정우야 Ep11 Choco Milk Shake 초코밀크쉐이크

Billy loomis x reader where she’s a very introverted person and it kind of messes up his plans at the party that night everything went down

i tend to write billy a very specific way, which is why i haven't written very much for him, but i hope you enjoy this! he's very interesting to write for! mayb in the future i'll do a story and touch on his mind more, we'll see

BILLY LOOMIS with a F! S/O who is very introverted

“Dude, when’s she gettin’ outta here?” Stu whisper-yelled at Billy, jerking his thumb over in your direction. “We gotta get a move on and you said she’d be gone by now?”

“I know, I know,” Billy sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He knew bringing you along to the party would make his plans with Stu far more complicated than necessary, but it would look bad showing up without you. He cared about you - shockingly, after all he wasn’t exactly fond of most people - and he didn’t want you getting roped into his shit.

He wanted you to go home with some group of girls who left earlier but you had been too terrified to ask them for a ride. So, there you sat in the kitchen, sipping on a vodka lemonade without a care in the world, blissfully oblivious to your boyfriend’s plot to murder.

Billy sighed, turning his head to look at Stu. The two were sat on a couch as Randy talked about some horror movie to the remain few guests. Of course, soon word would reach them about their dead principal and Billy had no doubt they’d take off to go see. This had all been planned meticulously for months in advance.

He knew it wasn’t your fault for screwing it up. You didn’t know, that was the whole point. Problem was how to get you out. “Is Tatum still… around?” Billy asked Stu with a hard look.

Stu blinked once. Twice. “Dude I told you, I didn’t want anything happenin’ to her.” His voice was low. “If you want her gone, dude, that’s on y-“

“No, no, I mean,” Billy huffed, “if she’s still here, maybe she can take my girl home. Two birds, one stone, ya feel?”

Realization dawned on Stu’s face. “Oh, yeah, I getcha! I’ll go find her.” He stood with a dramatic flair, attracting Randy’s attention. “I’ll be right back~” He said, walking backwards towards the stairs, earning laughs from the people around the couch.

Billy just smirked to himself and focused on his red solo cup. Coca Cola wasn’t his favorite but he needed to blend in. As he took a drink, you slipped into Stu’s place. Dark eyes followed your movement as you snuggled closer. “You okay?” He asked softly.

Now, very few people knew Billy beneath his surface level. His real thoughts and feelings. Stu knew more than most people but no one had ever seen him completely. It made him feel safer. Like his disguise was working. Dating Sydney had been a welcome distraction, another piece of his plan perfectly in place. So her dumping him hadn’t been expected.

Finding you wasn’t either. But he was attracted to something about you. Something in his gut that told him he might be able to trust you with his darkness. Let you in on his and Stu’s work one day, when you could all look back on tonight as just a faint memory.

Not now though. Right now, he needed to protect you.

While he’d planned on killing Tatum for a nice, clean finish, Stu had been resistant to the idea. Your very presence may have just spared her from any involvement. Stu liked her and didn’t want to hurt her but, unlike Billy, he was aware he might have to cut his losses.

Your introverted nature may have given Tatum a chance to walk away.

“You okay, doll?” Billy asked you softly, curling an arm around your shoulder.

You slid more into his side, scrunching your face up slightly. “I’m… not a big party person.”

He chuckled, a warm sound he had practiced. “I know. It’s why I’m glad you came with me. I- I know its really outta your comfort zone, but I appreciate you coming with me.” Billy kissed the top of your head, resting his chin there. “Next date, you can pick.”

A soft giggle from you made him smirk. “Is this a date?” You teased, tracing odd patterns on his jeans. “Odd date for an odd guy, hm?”

Oh, if only you knew.

Stu smacked his hands down on the back of the leather couch, making you jump and making Billy shoot him an annoyed look. “Hey, uh, Billy?” Stu bit at his lip nervously, Tatum looking clearly worried over his shoulder. "Sydney's upstairs getting sick in the bathroom."

Billy frowned, scanning Stu's face and noting the ghost of a smile there. While he'd broken up with Sydney weeks ago, they still needed her for the final act. So they'd slipped her something that'd make her throw up but not do any real damage to her. A last minute adjustment to the plan but, sometimes, Stu had good ideas.

Quickly, Billy put on a face of alarm. "Oh shit, did something happen?

Stu shrugged. "Hard to say. Think she might need some help."

Tatum gagged lightly. "I love Syd, but no way. That's gross. I just wanna go home."

"Aww, not stayin' the night?" Stu teased, wrapping an arm around her waist. He kissed her temple as she looked at you.

You and Tatum got along fairly well. Being girlfriends of two best friends meant you two would have an easier time getting along versus hating each other. Besides, Tatum knew it wasn't your fault Syd was paranoid and broke up with Billy.

"Would you mind driving her home for me, Tatum?" Billy asked softly, brushing hair back behind your ear. "I should make sure Syd gets home alright and I don't wanna leave you here alone." Billy kissed your forehead softly.

You frowned slightly. "Are you sure? I don't mind helping."

Billy smiled at you, his perfectly practiced smile reassuring you. "I'm sure. I was gonna leave anyways. How 'bout I head over to your place after I help out Syd?" He asked, a smirk growing on his face.

You blushed as Stu giggled obnoxiously, him and Tatum gagging over the two of you. As if they weren't the king and queen of disgusting couples things.

Tatum took your arm and dragged you off the couch and towards the door. "You better make sure Syd gets home safe." She pointed a delicately painted nail at Billy and Stu.

Billy held up his hands placatingly. "So long as you get my girl home safe. Deal?"

Stu laughed and Tatum rolled her eyes, hooking elbows with you as the two of you marched out of the house. You liked Tatum, since she wasn't afraid to speak her mind and always defended you. She, of course, made sure you got home safe and sound. When you'd finally gotten home, you took a quick shower, changed into pajamas, and fell into bed.

You didn't even notice you'd fallen asleep until you woke up to the sun's harsh rays beaming down on your eyes from your bedroom window. A pang of concern came over you when you realized Billy hadn't come over.

Quietly, you padded down the stairs and saw your mother and father's eyes glued to the television. It looked like whatever had their attention had interrupted your dad heading to work and your mom from cooking breakfast. As you stepped closer to ask what was wrong, you heard the newscaster's voice.

"...police confirmed the killer to be Neil Prescott who broke into the house and killed five people - including his daughter Sydney - and then himself. The only two survivors were Billy Loomis and Stu Macher, whom authorities say are currently hospitalized due to injuries."

You stopped listening, adrenaline coursing through you and your heart pounded as you stared at the screen. Oh god, Sydney's dad killed all those people? His own daughter? You bolted for the door, not even bothering to change out of your pajamas as you made your way to your car. The hospital would no doubt be open, you thought as you backed out of the driveway.

All you could think of was that you needed to see if Billy was okay.

Fontaine vs Usher

Notes: fluff, short n sweet, pouty 'taine, goofy reader, I added a bit more cause this one wouldn't leave me alone lol.

Fontaine video called while you were puttering around your kitchen cleaning up after your snack, your laptop still at the table open and flickering through playlists.

"Ugh, I had the biggest crush on Usher-- I'm glad he's still doing alright .."

"....Fuck him."

You snorted, pausing in wiping down your counter, "Now, 'Taine..."

"Mhmm, I said it...fuck 'em."

"What did he do to you?!"

"It ain't about what Usher did, it's what he does. He come over here an' call himself serendaing-- he'll be finishing that hook up at them pearly gates...."

You crumbled onto the counter, outdone and incredulous at your man. Fontaine's expression was every bit serious aside from the slight lift of his brow.

"You are terrible, Fontaine, you can't be out here taking out the greats!"

Fontaines face was suddenly up against his camera, "Turn me 'round, lemme see him..."

"You acting like he's here!"

"I said turn me, woman!"

Dutifully doing as you were asked, you held him in the direction of your laptop right when Usher took off his shirt, tossing it into the crowd.

"See? Look at 'em.... whore."

You couldn't stop laughing as Fontaine wished the absolute worst on the singer.

"I hope you roll your ankle the next time you slide up to a lady, you audacious bitch. Aight, I'm done."

Sighing as you wiped away tears, you shook your head once he could see you again, "You're terrible, but I'm lucky to have you."

Fontaine huffed, "Let him breathe in your direction, Imma bust his head down to the white meat."

Lost to your giggles, you went and plopped onto the couch as you reassured your the superstar in your life.

-------

The radio played aimlessly as you waited for your food to come up at the drive thru. Fontaine was watching the flow of traffic in front of him, when his ears perked at the music playing.

"Right in front of me?" He matched your surprised stare with his own, unimpressed one.

You floundered for a minute before tucking it behind an saccharine little grin, reaching and turning the radio up a bit louder.

"Its 9:00 on the dot I'm your green car parked on the street/ you got a real pretty pretty lil' thing that's waiting for yooooou..../ You-you pull up, anticipating good love, I won't keep you waiting/ I got plans to put your haa-aands in places you always see, boy you know what I mee-eean..."

Unbuckling your seatbelt, you threw yourself over Fontaine as much as you could, wriggling your brows as he tried to ignore you and your terrible remix.

"Gonna take me to a place nice and quiet/ so there were no one left to interrupt, ain't got to rush, you just wanna take it niiiice and sloooow..."

When you tried to kiss him, he turned his face away making you crack a bit.

"No, I don' want kisses." He said, petulant.

"Don't kiss you? I can't kiss you now?"

Saying nothing, Fontaine shifted away from you as if he was rolling over in bed and stared moodily out the window.

"Here, lemme sing to you some more, that might help-- NOW TEEEEEELLL ME, DO YOU WANNA GET FREEEAKY?"

