My Hero Academia Oneshots

We laid our names to rest along the dotted line

We left our date of birth and our history behind

Kugo had never seen the ocean before in his entire life. He’d never seen the way the sunlight reflected off of the waves. He’d never felt the sand tickle his toes as the waves kissed the land goodbye and hello repeatedly. He’d never seen the dolphins trailing boats in the distance,or the giant whales surfacing for some air as the sunlight graced their backs with golden rays. He’d never seen the beauty the ocean had to offer,and he sometimes wondered if he would ever be given the opportunity to see it. He prayed he would,but fate had always been a cruel mistress,and when the fat bastard came knocking at his door,demanding he find a way to pay back the debts he owed,he knew what he had to do. 

“I’ve signed up to be a part of the war,” Kugo informed his mother as he sipped the soup she had made for their breakfast. 

“You want to be a soldier? Why on earth for? You’re not made for fighting,you’re a teddybear!” His mother was appalled at the idea of her eldest son becoming a lackey for an emperor who was too much of a coward to even fight in the wars he had waged himself. “I thought you wanted to go to school?”

“Mom,I’ll be fine..” Kugo had always hated making his mother worried,but he knew there was no other way to repay his debt; he had only taken it out in order to support his family while he searched for another job,but it was his responsibility to pay it back on his own. “I’ve already signed up for it,and I think going to school is overrated,anyway.” 

“Kugo,don’t you lie to me. You’ve always wanted to be a scholar,” His mother scolded,her face softening when she saw the resolve in his eyes. “I won’t ask why you’re doing it,but please write to me,alright? Your brothers and I will be waiting for you..” 

Kugo relaxed and nodded,smiling at her. “I’ll be home before you know it.” 

(First Name)’s story was nowhere near as shiny and sweet as Kugo’s story had been. 

Tsunagu continued pacing around the room,knowing his blood pressure was probably through the roof and soaring to the moon at this point. “So let me get this straight.. You,the bastard daughter of the Duchess and an assassin sent to kill the Duke,thought it would be a good idea to,after being my friend for my entire life and practically being engaged to me since we were five,try and poison my brother’s favorite knight-in-training in order to fulfill some revenge plot you concocted?” 

“Yes..” (First Name) looked away awkwardly. “But,in my defense,he tried to poison me first!”

“No,no he didn’t.. He wasn’t at the castle last week..” Tsunagu pinched his nose,trying to keep himself from exploding. “The doctor said you had acute symptoms,and yet you tried to poison him with a herb that’s almost incurable.. How does that make sense?” 

“I said I was sorry,okay? Mistakes happen!” (First Name) regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. 

“Mistakes happen?! MISTAKES HAPPEN?!” Tsunagu’s voice had never been so shrill before. “Is that really all you have to say after nearly causing someone’s death?! If it weren’t for one of the foreign diplomats having the knowledge about a cure,he’d be dead right now! And you can only say ‘mistakes happen’?!” He tried to grab the girl,cursing and struggling when Shinya caught him and held him back. “Let me go,Shin! I’m gonna kill her!”

 “Calm down. Take deep breaths. It was a misunderstanding,” Shinya soothed him as best as he could,looking at (First Name) and then at the doorway,hoping she got the message to leave while she had the chance. “He’s alive and has already forgiven her.” 

(First Name) got the message indeed,and so she took off out of the room,stumbling slightly because of her heels and then kicking them off so she could run faster when she heard the door slam open again and Tsunagu shouting her name. “I said I was sorry!” 

“Sorry doesn’t cut it when you almost caused someone to die,you fucking idiot!” Tsunagu roared,hot on her heels but unable to catch her. 

(First Name)’s savior came in the form of a man with a v-shaped haircut,the girl diving to hide behind him. “Mr.Yagi,please help! He’s trying to kill me!” 

Toshinori held his arm out and caught the prince,holding him back with ease. “Your Highness,you should calm down. I’m sure whatever young (First Name) did wasn’t bad enough to warrant this.”

“She poisoned Juzo! My brother nearly had a heart-attack!” Tsunagu struggled to try and escape the knight’s grip. “I’m gonna beat her!” 

“Why would she poison Juzo?” Toshinori raised an eyebrow,surprised that the girl was guilty of poisoning the man. 

“I thought he was the one who poisoned me!” (First Name) said,hiding behind a nearby pillar and peeking out at the struggling Prince. “I said I was sorry,Tsuna,so calm down!” 

“You owe me big time for stopping my brother from having you killed,(First Name)! He was livid!” Tsunagu shouted when he saw her,looking like a very pissed off feral cat. 

“Young (First Name) just needs a better way to redirect her energy and mind. Should she find a decent hobby,I believe that the destruction she causes would be reduced,” Toshinori suggested,doing his best to keep the blonde prince from reaching the girl. “She’s good at swordsmanship,right?”

Tsunagu stopped at that,his eyes lighting up and an evil expression appearing on his face. “That’s exactly right! (First Name),you like brandishing your sword and coming up with plans,right?” A nervous nod from the cowering girl sealed her fate. “Great! I’ll tell my father you’ve signed up as a soldier for the war! That’s how you’ll repay me for saving your dumbass!” 

“Woah,woah,Tsuna,calm down! You wouldn’t actually do that,right?!” (First Name) asked anxiously as she trailed after the boy. “Tsuna?!”

Tsunagu didn’t answer,just picking up the pace and bolting straight to the throne room with a terrified girl on his heels. If burning out her excess energy was what it took to prevent her from getting herself killed by his brother by doing something stupid,he’d send her to war and kill two birds with one stone. 

And just like that,two new recruits among the royalty were sent off to join the other soldiers-in-training,forced to escort a carriage full of supplies to the training camp.

(First Name)’s first impression upon meeting Kugo was that he was absolutely adorable. The man had a thing called ‘vitiligo’,which explained why his dark skin was covered in white splotches around his eyes,chin,and hands. He was strikingly beautiful in her eyes,and she wondered why she had never met him among the nobles that had been invited to the castle so often. 

Kugo’s first impression of (First Name) was that she had way too much energy. Nothing about the girl screamed that she was from nobility,yet he knew by the crest on her sword that she most certainly had some sort of connection to the royal family. And,yes,a small part of him unwillingly acknowledged the fact that she was beautiful. 

Few words were exchanged between the group. The journey to the training camp was to take two weeks by horseback,and things were fine until the second week,which was when they were confronted by a group of bandits. 

“Get behind me and hide with the coachman..” Kugo ordered her quietly as he drew his sword,backing towards the carriage in order to draw their attention. 

“Oh fuck off with that chivalry bullshit!” (First Name) hissed at him,drawing her own sword. “You take the coachman and hide!” She pivoted on her feet and stabbed faster than Kugo had ever seen,his eyes widening when he saw blood splatter from one of the bandits.. Well,ex-bandit now,considering he was dead. 

“And you’re a noble?” Kugo sighed,covering her back and slashing at one of the bandits that strayed too close. Based off of the girl’s movements,he didn’t need to worry about her too much. “I’ll take the five on the left,you get the rest.”

“Guess you could say that I’ve had plenty of experience in this field!” (First Name) said cheerfully once the fight was over,the corpses of the bandits strewn about. Instead of going to clean herself up,she began patting their chests,checking their pockets for weapons or anything valuable. “These guys were chumps..” 

“How in the hell did the guards at the castle allow you anywhere near the imperial family?! Shouldn’t you be crying right now or something!?” Kugo asked as he watched her check for loot. “What the hell are you?”

“Ohh,you’re one of those guys,huh? You’re like Tsuna,trying to act like you’ve a line you won’t cross,right?” (First Name) looked at him and grinned. “Hate to break it to you,buddy,but I’m not here to die. We’re going to a training camp and then a warzone,not to your mommy’s kitchen,so you should stop acting like nobility matters here. We’re not nobles anymore,we’re soldiers.” 

Kugo recoiled slightly at her words,before letting out a slight growl. “Being soldiers doesn’t mean we have to abandon our humanity. The least you could do is honor the dead.”

“Do you think they would’ve honored us if we were on their end? They would’ve killed you and the coachman and left me alive so they could have their way with me,and then they would’ve killed me as well,” (First Name) hissed,stomping over to him and jabbing her finger at his chest. “It would do you well to remember,Mr.Sakamata,that I am here to survive so I can return to that damn castle and beat the absolute shit out of Tsunagu for sending me here! So,if you can’t even endure this much,turn your ass around and go home!” 

Kugo stared down at the girl in shocked silence,his eyes widening when he realized his face was heating up after he thought she was cute. He looked away quickly and cleared his throat,stepping back and tugging at his collar. “Forgive me.. You were right..” 

“Thank you. Now,help me move them off to the side of the road so they won’t cause any accidents,” (First Name) told him,turning around and starting to haul the bodies off to the side,dumping them and watching their bodies roll off into the edge of the forest. “Animals’ll have fun with those.” 

Kugo helped her with discarding the bodies,his heart calming down quickly. He was just confused,right? In a moment of anger,he had just seen how small and angry she looked and thought she was cute like a cat,right? He hoped so. 

Contrary to Kugo’s prayers,he continued to think (First Name) was cute. From the way she nommed on her bread to the way she looked around suspiciously at everything,she was downright adorable,and it was becoming torturous to him.. Until he found out her relationship with the Prince one night by the fireside. 

“Me and Tsuna? I guess you can say we’re supposed to get engaged?” (First Name) scratched her neck slightly as she tried to think of how to explain it. “See,I’m a bastard,so I was only taken to the castle once by my mother when my nanny fell ill and she had no other choice. I was only five or six at the time,but I met Tsuna there and ended up punching him because he was being an asshole,and I was continuously taken to the castle after that because his parents wanted me to reign him in.. Eventually,it kinda became the opposite somehow,I guess? I mean,I can’t sit still for shit,so Tsuna was eventually the one chasing me around and trying to hit me. After I accidentally poisoned the wrong person for poisoning me,he sent me here!”

“Wait,wait.. You’re supposed to marry the prince? And what the hell do you mean by ‘accidentally poisoning the wrong person’? Do you mean that people in the palace just.. Poison eachother?” Kugo asked,raising an eyebrow. He had no chance with the girl if she was engaged to the prince. 

“Well.. Kinda? I’m technically one of his candidates,and since he’s not really into girls,it’d be a fake marriage or whatever,so..” (First Name) trailed off awkwardly,before laughing when she saw how worried he looked over the poisoning incident. “Listen,okay? I was poisoned a while ago by someone,and the information led me to the wrong person. I could’ve taken it to court,but I wanted to get revenge my own way,and that’s why I poisoned him.. Poison’s illegal inside the castle,for obvious reasons,but I had Shinya up my sleeve,so of course I got away with sneaking some in.. What’s your story,anyway? How come you’re coming off to war,Mr.Nobility?” 

