It was an undeniable fact that Steve was lucky. He had been told it more times than he could count, from all sorts of people, so it must be true. His friends at school told him he was lucky that he had no one at home to give him a bedtime or make him eat vegetables. The housekeeper that came to bring him groceries and to clean once a week told him he was so lucky to live in such a nice house. Ever since he could remember, his parents had told him that he was lucky to be born to an upper-class family. And when others were around, Steve kept up the façade. He could pretend that he agreed, with bright smiles and boastful words. But in the late hours of the night, when he was all alone in that big house, lucky wasn’t the word he thought about. No, what Steve really was, was lonely.

Even at twelve years old, Steve was pretty sure it wasn’t normal for his parents to leave him alone for up to a month at a time. When he was young, they had hired nannies to care for him while they were away. That hadn’t been great either, but at least there had been someone else in the house with him. Someone to talk to and watch TV with and to make dinner. Then, on Steve’s twelfth birthday, his parents had told him he was old enough to look after himself while they were away. They trusted him to not burn down the house, at least. That had been six months ago.

Now, six months later, Steve sat alone in his living room. His parents had left earlier in the week, promising to be home before the end of the month and told him to call if he needed anything. He never called. What would be the point? It wasn’t like they would come home. No, if he needed something, he would figure it out on his own.

Steve pulled his knees up to tuck against his chest as he sat on the couch, watching a rerun of Gilligan’s Island. A half-eaten bowl of popcorn sat on the coffee table along with an empty coke can. He had heated up a bowl of chicken noodle soup for dinner, which he’d eaten with crushed up saltine crackers, but he always found himself craving a snack before bed. It was almost ten o’clock, but he wasn’t yet tired.  

When the episode ended, Steve stood and began to make his way toward the kitchen. He could go for one more coke before bed. But before he even made it out of the living room, a loud clatter from the back yard made him freeze. He turned, creeping slowly toward the glass door that overlooked the pool. It had sounded like it came from the shed, which sat beyond the pool deck, nestled almost among the trees. His hand shook as he reached up to flip on the back light. A part of him was convinced he would see a horrible monster racing up his yard toward the house, ready to devour him. But that was ridiculous. There was no such thing as monsters.

The yard was completely empty, the pool glowing an eerie green in the night. Steve scanned the perimeter until his eyes landed on the shed. Though it was dark, it looked as if the door was slightly ajar. Now, Steve knew the sensible thing to do was to ignore it until morning. But then he remembered that Kasie Jones, the girl who sat in front of him in math class, had found an injured mother cat behind her house just one month earlier. It was Springtime, she had said, which meant lots of animals would be having babies. If she hadn’t found them, the mother cat and her babies could have died. Steve couldn’t live with being responsible for that.

So, with only a mild amount of fear, he grabbed a flashlight from the kitchen drawer and slid open the glass door. It was early April, so while the days had grown warm, the nights still held a bit of a chill. Steve slid on his outdoor sandals and began to make his way across the yard. Everything was quiet now, except for the crickets. He approached the shed, tilting his head to see if he could hear any meowing. There was nothing.

It wasn’t until he was directly outside the shed that real fear began to prickle at the back of his neck once more. He was far enough from the house that if anything burst out and took chase, he likely wouldn’t make it back without getting caught. Steve took a deep breath and remembered what his dad was always telling him.

“Be a man. Real men don’t shake like little babies.”

Right. Be a man. He stepped forward and grabbed the edge of the door, which had been swaying slightly in the wind, and yanked it open. There wasn’t much inside the shed, just pool equipment and a few yard tools. Steve leaned inside, casting his light around for any sign of an injured cat. He took a step inside, letting the door swing partially shut behind him. The light caught on random items as he scanned. An old broken truck from when he was little, the pool noodles he liked to use when the weather was warm enough, a leaf blower, a pair of human eyes.

Steve screamed, his heart slamming up into his throat as he stumbled backward and dropped the flashlight. His back hit the wall and he fell, his legs giving out with the sheer force of terror he felt in that moment. There was someone else in the shed with him, someone curled up beneath the work bench on the far wall. The flashlight had rolled away from him, its beam pointed in the wrong direction for him to see. Steve glanced at the door, wondering how quickly he’d be grabbed if he made any sudden movements. A quiet voice spoke from the shadows.

“H-hey. It’s alright. You don’t have to be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you.”

That made Steve pause. Whoever it was sounded young, probably close to his age, and they also sound afraid. But what was another kid doing in his shed at night? Steve took a moment to let his heart rate slow before speaking again.

“Who are you? What are you doing here?”

For a few seconds it was silent, but then he spoke again. “Eddie. My name is Eddie. I was… I was just looking for a safe place to sleep.”

“To sleep?” Steve asked, furrowing his brow. “Why would you want to sleep in this dingy old shed? There are like, a hundred spiders in here, I’m pretty sure.”

He heard the other boy shift around a bit. “It’s better than outside.”

Well, maybe that was true, but it still didn’t explain much. Slowly, Steve moved onto his knees and crawled forward to grab his flashlight. This put him closer to the other boy, with Steve knelt in the middle of the small room. He raised the light until it fell on the other’s face.

Steve had been right that he seemed to be around his age. With dark curls that fell around his ears and big, pretty brown eyes, Eddie didn’t look like much of a threat at all. In fact, he seemed to be in bad shape. There were dark circles beneath his eyes and his cheeks looked a bit sunken in, as if he hadn’t eaten in a while. His knees were tucked up against his chest, but Steve could tell the jeans he wore were dirty and tattered.  

“Are you homeless?” Which, okay, maybe that was a rude thing to ask, but Steve thought it was a fair question.

Eddie looked away, his brows lowering slightly. “I’m- I mean… Yeah, I guess so.”

Steve tilted his head. “Where are your parents?”

Something in Eddie’s expression became tight, before crumbling. “They’re dead. My mother died a year ago, my father just last month.”

“Shit,” Steve mumbled. That really sucked. He had never met someone who had lost both their parents. “Do you not have any other family?”

Eddie shook his head. “It’s just me.”

“Oh.” Steve shifted off his knees so he could cross his legs. “But, there are places you can go, aren’t there? Like, an orphanage or something? I could probably call the police and they could—”

“No!” Eddie snapped, his eyes darting up to Steve’s. “No, please, nobody can know about me.”

Steve frowned. That was definitely an odd reaction. “Why? Are you some sort of criminal?”

Eddie snorted, the corner of his lips twitching, as if he found that amusing. “No, not really.”

“Not really? Either you are or you aren’t.”

“I’m not,” Eddie insisted. “I’ve never hurt anybody that wasn’t trying to hurt me. But… There are people. Bad people, who would hurt me if they ever found me. So, I’ll leave if you want me to, but you can’t tell anyone about me.”

Steve stared at the other boy. His eyes were wide and serious, his mouth set into a hard line that told Steve he wasn’t joking. Whatever this kid was mixed up in was dangerous, he could tell that much. It would be smart for Steve to tell him to get lost, to find somewhere else to hide out. But, still. He didn’t want him to just leave.

“Where would you go? If I told you to leave, I mean.”

Eddie let out a breath, his shoulders dropping. “I don’t know. Maybe someone else’s shed. Maybe try and make my way to Indianapolis.”

Steve fiddled with his hands. “That sounds dangerous. You can’t go off to the city all by yourself. You’re just a kid, like me.”

A small smile tugged at the corner of Eddie’s lips. “Not just like you. I can take care of myself.”

That struck Steve somewhere in his chest, the sentiment all too familiar. “Yeah, so can I, but that doesn’t mean you should have to. You should have someone to look after you.”

Eddie tilted his head, his eyes searching Steve’s face. “Are you always alone?”

“What? How- how do you know that?”

“Oh, um,” Eddie averted his eyes, suddenly looking a little bit guilty. “I’ve been here for a few days. I wasn’t trying to spy on you, but I saw that it’s just you in the house. Nobody else ever came or went, but you must have parents, right?”

Steve huffed and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I have parents. They just… they go out of town a lot for business. And I can’t go with them, because they don’t need a kid running around while they do work. But, it’s like, fine. I have the house all to myself, and I don’t have a bedtime, and I can eat whatever I want.”

Unlike all the other times Steve had told another kid this, Eddie didn’t look all that impressed. If anything, he looked sad. Which… was stupid. So stupid. Steve was lucky. He had everything he could ever want. He didn’t need some orphan, who clearly didn’t have anything this nice, feeling sorry for him.

Eddie rested his chin on his knees. “That sounds really lonely.”

A heavy pit settled in Steve stomach. Nobody else had ever acknowledged that before, and he didn’t really know what to do with it. His first instinct was to defend his parents, to tell Eddie that it was fine, and he didn’t know what he was talking about. But another part of Steve, a stronger part, felt an overwhelming sense of relief. It settled something inside Steve, hearing someone else say the words he’d been keeping locked inside for so long. It was validating.

Slowly, he nodded. “Yeah, it can be. But, that’s just the way it is.”

Eddie didn’t look convinced. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but before he could, a violent shudder shook his whole body. Steve’s eyes wide at the look of pain that crossed Eddie’s face and he hesitantly reached out a hand. Only, that seemed to make it worse, as Eddie flinched away from his touch.

“No, don’t come closer!” Eddie warned. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Steve furrowed his brow. “Hurt me? Why would you hurt me?”

“No, I don’t want to, but… I haven’t eaten in a week. I’m afraid I won’t be able to control myself.”

A week? What the hell? That was way too long for a person to go without food! No wonder Eddie looked so sickly. He was starving to death.

“Hey, if you’re hungry, come inside with me. I can get you something to eat, no problem!”

But Eddie only shook his head, his face still pained. “No, Steve, it’s not… It’s not that simple. There’s nothing in your house I can eat. Well, nothing that I’ll allow myself to have.”

“What are you talking about?”

A look of resignation came over Eddie’s face. “Steve… I’m not- I’m not normal. You should leave. You don’t want me to come into your house with you.”

He really wasn’t making any sense now. Did Eddie think that just because he was homeless and without parents, he was undeserving of kindness? That was ridiculous. If anything, it made Steve want to help him even more. “Uh, yeah, I do. That’s why I invited you.”

His arms tightened around his legs, as if he were protecting himself. “You shouldn’t do that.”

“Do what?”

Eddie’s eyes flashed up to meet Steve’s. “Invite random strangers into your home. It’s dangerous.”

Steve snorted. “I don’t think you’re dangerous, Eddie. You look one minute from keeling over.”

“Yeah,” he said, letting out a humorless laugh. “And that makes it even worse.”

Alright, Steve was starting to grow tired of arguing about this. “Dude, come on. You have to eat something.”

Eddie made a little sound, like a whimper in the back of his throat, and closed his eyes. “If you knew the truth about me, you wouldn’t say that. If you knew the truth, you would run away. Or maybe even try to hurt me.”

“Whoa, hey, no. Eddie, I promise I won’t hurt you. I’m just trying to help.”

Outside the shed, it sounded like the wind began to pick up as the structure creaked ominously. Steve pulled his jacket more firmly around himself and couldn’t help but think that Eddie’s thin hoodie didn’t seem warm enough. Maybe Steve could give him some of his clothes. It’s not like his parents would ever notice. The look Eddie gave him when he opened his eyes was filled with sorrow.

“Yeah, I know. You seem really nice, Steve. And I’m afraid that if I come with you, I’ll hurt you without meaning to, and then I’ll be a monster, which I don’t want to be.”

Steve was trying to understand, he really was. People called him stupid sometimes, which he didn’t really agree with, but now he was struggling to follow what Eddie was saying. How could Eddie hurt him without meaning to?

“Eddie, I don’t understand. Please, you can tell me the truth. I won’t run away, I promise.”

Eddie shook his head, casting his big eyes down. “You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“Hey, look at me.” He waited until Eddie did, then scooted forward on his knees. Slowly, without making any sudden movement, he held up his pinky. “I pinky promise I won’t leave you. And I always keep my pinky promises.”

A hesitant smile grew on Eddie’s face, though he still seemed extremely uncertain. Finally, after what felt like forever, Eddie brought his pinky up and wrapped it around Steve’s. It was slightly shocking, just how cold Eddie was. Like his skin was just a thin layer of ice, molded around bones. That couldn’t be good. Steve really needed to get him inside. Before he could pull away, Eddie spoke.

“And I promise to do my very best not to hurt you.”

Steve grinned. “Well, there you go. So, go on then. Tell me what the problem is.”

Eddie sighed, tucking his bottom lip between his teeth. “Okay, I guess I might as well. I don’t have anything else to lose. Um, have you… have you heard of vampires?”

“Vampires?” Steve asked, scrunching up his nose. “What, like Dracula? Or The Count on Sesame Street?”

Eddie snorted and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I mean sort of. But also, no. What if… what if vampires were real?”

Steve narrowed his eyes. “I don’t understand. Vampires aren’t real, so what does that have to do with anything?”

A look of frustration crossed Eddie’s face. “Steve. I’m trying to tell you. Vampires are real. I know, because I am one.”

For several seconds, Steve didn’t speak. The only sound to be heard was the shifting of trees outside and the quiet breathing of the two boys. Finally, Steve let out a laugh.

“Yeah, right, okay. Look, I don’t know why you don’t want to tell me—”

“Steve—”

“But it’s fine, I guess. You don’t have to trust me, I guess.”

“Steve, I am telling you the truth! See, this is another reason I didn’t want to tell you. Humans never believe in anything beyond what they see in the daylight.”

“Oh, come on,” Steve said, dropping back off his knees to sit on his butt. “I get it, you’re trying to prank me, for whatever reason. But I can’t help you unless I know the truth. Or at least until you tell me what the real problem is. You’re not a vampire.”

“I am!” Eddie insisted, the corners of his lips turning down in a frown. “Do you want me to prove it to you?”

At this point, Steve was getting a little bit annoyed. The joke wasn’t that funny. He was cold, and the dirt on the cement floor was digging into his backside, and he really just wanted to get back inside. So, with a jeering smirk, he leaned forward.

“Yeah, sure, go ahead. Prove that you’re a vampire.”

Eddie didn’t move at first, just continued to stare at Steve with his too big eyes. It was a little unnerving, to be honest, the way he didn’t seem to blink or even move. And then, in a flash of movement too fast to be humanly possible, Eddie shot forward. Steve flinched at the unexpected movement, falling back onto his elbows with a small shout of surprise. He half expected to be attacked, to maybe feel Eddie’s hand around his throat or a fist against his cheek. But it never came.

Slowly, Steve opened his eyes. Only, Eddie was nowhere to be seen. The spot beneath the bench was empty, and when Steve looked around, he didn’t see Eddie anywhere. Had he slipped out the door and run away? Why? Steve didn’t understand. But then, Eddie spoke.

“Steve. I’m up here.”

A chill ran down Steve’s back, some primal part of him that had been dormant waking up at hearing the voice from above. Slowly, Steve tilted his head back. What he saw defied all explanation. Eddie was on the ceiling. He was crouched upside down, his hands gripping the wood beam and his feet planted flat on the roof. Eddie blinked down at him, his hair dangling away from his face.

Steve opened his mouth to scream, a natural response he thought. But before he could utter a sound, Eddie was off the ceiling. He landed on top of Steve, his hand pressed firm to his mouth to stop any sound from escaping and his other hand holding Steve to the ground. For a wiry looking kid, he was sure strong.

“Please, Steve, don’t scream,” Eddie begged, his wide eyes earnest. “I promised not to hurt you, and I won’t. You’re safe with me, okay?”

For a few seconds, all Steve could do was stare up at him. He shouldn’t believe him, logically he knew that. Vampires drank blood, human blood, which Steve had. But if Eddie had wanted to hurt him, surely, he would have already. He could even do it right now. Steve was trapped beneath him, his movement completely restricted. So, slowly, Steve nodded. Eddie chewed his lip, before removing his hand. Steve took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart.

“Holy crap. You’re like, a real vampire?”

Eddie nodded, still looking concerned. “Yeah, pretty much.”

“Wow. How long have you been a vampire for?”

“Uh, my whole life?” Eddie said with a chuckle.

Steve frowned. “Wait, what? But I thought vampires were made by being bitten.”

Eddie finally climbed off Steve, sitting cross legged in front of him while Steve sat up and matched his position. “Yeah, some. Some vampires are humans who were turned. But others, like me, were born as vampires. Both of my parents were vampires, and they had me.”