He jumped at the sudden volume of your voice and you slapped a hand on the center of his back, sliding it every which-way as you babbled through the next few rhymes.

Giving your best show, you unzipped your hoodie and rolled your body in the passenger seat. The ruckus of it all making him turn to face you with surprise.

"What... in the Pretty Ricky is happenin' right now?"

"I'm serenading you! We can be each others Usher--

The window finally spun open and your carry out was provided. Fontaine hurried to grab the bags after handing you the drinks.

"I don't wanna be no damn Usher, girl, you lost yo' mind--can I get some straws, please?"

"They call you F-O-N-T-A-I-N and they need an' E-- now why you laughing like that at me in front of this nice Coney Island lady?"

It wasn't really a question, afterall to get that pout off his face was all you wanted.

Fontaine accepted the straws from the giggling worker and you thanked her before Fontaine pulled off and into the street.

"Yo' lil tail play too much." Fontaine eventually said, shaking his head and putting a hand onto your thigh. He was smiling, though, so at least your show was appreciated.

"Just say the word and I'll play you all the jams. Ooo, y'knowanothergoodone-- I'll be yo' grooupie, babyy, 'cause you are my suuperstah--

"Stop, stop!"

Pausing to cackle for a moment and turn the radio completely off, you went back into show mode much to the mirth of your Fontaine.

before and after

「riddle rosehearts x gn!reader」 ↳ gift for: @shinmon-c !! in which ramshackle dorm’s roof collapses and like a lost little alice, you knock on heartslabyul’s door.

As a feather-like sensation speckled your lashes, you blinked while the crackling sound of splintering wood surrounded your eardrums throughout the space of your bedroom in time with your consciousness regaining from sleep.

“Mm⋯” Stirring in your bed, you pushed your body upwards in congruence with another loud, reverberating crack. Between the interstice of glossy fatigue enshrouding your eyes, you peered upwards and squinted—then the realization struck you. “No way?!”

Planks of moldered wood began cleaving through the roof and descending, galvanizing you into scrambling awake. You hurriedly scooped up Grim into your arms from his spot at your feet, the disgruntled protests spilling from his mouth not nearly as loud as the clamor of the roof collapsing in on itself, and you bolted from your room.

The entire dormitory quivered and clacked, your heavy breaths integrating with its every motion. “What’s happenin’?” Grim spat out tiredly, the vexation from being woken up suddenly thick in his voice as he hopped onto your shoulder.

“Our bedroom roof just caved in.”

It didn’t take long for the Headmaster to arrive afterwards, accessing the damage—and giving you his opinion on the matter. It appeared to be a daunting task to repair, his judgment assigning the dorm unfit for living in.

Without much of a choice, you went digging through what rubble you could manage to lift; the egregious chore leaving you only able to snatch a few belongings between the clefts of wood and stone.

You could hear the Headmaster’s words echoing in your head as you did so: “Aah, how terrible! I didn’t expect it to fall so soon⋯ For now, you’ll have to board with another dormitory until it’s fixed. I’ll make sure to put an expedite on it, how kind of me♪”

And so, with only two bags to your name, you found yourself at Heartslabyul Dormitory explaining the situation to its Housewarden.

“——I’d already put in a request to get it patched up before this happened, but I don’t think he listened.”

Listening with rapt attentiveness to your story, Riddle heaved a sigh as he thought about what you went through. “I wish I could say I was surprised. Your dormitory is still in dreadful condition,” he pinched the bridge of his nose, “and it’s just like the Headmaster to overlook its state.”

“All my cans of tuna are missing under all the rubble,” Grim groused with folded arms, the flickering flames on his ears lit with disappointment.

“That’s why I was hoping you’d allow Grim and I to stay here for a few days,” you implored, knowing Riddle was the only Housewarden who wouldn’t turn you away. “We promise not to get in anyone’s way, Riddle-san. We’ll take a spare room, or even a closet! Anywhere’s fine!”

Upon hearing you mention something as shabby as a closet, Grim piped in with slitted eyes, “I wouldn’t want that!” Then a toothy grin curved on his kittenish countenance. “Let us stay with Ace or Deuce!”

At that request, Riddle felt his shoulders stiffen. You, sleeping in the same room as one of your fellow first-years? You were all a very close quartet⋯ but the idea of you possibly sharing a bed with another boy was enough to twist trepidation inside his gut.

“As if I could allow you to stay with those two,” Riddle started austerely, “you’ll be a distraction for them, and I won’t allow noise past a certain hour.”

You felt your throat tighten, unease rippling down the column of your spine. “Then where could we stay?”

“You can stay with me in my room,” Riddle declared as he looked over at you, the beginnings of dewy tears congregating on your eyes piercing through his heart. “My bed is big enough for more than one person.”

Both you and Grim found your eyes growing wide in perplexity, and Grim shouted, “Us in your room?!”

“No, just [Name]-san. Not you. I can’t possibly have your fur all over my sheets; the amount of cleanliness rules it violates⋯” Riddle trailed off, voice becoming softer as he did so, “You can go with Ace; he should be appropriately accustomed to your dirtiness.”

With half-lidded eyes, Grim leered at Riddle with a nearly blank-looking skepticism, “Sounds to me like you just want [Name] all to yourself.”

A white-hot flush flourished on Riddle’s cheeks, and he averted his gaze as he retorted, “Silence! While you’re in Heartslabyul, don’t think your impertinence will be excused. If you want to stay here, you’re under my rules right now.”

Then a mischievous, cruel simper curled on his thin lips. “And if Ace isn’t suited for you, you can always sleep with the hedgehogs outside.”

Gulp. “A-Ace is fine!”

Riddle couldn’t stave off the airy chortle that flowed from him at Grim’s expected reaction—there’s no way he’d allow Grim to sleep among his hedgehogs, the poor babies would be anxious all night, but he knew mentioning it was the perfect bait to capture Grim with, and it made him happy to tease the feline like that.

But⋯ it wasn’t like Grim was wrong in his earlier assumption. It was childish of him to arrange for you to sleep with him because of the jealousy smoldering hotly in his chest, and yet, still, he wasn’t going to revoke his invitation either.

-

As you entered Riddle’s room, your heart thumping in your ears, you surveyed his room—and it was exactly how you’d always imagined it. A multitude of magical treatises were jammed upon shelf after shelf, a wondrously perfect reflection of his studious nature.

“⋯ What? Don’t space off and stare too much,” Riddle chided you lightly, finding himself self-conscious of your riveted eyes scrutinizing his room. It was the first time you’d ever been in there, of course he’d be embarrassed by your impression of it.

“Ah, sorry! I was just thinking it suited you,” you apologized softly, a smile toying with your lips, “even the bed is as luxurious as a queen’s.” And it was even bigger in size than you thought it’d be—he sleeps on this every night? There’s so much room!

“Well, yes, most beds are bigger than the child’s-sized one at Ramshackle.”

“Y-You’re not wrong⋯”

Before you stepped in farther, Riddle seized your hefty-looking bags from under your fingertips and brought them over to the left side of the room. “We’ll have your bags over here; you’re welcome to place out any belongings you have as you need. I just ask you don’t make a mess,” he said whilst removing a stack of books on the nightstand, placing them back onto his private desk.

“You really don’t need to make any special changes for me, Riddle-san! I’m the one intruding, after all,” you waved your hands in a panic to dismiss his concern and care, feeling overwhelmed by his consideration. “I really do appreciate it, though.”

Shaking his head, Riddle gave you a reassuring, breathtaking smile, “You’re welcome. I want you to be comfortable during your stay here⋯ and with me.”

You didn’t have any doubts you’d be content staying with him. Although, truthfully, you were definitely nervous. Your stomach was a fluttery mess as butterflies swirled around, percolating a sense of embarrassment. And it was simply because you’d be staying in the same room, the same bed, as Riddle.

How could you not be wrought with nerves?

Little did you know, Riddle was ruminating on the very same notion.

⋯⋯ Wasn’t this practice for when you finally lived together?

You just take the words out of my mouth, girl! I was thinking too how this franchise is just dying little by little.

A lot of creators I followed left their blogs 'cause they, of course, didn't find this franchise interesting or worth to work on anymore. And I don't blame them given that the only thing we get nowadays is merch. And merch can be cool, yes! But can we compare it with a games, CD's or even the manga. If this fandom is still alive is thanks to people like you, the fan artist, the fan writers, the oc's blogs still outside there that keep on with their incredible creativity, even better sometimes than Rejet story writers!

I feel a bit sad that all of this is happening. I mean, of course it would happenin someday. But as I discover this fandom really late I feel like I had lost the best moment of life of this!

As you said, DL has still a lot of possibilities to still be alive. And I hope that would be the case! I really hope so.

To end this infinite papyrus, thank you for the hard work on this blog! I enjoy every line you write (your analysis more than everything) 💗

// I felt this so much! I can’t deny that I’m sad seeing people leave or take a break from the fandom but I totally understand the reasons behind their choices. At first, getting merch was exciting, and I loved seeing fresh official art, but now it seems like they're just recycling and releasing too much, which takes away from its appeal and originality. I pre-ordered the Yui acrylic stand that was launched a few days ago, but in all honesty, it looks like something that anyone could make in under two minutes using Picsart, lol. In addition, even with the VAs scandals, I think there are more effective ways to promote the franchise than simply impulsively producing more and more merch, especially if it’s overpriced or kuji (lottery).