“Debt. Being a soldier pays good money.” Kugo could see the unasked question in her eyes,so he elaborated. “My dad died six years ago,and the inheritance lasted us up until now,but then my uncle elbowed his way in and snagged most of the money. I picked up a job doing part-time mercenary work to keep us afloat,but I got fired and we couldn’t keep up with taxes,so I had to take out loans.. I couldn’t find another job,so now I’m here.” 

“Shit,dude,I’m sorry.. I’ve heard that it was becoming a worse problem,but I didn’t think it was bad enough to even reach the Sakamata family..” (First Name) sighed,shaking her head. “I’ll tell Tsuna to come up with a way to fix that shit,so don’t stress over it too much! Just think of what you want to do once all of this is over!”

“Once all of this is over?” Kugo hadn’t had much time to think about the future for years now,so it felt foreign to try and think of it now. “What’re you planning on doing? Besides punching the prince,I mean?”

“I’m gonna leave my family’s name in the dust,” (First Name) admitted,grinning when she saw how shocked he looked. “I could pursue being a knight,or even ask Tsuna to marry me,but that stuff is way too restrictive.. I wanna sail the sea.” 

“The ocean?” Kugo’s heartbeat was in his ears now. “You wanna see the ocean,too?” 

“More than see it,I wanna live on it!” (First Name) told him,jumping up and spreading her arms wide. “I’ve seen it in books,and Tsuna said it’s huge! There are animals called ‘whales’,and they’re awesome! And dolphins,too! Dolphins are cool,but I like whales way more! And everyone says that the waves can lull you to sleep super quickly,and that storms on the sea are terrifyingly wonderful!” 

“Really? I’ve never heard much about the waves putting people to sleep,I’ve only ever heard about them making people sick and the storms being gut-wrenching..” Kugo was amazed at how excited she seemed. “And you’re really planning on abandoning everything just for that?” 

“Don’t say ‘just for that’! The ocean is beautiful,I’m sure of it! Our planned route on our way to the battle is supposed to pass by it,and when we see it,I bet you’ll love it!” (First Name) grinned at him,her eyes practically glowing in the firelight. “And if you’ve got no plans after,why not come sail with me? We can go anywhere we want and do whatever we want!”

“It’s not like we can man a ship alone..” Kugo pointed out,chuckling a little. “And I thought you didn’t like me?”

“Then we’ll find a good crew! And,I don’t hate you,but don’t exactly love you,either!” She beamed at him,looking over when she heard the coachman groan about how they needed to get to sleep or shut up. She rolled her eyes at that and sat down,turning and grinning at Kugo once again. “My point is that we can do whatever we want after this. The past doesn’t matter,just the future,so we should plan for a bright one. Stick with me,and you’ll be on the waves in no time!”

Kugo knew she was being naive,but he couldn’t bring himself to tell her that life wasn’t so easy,so he just nodded and smiled a little. “I’ll be looking forward to it,then.”

And then they arrived at Outpost One,a large campsite set up on the outskirts of a little town,and met the other soldiers. There were medics,mages,and regular soldiers strewn about,sitting beside their tents and talking or running laps. 

“Who’re you two?” A man that towered over them growled out. “New recruits?”

“Yes sir. I’m (First Name),sent directly from the palace by Prince Tsunagu’s orders,” (First Name) said,bowing to him quickly. She knew not to push her luck with towering giants like this guy. 

“I’m Kugo Sakamata,from house Sakamata..” Kugo bowed as well,though he wasn’t sure why he was bowing to this total stranger. 

“Tie your horses up and get some food,then. You’re probably tired after such a long trek,” The man ordered,passing them so he could talk to the coachman. 

Kugo turned to ask where they were supposed to tie their horses up,not seeing any stables around,but he fell silent when he noticed that (First Name) was walking over to a post,following her quickly and tying his horse to the post as well. “How do you know all of this stuff?”

“Experience,I guess..” (First Name) patted her horse’s side and then walked over to where a buff man and a girl with blue hair were passing out bowls. “The general said we could come get some food.” 

“We’ve only got soup and bread today,but please enjoy it!” The girl,Sirius,told her with a bright smile as she slid a bowl over to her. 

“It’s hot,so be careful,” The man,Mick,warned Kugo as he slid his bowl over to him. “We don’t have enough to give out seconds,so make do with that.” 

“Thank you,” The duo said in unison before walking off. (First Name) found a seat at an empty table and began to eat the tasteless soup,Kugo settling in across from her and eating quietly. 

The next day,Kugo was put on his new squad,The Orcas,and introduced to his squad leader; a chubby man with messy white hair named Selkie. 

“I might look nice,but I’ll work you until you collapse!” Selkie snapped when he saw Kugo’s questioning look. 

“Yes sir..” Kugo averted his eyes and regained his composure quickly,feeling like he shouldn’t test the man’s temper. 

“We’ll start with running the mountain trail this morning,and after that we have combat training. I expect you to keep up with the pack,” Selkie told him before getting distracted by a butterfly floating along nearby. Clearing his throat,he quickly turned his attention back to him. “Eat your breakfast and join the others.”

“Yes sir!” Kugo said,relaxing when the man finally walked away. 

“I know he seems a bit rough around the edges,but don’t let that fool you. He’s a strong squad leader and a kind person,” Mick told him,patting his shoulder and chuckling when he saw the questioning look on his face. “Sirius and I used to work on his ship,back when he was just a captain and not a soldier. Used to sail the seas together and all that.”

Kugo wanted to ask hundreds of questions,but he didn’t speak,just nodding and walking away with a newfound confidence that the man wouldn’t be too harsh on him. 

Running the mountain trail was hell. Hundreds of people had run the trail on numerous occasions,but it was a long road to the top,and Kugo found himself among the many people who started off strong and then fell to the very back of the pack,unable to keep up with their captain. 

When they finally made it to the end of the path,Kugo collapsed against a tree and tried to catch his breath,hardly able to stay standing after running for so long. 

“What are all of you,a bunch of children?! You should be able to do this much!” Selkie shouted at all of them,frustrated with how weak they all were. “I was expecting more from all of you.”

“It.. It’s not like.. You’re that far ahead of us!” One of the men snapped as he struggled to catch his breath. “You’re just a squad leader ‘cause of the general!” 

Selkie had plenty of experience dealing with unruly and annoying men like him,so he cleared his throat and gave a menacingly bright smile. “Is that so? Do you need me to whip you into shape?” 

“Captain,I really don’t belie-”

“Shut up,Mick,” Selkie interrupted him,stepping closer to the soldier. “Now,answer my question.”

Kugo had,quite frankly,never seen a soldier quite literally have their own foot shoved in their mouth before,but the fact that the captain had done it with a smile on his face was more terrifying to him. He made a mental note never to test the captain and to work even harder so he never ended up pissing him off. 

Meanwhile,(First Name)’s first meeting with her new squad went relatively well. She would even say she liked the little team she had been put on. 

The Dolphins were a motley and tiny group of soldiers that had been thrown together last-minute,all of them specializing in different things. Magne was a tough woman with a heart of gold who seemed to specialize in just overpowering her enemies before they could strategize,and Atsuhiro was an intelligent man who specialized in strategizing and escaping people. Higari was a scrawny man with orange hair who apparently enjoyed building things and was responsible for some of the more recent inventions,such as the camera,that had become so popular recently. The final member,besides (First Name) herself,was their squad leader,Crust. Crust was a tall man with a ridiculous hairstyle and a kind personality who excelled at manipulating emotions,somehow able to keep everyone on the team from arguing despite their conflicting personalities. 

“Since we’re not exactly a ‘proper team’ with a concrete role,we won’t be worrying about training too much. We only run the mountain trail once a week,so take it easy for now,” Crust told (First Name) calmly,chuckling when he saw the confusion on her face. “We’re a squad of specialists with nothing in common,but we’re all here to assist in some way or another. When the time comes,we will all be playing an important role.”

“Yes sir.” (First Name) was curious about what her role would be,but she didn’t ask him since part of her worried she didn’t have one at all. 

And so,they settled into their new lives among the other soldiers. They were assigned tents,given new weapons,and welcomed with open arms. There was no worrying about status or wealth,and no worrying about political ties. Life as a soldier seemed peaceful. 

We were full of life,we could barely hold it in

We were amateurs at war,strangers to suffering

A month after their arrival at the first outpost,the soldiers began their march towards the second outpost. It took nearly two months for them to arrive,but when they finally did,things returned to being almost exactly how they had been at the first outpost,something everyone was grateful for. 

Then came the letters,and the coachman who delivered them early in the morning. 

Kugo had woken up to find a sealed envelope beside him,his family’s insignia marking it. He tore it open and read it eagerly. 

To my beloved son,

How are things going so far for you? I was informed that we would be allowed to write letters,but I am unsure of when you will see this letter,so I will send another once the opportunity arises. So far,the funds for your service have completely blown away our debt,and we no longer have debt collectors banging on the door. We are living quite comfortably,and I hope the same can be said for you. I’m worried that things may not work out well for you there,but you are as stubborn and headstrong as your father had been,so I know any pleas for you to return home would be ignored. The only thing I can ask of you is that you come home alive and in one piece. Remember that we all love you. 

-Love,Mommy

P.S.,your brothers have both gotten jobs now! Minu has begun work at a flower shop,and Naoki has begun working with a baker! They’re looking forward to seeing you so they can brag about it! 

Kugo gripped the letter tight and smiled,happy that his family was doing well. He wondered when he’d be able to return home,but he didn’t plan on returning until the war was over. He prayed he would see them soon. 

Magne woke up early to find a letter set beside her,no insignia marking it. She knew it was from her friend,since her family had disowned her long ago,but a small part of her hoped it was from her parents. 

Dear Magne,

I am writing this with the knowledge that you may never see it,but I hold out hope that you will. I wish I could reassure you and say that your family has contacted me about your whereabouts,but they have yet to do so. Even if they continue to look down on you,I promise I will always accept you for who you are. I am on your side,Magne,so don’t be scared and keep fighting! 

Your friend,

Hatsuyo

Magne’s small bud of hope was cut once again,but she knew that she wasn’t alone in the world,and that was enough to keep her from crying over the fact that her family didn’t care for her. 