Huh. Steve had never heard of anything like that before. “But what about, like, mirrors and blood drinking and stuff?”

“Eh, I mean, most of the stuff humans know about vampires was made up by them. Except for the blood drinking, that’s true.”

“What about sunlight?”

Eddie scrunched up his nose. “Well, I won’t burst into flames if I’m exposed to it. But it does sting my skin and hurt my eyes, so I avoid it if possible.”

Steve nodded, taking that it. “So, that’s why you’re hiding out here in my shed?”

Eddie nodded.

“Hmm, ok. Well, you know, you might be more comfortable inside the house.”

“You… would invite me into your house? Even knowing what I am?”

Steve shrugged. “Yeah, why not? I believe that you won’t hurt me, and it doesn’t sound like you have anywhere else to go. Plus, I’m getting pretty cold.”

He pushed himself to his feet and held his hand out for Eddie, who hesitated. He looked unsure, and maybe a little bit afraid, though Steve couldn’t imagine of what. It wasn’t like he was going to hurt Eddie. When Eddie didn’t immediately take his hand, Steve gave it a shake.

“Come on. It’s okay.”

Finally, Eddie reached up and took it. Steve hoisted him up, then still holding his hand, led him out of the shed. Eddie looked around as they crossed the yard, as if afraid someone was going to pop out and do a sneak attack. They got to the sliding glass door and Steve pushed it open, stepping into the wonderfully warm living room. He tried to pull Eddie in after him, but the other boy hesitated on the threshold.

“What’s wrong?”

“Are you sure? Are you sure you want to invite me in? Once you do, you can’t take it back.”

Steve sighed. “Eddie, I don’t understand. You promised you won’t hurt me, and I’m not going to hurt you, so what’s the problem?”

Eddie chewed on his bottom lip. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to help myself. It’s just… I’m so hungry. I haven’t eaten anything in almost a week, and you… you smell really good. And I don’t want to hurt you, I promise. But what if I lose control?”

Steve blinked a few times. Oh. He hadn’t really considered that. “And… you need to drink blood? That’s all you eat?”

Timidly, Eddie nodded.

“Right. Okay. Well, maybe I could give you a little bit of my blood, just to hold you over, and then—”

“No!” Eddie shouted, ripping his hand out of Steve’s. “No, Steve, please don’t offer me that. I’m too hungry, I know I won’t be able to stop once I’ve started. I’ll kill you, and then… then I really will be a monster.”

Steve chewed his lip, wavering in the doorway. “What do you normally do when you’re hungry?”

“I hunt animals, usually. But… I waited too long. I’m too weak to catch anything on my own now.”

Right. That made sense. Steve was a little relieved to hear that Eddie usually hunted animals. If he could only drink human blood, they would definitely be in a bit of a pickle.

“Okay, here’s the plan,” he said, “Tonight, you’ll come in and sleep somewhere cozy. You won’t kill me or try to drink my blood. Tomorrow I’ll skip school and go to the butcher in town. I know they stock cow blood, because my nana bought some a few years ago to make this really gross pudding.”

Eddie’s eyes went wide, his mouth falling open slightly. “You’d do that? You’d really go out of your way to help me?”

Steve grinned wide, taking his hand once more. “Of course! We’re both on our own right now, so we should look after each other, shouldn’t we? And my parents left me plenty of money for snacks and stuff, so they won’t even notice if I use it for something else.”

There was something warring in Eddie’s big brown eyes, a well of emotion that Steve couldn’t guess at. All he knew was that he wanted to help Eddie, and so he was going to. When Eddie still didn’t make any move to come inside, Steve tugged gently on his hand.

“Come on. I’m inviting you inside. You’ll be okay.”

Eddie took a deep breath, then nodded, as though coming to a decision. Hesitantly, he stepped forward, bringing one foot over the threshold. He stared down at his foot, as if half expecting it to burst into flames. Could that happen? Steve really hoped not. Finally, Eddie brought his other foot inside. Steve smiled, nodding encouragingly.

“See, that wasn’t so hard.”

He slid the glass door shut behind them and locked it before closing the curtains. Eddie had wandered a few more paces in, standing awkwardly in the middle of the living room. His baggy sweatshirt hung loosely from his limbs, and in the light, Steve could see smudges of dirt on the other boys face. It must have been a long time since he’d had a bath.

“Do you want to use my shower before bed?”

Eddie glanced at him over his shoulder, his brow furrowing. “Are you saying I stink?”

“What? No! No, I wouldn’t say that, I promise! It’s just—”

He stopped when he saw Eddie chuckling. “I’m only joking. I do smell. That’s what happens when you live in the woods for a couple weeks.”

Steve huffed and rolled his eyes. “Ha ha, very funny. Come on, follow me.”

He shut off the tv as they passed it by before switching off the lights and leading Eddie to the stairs. The other boy followed close behind, and when Steve turned to look at him, saw he was taking everything in.

“This place is like a castle,” Eddie murmured.

“Eh, not really. Castle’s have a lot more people in them. It’s just me here.”

“Why don’t your parents want to live here?”

“They do!” Steve said, defensive. “They do live here. They just… go on a lot of business trips. They’re super busy.”

Eddie hummed, not commenting on it any further, which Steve was grateful for. He didn’t want to talk about his parents. All that ever did was make him sad, and he wasn’t in the mood to feel sad. He had a vampire in his house. A vampire who might want to be his friend. He couldn’t entirely wrap his head around it.

They reached the second landing and Steve led Eddie down the hall to his room. He flicked on the light and moved to sit on the bed, watching Eddie as he looked around the room. For some reason, the corners of Eddie’s mouth turned down in a frown.

“What, you don’t like my room?”

Eddie shrugged, walking to stand beside his dresser with the ribbons he’d won at his school’s field day. “It’s not very… you, is it?”

“What do you mean.”

“I don’t know. Where are the pictures? The posters of your favorite bands and movies? Where’s the mess?”

Steve looked around, forcing himself to see his room from someone else’s perspective. “My mom doesn’t like messes. And I just, I don’t know, haven’t really thought about adding anything to the walls.

Eddie hummed again. “Well, you should. Give this checkered monstrosity a little life.”

“Hey, it’s not that bad.”

“It sort of is. Let me guess, your mom picked it out?”

Steve rolled his eyes. Eddie sure was a lot sassier now that he’d come inside. Hopefully that meant he felt comfortable. “Yeah, so? I don’t mind it, so why does it matter?”

Eddie held up his hands. “Hey, as long as you like it.”

“Right. Well, if you want to take a shower, it’s right through that door,” he said, motioning to his on-suite. “I’ll put a towel and some pajamas you can borrow on the counter for when you get out.”

“Yeah, ok, cool.”

Eddie stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind him, leaving Steve alone to sit on his bed. Right, this was totally normal and okay. He had a vampire in his house, one that was apparently his age and who had nowhere else to go. If his parents found out, they’d flip. Luckily, they weren’t home, so there was no need to worry about that. Unless… well, unless Eddie decided he wanted to stay. Surely being here would be better than going to the city alone, to ask a bunch of creepy older vampires if he could live with them. That sounded pretty terrifying, if you asked Steve.

Because really, what could they have that Steve didn’t? Did they have a twenty-seven-inch screen tv? No, he doubted it. Would they have a pool, or a whole forest behind their house for privacy? In the city? Yeah, he didn’t think so. Which, okay, maybe he was getting ahead of himself. He had just met Eddie, he couldn’t ask him to stay with him. Even if he wanted to.

It would be pretty cool to have someone else his age who lived in his house, though. Someone who wouldn’t leave on trips for most of the month. Someone he could watch tv with and play games with and stay up talking to. It would be like having a live in friend. That sounded… that sounded really nice.

Steve was jolted from his thoughts at the sound of something clattering in the shower.

“Sorry!” Eddie shouted. “Dropped the shampoo.”

Ah, right, he needed to get Eddie a towel and some clothes. He grabbed one of his fluffiest towels from the cupboard and then took out his second favorite set of pajamas. He’d gotten them from his grandma last Christmas, and they had Snoopy on them. Trying to be as quiet as he could, he placed the items on the bathroom counter before scurrying out again.

The water turned off a few minutes later. Steve climbed into bed to wait, pulling the blankets up and leaving his bedside lamp on. The door opened and Eddie stepped out. Despite being a year older than Steve, the pajamas still hung a little loose on him. His dark curls dripped on his shoulders as he looked around.

When he spoke, he sounded unsure. “So, um, is there another bed I can take? Or I can lay on the floor if you want, I don’t mind.”

Steve scrunched up his nose. “What? I’m not going to make you sleep on the floor. My bed is plenty big, just sleep with me.”

Eddie hesitated, but after it became clear that Steve was serious, made his way to the other side of the bed. “You really don’t mind sleeping next to me? Even knowing what I am?”

“I already told you I don’t. But, I mean, if it’ll be a problem for you, you don’t have to.”

“No, it’s just, I probably won’t sleep. I usually sleep during the day, so I’ll probably sit here until I feel tired. Which, yeah, will probably be when you’re waking up.”

“Oh.” Steve hadn’t considered that. “Right. Well, you can go downstairs and watch tv if you want. I’ve got lots of movies.”

Eddie bit his lip, the unnatural sharpness to his fangs all the more obvious in the lowlight of the bedroom. “Actually, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll just lay here with you. I think I’ll feel too weird, sitting downstairs by myself.”

Steve wouldn’t admit it out loud, but that was secretly what he’d been hoping Eddie would do. He’d been to his fair share of sleepovers, and while he loved a lot of different aspects of them, his favorite was falling asleep next to another person. The feeling of closeness, of safety, that being close to another person brought… there wasn’t really anything else like it. So, Steve wasted no time in pulling back the blanket on Eddie’s side of the bed and urging him to climb in. Only once they were both laying down, with only a few inches between them, did Steve finally shut off the light.

It was late, way later that Steve normally went to bed on a school night. At least he’d already decided he wouldn’t be going into school tomorrow. He would still wake up early, so that he had enough time to bike down to the butcher and get back before Eddie woke up. Despite all the excitement of having a new vampire friend, Steve felt the unavoidable pull of sleep as he snuggled further into his blankets. Before he could drift off, however, Eddie’s voice came from right beside his ear.

“Steve?”

He blinked an eye open, unable to make out the shape of the other boy, having closed the curtains to protect Eddie from the early morning sun. “Hmm?”

For a few seconds, it was quiet. Steve almost wondered if he’d imagined Eddie’s voice, until the other boy spoke again. “Thank you.”

“For what?” he murmured.

“For helping me. For letting me into your house. For… for just being a good person. I don’t know very many off those.”

Steve hummed, smiling sleepily. “Me either. I guess we’ll just have to be good to each other.”

A puff of breath ghosted across Steve’s cheek, leading him to believe Eddie was even closer than he’d thought. He could probably see Steve perfectly, with his superior vampire vision. The thought should scare him. It didn’t.

“Yeah,” Eddie said quietly. “I guess we will.”

Steve wasn’t sure if he said anything else after that, as he drifted off. But when he dreamed of a creature hiding beneath his bed that night, it wasn’t a nightmare. Because he knew, despite what the movies told him, that this monster wouldn’t hurt him.

the way i love you

summary ; how the genshin boys love you !

warnings ; talk abt bruises and wounds in diluc (no vague description), mentions of death and fighting in xiao, again nothing vague

pairings ; scaramouche, diluc, xiao

notes ; making this took so long goodbye, ginawa ko to kasi ayaw ko pa mag aral (send help)

─ SCARAMOUCHE

scaramouche loves you like the world is gonna end tomorrow.

to him loving you is crucial to his daily life, he fell in love with the way you kept talking to him even if he ignored you, sometimes even abruptly telling you that you should go do something else.

he always thought of himself as someone uncapable of loving another, yet you taught him how to love not only you, but himself.

he accepted all his flaws and the atrocities he did in the past, got over them and attempted to fix his wrong doings, it wasn't a quick nor easy process but you made it easier.

telling him how instead of dwelling over his past and the things he did, he should focus on the present and try to be a better person, and so he did. thanks to everyone but specially you.

scaramouche loves you with his all everyday, he of all people knows nothing lasts, but he hopes that this does.

─ DILUC

diluc loves you to no end.

he'd drop anything if you needed him, he'd spend all his mora for something you wanted, he'd make sure you felt loved daily, that you were assured that he would be here for you, everyday.

perhaps, he evens cuts his job as the dark knight hero a little earlier than usual in hopes to catch you before you go to bed, he wants to bask in your warmth and comfort all he can.

he loves the way you tend to his wounds after battle with a frown on your face, and with no fail you'd scold him afterwards, and as always you'd end your little lecture with a

"sorry luc, its just that i'm really worried for you.. please be more careful out there, i can't lose you."

that's when he realized just how much you truly loved and cared for him, he hugged you afterwards kissing your cheek, he knows you're not trying to stop his nightly battles, rather you're trying to get him to be more wary of the bruises and wounds he get because you care for him.

that alone makes him so happy.

he's familliar with loss, and he knows the both of you won't live forever so he tries to give you his all everyday.

─ XIAO

xiao loves you gently.

he loves you, fully but he doesn't want to hurt you, he's been fighting all his life, all his life has been full of battle, for once he wants to settle down and be happy.

he feels glad you're able to understand and accept his duties as a yaksha, though he does feel happy he doesn't understand it, how can someone like you love someone like him? he who spent his life killing.

and once he has asked the question, your answer only made him love you more, xiao is ready to come at your every call, wether it be necessary or not, he's ready for anything.

he'll feel extra special if you call him when you're in danger, the amount of trust you put in him is surreal, that alone has him weak to his knees.

Dark Whispers, Light Vows

Beautiful artwork of my babies, I'M SO IN LOVE WITH IT!! (੭˃ᴗ˂)੭ Alice looks so cute and our boys JUST LOOK SO FREAKING GOOD! UGH!

Read their story here!

Artwork by the lovely: @kasieli

i’ll teach you.

kim gyuvin x reader 1.9k word count genre ୭ explicit

📁 : wherein fuck boy!gyuvin has nerd!y/n doing his assignments on a daily basis and yet surprisingly, he has a reward for you today.

🏷️ : dialogue written in taglish, fuck boy!gyuvin & innocent!y/n, corruption kink, school sex, public sex, gyuvin kuya kink haver, creampie.

“oh, natapos mo within an hour? good girl.” gyuvin says as you handed to him his assignments, finger reaching up to push your glasses up your nose bridge as you stood shyly in front of gyuvin who towered over you.

“pwede na ba kong umalis? i’m sure kasi na you don’t have any assignments i need to answer—“ you said to him before gyuvin placed his index finger against your lips to hush you.

“what do you think about a little reward, hmm? it’s harmless, just one reward tapos pwede ka na ulit pumunta sa mga nerdy friends mo.” gyuvin said with a smirk as he pulled you over to his side and wrapped an arm around your shoulder.

“gyu, b-but what about class?” you asked with your doe eyes, innocently coming with gyuvin as he walked with a smirk on his face as he met eyes with his friends.

“you can afford to miss class, baby girl. papalampasin naman ni prof isang absent mo.” gyuvin whispered to you as you both turned into a corner, walking into the closed area of the hallways where the lights are closed with the vacant rooms locked.

“w-wait, we shouldn’t be here..” you muttered as you both stopped at the farthest room. gyuvin’s free hand reached to unlock the door before he looked down at you, “but your reward is here.” he said softly with a gentle look in his eyes, easily fooling you.

you blinked before you let gyuvin pull you into the dark room, closing the room behind you which you didn’t know was a mistake you’d regret later on.

“say, baby. ever heard of oral? anal? jakol? kain pepe?” gyuvin tutted behind you, circling around you as you stood frozen.

you blinked before shaking your head no, this gets gyuvin chuckling evilly before he stopped in front of you, hands holding onto your shoulders.

“hmm, how would you feel if the reward is learning about those?” gyuvin said as he backed up, pulling you with him before he blindly sat on the abandoned teacher’s chair.

“pero paano? it’s so dark in here tapos—“ you asked before gyuvin hushed you, hands reaching for your tiny waist before he made you sit on his lap.

you warily sat on him, eyes confused as you turned your head to look at the tables behind you. “i don’t think i could learn this way, may mga table naman doon na pwede nating gamitin..“ you said as you looked back at him before gyuvin shakes his head no as he was slipping off the straps of your backpack and placing it on the floor behind you.

