough to escape Lavi’s attention.

“You catch a cold, Yu?”

“No! And don’t call me that!”

“Y’know, it’s okay if you’re sick. I can handle the rest of them myself.”

“Shut it, rabbit! I’m not sick, and there’s no way in hell I’d trust you to finish them all.” He punctuated the statement with a few more coughs, this time sounding like they’d been trapped beneath a layer of congestion.

Lavi didn’t have any time to say anything on the matter, though, as a horde of about a hundred akuma swarmed the skies. Kanda cursed, drawing Mugen. Beside him, Lavi extended his hammer and wasted no time smashing three of the machines. Ordinarily, this many level ones wouldn’t be a problem, but it soon became apparent that Kanda was off his game.

He sliced several in half, and to anyone who hadn’t worked with him before, he might have appeared normal. Except for the ragged breathing. Then there were the sluggish movements.

Even so, there were about ten akuma left before Kanda really started to slow down. One akuma charged at him ready to fire, and he ready to cut it in half when a prickle started at the back of his nasal cavity. It traveled swiftly and steadily to the tip of his nose and his concentration slipped before he could do anything about it.

And the akuma was nearly on top of him.

“Heh’ExtSChuu!” He sneezed helplessly, not entirely aware of the explosion just feet from his head. He raised his eyes to find the sky now empty of anything but the ever-traveling clouds.

A hand slipped beneath his black bangs, and suddenly Lavi’s face was far too close. The redhead looked contemplative for a moment before declaring, “Yeah, you’re definitely coming down with somethin'. C’mon, we’re going back to the inn.”

Kanda made it a few steps before stumbling and nearly tripping his fellow exorcist. Lavi gripped his arm and wasted no time lifting his friend onto his back. Kanda had long since dozed off by the time they reached his bed.

Fandom: Vampire Knight

Zero (m)

No prompt

“I told you, I’m not your son!” Zero Kiryu shouted. He stood before Headmaster Cross’ desk, furious with the man’s pacifistic, gentle ways. They’d been through this argument many times before, and somehow, Kaien Cross still had this delusion that somewhere along the line, he had adopted Zero.

“Don’t dwell on technicalities!” the headmaster said in his sing-song way. “You and Yuki are as close as siblings, and she’s my daughter, so you’re my son!”

“That logic is—“ He never got to say what Cross’ logic was, as he was broken off by a ruthless coughing fit. It had been happening all day. He’d start talking, and was almost instantly interrupted. It made for several queries by Yuki as to whether he was alright, and many aggravated answers of assuring her he was.

“I think you should take tonight off,” Cross suggested, some of the humor disintegrated from his tone.

“No way in hell,” Zero replied once he’d recovered. If he skipped, he’d have to deal with Yuki’s fretting over him. That was the last thing he needed.

“As my son, I order you to go to bed!” The overdramatic father switch had turned back on.

“I said – Hh-heht’ngXtSCH!” Another interruption. He was fighting something. He was fighting it like he fought his descent to becoming a Level E. There was no cure for either, as far as he’d found.

Before he could blink away the sneeze, Chairman Cross had a hand beneath Zero’s silvery bangs. “You do have a slight fever.” His eyes met the seventeen-year-old’s with a kindness Zero wanted nothing to do with. “Just rest tonight, okay?”

Cross ruffled the boy’s feathery hair despite the obvious look of discontent on the boy’s face. Zero would have argued – might have, in fact – were it not for another interruption. As he opened his mouth, his breath hitched again, and he had to hastily cover the lower part of his face to avoid spraying his “father.”

“Heh…hh-heh’EghTSChUH!” A few coughs escaped his raw throat in finality. He wouldn’t have admitted it, but he was almost glad when the headmaster skirted the desk, leading his adopted son to one of the spare bedrooms down the hall.

“You’d better stay here tonight instead of the dorms,” he explained. “We wouldn’t want this spreading, would we?” Kaien offered a knowing wink as he exited the room, leaving Zero to wonder just what possessed this man to worry over such trivial matters as a couple sneezes and a slight fever.

[SapphireSong]

UWAAAH~! More epic anime-fandom awesome from ElementsofGray Okay, these are lovely. I haven't even delved into either of these series yet, but I know enough about them to be able to enjoy these VERY much. (Plus, the voice actors who play Kanda and Zero happen to have two of my all-time favorite voices, which is more than enough for my twisted imagination.... XDD Yes, I am a dork. But I have way too much fun as such to care one bit. ) Great job! I look forward to more!

[42686]

loved the ouran drabble

[Emily]

OHMYHOLYMOTHEROFGOD

YOU WROTE A ZERO DRABBLE OMGOMGOMG ZEROOOOO

I think, you and I, we need to have a long discussion about who we ship. I am getting the sense that you and I have so the same preferences! 8D /happy

there is never enough appreciation for Zero

there is never enough love for Gale

never say never loljk no I'm on a sugar high, or maybe a whole new low, but this awkward space filler matters not because what I mean to say is you're awesome and if you ever leave this forum I will shed manly tears

I'm starting to wish that I wasn't stupid enough to put my name up...and now I don't know how to change it LOL but then people would get confused if I changed it now although probably no one would notice

[EmeraldThread]

smileyfacegirl^^: I'm glad you're enjoying them! xD Both of them have been obsessions of mine at one point or another (D.Gray-Man's been pretty consistent over the past couple of years), so I highly recommend them whenever you get a chance. I like Kanda's Japanese voice better, only because whenever I hear him in English, Roy Mustang appears before me, and it just seems so very strange. Just like when Zero talks, I'm suddenly seeing Tamaki. xD I love all of the aforementioned characters, though! And what fun is life if you can't be a dork?!

