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#also these are some of the last things i drew before my wrist exploded ._.
nerice · 11 months
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fav oc design rkgks
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vampirelair · 3 years
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Good Boy Gone Bad
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How I was hypnotized, raped and turned into a vampire.
I didn’t even notice until my workout buddy Kyle told me. There was this guy at the gym who I ran into almost every week, just one of these random people you see regularly. But Kyle noticed that he started to work out at the stations near us more and more. Also, it seemed to me, that everytime I spotted him from the corner of my eye, he disappeared around a corner the moment after. Maybe next time he’s around, I’ll talk to Kyle about my girlfriend so that he can hear us, just to make sure the stranger knew I was straight and would back off.
And then there he was. Right in front of my house when I pulled over with my bike. I was sweating because it was quite a warm summer night. But before I could approach the stranger and tell him to get the hell out of here, I started to feel this weird feeling. The moment our eyes met, I felt numb and aroused at the same time. I couldn’t look nor walk away. The stranger approached me, not even blinking once. Losing strength in my hands I dropped my bike on the floor.
»Hi.«
»Hi.«
»Wanna invite me in?«
»Sure.«
Why did I say that? Why would I invite this creepy stranger to my place? It didn’t make any sense, but I just blurted it out, intuitively. It just felt right. We went inside and just outside the door of my flat the stranger asked again. »Can I come in?«. Only this time, I kept thinking for a moment. I could have said no, but there was something about the stranger that interested me. I could always send him away later, right? So I said yes, come in.
»I’ve been watching you.«
»I noticed that.«
»You are special. I wanted to meet you.«
»I’m not ga…«
»Shut up.«
And I did. I couldn’t say another word. Slowly, the stranger came closer to me and kissed me very gently on the lips. A rush of adrenaline shot through my body, my dick hardened in my biking pants. What was happening? Like a highly addictive drug, I wanted more. But before I could kiss the stranger back, I felt two hands turning my head to the side and the stranger licked my neck from the shoulder to the ear. Another rush of adrenaline went through my body, from the part of my neck that the stranger licked to my shoulders, my chest, my dick, my arms and my legs.
»Do you like that? Tell me.«
»Yes.« – I was able to talk again.
»Good. You want more?«
»Yes, please!“
The stranger ripped off both of our shirts, we kicked our shoes away and with an amazingly elegant sway move to the side I suddenly lay in the stranger’s strong left arm while he pulled my pants off my body with his right arm. The strength of the stranger was so impressive, I felt the urge of caressing every inch of his body. And what a perfect body it was, beautiful pecs and arms and legs, the perfect amount of hair. The stranger was everything I was working out for at the gym. I just had to touch and kiss all of it. I sucked the nipples of his hard pecs, grabed each and every muscle and kneaded it and that’s when the stranger smiled for the first time. Not only smiled, he laughed. Was he laughing because he was able to seduce a straight boy like me? I didn’t care. I just needed to experience that amazing body.
There was only one part left I didn’t touch yet. So I went down on my knees, looking the stranger in his hypnotizingly beautiful eyes, licking his huge boner from the balls to the tip, not breaking eye contact. I never even touched another guy’s dick before but it felt like the most natural thing to do in this very moment. So I started sucking it like my girlfriend uses to suck my dick. Only this time I wasn’t touching my own pecs and abs but the ones of the stranger. And not only the pecs and abs but also his huge thighs, his ass and his strong arms… I wanted to taste his juice but I also didn’t want it to be over yet. That’s when I noticed my own huge boner. I moved my hand down to start jerking off but that’s when the stranger pulled my arm away, grabbed me by the neck and held me up so that my feet were dangling in the air. I thought this was it, now I was being choked to death but the stranger just said in an angry voice »Don’t. You are mine.« and tossed me on my bed.
I landed flat on my stomach and before I could even move a bit I felt the stranger’s scrubby beard on my ass cheeks and his tongue up my ass. It was a feeling of sensation I never felt before and it felt better than anything I ever experienced. Once again, a rush of adrenaline shot through my body, now even more intense than before. I felt it up my ass and all inside my stomach and chest, my dick grew even harder and I couldn’t help but moan with pleasure. The stranger on the other hand seemed to be infuriated and growled and snarled while the licking of my asshole became more and more a devouring.
Finally, he needed to take a breath and stopped for a moment. I heard an evil laugh and his tongue moved up my back up to my neck. I knew what was happening next. He would put his huge dick up my ass and it would hurt. And boy, it did. He was in a frenzy and he was brutal. He just shoved it in, I screamed, and he began pounding my ass real hard. Right from the start. It hurt so bad, i had to bite my pillow, the screaming turned into loud, painful moans. The stranger did not have any mercy but instead kept going faster. To my surprise, the pain was slowly replaced by that rush of adrenaline again. The stranger licked my neck again, put his arms under my chest and held my torso by the shoulders with his hands. I was his toy and he used his strong arms to really push his dick up my ass or rather push my body back and forth.
After a while, the growling of the stranger turned into a lustful scream and he bit me in the neck. I couldn’t believe it, this hunk was giving me a hickie? It really hurt, though, and he kept sucking my neck for quite a while but the feeling of his dick up my ass was distracting me from it. Then he let go and in another graceful, swift move he turned me around with his dick still inside me. And then I saw. The stranger indeed bit me and there was blood running down his chin, dripping on his sweaty chest and on my abs. Another lustful scream revealed the truth about him. I saw his fangs. And that’s when it dawned on me. I was being seduced – or maybe even hypnotized – and raped by a vampire.
He kept on pounding my ass, holding my legs, getting wilder and wilder and I knew I was at his mercy. Resistance was futile. I was going to die that night. Unless…
»Turn me.«, I said.
Without even the slightest reaction on his face, the vampire just grabbed my neck again, choking me, pulling me up and whispering in my ear: »Beg.«
To my surprise, he started sucking my rock hard cock while still being inside of me. I grabbed his arms and started begging. This was my last resort. »Please… turn me… Make me a vampire… I will serve you… Please…« He let me beg for quite a while and I was getting weaker and weaker. I forgot about the bite in my neck. I was bleeding to death.
Just before I almost passed out he stopped sucking my dick, which was surprisingly still hard, bit his own wrist and held it to my mouth while getting back to sucking my dick again himself. Without hesitation, i grabbed his arm and sucked as much blood out of his wrist as possible. The moment his satanic blood touched my lips I felt the rush of adrenaline again, a powerful force was taking over my body and all of a sudden I shot a huge load into the vampire’s mouth. I was shaking, still trying to get as much blood as possible, my dick not stopping to shoot my load up the vampire’s throat who enjoyed every bit of it. He swallowed every drop and when I was literally sucked dry he rose up again, a big satisfied but evil grin in his face, thumping his dick in my ass as hard as he could and with an incredible loud howl he came inside me. Every shot felt like fire burning inside of me and just after some seconds I was gone.
I woke like from a nightmare. I sat upright in my bed, sweating, panicking, confused. To my surprise, the vampire was still there, waiting patiently right next to my hard dick. I fell back into the bed and once again I came and the vampire swallowed every bit of it. But this time, I came for almost a minute. I learned later that it was my transitioning body getting rid of the last bit of mortal bodily fluids. Since cum is also an essence of life – even more powerful than blood – the vampire was eager of drinking every bit of it.
Another surprise in this night of surprises was that Kyle was here. He was just standing there, in the middle of the room, naked, his empty gaze staring at the empty wall. The vampire saw the confused look on my face and told me. I was not a vampire yet. I was transitioning. I had his evil seed inside me and now I had to choose: do I really want to turn into a creature of the night, or do I let the seed kill me from within. All I needed to do, was to take a sip of mortal blood. In that moment, I still had friendly feeling towards Kyle. But I made up my mind. I was not going to die that young. The vampire helped me up. I was weak, I could barely stand. He carried me over to Kyle and I held myself up on Kyle’s strong shoulders. With a snap of his fingers, the vampire woke Kyle up. He didn’t panic but just looked me in the eyes.
»Hey. Why am I here? What’s happening?«
»I’m sorry Kyle. I need a small favor from you…«
The vampire produced a little shaving blade from behind Kyle’s back and slit a very small cut into his neck. Kyle hissed and I felt a strong force within me that drew me towards the little wound. I grabbed Kyle’s hair and tilted his head so that his neck was beautifully exposed and kissed him on the now strongly bleeding spot. The moment my lips touched his blood the force within me seemed to explode, filling me with strength and energy and I felt all the muscles of my body tensing up and my teeth sinking brutally deep into the flesh of his neck. The feeling of my teeth in his neck felt like penetrating somebody with my dick. I held Kyle tight and sucked the blood out of him, growing stronger with every sip I took. I felt my muscles growing and I even grew an inch or two taller. I lost control and wanted to suck my friend dry at that moment but my master stopped me. He held me up by my throat again and with his other arm he made Kyle drink his vampire blood. Kyle’s wound healed in a heartbeat and he just fell down on the bed.
My master saved my friend. But I was in a frenzy, I wanted more blood, I wanted to shove my dick up my friend’s cute ass, I wanted to fuck and bite him senseless. But my master turned me around, held my arms behind my back and made me look at myself in the mirror. I was huge, I was transformed into a man I thought I couldn’t be however hard I trained. Blood was running down my chin and my chest and I needed some moments to calm down. I was a vampire now. And no matter how much I feed and fuck, I am always hungry and horny for more.
Kyle and I are still friends. Of course, he doesn’t know that I’m a vampire. My master hypnotized him and made him forget after what happened. But I still go to the gym with him – even though I don’t need to with my supernatural strength – and suck his dick. I found out that he’s bi-curious and always dreamed of having his dick sucked by me. Also, I enjoy freaking him out with my fangs from time to time and rape and bite him. I always make him forget afterwards, but I grew quite fond of him.
My master is giving me the freedom to fuck and feed on whoever I want. Which I do. Daily. But he will always have the power to summon me, which he does from time to time to celebrate group biting parties or the siring of a new slave together. I do not have permission to sire someone yet, but I am looking forward to the day. My master gave me the most incredibly siring ever and I can’t wait to pass it on to another deserving mortal.
vampire lair
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yukidragon · 3 years
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Our Life Snippet - Pretzels and Pop
Been a while since I flashed a clip of my Our Life: Beginnings & Always novelization’s first draft, huh? This time let’s take a peek at part of the Step 1 moment Shopping.
As always, credit for the original wonderful visual novel that fuels so much inspiration in me goes to the game’s creators, @gb-patch.
...
The scent of baked and fried goods, both savory and sweet, wafted through the air, drawing the children’s attention away from the keychain. Cove turned further down the street where he quickly spotted numerous different food carts lined in a row. Most importantly, he saw an array of delicious goodies people were happily eating.
Cove frowned, placing his uninjured arm over his now grumbling tummy as the delicious smells almost seemed to tease him. A quiet rumbling from his side drew his eye to Jamie and he saw she was holding her stomach now as well. “Let’s go get some food.”
“Yeah,” Jamie said with an eager nod. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast, and she was more than ready for lunch after so much walking around.
The children hurried their footsteps to reach the food vendors quickly, then slowed to consider their options. An array of foods both salty and sweet lay before them, their enticing smells serving to make their stomachs growl louder than before. Everything looked delicious, but they couldn’t sample it all.
After a short discussion considering the merits between foods such as pizza and hot dogs versus snow cones and ice cream, the pair came to a decision and got in line for the pretzel vendor. Cove eagerly ordered a pretzel covered with cinnamon that came paired with a little cup of icing that was far too tempting for him to resist. Jamie almost gave in to that same temptation, but ultimately she chose the pretzel already coated in vanilla icing and adorned with a rainbow’s worth of sprinkles.
Jamie licked her lips as she accepted her colorful treat from the vendor, barely resisting the urge to take a bite before they found someplace to sit. Her moms didn’t want her to eat too much sugar, but it should be fine, she thought; this was a special day and a special outing with Cove after all.
Besides, if Jamie drank milk with it, which was good for her, it would balance out the sugar, right? That’s why she got a carton of milk instead of soda pop like Cove did. She made sure to be the one to carry their drinks for the both of them after tucking her precious keychain away in her pocket, as Cove’s hands were getting pretty full.
The children hurried along to find an empty table for them to sit and eat their tasty treats. Fortune smiled on them as they found one close to the beach, which gave them an unobstructed view of the ocean.
Unfortunately for Jamie, this also meant that it was close enough for sand to cover the ground, and she winced as the chairs made terrible scraping sounds when moved. If her hands weren’t full, she would have covered her sensitive ears, so all she could do was grit her teeth and bear with the pain until they sat down, letting out a sigh of relief when the awful noise stopped.
Cove had been too distracted by setting things down on the table and getting into his seat without letting go of the balloon to notice Jamie’s discomfort for more than a moment before she relaxed. He didn’t know what to make of it, and she brightened up right away, so he supposed it wasn’t anything important.
Besides, there was a bigger issue they had to deal with right now. “These balloons are gonna make it hard to eat,” he said as he looked between the balloon and his pretzel as he tried to puzzle out the problem. He had a difficult enough time carrying everything while trying to keep a hold on the balloon’s string, especially while wearing something as unwieldy as a cast. It was going to be harder when his fingers got sticky with cinnamon, sugar, and icing.
Jamie looked at their balloons and opened her mouth, ready to agree, when an idea suddenly hit her. “Oh!” she gasped. “I know.”
Without bothering to stop to explain, Jamie went into action. She placed the drinks on the table alongside her pretzel, careful to keep her tasty treat on its waxy paper wrapper so that it wouldn’t get sandy. With her hands now mostly free, she hopped out of her chair without moving it so she could round the table to join Cove at his side. Gently, she tugged at the string of his balloon, taking it from his hand. Before he could ask her any questions, she tied it in a delicate bow around the wrist of his uncasted arm.
“Oh,” Cove said, blinking at the balloon now tied to his wrist. He moved his arm up and down a little, testing the stability of the knot. After seeing his balloon bounce and jerk but remain attached to him, he gave Jamie a satisfied smile.
Jamie returned the smile with one of her own as she offered her balloon to Cove. “There, now can you do mine too?”
Cove was only too happy to repay the favor. Unfortunately, the cast got in his way again with the way it restricted his fingers on his left hand, making it difficult for him to move them the way he wanted. The string tied to his right wrist also proved an additional challenge, as he had to be careful not to accidentally tangle both strings together.
Jamie watched Cove work patiently, his fingers feeling ticklish as they kept touching her wrist. The sensation was strange. It made her feel… happy? She liked it, but it was different in a way that left her face feeling warm and unable to look her friend in the eyes.
Finally, Cove managed to overcome the challenge, letting out a satisfied hum as he finished the knot. “Got it,” he said happily.
The two children took a moment to admire their handiwork. It also helped Jamie calm down from the weird feelings. With everything now settled, she returned to her side of the table after placing Cove’s soda closer to him. She was careful not to move the chair again as she squirmed back into it.
Now, both friends were able to finally enjoy their sweet treats and drinks as they admired their ocean view. The sounds of the sea mingling with the crowd served as a pleasant backdrop of ambient noise that left conversation unnecessary as they focused all their attention on enjoying their meal.
Jamie was the first to finish her pretzel with a little bit of regret that there wasn’t more of it. She licked what remained of the icing off her fingers, trying to get every last bit of the sugary goodness until she was sure there was nothing left. As she wiped her sticky hands on a napkin, she looked over at Cove and saw that he was close to being finished, but not quite.
Jamie didn’t want to rudely interrupt Cove’s meal by talking, but without anything to do, she quickly found herself growing bored. She drained the last of her milk as she looked around for something to occupy her time when she spied her balloon bobbing back and forth from the movements of her arm.
Inspiration struck, and Jamie pulled the string down until she could bring the balloon down into her hands. She held it more delicately than any of her stuffed animals as she moved it in what she felt confident was a good imitation of a real dolphin. She twisted in her seat to face towards the beach and held the balloon a little out in front of her as she continued her play, smiling proudly at how it looked as though it was swimming through the waves like that pod of dolphins she saw.
Cove curiously watched Jamie mess around with her balloon as he continued to eat. From his angle, he was able to see what she was going for. A delighted laugh escaped him as he could imagine exactly what she was, and he wanted to join in.
Jamie glanced over at Cove and watched him place what little was left of his pretzel down onto its wrapper so that he could take a hold of his dolphin balloon like she did. She beamed, eager to start a game of pretend with her friend. “Mine’s name is Merriweather,” she said proudly. “He’s the prince of the dolphins. He wears a crown of seaweed and all his friends are merfolk!”
Jamie turned ‘Merriweather’ towards Cove and bobbed it in the most regal manner she could manage, which elicited a giggle from her friend. “Every now and then, he’ll make friends with a kid and let them ride on his back,” she said before letting out a wistful sigh. She wished she could meet a magical dolphin prince like Merriweather for real.
“What’s yours?” Jamie asked eagerly once she shook off the fanciful thought.
Cove took a moment to consider the question seriously. He placed the balloon on the table, laying his cast covered arm across it as his gaze grew distant with contemplation. It took him some thinking to come up with an idea. “It’s-”
A loud and terrible pop destroyed the fantasy Cove had conjured up as the poor dolphin balloon exploded into green ribbons.
The children reeled back from the explosion, both yelping in surprise. For a moment after, the two could only stare at the tattered remains of what had been Cove’s balloon, which now looked more like a pile of seaweed that washed ashore.
Jamie was the first to break the silence. “Oh no…”
When the shock melted away, what had just happened hit Cove hard. His balloon was gone, destroyed beyond hope of repair. It wasn’t fair. He barely had a chance to enjoy it and now it was gone… forever.
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captainkurosolaire · 3 years
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Prompt #24 ~ Forgiveness
Reference - ���Not Over Yet♫
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The ability of confrontation had resolved inside a pirate's walk. His first destination appointed him to the Far East. His stature and posture resumed on purpose; as if knowing everything required to be done. Determined to turn back his clock. He couldn't reverse the scars or damage etched to the past. But you can relieve the pressure of them. Exorcising them like the ghost they are. A chime-bell rang as an eastern sliding door came, presenting itself before an old-worn Kugane ramen store. He was given a bow and customarily a happy greeting to the House of the Raising Sun. He spoke to code, "I come from far. I think I'd like wisdom, n' one form." Adjusted morning-red sunglasses of the worker came. Almost a sizing up-gaze, suspicious. Then that wayward wanderer drew his index at the point of a bowl of fortune cookies. A particular and odd purchase. This place was a front in the underworld. Mysteriously tethered to a web-line of dangerous individuals. By the scrawny worker, none would ever assume much. An exchange was made from what the client wanted with a marble. The Seeker took his departure cracking open his cookie and reading the slip. 'Happiness is not a pleasure, it's a victory' This was all by purpose standardized. Once the ramen shop cleared out the last customers. The business worker took to the back of his shop. A Magpie awaited perched near a window giving that messenger the marble from earlier and sending it fluttering off. There was a process of demanding a conference with those who thrive in shadows. The pirate ate up and headed to the next location. Heading before a hidden bay of Shirogane in the residences before torches of shore were lit. Breeze flashes through before that wind suddenly felt an feather push of unnaturally distortion against his tail-hairs. A quick cloaked dagger in the dark came hurling forth at the pirate who was centered and faced away. Who blocked barely unscathed with plated wrist-guards.
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Out of the trail came a soft-padded step. Disbelief, arm's crossed into a kimono. "Son." Came at the scoundrel. Who, shockingly, was alive. "Nice greeting' ol'man. Gotten a bit sluggish... How b' that arm?" He gave a cheeky-grin, turning to face another. A reunion of fatherhood and child brought to life. The older, more senior man's left arm came out prosthetically augmented. Taken by his own child in an old battle beyond mind. There was a bit of tension, but Father's blindfolded visage loosened, he felt unconditional, his heart restored, believing his own boy perished. It nearly worried him into an early-grave. This was a meeting of revelations waiting to explode. Although the father's eyesight was obscured. He could detect and use his scents to identify his son had grown in the respite of silence. He lived off existence, even outside where phantoms go. "Listen, I'm make this quick. I need ye... pops. You'll b' thrilled t' know ye've got yourself a granddaughter, not that ye haven't before but there's one n' my stead who found me, dare I say she may outdo you. I feel my methods of training would be obsolete. However, under yer tutor. She can waver closer t' my orbit, safer... When I dawn to storm's above skies. --- I want you to meet her." That already was a bombshell that continued by his resurrected son. And although haste surfaced in the boy's inflection, that still showed, he didn't like to share these touchy moments. Especially with the geezer who bastardized him. Left him abandoned and fending to cruelty, there was also less disdain, of that. He was offering back his Father's presence to his inner world. They couldn't outright sew or be fixtures of what happened. But, he gave his Father a reason to make his retired sword-hand raise; alongside give him a future to uphold; breath into lungs. "N' lastly. I need yer expertise. Th' illustrious darkest shadow ye once resided as. The man who brought resistance and forged peace in where no light goes... I'm going t' assassinate, some assassins." A crazed declaration said nonchalantly. His Father exhibited stun. This wasn't the same boy with a sick heart, or the same renegade attitude of a pupil he trained incognito. "You just came back alive... Before me. Yet you wish to wander so dangerously close to death again? Why do you pressurize yourself so much? This world doesn't need you to prove anything." His father imparted with concern, hints of humbleness, more clarity. He blamed this recklessness and attitude on himself, for being incapable of removing himself from prior commitment and engagement sooner. Finding peace, only until now, when nearly too late, at least it felt-like. Yet alarmingly this aura of willpower, sheer command blazed. "I had t' relinquish a lot of my, findings, plunders t' contractors, to not only keep myself alive, but my Crew... What they don't know is, I've ways t' track where they went with my belongings. Rule number one ov' the seas, if ye leave a pirate alive and take his belongings, they'll come with their greed, all t' back. They'll haunt themselves, into ghostly projections, t' devour n' haunt their own. However, th' people I hired for espionage, all faded and failed. I can't get a read how many there are, or if there's just the two, that i was confronted. I don't go into enemy bases, especially one's n' this skill-regard, aimlessly. Although you, have specialty. When comes t' stealth, you're still far better. I'm more of a break yer door down, and set off fuses, and light th' place up, I leave people with recognition, t' know my presence. Knows I'm horribly outmatched, if I don't get the first-advantage against these foes." Was his son actually considering a tactical approach... Even using reason and coming from a more intelligible, before would abandon his life and go-at things alone. This difference was drastic from the impatient and hot-headed pupil before. Whatever events cultivated these ironwork changes. The elderly and Father felt a catastrophic relief. "I will help you son." This moment was uncomfortable but so was this
itchiness of his wardrobe. Being all exposed like this was still a process, undergoing the pirate. He cared not to give exposure to this.