“it’s better this way, one on one.” gyuvin said as he was slowly unbuttoning your top, revealing a cute pink brassiere that cupped onto your small tits.

“now now, this is a reward. bawal na bawal mag reklamo.” he says when your eyes watched as he slipped your top off of you, flinging it elsewhere before his huge hands cupped your tits, groping them as if they were stress-balls that were fit for his huge hands.

“gyu..” you whimpered as one of gyuvin’s hands reached behind you and unclasped your bra, the other hand slipping it off of your shoulders before he flung it somewhere.

he hushes you with a fake gentle look in his eyes, “this is the lesson, baby.. don’t you want to learn?” he asked with faux sadness before you hesitantly answered, “gusto..” you said.

with that, gyuvin makes you stand up before he instructs you to take your inner shorts and panties off, reassuring you it’s all part of the lesson while he himself stood up and unbuckled his pants and slipped off his boxers, letting them pool at his feet.

he smiles with a glint in his eyes as you stood innocently in front of him, telling him that you slipped your underwear off.

“good girl.” he says before he makes you sit on the dirty teacher’s table, sitting right at the edge where he has you for easy access.

“look at me and listen, yeah?” he says before you nod.

gyuvin holds onto his length as you looked down between you two, eyes landing on his huge flesh in between his legs.

“now this is a cock, it can make you feel good all over— fuck.” gyuvin says before he hissed, jerking himself off as you had your eyes on him.

you blinked and looked back at him, eyes glimmering with intent to learn.

gyuvin smiles before he comes close to you, free hand flicking your skirt up as his other hand kept pumping him to full hardness.

“eto yung pepe mo tapos eto yung tinggil mo, pwede mong pasukan ng kahit ano ‘yan but it’s best to put this in there.” gyuvin said as he pointed out which is which before he popped his head into your hole, pushing his entire length into you which has you gasping, hand panicking to hold onto gyuvin’s school shirt.

“too big— kuya, oh my god ang laki masyado!” you gasped when gyuvin pulled himself out and pushed into you in one go, pelvis pressing against each other as gyuvin sighed in content, hands holding onto your waist to pull you close.

gyuvin coos, “it’s okay.. tinuturuan lang kita, no need to be scared.” he said as he started thrusting into you, making your eyes brim with tears as you felt him touch you in the weirdest places and yet you teared up out of pleasure, feeling good in the weirdest places.

“mmm kuya, ang laki..” you whimpered as you felt weak underneath him, feeling the table creaking underneath you as gyuvin thrusted into you.

“tinuturuan kita how to take dick, how to take my dick.” gyuvin emphasized my as his eyebrows furrowed, feeling you clench around him when he spoke.

“puta, gusto mo yun? tuturuan nalang kita maging puta?” gyuvin groaned as you clenched around him once more, hand pushing your shoulder down to lie you down onto the table instead.

with this position, he has you at his merciless hands. gyuvin suspended your legs into the air and onto his shoulder as he fucked you, watching as your little tits bounced along to his thrusts.

“sige lang, take me like a good girl.” gyuvin said as he pistoned his hips into yours, balls slamming against your ass as he fucked you.

gyuvin watched as your lips had themselves in a perfect O before you let out a loud moan escape your mouth when he thrusted a little harder than earlier.

he watches as you blindly reached up for your tits, holding them into your even tinier hands. your body was tiny, easily manhandled and corrupted by him. gyuvin watched with lust in his eyes as your tiny tits were threatening to spill out of your tinier hands, instead, your fingers prompted to twist and turn at your nipples, making you whimper as gyuvin kept thrusting into you silently.

“tignan mo? you’re learning, you’re learning how to be a whore.” gyuvin says as he held onto your wrists so he could lever you towards him, pulling you closer to his pelvis.

“kuya! feels weird po, aah!” you cried out as he pulled you to him. while gyuvin on the otherhand marveled at how you took him like a champ, taking his huge dick as if it was nothing.

right when you let him slip your shirt and bra off, gyuvin could’ve cum in his pants in that instant, dick satisfied at how you were pliant at his hands.

“no no, i’m making you feel good. just a little more and we’re all done.” gyuvin purrs as he continues his thrusts, loving the fact that your pussy clenched around him despite your desperate cries of wanting him to stop.

“nooo, it’s too much.. too big, kuya!” you sobbed underneath gyuvin who simply listened to your cries, pounding away on your pussy.

he liked that you lied flat underneath him, pliant at his hands as you let him fuck you however he liked. he loved how you were so easy to corrupt, so easy to ruin and taint.

your sobs were continuous, hands pulling away from his grasp only to wipe away your tears as you sniffled, listening to gyuvin’s cooing as you whimpered when his thrusts get harsher.

his balls slap against your ass as gyuvin’s thrusts get harsher, slamming his entire length into you before pulling out and then pushing it in in one go, making you cry out loud, forgetting that you were still in school, just in the private side of the campus.

“shhh, you’re okay..”

you whimpered once more when his hands grip your skin tight, hand marking up on your skin.

“f-feels weird… kuya, wanna pee!” you whined out when you feel a warmth pool in your stomach, tears stream down your face as you sobbed underneath him, feeling gyuvin’s thrusts turn harder and harsher.

you moaned at how it was like he went deeper inside of you, poking you in places where you didn’t even know existed inside of you.

gyuvin on the other hand groaned at how you took him nicely, keeping his dick snug and warm inside of you. he feels a shiver down his spine when you clenched around him, clenching hard enough to the point where he nearly can’t move inside of you.

“it’s okay, baby. you’re okay, it’s called having an orgasm.” gyuvin tuts when you sniffle and nod underneath him, creating long strokes before he pushed hard into you once more, making you screech as you shakily held onto gyuvin’s shirt, wrinkling the fabric in your fingers’ grasp.

“baby relax ka lang, i can’t move in you if you keep clenching on me like that.” gyuvin purrs when you clenched hardly on him, your gasps and whines getting him to grow harder inside of you.

“wanna pee..” you sniffled, crying as you felt more warmth pool in your pussy.

“just release it when you feel it, labas mo lang.. be a good girl, hmm? cum for kuya.” gyuvin said gently as he slowly got to pull his length out of you before pushing right in, starting up a faster pace to get you to cum.

he continued to fuck you senseless, making sure you were crying and sobbing underneath him, begging to make you cum on him.

gyuvin grunted, his veiny hands gripping on your thighs to pull you close as he pounded into you. he marveled at how your pussy was slowly growing wet around him, slick dripping out of you and onto your thighs and his pelvis.

you’re in tears by the time that you’re by the edge, thighs squirming in gyuvin’s grasp as you felt that warmth in you slowly subsiding. what you didn’t know was that you were cumming on gyuvin’s dick, clenching around him tighter than earlier.

“oh fuck— puta— shit, ang sikip mo aah fuck!” gyuvin cursed as he thrusted a few more times as you came around him, body shaking like a leaf when you were cumming.

your pussy spasmed around him, pussy clenching warmly around his dick which gets gyuvin stilling his hips, balls deep inside of you as he started spurting cum in your warm hole.

“ah shit, sarap mo baby.” gyuvin groaned as he came deep inside, marking your walls with his warm cum.

you whimpered when it feels like gyuvin grew bigger inside of you but in reality, it was his cum filling your virgin hole up.

“taking kuya’s cum like a g-good girl.” gyuvin coos with a smirk, the faux niceness of him coming out of him when you shake uncontrollably underneath him.

“bukas ulit ah?” gyuvin says before he pulls out, eyes liking the sight of your pussy dripping with yours and his cum.

© RATEDFLEUR — ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

New Recruit? (Miguel O'Hara)

pairings: Miguel O'Hara x Filipino F!reader

summary: You're the Spider-woman in your universe and you recall the day when you met Miguel.

edit: I've added an accurate translation so you guys wouldn't google it anymore!!

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 (COMING SOON)

————————————————————————————————————————————

You could remember how you met him, how you met Miguel O'Hara. It was the usual day for you except it wasn't because it was your little cousin's birthday.

.

.

.

You were helping your tita's with cooking because they were throwing a big party that could pass into a charity program. The house is full of people who was switching between cooking and setting up the house for the party.

With a sigh, you chopped your 10th carrot of the day, shouting at your male older cousin to tone down the karaoke. It's nothing new to you, except last night you were fighting a villain who drained all your energy for today's celebration.

"Hoy! Ang aga aga pa ah! Marami pang tulog!!" You exclaimed, glaring at the young man before continuing your chopping. (Hey! It's early in the morning! There are a lot of people who are still sleeping!)

"Ay nako, ineng. Ang aga aga high blood ka." One of your tita's chirped, the one who was peeling the carrots beside you. (Oh my, child. It's early in the morning and your blood pressure is high already.)

"Ay nako, tita. Tottoo naman kasi. Ba't nga pala ang gara ng handaan netong pinsan ko eh 2 years old pa lang naman yan." You scoffed, chopping the carrots faster. (Oh my, Auntie. It's true, no lies. Anyways, why is my little cousin's birthday party so much when they're literally 2 years old.)

One of your older Tita's looked at your state, you look like you haven't had any sleep yet, dark circles around your eyes. "Ineng, halika ka nga dito." She ushered you, making a come here motion with her arms. (Child, come here.)

"Bili ka nga muna ng juice dun sa baba, kay na aling Bebang." She ordered, getting her coin purse in her pocket and giving you 50 pesos. (Buy some juice down the street, in the store of Bebang.)

"Tita naman, ako pa talaga uutusan, bakit ako?" You scratched your head before heading out, making sure you have your necklace with you. (Auntie, why am I always the one running errands?)

You passed by the karaoke and glared at your cousin before warning him. "Pag-alis ko dapat hindi ko maririnig yang boses mo na nakakabwiset ha." (When I leave I shouldn't hear that annoying voice of yours.)

You put on your slippers and exited the gate, walking towards where the sari-sari store is. You were halfway there when a string of loud shouting filled your ears. Your spider senses went crazy and you searched for a place to settle.

You went to the alleyway filled with garbage and tons of cartons before checking if there were any CCTV cameras. You smiled when you saw nothing and pressed your necklace, creating a holographic suit over you.

It was the one you used when an emergency happens like this. You shot a web from your wrist and swung away, finding the source of the screams. Your spider sense tingled when you saw a weird-colored guy who seemed to be glitching, he resembles one of your enemies but you can't get your mind to remember.

You swung your way there and began examining the area. You squinted your eyes at the sight and began evacuating people. "Hoy!" You shouted, shooting a web at the guy, your eyes widened when he turned around.

He looks like your tito, and it looks like he was the one causing the commotion. You gulped before you fixed your stance, readying yourself for a fight.

Your mind raced with questions, your tito was dead- why is there a carbon copy of him in front of you? You watched him die in front of you- you watched him get shot.

You pushed away your thoughts and remembered your job, swinging by the buildings and shooting webs at him. The man looked at you before he aimed at you with his fingers, lightning coming out of it.

You easily dodged it at first, swinging by trying to get him stuck. He continued shooting lightning toward you, dodging your webs.

You clicked your tongue in annoyance before you noticed that the electric post was hit by the lightning he shot. You quickly shot webs at the post and steadied it, saving the people near the post.

"Ano bayan?! Alam mo ba kung gaano katagal ayusin ni Meralco 'tong mga to?!" You huffed, looking at the damaged wirings. (What is that?! Don't you know how long it takes for Meralco to fix these things?!)

"Ilang araw na naman kami walang kuryente neto." You shook your head, shooting at the near building and lifting yourself up. (We won't have electricity for the incoming days.)

You thought twice about the situation, he seems to have the same ability as your enemy Electra but for some reason, has the same face as your uncle.

You watched as he started flying, you knew what to do when it comes to flying enemies. You smirked before swinging towards him, pouncing at him mid-air as he lost his balance.

"Hey! Get off me!" Your eyes widened when you heard him speak English. He shot lightning bolts everywhere, wrecking most of the building insight. You huffed and webbed his hands, only for him to zap you with the other.

You flinched at the lightning, making your whole body fall to the ground from the damage. Your fingertips were quite burned and most of the part holographic suit where he shot you was missing.

You grit your teeth together and tried to stand up, "Tangina naman." You swore, getting up from the ground, the missing suit was now materializing once again. (You son of a bitch.)

Just as you were about to stand up, a weird portal opened up, you furrowed your brows together as a person came out of it, he rushed towards your enemy and began fighting him.

The portal closed leaving you stunned, you watched as they wreck more of the buildings. Sighing you started evacuating the people whose houses were getting disintegrated. "Tangina! Ayusin n'yo naman!!" You shouted, swinging and dodging the falling cement. You saved all the people and decided to help the masked man. (Son of a bitch! At least be careful!!)

"Hell-O!!" Your voice screeched when a bolt of lightning was almost shot at your head, luckily you ducked just in time. "Focus on the fight." He groaned, hitting his back at the building.

Your ears perked up at his voice, "What?" You asked, your voice full of Tagalog accent. "What do you mean what? Don't you speak English?" He retorted, getting up and dusting his back.

'Aba, tangina neto ah.' you thought, "I can speakining in dollars just fine." You scoffed, rolling your eyes at him. "Doesn't look like it." (Tsk, this son of a bitch.)

You shot him an irritated glare but decided to play along. "You are right. No habla engles." You said with a broken English and Spanish accent. (I don't speak English.)

"Tu hable español?" He asked, sounding amused at your broken Spanish accent. "Ah, eh, ih, oh, uh... Sí?" You replied, understanding his words. (You speak Spanish?) (Yes?)

"Maiintindihan mo talaga syempre, ikaw ba naman, sakupin yung bansa mo ng espania ng 333 na taon." You scoffed, joking to yourself. "What was that?" (Of course you will, imagine getting your country colonized by Spain for 333 years.)

"Mga Español nga naman. Nothing, I said nothing." You replied, shooting a web at your uncle look-alike's face. (Spanish people, am I right?)

Now that he was distracted by your web, you used the opportunity to start webbing him up, putting him in a cocoon-like web. You shot webs from the buildings and stuck him in the air.

Now that the both of you are side by side, you noticed how much taller he is than you, given that most Filipino has short genetics. "Tangkad mo naman..." You whispered to yourself, rolling your eyes. (You're so tall...)

"Okay, now that the fight is finished. Care to tell me who are you?" You asked, knowing that he isn't from here. "Isn't it obvious?" He asked back.

"Luh." You replied to his sassiness. "You're not from here, are you? I mean come on..." You squinted your eyes as he threw something at the enemy.

"Miguel, Miguel O'Hara." His voice scratched that part of your brain, making your guts flip. "Uhh- I'm Y/n, Y/n L/n." You introduced yourself with a smile.

"Hey! I was talking to you!" You glared at him, "I'm from another universe." He replied as a red screen like started forming around the enemy. "No shit." You scoffed, crossing your arms at him.

"You know, I was planning on recruiting you," He started "Recruit me?" You asked. "It's better if I just show you." He then clicked on his watch and a portal appeared.

You stayed silent, "I got trust issues." You simply stated, looking at the portal in front of you. "But... I don't want to prepare for my little cousin's birthday so I'm gonna go."

He hummed at your words, "Let's go then." He walked towards the portal, you following him behind. As soon as you entered the portal, it felt like you were sliding, your heart almost fell.

"PUTANGINA!" You shouted, traveling between the multiverse, shutting your eyes close as you tried to calm yourself. Repeating cursing and praying. "Lord, alam ko na masama akong tao pero wag n'yo pa po ako patayin." (SON OF A BITCH!) (Lord, I know that I'm a bad person but please don't kill me yet.)

"Lord, magsisimba na po ako araw-araw hindi na po ako mangbabackstab ng mga kapitbahay, hindi na ren po ako makikipag chismisan sa mga tita ko, Lord wag muna." You repeatedly prayed, doing the sign of the cross a lot. (Lord, I will attend mass everyday, I won't talk shit behind people's backs anymore, I won't gossip with my aunties anymore, Lord please just don't kill me yet.)

You fell with a thud, breaking you from the trance you are in. You slowly opened your eyes and immediately clasped your hand together. "Lord, salamat po Lord, kahit ilang beses na kita sinabihan na patayin n'yo nalang ako dati." (Lord, thank you so much Lord, even after many times of asking you to just kill me in the past.)