Glue09: Thank you, I'm happy you liked it!

Emily: Okay, I really wanted to write more drabbles just so I had an excuse to come back and reply to your comment. xD YES I LOVE ZERO AND GALE AND AND AND JUST YES. I haven't actually seen any other Zero stories here, which disappoints me greatly. I definitely think a shipping discussion is in order - it'll be awesome to finally have a conversation with someone who agrees with my ships and doesn't have me debate them all the time. xD Haha, well, I don't plan to leave the forum anytime soon. Manly tears need not be shed! I know there's some...name changey thing you can do. I figured it out once, but since I wasn't going to change my name yet, I forgot about it. ^^;

I know it's only one this time, but I loved writing it so much (and wanted to reply to you guys) that I figured it'd be okay. Feedback is wonderful!

Fandom: Black Cat

Train (m)

(Inspired while I was reading the one shot at the end of vol. 8 where Train says he's allergic to dogs.)

004. Puppy Love

“Sven?” Train called from the door of his room in the hotel. He had just woken up after turning in another criminal for a bounty the day before. Naturally it was close to noon. It was also the middle of winter, and certainly not anything resembling warm. The sweeper rubbed at his eye – why was it so itchy? – before opening the door all the way to find Eve and Sven – cigarette between his teeth as always – sitting on the floor in the main room.

“Merry Christmas!” Eve smiled cheerily up at him, holding a small collection of new books, shimmery wrapping paper discarded beside her.

“Thanks,” Train yawned, his hand having migrated now to his nose.

“You’re supposed to say it back,” Eve corrected him.

“Hey, what’s up?” Sven asked, noticing something amiss in his partner.

“Um…I’m not…hh…sure,” the Black Cat replied groggily while something made itself known in the back of his sinuses. It crept down the length of his nasal cavity like a child running his hands all along a hallway. And indeed it felt like miniature fingertips brushing the inside of his nose, teasing him.

His breath started to hitch spastically, giving way to one final inhale. “Hh…Hah’hEtSChhh!”

Sven and Eve gaped at him. The little girl had never heard him sneeze, and even for Sven it was a rare occurrence. “Are you sick?” the man asked after a pull on his cigarette.

“Mmn…” the younger man moaned. “I don’t know. I was okay yesterday, but n…nhh…Hhpt’TssCHUH! now I feel kinda funny.”

Sven stood, not noticing Eve’s slight jealousy at his diverted attention. He pressed the back of his hand to Train’s forehead, staring off into space contemplatively. “I don’t think you have a fever.”

“Heh-EkxSCH! I don’t feel like it either,” Train supplied, scrubbing at his still itchy nose. Already it was driving him crazy.

“Sven,” Even prompted. The man turned back to her after wiping spray from his cheek and muttering something to Train about covering his mouth. “Can we give Train his present now?”

“Huh? Oh! Yeah, you wanna go get it for me?” Then turning to Train, “Maybe this’ll take your mind off whatever’s bugging you.”

The Black Cat raised his eyebrows in surprise as Eve retreated into her room. Since when did they get gifts for Christmas? Being sweepers, having a break for the holiday was enough of a present.

A minute later, Eve returned holding a small golden retriever puppy. A glowing smile appeared across her face as she offered the wagging little creature to her proclaimed rival.

Immediately, Trains senses reacted. His eyes, already burning, began to tear up, spilling over when his chest expanded with uneven breaths. “Huh…hh-heh…eh…Huh’KtCHShuu! TSCH’uh! Hh-hh’AESchUU! Th-thanks, princess, buhh…huh…” He swallowed before finishing his sentence with difficulty. “I’m allergic t…to dogs. Hht’TSHxch!”

While Train did his best to hold back a few more sneezes, Sven turned to Eve apologetically. “It was a good idea, kid, but I guess we’re gonna have to find him a new home. Thinking about it now, it would’ve been pretty hard to take him with us everywhere.”

Eve nodded her assent, albeit with the most disappointed expression Train and Sven had ever seen. Even the puppy seemed to pick up on it and whimpered in her arms. He squirmed in a valiant effort to lick her fingers.

Before Train could make a consoling remark, the allergens overwhelmed him again. “Heh’kxSCHUh! I’m going back to bed. You guys can eat without me, okay?”

The Black Cat closed the bedroom door behind him, separating him from both the culprit of his current predicament and his friends – both of whom had shock pasted all over their faces. It must have been bad if Train Heartnet was turning down a meal.