Although I feel like I don't feed the fandom as much as I once did, I'm glad to see that there are still few active blogs that are making a difference. I should also acknowledge my gratitude for the ongoing support; comments like this truly encourage me to keep posting. 🥹🫶🏻

haven't posted much and the cupid!dream au is taking so long (six classes in uni is NOT fun) so have some zombie apocalypse au drunznoblade

He pulled the trigger again, awarded by a mere click. Arms braced for a recoil that didn't come. Dream sucked in a breath and dropped to the smooth floor, fumbling in his pockets. "Shit! I'm out!" Another uneventful click, this time not from his gun, but that of his companion's. Techno lowered beside him behind the 'safety' of the register counter, patting his ammo belt desperately. Nothing. "Fuck. Me too…"

"Where's our stash?" The shorter asked, glancing around their tiny area of space. They were thinly protected on the sides and behind them, with the rows of other counters providing a little extra cover. Techno looked down as well until his eyes found the nearest wall with a few doorways to the bathrooms.

He cursed under his breath, "We left it in the damn bathroom, didn't we?"

"Fuck. What do we do!?" Dream whispered. Out of habit, not because he truly thought their 'hiding spot' effective.

"Ya got yer knife on ya, right?" Techno glanced back from peeking over the side. There were still several infected ambling towards them, hissing and groaning. Too many to take on at close range. They'd be overwhelmed in minutes.

Dream jolted as if realizing something he'd forgotten and hurried to retrieve the switchblade in his hoodie pocket. "Yeah?"

"Better hope yer aim is good. We'll pick off the closest ones and book it for the back exit."

"The back exit!? The one that's rigged with an alarm, Techno!?"

"Yes, that one! It's our only route. They're blockin' the entrance."

"That's just gonna attract more-"

"Do ya got a better plan!?"

"Yes, actually! I'm the one that's immune. So, I'll-I'll create a distraction while you-"

"While I what? Leave ya behind?? That's not happenin'!"

"And we can't risk a horde this close to the safe-house!"

They were interrupted by an Infected trying to vault over the counter, succeeding only in getting its arms and head past the top. Dream tensed, dodging the flailing appendages while Techno reeled his arm back and planted his own knife deep in the Infected's skull.

"Aw fuck it!" The dirty blond jumped up and went after the closest walking corpse. A heavier set one, he held it back with his forearm to its chest and stabbed it in the forehead then pushed it towards another, sending both bodies to the floor.

"Dream! Goddammit!" Techno yanked the blade out and rushed to join his friend's side, picking off another that rounded an aisle corner.

"Just run, Techno! Get our stash from the back!"

"And leave ya out here by yerself? Not a chance!"

"Techno, just please, for once, listen to me!" He whirled around to face the taller man. "You need to go and get-" An Infected appeared from behind him, arms outstretched and missing half its face.

"Dream!" Techno tensed, ready to spring forward, but his heart caught in his throat and panic coursed through his veins because it was too close, he'd never make it in time-

Just as Dream twisted and raised his hands to block the attack, an arrow whizzed by and nailed it in the temple. It shrieked and fell to the side, a harmless heap. Dream stared at it for a moment, shocked, and looked back to see Techno shared the sentiment. Another arrow flew and embedded in the head of a limping Infected, right between the eyes.

"Get down!" Techno hissed. They both sought cover behind an aisle, huddled close and struggling to quiet their breathing. The arrows continued to rain until all nearby Infected were on the ground, leaving the air tense and silent.

Footsteps thudded against the smooth tiling, steadily getting closer. Dream unconsciously pressed himself to Techno, teeth clenched, heart pounding.

Finally, a cloaked figure entered their line of vision. Tall, combat boots, empty quiver on their back, and wielding a crossbow. Blond strands hung from beneath their hood. Techno grabbed his hand. Dream squeezed back.

The stranger knelt to yank their arrow free from one of the Infected's cranium. Then, they stood, reaching to slide the arrow in their quiver, and moved to go for the next. "You're welcome, by the way," they spoke, "least y'all could do is say thank you…" Dream's heart stopped. He recognized that voice.

Without thinking, he let go of Techno's hand and darted into the open. Techno's quiet shouting to get back here, idiot! fell on deaf ears.

"Punz?" The figure had already been turning towards the noise, but now froze. Slowly, they pulled their hood down. Light blue eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Dream teared up as well.

"Dream?" They said in utter disbelief, jaw slack.

Dream wasted no time in running to his friend and engulfing them in a tight, warm hug. He clutched his cloak, internally begging that this wasn't all a twisted, elaborate dream. After a moment of hesitation, they fully reciprocated, holding on just as desperately.

"You're alive," Dream murmured, choked up from the tears.

"I'm alive," they whispered back. Dream cried harder, burying his nose in the side of pale blond hair.

"I missed you so fucking much…"

"Missed you too, man."

The dirty blond abruptly pulled back, just enough to look Punz in his eyes. "I tried calling you! When everything first went down, I tried-I tried calling everyone!"

"Yeah, I wasn't really, uh, checking my phone much." They shrugged.

"We went by your house too and you weren't there. God, I thought those things got to you already. I thought-" Dream cupped his face, raking his gaze over every inch of skin as if looking for injuries.

"Aw, c'mon, dude. Have a little faith in me, would ya?" Punz leaned into the too familiar touch that brought a wave of bittersweet memories to the surface.

"I do have faith in you! Doesn't mean I was expecting you to come in with a fucking crossbow like that!" He laughed and Punz joined him. When the pair settled, they merely stared into each other's eyes, basking in the comfort of someone they know.

That is until the sound of very pointed coughing interrupted them. Techno stood before them, brow raised and warily eyeing the new blond. "You know this guy, Dream?"

"Oh, Techno, yeah, sorry. This is Punz!" Dream broke out of the embrace only to hug Punz to his side, gesturing according as he spoke, "I've known them since high school. He's one of my closest friends, actually. Punz, this is Techno. He saved me when the outbreak hit the area and we've been traveling together ever since."

"Hey." Punz waved.

"Hallo." Techno waved back before promptly returning his attention to Dream. "Anyway, we should get goin'. I'm gonna go grab our bag." He then turned on his heel and headed for the bathrooms.

They watched his retreating form and, once he was out of earshot, Punz muttered, "Kinda weird guy."

"Yeah, a little," Dream agreed with a short wheeze. "He's cool when you get to know him though, I promise."

"If you say so…" Punz trailed off. When Dream glanced to him out of curiosity, he found a fond smile and soft baby blue eyes. "I really am so glad to see you. Never thought I'd see someone I recognize in this wasteland."

"You and me both, dude."

So you want to explain the situation before or after red goes storming towards the tower?

(I'M HOPING THIS IS WHAT THE PHONECALL IS ABOUT TO--)

Let's call that cheeto back.

RRrrr..... (Maybe I should talk to him--)

Why's that matter?

[dialing]

...

...HELLO?

Hey. This the cowboy?

I-- it-- yesitis-- Peppino, you got a sec to talk? Righ'now?

Duh. Why else would I be calling?

R-right, well, I wanted to talk to ya about somethin' that involves the Tower--

Ooh, heeere we go.

--?!-- Ah, w-well, listen-- I wanted t' try and explain why things'er happenin' like they are. I know that your pal Fakie there got into a bit 'a trouble, and--

A fucking shotgun to the eye. Care to explain that bullshit?

--I heard! A-and that's horrid! Truly! I wouldn't ever want somethin' like that to happen t--

Uhhhh huh. Yep. Sure.

(Peppino--!)

So how about you say your last fuckin' words right now while I still got you on the line? Consider this your head start before I start running.

MISTER PEPPINO. WOULD YOU GIVE ME A DAMN SECOND. YER GETTIN' THIS ALL WRONG--

Not fucking interested. On the count of three. One--

PEPPINO. PLEASE! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! MY FAMILY'S BEEN GOIN OFF THE WAZOO ALL BECAUSE OF A DUMB LIL COMMENT I MADE, AND THEY'VE GONE TOO FAR--

Two.

(PEPPINO...!!)

DON'T YOU GO NEAR THAT TOWER, PARDNER! I'LL HANDLE IT MYSELF!

Three.

[hangs up]

(...Caro?)

Do me a favour. Find the fucker that shot you, and take its gun.

(A--a??)

Can you do that? Are you alright with doing that?

(It-- I can do that. I won't get hurt again.)

Good. You go on ahead first. I'll be there soon after.

Words: 2,431

Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Reader Reader pronouns: she/her Era: Post-Negan Alexandria, Post-Rick's "death" Warnings: death, gore, addiction, accidental nonfatal overdose, ANGST COMMISSIONED BY: @milfodyssey, thank her for her generosity! I'm so honored you picked me to be the author of your first commission! I hope it's everything you wanted and more! Summary: After a traumatic loss, Y/N only wants to be numb. Daryl struggles with her addiction and its consequences

Your name: submit What is this?

Head bowed. Hands clasped. Knuckles white. Eyes squeezed shut. He could hear the shallowness of your breaths. Occasionally your breathing staggered, and terror seized his heart with a skeletal hand made of cold iron. His head would lift, and his eyes would desperately fix on your face, watching intensely for any change. It was agonizing sitting there at your bedside.

* * *

Daryl found you cowering on the bathroom floor, your hands clasped over your ears and your eyes shut tightly, like you were trying to keep from hearing and seeing some tangible horror—but he knew by now that it wasn’t anything corporeal. It was the flashbacks—the cascades of blood over skin and clothes, the tearing of flesh, the furious growls and groans and snapping teeth and—

”Y/N!” He seized your shoulders and shook them gently. You let out a scream unlike anything he’d ever heard. It set his ears ringing. His heart seemed to stop. “Y/N! S’me! Yer home! Yer alrigh’!” He tugged your hands away from your face. “It’s Daryl! Look at me! It ain’t happenin’!”