Atsuhiro woke up to find a letter beside him,and he smiled when he saw his grandfather’s insignia on it,opening it carefully and beginning to read. 

Atsuhiro,

You had better be putting on a good performance! Remember,you’ve got a whole world to explore,so don’t you dare go off and die before you can see everything! The beauty this world has to offer is yours to grasp,so play the role of a perfect soldier and come home quick! We’ll be waiting! 

From,

Your favorite grandfather!

Atsuhiro couldn’t help but chuckle at the letter,happy that his grandfather had taken the time to think of him. He was a performer,and if he was to play the role of a soldier,he would play it right.
Selkie was shaken awake by Mick and Sirius,who were eager to show him the letter from their friends by the docks. Sitting up,he took the letter from them and opened it carefully,beginning to read it. 

Selkie,Mick,Sirius,I hope things are well! I haven’t heard news from you all in a while,and I was starting to get anxious,but I guess you’re alive if you’re reading this! Things are going fine here at the docks,but we’re a mess without you guys,so come back as soon as the war is over! Selkie,I don’t know if we can get you another ship,but we can definitely find you three a crew to join! You don’t have to be the captain to sail the sea,you know? Don’t hold yourselves back by being stubborn about what you guys want! It’s important to know your limits! We’ll see you soon! 

Love you guys! -Akai

Selkie chuckled at the letter,happy that they hadn’t been forgotten. Mick was grinning,and Sirius vowed to return to the ocean as quickly as possible. 

Higari was woken up because of how loud the others in his tent were,though his expression lit up slightly when he saw that he’d received a letter. Ripping it open carefully,he began to read it. 

Higari,

Things are going well here! Your cameras have been selling like crazy,so we opened another shop! Stay safe out there and don’t worry about us! See you soon! 

From,

Your favorite assistant! 

Higari chuckled softly to himself,knowing he’d always have a place to return to after all of this was over. He was alive,and that was what mattered. 

(First Name) was surprised when she had gotten a letter,but she wasn’t surprised when she saw that the insignia belonged to Tsunagu and not her family. Opening the letter calmly,she began to read. 

(First Name),

I am struggling to find the culprit of your poisoning,so I have begun looking through the employees at the castle much more strictly than before,but I am still having no luck. I have decided to turn my investigation to including unlikely suspects as well,such as your family and even my own. I am anxious because you were the only one targeted at that time and the investigation was closed so quickly. I fear that your mother may be the cause of it,but I pray that is not the case. For now,I ask that you leave handling the capital to me and focus on surviving.

I am sorry I am not there to help you,and I feel guilty for sending you out to a battlefield,but I had ulterior motives. Should your family truly be guilty of your poisoning,since it happened in the palace,it would be considered an attack against the imperial family and they will face death. I would not have been able to protect you from facing that fate as well if you had stayed here. If things fall apart here and the blame somehow falls on you,I will send Shin to collect you and flee with you to another kingdom. I promise that I will not allow you to be killed over something like this when you are a victim as well. 

I wish that I could write about more sensitive matters,but for now I will restrain myself since I have gotten the urgent matters out of the way and there may be prying eyes around you. Do not allow yourself to be killed out there,(First Name),and return to us safely. I will release you from your restraints once you return,and I will ask you to give me an answer to the question you keep avoiding. At that time,please answer me honestly. 

From,

Prince Tsunagu Hakamada

(First Name) stared at the letter in silence for a while,before standing up and sighing. She couldn’t dwell on whether or not his words were true,not when she still had her duties as a soldier to worry about,so she just tucked the letter into her bag and walked out to eat breakfast. She grabbed her food and sat down across from Kugo like usual. 

“Did you get a letter as well,(First Name)?” Kugo asked as he munched on his bread. “My mom wrote me one telling me to hurry home.”

“I got one from Tsuna. He just told me to stay safe,” (First Name) lied as she sipped her soup calmly. “I told my parents not to write so I don’t get homesick,so I won’t be getting one from them anytime soon.” 

Kugo could tell that something was off,but he decided not to ask about it anymore. “How’re things going with your squad?” 

“(First Name),come on! We’re running laps today!” Crust called out for her when he spotted her. 

(First Name) stood up and looked at Kugo apologetically. “I’ll tell you about it later,but I gotta go. See you soon,though!” She promised before running off. 

Kugo waved as he watched her leave,though he wished she had been able to stay longer. 

“You like her,” Mick pointed out from behind him,laughing when he saw how embarrassed Kugo got. “It’s totally obvious.”

“No,no,no! We’re not like that! (First Name) and I are just close because we came here together,that’s it!” Kugo told him quickly,shaking his head wildly. “She’s half-engaged to the prince,anyways!”

“The prince? Which one?” Mick raised an eyebrow,sitting beside him while Sirius and Selkie sat across from them. 

“Who’re we talkin’ about?” Selkie asked,wanting in on the gossip. 

“I heard them say something about a prince or something,” Sirius told Selkie calmly. 

“Well.. It’s prince Tsuna or whatever..” Kugo muttered,looking down awkwardly. “She said they grew up together,so they have to be close,right? I mean,I can’t imagine someone not having a crush on her..” 

“If he actually cared about her and considered her a marriage candidate,there’s no way she’d be shipped off here. They wouldn’t let her risk her life fighting if she were engaged to him,” Selkie told him,though he found it cute how anxious Kugo seemed. “And,even if he were to be in love with her,it doesn’t matter if she doesn’t like him back,right?” 

“I know that,but she might actually like him.. Compared to a prince,I can’t do much..” Kugo muttered,his voice sounding small. 

Mick exploded into laughter,throwing his arm around Kugo’s shoulders and giving him a noogie while Kugo struggled. “Someone like you is getting all embarrassed over something that small?! You’re so cute,Kugo! If you like someone,you gotta say it like a man!” 

“Keep it down!” The general snapped when he heard them,before turning his attention back to his own food with a growl. “Damn kids ruin everything..”

The group exchanged shocked looks before bursting into laughter,the general’s shouts being ignored because they just couldn’t stop laughing. They couldn’t help but find it hilarious. 

Pissing off the general became a fun game among all of the soldiers,but it was especially popular among the soldiers on The Orcas. 

“Kugo,you’ve gotta be the one to do it..” Mick whispered to the man one night,casting a nervous glance at the general’s tent. “You’re the only one who could go in without being noticed..” 

“Are you crazy? I’ll be killed if I take his glasses!” Kugo whisper-yelled at him. “I’m not trying to die!” 

“But Sirius dared you to,so you gotta! Don’t chicken out!” Mick nudged him towards the tent,Kugo glaring at him for a second before sneaking closer to it. 

Pulling open the tent as soundlessly as possible,Kugo stepped inside carefully and looked around,grabbing the general’s glasses when he saw them and then retreating before he bumped into someone and turned around. 

“Ah,general? What a nice night!” 

“May I ask what you were doing in my tent?” The general asked,narrowing his eyes slightly. “I’d like to know.” 

“I was..” Kugo didn’t know what to say,his mind going blank. “I was..” 

(First Name) saw how anxious Kugo looked,and despite having no clue what was actually going on since she’d just returned from a patrol,decided to intervene. “General,can I talk to you?” She called out as she walked over,catching sight of the glasses Kugo clutched behind his back. Standing close beside him,she pinched his hand to make him let go of the glasses,catching them and holding them out to the general with a smile. “I found these earlier. They’re yours,right?”

“They are,but I left them in my tent,” Sajin said,taking them from her and putting them on. “Where did you find them?” 

“You must’ve misplaced them,sir,’cause I found them on the table you usually eat dinner..” (First Name) lied straight through her teeth,before looking at Kugo and then back at the general. “Sorry,did I interrupt something?” 

“I was asking him why he was in my tent,” The general said,sighing slightly. He could tell something was off,but he didn’t know what. 

“Oh,that’s ‘cause I asked him to check where you were! People would flip if they saw me leave your tent,so I asked Kugo to do it.. Should I have done something differently?” (First Name) tilted her head to the side curiously. 

“It’s fine,but just leave them on my bed next time,” Sajin told them,adjusting his glasses. “Thank you for returning them to me. I will be leaving now.” 

(First Name) waited until the general was out of earshot and then elbowed Kugo. “What the hell were you thinking?” 

“I had to,Sirius dared me to!” Kugo said,rubbing his side. “How the hell do you always get out of situations like that?” 

“I use my head. You just freeze up,” (First Name) told him,grabbing his hand and leading him away quickly. “Now,no matter what,don’t go into his tent again! You could’ve gotten in big trouble!”

“Alright,alright,I’m sorry.. I won’t do it again..” Kugo muttered as he followed her,Mick cheering quietly for him from nearby. 

Life as a soldier was tiring and stressful,but it was fun at the same time. 

We made our families proud,but scared at the same time

We promised we’d be safe- another lie from the front lines 

Arrival at the third outpost came two months after their departure from the second outpost,and they were immediately greeted with the coachman passing out letters.

(First Name) got her letter first this time,retreating to where they had tied up the horses to read it privately. 

(First Name),

By now,you should have arrived at the third outpost,meaning you only have three months left until you have reached the frontlines. You have probably noticed this by now,but you are slated to spend one month at each outpost training before departing for the next one. This time is the same,but you are currently near the ocean. Travel to the east a little and you will see it. I am sure you know this already,but this war is causing great losses for both kingdoms,and our soldiers currently at the frontlines are probably in a stalemate. I pray that your arrival at the frontlines will be early enough to turn the tides,but I also pray that there will be no need for you to fight at all. If you must fight,however,do not lose. You must survive,(First Name). 

Moving to the news that you’re really waiting for,my investigation has come to a close with bad news. Your mother was,indeed,the person who poisoned you,and we have found that she has been stealing money from many of the businesses she had invested in and therefore violated her pledge to serve my father honestly. As such,her title has been stripped and she and your father have been sent to prison for now while my father decides whether he should listen to the people and hang them or not. The fortune your family had accumulated has been taken away and returned to the people it truly belongs to,and the (Last Name) estate is no more. I can no longer promise you a safe place here in the capital,and I have been debating whether or not to send Shin out to take you away from here. If you return to the capital,you will certainly be ridiculed. You no longer have a rank here,(First Name),besides that of my servant. 

I have been pleading with my father and telling him that you were ignorant of your family’s crimes,and he has agreed that you are innocent,but the people are saying that your ignorance itself is worthy of death. Shin and I have been doing our best to refute their opinions,but word has spread far too fast and the townspeople have expressed that they want you to be punished as well. I will continue to plead your case,but I need your side of the story if I wish to sway father’s opinion,so please reply to this letter as soon as you receive it. I will be waiting eagerly for your reply. Stay safe. 