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"Meet me again in a Sennight on these same shores, I'll come t' pick ye up. N' old man... This isn't some mission where I want you t' go n' die into silence. You'll track the hideout and leave, and then, afterwards, you've got someone to live for eagerly; if not me." Ruffian youth in pirate gave a little shoulder nudge to his guardian as he walked onto splitting from their ways. The Shadow Father of Echo Past muttered, "It was... good... to see you too." He recognized really what was expressly told through actions, beyond formed words, they were translating signals in silence too.
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BESTIE HEAR ME OUT. inej soulmate au. thats it. LIKE the colour thing where everything is black and gray until you see your soulmate for the first time, having the same tatto, the first thing they are going to say to you written on your skin (my personal fav), ANYTHING. im a sucker for soulmate au i have so many ideas😫
Monsters- Inej Ghafa
Hi! I can absolutely write this one for you, as a matter of fact, I think it’s quite the adorable request and it just made my brain explode with ideas, so thank you! 
the gif in the fic has nothing to do with the fic, by the way, but I just love it, and I wanted to use it, so I did!
Also, I put a little bit of a spin on the quote: “When everyone knows you're a monster, you needn't waste time doing every monstrous thing.” from the first book, I believe? I can’t quite remember the page number but I’m fairly certain it’s in Six of Crows, if not it’s in Crooked Kingdom!
Fic type- fluff
warnings- mentions of blood, mentions of knives, mentions of guns and slight hinting toward a toxic relationship with your father
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It was rumored that everyone in the entire existence of the universe had a soulmate. That the saints at the beginning of the earth found one human too strong, too intimidating, too capable, and thus, split their heart in two, giving each soul a body with two arms, two legs, two eyes, ten fingers, ten toes and half of the soul that they used to have. 
Some called soulmates twin flames, some called them the Kerch, Ravkan or Fjerdan variations of the words, but Inej called them terrifying. The words etched like ink into her wrist, the first words her soulmate would ever say, were daunting ones. Scary ones, ones that made her wish she’d met her soulmate already, simply for the prospect of wrapping them up in a hug and just refusing to let them go. 
“They’re probably fine,” Jesper would assure when he’d catch Inej rubbing the skin on her wrist, tracing the words over and over almost methodically. “I mean, all things considered, they’re probably doing all right for themselves.” 
The words haunted her each and everyday; she’d go to sleep thinking of them, reading them over, wake up and instinctually repeat the process. She’d read them whenever her wrist was in her eyeline, praying to her saints that her soulmate was okay.
“If your soulmate is in any real danger, we’ve got Milo!” Jesper said. “I’m willing to share my emotional support animal.” She was the only one in their tight knit group who’d not found her soulmate yet. Jesper had Wylan, Nina had Matthias, and Kaz didn’t have a soulmark anywhere on his body, as far as anyone knew, at least. 
But one day, Kaz had walked in with someone new at his side. He took the time to introduce you by name as he got you set up alongside Jesper at one of the gambling tables, telling you to keep a watchful eye on the hyperactive crow whilst you played a couple rounds of Makkers Wheel, and you nodded, said you would.
But that was just the first interaction, and Inej hadn’t even introduced herself, didn’t feel like it, simply put, and there were many after. 
But the one that mattered most was when you were in the middle of a plan to rob a wealthy merchant of all that he had going for him, every bit of his money. This merchant happened to be your father, one who worked alongside Jan Van Eck, the very reason you knew Wylan and thus met Kaz and quickly eased into the trusted circle. 
“He’s not a monster,” he was. Inej knew it just as well as you did, knew that you were lying straight through your teeth. “He’s not a monster, Kaz. He’s not you.” There they were. The words inked onto Inejs wrist, the letters she’d traced over a million times before. 
“Monsters don’t always do monstrous things,” you realized it then, too, eyes flicking to your wrist in a quick, almost unnoticeable second. “Some of them look like princes or kings, but really, they’re law abiding criminals.” Ones that give their children gifts meant to belittle them, ones that shoot off backhanded compliments like bullets out of a gun, ones that do monstrous things that don’t seem so monstrous until they’re tallied up on a scoreboard. 
“So we take him down?” You asked. Kaz gave a simple, short nod.
“I’m assuming, since he’s your father and all, you’d like the final kill?” You nodded in turn, thinking it odd of Kaz’s courtesy. He liked getting his hands dirty, from what you knew, hence the nickname Dirtyhands, but you were grateful nonetheless. 
Inej grabbed at her belt. A moment later, she pulled a knife out, pressing it into your hand and offering a smile. “Sankta Lizabeta, for good luck.” You smiled, putting the knife into your coat pocket and bending slightly to give one last hug to Milo the goat--honorary member of The Dregs, per Jespers insistence-- before turning up, offering a smile to Jesper.
“Am I the only one who just witnessed that?” He questioned. Inej and you turned, at the same time, to Kaz, who had the ghost of a smile written on his normally intelligible face.
“You’ve got to go,” he dismissed. “Get the job done tonight, we’ll raid his house tomorrow, and take Inej with you. She makes for good protection.” He’d known the words on Inejs wrist just as well as she had, having watched her run her fingers over them many times over.
Hesitantly, you and Inej began moving slowly for the door, grimacing as you heard Jesper shout: “Speaking of protection, make sure to use it, you two!” followed immediately by the sounds of Nina and Wylan chastising him for the inappropriate comment.
The two of you made your way out of The Slat, slowly growing more comfortable with each other as the minutes drew past. “You’ve named all of your knives after saints,” you mumbled. “Sankta Lizabeta, Sankt Valdmir, Sankt Petyr, even Sankta Alina, and, from my recollection, she’s barely been considered a saint for two years.” Inej just nodded.
“I’m not a very religious person,” you warned. “I won’t go to church or worship anyone too strongly, but if you ask me to, I’ll do it.” 
“Do you name anything of yours?” she asked. “Your weapons?”
“I had a dagger I called Morozova,” you admitted. “I still have it somewhere, I’m sure, but that’s the only weapon I’ve ever named.”
“Ilya Morozova,” she murmured. “Wasn’t he a little insane?” You laughed, daring to reach over and intertwine your hands. Inej almost grew giddy, but contained it within herself by simply moving a fraction of an inch closer to you. 
“I mean, yeah, but don’t judge me! I was thirteen, the Fold was still around! I’d not even glimpsed his journals then!” In those moments, you felt safe and sure that Inej would always protect you, and you knew you always would her. 
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the-melting-world · 3 years
Text
Strength | Side A: "Sol"
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art by @ ligiawrites
~ In which a secretive barhand tames many beasts at once...
The Trio Appearances: Kipling | Khleo | Ozy
Arcana LI appearances: Asra | Nadia | Lucio | Valdemar
Track Origins: “Sol” by Blanco White
Not sure if this is the right track? The full album can be found here: Strength
Khleo is Non-binary and uses she/they pronouns interchangeably
cw: descriptions of monsters
~ 2.8k words
****
Ozy and Kip waited anxiously on a grated walkway in the framework. Just below them was the chamber of Rooms that they had created to hold the monsters who brought darkness with them wherever they went.
“Do you think that maybe we should go down there and check up on her?” Kip asked, holding Taro tightly enough that the lemur had started to squirm. She looked down at where Ozy was sitting with one of his legs dangling over the side of the bridge.
Ozy turned to Abaco, who was perched comfortably on his shoulder. The bird gave a little hop and ruffled his feathers. Finally, Ozy glanced down at the Room and said, “I think we should wait for Khleo to let us know when it’s okay to come inside.”
Kip nodded in agreement, but her eyes were distant. Ozy turned his gaze back to her and shifted a little. He held out his arm and beckoned her over.
“Kipling. Come here.”
Soon Kip was sitting beside Ozy, under his arm. She let her legs dangle over the edge too as she leaned into him. It wasn’t often that they shared this sort of affection, but Kip had always found Ozy’s bright citrus scent and the sound of his chirping beads quite comforting.
“I have faith in Khleo mostly because of you, Kip. I’m sorry if my anxiety kept me from expressing my gratitude, but… thank you for talking to them. For helping them rest.”
Kip reached up to scratch the five o’clock shadow clinging to Ozy’s jaw. “You did most of the talking, coz. You told Khleo everything they needed to hear exactly when they needed to hear it. You showed them the moments from our past that I was too scared to show them myself.”
Ozy sighed and chuckled against Kip’s ticklish fingernails. “I worried myself silly trying to get the timing right. Confrontation only works when the time and the place is appropriate. You know I’ve always struggled with that in the past.”
Now Kip was tugging on Ozy’s ghost lock. “You’ve gotten so much better at it though.”
Before Ozy could respond, a voice called out to both of them. Ozy and Kip got to their feet and looked around. It wasn’t long before they realized that the voice was coming from inside the Room.
“They’re asking us to open the Doors,” Kip whispered.
Because there were eight of them total and they were all very heavy, Ozy and Kip had to work together to create an opening into the chamber. Once they could both look down inside the Room, the umbras were taken aback by all of the darkness that had been replaced with an usual sort of light. Soft, multicolor beads of brightness moved about the room languidly, as if alive.
It took them a moment to realize that the lights made up the anatomies of the individual monsters. Many were drakelike, but there were also furrier, multi-headed beasts and cloven, multi-eyed creatures.
Khleo walked into view, holding a juvenile in her arms. This one had the head of a foal, the body of an eel, and a large, cyclopic eye. Khleo cradled them in one arm and stroked their head with the other. She looked up at her friends and smiled.
“It’s safe. You can come down.”
The barhand let the strange chimera slither out of her arms and undulate away on the absent breeze. Even though Khleo seemed completely in control, Kip and Ozy still looked about warily at the slow-moving, bioluminescent creatures patrolling the space.
Khleo escorted the two of them around, explaining the nature of the monsters and how they all answered to one queen. The queen selected Rooms to lay her eggs in the walls and shut them off in darkness so that she can protect her nest in relative peace.
Inevitably, Ozy started up with his questions. “Did the queen try to attack you?”
Khleo nodded calmly. Without elaborating, she brought them over to the largest of the beasts. When they were close enough, she held out her hand to signal Ozy and Kip to keep their distance. Only after Khleo knelt to where the queen was resting, did she explain, “They’ve all got a sensitive spot somewhere on their bodies.”
Khleo snuck her hand under what Ozy and Kip presumed was the head of the queen and scratched until the great thing lifted her horned skull and yawned.
“See?”
It was hard to pay attention to what Khleo was referring to, what with the unraveling of the queen’s three crooked rows of nested jaws and green, pimpled tongue. But below her maw of shards and behind her fluffy goatee was a layer of veined, membranous meat. It pulsed fleshy blends of red and pink light.
As soon as Ozy and Kip got a good look, Khleo closed the goatee curtain and stroked the queen back to sleep.
“If you can reset the leader’s buttons, the others will follow. It’s just a matter of finding the weak spot and getting close enough to apply the right sort of pressure.” Khleo stood up. “But I also think that snapping them out of that state helps them recognize my scent better.”
Ozy crossed his arms and nodded. “The beasts must think you’re one of them. It’s the only explanation for why they aren't attacking Kip and me right now.”
Khleo’s face was one of acceptance, but they still shrugged and asked, “Why, though?”
Kip spoke up. “Your patron’s blessing. It has to be. It must not be something that you can see or touch, but the creatures living in the walls can feel it.”
Khleo considered this as they approached the two of them. They looked at Kip first and then up at Ozy.
“So now what?”
The excitement was back in Ozy’s murky hazel eyes. He drew up Khleo’s wrist and studied her knuckles, which were bruised from driving them into the queen’s weak spot.
“We’ll need to get you some gauntlets later, but this means that now… we can make shortcuts.”
****
~ The Palace ~
After releasing the subdued monsters into the framework, Ozy carved a pathway back to the Palace for the three of them. Khleo wasn’t all that surprised to find Asra and Nadia waiting for them in the reception hall with Hefe’s head resting in the Countess’ lap. What did catch them off guard was the sight of Basil, who they hadn’t seen since he helped them escape their blood curse.
Kip went to greet Asra and Ozy was preoccupied with Nadia. Hefe approached Khleo first, gently encouraging her to speak candidly with Basil.
When Basil hugged Khleo, she was relieved to sense no bitterness or anger in his touch.
“I’m sorry I kept so many things from you,” Khleo rasped. “It was the last way I could… protect what little I had–”
Basil shook them. “Gah! Khlee, stop. I know.” He pulled back, trying to blink the shine out of his clear blue eyes. “You don’t need to explain. Just… read this. It’s for you.”
The mixologist retrieved an envelope from his pocket. He opened it for Khleo before handing them the contents. Khleo held the documents up and read them slowly. Then they reread them. Again. And again.
Ozy and Kip didn’t notice that Khleo had taken off running through the Palace until Nadia brought it to their attention.
By the time Ozy caught up to Khleo, they were already hurdling themself over the Palace gates. He only managed to keep up with the help of the Doors, phasing him in and out of Khleo’s reality.
When Ozy asked if Khleo intended to run all the way to the Chandrian by foot, the barhand panted, “How the hell else am I supposed to get there? I still can’t open Doors!”
A new presence appeared in between the two umbras.
< Get on my back, cub. >
Ozy grinned before opening a Door and disappearing altogether. Khleo didn’t stop running, but they shot Hefe a suspicious look. The lion blew a puff of frustrated air.
< You’ve done it before. How else would you have reached your own gate in the past? >
Still uncertain, but curious to see what would happen, Khleo reached over and grabbed the scruff of Hefe’s neck without breaking their stride. Then in one swift maneuver, they mounted their familiar’s back and tucked their legs neatly against Hefe’s sides.
The lioness picked up speed, bounding faster over the cobblestones of the Heart District until a Door exploded into existence before them. Khleo’s heart leaped as Hefe carried them through the Door and into a tunnel of rotating seawater. Ozy was on the other side, closing the Door behind them as the barhand and their lion sailed away.
~ Hefe… you’re glowing! ~
Even in her mind, Khleo didn’t have the words to describe all that she was seeing. Hefe crossed the astral planes as if she had been born there. Her pale creamy coat shimmered and kicked up a snowy dust-storm all around them.
As they traveled the framework, their presence drew in any nearby beasts. Creatures that would have otherwise camouflaged themselves were now flanking Hefe’s heels and undulating languidly past Khleo’s shoulders.
Kipling came into view shortly thereafter, holding open a Door that dropped Khleo off directly in front of the Chandrian. As soon as Hefe landed on solid ground and slid to a stop, Khleo took off again, not bothering to wait for her friends.
The barhand had so many questions as she shoved open the doors to the tavern – her tavern. The other barhands were there to greet her, including Basil. They congratulated her, poured her two – three hefeweizens and shoved one mug after the other against her chest.
There was so much excitement, it was clear that questions had no place here. Not now. When things had settled somewhat, Kip came to wrap her arms around Khleo from behind. The gardener balanced her chin on Khleo’s shoulder and kissed them on the cheek.
“It’s not your beer garden, but it’s a step.”
Khleo swallowed the words she didn’t have with the help of the beer in her hand. She took a breath and looked around at the rejoicing still going on in her tavern hall. The fiddles were out, people were on the tables moving and twirling. The only stillness in sight were a couple of patrons calmly dining at a booth towards the back of the hall.
“Those two women over there have been waiting this whole time,” Kip whispered. “I think one of them wants to talk to you.”
Khleo shot Kip a perplexed look as she kissed them fondly on the cheek one final time and lifted the mug out of their hands. Kipling’s hand then came to the small of their back and gave them an encouraging push.
Khleo didn’t know what to expect as they wandered over to the booth. They were sure that they had never met the first woman. However, they recognized her deep brown skin and warm garnet eyes. Because the second woman who finally turned around in her seat happened to have them too.
Khleo froze.
“Mir?”
Her old coworker smiled radiantly as she got to her feet. There was something she was holding in her arms. Wrapped up in blankets and so small, Khleo could hardly believe the obvious.
There were words of deep gratitude exchanged, as well as warm affection, but all Khleo could focus on was the round, slumbering face. The tiny fingers and tinier fingernails.
“She’s so small.”
Samira laughed because for a moment, Khleo truly looked as if she feared the blanket would swallow the infant whole. Giving her strong arms a playful nudge, Samira asked, “Wanna hold her?”
Khleo had never held anything or anyone so awkwardly in her whole life. Just minutes ago she was rocking chimeras to sleep, but now her arms felt damn near useless when it came to deciding how best to snuggle Samira’s baby against her.
“What’s her name?”
Samira, who was close enough to save Khleo should she need it, whispered, “Lily... It means: she’s gonna grow.”
She lifted her eyes to meet Khleo’s. The two shared a smile before shining their happiness back on the little one.
****
~ Not Long After ~
Khleo was at her gate, standing in a field of wildflowers at the bottom of a hill. She had tried to run to the top of that hill so many times before.
She tried again.
Like before, the muscles in her legs burned as her heels dug into the earth, kicking up enchanted daisies on the way. Her arms fought air resistance as they pumped harder and harder.
Drive. Drive!
Khleo zig-zagged to sidestep the pressure of gravity trying to hold her back. The top of the hill came into view faster than it ever had before. But Khleo was not stopping or slowing down. Her breath came out energized rather than labored.
And she leaped...
Khleo’s feet never did make contact with the peak of that hill. Instead, her momentum took over the mound.
Beyond.
.
.
.
Khleo found Kipling resting in the flowers, scratching lines of new poetry into her journal. The barhand gently interrupted the gardener and encouraged her to rise to her feet.
“C’mere. I wanna show you something.”
When Khleo had led Kipling a good distance from the rest of their friends that had joined them in the realm, they called forth something from the framework. Something from their past.
Kipling gasped at the sight of a shimmering ocean drake coasting like a sentient ribbon down from the clouds.
“Remember?” Khleo asked with a smile, waving the drake over in their direction. “From when we used to ride our bikes to and from the market?”
Khleo directed the sea drake from their childhood to revolve around themself and Kip in an infinite loop. The creature fanned out their webbed frill and tail, sweeping up more of the glistening flowers. It flew in a tight circle around Khleo and Kip, giving them no choice but to come together chest to chest.
Khleo tilted Kip’s face up by her chin and kissed her.
“So that day, in the caves… the day the Door took me…”
Kip’s breath hitched. “I remember.”
Khleo dismissed the lumps in her throat. “Well there was something I wanted to tell you.” She glanced down at Kip’s necklace. “It was too hard for me to say back then. And it’s still hard, but…”
The sea drake passed in the background, twisting once in midair, the rest of its body snaking into the rotation like a wave passing through a column of seawater.
“Some things never change, I guess. Still, I wanted to say this.” Khleo breathed in deeply. “I loved you so much back then, Kip.” They placed a kiss on her forehead. “Just as I love you now. As I always will. As it should be.”
Kip found that even as Khleo kissed her through her tears, she could not speak. Even though she had screamed her feelings for Khleo inside those very same caves, she could barely whisper them now.
This was strange for someone like her, for whom words flowed like water and blossomed out like flowers. But Khleo understood what that was like, so they kissed Kip through her tearful wordlessness.
They closed their eyes and purred knowingly and in plain happiness when Kip hugged Khleo for all she was worth, buried her face along the side of their neck and worked her lips into a soundless confession.
Khleo’s body was sensitive enough to feel the truth. They soaked up the love — the years and years of love — enough to make them wish they could open their throat and roar.
And then… the moment came when it was time for Khleo to be alone in their realm with their lion and their patron.
Their friends, Kipling, Ozy, Nadia, Asra – and their familiars, all left.
Khleo stood in the place where they were reborn, listening to the wind blowing over the fields. They had never done this before, but the next move came so naturally to them.
Strength watched from the top of one of the hills, her red headscarf drawn down by her shoulders and her rough curls catching wind and daisies.She watched Khleo walk over to their golden throne and take a seat there. She watched Hefe softly approach and curl up by Khleo’s ankles.
Khleo got comfortable and snug before closing their eyes and breathing in long and deep. She had a thought, which yielded a glass mug to materialize in her hand. Beer collected and bubbled up to the top until foam was spilling out onto her knuckles. But the barhand didn’t break her relaxation to lick up the mess. She would see to it later.
For now she was calm. Not like the tall woman in the background watching over her. Not even like the great, pale lioness resting at her feet.
All of Khleo’s calmness and control came from within.
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Alright, we’re reaching the end. let’s at least see if I can reach 100k words!
@petrichormeraki 
and also @helleborusangel I’m worried about you. You haven’t touched your tumblr in about 2 and a half weeks. if anyone has heard from them, please let me know, I am worried aaaaaaaaaa.
An explosion shook the room, making Grifter use his wings as cover for both himself and Sense. A moment later he flapped his wings to clear the air and see what had caused the explosion. He growled upon seeing a group of people at the door, recognizing that most of them were hermits. Standing there were both Xisuma and Xannes, Joe, Zedaph, Scar and Cub. There were also two non-hermits, one of which being Techno since he had brought the other hermits. The last was someone Grifter recognized all too well. Kristen. And she was also holding onto both Grifect and Sefter.
Grifter tried not to look angry or yell and attack, even using a wing to keep Sense back. “Oh thank goodness you all came! This is going to help so much!” Grifter couldn’t say more before a trident was thrown at his head, him barely dodging it. “What are you doing, I’m the good guy here?”
“I have a hard time believing that.” Xannes huffed, but Grifter gestured to where Nightmare lay dazed on the floor.
“No, you don’t understand. He’s the bad guy in this situation. He was after both Theseus and Tommy. I was told I had to deal with him. I didn’t have any choice!”
Xannes scoffed. “A likely story.” And weapons were pointed at Grifter. The avian’s eyes continued to go between Nightmare as well as Kristen as she held his kids, but he held his arms up in surrender.
From behind the group, Xisuma made his way over to Tommy. Grifter paid no attention to him, But Sense did, pulling out a weapon. Techno was the first to move to stop the attack, but Grifter beat him to the punch, using his wing to hit the weapon out of Sense’s hand. “As I said. Good guys here. Unless of course you are here to hurt Tommy, then things change.”
“You destroyed half of the server.” Techno said.
“I made sure to take precautions. None of this is permanent. Everything is backed up and I made sure everyone could respawn. Meanwhile you’re got Grian running around with one of his sons, not even worried about the bug in his system.”
“What-” Someone started to say, Grifter wasn’t sure who, when Nightmare moved. Grifter moved out of the way, having been watching the admin. Nightmare’s attack missed, but he quickly adjusted, his axe aiming for Xisuma’s neck. Sense pulled out another weapon and pointed it at Nightmare, firing it. The blast hit Nightmare’s wrist, making him lose his weapon, but in order to take the shot, it also went through part of Grifter’s wing.
“There…” Grifter said, holding his wing. “Believe us now?”
