April themed challenge.

[merikuru]

Master list will come when I am not dealing with the utter arseload of family health emergencies that descended on me this past week and a bit. Mea culpa.

April's challenge is:

Apriladies!

Got some girlslash? A lady bromance? Sisters (whether bound by the blood of the battlefield or the water of the womb)? Femmes fatales? This is where it all belongs. Let's have some ladies!

All fics written for this challenge should be posted as a comment on this entry (a comment with a link to an offsite post is also fine). If your work has spoilers, please add an [S] tag to the comment title. If it has mature content, please add an [MA] tag.

This theme challenge will end on April 30th, 11:59 PM Central Standard Time.

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[S] your smiling face is like the sun (FE Three Hopes, Dorothea/Annette)

[sarajayechan]

When she was a schoolgirl, Annette had always wondered what it would be like to visit places like Enbarr or Derdriu someday. Even during the war, she still held onto her dreams of someday seeing them in person, under happier circumstances.

The war's been over for a year. Adrestia's future is still uncertain; the Emperor has recovered, but it's yet to be seen whether she'll retake the crown or allow what remains of the Empire to be absorbed into Leicester or Brigid. The ruined villages are slowly being rebuilt. Prime Minister Aegir's son was discovered alive after having been kept hostage by Thales to ensure his father's cooperation, and he's still uncertain as to whether he'll reclaim House Aegir.

Enbarr is still in one piece, and so is the famed Mittelfrank Opera House. Which, as selfish as it seems, is the one thing Annette is most relieved for. Not that she doesn't care what happens to the rest of Adrestia, but during the war she'd found a new goal: to see Dorothea Aranult on stage in all her glory, in her element.

Dorothea had wound up in King Dimitri's ranks after surrendering to keep her life, and she'd been so miserable until the day she overheard Annette singing her song about the man-horse knight. After her embarrassment wore off, Annette made it a point to sing that song anytime Dorothea was nearby or feeling down, and it always made her smile.

Dorothea was always beautiful, but she was even more so when she smiled.

There's quite a crowd at the opera house, people are still hailing the return of their favorite diva. The current show is meant to be a lighthearted comedy compared to the tragedies Dorothea and Professor Manuela were known for starring in, because even now people still need something to laugh at after what Fodlan's been through. On The Way to the Forum, it's called, and of course Dorothea is in the starring role.

The posters were done by Ignatz, the only artist who in Annette's opinion can even come close to capturing the full degree of Dorothea's sparkle. But even Ignatz's best work can't match the moment Dorothea takes to the stage, shining brighter than a diamond as her beautiful voice echoes throughout the hall.

By some miracle, Annette is able to pay attention to the story, even as every note Dorothea sings resonates throughout her. She notices the other performers, but barely, and on the rare occasions where Dorothea is silent or not onstage, she keeps her eyes glued to the performance so she won't miss her coming back.

When the show ends and everyone is standing up to leave, she stays in her seat just a moment longer, not wanting the magic to fade away. When she finally does stand up, one of the hall's ushers finds her.

"Annette Dominic? Lady Dorothea would like to see you backstage." Annette's heart does a flip in her chest. Backstage. Even the most important of nobles and wealthy patrons are rarely allowed to see the stars after a show, she's heard.

"Sure," she murmurs, "mind leading me?" She doesn't want to get lost or trip over anything in a place like this. The usher nods, leading her through a long but straightforward hall until they're standing in front of a slightly open door. Dorothea flings it fully open and her face lights up.

"Ann!" She silently ushers the usher away and leads Annette into the room. "It's so good to see you again. It feels like it's been more than just a year, doesn't it?" Annette blushes, narrowly stopping herself from curtsying. Dorothea doesn't like being treated as a noble, even though many say by now she's probably more beloved than any noble they can name off the top of their head.

"You were amazing," she says. "Even if you weren't the star you'd be the best character in that story!"

"Oh, I don't know if I'd go that far." Dorothea laughs. "But I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. I saw you in the audience and I'm surprised you didn't end up singing along." Annette blushes.

"W-well, that would be rude and disrespectful, this is a refined opera house and I'd never dream of trying to horn in on your territory," she rambles, twisting her skirt in her hands. It's one of the longer dresses she's always wanted to wear, Mercie adjusted the hem to make sure she didn't trip on it. "Besides, even if I wanted to I couldn't find my voice! I was too captivated by yours!"

"Oh, Ann..." Dorothea puts a hand on her cheek. "You really are sweet. If you did start singing along, I'd have glared the audience into submission if they tried to stop you." Annette's chest tightens, her face growing even warmer.

"Dorothea..."

"But perhaps it's best you didn't," Dorothea says. "Otherwise the audience might have fallen madly in love with your voice, demanded the opera company give you a role, and then I'd have to share you with your throngs of adoring fans!"

"Me?!" Annette squeaks. Her, a Kingdom noble, a member of an Adrestian opera company? Even discounting the lingering bad blood between Faerghus and Adrestia, she has her duties to Dominic, she can't very well travel back and forth anytime she pleased. And...share me? She looks up at Dorothea, her heart pounding, and Dorothea slowly draws her closer. "Ah..."