You nodded your head and raised your clasped hands. "Are you done now?" Miguel asked, amused by your antics. Your eyes trailed up at his, his mask long gone.

"Gago, gwapo ka pala." You covered your mouth instantly, getting up and patting your backside. "Did you just call me handsome?" (Oh, you're handsome, asshole.)

"Whaat??" You turned to him, "I didn't, you wish." You replied, making your mask disappear too. "So, where are-"

You stopped mid-sentence and were surprised at the number of spider people hanging around everywhere. "Wow." You muttered.

Miguel started at you, he knew how you looked way before he met you but this time you looked different, you looked way more tired than originally and your hair looks like you haven't taken a bath for weeks. He cleared his throat as spoke.

"I know you know about the multiverse, given that you have an experience with it, I decided to recruit you." He explained, his accent giving you chills. "How'd you know?" You raised an eyebrow at him. "I just do." He shrugged, "Oh, and welcome to Spider Society."

He started walking and you immediately followed, catching up to him. "I was creating a portal to the multiverse by the way, if I didn't meet you I'm sure I'll be finishing it in 4 months or more." You stated.

"Your suit. What is it made of?" He asked, seeing how you just made your mask disappear. "It's holographic, I use it for emergencies." You answered with a beam.

"I see." He kept his answers short, "What about yours?" You asked before you glitched, falling into the ground with a thud. "Aray ko." You muttered, putting a hand on your head. (Ouch, that hurt.)

Miguel looked back and realized he hadn't given you a day pass yet. He threw one at you before saying something. "That would keep you from glitching." You picked it up and wore it. "Thanks." You thanked him, standing up.

"My suit is also holographic." He answered your question before you glitched.

"There's a lot of spider people in here, huh?" You asked, in awe at the view. "Sure is. I'm sure you know a lot when it comes to the multiverse, I'm looking forward to working with you."

The way his voice sounds makes you feel weird, "Oh, uh- I don't know what you're talking about?" You felt unsure, "You graduated with flying colors, someone who has experience on and off the field, you'll be a perfect recruit for this." He said, walking towards the elevator.

"Thank you, really. I'll think about it." You said, walking upside down now because of the elevator. "So uhm... " You tried to talk but nothing came into your mind. "Who was he? You know, the man who came to my universe? He looks just like my uncle."

He looked at you, pressing the top floor. "As I said earlier, you have a fair share of knowledge about the multiverse. I know you know the answer." He answered, looking at your eyes that seemed to be darting everywhere.

"What universe is he from?" You asked, fiddling your fingers. "Earth - 36910," he answered as the elevator stopped. The both of you walked away from the elevator, a ton of spider people greeting Miguel and he just grunts or nods in reply.

As Miguel toured you in his universe, he explained and educated you more about what's happening in the multiverse, hours passed and you remembered the celebration.

"Shit, it's been 4 hours already?" You clicked your tongue as you made a part of your wrist into a holographic watch. Miguel looked at you before you spoke once again.

"It's been great and all, Miguel, and I really do appreciate the offer, but right now, I need to go back to my universe before my tita unleashes hell on everyone." Miguel nodded, getting something from his table and giving it to you.

"Come back to us when you're ready, we'll be waiting for you." He simply said, the warm tone of his voice makes your heart speed up.

"I will," you smiled, putting on the watch and typing your universe, opening up a portal. Walking towards the portal, you turned back at him last time. A smirk spreads on your face.

"Don't miss me too much, Gwapo!" You laughed, winking at him before the hologram covered your face. Running into the portal with a wide smile. (Handsome.)

Miguel was left in his office, a small smile forming on his lips as he recalled everything that happened. "Lyla." He called his AI.

"What now?" Lyla materialized in front of him, crossed arms and a small teasing smile on her face.

"When will her canon event happen?"

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.

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a/n: I'm accepting requests and so far I got one request and it's ongoing!!

"...and I wonder if gods cry too-"

Act 1 - Bleed for him or Make him bleed

Disclaimer: I do not own Maliksi, or Makisig (the Tamawo bros). Full Credit goes to HC - @ask-emilz-de-philz. Please check out their blog for amazing art and the wonderful world of Planet Puto.. All involved characters are adults.

A/N: Pouring my heart and soul in this multi chapter fic. CHAR LANGGG. HAHAHAHA. If you see a she + she ship at the first part, that's intended. i didn't mess up the pronouns.

Genre: Angst pero may kissies po for us kasi galing po kami ni Maliksi sa date, opo.

Best paired with: Tiny Vessels by Death Cab for Cutie

"...smart move. Keeping true to your words is a smart move, tamawo."

Maliksi let out a sharp exhale through gritted teeth as he clenches his fists while looking at the ground, not lifting his head up to stare at the imposing dalakitnon in front of him. "Make it quick before my brother notices that I'm gone and god forbid starts looking for me."

"Impatient as ever. Do you remember that little story I told you before?"

The dalakitnons weren't always hailed as dangerously powerful before, as beings not to be dealt with...

Yes, their magic has always been far more superior than the other engkantos and that led to them toying with lives of weaker beings and mortals, not expecting them to retaliate.

There was that dark age when their kind was almost exterminated by the very humans they looked down upon and tormented.

Who would've known that humans, when working together can be an unexpected threat- especially since gods were known to favor some of them.

Humans can be strong, oh so strong- But they cannot get rid of the things that makes them human. They are too emotional, too attached to one another, too....soft.

It didn't took long for the dalakitnons to study them, discovering that they were lead by a babaylan- she was smart not to have blood related family present at that war. But not smart enough to conceal her budding feelings for one of the hunter's sister who often visited them. The way her hands brushed against hers, the way her eyes glimmered with more hope even after being beyond exhaustion, and the way she looks at her...

The remaining dalakitnons can still remember the babaylan's scream the night that they were able to lay hands on her lover- they didn't kill her right away... They poisoned her mind and heart slowly, corrupting her to the core until she was just an empty vessel, a puppet for their amusement as she grabbed her brother's blade and used it against her beloved babaylan.

Oh, the horror in that babaylan's eyes as she realized she was too weak to even think of hurting her lover just to save herself, the way her tears fell as she embraced her tight one last time and whispered how much she loves her before falling off a cliff to their deaths, not even mentioning a single one of her fault for being a victim of the dalakitnons.

Before the war ended shortly, the dalakitnons gathered to put a curse on that babaylan's bloodline- she is not to have any female descendants for 6 generations- making sure that that wretched bloodline will not live on, or at least be thinned enough to not produce someone who will be of threat to them.

The dalakitnon has always seen almost unrivaled potential from Maliksi, that's the very reason that they answered for his call when he was trying to revive his brother Makisig. And how convenient it is to make use of him right now, afterall, a debt is a debt.

"The curse we've put on that bloodline has been lifted 30 years ago, and as expected...And a female descendant has been born around that time... Remember our little deal, Maliksi?"

"Yes, but why don't I just kill her to make it easier and faster for both of us?"

The dalakitnon softly chuckled before answering,

"And keep killing every single female born out of that family for centuries until we engkantos raise suspicion once again?

We would've just curse that damned bloodline again if it was possible, but it's not!

Those damned gods favoring that wretch even after centuries!

It will only take time before some human stands up to us if we kill them, so we won't.

And don't act like it's much of a bother, all you have to do is to keep her and use her to make tamawo babies. Isn't that just your normal job? That's a win/win for both of us."

Maliksi looked at his reflection in the small pond under the moonlight, steeling his resolve before taking the path that you walk at night according to the dalakitnon. It didn't take long before he spotted you walking alone. You were young, probably in your mid twenties with a small stature. He wonders if he'll be sinning against the same gods that favored your predecessor for doing what he must do.

"Binibini~" He softly called out to you with that sweet tone his Kuya Makisig uses to get any lady swoon over him.

You turned around to be met with Maliksi's golden eyes and a smile no one could ever resist.

"...yes?"

You softly answered as you get lost in those eyes and before you knew it, he was already leaning in to kiss you. The tamawo's saliva instantly kicking in like a drug and quickly putting you in a trance.

Makisig was too impatient for all that sweet talk and such that his kuya usually does. As long as a tamawo kisses a human, or any other way to get them ingest their saliva, then everything is all set up for them to take the human back to Biringan City.

The moment you woke up from what seems to be days of slumber, you were already part of Maliksi and Makisig's household. You were informed of your set up, and what your agreed upon duties are.

Makisig was sweet but he never touched you nor interacted too much with you so it gave you an idea that you must've belonged to his younger brother, Maliksi.

It was weird since you were the only one who follows him around like a puppy while his brother has multiple ladies on his harem- you didn't question him though since he seems to not like it when the other ladies bother him with questions. To your surprise, he doesn't act that harsh around you. He often listened to your requests and treats you nicely and properly which often leads to the other ladies' jaws on the floor, eyes wide as plates as they question their own sanity upon seeing how calm he is around you.

Maliksi felt guilt out of anything else whenever he sees your face endearingly staring at him with those eyes. The night he found you, he made sure to put you into twilight sleep and tamper with your memories- something he will always beat himself over.

You were just an innocent human after all. A civilian caught in the crossfire. As much as he hated your kind for hurting his family, you didn't exactly do anything to harm him and his Kuya, hell if it weren't for his deal with the dalakitnon, you'll probably live a normal life until you're old...and die a normal death. Yet here you are following him around without any thoughts but to be at his side. It made him sick to his stomach how he practically erased all of your entirety- the memories of your friends, family, and even your own personality. It's as if you didn't exist before being with him.

He can never be mean to you- as much as the others may think how out of character it was to be seen holding you in his arms and making you smile, he knew that it's the least he can do for you after what he put you through-

"Maliksi?" You softly called out for him while sitting on his lap, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Yes, Y/n?" He smiled as he gently brushed your hair away from your face, tucking gently behind your ear.

"One of Maki's girls was talking about her life back at the human realm...why can't I remember mine?"

There it is- that dreaded question leaving your lips once again. And once again, he has to lie to your face.

Maliksi held your cheeks tenderly before pressing his lips against yours, "What do you mean, beautiful? Maybe it's because I give you too much kisses. You know how dangerous our kisses are, right?" he softly said in between kisses which made you giggle and just let the question slide like you always do as you wrap your arms around him while kissing him back.

"Hmm. Maybe. It's okay, though. I love your kisses, and I love you."

"I know, Y/n. I know, sweet girl."

There it is, out in the open- how you were falling for him. Completely and without any inhibitions. Not that you would know better since all you knew was him. Your world revolves around him.

Yet all he sees in you is a kind and gentle person that he's badly wronged. What he feels for you is pity above anything else.

Love? He is not someone who knows of love other than his love for his brother. That same love that brought this fate down to you. He doesn't love you or does he plan to. But he is not a monster, he will not say that to your face. What's a little lie to prevent him from hurting you more than he already has?

Art by: @ask-emilz-de-philz, that's their OC, Maliksi the Tamawo. Please visit their blog and support theem <3

((I LOV THIS FIC SO MUCH- LIEK... HNGGGG. PART 2 WILL BE POSTED TOMORROW HAHAHA. MY INTERNET IS JUZZ ACTING UP RN KAYA DI KO MATAPOS))

LOVESICK (part 3) - She Can Never Know! < prev | next >

As the sun begins to rise, the time for morning patrol follows suit. Every morning, the Lion Guard assembles at the base of Pride Rock to greet one another a good morning and decide who should hit which part of the lands. 

Imara has to admit she's not entirely used to sleeping in a dark, cool den full of other lions; it's a far cry from sleeping in the dust of the Outlands, the rising sun hot on her pelt, tail and ears flicking away the termites that crawled over her. She can't complain though. There's an easy comradery in it that living in Zira's pride had never achieved, to be able to lean into the nearest warm, slumbering body when needed without worrying you'll be kicked away antagonistically -- kind, almost familial.

Since the migration to the Pridelands, Imara has come to like the lions in it, despite all her raising to despise them. It had taken quite a bit of healing and talking with the other lionesses -- from both groups -- to finally admit that. She used to be one of the skinniest of the Outlanders, something of a runt as a cub and always shoved from what little food could be scrounged up, the surprising generosity of the others allowed her to finally eat without worry to her heart’s content and build more body weight than she could've ever dreamed of having. She feels safe and supported here.

So these days, when she rises, bright and easy, stretching her ever-growing muscles and shaking her ears out, she's happy to pay it forward.

Today, she hops down the Rock and is the first to be at the base.

Next is Tazama, who greets her quietly yet warmly; then Shabaha, whose limp from the war has become hardly noticeable now; then, ironically, Kasi, who grumbles as they slink down the Rock.

"Nice of you to join us, Kas," Imara chuckles. "What kept you up so late last night?"

Kasi grouses, grooming a paw, "Noth --"

"I know what," Shabaha butts in, snickering, "You were up talking to Zuri last night, weren't you?"

From the way Kasi bristles, they can all tell Shabaha's right on the money. "...No, I wasn't . I can't even stand tha brat, let alone hold a conversation with her."

Shabaha laughs that wild laugh of hers, as if that's the funniest thing in the world. "Oh, please! I could hear you two giggling like cubs in the corner of the den! Who knew you could be such a charmer?"

"That -- you --" Kasi fumbles for words, their ears flattened in embarrassment, obviously caught. "Sh-Shut up, Shabaha! I-It was just…just idle conversation, nothing to gawk abou --"

"Yeah, you sure like gawking at her, don't you --"

"Why, you -- "

"Um, not to interrupt," Tazama says, distracted but clearly disturbed by their noise, "but it's past sunrise already; where's Vitani?"

The group falls silent as they realize she's right; they're far past their usual patrol time and their leader is nowhere to be found.

"Gosh," Imara says, "you guys don't think something happened to her, do you?"

"She might be sick?" Shabaha suggests. "Did you guys notice her looking strange yesterday?"

"Not me," Kasi says, shrugging. “‘Zama?”

"Hm," Tazama ponders, "I did notice something…odd last night at supper. Vitani looked quite anxious and didn't seem to eat much. In fact, she ended up giving the rest of the meat to Princess Kiara."

Imara's ears perk up at that. "Hey, yeah, now that you mention it, she didn't really say anything at supper. Neither of those things are really like her."

Tazama nods fervently, "Yes, yes, and also , I swear I heard her leave a little after everyone settled in to sleep. I think I could hear pacing just outside. It doesn't seem like she came back in."

Imara hums, then sniffs the air, then the ground. "Well, she's nearby. C'mon, guys, I think she's in the lair."

Sure enough, when they enter the lair, they find a lanky figure curled on the ground, breathing gently.

"Vitani?" Kasi calls.

No movement.

"Vitani, are you alright?" Tazama asks, as they all approach.

Still, nothing.

"VITANI! " Shabaha belts loudly, shaking her shoulder. Vitani bolts awake, eyes wide and growling, her stance defensive, fur standing on end. The four take an appeasing step backward.

"Whoa there," Imara attempts to soothe, "It's just us, Vitani."

Their leader freezes and blinks, eyes clearing. Her muzzle unwrinkles and her jaw goes slack. "Oh...jeez, I'm sorry, guys. I thought -- um --"

"It's alright, Vitani," Tazama placates, and Vitani drops her stance to lay on the ground again, yawning. "You didn't show for patrol --"

"Shit, what time is it!?" Vitani jolts up again but the Lion Guard blocks her path. "We gotta --"

"Absolutely not, dude," Kasi says.

"Indeed," Tazama agrees, "Patrol can wait for just a bit."

"But --"

"We can tell there's something wrong, Vi," Imara says. "What's eatin’ you? You didn't have much food last night and Tazama heard you get up and pace outside. And now we're finding you slept in here last night? C'mon, fess up."

Vitani, caught, gapes at her former squadron. "I..." And realizing there's no sense in making up excuses, she sighs heavily. Gone are the days where they were emotionally unavailable with one another in order to remain tough. They can all admit that they need this vulnerability now to survive after everything Zira had done to them. 

She starts slowly and quietly, "Yesterday...when we were done with evening patrol, I met up with Kiara to hang out like usual. But it was…different this time."

She doesn't look at them, looking conflicted and frustrated.

"Different how?" Imara gently presses.

Vitani heaves a sigh. "I think..." She trails off before growling voicelessly. Her friends nearly back away again -- they know how she can get when angered -- but in an instant the anger drains away, leaving shame in its wake. She squeezes her eyes shut. "I think I...I'm in love with Kiara."