Weapons slowly moved from pointing at Grifter to pointing at Nightmare. A quick glance around the room let him know that Xannes seemed to be the only one left with his guard up, but that was fine, he wasn’t the most dangerous one here. Cub and Scar both had vex magic, but only both of them working together had been enough to break Grifter’s barrier, so while they could potentially be dangerous, they also weren’t the biggest threat. Techno was probably the least threatening of the bunch, Xisuma as a close second. He may be admin, but this wasn’t his server, so for now he was essentially powerless.
But the last three were much more dangerous. Kristen had the same aura around her that his dad did, meaning she would have to be death here. But it also didn’t help that she wasn’t the only one with that energy. And then of course ‘Joe Hills’. He was arguably the most dangerous, but he also had an easy weakness right now. 
“Do any of you know someone named Eret?” Grifter spoke up, glad to see Joe look up and over at him.
“I do. Why’re ya askin’?”
“We couldn’t quite get down there, but there seemed to be some prison cells and someone with that name was there. I was pretty sure the name was familiar, but of course, since this is another dimension, I figured I’d ask you guys.” Grifter explained, then hissing slightly as Sense tried to help with his wound.
Joe briefly looked over at Xisuma, who nodded. After taking one last look around the room, the man left the room. One down, two to go. Kristen was off the table with the boys in her arms, but if push came to shove, they could take care of themselves. Grifter used a bit of magic to heal himself, noticing that the world setting had been changed, letting people naturally heal and respawn again. He quickly changed that back and readied his magic for an attack.
Both of the Convex noticed something was up and they started to say something, but Grifter was faster. He flew into the air just enough to get a height advantage before attacking Zedaph with such a powerful attack, he broke through the floor. At the same time, Sense pulled Xisuma away from Tommy, messing with his helmet and breaking the filters on it. 
Xannes tried to grab Grifter, but the Listener was prepared and he drew a swirl symbol in the air, and a moment later Xannes was gone. Grifter was left panting and he couldn’t do much more after using so much magic. Sense was busy taking care of the Convex, so he couldn’t help much more. Grifter barely managed to get out of the way of Techno attacking him, but it just moved him closer to Kristen. 
“What did you do with Phil?” She asked, just making Grifter chuckle.
“Nothing bad. And even if it was, I doubt it would affect Dad.” He laughed again. “So, why are you here? I would have thought you’d stay away.”
Kristen didn’t answer as Sefter’s hand changed into a sword and he stabbed her in the side. Her shock made her drop both him and Grifect, who quickly ran to Grifter’s side. “Awe uwu okay dad? Uwu wook tiwed. I'm sowwy I messed up.”
“Aww, it’s okay pumpkin. You did just fine.” Grifter patted Grifect’s head and Sefter faced Techno, ready to fight him. “Now now everyone. I’m sure we can all stand down at this point.”
“You were the one to attack first.” Techno huffed, making Grifter pout.
“You all barged in here ready to attack me with my children as hostages. Now they are free and everyone is fine.”
“Xisuma is suffocating!” Cub yelled, and Grifter rolled his eyes and used a bit of magic to fix the helmet.
“There, is that any better?” Grifter huffed, still panting a bit. “You’re all ready to work with Xannes but I try to help and suddenly I’m the worst thing in the world.”
“Even he hates you.”
“And he also hates his brother, but you guys are fine with him. But sure, make that the defining answer.” Grifter grumbling, trying to ignore the nudge in his side from Sense. “Now how about we just all calm down, I deal with my job, and we all go home safe and sound.”
“How do we know you’re telling the truth?” Scar asked, and Grifter nodded his head in Kristen’s direction, as well as Zedaph’s as he was just pulling himself out of the hole he had been stuck in.
“What are we talking about?” Zed asked, looking around, not having any context.
Kristen gestured to Grifter. “He’s got a request from Death that he needs to finish.”
“What? I never gave him anything like that. Was that you?”
“No, I assume it came from one of those in his world.”
“Oh yeah, that would do it. Oh by the way, look who I found!” And Zedaph helped Grian, Ranboo and Grumbot out of the hole. 
“Oh for fucks sake!” Grifter growled. “I just managed to salvage this two fucking times. Why aren’t you all dead?”
As soon as he had said that, everyone turned on Grifter once more, though this time he wasn’t trying to wriggle his way out of it. “Perhaps we should-” Sense started to say before the Listener slapped him. “Shut up! I don’t care how it happens, I am getting rid of that son of a whore admin! Now stay alive long enough to come back.” And three portals opened up next to Sense, Sefter and Grifect, pulling them in. 
“Fine. Gloves are off now.” Grifter said, staring directly at Grian, who knew exactly what that meant. Grian moved to pull Grumbot closer to himself while Kristen was the first to move and attempt to attack Grifter.
Before she could cause any harm, Grifter placed down some TNT which immediately exploded. The explosion blocked her view just long enough for him to move elsewhere and get the upper hand, shoving her to the floor. “Oh please, Dad’s already terrified I’ll kill him and become the next death or something. And seeing as how my uncle never shows his fucking face, I’m guessing he keeps shaking in his little pink lined boots.”
Xisuma was the next to attack, but Grifter kicked at the man, boots starting to tear at the seams. “And your brother is too much of a cocksucking ditz to cause any sort of trouble for me. Hacking skills or not. I had to deal with plenty in Deevo. And that’s when I was still learning everything!”
Grifter was whacked in the back, causing loose feathers to go flying. He turned to see that Techno had attacked with an axe, blood now dripping down the avain’s back. “You’re an improvement over the original at least. Euro’s one of the biggest cowards I’ve seen. I can hear when he kills himself from a mile away. It’s too bad he keeps getting to respawn, but when death doesn’t want you dead, it doesn’t happen.” One of Grifter’s wings hit Techno, the feathers stiff and sharp, opening wounds all over the piglin hybrid.
Next, vex magic attacked the Listener from both sides, leaving him cornered. “You two. Hah, now this is a challenge. Sort of. But I don’t give a fuck right now!” And Grifter pulled out a shovel, not having a better weapon readily available. He walked towards Cub, not caring as the magic started to burn away his clothes, revealing the discolored skin beneath. Cub did his best to increase his power and move away, and for a few moments it worked, pushing Grifter back, but then the shovel connected with his skull, knocking him to the ground. A few more whacks followed from Grifter for good measure, staining the metal red.
“Now, who’s up next?!” The Listener asked with a laugh, turning to face everyone. His outfit was a mess; torn and bloody, hanging limply on his body while his boots lay shredded to the side, talons having replaced his feet. His eyes were glossy, cataracts covering them leaving him essentially blind, but his ears had shifted, changing into something few had seen, the ears of a warden.
“What the heck?” Ranboo asked, having stuck by Grian’s side. “What is that?”
“Listener.” Grian responded, horrified. “When Watchers, and I guess also Listeners, use too much magic, their body shifts to better use it. I’ve apparently gone off the deep end once or twice and ended up something like that. Basically, if he was dangerous before… it’s worse now.”
True to what Grian had just said, Grifter moved swiftly, at Zedaph’s side the moment after he took a step. He was thrown against a wall, winding him before a metal clamp covered his mouth, making it so he couldn’t speak. As he pulled at it while also catching his breath, Grifter yanked out a handful of his feathers, blood pouring from the freshly plucked wing and the Listener’s own hand. He threw the feathers at Xisuma, them acting as throwing knives sent at the admin. A good number of them missed, but a few hit and sliced into his armor, fortunately also missing his helmet.
Kristen attacked Grifter next, getting an upper hand and using some of his own stray feathers as weapons. The Listener just stared at her, smiling as the edge of the blade like feathers pressed into his skin, drawing blood. “You aren’t going to kill me. Are you? You can’t. That’s how it works~ You’re the one who can’t interfere~ That’s your brother’s job. And oh, sounds like he can’t do that right now, can he?”
Kristen was going to do it. In this situation, she wasn’t bound by the laws of death. Grifter wasn’t from this dimension, so she had free reign. But the Listener’s words got to her, and for a split second, she looked away. Suddenly, Grifter’s wings moved and a number of his feathers were embedded in her chest, him laughing evilly. “Now don’t die~ I wouldn’t like that happening. Especially since he’s busy.”
Techno tried attacking Grifter again, but he was just swatted to the side. Scar was at Cub’s side, having pulled out some crystals to heal him. Zedaph was busy trying to free himself and Kristen was dealing with her own wounds. Grifter stepped closer to Xisuma before picking him up and breaking one of his helmet’s filters with his hand. Though it wouldn’t kill the admin, it would certainly cause him plenty of pain. 
Tossing Xisuma aside, Grifter finally made it to Nightmare. “Now, I should have been finished with you ages ago!” The Listener spoke, his voice filled with stifled laughter. “But this ends now. Dream? He’s easy. Everything’s already in a console because he was a little bitch who used children for his own benefit. I may not have many lines to draw, but I still have some.”
Nightmare started screaming as green magic surrounded him. For a moment, a figure of a second person stood next to him before it dissolved, disappearing completely. “Next, we need to get rid of those silly little admin powers you have because Dad wanted you dethroned.”
As Nightmare started to scream again, Grifter was attacked from the side. Out of all the people he expected, this was the last. Tommy stood, balanced mostly on his uninjured leg, holding a sword he had gotten from Xisuma. Grifter tisked a few times at Tommy, crossing his arms. “Theseus, Theseus, Theseus. What are you doing? Trying to get your revenge? That’s the same fucking mistake that put us in this situation in the first place. Why’d Dad even let you out?”
“Wrong person.” Tommy said weakly. He was light headed from blood loss as well as standing there, but he still swung his sword in an attempt to hit Grifter.
“Right, right. Well, I’m not called a Listener for no reason.” And then a wing swiped across the ground, hitting Tommy’s feet out from under him. “Stay out of this before you make it so much worse.”
Grifter turned back to Nightmare, continuing to use magic on the admin. No one had enough energy left to do anything as they listened to his screams. Slowly, they grew strained before it was finally quiet again. Grifter frowned and kicked Nightmare, the limp body giving no resistance. “Aww, it’s broken. Hmm, I guess I can have a little more fun with it.”
He started stomping on the body, making absolutely sure Nightmare was truly dead, damaging the body beyond recognition. The whole time, Grifter was smiling and having fun. Around him, everyone was slowly tending to each other’s wounds, the Listener not caring. Kristen checked on Grian who was helping her with the feathers still stuck in her. Zedaph assisted Xisuma with his helmet, managing to not make it more complicated than it needed to be. At the same time, he helped Tommy out a bit as the two were right near each other. Scar was still helping Cub, and for lack of anyone else to help out, Techno stayed near Ranboo and Grumbot.
Finally, Grifter stepped away from Nightmare, hands on his hips as he ‘looked’ at his work proudly. “Well, that could have gone better, but it was still nice! Now, since you all caused so many problems, who do I get to have fun with next?” When no one answered, Grifter pouted before turning to Tommy. “Hmm, let’s see-”
Before he could say anything else, Kristen was in front of Tommy and Grian was attacking Grifter from the back. Grifter growled, using plenty of magic to attack them back, nearly killing Grian in the process. But just as it looked like Grifter was going to win, he was suddenly thrown against the throne with enough force to break it. “Now why’d you go and start without me?”
Joe had entered the room, followed by Eret. “I’m sure we could have found a much more non-violent approach, left everyone in much better shape.” He stopped over at Zedaph, helping get the metal covering his mouth off. “I’m guessing he’s dead?” Joe gestured to Dream’s body.
“Eh, that’s Krist’s side of things, not mine. I’m busy keeping an eye on her husband.” Zedaph replied, jabbing his thumb off in the general direction of Phil. “That’s part of the reason she’s here is because I filled her in.”
Joe nodded and walked over to Kristen, who was sitting on the ground next to Tommy. “Zed said to check in with you. How’s he looking?” Joe gestured to Dream’s body again.
“It’s a bit complicated with the fact that a hels person got mixed up with things, but for all intents and purposes, they’re both dead.”
Joe nods. “And how’s Tommy doing? Not too hurt?”
“No, he’s doing fine. I’m… more concerned about Grian.”
Joe looked over his shoulder to look at Grian. In attacking Grifter with Kristen, he was using magic he really couldn’t easily use, leaving him in a similar situation to Grifter. At that moment in time, Grian had plopped himself down on the ground and was summoning plenty of wheat. “Oh yeah, he’s fine. I’d say you should get him to stop using magic right now, but it’s nothing dangerous and he could use a break. Maybe stick around a bit.”
“I’m not sure. With my job-”
“Zed takes breaks all the time. You can let yourself have a few too. I mean, you must’ve taken a few to have a family, take some more to spend time with them. I know that’s what I’m planning to do.” And Joe half gestured to Eret, who was currently looking over the damaged room.
Kristen wanted to say more, but then Grian came over and started dragging Tommy away, Kristen quickly following behind. Grian had used the wheat to make plenty of hay bales which were spread out in the approximation of a nest. Tommy had been placed down within it in a rather cushy area, glad for something other than the hard ground.
Grian doted on Tommy for a bit more before hopping away, leaving Tommy chuckling. “Pfft, bird brain.” He then leaned back, putting his hands behind his head and looking over to Kristen. “So, seeing you is different.”
“Hi Tommy.”
29 notes · View notes
crushzone · 4 years
Note
Hello my lovely your smut is god tier💞. Could i request a cheeky threesome between ennoshita and akaashi (seeing as they are both next gen captains😘). Reader is a bit of a switch. Thank you and enjoy your day.
Blue Petals ❀ Part 1 (NSFW) -Haikyuu!!-
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Character: Ennoshita Chikara x Fem!Reader x Akaashi Keiji
Summary: The pressure of bidding good bye becomes immense, as a manga artist, her editor (Akaashi), and her roommate (Ennoshita), reflects on the nature of their relationship and what they want out of it after their second to last weekly meeting at her apartment.
Word Count: 7,842
Contents: Love triangle, time skip characters, mutual pining (every character is attracted to one another), steamy make out session, slow burn.
Additional Notes:
Carla, I know you didn’t ask for all this love triangle part 1 for this fic, but I can’t help it omg. I promise you, you WILL get ALL the steamy threesome smut action in part 2 haha. 😏
It should be up sometime soon, I’ve already written it, just needs proofreading. The navigation to part 2 will appear with a clickable link when it is up. 👍🏻
Blue Petals, is drawn from my senior thesis short film title that I had to make for my Film major. However, the plot for the short had nothing to do with the one that I came up for Y/n’s manga, I simply drew the name from it.
>>> PART TWO
Please do not repost my work ✨
Characters are aged up.
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Water…running through my fingers —This must be the way she felt when it skids down her bare back.
He wishes he can shape shift — to become one with this water and caress your smooth skin with his warm droplets.
Ennoshita leans against the sink, turning the faucet off as he absentmindedly shake his hands mid air, springing droplets off the tip of his digits, as if he’s loosely attempting to rid his fascination of you.
This is wrong. It’s going to complicate things. Just…Irrational.
His large hands brace the corner of your shared marbled counter, mind refusing to shut off as it rebels, sprinting a thousand miles a minute in the direction he is desperately trying avoid.
The drip from the faucet casts a constant rhythm to the, otherwise, silent apartment. He mentally curses as he brings his dampened hand to rotate the knob, droplets growing fainter as it cease.
He loves his job, he really does, and he excels at being a physical therapist. The amount of hours he’s put into acquiring this job, the efforts he put into remembering his patient’s names, and the smile he puts on to encourage them to stay strong, really pays off in the end.
However, today, every second when he was not tending to his patient, and when he was alone in the sea of hustling scrubs, his mind betrayed him; the image of you walking out of the restroom at 5 AM, this morning, in just your soaked towel. The way the droplets on your naked shoulders glisten under the faint kiss of tungsten that peaks from your bedroom, like gold dragon scales, so majestic yet delicate.
He had just tumbled out of his room, half asleep, in just boxers and black t-shirt. His eyes immediately widen when it met yours, a suppressed squeal escapes your throat, as you fumble with the top of your plushy towel. 
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However, that didn’t help because by hastily pulling it further up your Décolleté, only revealed your other round asset that peaks from the bottom hem.
“I’m so sorry!” You both muster in great embarrassment, as footsteps spiral down opposite ends of the corridor. When the doors slammed with a bang, Ennoshita slid to the ground with a hand over his heated face.
Oh boy.
This was not his first encounter either, from years of high school together and 2 years of being your roommate, he’s well aware of your clumsiness. But that also makes you so painfully endearing.
Now, back to the sink where he hovers, steadying his breaths as he could feel his member push the sturdy fabric of his trousers taut.
This can’t be happening right now, in a few minutes, you’re going to walk through the door and se-
Click.
His rhythmic breaths hitch when he could hear the click of the lock, and the twist of the knob.
“Chikaraaaa-kun, I’m home! I brought you your favorite pineapple pecan cake from the bakery nearby.” You bump the door open with your hip as you clumsily shuffle through the entrance, arms bracing stack of folders and a laptop. Then you shut the door with your elbow, bumping your hip against the wooden fixture as you rotate the lock.
The fear of getting caught mid-boner should’ve given him the fuel to suppress it, but oddly, it only worsens when he sees you, standing there so effortlessly beautiful and ridiculously oblivious to his fascination of you.
“Thank you, Y/n-san!” He responds, turning his head to offer you a smile while his hips remain glued to the cool sink. “I cooked us some dinner, it’s all in the fridge. I barely saw you this week, so I don’t mind waiting to eat mine after your meeting with Akaashi.”
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You were already in the middle of preparing for the meeting with your manga editor, eagerly spreading your portfolios all over the dining table, and clearing any other unnecessary decorations to make room.
“That is so thoughtful, thank you so much! I appreciate ya.” You turn to him with a wide smile, ignoring the warmth that cradles your cheeks.
He makes you so happy, so very happy.
There had always been something that draws you to him, even from the first day he’d introduced himself at Karasuno.
The way his voice is as warm as a cup of hot cocoa, and his gentle eyes scan your face with the most genuine smile. He reminds you of the comfort and warmth of a sweater, a piece of homeliness you get to bring with you, even when you are somewhere unexplored and cold. He’s always had your back at times when you feel like flopping, and likewise, when you would cradle him in your embrace as he falls into quiet tears at moments when he’d undermine himself of his capabilities.
Chikara is a warm sense of familiarity, a sunrise that promises a new day, the fragrance of trustworthiness that you are incredibly drunken on. Every night when you would bid each other sweet dreams, there would always be a subtle moment of hesitation before soft footsteps saunter across the corridor to your respective rooms. When the doors shut, you always curse at the way your feet rebel, how it tear your chances to run the opposite direction and into his arms nightly.
Because he is your roommate. And that would be complicated.
A rational portion in your mind whispers, shining a lone beam of light through your fog of infatuation, as you will your gaze away from his chocolate orbs.
Your admiration for Ennoshita had far exceeded friendship, even before you’ve decided to move in together as roommates. Till this day, you wonder why you were the one to insist on rooming if you knew you had always been in love. Perhaps his homeliness made you wonder what it would be like to come back to his gentle smile after work, or maybe it was because you didn’t want to let go of your muse.
And then there’s Akaashi…If Ennoshita reminds you of the the warm sun, Akaashi is the calmness of the ocean. The cooling sea breeze that kisses your skin with a gentle mist from dancing tides.
At the thought of him, a series of gentle knocks on the door snaps the tension from the air as you scurry to open it.
Meanwhile, Ennoshita remains by the counter, mentally crafting an escape as the thought of seeing Akaashi’s cooling eyes would only worsen his predicament. Using his quick wit, he takes advantage of the commotion to spring himself from the counter, speed-walking across the dining room, then up the stairs.
“I’ll leave you guys to it!” He says cheerily, when he’s already halfway up.
Akaashi had just stepped in and is removing his shoes as you close the door. “Oh, okay! I’ll let you know when we’re done.”
“You don’t have to lea-“ He begins, but is cut short when Ennoshita quickly waves at him.
“Hi Akaashi-san, please make yourself at home.” He says, before immediately disappearing behind his bedroom door.
Had our weekly meetings been inconvenient for him this whole time? If so, maybe the next should be held elsewhere. Akaashi wonders, a little concerned at his strange behavior as he absentmindedly readjusts the small paper bag on his wrist.
“Is he okay?”
“I think so?” But truthfully, you’re not convinced that he is. “He probably just wanted some time alone.” You revise, walking him to the dining table.
“Oh, I brought you and Ennoshita-san some Yaki Tomorokoshi by the way.” He waves the bag gently, its cotton strings left the faintest mark on his slim wrist.
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“Akaashi-kun! You really didn’t have to.” You can’t help but smile, grateful that the people in your life had been so kind and thoughtful. “If you’re up for it, maybe we can all watch a movie later so we can enjoy the dinner that Ennoshita-kun cooked, your Yaki Tomorokoshi, and the pineapple pecan cake I bought!”
A soft smile graces his lips as his hooded eyes linger on the wooden ground, a little too shy to meet yours. “That would be nice.”
And you beam at his response, finding warmth radiate your heart as your scalp tingles, nearly exploding at how precious you thought his little smile was.
What started off as a distraction from Ennoshita, only worsened when you and Akaashi grew closer through your line of work. He was there with you from the first chapter of your manga, where you’d meet up weekly to discuss revisions. Your meetings usually take place at restaurants, and you find yourself lingering after, ordering some extra sake and Daifuku as you spend the final hours of the night, chatting
He seats himself in his usual spot across from you, and you do the same after you’ve placed his grilled corn in the fridge, next to your dessert and Ennoshita’s cooking.
His quiet demeanor, professionalism, and calculating eyes were intimidating. but they gradually grow on you overtime, when you learn that he is just as shy as you are, and is also prone to occasional clumsiness as well. It’s really endearing.
One day, as you two were waiting for your checks to return, he’d asked about your manga’s source of inspiration, reasoning that he’d also been in search for his own, so he can write his short novel.
So with some hesitance, you described Ennoshita to him, without the mention of his name, and it got him very fascinated.
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“Is this person, who inspired your protagonist, around? I’d love to meet him one day.”
It felt strange, describing your deep-rooted fondness for your crush to the other, but you also felt embraced, both by the thought of Chikara and by Akaashi’s undivided attention for you.
“He is, he’s actually my roommate.” You responded, nervously, taking a sip of your warm water as you try to drown the sudden flutter of nervousness with it.
His brow raised slightly, as he leaned on his palm, never dropping the gentle smile that adorned his soft looking lips.
“I’d love to meet him one day. What’s his name?”
“Ennoshita. Ennoshita Chikara.” Your eyes brightened at the mention of your friend’s name, forgetting for a second that you were talking to Akaashi. But when you linked your gaze to his dusty green orbs, your brows quirked when you realized his smile had widened.
“Oh. I know him.”
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Since that day, you began offering your apartment for meetings, and it’s been that way for over two years now. Initially, Ennoshita would lock himself in his room to give you and Akaashi some privacy, but when you both assure that his company is welcomed; after all this is his apartment too, he eased up and fell into the routine of reading a book on the couch, while you work quietly at the dining table behind it.