[Emily]

You can talk to me even if you didn't write another superfantastical drabble! Granted, I didn't quite follow because I don't know the fandom, but it was adorable all the same. Me too! I can't believe there aren't more Vampire Knights fics! Maybe because nobody wants to admit to watching it durhurhur. Pig drew a wonderful picture of a sick Zero several months ago if you haven't checked it out while you were still a lurker (if you haven't seen it, YOU REALLY ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO BECAUSE IT IS JUST THAT BEAUTIFUL AND SICK ZERO IS SODFIUSODIFUSADA <3) Most of my friends were Kaname supporters and I'm just like "HELLO THIS GUY WANTS TO HAVE BABIES WITH HIS SISTER" the world of anime is so strange and intricate. Ah, well, changing my name ain't that important more importantly, I'm fangirling extremely hard about Harry Potter. are you a Potthead? Edited August 15, 2012 by Emily

[SapphireSong]

I like Kanda's Japanese voice better, only because whenever I hear him in English, Roy Mustang appears before me, and it just seems so very strange. Just like when Zero talks, I'm suddenly seeing Tamaki. xD I love all of the aforementioned characters, though! And what fun is life if you can't be a dork?!

lol yeah, I get that. Hahaha but I happen to be quite fond of both Travis's and Vic's voices, so it doesn't really bother me XDD

You make a good point - I enjoy being a dork especially when it comes to fangirling :3

Speaking of which. ASDJKFLDSJFLFDSF YOU DID TRAAAAAIN~! lolol again, I haven't gotten to Black Cat yet, but I know enough about it, and Jason Liebrecht is hahaha! This drabble was awesome (and totally worth posting alone! ^^) Thanks for posting it, I absolutely love this thread

By the way, Emily, if you want to change your display name on the forum (that's what you're talking about, right?) you can go to your profile, click "Edit Profile" at the top, scroll down the side menu and click on "Display Name".

[EmeraldThread]

Emily: I was going to just reply to this, but I really really wanted to write more, so I figured I would write that first and then reply to you. xD I'm sorry!! These next ones are the same fandom. OTL If and when you get a chance, I hiiiiiighly recommend you check it out. It's filled with beautiful men and has a really exciting storyline (at least, I thought so). I've read almost the entire series this past week, and I'm gonna finish the last 8 volumes before the weekend is over. I will admit to watching Vampire Knight!! I've slipped out of the fandom a little, but I'm not ashamed of ever having loved it. Oh, I do remember that one! I went back and looked at it after you said that, which was lovely (I remember she did a Kanda one, too, right? I couldn't seem to find that one, even though it was my favorite). I know, dude!!! I couldn't believe how many Kaname x Yuki shippers there are! Also, Potthead, yes, yes I am.

smileyfacegirl^^: A lot of my friends are fond of them too. I like them, but I'm not a really huge fan unless their voices are really fitting in my head with the characters they're portraying. xD Thank you so much!! I'm wicked obsessed with Train lately (hence why the following two drabbles are also about him ^^; ) and Black Cat. :3

Also, for anyone who reads this, I like suggestions! It doesn't guarantee that I'll do them, but prompts, suggestions, stuff like that, are always welcome. I'm not really comfortable writing real people, though, so I mainly stick to anime. Except for like...Hunger Games. Thank you guys who have commented, and if you read and don't comment, I hope you enjoy~

I'm somehow trying to expand the Black Cat fandom through these drabbles. I have no idea if anyone here has actually watched the anime or read the manga, but I'm loving it. Have some more Train!

Black Cat

Train (m)

033. Nightmare

Creed. It was Creed again, always Creed.

Train Heartnet had no shortage of confidence in his own abilities, but Creed’s were horrific in their own right. The man was positively insane and would stop at nothing to get Train on his side. Despite Train’s aptitude for long range fighting, Creed’s imagine blade, often invisible while in use, made it difficult to predict where it would strike.

The bloodlust of the blade heightened to match Creed’s, giving it the appearance of a man-eating shark. Train fired his Orichalcum gun, Hades, over and over again, each bullet deflected too easily by the blade and Creed’s inhuman speed.

Despite the continued assault, Creed managed to creep closer, closer until he was nearly on top of the Black Cat. His blade swung again, parried by Hades at the last second. Train’s eyes narrowed with the effort of keeping the imagine blade from slicing him in two. It had already nicked the gun, a feat impossible for any other weapon.

Train leapt backward, but Creed didn’t miss a beat. He followed, nose to nose with the former Number XIII, malignant grin carved from ear to ear.

When they landed, Train only kept his feet for a second before Creed toppled him, crashing with all the force he could muster into the spiky-haired man. The air forced itself from Train’s lungs once he hit the ground, rendering him incapable of freeing himself from under his opponent.

For the first time during the fight, fear swept through him.

Creed Diskenth was not known for sparing his prey, and despite his repeated attempts to get Train on his side, the façade had ended. He raised his sword, prepared to deliver the killing blow.

Train tried to raise his gun, but he found himself incapable of raising his arm, let alone lifting anything with it. His voice didn’t work either, and he couldn’t hear whatever Creed’s last words to him were meant to be.