All their ears point sideways and they gape in astonishment.

"Ah." Tazama is the first to speak up. "That is quite the conundrum."

"Wait, I'm confused," Shabaha says, "How did that make you eat less and lose sleep?"

"Shabaha..." Kasi says exasperatedly, knocking their shoulder into her.

"She's my brother's girlfriend, that's why! Ugh, how could I be so --" She lays her head flat on the the ground and covers her eyes with her paws, looking humiliated. "I'm such an asshole."

"Don't say that," Imara says, kneeling in front of her. "C'mon. Tell us how you know."

"How I --"

"How you know you're in love. "

Vitani lifts her paws away, staring up at her Strongest. "I...Well...Sh-She's just so kind to me and -- and brave and strong. I think the war was the first sign. Her standing up to her father like that, standing between him and us, gods, I have so much respect for her. Whenever I see her, I just...can't help but feel happy." She softens entirely. 

The rest of the Guard are shocked. Vitani is not the soft type. Though she may have let her eyes linger, she has never once swooned over any lioness ever. They can tell that even thinking about Kiara has an effect on their leader. 

"Yesterday, we were play-fighting and she pinned me so quickly. No one has ever done that, not even an Outlander. That's what made me realize that -- that --"

Anxious fright floods her expression, the realization that she's in deeper than even she realized, and she covers her face again, groaning. "She can never know!"

Imara, feeling sorry for her, asks, "Well, why not?"

"'Why not? '" Vitani mimics, suddenly lost in her own head, "It's embarrassing, it's -- it's disgusting! I'm weak for this. How could she -- How could I feel this way for -- What would my mother think?"

The mention of Zira sends a chill through all of them.

"Your mother isn't here," Kasi reminds firmly. And thank the gods for it, goes unsaid.

"Vitani..." Tazama steps closer. "Kasi's right. This isn't the Outlands; there's no reason to feel ashamed for loving Kiara." 

They all know that it isn't loving Kiara specifically that's the issue; it's loving, period. In their childhood, Zira liked to instill the belief in their heads that love was a fickle, weak thing. Something that makes you soft and distracts you from the ultimate goal of overthrowing Simba. As adults, they now see what a hypocrite she was, obsessed to extreme ends with her past lover, and understand it was simply a manipulation tactic to get them to focus on being her soldiers full-time, giving more attention to their physical prowess with the added goal of stunting them emotionally.

Once upon a time, Vitani had let herself stray. As a teenager, despite her best efforts, she fell for another of Zira's followers -- a defiantly kind lioness named Kuuma who always, always shared her rations with Vitani and whose laugh sent a wave of butterflies through her stomach. She never got the chance to pursue anything with her; Zira had been observing her closely, saw how her eyes would linger, how they got lost in one another while together.

One less soldier was an easy price to pay for teaching her foolhardy daughter a lesson.

It was Vitani's mistake, her fault. How dare she, her mother's most loyal confidante, lose sight of their cause?

Maybe if she had just been stronger, kept her base desires in check, Kuuma would still be…

Vitani swallows, finds herself close to tears. She tries to bite them back, shoulders shaking. The four at last lie down beside her in comfort. Imara gently nuzzles her cheek. Shabaha touches her paw to Vitani's. Kasi leans their head on her back. Tazama leans a foreleg on her side.

The affection makes Vitani break, sobbing quietly.

They stay like that for a long moment, before Vitani's breathing evens out again and she's stopped shaking. The Guard wait patiently and occasionally groom her in consolation.

"I would never do anything to come between her and Kovu. Never." Vitani sighs. "He’s my brother. I promised myself I’d never hurt him again. And…even if she weren't with Kovu," she mumbles lowly, "There's no way she'd want to be with...someone like me. And what if she's disgusted? Then I'd lose someone I consider my best friend. I...I can never tell Kiara."

The Guard is quiet for a long time. Imara is the one who breaks the silence.

"Vitani, you know Princess Kiara better than we do. Do you really think she'd stop being friends with you over this?"

Vitani looks sorely down at the dirt between her paws. "...No."

Tazama smiles. "We all saw the bravery and kindness that ended the war. If you told her, even if she didn't feel the same, even if she doesn't like lionesses, I think she'd appreciate your honesty."

Shabaha and Kasi make sounds of agreement. Their leader thinks about it for a moment.

"I...I'm not ready to tell her. But I won't let it change anything between us. You all are right; I don't think she'd be that cruel." She lets out a final sigh. "I'm going to be mature about this. Thank you, guys, for listening to me and giving me advice."

Vitani rises from their emotional support pile, shakes the dust from her fur, and stretches, before puffing her chest out in determination.

"Now c'mon. We've got some patrolling to do."

--

i don't see much delving into trauma that revolves around zira's treatment of her kids and the other outlanders. i'm super into exploring that and showing how these characters are healing in their own ways. vitani's got some issues because of her mom's bs, especially because she seemed to be her number one grunt.

for timeline sake, at the end of tlk2, kiara, kovu, and vitani are young adults, equivalent to 18-year-olds, the rest of the guard being early 20's-ish. in this story, kiara, kovu, and vitani are about 21-22 and the guard are mid-20s, maybe 25-ish. much more mature and working things out. for further reference, kion is still age group behind, just now growing his mane out (and yet still married before kiara who has the sense to take things slow lmao).

and of course, the designs used here are from my older post which has them redesigned! >:P

The Monster In His Bed

A/N: So here's the spicy vampire fic I wasn't going to post. This is nothing spectacular and it’s also just in the spirit of Halloween. Please don’t take this nonsense seriously. Happy belated Halloween for those who celebrate. 

Pairing: Alden Parker x F!Vampire!Reader 

Summary: You want Parker in more ways than one.

Word count: 2,900

Warnings: 18+ only, Silly vampire stuff, No plot, blood drinking, but in a sensual way, light smut, implied piv, Parker with a vampire kink, swearing.

It had to be a prank. At least that’s what Alden Parker kept telling himself when your team found a Navy officer completely drained of blood. Perhaps it wouldn’t have been such an odd find if he didn’t have two little puncture wounds on his neck. But then again, you’re always avoiding mirrors and hate garlic. Maybe you know a thing or two about how the victim was killed.

“Hey, Countess Dracula, do you know something about this?” Parker threw your way, his green eyes glimmering in your direction. His hands were buried inside his pockets, his feet planted a small distance from each other. He stood with confidence in his gray suit, and you found yourself admiring him briefly.

But like snuffing out a candle, your admiration was quickly forgotten. You pursed your lips disapprovingly, slanting the former FBI agent a glare, “Excuse me?” The team often joked that you were a witch, or a vampire, or some alien from another planet, but honestly, the jokes were starting to make your ire rise. 

Alden’s lips curved into an almost impish grin, “I’m teasing you.” He said with a curious glint in his eyes. He gave you a quick once over. “I don’t actually think a vampire did this.” He said before averting his gaze to Jimmy. “What do you think happened?” He asked, his demeanor much more professional now. 

Jimmy’s face blanched, his brows creasing as he examined the body. “Honestly, Agent Parker, I’m dumbfounded. I’ve sent samples to Kasie, but I have no idea how this could have happened.”

“You think it was a vampire?” Tim walked in with a lopsided smile on his face. He was joking, of course. But the vampire jokes were starting to make your blood boil. You gritted your teeth and rolled your eyes. “I’ll be at my desk. Come find me when you gentlemen stop believing in fairytales.” You said before turning on your heels to leave. 

Parker watched you leave, his eyes gentling on your retreating form. He quickly followed after you—rushing into the elevator before it closed. “I’m sorry. I know the jokes are getting old. I’ll talk to the team. We’ll stop.” He said.

You relented a sigh, your eyes flickering up to meet his. “I would appreciate that.” You said before your eyes fell on his throat. You watched his Adam's apple bob, his veins visible to your naked eye, and his blood almost seemed to call to you like a siren to a sailor at sea. You felt your tongue swipe across your teeth, your eyes darkening as your pupils grew wider. It had been too long and the smell of blood from the navy victim had awakened the monster within. You could feel the beast slowly crawl from your chest—it's dark mist reaching out for the man standing in front of you. It was a temptation like no other, a longing, a need to feel his skin beneath your tongue. His pulse was enough to drive you mad. His heartbeat felt like your own and it took everything in you not to lurch for him and sink your fangs into his neck.

“Hey! Are you listening to me? Are you okay? Y/N!”

You quickly snapped back into reality at the sound of his voice. You forced a smile, “I’m sorry. I was thinking about something.” You said before exhaling a deep breath. If you didn’t gain control of yourself soon, you were afraid you would hurt him, and hurting Parker was the last thing you ever wanted to do.

“I could tell. You left me for a moment. Are you sure you’re okay?” Parker asked, his voice softer than before. You locked eyes with him–pools of green filled with warmth and nothing but concern for you. You found yourself melting under his scrutiny and you smiled. 

“I’m fine, Parker. I’m just tired.” And thirsty. You wanted to say, but you kept that bit to yourself. 

“Perhaps you should get some rest. I’m sure you have a nice coffin–” He cleared his throat, “Sorry, old habits die hard.” 

You chuckled and this surprised him. “I’m not a vampire, Parker. Trust me, if I was, I’d probably drink your blood.” Oh dear God, you may as well just drive a stake through your own heart. 

He looked taken aback by this statement. “You mean in general or me specifically?” He asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. 

A rush of embarrassment filled your body and you shook your head quickly, “I didn’t mean it like that, I just–” You swallowed, your eyes taking in his throat yet again. Damn, this was getting more difficult by the second. You licked your lips and you could feel the ache of hunger grip at your stomach as your insides burned for release. “I’m just saying. We spend a lot of time together. I would have probably bit you by now.”

Alden blinked at you, “Uh-huh.” He said, “What you’re saying is, hypothetically, my blood doesn’t smell good?” He narrowed his eyes at you and you couldn't tell if he was joking or not. Was he actually offended?

“Where did you get that idea? I never said that.” You said quickly, “I actually find you inebriating.” You quickly regretted your words, wishing more than anything you could take them back. This was worse than a stake through the heart. You wanted to disappear inside a dark dusty room and lock yourself inside a coffin for three hundred years. 

His eyes widened in surprise, “Me or my blood?” His heart was beating faster, which wasn’t making your situation any easier. Perhaps you could just drink his blood. You had ways of disposing of the body. Unlike whatever amateur killed that Navy officer. 

No. No! You weren’t going to kill Parker. 

“Of course…I mean your blood.” Is that what you meant? You admired Parker for a while now, and despite the smell of his blood being an absolute menace, you found yourself wanting him in other ways as well. Against your better judgment, of course. 

“How do you know what my blood smells like?” He asked quickly, his eyes looking into yours as if he somehow knew all of your dirty little secrets. 

You swallowed again and your fists clenched together tightly, “I uh–” You took a quick breath, your brain reeling as you spiraled downward. You had to think of something. Anything. Parker would think you’re insane if you gave him any reason to think you were serious about his blood, but you also didn’t want him to know—

“I want you.” You blurted through the panic. It was your only option..

The older man stared at you. A plethora of emotions flickered in his eyes. “You what?”

Your insides were trembling and your voice shaky as you spoke, “I want you.” You repeated.

He stood in silence for what felt like an entirety. You were sure you would turn to stone as you waited for him to say something. “Please. Say something. Anything.”

“You want me?”

“Isn’t that what I just said?” You snapped, your patience growing thin. Your hunger was immeasurable, and now it was mingled with a new temptation. One that was dangerous at a time like this. Parker had no idea how in danger he truly was. He was your prey, and you were a monster lurking in the shadows. 

The monster hiding under his bed. 

But that didn’t stop him. Not at all. He seized your face in his hands and you found your back pushed against the wall. His lips covered yours and he kissed you with everything he had. It was mind-blowing, soul-stealing, and you felt your legs grow weak beneath you. His hands dipped under your shirt, wanting to feel your skin beneath his fingertips. You moaned against his mouth just before he released your lips to plant soft kisses down your neck. 

“Parker–” His name escaped your lips along with the breath you were holding. Your chest was tight, and you tried hard not to breathe him in. He was too close and your hunger was growing wilder by the minute. You growled before gripping the back of his neck and kissing him hard on the mouth, your tongue sweeping across his lower lip. 

Then he pulled back, his eyes staring into yours with a hunger that was almost as monstrous as your own. His pulse was raging in your head and you found your fangs wanting to emerge at the sight of his exposed neck. He pulled back from you, breathless and disheveled. 

“Meet me tonight.” Was all he said before turning to leave the elevator. You watched as he walked away. You were tempted to reel him back in and sate the hunger deep inside you, but that would have to wait.

 Tonight you would take what you wanted.

The remainder of the evening was painful. You couldn’t concentrate on the case and everything your teammates said went in one ear and out of the other. Finally the moon filled the sky as the night covered the navy yard with a blanket of stars. Parker had left, deciding they would pick up the case again tomorrow. The team reached a dead end. You knew exactly what killed your navy officer, but it wasn’t as if you could tell them that. 

You debated whether you were going to meet Parker or not. You avoided his gaze the remainder of the day, and he did the very same. It wasn’t easy keeping away from him, but now that it was time to meet, you felt fear take hold of you. You wanted Parker in more ways than one, and you weren’t sure which hunger would win tonight.

But despite your better judgment, you found yourself at his door.

“Do you need to talk about this? Or should we pick up where we left off?” He asked. It was gentlemanly of him to ask, but you weren’t in the mood for conversation. 

“No talking. More kissing.” He grinned before pulling you inside his apartment and crashed his lips to yours. You both fumbled down the hallway and toward his bedroom before you found your back pressed into the mattress with the weight of his body on top of yours. His kisses grew slower, more intimate as he cradled the back of your head with his hand. He pulled back to look at you, his green eyes searching your face. “You’re beautiful, you know. I always thought, but never knew–” He started to ramble but his words died in his throat as your lips silenced him, moving desperately against his.

“Didn’t I say no talking?” You murmured against his mouth. 

“Last I checked, I’m the boss.” He whispered, moaning as your tongue entered his mouth. He opened his mouth to you, giving you better access. Your hands threaded through his hair, your fingers lightly scratching against his scalp. This moment was surreal. You never thought you’d end up in bed with Agent Parker of all people. But all because of one little slip-up, you were going to end up having sex with him. Well, at least you hoped that’s what you were going to do. 

Your slowly protruding fangs had other plans for you tonight, but you were fighting the urge with everything you had. Parker was off-limits. You could never hurt him. 

Just the thought slowed your kisses. Your mouth moved gently against his, treating his lips as if they were delicate, like a petal from a rose. You pulled back just a hair, your eyes searching his. “Do we really want to do this?” You asked suddenly. 

“I do.” He was honest, his voice earnest in his response, “Do you?”

You exhaled a shaky breath, your hand moving to touch his face lightly. You traced the contours of his cheeks before swiping your thumb over his brow bone, over the shell of his ear before running your fingers through his hair. You could feel your eyes gentle over his face and he shivered under your tender touch. 

You didn’t just want him, you cared for him.

He frowned, his eyes flitting across your face as if to understand the sudden mood shift, “Are you okay?” You didn’t say anything. You cupped his face in your hands and pulled him down to your lips. Parker took your actions as the go-ahead and he reached down for the hem of your shirt and slowly pulled it from your body.

Your clothing ended up in a heap on the floor along with his suit.

After a thorough exploration of your body, Parker had you in his lap, your knees straddling his hips with his arms twisted around you. Your chest was touching his, his skin hot against your cool flesh. You had your hand wrapped around him, enticing small moans of pleasure with every stroke.

He gripped your hips, his fingers digging into your skin , lifting you enough to center your body with his. You allowed him to lower you on top of him, your body now taking the place of your hand. You moaned as he completely filled you.

His lips danced across your shoulders as he guided you against him, your hips rocking gently into his. You stifled a moan and buried your face in the crook of his neck. With every thrust, you felt your insides quiver. There was a tightness building up in the pit of your stomach, and you found it hard to breathe. Your nose brushed against his neck, his pulse beating like a drum, calling and beckoning to be bitten. 