From,

Prince Tsunagu Hakamada

It was a lot to take in,but at the same time,(First Name) found herself accepting it quickly. She had always known her mother hated her,but she had never known anything of her family’s transgressions against the innocent civilians they were supposed to help. Regardless of what Tsunagu said,her ignorance made her just as guilty as her parents. Taking a deep breath,she grabbed some paper and a quill and began to write her reply. 

Dear Tsuna,

I ask that you cease your pleading. I am happy to hear that you have discovered the culprits behind my poisoning,and even happier that you have captured them,but I do not need you to worry about me. I need no noble rank,nor do I need money that isn’t rightfully mine. I will return and accept the fate your father has chosen for me,no matter what it may be. That is my decision and my decision alone,and I hope you can respect that. 

You asked me in your last letter to think of what my answer to the question you always ask is,and I am afraid that I am still unsure. I still do not find myself fearing the battlefield I will soon be approaching,but I have begun to appreciate the things I had never noticed before. The sword you gave me,engraved with the word I so desperately avoid,has now become something I cannot sleep without. The letter you sent me before has been tucked away safely in my bag,as will the letter I just finished reading,and I will appreciate the time you spent writing it. 

I am unsure of my purpose here,and uncertain of whether or not I can fulfill it,but I will do whatever it takes to protect the people of this kingdom,even if I end up being the last one standing. I’ve always had extra energy to spare,after all,so I’ll fight as long as it takes. Just wait and see. 

Please,never apologize again for sending me here,for I have met people I will never be able to forget. I could never hate you,even if you were to tell me to kill myself. You are the future ruler of this nation,and the man I vowed to serve until you no longer need me. Though our time together will soon come to a close,whether it be because of my death or you releasing me from these shackles,I will forever be grateful to you. I promise I will stay safe. 

Your Servant,

(First Name)

(First Name) stared down at the page silently,before nodding to herself once she felt confident that this was the right thing to say to him. She was his friend,sure,but her duties as his servant came first.

Magne was sad when she didn’t receive a letter,but Atsuhiro comforted her since he hadn’t received a letter either,assuring her that her friend must not have given the coachman her letter on time. Higari comforted her as well,though he was slightly upset that he hadn’t received a letter either. 

Mick,Selkie,and Sirius didn’t receive a letter either,the trio confident that the people at the docks must have forgotten the date they had to hand in their letter. They didn’t need to be sad,because they had each-other there,and that was all that mattered. 

Kugo received his letter and retreated to his tent to read it in peace,opening it calmly. 

To my dear son,

Kugo,are you alright? You said in your reply that training there is tough,but I hope it isn’t too tough and straining on your body. I’m proud of you for being so brave and sticking it out for this long,but I can’t help but worry about you. When I try to imagine you on an actual battlefield,I can only see you getting heavily injured,and I can’t rest properly. Please,stay safe,Kugo. 

Though I wish to spend this letter imploring you to come home,I also feel as if I should tell you of the good news. Throughout the capital,rumors have begun to spread about the (Last Name) family losing their title. As it turns out,many of the businesses your father had invested in before had done horribly because of them,and after their arrest,the Emperor returned the money to the businesses they had stolen it from. Now,our investments are paying off and we’re living quite comfortably. Life here is good now,with little to worry about. People are no longer looking down on us. When you return,we should have a meal together and talk about you inheriting your father’s title. You’re of age now,so there’s no need to fear his side of the family anymore. We’ll discuss it more once you return. 

With love,

Your mother

Kugo read the letter once,and then twice,and then thrice.. And then he was off,running through the campground to try and find (First Name). He needed to know if she knew about her family’s arrest,or if she’d known about their crimes,and he needed to hear it directly from her. 

“(First Name)!”

(First Name) looked up when she heard Kugo’s voice,raising an eyebrow when she saw how anxious he looked. “What’s wrong,Kugo?” 

“You..” Kugo suddenly felt like he couldn’t speak. Looking down at her worried expression,he couldn’t bring himself to accuse her of knowing about such horrible things; his (First Name) would never allow something like that to happen. He said the first thing that came to mind. “I was wondering if you had some paper I could borrow..”

“Of course,” (First Name) said,digging in her bag for a second before pulling out a piece of paper and holding it out to him. “Also,um.. Well,tonight,do you wanna come somewhere with me?”

Kugo took the paper,smiling when she asked him to accompany her. “Wherever you want to go,I’ll follow you,of course.” 

“Then wait for me tonight!” (First Name) said,grinning at him. “I’ll show you something cool!” 

Kugo nodded and walked off so he could write his reply letter to his mother,desperately reminding himself that (First Name) was (First Name) and that her family’s sins weren’t hers. The (First Name) he knew would never steal money from people like that. 

That night,after everyone else had gone to bed,Kugo accompanied (First Name) on an hour-long horseback ride. He didn’t know where they were going,but he’d steeled his nerves and decided to ask her about her family once they arrived. 

Kugo’s words left him instantly when (First Name) finally got off of her horse,holding her hand out as she nodded at the vast expanse of water ahead of them. 

“You should take off your shoes,but you said you wanted to see the ocean,right? It’s right here..” 

Kugo got off of his horse and took her hand after kicking his shoes off,following her as she led him onto the sand. He felt it shift under his weight,and he looked down in amazement,wiggling his toes experimentally and gaping speechlessly when he felt the strangely soft and scratchy texture on his skin. He couldn’t figure out what to say. 

(First Name) led him further into the beach,the sand shifting under her with each step she took towards the water. “I would’ve brought you here during the day,but we had to finish setting everything up.. Sorry it’s so dark out..” 

“It’s perfect,” Kugo said as he followed her,stopping just out of the reach of the waves. Looking out at the vast water that was only illuminated by the moon and the stars,Kugo was suddenly aware of how meaningless his silent worrying would be. “Hey,(First Name)? The prince,did he tell you that your parents were arrested?”

(First Name)’s grip tightened slightly,before she let go of his hand completely. “He did,and I’m glad they were..” She admitted as she sat down quietly. 

“Did.. Did you know?” Kugo asked quietly,sitting beside her. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,I just.. I’m just wondering..” 

“I didn’t.. Though I’m a child with the (Last Name) name,I was practically raised in the palace.. I rarely went home,so I never knew..” (First Name) pulled her knees close to her chest and looked out at the waves,knowing there was no reason to hold it in anymore. “I’m just a half-knight half-servant,you know?”

“But you sai-”

“I know what I said,but it wasn’t exactly true..” She laid her head on her knees. “When I was little,I met Tsuna and Shin,and we got along great.. He used to be full of energy,and I managed to reign him in,so rumor began to spread quickly that he liked me.. It’s not unusual for nobles to take in commoners,so when I was adopted by the (Last Name) family and sent to the palace,nobody batted an eye..” 

“We were kids.. I didn’t know much about the difference between servant and master,or knight and lord,so when I was told that I had to endure training while Tsuna endured his classes,I didn’t bat an eye.. I thought it was normal..” She was too far in to stop now. “I was eight when I got sent out to a battle.. It was just a riot from a little village,so it wasn’t nearly as bad as it could’ve been,but that was the first time I’d ever been sent out. I learned how to tie up horses,how to address superiors and not to speak back,how the soldiers who hesitated to make use of everything around them ended up sick or dead.. And then,it was like nothing had ever happened.. They crushed the village,and then returned to the castle,and we were praised for killing people because of their opinions.. It was disgusting..” 

“It was after that when I first realized the difference between Tsuna’s rank and mine.. While I had witnessed death first-hand,Tsuna had been kept safe in the palace and had his head filled with the idea that ranks and rules were what matter most.. I was pissed off when he asked where I’d gone,and we had a pretty bad fight.. When we finally made up,he asked me to endure the hell of the palace for a while longer and play the role of a useless childhood friend that people couldn’t use against him,and I agreed because he promised it’d be just a little while longer,and then I’d be free..” She wiped her eyes when she realized she was crying. “It’s stupid,right? There’s no fucking freedom for someone like me..”

Kugo just stared at her in silence for a moment,before he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. “It’s not stupid,(First Name),and none of that was your fault.. You don’t need to play a role here..”

(First Name)’s lip trembled,and then she began to break down completely,crying into his chest and gripping onto him tightly. She had endured it for so long,ignored every ridicule thrown her way and acted like everything was fine,but she didn’t want to go back to that. More than the war,more than the fear of dying,she was afraid of being trapped in the palace again. She didn’t want to be there again. “I’m scared! I don’t wanna do all of it again!” 

“I’m right here,(First Name)..” Kugo soothed her,rubbing her back gently. “I’m right here,and I’ll always be on your side,okay? You don’t have to act like an idiot or be happy all the time,okay? I love you so much,and I swear I’ll never let you go through that again..” 

(First Name) slowly calmed down,her grip slowly loosening on his shirt as he looked up at him and sniffled as she wiped her eyes. “I got your shirt wet.. Sorry..” 

“Don’t worry about it.. Do you feel a little better now?” Kugo was only focused on her,not caring about the ocean or the sand or the stars for now. 

“Yeah.. Thank you,” (First Name) said softly,knowing that Kugo had meant every word he’d said and finding comfort in it. “D’ya wanna take a walk? We could look for shells.”

“Of course,” Kugo replied,standing up and holding his hand out to help her up. Whatever she wanted to do next,he’d gladly follow her. “I heard that shells contain the sound of the ocean,so we’ll have a bit of the ocean with us even when we leave.” 

“I’ll find a really pretty one for you,then!” (First Name) took his hand and stood up with his help,giving him a small smile. “Thanks for being here,Kugo.”

“I would hate to be anywhere else. I like being with you,” Kugo admitted,walking along the shoreline with her. He wanted to protect her no matter what.

After the night by the seaside,(First Name) and Kugo grew noticeably closer,the two hardly leaving each-other’s sides during the day and spending most nights just talking to each-other about anything that came to mind. Sometimes,they’d just sit in silence and hold each-other’s hands while stargazing,both of them just enjoying the other’s company. Tomorrow wasn’t promised to them,and they would soon be marching to a battlefield,but they were safe for now because they were together,and that was enough for them. 

Our backs against the wall,we’re surrounded and afraid

Our lives now in the hands of the soldiers taking aim

His heartbeat was the only thing Kugo could hear when he first laid eyes on the burning corpses of complete strangers that were wearing the mark of their empire. There were at least twenty of them here,some of them scorched to almost nothing besides ash and others being free of burns but riddled with bullet holes,and yet he didn’t see any of the surviving soldiers mourning them. 