The blade was thrust downward and—

Train bolted upright with a strangled cry, followed by a series of deep, ragged coughs. Reflexively, he raised a trembling hand to cover them, the other twisting the sheets in a white-knuckled grip. Rivulets of sweat snaked along his forehead and neck as he tried to assure himself the scene wasn’t real. It was not real.

He was still breathing heavily when he noticed the young girl at his bedside. Eve rested one of her own hands atop his on the bed in a comforting gesture before mopping his face with a cool, damp cloth.

His eyes were wild, still half-caught in the dream when she spoke. “I know he hasn’t disappeared for you,” she said softly. “But you’re safe with us.”

Train blinked a few times, as if processing her words. He shifted, taking the cloth and wiping it across his face before his breathing became erratic. “Hih…hh-heh…Heh’EkKSHMMph!” He sneezed wetly into the material, rendering it more useful as a handkerchief than a cooling cloth.

“I know,” he finally replied, voice thick with congestion. “It’s just…thihh…this cold is…is…Huh’TShCHUu!” He gave a small grunt of displeasure. “It’s killin’ me.”

“Bless you. That’s what I’m supposed to say, right?” Before he responded, Eve touched his fiery brow, frowned, and left the room without a word. Train puzzled for a moment, debating whether to fall asleep again, when she returned with a small glass of milk. He took it gratefully, not realizing until he’d guzzled it all that he’d been extremely thirsty.

“Now you can sleep again,” Eve coaxed, utterly serious and unsmiling. “As your rival, I’ll make sure you’re healthy again soon. I won’t fight someone who’s sick and weak.”

Train chuckled at that. “Who’re you callin’ weak?” he joked, though he took her advice, eventually drifting off in search of more peaceful slumber.

Fandom: Black Cat

Train (m)

024. Taxi & 043. Punctual

He was late – extremely late. It was something that Sven was used to from the boy with the spiky brown hair, but Train was sure it didn’t make things any easier on him. Not tonight.

It was no secret that the Apostles of the Stars were after them. Any other time, they would make it a rule not to go prowling around alone. This was, after all, the perfect scenario for them to attack – pouring rain, poor visibility, and cold enough to make anyone utterly miserable.

And Train certainly felt it.

He trembled beneath the dull glow of a streetlight, drenched to the point that he was sure his skin was absorbing the water. He felt the chill straight through to his bones. Not to mention, he was exhausted, and certainly not up for the lecture he would receive from Sven about not getting back to the inn on time.

It was just as he was imagining the tongue lashing that a taxi sped past, creating a wave of rainwater pooled on the side of the road. It washed over Train like a tsunami, as if he could get any wetter. His limbs quaked once more as he continued on his way. Only then did he realize the vehicle had backed up beside him.

He stopped, expecting the worst when Sven’s head poked out of the back window. “Hey! Train, get in here!” He waved, opening the door for his partner.

The younger man wasted no time in obeying. “Th-thanks for p-picking me up-p,” he said with a sprinkle of abashed laughter. It disappeared when a soft prickle assaulted his nose and he snapped forward with a harsh, “Hpt’CHxSHhUH!”

Instead of a courteous “bless you” or anything of the sort, Train received a merciless punch to the top of his head. “Hey!” he cried. “What was that for?”

“You were supposed to be back two hours ago!” Sven fumed. “How was I supposed to know you hadn’t been kidnapped? Especially seeing how you look like a drowned cat and will probably end up coming down with a cold in this sort of weather!”

Cunning realization dawned on Train’s face. “Oh, so you were worried about me!” he teased with a kitten’s grin. “I know since Eve’s been tagging along you’ve picked up these fatherly instincts, but I can – Ow!” He rubbed the tender spot that had once again met Sven’s fist of doom.

“If you get sick, you deserve it,” the man muttered, pulling a cigarette from his pocket.

[Emily]

MEHEHEHE Train is really starting to grow on me now! It's kinda like how smileyfacegirl's now infamous FMA fic was what started me on FMA. I'll start reading Black Cat probably later tonight. o w o the promise of beautiful men is totally driving me forward VK is quite good 8D it's just so darn depressing that I had to stop and read a happy-go-lucky shoujo manga or three. If I had any artistic ability, I'd draw Yuki and Zero back to back with guns And I'm not sure about Kanda because I haven't read D. Grayman /ashamed I'm sure I would be an Allen fan though LOL I'm a bit of a shoutacon...okay a lot, but they're cute. WAHAHA POTHEADS UNITE

and this line, by the way

“If you get sick, you deserve it,” the man muttered, pulling a cigarette from his pocket.

[EmeraldThread]

Okay, so I really wanted to reply to this before I leave in a few hours for the weekend(because somewhere in that time I do need sleep, like now). XD

Haha, yes!! Train is way more awesome in the real thing than I can portray him, but I'm so, so, so happy you like these!! I read all you guys' comments about 50 times before I even start answering them. XD THERE ARE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL MEN. Creed is pretty attractive, even though he's a veritable lunatic, but as evidenced by half this thread, I'm partial to Train. Oh yeah. I just kind of got turned off it when Yuki became a vampire. I don't know if it was that specifically, but I just got kinda bored. I'm trying to get back into it now (mostly because I said I'd do a trade and write a Zero fic and then remembered I haven't touched the manga in a few years). That would be such a cool picture! I'm still honing my artistic skills, so it's something I'd try if I were confident enough. Haha, I can see you being an Allen fan. I recommend that one as much as Black Cat! YES POTTHEAD GATHERING...OVER AT YOUR THREAD!