However, you notice he had been distant lately, and you wonder if it had to do with you spending more time with Akaashi.
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Ennoshita is on his bed, head spinning in a cocktail of thoughts. His fingers lightly graze the expanse of his exposed abs as he sighs, pulling his shirt back down and firmly lacing his hands over it.
That was a close one.
He’s lost track of time, it felt like hours since he’d locked himself in his room, taking steady breaths as he slowly glided his fingers over his sensitive skin, a desperate simulation of skin ship, to slowly suppress the urge of pleasuring himself to the thought of you and Akaashi. It was a rough battle as his mind constantly alternates between what it must feel like to plant gentle kisses to your soft skin, then to his calloused hands firmly running across the terrain of Akaashi’s sculpted body. Both souls so beautiful, yet so different in physique.
But what he yearns is beyond physical, he’s known you like the back of his hand, and your presence comforts him. You are like flowers in spring, the sweet smell of honey nectar, and your smile is the reason cloud dances to the wind under the warm presence of the tangerine sun.
He smiles in admiration of your diligence, when he would walk out of his room for water, in the middle of the night, to see you curled up by the dining table, your blue mechanical pencil in hand as you scribbled away at your manga panels. The paper lantern above you casted a cocoon of soft light that protected you from the darkness, and for a moment, it felt like he was watching you under the inky sea, and you are a mythical creature that emitted light.
He truly misses his days in Karasuno, when you would meet him after his practice to bounce story ideas for your manga, underneath the sunset’s performance, sitting side by side on the roof of an academic building.
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“Oh!! Maybe Imogen and Habiki grew up in a rural area together, Habiki’s parents run a bakery shop while Imogen’s family owns an alteration store.” You say, waving your voice recorder in excitement, making sure it’s still going.
“I like that! Maybe there’s something special about this rural area. A noteworthy wonder that Habiki would instantly be reminded of when Imogen writes him letters while he is in war.” Ennoshita added, leaning back on his hands as he looked up to the sky in thought.
Screenwriting and storytelling had always interested him, and brainstorming with you inspired him to make his own films one day, maybe after your manga is done, so you can keep staring at the sun while daydreaming together.
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You mimicked his stance, but instead of looking to the sky, your gaze shifted to him with a content smile. He is so beautiful: his gentle gaze unwavering as his mellow orbs embraced the splashes of pinkish hue in its glimmer, and the small smile that grazed his lips are kissed by the reflection of the fiery sky. For once, you wished you could turn into the sun, just so you can envelope his smooth skin with your warmth.
Then you were struck with an idea.
“What if…” You began, “What if there are these blue flowers that could only be grown in that area, and Imogen would always harvest and send pressed blue flowers to Habiki. He would then decorate his journal with it, sometimes even using it as a bookmark until it no longer hold its shape. It would remind him of the times when he would sit next to her, after work at his parent’s bakery, in the middle of the blue flower field, just watching sunset draw its curtains. ”
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He spent a moment, allowing your imagination to sink in. Sometimes he wishes he could be your Habiki and you could be his Imogen.
You felt warmth blossom your cheeks, unsure if that was from the sun or if it was from embarrassment that you may have potentially given away the fact that Ennoshita had been your inspiration for Habiki all along.
“I like that a lot. Have you ever thought about how you’re going to end your manga? A striking image that summarizes Habiki’s long journey through war and the struggles he went through to try to find his way back home?”
Then your gaze faltered from the sky, as you looked down to your dirty shoes, subsequently tucking your chin between the basin of your knees. “No…I don’t know. All this time, I may have just been day dreaming. I don’t know if I have the talent to-“
“Y/n-san…” His tone grew serious, drawing your eyes to meet his. “There was never a moment when I’ve doubted your talent, and you shouldn’t either. I know this is something you’ve always wanted to do; to make your manga, and if it is truly what you want, I genuinely think you should pursue it.” He reached over to place a firm hand on your shoulder. “And I know starting something from scratch can be scary, but I am here for you.”
“What if no one even bothers to read it?” You sighed, turning away with a frown.
“Then I’m going to buy all 10, no 100, more like 1,000 copies of your manga and read it over and over again.” He chuckled warmheartedly. A strange flutter in your gut, slowly ascended your body at his laugh. “So what if it is a fail, you poured your heart into it, and in the end, you can come out of it knowing that you gave it your best. As long as you never give up and stick with it, even when it feels like the world is against you, is a success in its own.”
Your lips transformed into the largest smile, brows twitching in an attempt to hold back happy tears. He studied you, gaze darting between your lips and glassy eyes, breath hitched as he lost control of his body, slowly leaning towards your awaiting lips. You find yourself doing the same, your beating heart screamed to be free, to follow its will.
However…
“Chikara-kun.” You breathed, verbally forcing yourself to stop, and he did the same. “If we ever end up in the same area after university…will you be my roommate?”
He sat back up, and after a moment, he blinked away his rejection as he lifted his gaze from the concrete floor to your nervous expression with a soft smile. “Of course.”
And just like that, the sun had fully set, raven wings consumed any remaining sprinkle of flames and embers from the sky.
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Does she still have the voice recording from that day? Did his facade falter when he said yes to being your roommate? If only he could have some of that audio to relive his memory with.
Like a torch that had been passed on, you no longer come to him for ideas on your manga as often as you did, instead, you would do so with Akaashi. He’s not upset, but simply nostalgic for those special moments he had with you, if anything, he’s more than happy you’ve come this far. Your manga had been selling prolifically with the help of your publisher, and is now a chapter away from being complete.
This meeting that you are having with Akaashi would probably be one of the last few chances he’d get to see him.
He chuckles under his breath, what a small world.
Though he’s never been very close with Fukurodani’s setter, he’s well aware of his existence since training camp at Saitama. The way he was able to maintain his calm demeanor, regardless of how emotional his best friend, Bokuto may be, is very noteworthy. He’d sneak glances at him during lunch and every time they walked by one another in the dorm hallway or during their tournaments, their eyes would automatically lock, followed by a small nod; a silent gesture of acknowledgement, mutual respect, and…admiration?
There’s something irresistibly charming about Akaashi that he could not put a finger on, and it doesn’t help that he only got to view him from a distance.
He’d hooked up with a few women during his time in university, especially on nights when he’s desperately touch starved for you, but he never thought he’d be into men. When he’d met Akaashi, perspective widened, gender and preferences are no longer black and white, as it became fluid, like a string of yarn, dancing care freely in the wind. His charm is beyond gender, it is his own.
However, he’d never thought too much about it because the opportunity to grow closer were slim, training being hectic and all. Until recently, when you would bring him here for weekly meetings.
What started with small glances when he’d enter and politely remove his shoes, perfectly lining it in parallel to the edge of the mud carpet, to the way he looks at you in fascination, leaning on his palm with a soft smile as you ramble vibrantly about your narrative ideas.
He’s not upset, not one bit, if anything, it’s comforting to know someone finds you as special as he does. Someone who could care for you when he couldn’t be there right away. It’s a confusing mix of attraction: your familiar comfort and warmth, like freshly done laundry, so warm and comfy to lay on, versus his exciting, serene, and unexplored presence, like the sweet smell of petrichor as he bikes by a rice field after it’d rained; both equally as attractive and inviting.
Then his phone lights up beside him, intervening his train of thought.
Y/n ☀️ [20:28]
We’re all good!! Ready for din din whenever you are 🐷
He chuckles softly at the endearing way you text.
Chikara [20:28]
Be out in a sec! :)
Then he sets his phone down, takes a deep breath, and palms his bulging member. Quickly realizing:
I guess I’m going to need more than a second…
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You shut your folder with a sigh, drawing both knees to your chest, and leaning it against the table, clearly comfortable under his presence to allow your antics to slip. “Thanks again, for coming over, Akaashi. I can’t believe we’re a meeting away from ending this manga, where’d the time go.”
He nods, discreetly fiddling his fingers under the desk while maintaining a calm expression.
“Yeah.” It was all he could say, fearful that his calm facade may slip.
What now, is this it? Should he say farewell next time? Or should he treat it like other meetings, with the excitement to see each other again. Are we more than just acquaintances? Would it be strange if he asks you and Ennoshita to spend more time with him outside work?
Frankly, this had been a reality he never wanted to accept; that the next meeting will potentially be the last time he’ll get to work with you. The industry is so fast moving, he already has another job lined up for the next manga he’ll be editing, and it will be over 50 volumes long, which meant that even if you were to come up with another, he might not even be available for it.
For a moment, the apartment is unusually still, a stark contrast to the lively meeting that had just ended. Silence weighs heavily, but you allow it to sink, too bummed to fight it off. So you’re surprised when Akaashi attempts to dissipate it.
“Have you thought about the ending?”
Your brows furrow, suddenly feeling a lump in your throat, thinking back to the boy who began it all, under the warm presence of the setting sun. “Maybe, I have some ideas…”
You hate being nostalgic, but you realize you no longer designate a time to brainstorm and chat with Chikara, sadly wondering if he’s bothered by it; having Akaashi swoop in and take that away from him. No…he’s always been someone who’d go out of his way to help a stranger without expecting anything in return, he’s probably happy that you’ve come as far as you had.
“That’s okay.” Lifting your chin to the sound of his voice, soaring conflict in your mind calms to the sight of his timid smile. “You have some time, hopefully you’ll find something that really inspire your ending. Whatever it is, you have an amazing sense of judgement and I am sure it will be absolutely stunning.” His fiddling worsens, as he hope he had not come off too strong; he just wanted to express his believe in you.
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And just like that, his comforting tide washes over your heated shore, soothing the stretch of searing rocks with its cool rhythmic ascension, like the rise and fall of a chest. Your furrowed brows relax and the lump in your throat dissolves, you feel fluid, like fine sand that slips through your fingers and on to bare feet in shy splatters.
With a smile, you respond with a nod. “Thank you, Akaashi.”
Standing up suddenly, before silence could re-materialize, you saunter to the kitchen, turning over your shoulder to smile at his confused expression. “I’m going to start heating up our food, Ennoshita-kun should be out anytime soon.”
He stands and follows you, socked footsteps barely making any sound on the wooden floor as he walks. “I can help.” You hum happily in response as you hand him one of the food containers to heat up.
Punching in the digits to your microwave, he leans against the counter as he watches you rummage through the fridge, occasionally rising to set containers on the marbled surface before kneeling back down to grab more.
Weekly meetings with you had meant so much more to him than he had anticipated, it was the first time he’d ever allowed editing sessions to be as untraditional as it had been; usually only keeping it to offices or restaurants, never at residences. However, your passion and genuine personality made it so easy for him to come out of his shell and converse more openly.
Every night when he’d return home from seeing you, he’d spend countless hours by the balcony, looking to the sparkling stars that scatter the sky like freckles, serenaded by wandering crickets and shy fireflies, with a notebook in hand. He lists the wonderful things he’d noticed about you and Ennoshita, and scribble short poems that he is a little too embarrassed to admit it is one. But just like your passion for drawing and Ennoshita’s interests in making short films in his spare time, writing is his way of encapsulating memory, to tell his own story.
Truthfully, he’s always wanted to work for a literature publication, but he can’t thank fate enough for introducing you and Ennoshita to him through this current job. His passion for literature had been adamant since he was in his adolescence, constantly blabbering attempted eloquence to his parents. As he’s gotten older, a small tree of fear roots his heart, afraid he would never find inspiration to write.
Until recently, that fear had subsided, as he would return from your meeting with a smile, eager to glide his fountain pen on the clean, stark pages of his dark blue leather journal, a present from you on his 24th birthday.
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Once all the food had been heated and brought out to the coffee table in front of your small couch, Ennoshita finally emerges from his bedroom in a pair of grey sweatpants. “Sorry I took a while!” He smiles apologetically as he descends the stairs.
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“No worries!! Dinner looks amazing, thank you for making it!” You respond, miming a chef kiss gesture at the food in front of you with a bright smile.
Ennoshita stops mid step, brows raised at your sudden burst of energy, slowly settling on a wide smile that gleams through his half lidded eyes. “Of course, Y/n-san. I hope there’s enough for the three of us.”
“I know I’m an unexpected addition, but thank you for letting me have some of your delicious cooking.” Akaashi’s eyes meet Ennoshita’s warm ones for a second, before it falters to the ground. His cheeks warm, and his expression may appear calm, but his fiddling fingers say otherwise.
Ennoshita’s eyes widen, suddenly feeling the urge to explode from the warmth that surfaces his subtly puffed chest. “I’m…I’m happy you enjoy them”.
“Akaashi-kun also brought some Yaki Tomorokoshi, so I think between your food, that, and my cake, we should be pretty good.” You add, hopping on to the center of the couch and bringing your knees to rest against your chest as you look to them, a remote in hand. “Would you be down for The Handmaiden by Park Chan-wook?” (This movie is so good omg, HIGHLY recommend watching it.)
They nod simultaneously, feeling the sofa dip significantly as they wordlessly join you on the couch, Ennoshita to your left and and Akaashi to your right. You giggle at how huge the two of them are in contrast to the tiny loveseat, turning around to unfold the fleece blanket and casting it over the three of you like a bird spreading its wings.
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“We’re going to get food on the blanket!” Ennoshita jokes, folding the soft material so it only covers his back. You laugh, knowing full well that he would say that, but you did it anyway.
Meanwhile, Akaashi bundles the front of his blanket around him like a half burrito, silently reaching over for his Yaki Tomorokoshi, and holding it with both hands as he eats, eyes watching you and Ennoshita comfortably: This feels like home, under both your warm presence, and he cannot express his gratitude to finally meet someone that makes him so content.
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Halfway through the movie, with all your empty dishes in the sink, the three of you are bundled under the same plushy blanket as the plot grows darker and darker with twists you’d never expect. You can’t help but dig your curled toes a little deeper into the cushion, while Ennoshita shifts toward the edge of his seat, as Akaashi leans further back, head resting against the back cushion. Three set of eyes, trained firmly to the illuminating screen with great intensity.
Then out of nowhere, you are hit with one of the hottest and most beautifully shot sex scenes you’ve ever seen. (Yea, like damn, it got me feeling things when I watched it 👀 If you’ve seen this movie, you know what I’m talking about.) Suddenly, the pressure to stop your eyes from diverging off screen becomes paramount, the three of you scramble to shackle your imagination before it scurries off to other lewd fantasies that extend beyond the movie.
Umm…is this where you joke about it to elevate the awkwardness? But dammit, the scene was too well done, you can’t think of anything silly to say.
You all visibly stiffen, suddenly hyper aware of the way your outer legs and shoulders touch, feeling your respective cores heat and breath hitch at the attempt to steady it. The couch suddenly feels like a bubble, frustratingly suffocating, as it confines the three of you in this tight predicament. But when you try to make yourself smaller, so your bodies are not in contact, your hands accidentally brush theirs, and you could not have pulled them away any faster than you had, mentally cursing at the way electricity courses through your skin like wildfire.
The little hand grazing accident heightened the tension, as Akaashi is no longer able to keep his quirk in check, instantly bringing clammy fingers to fiddle on his lap. Distracted by his movement, you were unaware of Ennoshita’s glance, quickly shifting back to the screen when you turn to him. Gosh, how he wishes he could at least give you a small kiss on your warm cheeks.
Gulping at how the sofa on-screen closely mimics the color of the one you are seated on, you will yourself from overthinking; it’s fine, your activities on it are as different as night and day. Totally fine…Puffing your cheeks like a goldfish, you exhale steadily, but the sound did not go unnoticed by two pair of glimpsing eyes.
In the movie, two characters kneel before one another, intoxicated in their share of yearning kisses for any care in the world. This short sequence drags on because the sexual tension in the air is as dense as hardened concrete.
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Here’s the scene from the movie. I censored it out for u LOL.
You wonder…wonder how it would feel to draw them to your lips…Would they resist? Or would it shatter all this tension and bring forth clarity to the complication of your friendship. No…you shouldn’t be thinking these things, it’s wrong, so wrong, and your friendship is as clear as day…right?
But then you realize you may not be the only one with this curiosity.
If your friendship were purely platonic…what’s with the sexual tension?
The two men shift, playing it out as if they were stretching their sore muscles from poor posture, but it was actually a desperate attempt to subtly readjust their growing erections. You noticed, you totally did, and decides to take this opportunity to cross your legs tightly, relying on the soft blanket to shield your flexed inner thighs, sinfully enjoying the friction your denim offers with its thick seams.
Ennoshita’s and Akaashi’s mind are whirling as they try to come up with a solution to the potentiality of you noticing their growing members, thinking of different excuses, only to resurface with none.
Ennoshita debates if an excuse to the restroom would seem too obvious that he’s ridiculously turned on, while Akaashi wonders what Bokuto would do in this situation, since he’s always so up front and unabashed about most things. Then, by sheer accident, their eyes meet, cheeks instantly erupt in flames as they turn away non-subtly.
Is Akaashi also sporting an erection? Ennoshita wonders.
Is Ennoshita…really turned on by this too? Akaashi questions.
Meanwhile, you glance between the two, hand slowly creeping between your legs, pushing a little further into your throbbing crotch as awkwardness transform to heat.
Have you been misreading their signs? Had you been in their way this whole time? But you weren’t upset either, because the image of them, completely nude, in each other’s embrace, kneeling on the couch as their sculpted bodies merge under the soft glow of tungsten, back dimples kissed by the watchful moon, is unbearably, and ridiculously arousing.
You’re turned on by their flustered attempts at subduing their body’s natural response for sex, thankful your anatomy is not as outwardly obvious during arousal. Such gentlemen, refusing to acknowledge their mutual sexual desires.
A sudden craving for physical contact manifests as your eyes train to the television with a degree of intensity. But how should you approach this, and with who?
This is it, don’t think too hard. But were you really the one operating your thoughts? Or was it simply your mind being weary of your hesitance.
It didn’t matter, because your body had decided, hands snaking timidly outward, like a chick, spreading its wings for the first time. The stakes are so high, but you are already in the act, there’s no turning back. When your delicate fingers brush the back of their hands under the blanket, they jump at the sudden sensation of your tenderness, clearly aware that it is not a coincidence this time.
They turn to you simultaneously, lips agape and eyes widened in surprise, but you simply look between them with great curiosity, eyes so round and unintentionally coy, like a fawn meeting its pals for the first time, attempting to study their thoughts when you hesitantly hold them firmly, soft hands curling against their large palms, no longer calloused from the lack of volleyball practice.
Your lips open and shut before you stop it all together with your teeth, chewing nervously. So effortlessly alluring, like bright red rose petals, sinking and reemerging from clear water, so teasing and erratic, you just want to scoop it tenderly with both hands and draw it to your lips to still its motion. Their dark eyes are on you with a gulp, as you try to form words, but the only thing that escapes are short breathes; a cross between a sigh and desperate gasps, dying to hear some sort of response from either or them, feeling so stranded by your boldness.
And your thoughts are heard, when you feel both their large palms tighten around yours: Ennoshita’s a little clammy while Akaashi’s is shaky, but they relax you nevertheless.
“Y/n-san.”
Ennoshita breathes, cheeks incredibly warm as he mentally curses his tongue for slipping your name a little too soon. Then without a word, like the day when he was simply an eager boy trying to kiss you, he leans forward, soft eyes slowly flutter shut with every distance he crosses, relieved to see that you are also doing the same, and when you meet him in the middle, it’s as if your life had been on pause, finally discovering the courage to resume.
He smiles gently, bathing in immense satisfaction when your soft lips finally meets his plush ones in a featherlike kiss. Pressure taps at his hooded lids, tempted to burst in tears as he feels so relieved, so freaking happy to claim your lips. The kiss was so soft, like the legs of dancing butterflies, his broad chest rumbles in a low chuckle at the ticklish sensation that lingers on his smile, bringing his other hand to caress the side of your warm cheeks lovingly. He’s found closure, no longer able to imagine himself thinking back in “what ifs” to that moment, as he interlaces his long fingers with yours.
You pull apart, still drunken in disbelief that this is the same boy you went to high school with, the boy who sparked your career and had always been there for you. Then you’re suddenly overwhelmed by how much he’d grown into a man; jaws much sharper and features more defined, but the soft smiles he share with you had never changed, and that is how you know he’s still the same person you’ve fallen in love with from the very beginning.
He IS your Habiki.
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But you snap back to reality when Akaashi’s palm loosens, a second away from slipping through your fingers, like a petal that had been whisked by the wind. Instead, you interlace his finger with yours, turning to look into his eyes intently. He’s caught of guard by your overwhelming attention, suddenly finding it difficult to swallow his thickened saliva from hoarding nervous breathes, heart banging frantically at the bursting blood and vessels that surrounds it.
Did he offend you? Should he leave? Her and Ennoshita are clearly meant to b-
Heat blooms in his cheeks, when you draw the back of his hand to your tender lips for permission, shattering his fragile facade as warmth flows out of his open heart like an erupted volcano, melting his entire being as he is tempted to sink further into your couch. However, his spine refuses to curl as it keeps him erect, helpless to its command like a marionette.
Should he kiss you? Is that what he wants? Or is he misreading your si-
His eyes were blank, as he never registered your face growing closer, and by the time he’d return to the present, he could feel your soft minty breath against his pointy nose, your long lashes cast a shadow over your vibrant eyes, robbing it of any glint as you look to his lips, then back up to his dilating pupils. His thoughts are cut short again when your lips brush his, testing the waves before fully submerging in his cool stretch of seawater, your lips are warm, in comparison to his cool ones, but the juxtaposition in temperature is stimulating.
You pull back a little, staring at his flustered expression that grew hungrier the longer he stares right back, you’ve stirred a tide that’s ready to draw you back with its beckoning dance. Then you’re back at it, harder this time, too drunken for each other’s magnetism to recall who was the first person to lean, as you bring the back of your entwined hand to brush at the area next to his fluttering lashes, so thick and alluring like fine owl feathers. Ennoshita watches you in fascination, thumb grazing the top of your hand; a gesture to remind you of his warm presence.
When you pull apart for breathes, Akaashi felt a surge of confidence as he sits up, green eyes drawing in Ennoshita’s brown ones, as he return his look with a blush, bringing his free hand to nervously rub away the warm tingles at his nape. Akaashi’s eyes falter timidly for a moment, before it returns with greater intensity.
No, he can’t back down, he needs to get this out in the open now.
“Ennoshita-kun…”
His eyes may appear calm, but his voice was merely a whisper that’s been thrusted into the silent atmosphere of the room, barely making it over soft mumbles from the movie that’s been long forgotten. He suddenly feels so small, like a lost kitten wailing for help, but he knows the tension had been slowly melting, and the only way to surpass this fully is by also taking initiative.
“May I kiss you too?” He asks, frankly unsure of how to initiate a kiss with someone that is not seated right beside him.