“What happened here?” Sajin asked as he met up with the general they were supposed to be providing reinforcements for. “Where are the rest of your troops?” 

“They’re cowering inside like the dogs they are,” The man snarled,his eyes full of hatred. “We had been at a standstill for weeks now until they attacked us today. Those monsters ambushed us like cowards!”

“Did their mages do all of this?” Sajin was horrified when the man nodded,realizing he’d have to revise their strategy. 

It was a single gunshot that made everything fall apart. From the other side of the battlefield,a man with pitch black hair lowered his gun as Sajin gripped his chest and shouted at them as blood poured from the wound. Everything after that was a blur.

 Kugo could only remember hearing shouting as people rushed by him to prepare themselves for the suddenly impending battle,and he could faintly recall Mick grabbing his arm and dragging him towards cover,but he didn’t remember much else until it was much too late. 

“Fuck,fuck,fuck! Kugo,snap out of it! Snap out of it!” Mick’s shouting brought the man out of his shock,and he realized only then that he was holding a gun now,and that they were now tucked behind a half-destroyed building. 

The only thing Kugo could do was grip his gun and pray that the others were okay. 

“You finally come back to your senses?” Atsuhiro asked from beside Mick as he gripped his own gun. “We need to move and regroup with the others,staying here is a death sentence..” 

“What do we do,then? If we step out of here,we’re dead!” Mick snapped,his entire body shaking. “We’re fucked..” 

Atsuhiro peeked out to peer at how the battle was going,realizing quickly that many of their soldiers had been completely slaughtered and that there were only a few of them holding off the enemy for now. “We need to just run..”

“Run?! How in the hell do you expect us to do that without getting shot by that bastard?!” Mick snarled. “We’ll be killed!” 

“Where’s (First Name)?” Kugo asked suddenly as the reality of the situation sunk in. “Is she safe?”

“She’s a quick-witted person,so she should be fine.. She pretty much took charge earlier..” Atsuhiro admitted,trying to figure out when the best time to run would be. 

Mick saw a shadow approaching them on the ground suddenly,and he aimed his gun at the corner immediately,his hands shaking until he saw that it was Sirius. “Why’re you here?” 

“I was told to tell you guys to retreat to the outpost’s main building in the west,” Sirius told him,ducking down close to them. “We need to run,now. Before they reach us.” 

“Take the lead,then,” Atsuhiro ordered her,ducking down as well. “And move quickly.”

Sirius nodded,waiting for the gunshots to silence for a moment before dashing out and ducking behind another destroyed building with the others close behind. Little by little,they worked their way to the main building,barely managing to make it inside. 

“I need them to buy me more time! It’ll explode the second it’s shaken if I don’t do it properly!” Higari snapped as he quickly sketched out a weapon he was working on. 

“We don’t have all day,Higari!” (First Name) hissed,glancing at the door and relaxing a tiny bit when she saw who it was. “Atsuhiro,I need you to come up with a plan. Use whoever you need however you want,just find a way for us to hold out or win.”

“I’ve been trying this entire time,but I don’t know what the hell we should do.. We need more hands..” Atsuhiro gnawed on his nail anxiously and began to pace. “If we had more people,I would say we could send Magne out with one of Higari’s damn inventions and deal as much damage as possible while doing hit-and-run strategies,but I can’t do much without people!” 

(First Name) paced as well,her mind racing a mile a minute until Crust finally came down the stairs. “Captain,what do we do?” 

“The general is down for now,and I don’t know if he’ll make it.. For now,(First Name),take a deep breath,” Crust ordered,trying his best to bring down the tension in the room. “We need everyone’s help to escape this.”

(First Name) did her best to even out her breathing,leaning into Kugo’s touch when he patted her back. She came back to her senses quickly after that,a plan forming in her mind quickly. “There are a bunch of cowards here,right?” 

“Of course,but I doubt they’ll leave their rooms..” Atsuhiro muttered. 

“Crust,go invigorate all of them,quickly.. Magne,Kugo,Selkie,Mick,go put on some armor.. Higari,keep working on that stuff..” (First Name) ordered,her eyes scanning the room and landing on a sniper. “Atsuhiro’ll tell you the rest of it once you guys are ready..” She grabbed the gun once the others had dispersed,heading up the stairs. 

“So you’re wanting me to take over from here?” Atsuhiro asked her,following her up halfway. 

“I’m a better shot than you are,so it has to be me that snipes. You’ll have to take control,” (First Name) told him,pausing and looking at him. “You know what I want,don’t you?”

“We’ve been traveling together for quite a while now,(First Name). I’d be appalled if I didn’t understand you by now,” Atsuhiro said,turning to head back down the stairs. “See you on the other side.”

(First Name) nodded and ran the rest of the way up the stairs,ducking down as soon as she made it to the roof. Loading the sniper,she began to aim it. 

“Where’d (First Name) go?” Kugo asked as he came back with a set of armor on. 

“She’ll be providing cover for you guys. For right now,we’re not trying to win,just trying to thin their numbers out before retreating. Kill as many as you can and retreat once we give the signal,” Atsuhiro ordered. 

“What’s the signal?” Selkie asked,raising an eyebrow. 

“The fire we’ll be starting. Now,get going,” Atsuhiro informed them quickly,knowing they needed to do this quickly if they wanted to minimize casualties. 

While the four in armor slipped out the door,Crust returned with a hoard of newly-invigorated soldiers. “What do I do with them now?”

“Those of you who have good aim,take rifles and head to the roof. Those of you who are quick on your feet,I need you to go out without being caught and make piles of grass in the destroyed buildings. The rest of you,get some armor on and go out. You don’t even have to engage with the enemy,just make noise without drawing attention to the buildings. Just piss them off,” Atsuhiro ordered quickly,his mind racing. “And,don’t worry,you’ve got good comrades by your sides.”

“Yes sir!” The group shouted,taking off in different directions to do their new jobs. 

“Are you sure this’ll work?” Crust asked Atsuhiro once there was nobody else around. 

“With a little bit of luck,it just might.” Atsuhiro headed to help Higari calmly. 

(First Name)’s hand trembled slightly as she aimed the rifle,evening out her breathing and reminding herself that this was what she had to do. Taking the first shot,she watched as it struck one of the enemy soldiers,giving one of their soldiers a chance to escape. She quickly aimed at another. 

Kugo and the others engaged with the enemy soldiers,barely managing to hold them back. Mick,Magne,and Selkie were slaughtering people mercilessly,but Kugo couldn’t bring himself to do the same,only killing a few of them. 

(First Name) looked over at the door when she heard it slam open,her eyes lighting up when Atsuhiro slid a pack of special bullets over to her. Loading them into her rifle,she took aim. “Everyone,retreat for now!” She yelled,waiting until their soldiers retreated a safe distance away before firing the first bullet. She watched as the grass of the battlefield caught fire,quickly aiming the rifle at one of the haystacks and firing another bullet to set another large blaze. 

They had a chance to survive this thanks to the fires,but they had to make haste,and (First Name) didn’t hesitate to order the soldiers on the roof to return to the safety the inside of the building had to offer. 

“She should’ve aimed for their general! It’d all be over if she had!”

“It’s their fault the attack happened! They definitely have a spy!”

“How in the hell did they manage to set those fires like that?! They’re crazy!”

“They’re definitely dangerous!”

“We shouldn’t have trusted them!”

“We should just run!”

“We have to kill them! The tall one is definitely the spy!” 

“Shut up!” (First Name) yelled above the ranting soldiers,glaring sharply at them as they all fell into a shocked silence. “If you all hadn’t listened,you would have died! We did what we could to minimize losses! If you want to go out there and join the dead,be my guest,but nobody in here is killing anyone!”

“(First Name),yo-”

“With all due respect,Selkie,shut the fuck up. I am sick and tired of this bullshit,” She snarled,her glare almost feral as she looked at the soldiers. “Most of you have someone waiting for you back home,so why the hell are you willing to throw your lives away by trying to run,huh?! Running now means never seeing anyone you love ever again! We’re soldiers,it’s our duty to carry out the orders of our commander!”

The girl’s words lit a fire inside one of the dumber soldiers. “The commander is fucking bleeding out! Why would we listen to his orders when he can’t even fight?!” 

“The only commander I will ever obey is Prince Tsunagu,and he gave me the order to survive this hellhole. If you’re too much of a coward to sit here and help come up with a plan,feel free to open that door and walk out. Just know there’s nobody around here for miles to help you.” Was all (First Name) had to say for complete silence to fall over the entire group once more. 

Now that everyone had shut up,they could try to plan some way out of this.

Now,all they could do was hope their silent prayers would be answered. 

Our questions ricochet like broken satellites

How our bodies,born to heal,become so prone to die? 

The fires burnt out after only two hours,leaving the charred battlefield littered with burnt bodies and ash,but the rematch didn’t begin like they all worried it would. Instead,a stalemate began as both sides tended to their wounded and counted their dead. All they could do was wait. 

“(First Name)..” Kugo said quietly as he approached the girl late that night as she conversed with Atsuhiro about their next move. All but a handful of soldiers had returned to their rooms,so there were few witnesses for now. “Can we go talk..?” 

(First Name) looked up,her eyes matching his,and she could see his brave front crumbling.  “We’ll continue this in the morning,” She told Atsuhiro as she stood and took Kugo’s hand,leading him out. 

Once he was sure they were away from the others,tucked safely away in an empty room,Kugo broke down. His eyes welled up with tears he couldn’t hold back,his throat felt like it had swollen shut as he gasped for air,and he realized that this was hell. This was kill or be killed,and neither option appealed to him. 

“Shh,it’s okay..” (First Name) rubbed his back as she tried to comfort him,though she didn’t know any words that could soothe this empty pain that only those who have faced death could know. 

(First Name) knew. She knew better than anyone how terrifying it was to hold a weapon against another human,how the adrenaline takes over when death knocks on your door and the only thing you can do is pray the lock holds up. She knew that they were all just soldiers,desperately trying to protect the little they could call their own,and that she should be crying just like Kugo,and yet no tears fell from her eyes for the deaths she had caused. She chose to believe she had done the best she could. 

(First Name) also knew that Kugo wasn’t like her. Kugo was soft and gentle,even though he was a clumsy,puppy-like person. Kugo was innocent,full of life and wonder,and had a loving family waiting for him back home. Kugo wasn’t made to be a soldier,not with his gentle disposition and kind smiles,and yet she had sent him back in there. She had sent him back into the battlefield when he’d barely managed to escape it the first time. The knowledge she had been willing to sacrifice Kugo did make her cry. 