The hunger grew relentless. Parker was gentle in the way he made love to you, but with every rock of his hips against yours, your thirst got stronger. Your lips pressed against his pulse as if to test the waters. You pressed wet kisses along the length of his neck before you reached his throat. He lifted his chin, giving you access to his throat and you allowed your tongue to flicker across his exposed skin. You felt your end near and your breathing grew faster, your eyes darker, and the darkness within began to encase both of you and your fangs emerged from their hiding place, scraping lightly against his delicate flesh. 

You whimpered, but it wasn’t just from the pleasure, it was from the mere thought of sinking your teeth into his skin. “Parker, I can’t–”

“It’s okay.” He shushed you gently, his grip on you tightening as the two of you slowly rocked into ecstasy. As soon as you felt the euphoric bliss of pleasure mingled with his own release, the monster within was released as well. The beast took hold of you and your mouth closed over his neck. 

He cried out the moment your fangs sunk into his skin. “Wha–what the hell?” He gripped your body close, his muscles tensing beneath you as you grasped at the hairs behind his neck, tilting his head back enough to feed. 

He was trembling beneath your endeavors, unable to move or process what was happening. His blood tasted refined, almost as if you were given a priceless aged wine from the most prestigious winery. 

You could feel him grow colder under your grasp, his breathing shallow, and before you could completely drain him, you pulled back. Your hunger sated enough to meet the guilt that now loomed over you. “Alden I—” You could see blood trickling down from two newly made puncture wounds. 

“Did you just drink my blood?” He asked in a whisper and you were thankful he didn’t lose consciousness yet. 

“Yes.”

There was silence. Only a groan or two as he tried to keep from falling over. You kept a firm grip on him before taking his face in your hands, your eyes meeting his. He looked at you not only in confusion but with something akin to betrayal or was it lust? 

“Well damn. You are a vampire.” He said suddenly, as if everything made sense now. 

“Uh-huh.” You sighed. 

You watched his lashes flutter as he processed your admission, “You just fucking drank my blood.” He gripped your waist, pulling your body flush against his.

“I know, I’m sorry.”

His brows furrowed, “Did you kill that Navy officer?”

You shook your head, your eyes pleading for him to believe you, “No. No, Alden I swear I didn’t.”

His voice lowered softly, “Were you planning to kill me?”

You were wrong. The pained look in his eyes was worse than a stake through the heart. “I could never.” You thumbed his jaw line, your fingers lightly brushing over his beard. “Please believe me.”

But he silenced you this time with his mouth covering yours. He kissed you hard and with a new hunger you recognized because it was a hunger that mirrored your own. He wasn’t angry. Shocked perhaps, but he wasn’t angry at all. Judging by the way you felt his arousal against your stomach, you could only conclude that Agent Parker discovered he had a vampire kink. 

You smirked, tilting your head down to lick the blood from his neck. 

“Will you do it again?” He asked, although there was still a slight quiver in his voice. He kept your body pressed against him as you licked the remainder of blood. 

You hummed against him, pulling back to look at him, “I took enough from you tonight. Any more and I could kill you.” You caressed his face, “But there is always tomorrow.” You grinned, your fangs exposed and willing. 

He shivered, before pressing a gentle kiss to your lips. He pulled back suddenly, his brow bouncing curiously, “Wait. Do you actually sleep in a coffin?” He scoffed in disbelief, “Should I start keeping garlic on me?”

You only rolled your eyes before reeling him back in, “Shut up before I bite you again.” 

“Oh, please do.” He said against your mouth, his tongue lightly teasing the point of your fangs.

VG: Kiss Me

It was past patrol hours. The Guard stirred, paced, and sparred to practice for their next missions. Any sort of trouble had been quiet for a while, which would normally put one at ease, but had put the Guard all the more on the lookout. They always made sure to expect surprises. Vitani gazed at the moonlight that illuminated the Lion Guard Lair, remembering a sweet, cherished, and life-changing night under this same full moon. She sighed sentimentally before turning away from the entrance, grunting as she plopped onto the podium-shaped rock that generations of leaders before her sat. She lightly doodled on the surface with a claw, not realizing she'd been smirking. Tazama, ever the observer, picked up on her leader's rather rare expression. Her watchful eyes causing a domino effect of Imara slowing her sparring to look at what Tazama was looking at, Shabaha noticing Imara looking away, and Kasi stopping her heckling of the spar when she saw it end. Vitani's heart jumped when her Guard was all suddenly gathered close to the podium. She quickly covered a nonsensical doodle she'd made with a paw. "...What?" "What'cha thinkin' about?" Kasi teased, placing her paws on the ledge. "Nothing..?" "We know that look. That's your Tiifu smirk." Vitani glanced away in thought, utterly lost about Kasi's logic. "It got me thinking," Kasi continued anyway, "I've always wanted to ask this, but... who kissed first?" The question riled up the others, interjecting their curiosity as well. There was no getting them off Vitani's back now. "I... I don't remember, we were just so lost in the moment..." "Come on!" some Guard members whined. "Guys, please! I need to retrace my steps. Let's see..." Vitani thought back to several months before. It was currently spring, now. and the memories traced back to that last summer...

____

Vitani and Tiifu set their sights on each other long after the merging of the prides. For months they were both afraid to shoot their shot. Vitani's busy schedule filled with missions that took up most daylight hours, and Tiifu's training to be the healer of the Lioness' Hunt took much time to get properly acquainted away. Tiifu had always liked girls, but never found one who shared the same feeling. As a teenager during Kion's journey to heal his scar, she'd resigned to the idea that she wouldn't find someone, and that was okay. Not everyone had a lover. Until Vitani joined the pride a year later... Tiifu was floored by the former Outsider's seemingly polar opposite vibes from the rest of the native Pridelanders. It was a refreshing change of pace, and it awakened a wild side of Tiifu she never knew she had, being a sheltered, mild-mannered, and passive lioness. Meanwhile, Vitani never saw herself with anyone, and thought that mushy, goo goo-eyed stuff was only for her brother to revolve his life around. Though she'd long turned to a more peaceful life, she felt she had no true place to maintain that newfound restful, warless life. No one she'd already been close to took her out of that old life, and most of the lionesses native to the Pridelands were older, and traditional, only ever talking about things like grooming, hunting, and caring for babies. Until she saw Tiifu... Tiifu was like pure innocence and peace with a body, a rather curvy body at that. Vitani wanted to open her mind to a more positive, sunshiny outlook on life. A light of hope in dark moments, a chance to preserve one's innocence, something she couldn't do with herself as a cub. One day, and coincidentally that same, particular day, Vitani and Tiifu both confessed to their respective friend groups what had been wrong with them these past few months. ____ Within the main den of Pride Rock... "I really think I found the one!" Tiifu's tail curled up in excitement. "Who? Who is it?!" Zuri bounced eagerly with her best friend. "It's the new leader of the Guard! She's, just, so dreamy..." Tiifu stared off, it almost looked like stars glistened in her eyes. Zuri stopped bouncing, "That one?" "Well..." "Well, I think it's sweet." Kiara smiled. "You don't think it's weird? I mean she's, like, Kovu's sister and all, and me and you are, like, best friends..." "No way!" she placed a paw on Tiifu's shoulder assuringly, "And I've spoken to Vitani. She's a trustworthy, kind lioness." "I wish I could talk to her like you can..." "We can make that happen." Kiara turned towards ouside, "Come on, we'll take you to the courtyard and give you pointers..." ____ Meanwhile, in the Lion Guard Lair... "Every time I see her, I just... feel weird. I haven't stopped feeling weird. My chest hurts, I'm all hot and tingly. I must be sick or something..." Vitani shook her head. "Does she give you a bad vibe?" Kasi tilted her head, "Is she one of those stuck-up Pridelanders that gives us the cold shoulder?" "No. She... she makes me feel, I don't know, hopeful? Like I can't stop thinking about us in the future?" she then scoffed, "I feel like a creep..." "Do you think that this may be a crush? You remember how much it changed Kovu..." said Tazama. "Yeah, but... why me? I never thought I'd feel that way about anyone." she looked down, "I wonder if I even should, I mean, you guys saw how much just thinking about her's been distracting me..." "I think you should!" Kasi nodded. "Better to answer that feeling instead of letting it loom over you all the time, I think." said Imara, "Patrols haven't been out of the ordinary lately, why not just skip this one? Just, go see her." Vitani tried her best to hide a chill that ran down her spine. She worriedly looked towards the entrance of the lair. They were right... ____ Vitani gulped. Time to look for her... She ascended from the lair. She stared off worriedly before glancing around, not realizing how paranoid she'd looked. Her heart jumped to find Tiifu already very close-by. She quickly hid behind one of Pride Rock's walls. Closing her eyes and taking deep breaths. She took one final, big, deep breath before heading back to what felt like her hardest mission in months. On her way, her ears picked up rustling and whispering in the bushes beside her. She stuck her head into it. "Hi'ya, 'Tani!" Shabaha greeted with an eager wave, speaking a little too loud. A large paw suddenly clamped over her mouth. Vitani glanced around to see the whole Guard in the tight crook of boulders and bushes With the exception of Tazama, who sat up front with her head in the bushes, spying. "What are you guys doing here? This is supposed to be private!" Vitani hissed, fuming. "We just wanna make sure it goes well." Imara shrugged. "I thought you believed in me?" Vitani was baffled. She unsheathed her claws, "I, oughta-" Suddenly, Vitani felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. No time to bicker with the Guard now. “Hah, hi.” said Tiifu’s shaky voice. She tried not to lose her composure. “Uh…” Vitani’s wide eyes relaxed to a flirtatious smirk, “hey, there.” “Heard you got the day off…” “Yeah!” "This is just awkward..." Shabaha continued to complain, "She's killin' me! This love thing is messing Vitani up." "Quiet..." Imara said in a low, irritated voice. Tiifu swayed idly, “Do you want to, um… hang out? If you don’t have any other plans, of course.” "Yes, Tiifu, good start!" Kiara praised in a hushed voice. Unbeknownst to the Guard, Tiifu's very own friends hid in another bush just on the opposite side. Vitani tugged at a few clumps of fur on her chest. There was no turning back now. Either answer would change her life. A no would keep her in painful mystery for the rest of her life. A yes would put an end to the mystery, and she would find that this lioness was the ticket to a committed partner and a positive reinforcement in her life, or she wasn't what Vitani hoped she'd be, which would add to her pain. She was taking a long time, now. Tiifu glanced around at Vitani's body language nervously. "Uh, oh. Vitani's freezing up." Tazama reported. Concerned over Vitani's sudden silence, the Guard muttered amongst themselves. "Welp, we tried." Shabaha shot up and began to head toward home, "Guess it wasn't meant to b- G'uh!" Suddenly, Imara had gotten a hold of the Bravest's tail before she could make another step towards the direction of the lair. Having a story to tell was better than the torture of not knowing at all. Vitani took her chances. "I'm up for that. Sounds great." she finally answered. "Yessss!" Kiara held up a fist in victory. She and Zuri high-fived. "Where to?" Tiifu piped, hoping Vitani wasn't the one about to ask that same question. She truly had no clue where if it were her decision. "Hmm..." Vitani glanced to the side, bouncing a little. Her train of thought was bombarded when her Guard suddenly loudly hissed suggestions. "Lake Shangaza!" suggested Imara. "Mbali Fields!" suggested Kasi. "Lake Matope." Shabaha darkly joked, not taking this seriously. "Shh, shut up! Shut up!" Vitani hissed back, swatting threateningly in the Guard's direction. "I-Is something wrong..?" Tiifu could unfortunately see Vitani, who looked like she was swatting at the air. "G'ah, nothing..." Vitani shot a cold scowl towards the bushes, "Just a couple of annoying little insects..." "Oh." "She's not expecting Tiifu to know where to go, is she?" Zuri muttered to Kiara, "We didn't give her a plan." "We'll just come up with one on the spot, then..." Kiara turned to her green-eyed friend, "Tiifu, suggest Urembo Meadows!" Tiifu, unsure of how to not look like she was talking to the bushes, instinctively decided to just ignore them. Vitani stood up tall, feeling adventurous. "Why don't we just go wherever our paws take us?" Tiifu picked up on Vitani's bravado, "Yeah! Somewhere far, too!" Vitani nodded, "I like your style!" Vitani eagerly headed out the courtyard, and Tiifu followed suit. Both smiled at the beginning of what could be a beautiful evening. Kiara and Zuri simultaneously let out hushed squeals in pride of their friend. They hugged each other tight in glee. They slid out of the bushes, unseen and unheard. "I think that's our cue to give the two lovebirds some time alone." Kasi said in a low, hushed voice as she watched Vitani and Tiifu depart. "Finally..." Shabaha mumbled. "Have fun, you crazy kids." Imara lightly chuckled, glancing back before heading back to the lair. Being second-in-command, Imara promised herself to keep things in order while her leader was out. ____ Without a plan, the two lionesses headed northwest, and evetually stumbled upon a waterfall neither had seen before. It was a landmark of the Pridelands known by the name of Msingi Falls. It was basically one of the corners of the Pridelands, bordering the Outlands and Theluji Mountains, and seemed to be where water from the Great Big Lake had streamed. Tomight, the full moon glistened against the water, giving it an almost heavenly glow. It was strangely rather unoccupied, with the exception of various nocturnal insects that either created ambient chirps, or swarmed around the moonlight. Vitani had the idea to get a better look at the falls on the acacia tree that towered the cliff just next to the fall. She stuck out a paw to help Tiifu up the tree. The two gazed at the scenery and exchanged a few words, their hushed anecdotes and gossiping masked by the rushing water, giggling as their tails intertwined subconsciously. Soon, their mingling had turned into silent gazing, which turned into an excruciating silence as neither had noticed the other's face journeys. Tiifu eventually noticed a sullen look across Vitani's face. "Vitani...?" The lioness in question broke away from her racing thoughts. She turned to Tiifu. "I don't know how to put this, but... You're a little different than what I thought you would be. You're super polite, and very gentle." "Well, I..." Vitani sighed. "And you've been looking really uncomfortable all night, is the date not going okay?" "No! I mean, it is, I mean... Why would you think I'm uncomfortable?" "Well, you haven't been hiding your nerves well at all tonight." Vitani glanced away with big eyes. She was being caught. Tiifu giggled at Vitani's silly look, "You're funny..." "Truth is..." Vitani scratched the back of her head, "I'm not usually this gentle with anyone. I just thought you'd like that... as a Pridelander. I just thought my roughness from a hard life would be too much for you..." "Vitani, I like that rough side of you, that's what makes you you." The former Outsider was taken aback, pleased to hear that from Tiifu. "You know... I  kinda having that same thought run through my head," Vitani spoke up, "that whole different-than-I-thought thing..." "Really?" "Yeah... you're more gutsy and dark-humored than I thought. I kinda thought you were just nothing but a little ray of sunshine." "Funny thing..." "Don't tell me... you were faking it, too..." "Well, I wouldn't exactly say it was 'fake', but... yeah, I really wanted to fit in with you, y'know? I was worried you were gonna think I was lame." Tiifu glanced down. "Nah, you're not-" "Usually I am kind of a square, but..." Tiifu looked back up, "Vitani, you just really bring something out in me that I didn't even know I had. I'm sorry if I'm not who you thought I was." "No, I really like that about you." "The lying?" "What? No..." Vitani glared before returning to an admiring look, "You're kinda spicy, I think it's cute on you." Tiifu giggled, "If it makes you feel any better, I like your chivalrous side. It's kinda hot..." Vitani snorted. This one was funny. She saw Tiifu's paw slide close to her. With slight hesitation, Vitani placed her own paw atop Tiifu's. The former Outsider glanced up in thought, "To think we were both putting on a facade to impress each other. But, really we just had to be ourselves. But then, we realize we like these other sides of each other. It's like one of those drama performances I've seen around here..." Vitani snapped out of her rambling, "Sorry for talking so much, I..." "Please don't ever stop." Tiifu stared, eyes big, dark, and glistening like the night sky above them. Vitani gazed into Tiifu's dark olive green eyes, and Tiifu eventually found herself gazing at Vitani's stormy blue eyes. They absentmindedly leaned closer and closer, until they couldn't hold back anymore. Their lips touched. Pressing harder and harder. They leaned and tilted their heads and sighed in relief and passion. Gnats and moths circled around them and gravitated towards the light of the moon. The rest of the night was a blur to them. ____ "So... it was at the same time, basically?" Kasi tilted her head. Halfway through the story she'd been lying down, as the rest of the Guard were. "Guess so," Vitani shrugged, "Guess we were just so lost in our feelings that no one was really keeping track." "'Our feelings'..." Shabaha muttered and rolled her eyes, "Gag." "Anywho..." Vitani sat up and headed toward the moonlight, which had long shifted and illuminated other parts of the lair, now. "I think I'll spend the night upstairs. Pleasant dreams, losers." The Guard each bid Vitani goodnight in their own various ways. The Leader of the Guard hopped from the lair into the night, on her way to spend yet another memorable night with that very lioness. ____ ((Author's Note: To save this from seeming too out-of-order of the storyline, I made up the opening and closing frame of the story on the spot to make it look a little like a "Remember the time?" filler episode of a sitcom (though normally shows end seasons with this kinda episode lol) Also, the title of this upload is a reference to the song of the same name by Sixpence None the Richer, which has always felt very sapphic to me tbh Speaking of music, I'd like to think a love ballad musical number would've played before the part where they climb up the tree. Would've filled so many gaps and tied the scene together if I were a lyricist lol. I'm thinking the song would be about how they see themselves, their places in each other's lives, and if they're making the right choice Lastly, Msingi Falls is not a location seen in The Lion Guard. It's kinda my... idk my location OC I guess lol. "Msingi" translates to "base". Its multiple meanings will be evaluated on in future appearances Happy Belated Valentine's Day!))