I was hoping someone else would like that line, it was one of my favorites.

Edited August 17, 2012 by ElementsofGray

[Emily]

Oh geez, it's the wee hours of morning now and I ought to be asleep but stuff is strewn all over my bed

I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO REREAD COMMENTS LIKE THAT! cause readers are so scarce and commenters even scarcer so I'm just like "GOTTA BORE THIS IN MY BRAIN FIRST"

true to my word, I read the first chapter and in the name of all things holy and sexy, Train is one good-looking mofo. I am going to cry if I don't have internet access to read it during my vacation OTL I watched the anime first so when she got her vampire memories back I was just staring at the screen, all mind-blown and going what the heck just happened. Yuki's just not as badass when she's a vampire, I s'pose. A trade fic, hm? shall I look forward to it? And the most I can do is sketch stuff I can see ^^; everything just looks so much better in my head...I'll have to try getting into D. Grayman again (failed like twice)

I'll keep checking for updates as long as I've got internet!!

[SapphireSong]

Awwwww TRAIN!!! Once again, I am in love with these, Elements XDD Thanks so much for writing!

Hm, since you opened it to suggestions, I suppose it's worth asking if you'd ever do anything for Fullmetal Alchemist, Fairy Tail, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, or Soul Eater... if you haven't seen them or aren't interested that's totally cool, I'm not begging you for it or anything. I appreciate whatever you post.

(lol Emily, Water Meets Flame is infamous now?.. I'm.. not sure what to say.. X) )

[EmeraldThread]

Emily: No way, dude! I thought everyone read them like that. XD That's what I do! You and smileyfacegirl^^ are the only regular commenters on this thread, and I seriously can't even tell you guys how much I love reading these. A LOT, to give you an idea.

RIGHT?! I finished the series yesterday around 11 at night. While the rest of my family slept in our one room camp, I was that annoying jerk who kept a light on just to get through the last volume. Either way, it was so worth it - enough so that I had to take my writing book and write even just one thought down. It's what I've been doing every time I finish something that really inspires or amazes me. BUT YES TRAIN IS BEAUTIFUL!!! I thought that, too, about Yuki. She was pretty badass before being a vampire again, and after - at the last point I remember, anyway - she was just kind of...being taken care of all the time. I looked at some later chapters and she had gotten a little more awesome, but I've yet to read the new volume I ordered. Look forward to it, but I hope I don't disappoint! That's what I used to do, sketching/drawing directly from references. It's only been a few years since I really started honing my mind-to-paper skills. ^^;

smileyfacegirl^^: I love that you're enjoying these, because I keep writing them (perhaps a little too much xD) and worrying that people won't want to read them since the fandom doesn't seem as popular as something like...I dunno...some other anime/manga out there. But I finished the series last night and it's become my new favorite. xD I just love Train. A lot. Anyway, like I told Emily, I can't tell either of you how much I love your comments! They make me want to write more (which could be good or bad, depending on how much you want to read them ). Out of those, I've only seen the entirety of FMA, but I'm totally willing to take a shot at it! I've read a little of the other three too, or at least heard of them, but yeah, I'm interested in at least checking them out some more. (Also, to your response to Emily, YES, Water Meets Flame is infamous! It's one of the best fics I've ever read, and probably the best FMA one, sneezefic or otherwise!)

Sorry these took so long! I got back a few days ago, but my laptop charger stopped functioning, and then I had to order another one and wait until today to get it and I really don't like posting anything here from anywhere other than my laptop (that way no one really sees it). Hopefully it makes up having three instead of just one or two?

Alright, so this thread is quickly turning into less of a various fandoms thing and more into a thread to indulge in my current obsession with Black Cat and Train Heartnet. I wrote three while I was away this weekend. I'll understand if anyone stops reading because of this. ^^;

Black Cat

Train (m)

002. Sway

It had been two weeks since Sven Vollfied rescued his partner from the freezing rain. Train seemed perfectly fine at first, just going back to the inn to towel off and go to bed. He’d been alright through the next week, even. It was only two days ago that Sven picked up on the signs that the Black Cat might have been more affected by the storm than either of them originally thought.

First, there was the occasional sniffling when they were out gathering intelligence, which Sven thought nothing of in the beginning.

Then, the suppressed coughs. Those, he took note of, despite their seemingly unthreatening nature. It was so unlike Train to sound unwell in any respect that it made his efforts to conceal the spasms that much more obvious.

On the third day, it became painfully clear that being out in the rain that night had done a number on the former assassin. His eyes were red-rimmed and charcoal-lined, accented by chapped nostrils and a pallor rivaling the white of Sven’s suit. He barely forced himself out of bed when Sven called out, telling him they had to get going or risk missing out on a tip on their newest target.