Both yours and Ennoshita’s eyes widen momentarily at his straightforwardness, before it curls into a small chuckle, finding his shyness endearing; seems like his calm demeanor was a defense mechanism to his awkwardness after all. 🥺
Was that too bold?
He was initially a little embarrassed, but is also relieved the tension in the room is close to gone.
Ennoshita brings his free hand to caress his cheek, gently drawing him over you and towards him with a smile. “I would love that, Akaashi-kun.”
And with his reassurance, they lean to one another in perfect synchronization, flushed lips colliding like the sun’s reunion with the horizon, their passion drizzling onto the water’s rippling surface in bursts of tangerines and scarlets. Someone who they thought were unattainable, no longer a reality as they hold each other firmly, hands coming up to entwine next to their moving heads, lips falling into a rhythm, as their defined jaws dance to their passion.
You feel heat rush to your cheeks as your core clenches in arousal at the sight of both your crushes, sharing an intimate moment right in front of you. It is like the fantasy you’ve recently envisioned as you were watching the movie, but this is even better than what the expanse of your mind is capable of picturing. What started as separate admiration, turns out even better when you see that they had also been struggling with the concept of mutual crushing.
They pull apart, but not fully, Akaashi gently tilts his head to lovingly brush the tip of his nose against Ennoshita’s lips, still too enchanted by his warmth to leave. Ennoshita’s heart flutters at his coy gesture, inhaling shakily when Akaashi looks up to his orbs, incredibly fascinated by the way his pupils dilate, consuming steel green rings like a beating heart. Then they simultaneously turn, catching you in the act of lingering gaze as you imprint the beauty of their attraction in mind, wishing that you had your drawing pad to capture this moment on paper.
“Y/n-san…” Akaashi begins, gaze shifting sideways as he scrambles to string words that describe his feelings, however, his own understanding was never fully apparent to begin. To his relief, Ennoshita glances at him before looking back at you, finishing his sentence.
“I like you a lot, Y/n-san. I’ve always had, since Karasuno. I regret not kissing you the week before graduation…but now that I get to be here with you, as someone more than just your roommate, I want to make it clear that I’ve always liked you.” Then he turns to Akaashi.
“Akaashi-kun….I enjoy all the times you’ve spent with us, I may not know you as well as y/n does, but I’ve always been drawn to you since training camp. I like you, and I’d love to get to know you better, no longer from a distance, but right here with you.”
He looks down to your entwined fingers, arms forming a circle, this is the moment he’d always dreamt of. “I still don’t know what’s going to happen after…but I want this kiss to be a start of something, a new beginning to our relationship…if it’s what you want.”
You melt at his genuineness…He always says the right words at the right time, a great trait of a leader, and that is why you never doubted his ability as the team captain after Daichi had graduated. He can hold your hands through the wildest thunderstorm, and you’d feel like he could protect you from the inevitable temperament of nature.
“I like you a lot too, Chikara. I always had.”
“I like you too, Ennoshita-kun” Akaashi responds, eyes widening slightly when he realizes he may have accidentally cut you off, but when he turns to look at you apologetically, you just laugh it of, visibly relaxing his shoulders to the sound of your voice.
Then like a synchronized flock of starlings, you and Akaashi place gentle kisses on Ennoshita’s cheeks, eyeing each other for his consent, before slowly trailing down his defined jaws then to his long neck, now with confessions out of the way, you’re craving something more physical. He resists the urge to scrunch his shoulders, both your breaths tickling him at once, instead, he tilts his chin with shuddery breathes, allowing more room for you to explore; sensation so overwhelming but this is only just the beginning.
“I’ve never been good with words.” You breath coyly, stopping in between kisses to nibble at the bottom of his earlobe where the vertical meets horizontal, earning yourself a gasp as his body tingles. “But let me show you how much I’ve always wanted you, Chikara-kun.” He shivers at the way your voice grow softer, slowly turning to air by the time you say his name; it reminds him of the goosebumps he’d get when wind howls between the cracks of his window, a lullaby so quiet but enchanting.
Instead of responding verbally, his eyes roll to the ceiling before it flutters his shut, exhaling soft shudders as he slowly leans back on the arm rest with the guide of your hand. Meanwhile, Akaashi remains silent, but his gestures speak the opposite; he wants to express the same message through his undivided attention and touches.
Neither of you expected this moment to escalate the way it did, perhaps it was the lingering sexual tension that hung freely for years, or it may be the movie that reminded you of how touch starved you all had been, but whatever brought you here, had happened for a reason.
Because this moment, right here, right now, is where you belong.
Kisses turn to touches, and touches turns to labored breathes when Ennoshita pulls back from his heated kiss with Akaashi, wet lips looking a little bruised from passion, as Akaashi’s eyes are still heavily lidded, gaze glued on his parted lips like it’s an addiction.
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Meanwhile, you trail soft kisses down Ennoshita’s neck, lingering momentarily on his bobbing Adams apple, while your other hand slowly finds its way to his crotch.
“Do you want to go to my room?”
He asks between labored breathes, nodding towards the corridor you spent years denying each other’s attraction, feeling your teasing fingers edge dangerously closer to his throbbing member, painfully pressed against the confines of his sweat pants.
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>>> PART TWO
Taglist (open): @shhhlikeme @ceo-of-daichi @karasu-hoes @super-noya @nonexistent-social-life​ @scorpiosanssexy @tedwardos
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weasleydream · 3 years
Text
dreams are my reality - part 3
it’s finally here! This part is what happened during that fateful night and only that. Also i messed with the timeline but nothing too bad. 
This may be a bit violent, mention of death and blood.
As usual, feel free to like, comment, reblog and enjoy!
Masterlist
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~ i’ll see how the real thing can be and it’s not pretty ~
The muggle village - August 1983
“I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have left us, just that a good friend wouldn’t have cleared out just because McGonagall was walking in the same corridor.”
“Sirius, would you shut up?” I hissed, ready to break his neck if he added one word that wasn’t a yes. 
“Of course I’ll shut up, as soon as you admit that quitting on us was a bad thing to do.”
I didn’t need to look at him to know he was smiling goofily, seemingly unaware of the fact that we were walking in an empty alley just because we were looking for a dangerous death eater. 
“First of all, you could have run away too if your arse wasn’t glued to the floor. And McGonagall wasn’t just walking in the same corridor, she was coming for us! And Sirius, we were in first year and James and you had dragged me there against my will. Remember?”
And it was true; the memory of Sirius claiming I would be the coolest girl of the school was still fresh in my mind, and with the terror brought by the sound of McGonagall’s steps, I knew it would stay engraved in my brain for a very long time. 
“Dragged you?” Sirius made a clicking noise with his tongue. “I’m not even sure one of us grabbed your hand.”
“Oh, not only my hand you idiot, my bag and my wand too!”
“And? You’re clearly not traumatized so-”
Sirius’ voice had died in his throat as soon as the explosion had echoed, yet my blood froze in my veins at the thought that maybe he had gotten us spotted. With the discretion of a cat with soft paws, he crossed the short distance that was separating us and placed himself ahead of me. A glance in my direction - Are you ready? - and a firm nod later, we were running silently toward the place of the village, hoping with all our heart that no one was hurt. 
Obviously, the death eater had already left the crime scene. Sirius and I were the last of our group to get there. Remus and James were turning all around the place like caged lions, probably looking for any clue of where the responsible had disappeared. Lily and Peter were struggling in front of the burning church, trying to get the fire to stop and to get the survivors out of this hell. A woman ran into me and my arms wrapped instinctively around her; hers were trembling and her covered in soot hands were slipping on my skin. She was mumbling incoherent sentences in which I didn’t understand anything, and I was sure she was speaking another language. However, her frantic gestures toward the fire lighted something in me, an urge to get in the furnace without even knowing why. I looked up a second to see Lily fussing over a wounded man and Sirius and Peter still trying to control the fire. No one could help me with the poor woman. 
She cried out something, a word I didn’t understand. 
“Nena! Nena!” 
“I don’t know what it means!” I screamed, cursing myself for not being able to understand a single word. 
She pointed the finger at her belly, at her heart and finally at the fire. Slowly - way too slowly - I understood what it meant. A baby was in there. I nodded frantically and the woman fell on her knees. I didn’t have the time to check on her; instead, I went to Sirius and tried to get him to help me. He was totally freaking out, and his panic only increased when he realized what I was telling him. 
“With me!” he yelled, and we joined forces to try and extinguish the fire once and for all. 
Finally, the last flames died, the last proof of its presence being the ashes flying in the air. The woman rushed between the smoldering ruins and I was ready to follow her, but Sirius grabbed my wrist. A split second later, a terrible cry echoed, and Sirius shook his head. 
At the very same moment, something exploded a few streets away. 
“James!” 
It was Lily, and she lost no time in running toward the root cause of the noise. We followed her and found a half fallen house in front of James and Remus, the both of them looking infuriated. 
“The bastard!” 
Through gritted teeth, Remus told us how they were sure someone had led them there before making the batiment explode and James added the death eater - because it was obviously him - had been careful to stay well hidden. 
“So that means we’re running blindly behind him?” asked Peter, his voice still hoarse from the smoke of the fire. 
“Running blindly and doing whatever he wants us to.” I added darkly. 
Even James and Sirius knew it had been a bad idea to accept this mission, now. Both of them had their eyes wild and were glancing frequently at each other. 
“So? What do we do now that he’s disappeared and we don’t know where to look?” muttered Lily before hiding her face in James’ neck, probably having a bout of nausea after everything we had already gone through. To be honest, I was still feeling sick thinking about that poor woman and her baby. 
I was observing a stone on the ground and wishing it could tell us what we needed to know when Peter stiffened. 
“Guys,” he whispered. “Act natural, but I think we didn’t have all the information.”
“What makes you think that?” 
If Remus was sarcastic and obviously didn’t understand where Peter was going with this, something caught my eyes and the realization hit me. 
“An animagus?” I questioned quietly, and Peter nodded. 
I almost missed the black feathers, but I still caught the bird flying from a rooftop to another. Then the bird dropped to the floor, and it happened so fast that none of us had sketched a movement when it turned into a massive black silhouette half hidden in the shadows. 
“You could have gotten out of here alive if you had just ignored me.” The voice was raspy, the tone aggressive. “Too bad you didn’t.”
This last affirmation sounded like a signal; as soon as the sound of his voice had died, the death eater drew his wand and we did the same, Sirius and Remus taking a step forward. I hadn’t seen his face, yet I was picturing myself the man with a crooked rictus and with the eyes so dark that you knew just by looking at him that his soul was rotten to the core. For some unknown reason, he didn’t attack; instead, I was feeling the weight of his eyes on us. I could imagine him looking at Sirius and Remus first because they were just in front of him, measuring the trembling of their arms - not caused by fear but by fury, which he probably was aware of; then his eyes passing from them to James and Lily, just close enough for him to guess the nature of their relationship, to Peter with his wand as high as ours and finally to me. Did he know I was looking intensely in his direction? That we were all looking right at him, our muscles tensed to make sure we would react quickly enough when the attack would come? 
If he did, he didn’t care the least. It was with something that could be qualified as nonchalance that he muttered the first spell. The green light illuminated for a second his face, and his eyes were fixed on us. The curse almost hit James, and that’s when the riposte began. 
The first counterattack spell came from Remus and missed the death eater by a hair. At the same time, Sirius rushed to the enemy, followed closely by James. Lily helped Remus to get up; he had dived to the floor to dodge a curse. Peter and I were making a detour to reach the death eater’s back, counting on James and Sirius to occupy him enough. It seemed like a mess, yet it was a manoeuvre well established because of years of service in the Order. It had always worked, more or less depending on the case, but it had never failed us. Never until then, at least.
I realized things were going to get even more dangerous when the man turned his gaze to me, plunging his eyes in mine and with his lips slowly twisting in a sickening rictus whereas he was being assaulted by James. A move of the wrist had sent James flying a few meters away, hitting Sirius and bringing him to the ground in the process. He lifted his hand, and as the terror was invading me, the only thing my brain was capable of was wondering if the movement was really as slow as it seemed to be. I drew my wand but like in dreams, it felt like something was stopping my arm. A glare was burning in his eyes, it was so intense that I felt it in the depths of my body. If the thought that he was doing some wandless and wordless magic on me crossed my mind, I found myself unable to express it. 
His wand was now pointed on me, his eyes fixing me to the ground and his power keeping me defenseless. Second by second, I saw his lips moving, forming a word I didn’t recognize, his arm got more stiff, his rictus wider. And behind my back, second by second, Sirius was getting closer to me. 
The collision caught me by surprise, not so much because it was unexpected but because of the violence of it. Sirius’ shoulder hit my lower back which sent my hips forward, and my head followed one second late. Our bodies hit the hard ground, and the scream of the death eater covered our grunts of pain. He didn’t give us a moment to recover and I heard his steps before I saw him taking great strides. Sirius was already getting up, his wand firmly held high to protect the both of us, but he didn’t need it to counter the first attack. The arm of the death eater was trembling with what I thought was rage, and he missed Sirius. Instead of its initial target, the curse flew to me and scratched my skin just underneath my neck. The shock stopped me dead in my tracks. A few centimeters higher and it was over for me; the realization erased everything else in my mind, even the painful burning sensation where my blood was now flowing. 
This time, the death eater didn’t mutter the curse. He yelled it, angrier than before, and the sound of his voice masked the noise provoked by Remus, who I saw approaching in his back. A green halo surrounded the death eater and disappeared in a heartbeat, barely illuminating the scene enough for the lifeless body of our enemy to be seen falling. However, I saw perfectly well his last curse making his way straight to Sirius’ torso. 
Sirius’ facial expressions changed from relief to shock and then to pain, to agony. His hands reached to his shirt, and when he removed them, they appeared red, bloody. His fall began with the buckling of his knees. They hit the floor, and his body, drained of all its strength, tilted forward. His arms had gone limp and his face crashed to the ground. 
It had all happened in less than a second. 
I was unable to move.
Somewhere at my right, several grunts escaped Peter’s mouth as Lily and James were helping him. I didn’t process his bloody leg, nor did I realize Lily was using only her right hand. Remus was already at Sirius’ side, and it’s only when he looked up to me with wet eyes that something clicked. 
“Sirius!”
To be continued...
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canyouhearthelight · 4 years
Text
The Miys, Ch. 115
Extra special thanks for this chapter go out to @baelpenrose and @charlylimph-blog. Besides being regular beta-readers for me, Bael really really wanted a chapter with more Charly/Coffey, and Charly happily obliged by joining my and Bael’s regularly scheduled live-write of the chapter. We. Had. A. Blast.  It was  a shining beacon of love and laughter in my life, let me tell you.
I walked from the kitchen to the entry just as the notification went off that someone was standing outside. Still laughing from the comment Tyche made about the chicken breasts we were currently stuffing, my smile didn’t drop an inch as I saw Charly and Coffey standing there. “Hey, you two! About time!”
Charly held her head high and ignored my comment, while Coffey grinned back. “Best for last, you know,” he tossed with a wink as he handed over a bottle of red wine. “I know it doesn’t go with chicken but…”
“Stomachs are colorblind,” I finished, in sync with Charly and Tyche like we had rehearsed it. Conor and Maverick burst into laughter while Arthur just shook his head at our antics.
Charly stretched her neck to look over Tyche’s shoulder. “Those looks like…”
“We know,” Arthur groaned, eliciting another chuckle from everyone. “Tyche just mentioned that.”
“The - feta? - cheese is not helping your case, I’m just saying.”
Tyche tried her hardest to scowl and made a shooing gesture. “Please don’t ruin dinner before it’s even cooked please?”
“If I promise it won’t make dinner sound obscene, can I ask a question?” Charly ventured. All eyes turned toward her, since it was probably the first time she had ever asked permission to ask a question. Once I slowly nodded, she took a deep breath. “Have you ever tried rabbit?” The next part was rushed. “ImeanIhavearecipeforrabbitstewthat’stodiefor, andI’mprettysureAntoinewouldlikerabbitragout-”
“Charly,” Coffey intoned softly, reaching out to gently scritch the back of her neck.
She stopped talking and bit her lips. “I just mean - “
“It’s okay,” I assured them before anyone else in the room exploded from the laughter they were trying to hold back for her sake. “I really would love that recipe, Charly. I actually have a recipe for lapine ragout that Antoine adores, but the only other recipe I have is for coney pie.”
Charly nodded enthusiastically while practically collapsing on Coffey’s lap. Still nodding, she pulled a file up on her datapad and flicked it towards me. “Can I ask about the rabbits?” she asked softly, head twitching when Coffey scowled and - I assume - gently tugged the hair above where he was still scratching her neck. “Doesn’t hurt to ask!” she complained.
“I swear, it’s fine,” Arthur stated firmly. “You would be shocked at how hilarious she finds this story.”
Tyche rolled her eyes hard enough to move her neck. “And it puts some things into perspective…” she sighed.
Conor, on the other hand, gave me a hard look when I opened my mouth. “You know the rule.”
Dropping my head back in defeat, I took a deep breath. “Yes, I will make coney pie tomorrow for dinner.” Antoine, Charly, and Coffey all looked at me in confusion. “Conor hates hearing about my near-death experiences, so when I tell this story I have to make him rabbit pie for dinner.”
“So he can eat your enemies,” Charly nodded sagely.
“Pretty much,” I shrugged.
“Wait- “ she sputtered, realizing the rest of what I explained. “You had a near death experience? With a bunny!?”
All I could do was giggle. “Yes. I have a deathly fear of bunnies because one almost killed me once.”
“Twas no ordinary rabbit - it had a vicious streak a mile wide….” Arthur added, funny accent and all.
“May I ask that no one interrupt Sophia until she explains how she managed a real-life reenactment of a Monty Python sketch?” Coffey asked, leaning forward so far that Charly had to twist to stay on his lap.
“The truth is stranger than fiction,” Arthur nodded, tapping his glass gently against the other man’s. “Sophia, take it away.”
Shaking my head with a grin, I obliged. “You have to know, Tyche and I grew up in a very backwater, uneducated family, and also in hereditary poverty.   So, it was perfectly normal - to us, anyway - to have pets like chickens, or goats… or rabbits… Food animals.  Well, when I was eight, my uncle decided I was old enough for my first pet rabbit.  A good, big one.” Tyche shook her head with a smirk, and I just shot her a glance as I kept speaking. “Well, Snickers wasn’t quite hand-tamed. And the only way to hand-tame a wild rabbit is to…. Well, hold it, honestly.  So I would sit in the yard, with Snickers in my lap, and hold him while he ate grass.”
Maverick opened his mouth to ask the question he always loved to ask, but Charly gently put her hand on his wrist and shook her head. 
I still answered the question I knew would have come. “I know, it sounds like the most harmless thing in the world, right? Pet rabbit, in my lap, chilling out and eating fresh grass.  The thing is… Rabbits are burrowers. And they have these wicked claws on their back feet just for that.  So, when you hold them, you have to hold their back feet together, or they kick to get away.”
Charly gasped softly as she realized what was coming, quickly clamping a hand over her mouth.
I nodded. “Yep. One day, Snickers got started, and I didn’t have his back feet as tightly as I should have, and… well, he opened my arm up from wrist to elbow before I could let him go.  I screamed, my mother came out, took me to the emergency room.  I’ve been terrified of rabbits ever since.”
“That’s awful!” Charly cried out, jumping up to come hug me.
As I patted her on the back, Coffey sat up straighter and shook his head. “Poppy, she’s okay now. And besides, didn’t you hear her mention how ‘backwater’ her family was?” He arched an eyebrow at me, eye gleaming. “I bet that rabbit was dinner that same night.”
“Bunny dumplings,” Tyche confirmed with a wink. “If we didn’t know what else to do with it, it was dumplings.”
Arthur shook his head with a chuckle. “I would have thought you would be upset that she ate her pet, Miss Harper.”
She made a rude noise in return. “Are you kidding!? The first thing I killed with a bow was a rabbit.” Head high, she flexed her biceps. “Do you know how fast those things are!?”
“Nice and fat one, too,” Coffey added. “And she found rosemary to roast it with.”
“And lemon balm,” she added. “And mint, but that stuff grows everywhere.”
I nearly groaned at the memory of spit-roasted wild game.
“So, you two have been through the whole After together?” Conor asked as dinner hit the table.
Charly nodded enthusiastically as she took a bite. “Yeah, we were friends Before - oh my gosh, this balsamic reduction is perfect, Tyche - and found each other not long after the End.  After a while…” she trailed off, waving between them as much as she could, considering she was still sitting on Coffey’s lap.
We all nodded.  I was, honestly, happy to see two people who knew each other that long survive the end of the world together.  “So, I knew Charly did archery - she’s shown me a few times, but I’m terrible at it, turns out. What about you, Coffey?” I paused before realizing how intrusive that might be. “And if you don’t want to answer, it’s okay,” I rushed to clarify.
He smiled in reassurance. “I was security, Before, and… security After, in a way.” Chewing thoughtfully on a bite of bread, he glanced at something none of us could see. “I had a gun, at first - being a black man who grew up in NorthAm before it was NorthAm, it was more prudent than it was deviant at the time.”
“I don’t blame you,” I grumbled, while Tyche nodded and scowled furiously. We were horrifically embarrassed to be related to some of the reasons he needed a gun in the Before.
He tilted his head in a conciliatory fashion, as though he could tell what I was thinking. “In the After, bullets were hard to come by and… not very prudent, it turned out. They drew a lot of attention. Whereas our sneaky Charly…”
“Probably made traps,” Arthur finished nonchalantly.  When a few of us glanced at him, he rolled his eyes. “Oh come on! No one can tell me the queen of pranks and engineering over here did not booby-trap anywhere she was living within an inch of her life and the lives around her.”
Charly beamed, while Coffey just chuckled. “I honestly don’t believe the margin of error was quite that wide, to be frank. But it was safe enough that, before long, we accidentally had an enclave.”
I snorted in an attempt not to choke on my drink, while Conor and Maverick were both glancing at Arthur - the resident warlord.
Arthur just blinked in an almost placid manner. “I’m actually impressed. You started rebuilding by accident.”
“Do I look like someone who decides to take over the world?” Charly pointed out. After a chorus of Yes all around the table, she rolled her eyes. “It’s not my fault that hobbit holes are a strategically sound idea.”
“Apocalyptic Tolkien,” Tyche whistled. “I like it.”
“Sophia would have loved the library,” Coffey laughed.
My head shot up hard enough to make my neck hurt. “Library?”
He nodded. “Charly had the idea to go rescue every book we could find on camping, how-tos, engineering, historical infrastructure…”
“You just passed every class you are ever in, with flying colors,” Arthur nodded. “I had to make most of my people read - though we did end up with a library and decent bathing infrastructure.”
“Siege engines, Mr. Farro. We were building siege engines.”
