A Spam Book

Daybreak's Crest Writing Prompt Shorts 1

Writing prompts by @drink-it-write-it on Tumblr! Some of these have blood/violence and stuff. I'll be splitting these over several chapters so this'll most likely be the only introduction/warning I'll give.

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01. "You are weak with love for her."

"You are weak with love for her."

"I am not weak –" Cancer refrained from snapping out at the timid, dark-haired girl that had suddenly approached. Not many people snuck up on Cancer, but Virgo had a surprisingly... mundane presence. Not that it was a bad thing, but it led to some unfortunate scares at times, much to Cancer's dismay.

"I-it's not a bad thing," Virgo quickly reassured, "It's just..." A faint smile crossed her face. "It's a nice thing, isn't it?"

"I'm not in love with – with her!" Cancer hissed, though her voice was small and weak even to herself. She settled for angrily pointing at said person – oblivious, optimistic Sagittarius, chasing a butterfly through the camp and promptly having the butterfly fly directly into her face –

"Who said I was talking about Sagittarius?" There was a smile playing at Virgo's lips, and Cancer, by the goddesses, very much wanted to wipe that smile off her face; but Cancer already knew that she wouldn't be able to do it, especially not to Virgo. That would be like trying to punch Libra, and goddesses knew what wrath would come upon anyone who tried to do that (a wrath, Cancer thought dryly, that she would be part of inflicting as well, if anyone did come around to doing that).

"Ugh, I–!" Cancer shoved her hand back into her pockets, gritting her teeth. "You–!"

"Don't worry," Virgo patted Cancer's shoulder, "It's a good thing, actually. It's..." Her eyes hazed over, slightly – "It's nice to have something to fight for, isn't it?"

"I..." Cancer glared at the ground, scuffing the dirt with her boot. Guilt pooled in her chest in a sudden wave – she hated how emotions overtook her so quickly, especially her–!

"I'm... sorry. For your..." Cancer gestured at the air, refusing to make eye contact with Virgo. Virgo only chuckled softly. "No, I... I didn't mean it that way. I'm not blaming you, or accusing you... it's just nice to have, you know? Besides..."

Cancer looked up. Virgo was gazing up at the sky, the faint sunlight dappling her face; and the butterfly that Sagittarius had been chasing had settled on her nose, delicate, papery purple-blue wings fluttering slightly in the breeze.

Virgo let loose a long, slow breath. The butterfly fluttered away.

"I do have something to fight for." Virgo murmured. "The Zodiacs – and the future we are aiming for." She looked at Cancer, her eyes strangely wise and understanding. "It's alright to fight for your own wants and needs. After all, what purpose do we have in life if not for those around us? You are weak with love for her – but it's what makes you strong as well."

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02. "You attack one of us... you attack all of us."

As swift as shadow, the glint of the blade whistled through the air cleanly and –

– sank into hard, unyielding wood. 

The assassin blanched.

"You think you can sneak up on behind us?" Leo said coolly, tossing the splintered wooden pot lid to the side and tearing the dagger away from the assassin's hand in a single, swift movement.

The assassin regained their composure at once. With a low snarl, much akin a ravenous creature, they unsheathed their second dagger, flipping it into their hand and driving it towards the now-shieldless Leo.