Your eyes flew open wide, rimmed with tears that endlessly broke over your eyelashes and rained down your cheeks. When you realized it was him in front of you and that you were on the bathroom floor, on your floor, in the home you shared with Daryl, you gasped in a breath that sounded like the first you’d taken in several minutes, like you were surfacing from the bottom of a dark well. You collapsed into him, sobbing. Daryl wrapped his arms around you tightly, applying the deep but gentle pressure he knew comforted you best. His shirt was wet with your tears and he could only murmur to you that you were safe, that he was there, that you were home.

* * *

“How is she?” Michonne’s voice snapped him out of his memories and his head lifted. She saw that your hand was clasped between his.

He had to clear his throat; it’d been so long since he’d spoken. “No change,” he drawled. His voice had a heavy layer of gravel to it.

Michonne sighed and moved around to the other side of the bed, sinking into the chair across from Daryl. Her gaze was fixed on your face and Daryl saw a shadow of angst move over her features. She reached out and touched your shoulder gently, a soft frown turning the corners of her mouth. She shook her head slightly, devastation washing over her for you, for Daryl… “I have to ask you,” she said, glancing across your still and prone form on the cot. “Do you think she did it on purpose?”

Daryl gulped. He’d been waiting for that question. He was honestly surprised it took someone so long to ask it. He didn’t have to conjure the scene in his mind. It presented itself readily if he wasn’t actively trying to suppress it. He couldn’t bear lingering on it for more than a few seconds, and even that left him feeling ill. He’d come home and found you sprawled on the floor and he hadn’t been able to wake you. The pill bottle… The pill bottle was nearby. He still had no idea where you’d gotten it. He shook his head and hazarded a glance up at Michonne. “No. No, I dun think so. I think she’s just—she’s tired and thinks she can’t—can’t win the battle. She just wants to be numb.”

Michonne sighed again, nodding, and looked back at your face. She lifted her hand from your shoulder. “I have to get back to the kids,” she said, standing up. “They were asking about you. I’ll tell them you’re okay?” Daryl managed a nod. “I’ll check on you both again in the morning. But—if anything changes, send Peter to come get me.” Daryl nodded again. Peter, a nurse, was the only one in Alexandria now with any medical training.

Michonne was almost gone, almost out the door, when his voice froze her again.

“I guess—maybe I ain’t enough,” he drawled.

She turned hurriedly and looked back at him in time to see him press his lips to the back of your hand before covering it in both of his again. “Hey—That isn’t what this is,” she said, hurrying back to stand beside him, willing him to look at her. “Depression, grief, addiction… You can’t reason with them. That isn’t how it works.” Michonne’s heart ached. “It’s brain chemicals, Daryl. it doesn’t have anything to do with you or her not being enough, not being strong, not doing everything you can.”

Finally, his blue eyes, sharp and bright still, met hers. He nodded. “Righ’,” he drawled. “Yer right. I know that.”

“That doesn’t make it easier,” she said.

Daryl gulped. Doubts. He had doubts about whether he could go on bearing this weight, watching you slowly succumb to an addiction that was killing you a little every day or would suddenly kill you quickly as it almost just had. But he hadn’t spoken of his doubts, his torment over staying or going, to anyone. Not even to Carol.

But somehow it seemed like Michonne knew. “Daryl, listen to me. You’ve done everything for her. We all know how much you love her. We love her too. But it isn’t your responsibility to save everyone and destroy yourself in the process. So, if you need to go, no one will think any less, and we will do all we can for her.”

Daryl avoided her eyes. The words were at once sweet relief and caustic poison in his system. “I know,” he managed.

When he didn’t move from your side, Michonne gave his shoulder a friendly squeeze and left the room.

* * *

”Dad!” you yelled desperately, looking back as he barely held the door against the onslaught of the dead. “Dad! Come on!”

“Go!” he yelled. “Up the ladder! Get onto the roof and latch the hatch behind you!”

Terrified tears poured down your cheek. “I’m not leaving you here! We have to go together!”

The fear on your father’s face paralyzed you. “N—no! Dad, I can’t—”

He was struggling to keep his weight on the door. “Honey, I love you. Go. You have to go! Go!”

You were about to argue again, but it was too late. The door behind him surged forward under the pressure of the horde and the descent of the dead on your father was vicious and final. You were vaguely aware that you were screaming but it was nothing compared to the sounds, the sight, the smells of your father’s last moments—rotting flesh and copper in the air, crimson rivers… Only pure instinct to survive propelled you finally up the ladder and through the hatch onto the roof. You would stay there, surviving on captured rainwater, longer than was wise. And when you ventured out, weak and starving, again propelled only by some evolutionary necessity to live, you stumbled into Daryl and Rick and their found family.

Perhaps because of your past trauma, you and Daryl were drawn to each other and your bond was soon deeper than all others.

But it wasn’t until the safety of Alexandria that you were able to truly reach for each other in the way you both wanted. You’d stepped out onto the porch after the first night, freshly showered and in clean clothes that fit your body the way they should. Daryl rocketed to his feet, stunned into silence in the middle of a conversation with Carol. You were luminous, stunning, glowing. He’d always thought you were beautiful and kind and a little sad but real. But without the threat of the dead or the living possibly around every corner, with you smiling, truly smiling, for what seemed like the first time in ages, his heart stopped at the sight of you. His cigarette continued to burn until it singed his fingertips and he dropped it to the porch, startled. Carol had already excused herself, a knowing smirk on her face (obnoxious). You seemed to be blushing at his blatant staring (charming). And he seemed to have trouble forming proper sentences (typical).

When he seemed unable to speak, you asked him if he’d walk around Alexandria with you. New people made you nervous. Of course he would. He did. And you’d passed the entire day together. It was dark before the two of you knew it, and you were up on the guard platform near the gate, quiet and blue shadows around you like a blanket, wondering aloud if this new place was really all it purported to be. There was a comfortable silence. Then there were your lips on his, your fingertips on his skin.

You were a little younger than him. He was astounded by your interest, by your touch. “Was that okay?” you’d asked him. “Okay?” he’d repeated, baffled. “Are ya sure I ain’t—‘m older than ya,” he asserted. You’d laughed. “Only a little.” You’d kissed him again.

That was the beginning.

* * *

Head bowed. Hands clasped. How had you both gotten here from there?

* * *

“Where the hell have ya been?!” he demanded. His fists were clenched as you came through the door to your shared apartment, covered in dirt and the occasional splotch of what looked like walker blood. “Ya got any idea how frantic I’ve been all damn day?!” he roared at you.

You avoided his eyes and shut the door tightly behind you, your pack slung over one shoulder. “I just went outside the walls. It’s not a big deal. You do it all the time,” you said. The muscle in Daryl’s jaw clenched. He followed you into the bedroom and stared as you sat on the end of the bed and started to pull off your muddy boots. Chunks of dried earth fell to the rug.

“Yeah, I go out there to get stuff everybody here needs and I always tell somebody where ‘m goin’ and what time I’ll be back. I woke up this mornin’ while it was still dark and yer just gone?!” You hardly glanced up at his fury. This further incensed him and he snatched your pack as you set it next to you on the ground. That shot you up to your feet.

“Hey! Give it back!” But he was already digging into the main pocket and his hand landed on a plastic bag that rattled as he lifted it. You sunk your eyes to the floor as he held it up. There were two pill bottles inside, and they sure as shit weren’t antibiotics. A stone seemed to have lodged itself in Daryl’s throat. He tossed the now empty pack down.

“Yer goin’ out there, riskin’ yerself after yer father died to save ya, for this.” His voice was quiet again, but dangerous.

At the mention of your dad your anger flared again. Daryl was the only one you’d ever told the entire story to in detail. The others knew he’d died trying to protect you, but they didn’t know the technicolor horror of it all. “It’s my business what I do with my own time and if I want to take them—”

Daryl’s teeth clenched and the muscle in his jaw flinched. He hung his head, his arm falling to his side, the plastic bag still in his fist. “Yeah. S’yer business.” He threw the bag down on the bed and you immediately seized it. “I’ll be at Rick’s tonight if ya need me.” He grabbed his crossbow and his pack from their place by the front door and the finality of the heavy slam behind him as he went out made you flinch.

He came back after sunrise. You were tearful and hadn’t slept. He hadn’t either. You reconciled. But things after that moment had changed. And that’s how you’d got here.

* * *

Head bowed. Hands clasped.

But a soft noise of fabric. Daryl shot up to his feet and came closer to your side, squeezing your hand in his. You stirred in the bed, your head moving side to side on the pillow. You dragged your eyelids open and Daryl realized how much he’d just yearned to see the hues of your eyes again. They brimmed with tears immediately. Your first words were thick on your tongue, almost sluggish.

“I’m sorry,” you said through a sob. “I’m sorry.” The tears came fast now and Daryl wiped them off one cheek and clasped your face, fighting tears in his own eyes.

“S’okay,” he drawled. “Yer okay.”

You gasped in a breath, still crying, and Daryl stroked your hair and kissed your forehead. “Yer okay…”

“I—I didn’t mean to,” you managed. “I don’t want to die. I don’t—I just don’t want to—to—”

“To feel it,” he finished for you, meeting your stunning eyes again. “I know. I know. But we gotta feel it. Ya gotta go through that to get to the other side. Trust me, I know it ain’t easy. But ya gotta. Ya gotta try. We’ve got so much more to do together, Y/N. But ya gotta try. Please. ‘M beggin’ ya. Try.”

Another sob escaped you and you squeezed your eyes shut for a moment, holding onto him tightly. “I need help. I don’t want to live like this anymore.” Your voice was small and weak as you said it. “I can’t…”

“I know. I know…” He stroked your hair softly until you settled down and then he kissed your forehead and your cheek. “We can do this. You can. I’mma help ya. I’ll be righ’ here for ya, whatever it takes, as long as ya try.”