“I.. I wa..” Kugo couldn’t get the words out,choking on his own sobs and coughing as he tried to regain control over his breathing somehow. “I.. I was scar.. Scared..”

“I’m sorry,” (First Name) said,and that was all she could say. “I’m sorry,Kugo..”

“I thought.. I thought I was gonna die.. I thought I’d never see you again..” Kugo gripped onto her tightly now,burying his face in her neck and praying that she would never leave him. “I’m scared,(First Name)..”

“I’m sorry,” (First Name) repeated,gripping onto his shirt tightly as she hugged him back. Her arms couldn’t fit completely around him,but she wished she could hug him even tighter,because this just wasn’t enough when he was crying this desperately. Her own tears went unnoticed as she clung to him. “I’m sorry,I’ll do better,I’m sorry..” 

“I wanna see my mama and my brothers and everyone else.. Why am I here? I hate it.. I hate this..” Kugo whimpered,not realizing he was gripping tight enough to cause bruises. “I hate this.. It’s scary..” 

(First Name)’s heart broke right then and there,and even though the rational side of her brain reminded her that this war wasn’t her fault,the irrational part screamed that it was her fault Kugo was this upset,and she could only focus on that. “I.. I’ll make a better plan.. I’ll figure something out so you won’t have to fight..” She could hardly hear herself. “I’ll do better,I promise,so please.. Please don’t leave..” 

And Kugo was suddenly reminded that (First Name) was just as scared as he was. She hated this just as much as he did,and while she had at least offered him sweet words of comfort,he couldn’t bring himself to do the same. All he could do was cling to her and sob.

Though time is ruthless,it showed us kindness in the end

By slowing down enough- a second chance to make amends

Magne was the one who found them first. Curious as to where the sobbing was coming from,she had followed the noise and found the door,opening it quietly and freezing when she saw the duo clinging to each-other like their lives depended on it. While Kugo was just whimpering and rambling about how he didn’t want to die,(First Name) kept promising she would do better and find a way he wouldn’t have to fight. Magne could only retreat and seek out the others,soon returning with the group. 

Selkie was the one who worked up the courage to approach them first,stopping a few feet in front of them. He could already see the bruises that had begun to form,and (First Name)’s promises told him that she was beginning to break down as well,which told him he needed to calm them both down before this escalated into dangerous territory. “Hey,you two,calm down and breathe a little..”

Kugo’s grip only tightened further as he shook his head,refusing to look up even slightly. He had heard them enter,but all he wanted to hear was them leaving. He didn’t want them to see him like this. 

“Kugo,you’re hurting (First Name),” Atsuhiro said suddenly as he approached,reaching out and grabbing the man’s arm gently and looking at the anxious,almost feral,expression on the man’s face. “You don’t want to hurt her,right?”

Kugo glanced down to see if his words were true,and sure enough,he had bruised her. Though he didn’t want to separate from her even slightly,he slowly and reluctantly let go of her,allowing Atsuhiro to pull his arm away. He wasn’t fully back to himself,though he was vaguely aware of the scenario now. 

(First Name) wouldn’t let go of Kugo,and she wouldn’t look up even when Atsuhiro tried to gently pry her off of him. She could only cling onto the boy,whimpering and promising she’d do better. She didn’t want to be abandoned.

Magne understood when she realized (First Name) was shaking,the tall woman stepping in front of Atsuhiro and leaning down gently. She could tell that (First Name) was only focused on Kugo,which meant they needed to separate them for now. “Hey,(First Name),lovely,would you be okay with hugging me instead?”

“I’m sorry,I’m sorry.. I’ll do better,I’m sorry..” (First Name) whimpered out as her grip only tightened. She couldn’t think properly,and she could hardly breathe,but she knew for a fact that she didn’t want to let go of Kugo,not when he could leave her behind. “Don’t leave,please.. I’m sorry..”

“It’s okay,darling,nobody’s angry at you.. I’m not going to leave,sweetheart,so just look at me,okay?” Magne asked gently,smiling when (First Name) peeked out at her. “We’re all right here,okay? Kugo’s not going anywhere,I promise.”

“But I.. I’m bad..” (First Name)’s grip on Kugo was slowly loosening,tears and snot running down her face. “I made people die.. I told them to go die..”

“No,sweetie,you’re not bad at all,and we would all still love you even if you were,” Magne assured her gently,wanting to wipe her face but not wanting to scare her. “None of us will leave,okay?” 

“I’m scared.. I hate it..” (First Name) sniffled,letting go of Kugo’s shirt completely as her shaking got worse. “I don’t wanna do it..”

“I know,sweetheart,and you don’t have to do it,” Magne assured her,sending Atsuhiro a quick glance that told him to get Kugo on the other side of the room so they could calm them down separately. “It’s okay to be scared. We went through a lot today.”

“Kugo,come on,” Selkie said as he gently led the boy to the other side of the room. “Let’s talk it out,okay?”

“I don’t wanna die.. I don’t wanna be here..” Kugo muttered numbly as he followed him. “I don’t wanna hurt (First Name) or scare her or make her cry like that.. I don’t wanna see her so anxious.. I wanna see my mama and my brothers..” 

“You won’t die,Kugo,it’s okay,” Atsuhiro consoled him. Though his interactions with Kugo prior to this day had all been limited to polite conversation,he was a strategist,and a strategist always knew how to get people to do what they want; for now,he wanted Kugo to calm down. “You only bruised her a little bit,it’s nothing a few days won’t fix. For now,you need to breathe,okay? Follow my lead and take a deep breath.” 

It took an hour before Kugo finally returned to his senses,and it took two before (First Name) did the same. There they sat in silence after sobbing to their friends,just finding comfort in their presence and the kind words they whispered. This was hell,but they were not alone. 

As life replayed,we heard a voice proclaim; “Lay your weapons down,they’re calling off the war on account of losing track of what we’re fighting for.”

The stalemate lasted two weeks,and then,suddenly,it was all over. Despite (First Name)’s words during her breakdown,she had been forced by Atsuhiro and Higari to rest instead of trying to help with the strategizing,so there had been no chances for her to formulate an attack strategy. Despite all of the stress and the tears and the anger,early one morning,the soldiers awoke to find that a footman had arrived with supplies and announced the war was over since a compromise had been reached due to Prince Tsunagu’s influence. Just like that,the soldiers were told to return to their homes as if nothing had ever happened. 

Kugo felt empty as the realization sank in that they were supposed to return to their lives after this like nothing had happened,but he also felt slightly happy that he wouldn’t have to fight again. 

(First Name) was glad the war had been called off,and yet she was terrified. Another war was waiting for her at the capital,and she could only pray that she would survive it as well. 

So we found our way back home,let our cuts and bruises heal while a brand new war began- one that no one else could feel

(First Name) was alone,and yet she was surrounded. During their trek back to outpost three,she found herself dreading the uncertainty that her future had to offer,and she couldn’t laugh and smile as brightly as the others could. 

A day after their arrival at outpost three,Kugo invited (First Name) out to see the ocean with him,though he took the lead this time. Holding her hand as they walked along the beach,he stared out at the waves,knowing nothing he said could make her inner turmoil disappear completely. 

And yet,despite desperately wanting to ease her pain somehow,Kugo’s own anxieties disappeared and three words slipped from his lips when he saw how beautiful she looked staring out at the water.

“I love you.”

(First Name) froze for a second,which soon turned into a minute and then two,before looking over at him in shock. “What?”

“I love you. I am completely and totally in love with you,and it’s ridiculous because I’m not some prince charming that can sweep you off your feet and make all of your problems disappear,but it’s the truth,” Kugo said,letting go of her hand and looking away nervously. “You don’t have to say it back or anything,but I wanted you to know.”

(First Name) had known it for a while,had known his gentle smiles and tender touches were something more than a friend,but she hadn’t wanted to label whatever this thing they had going on between them was because she knew how hated she was in the capital,and while she wanted to say it back,she felt like she didn’t have the right. And so she watched silently as Kugo took a few steps away,only able to stare at his back and wish she was as brave as he was. 

Alas,(First Name) didn’t have the same courage Kugo did,and the rest of their time on the beach and at outpost three was spent in an awkward limbo. 

Our nights have grown so long,now we beg for sound advice

Let the brokenness be felt ‘till you reach the other side

“Magne,have you.. Um.. Have you ever been in love?” (First Name) asked her late one night after their arrival at outpost two. “I.. Well,I..” 

Magne watched her stammer,wondering what she should tell her to ease her anxieties; she had heard about the situation within the capital during (First Name)’s breakdown,as had the rest of the group,and they were all returning to the capital in order to offer her some moral support for that exact reason. “You can’t say it because of the stuff in the castle,right?” 

(First Name) nodded,staring at her feet as she sat beside the taller woman. “He confessed,and I just.. I just stood there.. And since then,he’s never brought it up again..”

“I know you’re worried,but you can’t agonize over it forever,(First Name).. If you love him,you’ve gotta tell him,you know? Since his family has money now,a bunch of girls will be after him,” Magne pointed out,ruffling her hair. “If you let go of him now and end up heartbroken,you’ll always worry about what would have changed if you had confessed.. Take you time,but don’t leave him in limbo forever,okay?” 

“Thanks..” (First Name) muttered,knowing it was wrong of her to keep holding off like this. She needed to tell Kugo eventually. 

There is goodness in the heart of every broken man who comes right up to the edge of losing everything he has

Losing everything he has,losing everything he has

Arrival at outpost one was when Kugo’s own anxieties suddenly began. After being away from home for so long and spending so much time out on the road with his friends,they would soon be at the capital and waiting for the decision on (First Name)’s case. They would soon either go their separate ways after (First Name) is killed,forced to flee to another country,or go their separate ways,and he didn’t want any of it. He just busied himself by running laps and cleaning,desperate to ignore the future that awaited them. 

It was only two nights after their arrival at outpost one when (First Name) was forced awake in the middle of the night by harsh shaking. Opening her eyes and blinking groggily,she was shocked to see Shinya,sitting up quickly and hugging him tightly. “What are you doing here..?!”

“Shh,I just came to check up on you,” Shinya whispered,patting her back and then stepping back once she let go. “Tsuna sent me,said he wanted me to see if you were alright with everything..” 

“Alright? Of course I’m alright,I’m not a baby,” (First Name) said,grinning. “Now what are you really doing here?”