Train didn’t answer right away, hastily stifling an unexpected sneeze. “Hpt’ngxt!” The force of it made his head ache. He massaged the bridge of his nose, ignoring Sven’s second warning. He coughed relentlessly into the covers of his bed, wiping away a thin sheen of sweat gathering on his forehead.

“Train!”

Just his name was enough to finally draw him from his room. “I’m up!” he shouted back, voice slightly raspy. He hoped no one would notice.

On their way out the door, he grabbed his usual bottle of milk, though he had no appetite for anything in particular. Sven didn’t comment on his lackluster job performance – it was clear the guy was making some sort of effort. If he thought he was all right to wander around for information, who was Sven to argue?

It wasn’t until mid-afternoon that he started to regret not keeping his partner at the inn to let Eve take care of him. Train kept swiping at his dripping nose, making Sven wish he had a handkerchief to offer. Even more annoying was that everything the green haired man said, he had to repeat because Train’s head was too thick to process it the first time. It was when the younger sweeper took it upon himself to gather tips that it started slowing down the job.

“Hey you!” Train called to a scruffy looking man sitting outside a local pub and pulling out a wanted poster. “Have you see…s-seen…Hh’EtTScHU!...seen this guy?” He sniffed into the crook of his elbow, trying to reign in the escaped moisture. The man looked absolutely repulsed.

“Uh…no, sorry,” he replied, retreating inside the pub without another word.

Train moved to follow him, sure that the man knew more than he was letting on, before Sven took hold of his arm – the one that hadn’t been contaminated by the sneeze. “I think it’s time we headed back to the room,” the suited man suggested, worry creasing his brow.

“Wh…heh…why? Heh’xSChUH!” the Black Cat wondered blearily.

“That’s why.”

“I don’t know…what you…” Train trailed off, eyes suddenly dulling as he swayed on the spot. He attempted a step forward only to trip over his feet. Sven was ready for it, and gripped his partner’s arms to steady him. The boy tried to support himself, only to find a fuzzy blackness inching toward the center of his vision.

“Train? Hey!” Sven called, dragging the kid to a nearby bench. He set his friend down carefully, Train’s head resting against Sven’s shoulder. The man with the eye patch brushed aside strands of hair plastered to Train’s face, feeling without intention the heat of a high fever.

“Alright,” he concluded. “We’re heading back.” Without further ado, he scooped Train up into his arms and started back for the inn, where Eve would be unsurprised to see them return so early.

Black Cat

Train (m)

022. Murmur

Sven lowered the Black Cat, supposedly intimidating former Chronos agent, into his bed at the inn. After the kid collapsed in the street, he’d hardly had a choice. Eve looked momentarily shocked, not at Train being sick – something she’d picked up on in its first stages – but at his being completely incapacitated in Sven’s arms.

“What’s wrong with him?” Eve asked, trying to keep her concern from creeping into her voice.

“I think it’s just a nasty cold,” Sven answered, pulling the covers up over his sleeping companion. “He’s just so dense that he doesn’t think to rest when he needs it.”

“Why didn’t you make him stay here?” Eve asked with a slight frown.

A small smile graced Sven’s features. “That wouldn’t have worked. Train isn’t the type to just stay put because someone tells him to. If I were going to get him to take a break, it had to be of his own accord. Or his body had to tell him,” he amended, glancing at the sleeping sweeper before stepping out of the room.

Splotchy bright red decorated Train’s cheeks, damp hair framing his now relaxed features. The guy looked so much more innocent in slumber – so much so, that it would be impossible to tell he was once an elite assassin if not for the Roman numeral tattoo on his chest.

His eyelids scrunched up, lips moving around breathy words. Eve leaned in to listen, but only caught vague syllables. She thought she heard “Saya” among them, the name of the woman who started him on his path to quitting Chronos to become a sweeper. She wouldn’t admit it, but she felt sorry for him, trapped in a fever dream about the woman killed by Creed.

“He wake up?” Eve jumped when she heard Sven speak again behind her. In his hands was a bowl filled with cool water, a small cloth hanging over his forearm.

Eve shook her head. “He’s talking in his sleep.”

Sven looked more concerned than she anticipated. “He hasn’t done that for a while.”

Eve understood the implications of the statement. He hadn’t done it for a while because he hadn’t dreamt of Saya, or probably even allowed himself to worry about their mission. It was always there somewhere in his mind, but Train wasn’t one to bother with things he couldn’t control.

Sven placed the damp cloth on his friend’s forehead, hoping it would bring the fever down a little. When the cold temperature came in contact with Train’s skin, his eyes fluttered, struggling to open.

“Hey Princess,” he yawned. Eve drew back, embarrassed at being caught listening to his muttering. “How’d I get back here?” he asked, slowly maneuvering into a sitting position, cloth falling to the bed.

“Sven carried you,” Eve supplied.

Train turned to his partner, an awkward blush mingling with his fever. “Thanks,” he said, scratching the back of his head. “Sorry for, y’know, passing out on you.”

Sven shrugged. “Had to get you in bed somehow. How do you feel?”

Train chuckled, which quickly turned into a fit of coughing. “Pretty awful,” he admitted. He kneaded a spot between his eyebrows. It wasn’t thirty seconds later when he snapped forward with an uncovered “Huh’KtSCHUh!”