All you could do was nod, tears still in your big doe eyes as you looked up at him. You were fading fast, but you laced your fingers with his. “I’m sorry,” you said again.

“I know,” he drawled. “We’ve been through so much already. We can do this. S’gonna be alrigh’.” Head high, your hand in his. “We’re gonna be fine.”

The strange thing was, as you looked into the devastation but determination on his face, you believed him.

|| @characternerdocs || continued from here ||

Logan eyed the dripping coffee as she took the opposite seat of the ranger. She had a  thermos of her own dirty bean water, which was probably lukewarm by now, nowhere near the hot, fragrant, fresh pot that was brewing now.

But she wasn’t sent here to sample the local coffee. (She make that her second priority.)

She dragged her backpack in front of her feet as she began to rummage through its content, the dog that accompanied her attentively watched, perhaps in hopes Logan would produce a treat, or perhaps a toy. “Well, my assignment at your park was based on the odd and unexplained activities. But rangers being drunk, while not my area to looking to... isn’t ideal to hear.” As she straightened up in her seat once finding her documents, the hair the hung over the right side of Logan’s face shifted and for a fleeting moment the ranger could see the pink scarring where her eye had once been.

Logan handed over her licenses, ranging from calling her an anthropologist, a cryptozoologist, to a field researcher all of which were stamped and authorized by a Smithes Scholars’ Archives. “I hope that’s proof enough I’m not a fanatic.” A coy smirk raising her scarred lips as Logan reaches back into her bag. In truth Logan would call herself a fanatic, it still seemed strange and unreal to her she was employed to invested and study what “normal” people regarded as fakery and myth; finding proof in the legends her grandmother told her at bedtime. it was unbelievable, but Logan loved it. Still smiling to herself, she pulling out a pen and notebook, and a doggy biscuit she tossed to her now very pleased dog.  

“And you can call me Logan, if you like. And you? are you a stickler for the formality of Ranger Stone?”

“Hardly, it’s just the card I play ta new faces ta gauge ‘em.” Thankfully, Logan didn’t seem like she walked with a stick up her ass. “You’n call me Jewel.”

At a glance, one would think Jewel barely read through the files, but despite her casual leafing she skimmed with a careful eye. The information matched up with the agency Boss reached out to. “Looks good ta me, Logan.”

Handing the agent her files, Jewel stood and scooped her bottle up. She passively wondered what happened to her eye but thought it better not to ask. They’d only just met and it really wasn’t any of her business. Best to not delve into the personal lives of strangers, she concluded to herself.

“I s’pose we’ll get started then. Follow me.”

In her office, alphabetically organized files filled the wooden shelves that lined her walls at either side. Heading left, she knelt down to the S section and pulled its container out. “This’s the past happenin’s of supernatural occurrences this year. Some are jus’ reports from tourists but we got some in there from our own officers ‘ere as well. Some of ‘em got photos but don’t hold yer breath. A snow-caked fir and a yeti look pretty similar when all ya got’s adrenaline and a cruddy flashlight in the dead a’night.”

Plopping the file bin on her desk, Jewel parked it in her big, comfy chair and gave it a swivel as she perched a boot up on her work station. Gifting herself a long drag off her bottle, she gestured at the opposing bookcase. “You’n peek through those too. That one’s lined with missing persons and murders over the last century or so. Some of ‘em are… somethin’.”

“Matter fac’,” She added, “I should get on filin’ a report a’my own. Somethin’s been fuckin’ with my trail markers and I’ve about had it with whatever shit-stirrer’s out there. Human, creature, whatever. Need it gone because it’s makin’ my life a frostier hell than it needs ta be!”

(This was the last proper fic I wrote for Draggka and Khadgar, and never got around to releasing it. This’ll be the last one; after this I’m closing the door on these two for the foreseeable future. I hope you enjoy.)

The Vindicaar was a remarkable piece of engineering. Draggka had heard of the draenei’s great city-ship the Exodar, and the stories of it fleeing across the Great Dark to escape the grasp of the Burning Legion. Those stories paled in comparison to when she saw the immense ship with her own eyes, both inside and out. She’d heard a couple of the Alliance snickers at some of the Horde’s gawping, but the troll had been too busy taking in the ship to care.

The hunter had been to other worlds before. Outland, the Alternate Draenor, Niskara, Helheim, wherever the Halls of Valour were, but they had been through portals. To travel physically to another place, another world... Despite her trepidation in going to the Legion’s homeworld, Draggka felt excitement sing through her veins. Wanderlust was not so easily tamed.

“If you don’t pick up your jaw, someone might trip over your tusks.” A playful murmur sounded out from her side, and Draggka turned to see Khadgar lingering in the shadows, blue eyes sparkling with mirth.

“Ya know de risk of dat happenin’ be comin’ from my brudder,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him as she approached the mage, his hand petting Spike as the raptor rubbed by his leg. She could still see the dark rings around the human’s eyes, even here.

“Perhaps.” Khadgar’s smile faded, his expression shifting. “Listen, Draggka, I wanted to discuss something with you, before we go to Argus.”

“Sure.” She nodded, stepping to the side with him, away from the main thoroughfare. Spike padded away from them to keep watch for eavesdroppers.

“We know that this...could be a one way trip.” He began softly. “I don’t intend it to be, and I’m sure you don’t either, but we need to accept it’s going to be dangerous. We are going right into the heart of the Legion’s power.” He took a breath. “Tell me, Draggka, did you keep the ring we forged on Draenor?”

“‘Course I did.” She nodded, pulling at a silver chain hidden under her cuirass, and undoing its fastening at her neck. “It may not be as powerful as some of da rings I be finding on da Broken Shore, but....It be ours.” She smiled as the golden-orange band came free from under her protective layers, holding it out for him to inspect. “It be full of memories. Memories of da two of us.”

“Yes.” Khadgar took it gently, cradling it in his hand. “A symbol of our struggles, and our courtship.” A smile that made the troll’s heart ache. “Of course you would keep it.”

Draggka giggled.

“Good to see ya finally payin’ attention.�� She commented, before blinking away her humour.  “What were ya tinking?”

“As the homeworld of the Burning Legion, Argus is likely to be crawling with demons, and if we’re both to return to Azeroth alive, I was thinking of forging a magical connection between us.” Khadgar explained. “Nothing too complex, mind. Just a way for us to sense if the other is alive and in danger, as well as vague general location if enough magic is applied.” He looked at her questioningly.

“I only be knowing just enough magic to be castin’ an arcane shot.” Draggka said, frowning. “But I dunno if it be enough to use it to sense you like dat.”

“Don’t worry, it does not take much application of magic to work. You will be just fine.” Khadgar said. “And don’t worry about me reading your mind or other such things; the connection will not be strong enough for that. I will only use enough to link our life-forces, nothing more. It will barely make the ring magical, and enhancements as weak as that are often overlooked.” He smiled at her. “Of course, it’s your decision.”

“I be perfectly okay wit dis.” The hunter nodded. “It be reassuring dat we be having someting dat can be helping us out of a bad situation.”

“Yes. It will certainly give me a few less white hairs worrying about you.” Khadgar flashed a grin at her before bright pink-purple arcane magic filled his eyes and crackled around his hands. He began to chant the spell, the words foreign and utterly alien to Draggka, yet she couldn’t deny the shiver that ran down her spine as she listened. Stop it! This is hardly the time or place! Her mind scolded her.

Magic swirled around the ring, the ruby itself beginning to glow and flicker as if a flame had ignited within. And, to her surprise, the arcane energy also twined around Khadgar’s collar. Runes suddenly began to appear along its length, as if they’d always been there, and were only just being revealed. There was a bright flash and ripple of energy, and the spell was complete. The ring became inert once more, and the bright pink runes now inscribed on Khadgar’s collar slowly faded away.

“There we go.” Khadgar smiled. “Job done. Try using the magic you have to sense me. Just channel it into the ring, and it will do the rest.”

Draggka closed her eyes and followed Khadgar’s instructions, using the same motions she would if she was casting her Arcane Shot. The ring reacted, and seemed to ‘open’, letting her reach further through it. She did, and a strange sensation came over her. Warm, familiar, safe, whole...and then she felt a heartbeat. Strong and slow and reassuring; everything about the feeling was Khadgar.

The hunter opened her eyes, the sensations falling away except for the warmth and the feeling of Khadgar’s presence, which lingered faintly around her like a blanket. The mage himself smiled.

“It worked.” He murmured, eyes gleaming. The troll’s own eyes widened.

“You sensed dat?” She asked, glancing down at the ring.

“Yes, I did.” He flashed her a cheeky grin. “I’m quite sensitive to magic, you see. So I sent a little something back. You should be able to sense me if I inquire after you. Only slightly, not enough to bother you in dangerous situations, or draw attention to your ring.” The archmage frowned thoughtfully. “I don’t know if you could ‘reply’ the same way I just did for you, however. Not to worry, though. The ring will give me all the information I require. The reply is...” He glanced away, smiling shyly. “A small thing...”

Draggka titled her head to the side, taking this all in.

“Ya bound ya connection to your collar,” she said softly. He touched it self-consciously.

“Yes, I did.” A small smile played at his lips. “I always wear it, and wear it close, so I presumed it would be the best place to hide the enchantment.” His eyes lit up with magic, and the runes glowed for a moment, before disappearing once more. “This will make it look a little more...fancy now too.”

The hunter stared hard, but even with knowing that the runes were there, she couldn’t pick out their marks out within the leather. Perhaps they were nothing more than tricks of the light.