“(First Name),your parents were hung and you have nothing waiting for you in the capital besides punishment,so why the hell aren’t you running away?” Shinya asked her,keeping his voice quiet. “You understand that we can’t really aid you when you face the old man,right?”

“I’ve been prepared for this for months,Shin,I’ll be fine,” (First Name) sighed,sliding out of bed and stretching out. “Come on,let’s go out.”

And Shinya followed,and he listened. He listened as (First Name) confessed to everything she had seen during her time away,told him everything she had done,and then smiled as she mentioned a man that she was undoubtedly helplessly in love with. And he realized,in that moment,that she was somehow more afraid to confess her feelings than she was to go off to war,and it almost made him laugh. 

“Confess to him.”

“There’s no way I can do that when I don’t even know if I’ll die or not. And,it’s not easy to just say it.” 

“Wouldn’t him not knowing whether you ever loved him or not be more painful?” Shinya asked as he walked with her. “If I had never told Tsuna and ended up dead,I would feel like shit for not letting him know his feelings were reciprocated.” 

“But he can fall in love with someone else.. If I just told him before marching off to my death,he’d definitely try and say we should run away together..” (First Name) muttered. 

“You remember that question we always ask,right? ‘What makes you happy? Do you know why you were born yet?’ and all of that junk?” Shinya looked over at her. “(First Name),if you’re in love with someone,that means they’ve done something that made you so unbelievably happy that even you,someone who has endured hell her entire life,wanted to hold onto them and never let go.. You’re my friend,and I can’t tell you for sure,but I’m almost certain that you’ll feel better once you tell him how you feel.”

(First Name) stared up at the stars for a moment and then nodded,remembering how happy Kugo had looked by the ocean. Her problems were so meaninglessly trivial compared to that vast expanse of blue. “Thanks,Shin..”

The next morning,while Kugo was busying himself by wolfing down his breakfast,(First Name) just took in his features. She took in the spotted skin she thought was absolutely beautiful,took in the little beauty mark he had under his left eye,and even took in the fact that his messy eating was somehow charming,and the words left her mouth before she could stop them. 

“I love you.”

Everyone at the table froze. Mick nearly choked on his bread,patting his chest as he tried to get it to go down before just grabbing his cup and drinking his water quickly,sighing once it finally went down. Sirius dropped her own cup,ignoring it as it clattered to the ground and just staring at (First Name) in shock. Magne smiled and then grinned as the initial shock wore off,as did Atsuhiro,and Higari slowly slid some money over to Selkie,grumbling about how he’d lost the bet. 

Kugo was the most shocked,but he didn’t react like the others. Instead,he just sat and stared at her in disbelief for a few minutes.

“(First Name)..?”

“I love you,and I wanted to tell you in case anything bad happens once we make it to the capital,” (First Name) told him,not looking away from him even though she desperately wanted to bury herself and act like this had never happened. “I love you,Kugo.”

Kugo’s mind raced a mile a minute,and while he wanted to tell her they should just run away together,he knew she wouldn’t agree to it. 

“I love you,and no matter what happens in the capital,that will never change,” He said finally,reaching across the table and squeezing her hand gently as their friends erupted into cheers. When the other tables realized what had happened,they began to cheer and congratulate them as well,happy they would finally stop longing after each-other so desperately. 

We were young enough to sign along the dotted line

To build a better life,to build a better life

“This is where we say goodbye for now,” Higari told the group when they arrived at the capital and a carriage was waiting for him,his assistant waving eagerly as if he hadn’t already noticed. “I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you all shortly.” 

“I’ve got an important friend to meet,but you guys know where to find me,” Magne told them,smiling at them and giving (First Name) a hug. “Stay safe.”

“We’re meeting up with some of our friends for some drinks,so send a letter when you’re ready,” Selkie told (First Name),grinning. “You’ve got a quick mind,so put it to good use and live.” 

“You’d better talk your way out of punishment,(First Name),you hear me?! I’ll have to beat up that jerk if you get hurt!” Mick wiped at his eyes and sniffled. “Write to us quickly!”

“Our dock is always open.” Sirius hugged her tightly,not needing to say anything else for the unspoken message to get across; we’ll help you escape if you need it. 

“I,unfortunately,have to sort out some family matters and will have to leave you here. Write to me as soon as the ruling is finished,though,” Atsuhiro told her,patting her head. “Don’t forget that we’re on your side.”

Kugo was the last to part,and he was the most loath to leave her there. “Stay safe and don’t do anything rash,okay?”

“I’ll be fine,Kugo,” (First Name) assured him,knowing she had to be brave for now. “If it gets too bad,Tsuna and Shin will find a way to break me out.”

“I’ll be waiting,okay? I love you,” Kugo told her,unable to hide his anxiety. “I’ll come running immediately if you need me.” 

“I know,I love you too,” (First Name) replied,kissing his cheek and then separating from him finally. “I have to go now,but I’ll see you soon.”

Kugo nodded and watched as she disappeared into the crowd of people roaming around,staring after her for a few minutes before slowly peeling himself away and heading to his mother’s house. He had to rent a carriage in order to reach it,but he arrived quickly and walked to the door awkwardly. He felt out of place here. 

The door opened on the first knock,and a butler stared up at Kugo in confused silence for a moment. “And who may you be?”

“I’m Kugo,” Kugo said awkwardly. “Kugo Sakamata.. You know,the oldest son?”

“Young Master Kugo!?” The butler nearly jumped out of his skin,stepping out of the way immediately and calling for a maid to bring ‘the madam’. Kugo just stood there. 

“Kugo..? Is that really you? Oh,you’ve returned!” His mother shouted as she hurried down the stairs a few minutes later,rushing over to him. “Are you alright? You’re uninjured,right?” 

The words Kugo had wanted to say left him the moment he saw his mother,and,much like the child he had always been,he began to cry as he hugged her tightly,just happy to be home. 

(First Name)’s homecoming wasn’t sweet at all,and she shed no tears when she saw the familiar faces of the front gate guards. After she had been let through the front gates,she had been told to go directly to the throne room,and she did so with her head held high and her shoulders back; she would not lower her head,for she had people to protect. 

“(First Name),wh-” Tsunagu started to say,falling silent when he saw the unwavering confidence she had gained during her time away. He was shocked by how serious she seemed,and even more shocked by the fact that she didn’t even look at him as he fell into step behind her with Shinya. 

She reached the throne room and ignored the announcer’s attempt to do his job,pushing the door open and strolling in before he could. She could hear the noblemen as they began to whisper,appalled that she had the nerve to appear like this,but she kept her head held high and marched to the foot of the stairs leading up to the throne,meeting the Emperor’s gaze with her own. 

The Emperor couldn’t help but feel giddy when he saw the change (First Name) had undergone,the fierce look in her eyes making him realize that she was no longer a child he could make fun of. “I see you have returned alive and well,(First Name). Quite brave of you to storm in here after the crimes your family committed.”

“Indeed I have,Your Majesty. I am here to face the punishment you have decided,” (First Name) told him,still not lowering her gaze. “I was informed of my family’s crimes,and though I hadn’t taken part in them,I am still guilty of ignorance. I am here to acknowledge and repent for that.”

“And you are not afraid?” The Emperor smirked as he stared down at her; he had already decided her punishment,but antagonizing her like this was entertaining. “I thought you’d stand before me like a cowering dog,not like a soldier.”

(First Name) clenched her fists. “Your Majesty,with all due respect,I stopped being a cowering dog the day you sent me to my first battlefield and I was forced to face death. I can no longer squirm under your gaze like I had back then.”

The Emperor chuckled,and then let out a proper laugh,clutching his stomach at the hilarity of her words. “And how wonderful of a choice that had been! You’ve grown strong,(First Name)!”

“Thank you,Your Majesty,” (First Name) said,though she couldn’t keep the anger out of her voice. “What of my punishment?” 

“As punishment for your ignorance,you are to spend the rest of your days in servitude to the empire. You are to live your remaining days on a ship,charting the oceans and delivering goods when necessary,with a crew of my choosing. From today onwards,you will no longer be allowed to set foot in this palace except for on official business and you will no longer be considered as a potential marriage candidate for Prince Tsunagu. Do you accept this punishment,or shall I have you hanged like your parents?” The Emperor announced,grinning; Tsunagu had proposed this punishment,to allow (First Name) to live out her dreams under the guise of repentance,and he had eagerly agreed to it. 

(First Name) stared at him in shock,the realization sinking in quickly that this meant she would be free,and then nodded. “Of course I accept. Please allow me to repent,Your Majesty.” 

“Take your leave,then,” The Emperor announced,waving her off and watching as she disappeared out the door. 

While (First Name) wanted to dance and sing and go to Kugo immediately,she still had to face Tsunagu,and so she followed him to his bedroom and watched in silence as he sat down. 

“(First Name),do you like the punishment?” The blond asked her,looking at her. “I thought you’d like it,you know,since it gives you the chance to see the ocean properly?”

“Tsun-”

“I heard you fell in love,and I was wondering if you’d confessed yet or not? I wanna meet him,but you know I can’t,so I’ll have to trust your judgement. Also,father said he’s in charge of picking out the crew,but you actually are. We even have the contract for you to sign for the boat and everything. It comes directly out of my funds,so you can name it whatever you want and you’ll never have to worry about it disappearing,” Tsunagu rambled,tapping his foot slightly. “Uh,(First Name),listen,I’m really sorry.. I’ve made you endure a lot of shit and kept promising it would get better and it never did and I’m sorry for sending you off to the war like that when you could have died and I know you might not be able to forgive me but I’m really,truly,sorry about it.”

“Tsunagu,” (First Name) said,louder this time,and sat down across from him when he fell silent. “Let me tell you everything,from the very beginning,and then we can talk business.” 

And she did. (First Name) told Tsunagu about the long nights she had spent pacing back and forth,anxious that someone would come from nowhere and attack. She told him about the breakdowns she had,about seeing the ocean for the first time,about how sweet and kind and absolutely perfect Kugo was. She told him about how the world seemed giant and everything inside the castle seemed so small,and how she was curious about what lies beyond the ocean. She told him about the friends she’d made,and how Kugo had stayed by her side no matter what. And it was then,at that very moment,when everything clicked in place. 

“You said I could name the ship myself,right?” 

“Of course,” Tsunagu said,sliding the paper over to her. “It’s all yours,so name it whatever you want.”

And she did. She wrote the name down,and stared at it for a moment,and life no longer felt aimless and empty and scary. She had friends,she had hope,she had herself,and she had love. 

When Tsunagu and Shinya read the name,they smiled and told her it was perfect,because it really was. 