He muttered something that sounded like “I will make up classes for you to pass,” but I was willing to bet that he would never admit it. Out loud, he just added “The fact that you not only read voluntarily but got other people to read without being forced has earned you extra credit.” She opened her mouth to object, but he held up a hand. “I’m being entirely serious, and no I won’t take it back.”
“I wasn’t going to try to survive an apocalypse without baths,” she scowled, stabbing a potato. “We may have ended the world, but we weren’t heathens.” Chewing so fast I thought she was going to choke, she immediately started asking Arthur about how he organized plumbing for his group.
“Trenches, aqueducts, and basically I got lucky because someone had a construction background.  We had some records of how Romans built their sewers with something close enough to the materials we had to work with so… it worked out.
With that, the conversation took off in the direction of infrastructure for post-apocalypse settlements, with Conor adding his opinion everywhere possible.  I knew there was no changing the topic, so I just shook my head and tried to keep up.
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Sleepless
My rp server and I were discussing a fanart of all the boys sleeping together on the couch and it brought with it the idea of all 6 of the others showing up one night to sleep with Lucifer, shortly after the fall when they were all still healing.
Lucifer had just barely managed to fall into his bed, exhaustion pulling heavily at him. It had only been a week since…since everything fell apart: Lilith’s death, the fall of his brothers and himself, His agreement with Diavolo. All of it was still fresh, some of the wounds barely healed. And the unseen wounds, those would take even longer. They at least had a house of their own now, no longer living in the Demon King’s palace.
Lucifer had closed his eyes, hoping that maybe he’d worn himself down enough to finally rest. Only for there to be a soft knock on the door. It opened quietly, Beelzebub and Belphegor slipping through before the dim lights of the hallway could do more than light their silhouettes. He starts to get up, a soft sound of negation from Beel stopping him.
”The..the nightmares are bad tonight, Lu.” He says quietly. “Can we?”
Lucifer nods, “Come on then.” He says, shifting more towards the center of the bed to give them more room. At least the bed in his room was obscenely large, they’d still have plenty of room, even with three of them sleeping in the bed. The twins settled in, Belphie curled close to Beel, holding his hand in a vice grip. Lucifer made no mention of the faint sniffles he heard, and soon the three of them managed to start to sleep.
Another knock at the door, this time waking both them all up. Grumbles from the twins, but silenced when they head the hiccuping sobs Asmodeus is making as he stumbles into the room. This time, Lucifer makes the lights come on, low so as not to hurt anyone’s eyes. Asmo’s in his demon form, fresh scratches along the ridges of his wings, the edges of one delicate membrane frayed at the edge.
“I’m ugly!” He keeps his voice low, but the sound can still only be described as a wail. “I was the jewel fo heaven, now look at me.” His hands move to his horns, scratching and tugging at them, digging his new claws into his scalp at the base. Lucifer’s across the room to him as fast as he can move, gentle hands on his younger brother’s wrists, easing them away from his head before he can hurt himself further.
”Shh. Asmo, you are still you. Find a way to make this work for you, and you will be just as beautiful as you were.” Two hands on his shoulders, Beel and Belphie joining him. Belphie’s the one who speaks, and Lucifer realizes then that he’s also in his new form.
”Hey, Asmo. It’s ok.” He smiled sleepily at him. “Spend some time with it; it’ll feel natural in no time.” The youngest started leading Asmo to the bathroom, nodded at his twin, and Lucifer as he passed them. “Let’s get these cleaned up, then we’ll sleep and talk about it in the morning.”
Lucifer and Beel stood together for a moment, before Beel went back to the bed, setting himself up on one end. The sound of the door opening a third time drew Lucifer’s attention, this time Leviathan slinking in without even knocking. “I heard Asmo come in here and saw the light on.” He wrapped his arms around his middle. “I don’t know why, but I’m almost…angry at being left out.”
”Envy.” Beel said quietly from the bed. At his brother’s quizzical look, he scooted up to a sitting position. “He named you the Avatar of Envy, right?” Levi nodded slowly. “Well, I’ve noticed I’m hungry more than before, each day’s getting worse.” As if on cue, Beel’s stomach growled, making him flush. “You’re angry because you’re jealous. I think…I think it’s going to keep getting stronger, for each of us.” He slid out the bed, heading to the door, mumbling something about grabbing a snack while the others were getting situated.
Belphie and Asmo came back to the bedroom about the time Beel slipped out the door. Belphie sighed, tired, worried eyes following his twin out of the room. “He’ll be okay, Belphie.” Lucifer started. “We’re all having to adjust to our new roles”
Belphie nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed. “She’s, she’s really gone, isn’t she? As much as I’ve slept lately, I keep hoping it’s just a bad dream.” A tear slid down his cheek, Levi and Asmo sitting to either side of him and wrapping their arms over his shoulders. “Or else, I dream that she’s still here. I almost don’t want to wake up when I dream that.”
Lucifer’s heart broke anew. He would give anything; anything to tell them the truth. But, he’d already given everything he had to give in the bargain with Diavolo. And the fewer who knew; the safer she would be. He just hoped time would make the lie easier. Beel returned, the door clicking shut softly behind him. He ushered the four younger brothers to the bed.
As big as the bed was, they could all fit and still have room for the last two if something brought them to the room as well. With the way things were feeling tonight, Lucifer was almost considering going to get them. As if on cue, the door swung open, this time hard enough to slam against the wall. Mammon made a soft grunting sound as he hit the floor in front of Lucifer, Satan still in the doorway, his anger an almost palpable presence, snaking out from around him.
Lucifer helped Mammon up. “Satan, what is the problem?”
”I woke up to him digging around in my stuff! He…he took the brooch.” Lucifer groaned. Satan hadn’t had a long time with their sister, his birth coming during the war, a scant few months before they all fell. The brooch had been something special, a gift from her to her newest brother. No wonder Satan’s already volatile temper, even more so given the changes they were all undergoing, had exploded.
Lucifer looked over his shoulder at Mammon. He had his fists stuffed in the pockets of his sleep pants, refusing to meet the eldest’s eyes. “Mammon?”
Mammon grimaced, pulling a fist out of his pants, setting the brooch on the table. “Sorry. I miss her too. And I felt like I needed all the mementos. I don’t even know why.” Lucifer met Beel’s eyes from across the room, nodding slightly before nudging Mammon towards the bed.
”Go on.” He plucked the brooch off the table, walking carefully over to Satan. He held it out, watching the rage seem to melt off. He jerked his head in the direction of the bed. “Come on, let's all get some sleep.”
Satan shook his head, backing up a step. “No, it’s best if I don’t. You all have-” He was cut off by Lucifer’s arm around his shoulders.
”No. It’s not about the bonds we had before. We’re not them anymore, we’re a new family. And you are part of it.” He pushed gently on Satan’s shoulders one last time, gratified when the blonde took a slow step towards the bed.
Everyone shifted around, making sure no one was laying on anyone’s legs or arms. Lucifer turned the lights out after one last glance over his family, a soft ache in his heart for the one no longer there. That there was a small slip of space in the center of the bed, just enough for a small, feminine form to fill, wasn’t lost to him. As he settled into sleep, he couldn’t help but reflect. They were fractured, lost and confused in so many ways, but moments like this made him realize that maybe, just maybe, they’d be whole again someday.
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alovesongshewrote · 4 years
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Whumptober Day 19: Broken Hearts | Reader
Plot:  Part 3!!  Torture!!
Word Count: 3,158
Warnings:  Torture, threats, demons, possession, the demon is a mega asshole still
A/N:  Whump
Tag List:  @furblrwurblr​ @einahpetsyarcip​ @sorrels-scribbling​ @anxious-stitcher​ @alive-and-afraid​ @animedweeb333​ @douxiesdamsel​ @saroski05
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Nari was not having a good time right now.  Her guardians, her protectors were dealing with some massive evil presence, and there wasn’t much she could do other than look for help with Archie.
Archie was also not having fun.  He was supposed to protect Douxie, to look out for him and make sure he was safe.  But now?  Now Douxie was anything but safe.  It was a new kind of horror, the cat-dragon decided, to watch his oldest friend get tortured in his sleep; to watch his skin tear on its own and the blood stain the sheets.  And then he had to leave him.  He had to leave his wizard, his boy, who he had watched over for almost a thousand years, to an uncertain fate.  He trusted you, of course, but this thing, this darkness that haunted you was a force to be reckoned with.  He didn’t want either of you to be hurt more than you already had been.
The two of them ran for a while until they found a payphone, which is literally the luckiest anyone ever gets in this story because those things are almost extinct, and called for help.  After that, all they could do was wait.
You were not doing any better.
You woke up restrained, tied to a kitchen chair with bonds that glowed the same blue as the demon’s eyes.  While this wasn’t the first time this had happened, it was the first time the magic burned.  Wherever it touched your skin an unfamiliar ache took hold.  That was new, it was different, and it hurt enough to make you wince.  The demon was waiting for that.  Now that you were awake, the fun could begin.
“Good morning, darling.”
You groaned a little bit, not wanting to deal with this asshole.  Unfortunately, you had no choice in that matter.
“What’s the matter?  Uncomfortable?”
“Eat a dick.”
The thing snarled, and the expression looked uncanny on your wizard’s face.  It was just so unlike him, and that reminder that he was trapped in there hurt you more than anything this demon could do.  That didn’t mean that the demon wouldn’t try.
It grabbed your face, jerking your head to face him, “Don’t get smart, now.  You don’t want poor Douxie to suffer any more than he has to, do you?”
You bit back a string of insults while trying to escape from the demon’s grasp.  That wasn’t going super well, and it only made the thing tighten his grip.
“Well?”
“Well, what?” you spat, words laced with venom.  The demon was unaffected.
“Do you want him to suffer?”
You stopped struggling and stared at the thing that controlled your boyfriend’s body.  He couldn’t be serious, could he?  Did he actually want you to say it?  
He jerked your face again, pulling it upwards, exposing your neck, “Come on, darling, we don’t have all day.  Just say it, yes or no.”
You stayed silent, incredibly wary of why exactly he would want you to say this.  In your first nightmare, he kept trying to manipulate you, telling you that if you loved Douxie you would die for him.  The situation was too similar for this to be a coincidence.
When you said nothing, the demon sighed, shaking his head.  You felt a sharp pain wherever his fingers made contact with your face.  Claws, you realized, were extending from his hand, carving into your skin and leaving shallow cuts across your cheek.  You gasped, trying to pull back, but that made things worse.  Not only did it give the monster’s talons a better chance to tear your skin, but it let you see the awful mix of demon and man that was this thing’s hand.  Simply put, it wasn’t Douxie’s.  It may have been attached to his body, but these long sharp claws were anything but human.
While you were distracted by that little abomination, the demon drew closer to you.  The hand that wasn’t embedded in your face curled around the chair, effectively boxing you in, not that you had anywhere else to go.  His figure loomed over you, reminding you that you were completely outmatched magically and physically.  You shut your eyes and gritted your teeth as the demon’s lips grazed your ear.
“If you say yes, I’ll let you go.”
Your eyes snapped open, and you turned to face the monster as much as you physically could.  Why the hell would he offer that?  To torture Douxie, probably, but this was too weird.  Before he’d based his attacks on your love for the wizard.  Why now, was he trying to get you to betray him?  You guessed it was because his identity as a demon had been revealed, forcing him to try another tactic, but that didn’t make too much sense if you thought about it too hard.  You knew that he was lying, he would never let you go that easily, the question was why?
“You don’t believe me, do you?”
You remained silent.  You weren’t going to say anything to this guy that wasn’t an insult.
“Well, you can't be blamed for that.  Here, let me show you,” he removed his claws and his hand from your face, allowing you to move your jaw again.  He moved that hand down the length of your body, and as it descended, your bonds loosened a bit and the burning subsided.  The demon pulled away from you for a moment, only to lean over your other side and push a strand of your hair back into place.  You didn’t make a sound.
“I bet you’re wondering why you get this deal,” he ran a clawless hand down your jawline, bringing it to rest on your chest, the same place he had stabbed you weeks ago.  You felt your muscles tense up as he lowered his head to rest on your shoulder.
“It’s because you remind me of my wife.  She had the same spark you do.  I don’t regret draining her, killing her slowly as I stole her power, but,” you could feel the demon smiling against you, as he paused, letting the threat sink in “There are some things I do miss.”
He kissed your neck, making you want to vomit.  You liked it when Douxie kissed you, but even though this was his body, it wasn’t him.  You were relieved when the demon stood, taking a few steps away from you.  You even relaxed for a second before he pulled out the knife.  Silver with a green gem.  It was the blade from your nightmares.
“This was hers once.  She’d never approve of it being used in this way, but she can’t exactly stop me from where she is, can she?”  he came towards you, pushing the point of the blade against your collarbone, “So, what’s your answer, darling?  Yes or no?”
You weren’t saying anything.
And it was pissing off the demon.
“Come on, darling, I’m running out of patience.”
Silence.  From both of you.
But you noticed his grip tighten around the hilt of the blade, his eye twitched, his jaw clenched.  It wouldn’t take much for him to explode.
It took nothing, actually.
“SAY IT!”  he screamed, the blade slicing through your skin, small drops of your blood hitting the wall.  You said nothing, but you could not hide your smirk.  The demon didn’t like that.  He placed the knife against your skin again, getting in your face and growling as he spoke, “Say.  It.”
You smiled then.  This may have been a powerful demon possessing your even more powerful boyfriend, but you were the one in control right now.  You said nothing.
The monster’s face went blank, and you smirked, even as he drove his blade into your chest.  It was enough to hurt, but not to kill.
He waited for you to say something, anything, but you just sat there, grinning.  He moved his blade down to rest against your ribs, demanding that you answer his question once again.  You refused, and the knife ran against your skin, breaking it and drawing blood.
The process repeated a few more times, but you never answered.  At this point, it had moved beyond refusing to respond out of fear.  If he wanted to manipulate you, the time had passed.  This was a game of defiance now, and answering meant surrender.  Answering meant death.
You could tell the demon was growing tired of this game.  Eventually, he threw the knife down and just started hitting you.  When he finished that, you were laughing.  Maybe this was just your way of avoiding the trauma that you would have to deal with eventually.  Maybe it was your way of letting Douxie know you were still there.  Maybe you had gone insane.  Either way, the monster was now slumped over your counter, screaming out of frustration.
Once your laughter had subsided, you leaned back still grinning, “You ruined my shirt.  Just, FYI.”
With a growl, the demon flew across the room, grabbing your throat again, not hesitating to squeeze this time, “You vile little-”
He cut himself off, letting go of your neck and stepping back.  You were already concerned, but the smile that spread across his face really set you on edge.
“Well, you won’t answer me, and you clearly don’t care about your own life,” he picked up the knife, “but maybe, you’ll care about him?”
He brought the blade over his wrist, Douxie’s wrist.  You started to struggle again, panic returning and adrenaline running through your veins.  The demon pushed the point of the knife through his skin, not far enough to cause any lasting damage, but more than enough to scare you.
“What’ll it be, love?”
“I-”
“Answer or he dies!”
“Okay, stop!” you cried, straining against the magic keeping you in place, “Stop it, please, I’ll answer, just don’t hurt him!”
He dropped the knife, grinning at you, “That’s all I needed to hear, darling.  Now, tell me.”
You waited until he was right in front of you.  You had never seen Douxie look so smug.  True, this wasn’t actually him, but it was still a weird experience.  This entire day had been a weird experience.  Your Douxie, the real Douxie, would never hurt you, ever.  He would never lay a hand on you, never swat you away or elbow you in the ribs or touch you when you didn’t want to be touched.  But today, his body beat the shit out of yours for hours.  Fortunately, if you got things your way, that would be over soon.  You tried to stay calm as you followed your plan.
First, you looked into the demon’s cold blue eyes.
Next, you let a few tears fall, trying to look as weak and unassuming as possible.
Then, you gave your answer.
“No.”
You waited for the demon’s response.  He smiled sadly, shaking his head, “I thought you’d say that.”
He drew closer to you, probably going in for the kill.  Whatever, it didn’t matter, what mattered was that he was close enough now for your attack.
Here’s the thing about them bindings.  They only last as long as the one doing the binding is focused on them.  When the demon had his little meltdown, you were able to free one of your hands.  It was only one of four limbs, but it was a good start.  You waited until the demon was in punching distance.
And then you just fuckin punched him.
It felt great.
Not physically, because, y’ know, hours of torture tend to make you feel like shit, but still, it felt nice.  
While the demon took a second to regain his bearings, you made quick work of your other bonds, freeing yourself quickly and getting to your feet.  You almost fell as soon as you stood, but shit, torture will do that to you, and you could deal with it later.  You needed to run first.  
So you did.  You grabbed the nearest weapon and bolted, not out of the apartment, but into your bedroom.  Sure, the demon beat you and Douxie before because you were in his domain, but now you were in your apartment.  It was over for him.  You had the high ground.
Thinking fast, you hid in the closet preparing your weapon, which was an unopened can of something.  Maybe it wasn’t great for melee purposes, but it would make one hell of a projectile.  You waited in the dark until you heard the demon outside.  You didn’t wait anymore after that.
You kicked down the closet door and yeeted the can at your boyfriend’s head.  It was a direct hit!  With a grin, you ran at the demon, tackling it to the ground and rolling away.  While it tried to get up, you slammed your fist into the ground, your magic forming a sigil on the ground and trapping the demon inside.
You stood up, breathing heavy but smiling.  But you weren’t done yet.  You needed to get Douxie back.
“Hey babe, I know you’re in there, and I’m sorry for beating you up.”
The monster growled, lunging towards you only to hit the invisible wall made by your sigil, “SHUT UP.”
You did not do that.  Instead, you kept on talking, “But I need you to come back to me.  I know you’ve been fighting him, and I’m sorry I couldn’t help you before, but I can now.”
“STOP THIS!”
“Fight him, darling, you can come back to me, I know you can.”  
Darling.  The word slid off your tongue like you’d been meant to say it all your life.  It just felt right.  It must have felt right to Douxie too because as the demon screamed, the glow of his eyes faded.  Blue turned to hazel, and your boy was back.  Behind him, smoke gathered, but you didn’t care.  Your mans was no longer possessed.  You could not stop the smile on your face as you grabbed his hand, pulling him out of the sigil.
In an instant, his arms were wrapped around you, and yours around him.  You buried your face in his chest, letting yourself relax for a second.  He was shaking and clinging to you as if he feared he would never hold you again.  That was valid.  Today was a traumatizing day for everyone.
You brought your forehead to rest against his, placing your hands on his face, tracing his cheekbones with your thumbs.  He was crying.  So were you.
“Hi,” you whispered.
“Hey.”
You let out a sob, pulling yourself closer to him, “I love you.”
“I love you too, I love you so much,” he said, repeating those words over and over, throwing in apologies pretty frequently. 
“YOU FOOLS.”
“Oh great, this guy again.” Your voice was muffled, but Douxie still heard you, smiling despite the situation.
“YOU WILL DIE FOR THIS.”
“Sure, Jan.”  Maybe it was the blood loss, but you had decided to be funny.  Also, it pissed off the demon, which was nice.
It growled again and lunged for you, and this time, the sigil flickered and faded, freeing the thing.  The monster had to take a second as he hadn’t expected that to work, but it did, and now you were in trouble.  Again.
Douxie had no time to deal with your delirious ass.  Instead, he picked you up and ran, stashing you in the elevator while he ran up the stairs to the roof.  He managed to beat the beast to the there, grabbing you from the elevator and running to the edge of the building.  He kept you behind him, trying his best to protect you.  The monster burst through the doors, now in its true form.
“(Y/N), I love you.”
“Eh, no, don’t do anything stupid.  We’re in this together,” you grabbed his hand, and smiled.  Maybe you were about to die, but that wouldn’t stop you from being a cute significant other.
“I love you, too, just by the way.”
Douxie shook his head, but he had no choice but to smile back at you.  That’s love children, that’s love.
You stretched out your hand, magic at the ready.  Douxie did the same.  
It was time to fight the demon.
It lunged at Douxie first, and he knocked it to the side with a spell.  It jumped back up, screeching again.  Now that you thought about it, you weren’t sure how your neighbours didn’t hear any of this, but you really didn’t have time to think about it.  The demon was coming for you now.  You dodged the attack, rolling under the monster and striking upwards.  It flew back, nearly falling off the roof, but it pulled itself back up at the last second.
“Hey, babe?  If we knock it off the roof, will that kill it?”
“Not sure, we’ll just have to see!”
Douxie attacked now, fighting off the darkness with flashes of blue.  You joined him, your magic whipping around the creature and throwing it, where else?  Off the roof.  Things looked good for a moment.  
Then the thing rose from the ground, knife in hand, starting in its true form and morphing.  But it didn’t turn into Douxie.  It turned into you.
And then it stabbed Douxie.
“NO!”  the scream tore itself from your throat as you ran at the demon, wrenching the blade from its grip and driving it into the monster’s heart, your heart, over and over again.
When it was dead, your face was wet with tears and blood, both yours and the demon’s.  You dropped the knife, covering your mouth and trying to keep in your sobs.
You felt Douxie’s hand on your shoulder, and you let him help you away from the body.  Neither of you could get far though.  A few minutes later, both of you were on the ground.  Your head was on his chest, his arms were around you.  From here, you could hear his heartbeat.  You wanted to look into his eyes, to make sure they weren’t blue, that this wasn’t a dream, that he was safe and you were safe, and everything was ok.
But his eyes were closed.
You just let your head drop back to his chest, and shut your own eyes.
“We did it, darling,” you whispered, “We’re safe now.  You-you were amazing.   I’m so sorry, Douxie, I’m sorry about all of this,” you gripped onto his shirt, trying to keep yourself grounded. “I love you, I love you so much.  Don’t worry, love, help is-help, help,” your words died in your throat as the world around you went black.
//
Even though you’d passed out, help was, in fact, coming.  It just took a while to get there.  
About a minute after you lost consciousness, Nari, Archie, Zoe and Claire burst onto the roof, finding a very dead demon, a dying witch, and an unconscious wizard.
Not a great thing to find tbh.
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In regards To the abandoned arc Au I’d like to see how jaunes family reacted to his uncle dumping him some where and if possible how they reacted once Jaune got to Argus with his team
(I decided to focus on keeping this more as an origin post. I can answer the “meeting in Argus” part in another ask though.)
(Angst and dark themes ahead. You have been warned)
Nicholas looked down at the bundled up blanket in his arms as he stood in a somewhat crowded hospital room. His wonderful wife was resting after she finally finished giving birth their eighth child, who was also their first son! 
When Nicholas and Juniper found they were expecting a boy, they nearly fainted from both joy and relief. Raising eight girls would have been an even bigger nightmare.
But after a long night, as the clock just ticked past 11:00 P.M., Juniper had finally given birth to their newest child Jaune.