“Ya sure no-one will notice it?” She asked. “It be a bit suspicious if ya collar be lighting up if it didn’t before.”

“Don’t worry. The runes will only show up if I’m using a great deal of magical power to locate you. A cursory check of your health would barely be a blip to an archmage like myself. This is just for show.” Khadgar smiled. “Thank you for indulging me, my love. I...” He took a breath. “I can’t lose you now. Not after everything we’ve been through.”

“No.” Draggka nodded, taking his hands in her own. “We be seeing dis through. Together.” Her orange eyes burned fiercely. “Dey will not take you or my world from me. Not now. Not ever.” She lifted her chin high. “Lok’tar ogar.”

“Lok’tar.” Khadgar replied in kind, before his eyes flicked to glance behind her. “Anyway, I better let you go before someone comes looking for you.”

“Ya not coming wit?” Draggka asked, tilting her head to the side.

“Oh, I will. I just need to see what the sleeping arrangements are.” He rubbed his chin. “I doubt we will get much privacy here.”

“Hmm.” Draggka hummed. “It be hard to sneak time for each other here.”

“Yes.” Khadgar hesitated. “Though, I confess...I’m finding it more difficult to care. The Legion’s homeworld hangs within our skies, we may all be heading toward out ultimate doom, and we are worrying about what people will think our partnership?” He snorted. “I’m so tired of all this politicking at what feels like the end of the world.”

The hunter considered. She did feel the same; who had time to quibble over their relationship when total annihilation by demons was a very real possibility? And it would be so much easier for them not have to sneak around to find time together.

Yet...Khadgar had the most to lose if their relationship was more widely known. Whilst Draggka would certainly get in some trouble, and Sylvanas would take an extremely dim view of the relationship, the troll highly doubted she’d stop being the Huntmaster, and it wasn’t like she wielded much political power anyway. 

Khadgar, however, was the Leader of the Kirin Tor, and regardless of their current neutrality, she could bet they would not take kindly to discovering their leader was courting a member of the Horde.

“I be more den happy not to be hidin’ from de others. But...are ya sure? It could be causing a lotta issues for ya. I mean, Vereesa ain’t gonna be happy findin’ out dat ya been dating me for a while. I know she be barely tolerating me an’ my friends, but dat?” Draggka sighed softly. “I know ya be reckless as a goblin, but dis...I want ya to be sure. Dat’s all.”

“I am sure.” Khadgar said. He closed his eyes, and suddenly blew out a sharp sigh, taking her hands. “To hell with it all. I’m not going to lose any more time with you than I have to any more. Never again.” The steel in his voice was brief, returning to his usual soft tone. “That’s not to say I’m immediately going to kiss you amorously in front of a crowd. I just don’t want to have to hide things like this,” he nodded to their joined hands, “or this,” a quick peck on her cheek, “any more.”

Draggka couldn’t help it; she smiled. It was if a weight had suddenly been lifted from her heart. She’d always loved him, but found it difficult to stopper the emotion she felt for the mage even when she knew she had to.

“We gonna get into a hell’va lotta trouble when we be gettin’ back,” she said.

“Perhaps.” Khadgar shrugged, squeezing her hands. “But after all this? I find it difficult to be afraid of them. And even more difficult to care.” He lifted a hand to stroke her cheek. “I love you. And Azeroth is just going to deal with it.”

“Yeah.” Draggka said softly. “Yeah. It be strange, not hidin’. But good. More den good.”

The archmage smiled.

“That’s what I thought. No second thoughts about our actions, no watching what we say or do. Just...whatever our heart’s desire. Within reason, of course.” His blue eyes glimmered with mischief, and Draggka’s amber ones rolled.

“I be reminding ya of dat da next time you be getting ideas.” The troll folded her arms, raising an eyebrow at him. He was about to reply when Spike uttered a grunt-chuff, a soft warning that something was approaching. Khadgar murmured something, stepping backwards and vanishing into the dark as the raptor returned to his hunter, watching the approaching figure come into view.

“There you are.” Elizabone said, golden eyes brightening to see her friend. Behind the Forsaken floated the glowing demon skull Thaz’kiel, looking as creepy as usual. “We’ve been looking all over for you.”

“Sorry.” Draggka grinned toothily. “We were just explorin’ and got a bit carried away.”

“I don’t think this place is big enough to get lost in.” The warlock retorted. “But you’ve always liked new stuff, so I guess that’s why you’d be down here.” She glanced around, her eyebrows furrowing, but the hunter wasn’t concerned. Only a felhound could detect the archmage’s invisibility spell, especially if he was cloaked in shadows too.

“Yeah. I know dat da draenei be pretty ahead wit dere tech, but dey be...way ahead!”

“Good thing they don’t hate our guts.” Elizabone nodded. “Hope Velen doesn’t do anything stupid like he did in the Tomb. I’m starting to like the old coot.”

“You are?” Draggka arched an eyebrow. “It be gettin’ chilly in de Firelands!”

“Ah, shut up!” The Forsaken swatted at her with a bony hand. “I know it’s weird for me, but I like the lights they’ve got going on here. Enough to see where you’re going, but not eye-blinding. Nice shades of pink too. I could stay here.”

“Dat’s good. Gotta have da Netherlord by our side when we be kicking da Legion where it hurts.” Draggka grinned.

“I’m not going anywhere. Even if this place was sickeningly Light-coloured, I’d still be here. As long as my soul is still stuck in these bones, I’d keep going. I’d be like this guy, floating and angry and just a head.” Elizabone gestured to Thaz’kiel, whose eye sockets appeared to glare back at them. “He’s not talking to me right now. I think he’s shy.”

“Uh huh.” Draggka frowned. She’d never liked the demon skull, and hoped her friend would destroy it after the Legion was defeated. “Hey, ya don’t be having Luufum wit ya.”

“Yeah, I figured it was a little rude to have a demon knocking about here, even if they’re bound to me. I’m also pretty sure they would appreciate not getting routinely murdered for just strolling around with me.” A shrug of her bony shoulders. “I’d kinda like the draenei to trust me. If you’re fighting beside them and living on their ship, the last thing you want is a crystal hammer crushing your head into a crunchy pancake. I mean, I’m already undead. Demons would only be an excuse to attack me.”

“Dat’s...a fair way of lookin’ at it.” The troll nodded. “I don’t tink dey would do dat, but if it makes dem happy, den it makes sense to be keepin’ ya demons out of here.”

“Exactly.” Elizabone nodded, before narrowing her eyes at the troll. “Anyway, I was here to fetch you, not chew the cud! We’re almost ready to go. Velen wanted everyone up top in case something bad happens.”

“Makes sense.” Draggka nodded. “Ya feeling up to it?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” the warlock replied, her face-veil rippling with her sigh. “You?”

“It’s not gonna be easy.” The troll said grimly, running her fingers down Spike’s neck. “But...I gotta a good feeling ‘bout dis. I tink we gonna do someting good.”

The undead’s golden eyes seemed to widen slightly, the only indication of her surprise with her lower face hidden.

“You really think that?” She asked, an unsurprising tone of cynicism to her voice.

Draggka touched her chest, where she swore she felt the ring warm against her skin. She glanced over her shoulder, just in time to see a flash of sapphire blue and a bright grin vanishing back into the ether.

“Yeah.” The hunter looked back to her friend, smiling. “I do.”

(In memory of my friend Briyanna. Rest in power.)

hELLO IS ANYONE OUT THERE????

OKAY HI hELLO  FIRST OFF I HOPE EVERYONE IS WELL NOW

THAT THE EVIL WHATEVER I AM HAS FALLEN AND GCANT GET UP COMMERCIAL

SOMETHIN SEOMTHIGN DID IT HURT WHEN YOU FELL FROM HEAVEN THE ANSWER IS YES I GOT SHOVES TO THE FLOOR RECENTLY AND THIS FUCKIN BRUISE ISNT FADING FUNNNY HAHA OK PLEASENTRIRSSE ARE DONE

UH IM CATHERINE, MOD-SAN, GOLD, whatever they're callin me nowadays holy shit dude my hands are shakin like crazy

they've had me literally cleaning house PRETTY MUCH AS SOON AS I RECOVERED all work no play makes jack a dull boy thats me IM jack damn it i can't tell if i've eveolved into  a live-in housekeeper or some sort of roomaate and the paymetnt si s that i get to keep my lifeand also i REALLY need to move my keyboard over or get the window to leave the screen cause i can't blind type it just ain't happenin my leg's jitterering like hell BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS IM ALIVE YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO but i have absolutely NO CLUE how ;long THAS gonna last BBUT the great news is that ive finally been able to sit at my dangf computer and and actual;ly TYOOUCH ANFD LOOK AT IT ive practically been buried in all the freezers BUT ANYWAYS GOD MY HANDSA THEY STING SO FUCKING IABAD D ALKl ANYWAYS IM ALIVE IM STILL HERE IM TRYING?????????? TO GET BACK BUT EVERYONE HERE IS UHH NOT GOOD TO PUT IT LIGHTLY ITS TERRIFYIN OVER HERE BUT IM SENDING MY WELL WISHES THAT EVERYONE IS OKAY OVER THERE AND YOU SURVIVED WHETER THE HECK ANGR MY BIG SDIS MUST"VE SBUBJECTED YALL TOO BEACSE SHE IS FUCKING PISSSEEED LATELY IM GENUUNINLY WORRIED FOR OURLIVES LEVEL THERES SO MANY FIGHTS AND COMING-OUT-ABOUT-HER-LEGEND-OF-VIOLENCE STORY AND THE SHOOTIGN REVENTLY AND POINT IS THE LEGAL STUFF MIGHT GET RESOLVED OKAY?????? DADS MAGIC PROTAG POWERS OR WHATER APAPRENTLY HE KNOWS EVREYONE PERSON ON THE PLANET ITS GODDAMN WITCHCARAFT BUT MOMS DROPPIN LIKE EVERY OTHER DAY BBBBBBUYT OTS HER BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK AND WERE GONNA TRY AND TAKE ME OUTSIDE AND SEE IF I EXPLODE IN THE SUNLIGHT SO UUUUUUUUUUUUUUH THANKS FOR EVERYTHIGN I LOVE YOU GUYS ILL TRYT TO FUCKIN REACTIVATE ALL MY ACCOUNTS ALL A BAJILLION OF THEM APPARENTLY I WAS ONE CRASY AKJSFI KID PLEAASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ON MY BI G SIS WAKES UP SOON IF SHE HEARS ME IM GETTTIN IT I HAVE NO FUCKIN IDEA WHATS GOIN ON ON YOUR SIDE CAUSE NO ONE IS SAYIN JACK SHIT BADUM TSSHH BUT I GOT  MY SHIT COMIN AT LIKE 9 AM RIGHT WHEN I TAKE MY VERY MYSTERIOUS NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THE FUCK THEY DO ANYMORE MEDS AND IF I KICIK THE BUCKET AT LEAST I FUCKING STAYED BABY YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