Sven pushed him back beneath the covers, replacing the cloth. “Go back to sleep. We’ll check on you later.”

The Black Cat grinned. “I can still take care of myself, Sven. But if the princess is worried…” He trailed off.

“I’m not!” Eve grumbled, furious blush giving her away completely.

Black Cat

Train, Sven (m)

039. Contagious

It only took Sven a few minutes the next morning to realize he’d caught Train’s cold. He woke, dry-mouthed and coughing. He sniffed hard, rubbing at his nose.

And this was only the beginning, he was sure.

He rose from his bed, no sooner opening the bedroom door when he met Eve in the main room of the inn. “I heard you snoring,” she stated, looking up from the book in her lap. “You’ve caught Train’s cold.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yeah,” Sven admitted. “I guess it caught up with me. Can’t say I’m that s…suh…hh – heh – hh! Hg’hEghTSChOO!” Eve jumped at the sound, much louder than Train’s sneezes – fitting for the amount of buildup beforehand. Sven sniffed again. “Surprised.”

“I’ve been reading a lot about cold remedies,” the young girl said. “Even though nothing cures them, there are a remarkable number of things that can make you feel better.”

Sven offered her a grateful smile. “It’s a nice thought, kid, but the best thing is rest.”

The child nodded. “It says that here, too. But it says you should drink a lot of green tea and take medicine. There are a lot more things, but we don’t have most of them.” She turned the page. “Sven, you can go back to bed. I’ll make you some tea.”

Although he had his doubts, he was still too tired to think much of it. Moreover, he was just glad he wasn’t the one who had to do that kind of stuff.

Those thoughts vanished when he was wrenched from a restless doze by the smoke alarm in the kitchen. Without thinking, he bolted out of the room to find a smoke trail from the stove burner to the ceiling extending over half the room. Eve, ordinarily calm and collected, seemed frozen, several feet from the disaster.

Sven grabbed the fire extinguisher out of the corner of the room, spraying the white foam all over the kettle on the stovetop. Once he was sure, there was no way a fire could start, he turned to Eve. “You okay, Eve?”

“I’m fine,” she muttered guiltily. “I’m sorry for waking you.”

The sweeper coughed, choking on the smoke before answering. “That’s alright. Why don’t we open the windows, clear out this room?”

Eve nodded and complied. It was only seconds later that Train emerged from his bedroom, still pale and looking for all it was worth, like he could faint again at a moment’s notice. “You trying to burn the place down, Princess?” he joked, managing a teasing grin.

Through his congestion, he could smell the overpowering stench of the dark cloud spreading across the room. It only exploited his current sensitivity, mingling in his sinuses until his face crumpled in defeat. “Heh’KTSChh! Aet’SCHiUh! Hh’xTschUU!”

“You sound worse,” Sven commented, then added a sneeze of his own, complete with rapidly hitching breaths. “Hih…hh-heh-hh! Hegh’EghTSCHUUH!”

Train’s face fell just a little. “Sounds like you’ve got it, too.”

“Yeah.” Sven stepped over and turned the Black Cat around. “But I’m not gonna carry you back to bed if you pass out. So go.” He offered a light push to the younger man’s shoulder. The fact that he almost tripped from that alone was enough to judge his condition.

[SapphireSong]

Dude, I enjoy these so much that I totally squeed silently when I saw this thread updated!! And I'm glad you're writing Black Cat! It looks like a great series, and I fully intend to pick it up eventually XDD And your writing deserves comments! You're really good, and I'm totally just being honest about how much I like these - whether it's coherent or not-so-coherent, it's honest. LOL. That would be sooo awesome if you eventually did something for FMA! It's still my favorite series... or at any rate, the characters are some of my favorites of all time :3 And the other three series are really good! Worth checking out at some point, if the subject matter and styles suit your tastes. ^^ (about Water Meets Flame - Waah thank you! I'm so glad you like it.. and btw I LOVE reading your comments on my stuff, they encourage me to write more )

FYI, I do not plan on stopping reading this thread, ever. XDDD I totally get writing about current obsessions!! Heck, most of my stuff on this forum to date has been FMAfics. LOL.

And speaking of this thread....

UWAAAAHHH~!!!!! These three drabbles might possibly be my favorites that you've done so far!!!! Sick/feverish!Train is one of the cutest things I've ever read ever!!! And Sven, omgosh! lol the whole trilogy is just

That is all. You are awesome. heehee i can't wait to read more

[Akahana]

Train ans Sven are so cute!! It's been so long since I touched this anime, it might be time to pick it up again soon ^ ^;;

[SterlingSilver]

WTF OMGGGGGGGGG X'DDDDDDDDDD!

Somehow I didn't see this delicious gold mine of Black Cat amazingness until NOW x'D

*shame on self*

This is AWESOME~.. So much Train numminess! I've been looking for stuff like this to glean over, so thank you so much for writing all this, Elements!