"Perhaps someday, when things line up just right, you and I can share a stage together," she says. "But for now, anytime you're in the audience or anytime I think of you, I'll sing with all of my heart and then some." Annette smiles, tilting her head upwards, meeting Dorothea's brilliant green eyes.

"And no matter how far away I am, I'll know you are."

Dorothea's lips meet hers, and Annette feels like a star.

sister for a day (Magiranger, Urara+Yuka)

[sarajayechan]

Even as a child, Yuka knew it was important that she learned to cook someday. It was important not just for a girl to know, but for people in general, especially young people who would someday leave the nest and have to take care of themselves. Even her father knew his way around a stove, albeit not as much as her mother, and between both her parents she'd learned to make a variety of simple dishes.

But neither of them were much of a baker, and that was what she needed to learn most of all within the next few weeks.

"Kai's running errands with Makito," Urara said as Yuka knocked at the door.

"Oh, I know. He told me he wouldn't be here, and it's..." She twisted the fabric of her coat in her hands. "It's you I'm here to see, anyway," she murmured. "I...need your help." Urara blinked.

"Me?"

"Kai's told me so many wonderful things about you, and one of them is that you're an amazing baker," Yuka said. "I need to learn how to bake a cake. My parents' anniversary is at the end of the month and I want to do something extra special." Usually her parents went out to the restaurant where they'd had their first date, but this year was their 20th anniversary and they wanted to cook a meal together.

I told them not to worry about dessert when they couldn't decide what to make, but I didn't say why, they probably just think I'll buy them a cake at Akane's bakery. I could, but...that doesn't feel right!

Urara smiled brightly, clasping her hands together.

"That's so sweet! I would be honored to teach you!" she said. "Everyone else is out and about, too, so we'll have peace and quiet while we work!" She led Yuka into the kitchen, where she found each of them an apron. The one she gave Yuka had pink flowers all over it. "I'm sure Houka-chan won't mind you borrowing that."

They found all the ingredients they would need, including fresh strawberries Makito had picked the other day.

"I take it the farms are doing well," Yuka commented. "These smell so delicious! You may have to stop me from eating them myself." Urara giggled.

"Take a few if you want, there's plenty more. The season's been good to the crops, but I think Houka-chan has something to do with it. She's been in the garden every morning giving them pep talks and picking the bugs off their leaves." That definitely sounded like Kai's other sister, Yuka remembered meeting her only once but she'd left quite the impression.

So she helped herself to a plump, juicy berry as Urara showed her the best way to measure the flour. And how to sift, otherwise it'd be lumpy and Yuka remembered her mother's crumb cake with powdery bumps sprinkled all throughout.

"If the flour's lumpy, it will cast a pall over the rest of the ingredients!" Urara explained. "And what type of cake were you going for? Because some are better being made with powdered or super-fine sugar."

"I thought I'd play it safe and make a traditional sponge cake." Urara nodded.

"You don't need to use super-fine sugar for it, but if you want it to be extra light and fluffy..." She winked. "That's how I make it, and it's almost as good as our mother's apple pie for lifting a bad mood." Yuka giggled.

"Kai's said the same thing. He talks about you the most of all his siblings...well, you and Tsubasa, but everything he says about you is good." She sighed. "I'm an only child. My mother fosters a lot of kittens, but having pets isn't really the same thing. I always wished I could have had a sister like you." Urara nodded, swallowing a bite of a strawberry as she poured the necessary cup of sugar into the blender.

"It must be lonely."

"It wasn't always," Yuka said. "When I was a kid I used to play with the neighbors' kids all the time, so it was kind of like having brothers and sisters. But they all moved away, so now all I really have are my school friends." Whom she adored, especially Aiko and Juna, but no matter how much time they spent together or how close they were, at the end of the day they had their own homes and so did she. Juna always talked about how when they went off to college they'd room together, but they couldn't control the dorm assignments or even whether or not they got into the same school.

"Mom and Dad may be busy, but they're even more important to me because they're all I've got at home," she continued. "That's why I want to bake them this cake...well, one reason."

"What's the other?" Urara asked. Yuka blushed, setting down the egg she was about to crack into the small bowl nearby.

"I want my family to be more like yours," she murmured. "I know it's been tough for you guys, but Kai tells me all about how you keep your parents' memories and traditions alive. My parents and I have holiday celebrations and go on trips sometimes, but..." But you keep celebrating your parents, keeping them alive even when they're gone. My parents are both here, we all get along, but we're all so busy. "It feels like we're not doing enough."

Urara put down the measuring spoons and rested her hand on Yuka's shoulder.

"You are," she said. "Families are different, they all have their own forms of happiness and togetherness. The important thing is that you love each other and cherish the time you do spend together." And for a brief instant, Yuka could swear Urara's face looked slightly older, her hair fluffier, looking just like the woman in the photo on the mantlepiece.

Urara's just like Mom, even when we don't need her to be. It just comes naturally to her.

"Even if all I can do for them is bake a cake?"