6 notes is good enough - TCOT Synopsis

Kasi is an Outlander. That means she lives outside of any city, and her life is centered more around work than comfort. So when she's invited to a party, she is expectedly suspicious. But for her parents who were invited to a more important event, this is an opportunity they cannot lose. With her twin brother Xhaazi stuck at home with an illness he refuses to acknowledge, Kasi knows she has to go without the support of the family she has relied on her entire life. When she arrives, she is relieved to find she is not entirely alone. Her best friend Chrin has also been invited to this strange party. But soon after the two begin to enjoy this event usually reserved for the higher class, a mysterious figure drops onto the scene. No one recognizes the man until he pulls out a weapon many recognize. 

By that point, only Kasi and Chrin are left in the dark until someone shouts the name they've only read about in the papers. A murderer. Adllsais. After that, chaos ensues in several other freak accidents involving all three outlanders which drives them far away from their home and eventually out into the wild world they've never had the chance to explore, exposing them to dangers they don't have the resources to defeat. So the three are grateful when they find a man who calls himself River who seems to be willing to help them. But things just seem to get worse as he abandons them on a beach with minimal supplies and a message warning them not to return home. So, with nowhere else to go, the three decide to try and find a city. But on their way, they run into two runaway creatures of a species which have adopted the name of Shades. The two Shades, Sokuna and her young Daughter Mouse, ask our three heroes if they would like to help them start a rebellion. Rather done with being pushed around and deciding to heed River's strange warning, they agree to help and make friends with the two shades, gaining protection while also digging themselves deeper into their own graves. 

But where there are friends, there are also enemies. Those enemies take the form of a strange army, which Sokuna and Mouse hate so much, and a cursed Assassin bound to the army by a promise. Desperate to be free of the curse that has tortured him for the past fifteen years, Marril ends up willing to do nearly everything to regain his freedom, which sets him on a path to kill an important Noblewoman. While on the other side of the villainous coin, we have three members of the army. The second in command Tias who is cruel and cold, Tias' short-time partner Kila who will work herself to death to prove a point, and Viasaki who is plagued by thousands of voices who urge him to surrender control of his mind to some mysterious entity.

While the world crumbles around them, our beloved heroes must learn to see the flaws in their shattered home. They will travel far from home and some will even forget what they came for. On their journey to find the truth every single one of them will  fight not only to save themselves but also their broken world, and they will all discover threats brewing beneath the surface which hold secrets that could topple nations.

[Learn more about TCOT (The Cursed One's Throne) in my Profile/Blog]

In the Dark, That's Where I Find You

Read on AO3

It was an undeniable fact that Steve was lucky. He had been told it more times than he could count, from all sorts of people, so it must be true. His friends at school told him he was lucky that he had no one at home to give him a bedtime or make him eat vegetables. The housekeeper that came to bring him groceries and to clean once a week told him he was so lucky to live in such a nice house. Ever since he could remember, his parents had told him that he was lucky to be born to an upper-class family. And when others were around, Steve kept up the façade. He could pretend that he agreed, with bright smiles and boastful words. But in the late hours of the night, when he was all alone in that big house, lucky wasn’t the word he thought about. No, what Steve really was, was lonely.

Even at twelve years old, Steve was pretty sure it wasn’t normal for his parents to leave him alone for up to a month at a time. When he was young, they had hired nannies to care for him while they were away. That hadn’t been great either, but at least there had been someone else in the house with him. Someone to talk to and watch TV with and to make dinner. Then, on Steve’s twelfth birthday, his parents had told him he was old enough to look after himself while they were away. They trusted him to not burn down the house, at least. That had been six months ago.

Now, six months later, Steve sat alone in his living room. His parents had left earlier in the week, promising to be home before the end of the month and told him to call if he needed anything. He never called. What would be the point? It wasn’t like they would come home. No, if he needed something, he would figure it out on his own.

Steve pulled his knees up to tuck against his chest as he sat on the couch, watching a rerun of Gilligan’s Island. A half-eaten bowl of popcorn sat on the coffee table along with an empty coke can. He had heated up a bowl of chicken noodle soup for dinner, which he’d eaten with crushed up saltine crackers, but he always found himself craving a snack before bed. It was almost ten o’clock, but he wasn’t yet tired.  

When the episode ended, Steve stood and began to make his way toward the kitchen. He could go for one more coke before bed. But before he even made it out of the living room, a loud clatter from the back yard made him freeze. He turned, creeping slowly toward the glass door that overlooked the pool. It had sounded like it came from the shed, which sat beyond the pool deck, nestled almost among the trees. His hand shook as he reached up to flip on the back light. A part of him was convinced he would see a horrible monster racing up his yard toward the house, ready to devour him. But that was ridiculous. There was no such thing as monsters.

The yard was completely empty, the pool glowing an eerie green in the night. Steve scanned the perimeter until his eyes landed on the shed. Though it was dark, it looked as if the door was slightly ajar. Now, Steve knew the sensible thing to do was to ignore it until morning. But then he remembered that Kasie Jones, the girl who sat in front of him in math class, had found an injured mother cat behind her house just one month earlier. It was Springtime, she had said, which meant lots of animals would be having babies. If she hadn’t found them, the mother cat and her babies could have died. Steve couldn’t live with being responsible for that.

So, with only a mild amount of fear, he grabbed a flashlight from the kitchen drawer and slid open the glass door. It was early April, so while the days had grown warm, the nights still held a bit of a chill. Steve slid on his outdoor sandals and began to make his way across the yard. Everything was quiet now, except for the crickets. He approached the shed, tilting his head to see if he could hear any meowing. There was nothing.

It wasn’t until he was directly outside the shed that real fear began to prickle at the back of his neck once more. He was far enough from the house that if anything burst out and took chase, he likely wouldn’t make it back without getting caught. Steve took a deep breath and remembered what his dad was always telling him.

“Be a man. Real men don’t shake like little babies.”

Right. Be a man. He stepped forward and grabbed the edge of the door, which had been swaying slightly in the wind, and yanked it open. There wasn’t much inside the shed, just pool equipment and a few yard tools. Steve leaned inside, casting his light around for any sign of an injured cat. He took a step inside, letting the door swing partially shut behind him. The light caught on random items as he scanned. An old broken truck from when he was little, the pool noodles he liked to use when the weather was warm enough, a leaf blower, a pair of human eyes.

Steve screamed, his heart slamming up into his throat as he stumbled backward and dropped the flashlight. His back hit the wall and he fell, his legs giving out with the sheer force of terror he felt in that moment. There was someone else in the shed with him, someone curled up beneath the work bench on the far wall. The flashlight had rolled away from him, its beam pointed in the wrong direction for him to see. Steve glanced at the door, wondering how quickly he’d be grabbed if he made any sudden movements. A quiet voice spoke from the shadows.

“H-hey. It’s alright. You don’t have to be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you.”

That made Steve pause. Whoever it was sounded young, probably close to his age, and they also sound afraid. But what was another kid doing in his shed at night? Steve took a moment to let his heart rate slow before speaking again.

“Who are you? What are you doing here?”

For a few seconds it was silent, but then he spoke again. “Eddie. My name is Eddie. I was… I was just looking for a safe place to sleep.”

"Oh, well, my name's Steve. But what do you mean to sleep?” Steve asked, furrowing his brow. “Why would you want to sleep in this dingy old shed? There are like, a hundred spiders in here, I’m pretty sure.”

He heard the other boy shift around a bit. “It’s better than outside.”

Well, maybe that was true, but it still didn’t explain much. Slowly, Steve moved onto his knees and crawled forward to grab his flashlight. This put him closer to the other boy, with Steve knelt in the middle of the small room. He raised the light until it fell on the other’s face.

Steve had been right that he seemed to be around his age. With dark curls that fell around his ears and big, pretty brown eyes, Eddie didn’t look like much of a threat at all. In fact, he seemed to be in bad shape. There were dark circles beneath his eyes and his cheeks looked a bit sunken in, as if he hadn’t eaten in a while. His knees were tucked up against his chest, but Steve could tell the jeans he wore were dirty and tattered.  

“Are you homeless?” Which, okay, maybe that was a rude thing to ask, but Steve thought it was a fair question.

Eddie looked away, his brows lowering slightly. “I’m- I mean… Yeah, I guess so.”

Steve tilted his head. “Where are your parents?”

Something in Eddie’s expression became tight, before crumbling. “They’re dead. My mother died a year ago, my father just last month.”

“Shit,” Steve mumbled. That really sucked. He had never met someone who had lost both their parents. “Do you not have any other family?”

Eddie shook his head. “It’s just me.”

“Oh.” Steve shifted off his knees so he could cross his legs. “But, there are places you can go, aren’t there? Like, an orphanage or something? I could probably call the police and they could—”

“No!” Eddie snapped, his eyes darting up to Steve’s. “No, please, nobody can know about me.”

Steve frowned. That was definitely an odd reaction. “Why? Are you some sort of criminal?”

Eddie snorted, the corner of his lips twitching, as if he found that amusing. “No, not really.”

“Not really? Either you are or you aren’t.”

“I’m not,” Eddie insisted. “I’ve never hurt anybody that wasn’t trying to hurt me. But… There are people. Bad people, who would hurt me if they ever found me. So, I’ll leave if you want me to, but you can’t tell anyone about me.”

Steve stared at the other boy. His eyes were wide and serious, his mouth set into a hard line that told Steve he wasn’t joking. Whatever this kid was mixed up in was dangerous, he could tell that much. It would be smart for Steve to tell him to get lost, to find somewhere else to hide out. But, still. He didn’t want him to just leave.

“Where would you go? If I told you to leave, I mean.”

Eddie let out a breath, his shoulders dropping. “I don’t know. Maybe someone else’s shed. Maybe try and make my way to Indianapolis.”

Steve fiddled with his hands. “That sounds dangerous. You can’t go off to the city all by yourself. You’re just a kid, like me.”

A small smile tugged at the corner of Eddie’s lips. “Not just like you. I can take care of myself.”

That struck Steve somewhere in his chest, the sentiment all too familiar. “Yeah, so can I, but that doesn’t mean you should have to. You should have someone to look after you.”

Eddie tilted his head, his eyes searching Steve’s face. “Are you always alone?”

“What? How- how do you know that?”

“Oh, um,” Eddie averted his eyes, suddenly looking a little bit guilty. “I’ve been here for a few days. I wasn’t trying to spy on you, but I saw that it’s just you in the house. Nobody else ever came or went, but you must have parents, right?”

Steve huffed and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I have parents. They just… they go out of town a lot for business. And I can’t go with them, because they don’t need a kid running around while they do work. But, it’s like, fine. I have the house all to myself, and I don’t have a bedtime, and I can eat whatever I want.”

Unlike all the other times Steve had told another kid this, Eddie didn’t look all that impressed. If anything, he looked sad. Which… was stupid. So stupid. Steve was lucky. He had everything he could ever want. He didn’t need some orphan, who clearly didn’t have anything this nice, feeling sorry for him.

Eddie rested his chin on his knees. “That sounds really lonely.”

A heavy pit settled in Steve stomach. Nobody else had ever acknowledged that before, and he didn’t really know what to do with it. His first instinct was to defend his parents, to tell Eddie that it was fine, and he didn’t know what he was talking about. But another part of Steve, a stronger part, felt an overwhelming sense of relief. It settled something inside Steve, hearing someone else say the words he’d been keeping locked inside for so long. It was validating.

Slowly, he nodded. “Yeah, it can be. But, that’s just the way it is.”

Eddie didn’t look convinced. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but before he could, a violent shudder shook his whole body. Steve’s eyes wide at the look of pain that crossed Eddie’s face and he hesitantly reached out a hand. Only, that seemed to make it worse, as Eddie flinched away from his touch.

“No, don’t come closer!” Eddie warned. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Steve furrowed his brow. “Hurt me? Why would you hurt me?”

“No, I don’t want to, but… I haven’t eaten in a week. I’m afraid I won’t be able to control myself.”

A week? What the hell? That was way too long for a person to go without food! No wonder Eddie looked so sickly. He was starving to death.

“Hey, if you’re hungry, come inside with me. I can get you something to eat, no problem!”

But Eddie only shook his head, his face still pained. “No, Steve, it’s not… It’s not that simple. There’s nothing in your house I can eat. Well, nothing that I’ll allow myself to have.”

“What are you talking about?”

A look of resignation came over Eddie’s face. “Steve… I’m not- I’m not normal. You should leave. You don’t want me to come into your house with you.”

He really wasn’t making any sense now. Did Eddie think that just because he was homeless and without parents, he was undeserving of kindness? That was ridiculous. If anything, it made Steve want to help him even more. “Uh, yeah, I do. That’s why I invited you.”

His arms tightened around his legs, as if he were protecting himself. “You shouldn’t do that.”

“Do what?”

Eddie’s eyes flashed up to meet Steve’s. “Invite random strangers into your home. It’s dangerous.”

Steve snorted. “I don’t think you’re dangerous, Eddie. You look one minute from keeling over.”

“Yeah,” he said, letting out a humorless laugh. “And that makes it even worse.”

Alright, Steve was starting to grow tired of arguing about this. “Dude, come on. You have to eat something.”

Eddie made a little sound, like a whimper in the back of his throat, and closed his eyes. “If you knew the truth about me, you wouldn’t say that. If you knew the truth, you would run away. Or maybe even try to hurt me.”

“Whoa, hey, no. Eddie, I promise I won’t hurt you. I’m just trying to help.”

Outside the shed, it sounded like the wind began to pick up as the structure creaked ominously. Steve pulled his jacket more firmly around himself and couldn’t help but think that Eddie’s thin hoodie didn’t seem warm enough. Maybe Steve could give him some of his clothes. It’s not like his parents would ever notice. The look Eddie gave him when he opened his eyes was filled with sorrow.

“Yeah, I know. You seem really nice, Steve. And I’m afraid that if I come with you, I’ll hurt you without meaning to, and then I’ll be a monster, which I don’t want to be.”

Steve was trying to understand, he really was. People called him stupid sometimes, which he didn’t really agree with, but now he was struggling to follow what Eddie was saying. How could Eddie hurt him without meaning to?

“Eddie, I don’t understand. Please, you can tell me the truth. I won’t run away, I promise.”

Eddie shook his head, casting his big eyes down. “You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“Hey, look at me.” He waited until Eddie did, then scooted forward on his knees. Slowly, without making any sudden movement, he held up his pinky. “I pinky promise I won’t leave you. And I always keep my pinky promises.”

A hesitant smile grew on Eddie’s face, though he still seemed extremely uncertain. Finally, after what felt like forever, Eddie brought his pinky up and wrapped it around Steve’s. It was slightly shocking, just how cold Eddie was. Like his skin was just a thin layer of ice, molded around bones. That couldn’t be good. Steve really needed to get him inside. Before he could pull away, Eddie spoke.

“And I promise to do my very best not to hurt you.”

Steve grinned. “Well, there you go. So, go on then. Tell me what the problem is.”