It's LOVELY <3

[EmeraldThread]

smileyfacegirl^^: And here I haven't updated for you in well over a month! I'm so so so happy you still like them (and that more people than just me appreciate Train), and even when your comments might not be totally coherent, they're enough so I love reading them a hundred times in a row. I've dabbled into all of those series except Fairy Tail, and I really liked what I saw of Tsubasa! I've been meaning to get back into it, but the opportunity never quite presents itself. Dude, continue with whatever obsessions you have, you could write complete nonsense and make it sound good. (Also, even when I don't get around to actually commenting on your updates, I still read the parts!) Thank you!!! I can't even tell you how much I love that you loved those three because they were my favorites, too. xD

Btw, have some FMA~

Akahana: I think that time is right now.

BlackScatter: Thank youuuuu~!! Haha, it is ALL my pleasure, I'm glad you found them.

I am a terrible, horrible person, and I am so sorry for abandoning you all for...a long time. School and things have been devouring all my time and my inspiration for writing is in short supply as of late. But I did write a little bit (really, it's super short), so here ya go~

(P.S. I'm not really into the congested voices myself, but I figured someone might like it. Let me know if I made it really unappealing so I'll know whether or not to try again someday. )

Fullmetal Alchemist

Edward (m)

001. Evidence

“That isn’t proof, Ed,” Winry said with all the authority she could muster. The Elric brothers had returned to Risembool just long enough so that she could perform routine maintenance on Ed’s automail. At that moment, she was focused on his currently detached arm.

However, it wasn’t long after their arrival the day before that she had started picking up on the elder Elric’s unusual behavior. Earlier that morning, she’d noticed several things that weren’t quite right. Firstly, Edward Elric had slept nearly until noon, not so much as stirring when she tried to wake him for breakfast.

This led her to her second point – Ed missing a meal. Then, once he woke up, he looked like he’d barely slept.

Now he was trying to tell Winry that he hadn’t been sick once since becoming a State Alchemist, as if that were solid confirmation that he could not possibly be sick now.

“Quit bugging be about it, Widry,” Ed replied testily. That was another thing – his already rebellious mood became downright grumpy.

A sly grin manifested on her features. “Maybe when you can pronounce the N in my name.”

Ed grumbled in frustration. Winry noticed the slight flush in his cheeks, radiating against the pallor of the rest of his face, coupled with the charcoal lining his eyes. His cheek balanced precariously on his left hand, now and then unsettled by his intermittent trembling.

“Hurry up and fix by autombail, will ya?” he mumbled, ignoring her statment. “We deed to mbove on as sood as possible.”

Winry tore her attention from the mechanical appendage on her desk. “Like I said, once you stop calling me ‘Widry,’ I’ll consider it.”

Ed’s scowl deepened. “Fide.” He exhaled fully, paused for a second, and struggled to sniffle through thick congestion.

“Wi…”

Another, more liquid sniffle.

“Win…heh…Winr…”

A discreet swipe at his pink-tinged nose.

For a moment, it truly appeared as if he would triumph over the mechanic’s challenge. He tried once more, ignoring all previous warning signs.

“Win—het’JSHhUU!” The sneeze caught him totally off guard, so much so that he barely had time to cover it with his gloved hand. From there, he made a last ditch effort to prove himself.

“Widry.”

The blonde girl chuckled. “You can’t hide the evidence, Ed.”

[42686]

oh that was great!! loved it!

[Emily]

In order of reactions here:

"OMGOMGOMGOMG NO WAI"

"OMG YES. I WILL READ--"

"HOLY SMOKES FMA OMGOMGOMGOMOGMG NO WAII"

"OMG YES I'M READING"

"HNNNNGGGGG THE FEELS"

Okay. Yes. That was totally worthy of the long wait. THREAD REVIVALS! A clever way to add in sneezy goodness, I must say.,

[Akahana]

LOLOLOL ED!!!! I love Ed, he's so fucking funny!! XD And Winry is a Troll

[SapphireSong]

YAAAAAAAYYYY YOU'RE BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lol! I'm so happy~ HAHA and btw I just reread all your Train ones because I now love Jason Liebrecht even more courtesy of Darker than Black (EPIC anime. XDD) And Tsubasa is DEFINITELY worth getting back into!! (though I hear the manga's better than the anime. lol but I liked the anime a lot regardless XD) And OMGOSH you are so sweet! I'm glad you like my stuff. LOL you are gonna get more of it pretty soon here, and I'm gonna branch out a bit :3 I'm probably gonna start a short story thread of my own...

Btw, have some FMA~

OH. MY. asjdklf;ajdsfl;adfjdfla;sdfl; there went my coherency **there needs to be a swoon emoticon** (maybe there is but i'm not gonna go look lolz)

OMGOSH SERIOUSLY!!!!! I have no words that can either do justice to this drabble OR sufficiently express how I feel about it... All I can say is THANK YOU SO MUCH~ and YOU ARE AWESOME!!! You are so sweet to go with my suggestion! You wrote both Ed and Winry perfectly!! XDD And thank you for experimenting with the stuffy talk btw!!! It was GREAT, and most of all I love how you used it in the story. >:3 That was SO FREAKIN' CUTE!!!!! *flails in fangirl corner*

All right, I think I'm done now X) Elements, you rock.