Days passed,and word spread of (First Name)’s punishment,and Kugo found himself sitting across from his mother as tears streamed down his face and he explained how he had met the most wonderful girl and fallen for her. 

“And I love her,mom,and if she’s going out to sea,I want to go as well.. I want to see how beautiful the sunlight reflected off the ocean waves is,and I want to be in the middle of a storm on a boat and feel the adrenaline of not knowing when the waves will still. I want to be by her side and hold her hand and support her,and I want to make her laugh and see how beautiful she looks when she’s free,” He said,wiping at his eyes. “I want to be with her,mom,so I can’t stay here.. I can’t take over dad’s title.. I.. I can’t leave (First Name),mom..”

She was silent for a while,just gathering her thoughts while her son cried. While she wanted him to stay more than anything,she was his mother and wanted him to be happier more than anything. Taking a deep breath,she smiled at him. “I don’t want to see you go so soon after returning,but I’m happy you’ve finally found something you want,Kugo.. Don’t worry about me and your brothers and go to her,okay? If you truly love her,and you want to be with her and see the world,give it everything you’ve got. You will always be welcome to come home if you get tired.”

“Thanks,mom..” Kugo sniffled,wiping at his eyes. “Thank you.”

And,only a week after their return to the capital,the friends met up once again and left,their sights set on their new ship and their new chance to build a better life. 

Now we’re young enough to try to build a better life

To build a better life… 

Two years passed in a blur,and the first letter (First Name) had sent them since her departure arrived out of the blue one day. Tsunagu had fallen silent when Shinya had presented the sealed envelope to him,only managing to muter out a weak ‘open it’ once a few minutes had passed. 

“Dear Tsuna and Shin,” Shinya read aloud,taking a breath as he steeled his nerves and reminded himself that he no longer had to worry about the unruly girl as much as he had when they were children. “How are things in the castle going? Is it as fun as you dreamed it to be? I heard a rumor saying that things have settled down in the capital,and that the political climate is no longer turbulent as it once had been. I pray that such a rumor is the truth,and that your days have become peaceful. Forgive me for not writing sooner,but only recently have I returned to the kingdom’s port,and I promise that not a day goes by where I don’t wish to write to you.”

“I wish to tell you of the sea,and of the beauty that you are unable to witness with your own eyes,so I shall. Please,don’t take this as me bragging,for my only wish is to divulge in you the secrets of the miracles I have seen while sailing these petulant waters..” Shinya’s grip on the page tightened slightly. “The ocean is as vast as you had once said it was,and the waves are as unforgiving as the ink that stains my skin is. The storms are terrifying,rocking us to and fro while the waves climb higher and lick at our feet to try and pull us under the current,and yet it is exhilarating all the same. The adrenaline that creeps inside of me when I see those dark clouds ahead is matched only by the feeling I get when we stop in a new port and see the curious faces of children and onlookers who wonder why such a strange group of misfits has stopped on their land. The people are always wary at first,but then they are kind,eager to welcome us into their inns and dance with us at their festivals. It is a feeling unlike any other,a sense of belonging without having a concrete home.”

“In the last two years,we have lost a member of our crew and added a few others. Hisashi,Inko’s husband,decided to pursue work in another kingdom for a while,and Inko decided to stay aboard our ship with her year-old son. We have taken on a year-old child named Himiko,who has a peculiar preference for blood but has a heart of gold,who had been abandoned by her parents because of her taste preference. Magne has taken her under her wing,and she is turning into a wonderful child. The Bakugo family welcomed a son into the world a while before the Midoriya family had,and the Jiro family welcomed a daughter. The oldest of the children on our ship,Keigo,is seven years old now and has bright red wings. Kugo and I have theorized that he may be an abandoned half-beast,but he is an innocent child no matter what,so we have resolved to protect him and our last addition,Tenko,who is a boy that must wear gloves because of his powerful magic. Tenko is only now turning five,but he is a bright and kind child. I hope to introduce you guys to him and the others eventually,when business brings me all the way to the palace. I pray that day will come swiftly so we may be reunited.” 

“Tsuna,Shin,you two were the ones who introduced me to what the word ‘Ikigai’ meant,remember? You guys had asked me what I think makes my life worth living,and back then,I didn’t have an actual answer,so I had changed the subject.. But now,now I have something that makes life worth living,and I know it. You guys made my life worth living at first,and then Kugo and the others did. One by one,every single person I have met that loves the sea just as much as I do,has given me something that makes life worth living.” 

Tsuna,you gave me loyalty,and you stuck up for me and did your best to protect me from the nobles no matter what I did. Shin,you gave me protection,always holding people back and acting as a shield no matter how much I said I didn’t need it. I am sorry for always taking the things you guys did for granted.” 

“I had always thought that I didn’t need a real reason to keep living besides the fact that I hadn’t died yet,but I was wrong. I want to keep living. I want to see even more of this world. I want to meet even more people who look at me and see me for who I am,and I want to talk and dance and sing stupid songs with complete strangers while Mika and Kyo play their instruments while holding Kyoka and Atsuhiro performs. I want to help Higari fix the ship when we bump into a rock,and I want to wear the clothes that Mitsuki and Masaru spent hours making while Katsuki demanded attention. I want to see Jin and Sirius argue over which way is East while neither of them are right in the first place and Selkie is shouting at them to hurry up and pick a way. I want to listen to Mick complain about how Keigo keeps snatching his bread and watch as Tenko plays with Izuku while Inko’s back is turned. I want to hear what stories Hisashi has to tell when he comes back,and I want to listen to Kugo’s heartbeat on nights where the thunder is so loud I can hardly sleep and the only thing that makes me fall asleep is his hand stroking my back and his heartbeat in my ears. I want to fight and hate people and apologize and get drunk and live my life however the hell I want to in the moment,because the future is never guaranteed and I’ll be damned if I waste even one more moment of the present caring about what someone else has to say. That is my Ikigai.” 

“By the time you’re reading this,roughly a month or so has probably passed; it depends on how long the coachman took to return to the palace,though,of course. By now,I have probably returned to the sea once again,and I am probably helping Kugo clean the deck while Inko cooks and Tenko plays with Izuku. Selkie is probably shouting at Jin and Sirius to hurry up and pick a direction,and Keigo is probably stealing Mick’s bread while he has his back turned,probably distracted by a dolphin that is trailing our ship,and will feign anger when he realizes his bread is gone but never actually be mad. Hisashi will be off doing whatever it is he left us for,and Mitsuki and Masaru will probably be dressing Katsuki up in another cute outfit they had designed while he rants as best as he can and Higari asks them to fix one of the sails that had ripped during the last storm. Mika and Kyotoku are probably asking Atsuhiro what his opinion is on a new piece they’re composing,and Kyoka is probably watching them with wide eyes. Magne is probably playing with Himiko,or maybe putting a new bow in her hair she bought at the port because she just couldn’t pass it up,and the waves will be carrying us to our next adventure. Enclosed along with this letter a picture we took at the port. Until we meet in person again,my friends,may it serve as a reminder that the ocean will always be here,and so shall I. Your friend with too much energy,(First Name) (Last Name).” 

Tsunagu was silent for a few minutes,soaking in his friend’s story and silently promising himself that he would find his own Ikigai before the day comes where they are face-to-face once again. Once he was finally ready,he held his hand out for the picture,not turning around because he knew Shinya was crying and wouldn’t want him to see the tears. Tsunagu cried as well when he looked at the picture that was placed in his hands. 

A relatively young woman with green hair and green eyes,holding a toddler in her arms with a smile on her face as she looked into the camera,stood on the far left of the picture. 

To the right of the green-haired woman was a blonde woman with a toddler that was the spitting image of her in her arms,a man with brown hair and a soft expression standing beside her proudly. 

To the right of the brown-haired man was a young woman with purple hair and a half-grin on her face,a man with blond hair holding a toddler on his shoulders that had the same half-grin as her mother standing beside her. 

To the right of the blond man was a relatively buff person holding up a blonde toddler with a bright pink bow in her hair,the duo grinning at the camera. 

To the right of the buff person was a man holding a spiral mask in the air while grinning at the camera,a mischievous look in his eyes. 

Right there,in the middle of the picture,was (First Name) with the biggest grin on her face,holding up a little boy that was wearing gloves as he held up a peace sign and grinned.

Beside (First Name) was Kugo,one of his arms wrapped around her shoulders and the other wrapped around a little blond boy with bright red wings as they beamed at the camera.  

To the right of Kugo stood a relatively scrawny guy,a hammer gripped loosely in his hand and a lopsided grin on his face as he looked into the camera. 

Next to the scrawny guy was a chubby man with messy white hair and freckled skin,sticking his tongue out at the camera happily. 

Beside the chubby man was a girl with blue hair and a small smile on her face,clearly happy right there with her family. 

The blond boy beside the blue-haired girl was grinning as well,a compass clutched proudly in his hand. 

On the far left of the picture was a buff blonde man wearing a white outfit and grinning at the camera happily. 

Tsunagu stared at the picture for a long time,etching every little detail into his mind,and then flipped it over,reading the names (First Name) had written from left to right on the back and imagining how they looked doing their jobs. 

Inko Midoriya,age 27- Chef and Herbalist

Izuku Midoriya,age 1- Sunshine

Hisashi Midoriya,age 31,not pictured- Unknown 

Mitsuki Bakugo,age 24- Tailor

Katsuki Bakugo,age 1- Little Flame

Masaru Bakugo,age 30- Tailor and Mediator

Mika Jiro,age 22- Musician

Kyoka Jiro,age 1- Babbler

Kyotoku Jiro,age 26- Musician and doting father

Magne,age 21- Chef and wonderful mother

Himiko,age 1- Little Sister 

Atsuhiro,age 20- Performer

(First Name) (Last Name),age 20- Voyager

Tenko,age 4- Little Playmate

Kugo Sakamata,age 20- Voyager

Keigo,age 7- Little Birdie

Higari,age 26- Repairman 

Selkie,age 29- Captain

Sirius,age 19- Navigator

Jin,age 17- Navigator
Mick,age 25- The Muscle

Tsunagu Hakamada,age 22,not pictured- Older Brother 

Shinya Kamihara,age 21,not pictured- Younger Brother

Tsunagu could picture the strange crew laughing and smiling on their ship,and for him,that was enough. He didn’t need to worry about (First Name) anymore,not when she could smile that wide,so he set the picture down and stood up. “It’s time we go,Shinya.”

“Indeed it is,” Shinya said,wiping his eyes and smiling. “We have work to do,too,after all.”