BONUS ROUND 3 - GENRE FICTION

[a1c0bb]

this round is about writing prompts inspired by genre fiction, aka fantasy, crime, romance, horror, or sci-fi!

to submit a prompt or fill, reply to this post!

Fills can be in any format, and you can fill any prompt (even if it's your own or your teammates)!

for your prompt post title, please use the following format:
PROMPT: TEAM [TEAM NAME]
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PROMPT: VOTER

for your fill  post title, please use the following format:
FILL: TEAM [TEAM NAME]
if you are participating as a vote-only member, use this format:
FILL: VOTER

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FILL: team nobamaki

[zukkaoru]

pairing: momo nishimiya/mai zen'in (jujutsu kaisen)
word count: 547

The tea leaves spell out inevitable destruction.

Momo doesn’t allow her smile to falter, too familiar with the sight to break character. She’s read thousands upon thousands of fates—some wondrous beyond her clients’ wildest dreams, some so horrific they cause nausea to prick the back of her throat, most dull and mundane. But the fates she reads every day are that of strangers.

This is different. Because this is Mai.

Mai has never let Momo read her fortune, always saying she didn’t have any interest in knowing. And she knows Momo lies about the bad ones anyways. She tells them they will have a great many trials to face, but they will come out stronger for it. They will find the success, or the wealth, or the love, or whatever it is they dream of. It doesn’t matter if they get the truth or not, because they will not be able to return.

You’d probably just tell me I’m going to spend the rest of my life working as a barmaid, she’d told Momo after the first time she offered. I’d rather hold onto a little hope, you know?

But that had been before Mai’s mother showed up on their doorstep outside of the little cottage Momo always thought would be hers alone, until Mai fell into her life. It had been before her mother broke news of her sister’s return to the clan, riddled with burn scars, nearing death. It had been before Mai sat stone-faced and pale at the table, knuckles turning white as she clutched a cup in her hands.

It had been before Mai told Momo she needed to go, said she hadn’t seen her sister in years, and if she didn’t go back, there was no way their family would allow her a proper burial.

She’ll be leaving in a matter of hours, once the sun has risen.

She requested Momo read her fortune, blindly reaching for any confirmation that her sister truly is still alive.

Momo knew it was a bad omen to begin with, that Mai had finally broken down and asked for a read of her fate. But she can’t say no to Mai.

She wishes she had.

Her smile remains in place, sticking to her face like sap. And she tells Mai, “Your sister will live,” because that much is true. That is what Mai wanted to know, anyways, because Momo had told her once that twins’ fates are so closely entwined she can read both with only one present.

Mai’s shoulders slump in relief. “Thank you,” she exhales. “Thank you, thank you.” She moves the cup aside, tugging Momo into a hug.

Mai’s sister will live, yes.

Mai will not.

Momo buries her face in Mai’s shoulder. She’s read so many fortunes over the years and seen so many people condemned to inevitable destruction. But never once has it hurt like this. Never once has it hurt. Never once has she wanted to defy fate itself, to find a way around the inevitable, even if it only means she and Mai go down together. Never once has she felt a hopeless desperation like this boiling in her chest, threatening to bubble over.

But fate is an undefeatable opponent.

Momo has no choice but to let Mai go.