"The fact that you made it is the important part." Urara smiled. "That's why I learned to cook and bake for my siblings, even when Mom was here. And it's why Makito puts so much effort into the farms."

"It shows." The strawberries she'd sampled were better even than the ones at the local market her parents loved so much. "But I've got the opposite of a green thumb, so I'll stick to cakes."

"And speaking of which, let's get back on track!" Urara resumed her work with the sugar, while Yuka carefully broke one egg into the bowl. Urara had to help her separate the second and third ones; Yuka could never figure out how to do that without breaking the yolk.

Maybe it was the way Urara explained everything, maybe it was her patience, but she found herself picking up on the task quicker than she'd imagined. If she spilled something or made a mistake, Urara helped her correct it and told her not to worry about cleaning up until later.

"If you ever get lonely for a sibling," Urara told her as they finally slid the cake pans into the oven, "it's okay if you'd like to come over. For a baking lesson, or just to chat if you want." She smiled. "I always wondered what it would be like to have a little sister."

Yuka blushed, her heart growing warm as she moved her chair closer to Urara's. And you're the big sister I always wished I'd had growing up.

"Thank you."

Weeks later, she called Urara to tell her all about the success of her parents' anniversary celebration. The cake had been a smash, and next week they were taking a weekend trip to Hiroshima. Where they'd gone for their honeymoon.

The Yamazakis would never be the Ozus, but they could still take some cues from them, and this would be a trip they'd never forget.

[MA] Post-Battle Feast (FE Engage, Timerra/Panette)

[sarajayechan]

Being polite and charming gained her a seat at the royal table, the respect of her peers, and an overall sense of satisfaction that she'd put the old Panette behind. But letting the old Panette out to play against some bandits got her the Crown Princess of Solm sitting on her face.

"Yes, right there...ah, you're so good at this, don't stop!"

They'd barely made it to their tent, Timerra hadn't even given her a chance to strip off her dirty clothes before tackling her to the bedroll, peeling off her panties and straddling her. She was dripping wet, and while eating Timerra out was always on par with biting into one of the Somniel's juicy peaches or savoring its flavorful oranges, the still-potent adrenaline from the battle made her taste even stronger, her juices thicker and more abundant. Panette's hands gripped the Princess's strong thighs as she wiggled her tongue in and out, licking greedily, trying to coax even more of the irresistable ambrosia from her.

Timerra, for her part, ground her pussy harder against Panette's lips, one hand gripping her hair for leverage, her thick bush of hair tickling her nose every now and then.

"Almost...!"

Panette slid her tongue out, lashing across Timerra's open folds before wriggling upwards towards her clit. A few quick licks, a brush of her upper lip, and Timerra sang her orgasm to the skies.

(It was a good thing they were alone out here, and that their wolves slept like logs after a good ride.)

She drank down as much of her Princess's wetness as she could, lapping her up, Timerra gasping and squirming as she came over and over again. Eventually she loosened her grip and pulled off of Panette's face slowly, giving Panette a lingering view of her spasming sex before lying down next to her.

"That skirmish sure made you thirsty," she quipped. Panette smiled, licking her lips.

"I'm always thirsty for you, my Princess," she said. "Sometimes I think you lure the bandits out on purpose so I have an excuse to go wild." Timerra laughed.

"Does it matter? We've stopped another pack of jerks from harming the people in this desert, and we got to have sex." She paused. "Or rather, I got some. I do need to properly reward my loyal retainer." She tugged Panette's underwear off, undoing the clasps of her dress and her bra. Panette's breasts weren't quite as impressive as the likes of Chloé's or Princess Ivy's, but she was proud of them and knew how much her Princess liked them.

Timerra lowered her head, capturing a nipple between her lips, flicking the other one with her fingertips, and Panette didn't bother trying to hold back her moans. Not like in the beginning when she and Timerra had first become lovers, and thanks to Timerra's enthusiasm and surprisingly sneaky ways she'd dropped all restraint before the night was over.

And that's how I want it, when it's just us you can be yourself, so show me just how wild you can be.

She buried her hands in Timerra's hair, undoing the clasp holding her ponytail in place, rubbing her thighs together as the heat between them grew thicker and wetter. And then Timerra was spreading her legs wide, pushing them up and licking her lips.

"You're looking pretty tasty yourself." And she buried her face down there, Panette unable to stop a salvo of pleasured growls and swears. Even when she was digging into a hunk of freshly-roasted meat Timerra didn't feast with this much gusto; licking up and down Panette's folds, pushing her tongue in and out, tickling her entrance. Panette thrashed under her, grabbing her own breast with one hand and pulling at her Princess's hair with the other.

And then Timerra began to suck at her clit, and the world went white.

"FUCK...!"

It felt like ages before she finally got her bearings again, and Timerra was still going at her. Panette whimpered, by now she was too sensitive and it was starting to hurt; Timerra pulled away after giving her sex one last kiss.

Timerra laid down and draped her arms over Panette's body, Panette shifting to lean against her for the moment. The sheets were twisted in a heap at the bottom of the bedroll, but they didn't need them for now. The night was far from over, and both of them still had more than enough energy to work off.