ALSO IM NOT DRUNK WE DONT DRINK IN THIS HOUSE EVER BUT I DEFINITYL NEEDS A LIL HELP IN LIKE ANY SORT OF MEANIN NO ONE IN THIS HOUSE FUCKIN REMEMBERS ANYTHING IN ANY SOR TOF WAY FOR ANY SORT OF THING ITS AN ACTUAL I HAVE NO IDEA WHOSE CALLIN OR TOUCHIN SHIT OR WHAT TALL THIS SHTI IS IN THE HOUSE AND FRANKLY IM TERRIFIED CAUSE EVREYONE LEAVES POR PASSES OUT BEFORE I CAN GET A CLEAR ANSWER AND AND ADN COLD WAR INTELLIGENCE WHATHER NEWS STORY OLD POPS HERE IS PUTTIN ON TV ANYWAYS LOVE YOU GUYS STAY SAFE CALL OUT IF YOU SEE ME IN THE WILDS SOMEDAY BUYYEYEEE

WAIT I JUST REMEMBRED BIG SIS IS GONNE DESTROY SHIT SOON SONSONSOON SHIT HSHISTHSHIT OK ANYWAYS ERVYTHIN ONLINE LOOKS OKAY FROM WHERE I CAN SEE IT IN MYSETRUOS VPN LAND AND IM GOIN THROUGH MY COMP RIGHT NOW BUT EVREYON IN OUR HOUSE RECOGNIZES THE DISCORD SYMBOL PROBABLY>>>?????? SO IM TRYIN TO FIND ALL OTHER CONTACTS BUT ITS JUST A BUNCH OF EMAILS DDDDUDE I JUST HAD TO LET YALL KNOW WE'RE ALIEV HOPE ALL OF YOU ARE WELL LOVE YALL EVER IF YOU DONT BELIEVE THAT ASTY SAFE WATCH OUT FOR FUKCING PUNCHES OR SIDESWEEPS AND MY BIG SISSS KILLING BLOW AND THE FCKKGNGI  SWORD ON TOP OF HER BOOKSELG OR THE LITTLE GUN THING IN HER LCOSET WHAT THE FUCK IS EVEN IN HER ROOM ANYMROE ANYWASY DONT DIE OUT THERE LIKE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PEACE OUT BURY ME UNDER A BLUE SKY WITH ALL MY SHIT IIM HANDING  DOWN WHATEVR THE ITTY BITTY NOT SO BITTY NEICE WANTS LIL PRINCESS LILLY HAACKER SCAMMER HUSTLER SECOND LEGEND OF VIOLENCE IN THE MAKIN IM GONNA FUCKIN PASS OUT I HAVE NO  IDEA OF FUCKIN ANYTHIN THATS HAPPPENIN HERE EVERERR GOD CAN I TALK TO ANYONE THAT ISNT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THIGNS I HAVE HEARSD ABOUT THE PWOPLE ROUND HERE any ewysbans m y hands are shak in and breakin and crankin love yall stay safe dont fall into a ditch like me ever again mMWAHH TEDDIE IF YOURE OUT I STILL OWE YOU THAT FUCKIN LETTTERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

hey its me again - long time no see! tell me something positive that happened to you this week (no matter how tiny). i hope you have a fantastic weekend 💛

Dear anon i read your message before writing in this diary, i thought i should have today's entry in my diary too so yeah:) Thank you so much for sending this ask. sending love💛<3

me n my family went to two temples. The weather has been rainy/windy. Has been a good dayyy. Amazing lassi, prashad, etc. food, pictures and overall a good day. This week has been quite a hell. But still today it was literally very much better. More positive things,1) yeah me and my friend sticking together, helping and talking and having a bit fun. 2) moots saying the prettiest things. ajslajalaahjk .. one said "Meow🐈,What's the most beautiful, cutest , loviest , adorable, sweetest , gorgeous, stunning girl doing ?" ,@honeyed-sunflowers sweetest tags, @doctorcheeseburst hugs and motivation wishes, and @dreamboatt 's reply to my ✨new-pfp-appreciation ✨ ask, @ithinkhobiknows reply to another one of my ask. 3)yb video of a channel named Chris Hallback ig. They are literally so fun. I'm not addicted or anything but i definitely recommend their vids!!! Kinda animated speaking characters. 4) Bhaiya/my elder brother appreciating me, for studies. 5)there must have been so much more and tyy anon for sending this ask, this is the most freaking positive thing happenin this week. 💛

Good night/morning 🌻

anywayzz how's house of horrors? I bought it for the fits a bit ago and just finished swan lake so i was wondering which story to read next </3

OH NAW I HOPE I DIDN JUW SPOIL STYFF 4 YA. WRLL I HOPE YA DON MUND IF I DID. IM LOVED. ANYWAY IDK ITS STILL CONFUSIN N NAWTHIN IS CERTAIN BUT ITS GOIN CRAZY RN IM AT LIKE 2-3??? SO MUCH STUFF IS HAPPENIN

it go really crazy like. it went from ohhh ok interestin -> Wair Actually wowie. Wtf is happenin. NOW im spendin doamnods n shit jus 2 get further as soon as i can.

perhaps i keep equatin it too much to anothr Mansion Time Loop People Die story dat i love but i think its really cool so far it feel like every1 have their secrets man ya really cant trust any1 yet. idk wats happenin!!!! da suspense tag on da story sure didn lie!!!

im so fucking sleepy but also. OHHHH. OHHHHHH. YESTERDAT OHHHHHHH. guy who made a looney tunes entrance into the wall and immediately started arguing with kass because her clone fucking tried to kill me. and then she doxxed my mech and was like. can you even fucking USE that thing you senile old man. and then i one-shot crit a guy before looking her right in her direction. we stay sssoooo sillay we stay sooo sillay. rp wise, oh myyyyvgod they were arguing for half the fucking fight. mostly yves feedin it and getting on kass's case, accusing her of knowing she had a shitton of clones running around even though she had NO idea. but yves i mean. reasonably mad cuz she shot him + kidnapped elias + saw The Nothing. and yves finally met Treasure, freaked yhe fuck out, before realizing that the Treasure understood their reality and had witnessed all of this before. and honestly yves is desperate to not feel absolutely fucking unhinged about this so he breaks into private comms and begs him to help them figure out how the fuck to leave the timeloop. but.... very cryptic response, maybe hopeful. they just gotta bury the clown. before yves can get further word in, his comms suddenly jam and he's forced into battle. battle continues 2 go on, until rest of the team makes it to the control point, but TWO[2] issues, yves is kinda still trudging thru water to get to the point, and the point is being contested by a big guy. so i enter sillaaaay juggernaut mode and slam right into this guy with my mech, pushin him way back from us. HOWEVER. it doesnt go prone and retaliates next turn 2 contest the point. HOWEEEEEVER... telly fucking dives in, pins, and drills the fucking big guy. A crit. no less. guy is still standing... then fucking TREASURE.... COMES IN AND JUST STABS IT 2 DEATH... OVERKILLL... ANOTHER CRIT. so its a flawless fucking win, we have the point. at that rate we're like. aaaalright we gotta get the hell out of here actually, telly's all suspicious abt yves having been gone for so long but yves just kinda says. lol we were kidnapped yeah. for the most part everyone believes that - except jeurgen who just finds it suspicious that yves isnt elaborating. while thats happenin, skink's out and about lookin around these rooms she found. one's just a rreally shitty dormroom filled with bunk beds. the other? well........... after yves explains the situation - or at least what he wants them to believe - he turns back to elias, who i forgot 2 mention has been in the mech with yves the whole time. expanded compartment, he's just hangin out and tryna not to die. but yea yves just rambles to elias about the whole ordeal. about skink. about the fact that he overheard from tellius that elias had seen the same woman before. he knows who skink is. and he knows there's seemingly more than one. and one in helios, ironically enough. and its rlly funny cuz this is happening at the same time that skink's opening this upper room and realizing whats in there. so like as soon as yves assures himself, yeah skink is one of many clones, and one of her clones IS the Fool. flash to the actual room where skink is, its fucking filled with like. chambers.... of HER.... a bunch of clones........... and shes like. Oh. and telly, jeurgen see it too. and theyre like. Oh. theres also a terminal that we uncover, all of which details messages between a skink and someone else. and all of it is eerily descriptive of everything that happened now. everything thats gone wrong, the Fool's had her hand in it. her clone is the reason why any of this is being initiated...... funny thing. i cant even say clone. bc the fool IS the original skink. our skink's a clone of her. so...... head in hands... i know widow was brought up, was a program on yorrik 5 if i remember correctly. elias knew about it, cuz he was tasked to keep an eye on the woman that made it off. The fool!!!!!!!! it's all fucking falling on our head i think. we're sooo fucked we're so fucked

Peter/Arthur; Arthur learning about the vampire stuff?