Sadly, it wasn’t a picture perfect moment. Their poor boy….he had been born without his left arm. In the place where the limp was supposed to be was only a fleshy lump.
But that didn’t mean a damn thing to Nicholas, Juniper, any of his daughters, or Jaune’s grandparents. He was their family, no matter what he looked like, be it deformity or disability, they loved him and they would always love him. They all looked on with love as Nicholas held his child.
He looked down at the small face of the newborn in his arms. His first son…he finally had a son. He loved his daughters and wouldn’t trade them for the world, but he’d always dreamed of having a boy of his own. He knew Juniper did as well. When they got the news that this time their child was gonna be a boy, they felt over the moon!
Now, it was bittersweet. Their son had a hard life ahead of him with only one arm…. but maybe when he was older they could get him a prosthetic. Sure they were really expensive, but he could just take a few extra mission every now and then to save up for it! Though, Juniper might not like it. She was suppose to be retired, and she had been begging him since their first child to only take small, easy missions close to their home town if they needed any help to cover any unforeseen expenses. They had investments around their hometown for regular income.
A hand being placed on his shoulder drew Nicholas out of his overthinking mentality. Nicholas looked away from his son to trace the arm back to his older brother, David. They had the same build, both being broad shouldered and well muscled upper body overall. Though where Nicholas had a short, rough beard that was well trimmed, David had no facial hair whatsoever. His hair was also buzzed to contrast Nicholas’s shoulder length golden locks.
David spoke before Nicholas could ask anything. “Can I hold him?”
Nicholas smiled warmly as he nodded lightly. “Sure thing brother. Hold out your arms.”
David did just that and Nicholas carefully transferred Jaune’s sleeping form over into his brother’s arms. David looked like he was holding a glass bomb that was ready to blow at any second, but Nicholas only found that funny because that’s how he always looked whenever he held any of their children as babies. Somethings just never change. 
David didn’t have much time to look uncomfortable with Jaune though before the Arc family was interrupted by a nurse opening the door and stepping inside. “Excuse me, but we need to have your newborn moved to the maternity ward to be monitored for the night. I can take him there if you’d wish.”
“No need.” David was the one who answered. “I’ll take him there.”
Nicholas tried to intervene, thinking it was his duty to take his son. “Dav, you don’t-” 
“Stay with your wife Nick. She’s had a long night and needs her rest, and you need a break. I’ll get him where he needs to go.”
Nicholas looked his brother in the eyes before looking back at his disheveled wife in her hospital bed. She had two of their daughters laying down with her as they slumbered, but her full attention was on Nicholas and David. She gave her husband a slight, reassuring nod to show her agreement. Nicholas looked back to his brother and passed on the nod. “Okay.”
David turned around and offered a somewhat distracted, “I’ll be back.” and moved towards the nurse.
“Okay then, follow me sir.” Together, the two of them left the room, the door quietly clicking shut behind them.
Little did they know the nightmare that was about to happen.
After about 30 minutes of either silence or quiet small talk, the door opened again. The nurse from before came in. After she did a quick survey of the room, she started to become frantic. “T-that man. The one that followed me out of the room. Have you seen him?” 
Nicholas brow furrowed in confusion. “My brother David? Not since he left with you. Why?”
“O-oh dear.” Without another word, the nurse hurriedly walked out of the room once again.
Silence permeated the room. No one spoke a word as they all tried to understand what just happened. Before anyone came to a conclusion, the nurse returned through the open door, this time being accompanied by a handful of doctors and security staff. 
A man stepped forward. He was wearing a uniform and a utility belt so Nicholas knew this was a security guard. His graying hair showed that he was much older than the other guards. In a very serious voice, he asked, “Everyone, are you all absolutely certain that none of you have not seen the man that left with your child?”
Juniper’s tired voice spoke up from her bed. “Wha-? What’s going on?”
“The man that left with your newborn. Have you certainly not seen him since he left this room?”
“Are you talking about David?”
The nurse from before spoke up, “Yes, your brother, the one you gave your son to to follow me to the maternity ward.”
“N-no… we haven’t seen him since he left with you.”
The nurse rounded to face an older looking doctor. “Just like I said!”
“Michelle, calm down.”
Nicholas’s father, Alexander Arc, seemed have had enough being in the dark. “Will anyone please explain what the dust is going on?!” 
The guard was silent for a minute. Then he spoke in a flat tone, “We believe that your brother possibly le-”
Before the man could finish, another person walked into the room. It was David. He walked through the open door of the hospital room and paid no mind to all the sets of eyes that turned to look at him as he sat down in one of the cushioned chairs. Things weren’t silent for long as the same guard that had been speaking started giving out orders. “Michelle, go check the maternity ward again, Rick, go with her, radio me what you find.” The nurse and a security guard ran out of the room. “Vicky, go check the security cameras. If you see him leaving on any of them, radio in where.” A female security guard nodded and took off herself. The older man, now only accompanied by one other security guard, turned towards David. “Alright sir, where is he?”
David didn’t say a word. He just kept looking down at the floor. 
So instead, Nicholas spoke up. “Okay, for the last time. What is going on!?”
The security guard glared at David before turning to look at Nicholas. “Michelle, the nurse from before, told us that when these two reached the maternity ward, she’d just finished putting the ankle tag on your boy when she turned around for moment. She claims that when she turned, he was gone and the baby was nowhere to be found.”
“So what? Your saving my brother abducted my son?” That’s stupid, he’s right here. Tell him Dav.”
David once again said nothing. 
The radio on the guard’s shoulder ‘chhrk’d to life and a voice called through it. “Sir. The child in nowhere in the maternity ward.”
The guard leaned in towards his radio and pressed a button. “Roger.” The guard sent a David once again. “Tell us where the kid is. Now.”
Nicholas had enough of this. He stepped between his brother and the guard, holding up his hands towards both of them. “Okay, look. I’m sure this is all just a mistake. My brother wouldn’t do a thing to hurt my children. Tell him Dav.” Nicholas got no response. That prompted him to turn his head to face his silent brother. “David?”
David looked up finally, meeting his younger brother’s gaze. Then his lips parted and he finally spoke up. 
What he said horrified everyone in the room. “I did what I had to.”
Screams of surprise came from the people in the hospital hallway and lobby area as a wall exploded in a shower dust and drywall. Two bodies came sailing through the cloud of dust, one was tackling the other to the ground. Several dull ‘thuds’ were heard from the settling cloud. As the dust thinned, they saw exactly what was happening.
Nicholas was kneeling on top of David, his fists were raining down into his older brother’s face. Blood sprayed as his nose shattered. Aura be damned, Nicholas’s punched harder than a Ursa Major. 
David tried to fight back, throwing is own punch up at Nicholas. Nicholas caught the punch by David’s wrist. Without a second though, Nicholas hammered his free hand as a fist into his elbow, bending it inward and breaking it with an unforgivable ‘CRACK’.
David screamed in pain as his arm fell limply to his side. Nicholas slammed his hand down on the shattered elbow, getting another scream from his ‘brother’. With a look of absolute rage, he roared in the bleeding man’s bloodied face. “WHERE IS MY SON YOU BASTARD!?! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH HIM!?!”
Through what was probably a broken jaw, a concussion, and pool of blood forming in his mouth, David sputtered out, “B-ba-ac…g-ga-targ.”
“WHERE!?!”
David had to swallow the blood pooling in mouth to speak again. “G-g-ta-age.”
Garage. Nicholas didn’t waste anytime jumping to his feet, accidentally knocking down the few people that had been trying to pull him off the man. Nicholas bolted off down the hallway.
As Nicholas’s thunderous footsteps grew quieter and quieter. Another sound was heard by the crowd that had gathered to see what all the commotion was. 
Juniper Arc sobbed openly into her hands. Her mother-in-law quickly stepped over and hugged the distraught mother into her shoulder. She wailed on as everyone watched.
Everyone except Alexander Arc. The old man walked forward towards his one....son. The man was now sitting up, but being detained by the security guards that had been in their room. The blood was no longer in his mouth and was instead running down his chin onto his shirt. “What have you done David...”
David looked up at his father. The cold stare that was staring him down was something he’d feared since he was a child. With his Aura finally kicking in to repair the damage Nicholas had done, he was able to speak a bit more clearly. “W-what needed to be done. That disfigured thing would only have been a disgrace to the Arc family.”
Alexander’s glare didn’t change. “No....the only disgrace to the family here is you. And you better pray Nicholas finds his son.”
...
The door into the hospital’s parking garage blew open as Nicholas slammed through it. “JAAAAAUNE!” He new his son couldn’t answer him, but he hoped for something. A cry, a gurgle, a cough, a sneeze. Anything that could help him find his son. 
Nicholas sprinted through the entire garage, looking around every corner and under everything. He kept calling out his name and asked everyone he saw, but no one had seen a child missing his left arm. Nicholas reached the last floor of the garage, and he hoped and prayed his boy would be here.
But he wasn’t. His son wasn’t here.
Nicholas fell to one knee on the concrete. Tears had started flowing sometime during his search, and they only flowed harder now. His son was gone. Somewhere out in this cold world all by himself.
Nicholas let out one last “JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUNE!!” before his voice cracked and he broke down, weeping into his hands. 
Jaune Arc, his son who he’d only had the chance to hold for a few measly minutes, was gone...
(This is probably the darkest thing I’ve ever written, but it was a nice change of pace.)
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drabbles-of-writing · 4 years
Text
Bonesborough’s Resident Troublemaker
This is part of my Four Years AU
AO3
Masterpost
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bonesborough, even by Boiling Isles standards, was never an incredibly normal place.
First of all, it was the home of Emperor Belos. A town housing a man with such power was bound to be recognizable by name alone.
Second of all, it seems to have a knack for attracting trouble. Even more so than other towns. Small or big, Bonesborough has it. From a thought-to-be extinct basilisk attacking the local school to a cursed owl beast appearing every once in a while to a random human girl of all people staging a prison breakout.
Speaking of the human girl…
Last, but not least, Bonesborough held some of the most powerful and strangest witches the Boiling Isles had ever seen.
The two most notable ones being The Owl Lady, a covenless witch that was once the strongest witch alive. Advanced in wild magic and sharing a half-curse with her sister, also known as the former Emperor’s Coven leader. Until her magic died out. Though there are rumors she is finding a way to regain it.
And then there was her apprentice.
A human girl who appeared out of nowhere and learned her own form of magic. In just a single month she had been banned from Hexside School of Magic and Demonics, somehow managed to enroll in said school, convinced the principal to let students study multiple tracks, befriended the Bat Queen, defeated Grometheus, and fought Emperor Belos himself. And she survived.
To the rest of the Boiling Isles, Bonesborough was a battleground of the strangest people with even stranger stories.
To Bonesborough, however, it was any other morning with the residents of The Owl House. And their most common troublemaker the past few years; The Owlet.
“Owlet, that better not be you.”
Slowly, very slowly, a black and white owl mask poked up on the other end of the stand.
“Hey,” The Owlet waved shyly, slowly pulling her purple hood off.
“Owlet, no.” The greengrocer warned, grabbing her produce at the edge of the stand and pulling it closer today.
“Please?” The Owlet begged, her mask's eyes going as big in her puppy-dog look that everyone knew Eda must have taught her.
“No, bad Owlet.” The greengrocer teased, lightly swatting at the thief's hand as she tried to reach for the vegetables. “Go steal from someone else. Or, you know, pay?”
“But I’m saving!” The Owlet whined. “You see, I had an idea--
“I hate to sound rude but I frankly don’t want to know or be involved with whatever idea you’ve concocted.” The greengrocer butt-in. “I have a business to keep.”
The Owlet whimpered and dramatically lay her chin on the table, staring longing at the vegetables. The greengrocer looked between her produce and the girl for a few moments before sighing and shaking her head.
“If you really need to steal something,” She said slowly, noticing the way the Owlet perked up. “I know of a certain someone who can definitely afford it…”
“Stealing from the rich? Even better!” The Owlet exclaimed, jumping up excitedly. “Where do I find them?”
The greengrocer, surprised and mildly amused, pointed further down the marketplace.
“He sells somewhere down there, closer to the richer side of town. He’s got a big banner that’s cluttered with saying how ‘fresh’ and ‘organic’ his produce is.” The greengrocer huffed.
“Normally I wouldn’t care so much, but the guy literally uses magic to grow his produce and only makes his son do it on the side. I’m not exactly worried about his financial status.” She grumbled.
“Well then, I will be delighted to be of help.” The Owlet grinned, pulling her white staff off of her back. “Thanks for the tip!”
“Now you be careful out there, young lady!” The greengrocer warned as the Owlet rose into the air. “You’re still just an Owlet!”
“Pfft, since when did that ever stop me?” The Owlet replied.
She saluted the greengrocer before flying off, vanishing among the growing morning crowd.
The countdown for morning shenanigans had begun.
“Miss Blight?”
“Owlet again?”
“Yes, Miss Blight.”
Amity sighed and rubbed at her temples from where she sat at her desk.
“What did she do this time?”
“Stolen produce,” The guard said. “We have her bound as we speak.”
“Is that Amity in there?” A voice called from outside the tent.
“Think you can handle her this time?” The guard asked, a smug tone in his voice.
“And what’s that supposed to mean, Keene?” Amity demanded, a little too quickly, as she stood up from her desk.
“Nothing, Miss Blight.” The guard said simply, turning his head to the side. “Good luck trying to wrangle her.”
“Thank you,” Amity growled through gritted teeth, grabbing her gray beaked mask from where it hung on the wall and slipped out of the tent.
“Amity!” Owlet grinned.
The thief had her wrists bound together with rope and was being led from said rope by one of the newer guards.
Poor guy.
“I’ve taken all of her glyphs, Miss Blight!” The young guard said happily, waving around a handful of paper cards with glee.
“Good job, Laris.” Amity sighed, knowing very well there was no way he had gotten all of her glyphs.
“Where’s her palisman?” She asked, walking up to Owlet and looking down at her, pulling her best ‘Really?’ face.
“Over here, Miss Blight.” One of the other guards said, holding up Owlet’s staff...with no palisman on the end.
“That’s a staff without a palisman, Xena.” Amity deadpanned.
“What? Where--?” The guard, Xena, began looking around frantically for the snow-white owl, who had somehow escaped her grasp.
“Where’s Snowy, Luz?” Amity sighed, turning back to the Owlet, who was looking very smug.
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” The Owlet said smugly. “I’m not talking. You’ll have to torture it out of me.”
“I can arrange that!” Xena called gleefully from where she was still searching for the palisman.
“No! No, Xena, we are not doing that.” Amity said sternly.
“Aw,” Xena mumbled.
“Titan save me,” Amity mumbled. “Look, why were you stealing produce?” Amity turned back to the Owlet. “I know why you stole from that guy, but vegetables? Can’t Eda steal her own?”
“Pfft, and let me miss out on all the fun?” The Owlet grinned. “And I’m saving.”
“...is this seriously about the glyph tattoos?”
“Yeah,”
“Oh for the love of--” Amity pinched the bridge of her nose, remembering just where she was and who was watching. Best to not reveal more to a whole squadron of Emperor’s Coven guards.
“You’re impossible,” She grumbled.
“I know,” The Owlet smiled. “Anyway, it was nice chatting with you, and especially you,” She nodded to Laris. “But Lilith’s gonna be mad again if news of my capture makes the news. Again.”
“Hey, you’re not going--”
“Laris!” Keene shouted. “Duck!”
The new guard only froze up before a screech sounded from above. The Emperor’s guards all looked up just in time to see a large snow-white owl swoop down.
It knocked right into Laris’ head, almost knocking off his beaked mask as Amity wisely took a few startled steps back.
With Laris’ hold on the Owlet's bindings loosened, she managed to jerk out of his hold. She dug both her tied wrists into her cloak and revealed a hidden pocket within the cape itself and drew a fire glyph.
“Get her!” Xena shouted as Amity pulled on her mask, becoming invisible among the swarm of guards as she moved further to the back.
She’d tried ‘fighting’ the Owlet before, and it did not end well.
The Owlet only smiled and tapped the glyph, burning the restraints off her wrists and sliding out of the way of a guard lunging for her.
The Owlet darted through the crowd of guards, leaping and kicking a few to get momentum to where Laris was frantically trying to gather up all the stolen glyphs he’d dropped.
“Thanks for holding these,” The Owlet grinned, causing him to jerk his head upwards.
The white owl swooped down again, shrieking as it kicked and clawed at Laris’ mask, making him yelp and stumble back.
Owlet ducked to the side as a guard threw a spear that impaled through one of her plant glyphs.
“Hey, rude!” The Owlet snapped, grabbing multiple glyphs off the ground. “Now I can’t use that one.” She complained before grabbing a new plant glyph and tossing it at one of the guards.
It lit up upon impact and a massive vine exploded from their forehead, reaching out and entangling many of the other guards.
“C’mon now, don’t be shy.” The Owlet said, stepping back and scooping up more glyphs in her other hand and spreading them both out like fans, showing what she had to the guards.
“Who wants to go next?”
“Ten snails say that she’s late again.”
“She is not going to be late again.”
Among the many other things the residents of Bonesborough dealt with were certain...thrill-seekers. Namely kids who had discovered the newest hiding spot of the Owl House and tried to have a little fun. Which ranged from waiting to see if they could catch a glimpse of one of the residents or trying to break in. Yes, that happened.
Twice.
The Owl House may have gotten a new hiding spot every month, but it was never overly far from Bonesborough. And Hooty did his job well.
During break-ins, that is.
“Jorah, I’m telling you, Owlet is definitely going to be late. My uncle said she got caught by the Emperor’s Coven again.”
“I’m not giving up my snails that easily!” The boy snapped, glaring at his other three friends. “I still have three minutes left.”
“You stubborn idiot,” One of his friends shook her head.
“Frances, I dare you to go talk to the tube bird.” A second girl grinned.
“I am not doing that.” Frances shook her head. “First of all, I’ll be caught. Second of all, that thing terrifies me.”
“Then why did you come?” Jorah raised a brow.
“Because you guys would bully me if I didn’t,” She grumbled.
“She’s not wrong,” The fourth kid shrugged.
“It’s just because you’re a wimp.” The second girl taunted.
“Would it kill you both to shut up?”
There was a snap and a thump from far off in the trees, and all four kids went quiet. They ducked down in the bushes that were only a few meters from the house.
Frances slowly stuck her head between the bushes and looked around.
Mere moments later, a figure flew out from the trees and crashed to the ground in front of the Owl House, groaning as her staff clattered onto the front porch.
“Hi, Luz!” Hooty greeted.
“Am I late?” The Owlet worried, taking off her needless mask and hanging it around her neck.
“Hmmm, nope! You got here with a minute to spare.” Hooty said cheerfully.
“I’ll take it,” Luz sighed with relief. “Sorry, Snowy.” She apologized to her palisman, picking up her staff and stroking the birds head.
Snowy chirped and turned her head away grumpily, but didn’t refuse the pets.
“I WIN!” Jorah cheered before slapping his hands back over his mouth.
Luz whirled around, staff raised and body tense as Frances darted back into the bush as her, and everyone else, gave Jorah furious glares and terrified looks.
“Who’s there?” Luz demanded, raising her staff.
“Some kids were betting in the bushes,” Hooty said, head coming out of the door slightly. “They thought you were going to be late again.”
“Oh,” Luz instantly relaxed, looking mildly annoyed at the worst. “Well, since they’re game is over and I’ve got a certain someone who’s going to be visiting and berating me soon, do you mind escorting them off?” She asked the door bird.
“Would I?” Hooty said excitedly.
“No, no! We’ll leave, we’ll leave!” Frances shouted, quickly getting up and already backing away.
“Too late!” Hooty chirped before extending his neck straight-on towards the kids.
They screamed and began bolting back through the woods, Hooty talking gleefully all the way.
“Sorry, kids,” Luz winced, a tad regretful as she placed Snowy back on her staff. She then opened the front door and stepped inside.
“You’re late,”
Luz sighed and looked towards the couch, where Lilith was ‘casually’ having a cup of tea.
“No, I’m not. I had one minute to spare. Could you not hear Hooty?” Luz said, hanging her mask on a hook by the door and resting her staff next to it.
“It was a very close call.” Lilith said simply. “You left, what, over three hours ago? You only went to get vegetables and spoons.”
“...well I got the spoons,” Luz said, sheepishly pulling out a handful of silver spoons from a pocket in her cape.
“Good enough for me!”
King scampered into the living room and climbed up Luz’s leg to snatch the spoons from her hand. She didn’t bother to react or stop him as he dropped back to the ground and hurried into the kitchen.
“Nice to see you still alive, kid,” Eda greeted much more casually as she poked her head in. “No vegetables, though?”
“Sorry, you’ll have to get them yourself.” Luz apologized. “I kinda...maybe…” She glanced at Lilith and weighed her options for a moment. “...got caught by the Emperor’s Coven.”
“Again?” Eda and Lilith accused.
“They got the jump on me!” Luz defended. “Besides, it was only Amity’s group again. Nothing to be worried about.”
“Kid, at this point, I’m convinced you want to be caught just to bug Amity,” Eda snickered, shaking her head.
“Well, it’s not true all the time…”
“You both are ridiculous,” Lilith shook her head. “Eda, you need better control over your apprentice.”
“Says you,” Eda rolled her eyes. “In case you haven’t noticed, not every kid is like Amity.”
The front door slammed open, startling the inhabitants as they whirled around. Even King poked his head out of the kitchen.
A rather grumpy Amity stood in the doorway, mask pushed up on her head. She hadn’t even bothered to change.
“Speak of the devil,” Eda muttered.
“Hey, Amity,” Luz waved shyly.
“Again with the glyph tattoos?” She demanded, shutting the door.
“You’re still on about those?” Lilith blinked.
“They could be useful!” Luz insisted, sitting on the couch, opposite of Lilith. “I may have a lot of pockets and places I can stash glyphs, but the tattoo glyphs could be useful! Especially with the stronger ones.”
“We don’t know what something like that is gonna do to you, kid.” Eda shook her head. “This type of magic hasn’t been used in forever, it’s unlikely you could use magic with those glyphs without causing harm.”
“We don’t know that,” Luz said, scooting further into the corner as Amity exhaustedly sat on the couch between her and Lilith. “It could end up being really useful! And if it ends up being a bad idea, I can get a tattoo over it to cancel out the glyph.”
“You're barely seventeen, Luz. It’s illegal.” Amity pointed out.
“Since when has that ever stopped me?” Luz raised a brow. “And can’t I get them with permission from Eda? Or is that just a human realm thing?”
“How much have you saved for one already?” Eda asked.
“Almost two hundred,” Luz said proudly. “I wanted to try and get a less-dangerous spell first. Like a fire or a whirlwind glyph.”
“A fire glyph?” Lilith exclaimed.
“Would you rather I have a glyph that will shoot a spike of ice from my skin?” Luz raised a brow.