I have a terrible way for Arthur to find out about vampires.

Warning: violence, injury, vampire death

On with the fic!

--

Arthur was finishing up the last to his night duties, now down to just taking out the garbage, double check for any missed spots to be cleaned, and then he could lock up and go home.

He grabbed the garbage bag at the back door and stepped outside, heading for the dumpster. It had been a quiet evening, and Peter hadn't shown up. He was probably busy, the man did have a life outside of Arthur, after all. Still, he had been hoping for a text or something from the actor.

He sighed as he lifted the dumpster lid, ready to throw the bag in, before he was slammed into the metal bin. A terrible ache ran through his ribs, knocking the air out of him and he gagged. Before he could really react to what the hell just happened, he was grabbed from behind, then thrown to the ground.

Above him, under the light of the lamp behind the building, Arthur looked up at a tall, looming figure. Looking to be a man in his thirties, he was a weird, sickly gray with blue veins clearly visible on his exposed skin. His mouth was a terrifying mawh of jagged teeth, reminded Arthur of a lantern fish, and his eyes were black and void-like.

He couldn't quite get the air working in his lungs again as he stared at this terrifying man, who smiled, his mouth shifting just a bit, something slightly normal, but still so very wrong.

"Well, well, if it ain't the hunter's li'l friend..." Just as Arthur coughed, finally able to breathe again, the front of his jacket was grabbed, having him now lifted up and he could see the face better at this angle.

There was blood on this man's mouth, it was like something from a horror film, and God, he stunk of rot!

"L-let me go!" Arthur wheezed, still in pain, trying to remove the tight grip on his jacket.

"Oh no, that stupid hunter's trailin' after me, and I can use you as a meat shield. He'd never harm you, been watchin', he sure has takin' a likin' to youse."

Who the hell was he talking about? Hunter?

"What the fuck!?"

Arthur knew that voice, he looked over his shoulder, at the backdoor of the bar. Peter was standing there, dressed in his leather jacket, and... what looked to be a belt of stakes wrapped around his chest, a shotgun in his hands.

"Peter?" Arthur asked, before being flipped around, a veiny arm around his throat, the other around his waist, his back pressed against the foul-smelling man.

Peter's eyes widened and he lowered the shotgun just a tad. "Shit, Arthur, you weren't supposed to- fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"That's right, hunter," the man said, his pleased voice could make milk curdle, "whatcha gonna do, you can't hurt me wit' out hurtin' your li'l friend here."

"I... fuck, shit, damnit!" Peter cursed through gritted teeth, looking at Arthur with worry. "You've been following me!" He said to the man behind Arthur.

"'Course I've been! You've been killin' my gang!"

"Well no shit, ya dumb vampire! Drop Arthur and we can finish this off like men, not cowards."

The man laughed and held Arthur tighter. "Yeeaaahhh... not happenin'. Either you drop the weapon and surrender or you can try to fight. Either way, this guy here might not see the rest of the night..."

Arthur shuddered in disgust when he felt something wet and cold touch the side of his face, a tongue.

"How dare you!" Arthur slammed his foot down, hearing a terrible crunch from the amount of pressure he put on the other man's foot. The guy howled in pain, his grip loosening enough for Arthur put get away, rushing towards Peter.

For his part, Peter threw up the shotgun, quickly took aim, and fired. There was a loud echo as the shot rang through the small space, but there was a sickening sound as the shot hit its mark. Arthur watched as a massive hole formed in the man's chest, before he turned to a pile of dust on the ground.

Arthur stared at the pile for a moment, watching as a small gust of wind disturbed in, before his attention went to Peter. He swallowed and straightened his bow tie and jacket. "Well, I think you and I are in need of a long conversation, Peter Vincent."

Peter looked nervous, nodded, before following Arthur back inside of the bar.

--

I have this scene in mind, for a later story, where a group of vampires try to start shit with Arthur in the bar, and I really, really want him to kick their asses.

Cryptid

"Trust me, you're going to love them!" Nadia nodded slightly as Katy continued. "They may seem kinda.. strange but they've been a great partner to me." Nadia laughed.

"I think living in a cave in a forest is a bit more than strange, but I'm glad you found a partner who loves you."

Katy blushed a bit. "Yeah, I really like them. I really hope you two get along.. I wouldn't want my girlfriend and my partner at each other's throats!" Nadia smiled at Katy as they continued down the well-worn hiking path.

"Oh, turn right here!" Katy grabbed Nadia's hand and led her down another path, if that's what you could call it. The floor was mostly covered in grass, and thick foliage covered the path's canopy. Katy bounced farther down the dark path, brushing hanging branches out of her way, while Nadia followed with a growing look of disgust. "Katy, sweetie, are you sure that this person lives this deep in the woods? It seems very…" she kicked a clump of weeds off of her boot. "Untravelled." Katy turned and nodded.

"Yeah, they don't get many visitors, and they really don't like strangers. But I introduced you to them, so don't worry!" Katy walked towards her slowly and stood on her toes to kiss Nadia's forehead. "But I'm sorry, I know how you don't like the wilderness" Katy skipped forward to a clump of wildflowers, letting go of Nadia's hand. She picked a bunch and offered them to Nadia. "I hope I can change your mind about it though" Nadia smiled and advanced towards Katy. She heard a crash and looked up as a huge shape flew past her and right at Katy.

"NO!" Nadia yelled as the thing grabbed Katy and shot off faster down the path. Nadia ran after them, but the thing quickly lost her. Nadia continued running, following the path of dropped wildflowers. She followed down the path, mind racing just as fast as her. (What the hell was that? Why did it take Katy? Is she going to be safe?) Nadia followed until she found a large cave, the path of wildflowers ended at the entrance. Nadia grabbed hold of a large stick as a club, and snuck around the side of the entrance. What she saw horrified her.

The thing was huge, and was swallowing Katy whole. Her head and shoulders were inside its fanged mouth and its long tongue was lashed around Katy's arms pinning them to her sides. Nadia stood there, unable to move as the creature swallowed once, up to Katy's chest, then twice, only leaving Katy's colorful sneakers exposed. The creature pulled the sneakers off and discarded them onto the ground. The thing closed its mouth with a snap, as Katy slid down its throat, only visible as a squirming bulge. The thing patted its belly and laid on the stone floor, and promptly started snoring.

Nadia saw red, and ran at the thing. Nothing ate her girlfriend. The self-defense classes her parents forced her to take kicked in and see kicked the things now full belly. Its eyes snapped open as it sat up and heaved. Katy fell out of its maw and onto the ground. She looked unharmed, but her bright clothes were soaked with saliva. She slowly opened her eyes and yelped as Nadia grabbed her hand and ran away from the still-coughing giant.

"Wuz happenin?" Katy asked sleepily. "I'm saving you. Come on!" The creature raced past to block the exit, glaring at Nadia and snarling. It snarled in a smooth voice.

"Put her down, and I might let you leave in one piece." Nadia picked her feeble stick up off the ground and brandished it at the angry creature and bared her teeth.

"Stop! Stop it!" Katy strode in between them. Nadia faltered, very confused and the creature had the same reaction. Nadia tried to usher Katy behind her.

"What? Katy, get back! That thing is dangerous!" The creature growled. "I could say the same thing, intruder." Katy pushed past Nadia and stood in between her and the beast.

"I could see how this could be… confusing." She began tiredly.

"Nadia, this is Sina" she gestured up at the creature. "They're my other partner, the one I was going to introduce you to, before my plan was ruined!" She turned angrily on Sina. " I told you to wait until I got here and explained everything to Nadia!"

Sina looked down sheepishly. "Sorry Katy…" Nadia was even more confused now. "Partner? But, they were eating you! I saved you!" Katy sighed again.

"Sina here is a forest guardian, and is a herbivore. Their stomach is harmless. I know this is really weird, but I like it in there. I'd like it if you two would not attack each other." Katy finished by crossing her arms. Nadia was still very very confused, but nodded once at Sina.

"Sorry for kicking you in the stomach," Sina nodded back. "Sorry for growling at you." Katy sighed happily and clapped. "Ok! Now, I'm going to let you two bond, and I'm going to go back to my nap. It's been a long day for me and I am tired. Sina, open please." Sina scooted closer to Nadia and Katy and obediently opened their mouth. Nadia watched again as Sina swallowed their girlfriend down, and then sat cross legged against the cave wall closest to Nadia.

They sat in silence for a while, until Nadia took out her phone. The theme song of her favorite show came blaring out. Sina perked up.

"Was that Doom Eater?" Nadia blinked.

"Uh, yeah, sorry, do you want me to turn it down?" Sina shook their head.

"No, no, turn it up! It's my favorite show!" "Really?"

Sina smiled. "Katy showed me an episode once and I've loved it since" "Um, do you wanna watch the new season with me?" Sina beamed at her. "Of course!" They then grabbed Nadia's waist, resulting in a strange noise from Nadia, and plopped her into their lap. They rested their head on top of Nadia's expectantly. Nadia blinked again and felt a blush creep up her cheeks. Sina was very pretty, with deep gold eyes, pointed ears, dark skin and long silky black hair with flowers woven into it. She tried to shake it off and started the episode. Maybe nature wasn't too bad.