“Luz, for Titans sake, my parents are rich ,” Amity groaned, running a hand down her face. “I can pay for any of your tattoos you don’t have to excessively steal while you save.”
“It’s your parents who are rich, Amity. Not you,” Luz reminded. “I’m not forcing you to talk to them for snails for my sake. What kind of degenerate asks her girlfriend's parents for snails to get tattoos?”
“First of all, you’re not forcing me.” Amity raised a hand. “Second of all, I meant I would ask Ed and Em to be the ones to ask for the money. I promised I’d never speak to my parents again, and I’m upholding that.”
“Too bad, I’m paying for this myself.” Luz crossed her arms and turned on the couch so she was leaning against the armrest and lay her legs across Amity’s lap. “So take that, Miss Blight.”
“Shush,” Amity grumbled, cheeks pink as she glanced away.
“Hmm,” Eda thought, leaning on the other side of the couch armrest. “I guess a small one wouldn’t hurt…”
“You can’t be serious?” Lilith demanded. “You’re allowing this?”
“My kid, my rules.” Eda said, giving her sister a righteous look. “It’ll only be a small one, anyway. See how it goes before we try more.”
“You’re the best!” Luz grinned, reaching behind her to grasp at Eda, who stepped out of range.
“I know I am,” Eda said proudly.
“Amity, you’ve dated into a family of morons.” Lilith deadpanned, looking towards her apprentice and taking a sip of her tea.
“You’re part of the family, too.” Eda pointed out.
“Suffer with the rest of us, you fiend!” King called, trotting in from the kitchen and climbing up onto the couch to flop on Luz’s stomach, making her wheeze at the sudden weight.
“I regret a lot of my life choices, but especially the one that led me to this moment.” Lilith grumbled.
“Then maybe you shouldn’t have cursed me when I was sleeping, huh?” Eda sneered.
“I don’t think that cemented it in--”
“Irrelevant,”
Luz, Amity and King all silently watched the women continue bantering for a few minutes before they all looked at each other with faces that said ‘well this isn’t going to end soon.’
“Anyway,” Luz sat up more and picked King up to place him on the couch head. “I told Gus I’d be meeting him at the library for more studying. He said he found some old human relics that could be enchanted.”
“Actual enchantments this time, or alleged enchantments?” King raised a brow.
“Actual enchantments, King.” Luz said, swinging her feet off Amity and getting up.
“I’ll come with,” Amity said, quickly getting to her feet as well. “Since you’re going to be using my hiding spot, as per usual.”
“Excuse you, I think the correct term is our hiding spot.” Luz teased, kissing her cheek. “But don’t you have to send in a report later?”
“Keene can take care of it,” Amity waved her hand like it was no big deal. “You’re more important.”
“Aww, you’re so sweet,” Luz teased, laying her head on Amity’s shoulder.
“Hey, flirting teenagers, could you not do this in the middle of our argument?” Eda snapped her fingers, getting the girls attention. “I’m about to win it.”
“No you are not! I am making reasonable points!” Lilith insisted.
“You’re not even arguing about the curse anymore!” King threw his small paws in the air. “You're just bringing up mild annoyances that happened last week!”
“Your point?”
Luz rolled her eyes before turning and smiling to Amity. She returned her look of smothered amusement.
“Let’s hurry before they start getting into a glyph-fight,” Luz said, grabbing the witch's hand and hurrying to the door, making sure to grab her mask and staff along the way.
“You do know that people recognize you more with the mask than without it, right?” Amity asked, flipping her own mask down.
“I know, but I think it looks cool.” Luz shrugged, bringing up her hood. “Last one to the library has to clean Hooty!” She shouted before throwing open the door and racing out.
“Wha--not fair!” Amity shouted, tearing after the Owlet as she raised her staff and flew into the air, laughing all the way.
Amity summoned her own snake staff from the air beside her and leapt onto it. But by then, the Owlet was already gone, having raced through the trees and into the town.
And aside from the occasional on-looker, nobody batted an eye.
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pigeontheoneandonly · 3 years
Note
For your WIP list: Childhood Friends AU and Collateral Damage?
Thank you!!
Childhood Friends AU answered here.
Collateral Damage is a one-shot fic about Nathaly’s first real deployment after training, on a planet called Aonia, which was mutually claimed by both the Alliance and the Hegemony.  Their two colonies were separated by an open battlefield, and locked in a stalemate.  (Laine is her C.O., which is how they got to know each other well, though they met in N1.) 
Shepard, who is still enlisted at this point, but working her way towards being admitted to OCS, eventually comes up with an idea to break the stalemate, based on exploiting a tactic the batarians have used to great effect on other battlefronts.  The Alliance is victorious, and are in the process of mopping up batarians, when the batarians learn who orchestrated their demise-- and that it was a lowly corporal.  Furious, they decide to take revenge.
The story is told after the fact, as Shepard relays it to Anderson.  It came out of a challenge to write a story backwards, and became a key part of her backstory.
(It’s also how Nathaly caused Laine to lose his leg, if you remember that little anecdote from one of the early flashbacks in Labyrinth-- he got hit by a grenade during the action, and he playfully blames her because it was her idea.)
Excerpt:
Shepard plunked the cigarette between her lips.  Her lighter flared against the twilight.  She inhaled, to convince the flame to catch, and blew out smoke.  “Where the hell is Cheng?”
Private Brill scratched under the neck of his hardsuit.  “Only thing less likely than us getting daylight patrols again is Cheng strutting out on schedule.”
The fourth member of their squad, Kozlow, snorted a laugh and stubbed out his own cigarette, grinding it into the Aonian dust.  The trees carpeting the Relagris river valley undulated in the light breeze. The wind was welcome; local high summer at this latitude usually meant steaming flat days that left even the water too hot to offer any relief.  Body armor only made it worse.
Shepard took another drag.  “Last time we had a daylight, three guys got shipped back to Arcturus with missing bits. The colony brass may be thick but they’d never be that stupid.”
“Never say never. You are talking about the guys who backed the L.T.’s crazy-ass plan to get at the batarian base.”  Brill paused.  “I’ll grant you it worked, though I don’t know that Lieutenant Laine’s too happy about sitting tight for a few months growing out the new leg.”
Shepard buried the flinch of guilt, and tapped off the cigarette.  “Cheng had better get her ass in gear.  Bravo Squad left more than ten minutes ago.  If I have to order a hold there’ll be hell to pay.”
Private Cheng emerged breathless from the barracks, slapping together the last pieces of her grenade launcher.  Shepard rolled her eyes.  “If you bothered to oil that thing once in a while, it might not take eons to assemble.”
“Fuck off.”
“I wouldn’t want to encroach on your specialization.”
“At least I’m not some bitch who thinks she’s an officer ‘cause she got some kind of probationary MOS change to N.  They give you little spec ops training wheels with that?”
Shepard regarded her evenly.  “Keep talking, and I’ll show you just how much of an officer I’m not.”
Cheng held her eyes a brief moment, and glanced off.  Shepard drew her rifle.  “This patrol won’t walk itself.  We’re due for rendezvous at Checkpoint Delta by 2100, so let’s move it.”
At approximately 2015, Shepard ordered a halt.  Two months after putting boots on the ground, the navy built a bridge over the river.  Since then, the batarians had blown it up three times.  The bridge was currently in its “intact” phase, and after the beating their main base recently took, Shepard doubted the batarians had the appetite to try again.  But it remained a choke point, albeit one she’d traversed a hundred times, and tonight something about it made her uneasy.
Kozlow’s brow furrowed.  “Shepard, what—”
“Shut up.” She took a few steps forward and raised her gun.  The wrongness was an itch at the back of her neck.  The bridge wasn’t much to look at— a cheap composite span three marines wide, no railing, maybe thirty meters long.  Thick shrubs clustered near the riverbank.  Further back, where they stood, trees rose up, their roots nibbling at the path and the thick march of trunks obscuring line-of-sight.
Cheng hiked her pack up higher on her shoulders and made a sound of exasperation.  “The longer we stand here the more my boots hurt.”
A puddle sat near the edge of the span.  This time of year, the river ran low and sluggish.  She could smell the algae bloom from here.  “Why is the bridge wet?”
Shots exploded out of the bushes on the far bank.  There was a pop as her shields collapsed.  She dove for the trees and plastered her back to a trunk.  A quick scan showed her team likewise positioned, all still standing, returning fire.  Her hand pressed to her ear, activating her comm.  “Alpha squad taking fire by the bridge!  Requesting backup!”
She knew full well this would be over before help arrived.  Shepard snuck a look over her shoulder.  Batarians pounded across the span.  It shook with every step, drumming the water up around their knees.  One slipped.  His comrades leapt over him and kept charging.
She angled her rifle low and let off a stream of shots at knee-height.  There was no aiming, just as many bullets as her weapon could supply, enough to overwhelm their shields and do some damage.  They were outnumbered two-to-one.  “Cheng!”
“Working on it!” The private couldn’t leave cover for even the few seconds it took to set the grenade launcher and light them up.
Another batarian collapsed, a victim of Shepard’s kneecapping.  Her cooling indicator slid towards the red.  She cursed, and switched to targeted shots, quick bursts to avoid overheating and losing the weapon entirely.  A lucky shot to the head took out a third.  Almost at even odds.
Cheng took a breath, swung out of cover, and sunk to one knee to brace herself, bringing the launcher up to her shoulder as she moved.  Even this economy of motion was too slow.  She fell back with a scream, her grenade launching high into the air.
Shepard never saw it explode.  A bag dropped over her head.  She whirled in place, wielding the rifle like a club at anything in range, felt it connect and heard a grunt.  But then other hands had her arms.  Something wet and foul pressed against the bag, over her face.  The fight disappeared, and though she started to fall, she never felt the impact of the ground.
Velvet black. Fuzzy pinpricks of white light. Blink.  Stars.  Sour stench— slime on her face, vomit— and the acrid tang of scorched grass.  Murmuring voices.  Alien. Batarian.  
The urgent realization was a shot of adrenaline.  She blinked again, trying to clear her head, trying to ascertain even a little of what was going on.
She came back to herself flat on her back, in a small clearing she didn’t recognize, with no sense of time at all beyond “later”.  Much later, judging by the darkness.  The bag was gone.  Someone had zip-tied her hands and feet.  Shadows moved in the meager moonlight, none of them paying her any mind at all.  Her translator was useless at these volumes. After eighteen months on this rock, she’d picked up a decent amount Dherak— the Hegemony state language— but not enough to catch much meaning from whispers.  
Somewhere to her left, she heard the low hum of a shuttle.  Her heart’s pounding accelerated.  She wriggled her hands, but found no slack in her bonds.  Shepard could get her feet under her and stand, she was certain of it, but hopping away would never work.  If she could reach her knife…
She rolled onto her side, ignored the nauseous lurch in her stomach, and curled into a ball so her hands could reach her boot.  She could have died of relief when her fingers brushed the haft.  But the position was awkward, trying to grip it with her arms lashed behind her, and she fumbled it into the grass.  Shepard sucked in a breath and wriggled in a circle, searching.
“Stupid bitch,” said a voice from across the clearing, loud enough for her translator to pick up.  Not that she needed it for curses.  Everyone learned those first.
She scrabbled at the ground.  If she could just get her legs free before he reached her—
Her fingers closed around the handle.  She bent backwards, slashing at her bonds, not caring whether she stabbed herself, because that was better than staying here and much better than being packed onto that shuttle.  Footsteps stomping towards her.  The blade stuck in the dirt.  She tried again—
A hand grabbed her wrist, none too gently, and jerked the knife away.  Shepard stared up at him with eyes that could burn holes through steel.  He turned the knife over in his hands.  “Clever. I won’t ask where you hid it.”
She spat at him, but lacked the necessary projection.  It fell on her shoulder.  He chuckled.  “You won’t make a fool of me twice, little girl.  You’ll get what’s coming to you.”
“Moon’s just about set,” said a second batarian.  “We need to move.”
“First things first.”  He shoved her shoulder, hard and without warning, pushing her onto her stomach. Before she could roll any further, his knee crushed into her spine with all his weight behind it.  The air went out of her.  She couldn’t move.
“Fuck you,” she wheezed.
That he ignored. His burly hand gripped the back of her head, holding it still.  “Can’t have your pesky Alliance tracking you.”
She felt cold steel press against her ear and had barely a moment to comprehend what was about to happen before he began to cut.  Her body bucked with all its might, as much a reaction to the searing fire engulfing the right side of her head as a fight for survival.  He grunted his irritation and increased his grip.  “Blame your navy for wiring you with an internal comm.”
Blood spilled down her face, filling her mouth with hot iron.  She made a second, feebler attempt to throw him off.  
This time, he lifted her head by her scalp and slammed it full force into the ground. Her nose splattered.  An odd ringing filled her head, and she found she couldn’t focus her eyes, or string even half a thought together.
“Stop squirming,” he said.
She lay still, too dazed to offer even a curse, as he resumed his work.  At some point she blacked out, and the second time she came around, she was bundled on the floor of the shuttle, staring at batarian legs.
They’d wrapped wire about her, an improvised rope to prevent all but the smallest movements. She took some grudging pride in that. Her ear and nose still hurt terribly, but that had gone on awhile now, and she found she could think past it.  A similar, less urgent pain in her forearm suggested they took her omni-tool as well.  And she was dressed in only her thin undersuit.  Her hardsuit, and its biomonitoring suite that was perhaps her last hope of being quickly located, was nowhere to be seen.
The same batarian spoke a few sentences, to general laughter.  She caught maybe a third of it, her translator gone with the rest— something about a woman, her, and something about not being dead.  
Shepard concentrated on counting her breaths.  Once they got wherever they were going, when they had to move her again, she’d find an opportunity.  She just had to hold together until then.
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ask-anti-cosmo · 3 years
Text
The return of Anti-Cosmo part 2
Part 1
Anti-cosmo stayed in the suite, knowing you had to come back sometime, especially since you told him you were a day out to land. You dreaded coming back to your room but found him on the computer on a social media site.
“Is there a Anti-fairy Facebook page?” you asked sarcastically.
“Anti-Fairies, as well as Fairies, are very well connected believe it or not. You just need to know the right sites to look for. And even then, only magical beings can use it, if you’re mortal you only see a blank page.” He explained, not looking up at you. “Won’t be long now.”
“Won’t be long till what?” you frowned.
“Till my wand comes to me. My subordinates are going to help bring it back here, by magic or whatever means it takes.”
“Where were your subordinates when you were in the safe?” you folded your arms.
“I go off on my own a lot, they probably assumed I was following a chosen victim.” He shrugged and turned away from the screen for a minute to face you.
“Is that how you got in that safe in the first place?” you asked expectantly.
His eye twitches slightly. “Hunting requires risk, surely you know that. They had just set up an…elaborate trap I was completely unprepared for. A descendant from one of my victims. One of the only victims I left alive. No matter, I won’t make the same mistake.” He insisted with dignity.
“Why did you let them live in the first place?” you asked curiously.
He sat quietly before picking up a pencil and started doodling on a nearby notebook. He drew a young girl with ringlets and a frilly dress. She looked almost like a sweet porcelain doll.
“My perfect little Doll…in her perfect little dollhouse...” he said fondly.
“Why did she need your help if she was perfect?” you frowned.
“Her family was so painfully flawed, she was trying to save them from their own stupid actions.” He explained. “Then one day, she decided she was done cleaning up after them, left to make her own perfect house, and sent me away. Most of the time my victims call me back, whether conscious or in their hearts, but she never did. The last I saw her was at a ball she threw. I had a lovely time.” He said, looking at the pictures longingly before starting to sketch another woman.
“Who’s that?”
“She was my date to that ball…” he sighed. “I actually might have fallen in love with her…alas, she was human and it didn’t last. I probably could have granted her my immortality but…” he sighed and set down the pencil. He glanced at the computer screen, looking for a response or message for him.
“But…?” you asked expectantly.
He sighed at your persistence, but smiled. “She slit her wrists one night. Humans have such limited mental capacities, and Misfortune follows in my wake. It was probably inevitable.”
“You couldn’t bring her back with magic?” you asked curiously.
“I am not so cruel, I let the dead stay dead. After all, there are plenty of living to choose from.” He shrugged.
He stayed by the computer for the rest of the trip to the harbor. You found a trench coat to wear that you cut the bottom off to fit him better, and hide the fact that he wasn’t wearing pants. You felt he was your responsibility and lead him to your penthouse in the busy metropolis.
“My my my, not such a fancy pants that you own your own place eh? Just a simple flat?” he teased.
“It’s the best you can get in such a place jack*beep*.” You glared. “Besides it’s not my only one, and I do have a house, just not here.”
“Boring.” He rolled his eyes and checked the phone you gave him to monitor his messages. So far there was still nothing, making him huff.
“Alright now, what is there to do around here?” he asked carelessly.
“Why don’t you go check out my closet? You’d look lovely in one of my ball gowns.” You smirked as you greeted your cat.
Anti-Cosmo rose an eyebrow. “You’re just jealous cause I probably would.” He mumbled. “I doubt you have my color.”
“Why don’t you tell me more about yourself. Like, what’s with the Anti in front of everything?”
“We are Anti-Fairy dear, we are the equal and opposite forces of the regular fairies. Spelling our names backwards to prove that doesn’t always work. For some it does, but it’s often just easier to say Anti.” He stated simply.
“What, so there’s a regular fairy version of you?”
Anti-cosmo cringed slightly. “He’s an absolute idiot. A goodie goodie nuisance to all he meets. I want nothing to do with him.”
“So if you’re opposites, and you’re the annoying one…” you smirked as he shot you a glare. “Also, if you’re an all powerful magical being, why do you need to drink human blood?”
“Mostly to prevent a magic crash.” He shrugged.
“A what?” you frowned.
“Oh dear, do I need to explain what a crash is?” he sighed.
“No I know how drugs work.”
“Not those kind of drugs!” he insisted with annoyance. “I told you I am full of magic in my veins, correct? So are Fairies. Only they can only let so much build up before exploding. So it’s just called ‘magical build up’. They use the wands and become godparents to help expel the magic as well as do, what they hope is good, by making children happy.” He said with disgust.
“And you what? Use your build-up for evil?”
“Have you not been listening? I am the equal and complete opposite power that is my fairy counterpart! Meaning, my magic regenerates when used, but it is usually at max capacity, that’s normal for an anti-fairy. That being said, when I cast a spell, it takes longer to build back up. If I use too much magic, I will run out, causing a magical crash.”
“Do you explode from mortality?” you teased.
“No.” he huffed then stayed quiet for a minute. “…I implode. It is reversible so it’s not possibly to kill us that way.”
“And you drinking blood comes into play where?”
“I’ve discovered that nothing makes ones magic regenerate faster than human blood.” He licked his lips. “ESEPCIALLY the blood of the misfortunate. Just the thought of meeting a poor soul who’s never succeeded in anything makes my mouth water! Anyways, I always use magic, for everything, so it’s convenient to have a blood supply nearby. However I doubt you’ll have the same effect, so after I get my wand back I will be bidding you a fond farewell.”
“Sounds just fine to me.” You huffed.
“So, what to do till then?” Anti-Cosmo said thoughtfully. “Go to a rave? Go night shopping? Hunt for ghosts in the park~?” he smirked and waved his fingers at you.
“How about sleep? It’s been a long exciting day and I’m exhausted.” You huffed and started getting ready for bed.
“Oh, you can sleep when you’re dead!” he whined and pulled at your sleeve.
“Why don’t you get back online and catch up on the past 15 years worth of memes?” you said and got into bed.
“Oh please, nothing could be funnier than the troll faces that say “u mad?”” he waved his hand at you.
“Oh buddy, you’ve got a lot to learn.” You smirked and went to sleep.
He stared at your sleeping form, his eyes gleaming mischievously. “Soon my sweet…so I will have my way with you, you lovely immortal thing~” He licked his lips. He then checked for messages for his lackies and found nothing. “*BEEP*.” He pouted.
In the morning, you laid on your back and Anti-Cosmo was flouting above you. You frowned at the sight of his face and turned over. “Its bad enough I’ve had to deal with you till late last night, but now you have to flout over me while I’m asleep like a creeper?” you huffed.
“What can I say? You enchant me.” He said and started walking his fingers up your back. You shivered and swatted his hand away.
“Still nothing from your people?” you asked and sat up
He sighed and leaned back. “No…which is really odd.”
“Maybe you can try again? Post something else?”
“That would make me look whiny and desperate, then more of them would be less inclined to help me.” He huffed. “Besides, I’d much rather wait and possibly get some breakfast.” He said, looking at you hungrily.
“Oh for crying out…don’t even think about it!” you glared and got up. “You want blood, you’ve got to go to the fridge for a bloodbag.” You said as you walked to the closet.
“People healthy enough to donate blood rarely have enough misfortune to satisfy me.” He pouted.
“Boo hoo, you’ll have to have your cocktails AIDS-free then.” You rolled your eyes. “And if that’s the case, my blood would be nowhere near satisfying.”
“You think living eternally alone is a blessing?” he asked with his eyebrows raised. This did stop you in your tracks.
He drifted towards you, suddenly shrinking down and sitting on your shoulder. “Come on now, you got to taste my blood! I’ve never had Vampire blood before, I’m curious!” he urged.
You hesitated dispute knowing you’d get no benefit from this exchange, as well as you know darn well you owed him nothing. Before you could decide however, a ding came from the phone on the bedside.
Anti-Cosmo zoomed to it, growing to his original size as he snatched it up and read the notification. His mouth grew to a twisted grin, his eyes shimmering with joy.
“Ah, Anti-Juandissimo, you never fail me dear friend.” He smirked.
He suddenly stood up and held up his hand. A black wand with a star at the end appeared in his blue skinned hand. His face broke into a villainous grin as he spun it around and gave it a wave. Magic erupted from it and made his old clothes appear on his body, but they were new and pristine. His monocle returned, dangling from his earlobe before swinging up to it’s place over his eye. Small silver jewelry were placed on his clothes, ear, and wing. Lastly a bowler hat flouted above his hair.
He sighed with relief and stretched slightly. “Yes…perfect. I feel whole again~”
“You look like a Magical girl transforming.” You chuckled.
He looked back at you before waving his wand at you. Suddenly, there was a flash of light, smoke surrounded you, and your clothes changed into a vampire themed Magical girl outfit. Short skirt, a cape, even little bat wings on your head. Your costume was also adorned in silver jewelry and mirrored Anti-Cosmo’s black and blue.
“There, now we match.” He smirked.
You tried to pull the skirt down to cover your legs. “What the *Beep*?!” you yelled at him.
“What? You look cute~ oh yes, I have a wish to grant, be right back.” He grinned and vanished.
You huffed in irritation and immediately started stripping the cutesie outfit off. “What an *beep*!” you whispered angrily. “I thought he was awful before the wand…”
Part 3
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