Eddie sighed, tucking his bottom lip between his teeth. “Okay, I guess I might as well. I don’t have anything else to lose. Um, have you… have you heard of vampires?”

“Vampires?” Steve asked, scrunching up his nose. “What, like Dracula? Or The Count on Sesame Street?”

Eddie snorted and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I mean sort of. But also, no. What if… what if vampires were real?”

Steve narrowed his eyes. “I don’t understand. Vampires aren’t real, so what does that have to do with anything?”

A look of frustration crossed Eddie’s face. “Steve. I’m trying to tell you. Vampires are real. I know, because I am one.”

For several seconds, Steve didn’t speak. The only sound to be heard was the shifting of trees outside and the quiet breathing of the two boys. Finally, Steve let out a laugh.

“Yeah, right, okay. Look, I don’t know why you don’t want to tell me—”

“Steve—”

“But it’s fine, I guess. You don’t have to trust me, I guess.”

“Steve, I am telling you the truth! See, this is another reason I didn’t want to tell you. Humans never believe in anything beyond what they see in the daylight.”

“Oh, come on,” Steve said, dropping back off his knees to sit on his butt. “I get it, you’re trying to prank me, for whatever reason. But I can’t help you unless I know the truth. Or at least until you tell me what the real problem is. You’re not a vampire.”

“I am!” Eddie insisted, the corners of his lips turning down in a frown. “Do you want me to prove it to you?”

At this point, Steve was getting a little bit annoyed. The joke wasn’t that funny. He was cold, and the dirt on the cement floor was digging into his backside, and he really just wanted to get back inside. So, with a jeering smirk, he leaned forward.

“Yeah, sure, go ahead. Prove that you’re a vampire.”

Eddie didn’t move at first, just continued to stare at Steve with his too big eyes. It was a little unnerving, to be honest, the way he didn’t seem to blink or even move. And then, in a flash of movement too fast to be humanly possible, Eddie shot forward. Steve flinched at the unexpected movement, falling back onto his elbows with a small shout of surprise. He half expected to be attacked, to maybe feel Eddie’s hand around his throat or a fist against his cheek. But it never came.

Slowly, Steve opened his eyes. Only, Eddie was nowhere to be seen. The spot beneath the bench was empty, and when Steve looked around, he didn’t see Eddie anywhere. Had he slipped out the door and run away? Why? Steve didn’t understand. But then, Eddie spoke.

“Steve. I’m up here.”

A chill ran down Steve’s back, some primal part of him that had been dormant waking up at hearing the voice from above. Slowly, Steve tilted his head back. What he saw defied all explanation. Eddie was on the ceiling. He was crouched upside down, his hands gripping the wood beam and his feet planted flat on the roof. Eddie blinked down at him, his hair dangling away from his face.

Steve opened his mouth to scream, a natural response he thought. But before he could utter a sound, Eddie was off the ceiling. He landed on top of Steve, his hand pressed firm to his mouth to stop any sound from escaping and his other hand holding Steve to the ground. For a wiry looking kid, he was sure strong.

“Please, Steve, don’t scream,” Eddie begged, his wide eyes earnest. “I promised not to hurt you, and I won’t. You’re safe with me, okay?”

For a few seconds, all Steve could do was stare up at him. He shouldn’t believe him, logically he knew that. Vampires drank blood, human blood, which Steve had. But if Eddie had wanted to hurt him, surely, he would have already. He could even do it right now. Steve was trapped beneath him, his movement completely restricted. So, slowly, Steve nodded. Eddie chewed his lip, before removing his hand. Steve took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart.

“Holy crap. You’re like, a real vampire?”

Eddie nodded, still looking concerned. “Yeah, pretty much.”

“Wow. How long have you been a vampire for?”

“Uh, my whole life?” Eddie said with a chuckle.

Steve frowned. “Wait, what? But I thought vampires were made by being bitten.”

Eddie finally climbed off Steve, sitting cross legged in front of him while Steve sat up and matched his position. “Yeah, some. Some vampires are humans who were turned. But others, like me, were born as vampires. Both of my parents were vampires, and they had me.”

Huh. Steve had never heard of anything like that before. “But what about, like, mirrors and blood drinking and stuff?”

“Eh, I mean, most of the stuff humans know about vampires was made up by them. Except for the blood drinking, that’s true.”

“What about sunlight?”

Eddie scrunched up his nose. “Well, I won’t burst into flames if I’m exposed to it. But it does sting my skin and hurt my eyes, so I avoid it if possible.”

Steve nodded, taking that it. “So, that’s why you’re hiding out here in my shed?”

Eddie nodded.

“Hmm, ok. Well, you know, you might be more comfortable inside the house.”

“You… would invite me into your house? Even knowing what I am?”

Steve shrugged. “Yeah, why not? I believe that you won’t hurt me, and it doesn’t sound like you have anywhere else to go. Plus, I’m getting pretty cold.”

He pushed himself to his feet and held his hand out for Eddie, who hesitated. He looked unsure, and maybe a little bit afraid, though Steve couldn’t imagine of what. It wasn’t like he was going to hurt Eddie. When Eddie didn’t immediately take his hand, Steve gave it a shake.

“Come on. It’s okay.”

Finally, Eddie reached up and took it. Steve hoisted him up, then still holding his hand, led him out of the shed. Eddie looked around as they crossed the yard, as if afraid someone was going to pop out and do a sneak attack. They got to the sliding glass door and Steve pushed it open, stepping into the wonderfully warm living room. He tried to pull Eddie in after him, but the other boy hesitated on the threshold.

“What’s wrong?”

“Are you sure? Are you sure you want to invite me in? Once you do, you can’t take it back.”

Steve sighed. “Eddie, I don’t understand. You promised you won’t hurt me, and I’m not going to hurt you, so what’s the problem?”

Eddie chewed on his bottom lip. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to help myself. It’s just… I’m so hungry. I haven’t eaten anything in almost a week, and you… you smell really good. And I don’t want to hurt you, I promise. But what if I lose control?”

Steve blinked a few times. Oh. He hadn’t really considered that. “And… you need to drink blood? That’s all you eat?”

Timidly, Eddie nodded.

“Right. Okay. Well, maybe I could give you a little bit of my blood, just to hold you over, and then—”

“No!” Eddie shouted, ripping his hand out of Steve’s. “No, Steve, please don’t offer me that. I’m too hungry, I know I won’t be able to stop once I’ve started. I’ll kill you, and then… then I really will be a monster.”

Steve chewed his lip, wavering in the doorway. “What do you normally do when you’re hungry?”

“I hunt animals, usually. But… I waited too long. I’m too weak to catch anything on my own now.”

Right. That made sense. Steve was a little relieved to hear that Eddie usually hunted animals. If he could only drink human blood, they would definitely be in a bit of a pickle.

“Okay, here’s the plan,” he said, “Tonight, you’ll come in and sleep somewhere cozy. You won’t kill me or try to drink my blood. Tomorrow I’ll skip school and go to the butcher in town. I know they stock cow blood, because my nana bought some a few years ago to make this really gross pudding.”

Eddie’s eyes went wide, his mouth falling open slightly. “You’d do that? You’d really go out of your way to help me?”

Steve grinned wide, taking his hand once more. “Of course! We’re both on our own right now, so we should look after each other, shouldn’t we? And my parents left me plenty of money for snacks and stuff, so they won’t even notice if I use it for something else.”

There was something warring in Eddie’s big brown eyes, a well of emotion that Steve couldn’t guess at. All he knew was that he wanted to help Eddie, and so he was going to. When Eddie still didn’t make any move to come inside, Steve tugged gently on his hand.

“Come on. I’m inviting you inside. You’ll be okay.”

Eddie took a deep breath, then nodded, as though coming to a decision. Hesitantly, he stepped forward, bringing one foot over the threshold. He stared down at his foot, as if half expecting it to burst into flames. Could that happen? Steve really hoped not. Finally, Eddie brought his other foot inside. Steve smiled, nodding encouragingly.

“See, that wasn’t so hard.”

He slid the glass door shut behind them and locked it before closing the curtains. Eddie had wandered a few more paces in, standing awkwardly in the middle of the living room. His baggy sweatshirt hung loosely from his limbs, and in the light, Steve could see smudges of dirt on the other boys face. It must have been a long time since he’d had a bath.

“Do you want to use my shower before bed?”

Eddie glanced at him over his shoulder, his brow furrowing. “Are you saying I stink?”

“What? No! No, I wouldn’t say that, I promise! It’s just—”

He stopped when he saw Eddie chuckling. “I’m only joking. I do smell. That’s what happens when you live in the woods for a couple weeks.”

Steve huffed and rolled his eyes. “Ha ha, very funny. Come on, follow me.”

He shut off the tv as they passed it by before switching off the lights and leading Eddie to the stairs. The other boy followed close behind, and when Steve turned to look at him, saw he was taking everything in.

“This place is like a castle,” Eddie murmured.

“Eh, not really. Castle’s have a lot more people in them. It’s just me here.”

“Why don’t your parents want to live here?”

“They do!” Steve said, defensive. “They do live here. They just… go on a lot of business trips. They’re super busy.”

Eddie hummed, not commenting on it any further, which Steve was grateful for. He didn’t want to talk about his parents. All that ever did was make him sad, and he wasn’t in the mood to feel sad. He had a vampire in his house. A vampire who might want to be his friend. He couldn’t entirely wrap his head around it.

They reached the second landing and Steve led Eddie down the hall to his room. He flicked on the light and moved to sit on the bed, watching Eddie as he looked around the room. For some reason, the corners of Eddie’s mouth turned down in a frown.

“What, you don’t like my room?”

Eddie shrugged, walking to stand beside his dresser with the ribbons he’d won at his school’s field day. “It’s not very… you, is it?”

“What do you mean.”

“I don’t know. Where are the pictures? The posters of your favorite bands and movies? Where’s the mess?”

Steve looked around, forcing himself to see his room from someone else’s perspective. “My mom doesn’t like messes. And I just, I don’t know, haven’t really thought about adding anything to the walls.

Eddie hummed again. “Well, you should. Give this checkered monstrosity a little life.”

“Hey, it’s not that bad.”

“It sort of is. Let me guess, your mom picked it out?”

Steve rolled his eyes. Eddie sure was a lot sassier now that he’d come inside. Hopefully that meant he felt comfortable. “Yeah, so? I don’t mind it, so why does it matter?”

Eddie held up his hands. “Hey, as long as you like it.”

“Right. Well, if you want to take a shower, it’s right through that door,” he said, motioning to his on-suite. “I’ll put a towel and some pajamas you can borrow on the counter for when you get out.”

“Yeah, ok, cool.”

Eddie stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind him, leaving Steve alone to sit on his bed. Right, this was totally normal and okay. He had a vampire in his house, one that was apparently his age and who had nowhere else to go. If his parents found out, they’d flip. Luckily, they weren’t home, so there was no need to worry about that. Unless… well, unless Eddie decided he wanted to stay. Surely being here would be better than going to the city alone, to ask a bunch of creepy older vampires if he could live with them. That sounded pretty terrifying, if you asked Steve.

Because really, what could they have that Steve didn’t? Did they have a twenty-seven-inch screen tv? No, he doubted it. Would they have a pool, or a whole forest behind their house for privacy? In the city? Yeah, he didn’t think so. Which, okay, maybe he was getting ahead of himself. He had just met Eddie, he couldn’t ask him to stay with him. Even if he wanted to.

It would be pretty cool to have someone else his age who lived in his house, though. Someone who wouldn’t leave on trips for most of the month. Someone he could watch tv with and play games with and stay up talking to. It would be like having a live in friend. That sounded… that sounded really nice.

Steve was jolted from his thoughts at the sound of something clattering in the shower.

“Sorry!” Eddie shouted. “Dropped the shampoo.”

Ah, right, he needed to get Eddie a towel and some clothes. He grabbed one of his fluffiest towels from the cupboard and then took out his second favorite set of pajamas. He’d gotten them from his grandma last Christmas, and they had Snoopy on them. Trying to be as quiet as he could, he placed the items on the bathroom counter before scurrying out again.

The water turned off a few minutes later. Steve climbed into bed to wait, pulling the blankets up and leaving his bedside lamp on. The door opened and Eddie stepped out. Despite being a year older than Steve, the pajamas still hung a little loose on him. His dark curls dripped on his shoulders as he looked around.

When he spoke, he sounded unsure. “So, um, is there another bed I can take? Or I can lay on the floor if you want, I don’t mind.”

Steve scrunched up his nose. “What? I’m not going to make you sleep on the floor. My bed is plenty big, just sleep with me.”

Eddie hesitated, but after it became clear that Steve was serious, made his way to the other side of the bed. “You really don’t mind sleeping next to me? Even knowing what I am?”

“I already told you I don’t. But, I mean, if it’ll be a problem for you, you don’t have to.”

“No, it’s just, I probably won’t sleep. I usually sleep during the day, so I’ll probably sit here until I feel tired. Which, yeah, will probably be when you’re waking up.”

“Oh.” Steve hadn’t considered that. “Right. Well, you can go downstairs and watch tv if you want. I’ve got lots of movies.”

Eddie bit his lip, the unnatural sharpness to his fangs all the more obvious in the lowlight of the bedroom. “Actually, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll just lay here with you. I think I’ll feel too weird, sitting downstairs by myself.”

Steve wouldn’t admit it out loud, but that was secretly what he’d been hoping Eddie would do. He’d been to his fair share of sleepovers, and while he loved a lot of different aspects of them, his favorite was falling asleep next to another person. The feeling of closeness, of safety, that being close to another person brought… there wasn’t really anything else like it. So, Steve wasted no time in pulling back the blanket on Eddie’s side of the bed and urging him to climb in. Only once they were both laying down, with only a few inches between them, did Steve finally shut off the light.

It was late, way later that Steve normally went to bed on a school night. At least he’d already decided he wouldn’t be going into school tomorrow. He would still wake up early, so that he had enough time to bike down to the butcher and get back before Eddie woke up. Despite all the excitement of having a new vampire friend, Steve felt the unavoidable pull of sleep as he snuggled further into his blankets. Before he could drift off, however, Eddie’s voice came from right beside his ear.

“Steve?”

He blinked an eye open, unable to make out the shape of the other boy, having closed the curtains to protect Eddie from the early morning sun. “Hmm?”

For a few seconds, it was quiet. Steve almost wondered if he’d imagined Eddie’s voice, until the other boy spoke again. “Thank you.”

“For what?” he murmured.

“For helping me. For letting me into your house. For… for just being a good person. I don’t know very many off those.”

Steve hummed, smiling sleepily. “Me either. I guess we’ll just have to be good to each other.”

A puff of breath ghosted across Steve’s cheek, leading him to believe Eddie was even closer than he’d thought. He could probably see Steve perfectly, with his superior vampire vision. The thought should scare him. It didn’t.

“Yeah,” Eddie said quietly. “I guess we will.”

Steve wasn’t sure if he said anything else after that, as he drifted off. But when he dreamed of a creature hiding beneath his bed that night, it wasn’t a nightmare. Because he knew, despite what the movies told him, that this monster wouldn’t hurt him.

People accusing Storm of being a Hover ripoff just because they're both gray, have a hair tuft, and are outside a pride… Same energy as people accusing Scar (TLK) of being a Claw (Kimba) ripoff just because they're both dark brown, have an eye scar, and are villains. Like those are all common tropes for their character archetypes, not unique copyrighted traits, and the DIFFERENCES between the characters are much greater than those surface-level similarities. For example with Scar/Claw, Claw is not the protagonist's uncle, does not kill his father, and has a much different personality and role in the overall story. And of course as IHS fans know, Storm (unlike Hover) is not an ableist bully, is actually supportive of her girlfriend, and has a more developed and interesting arc, including having an in-universe culture (vs "prideless lions" which are an un-detailed, amorphous blob)

But of course that's all on top of some people calling every lion cartoon "Lion King ripoff" anyway 💀 I wish people would think more critically before making accusations of copying, even if jokingly

Yeah its easy to tell who's read the comic and who hasn't because we made it a point to have Storm not be anything like Hover, right down to her sense of humor LOL (Also unlike Hover, Storm isn't a collective of bad butch lesbian stereotypes). We didn't write her to be "better Hover". Storm is just inherently better than Hover because a root canal is better than Hover.

If people think Storm is like Hover, it's a Hover they made up in their head and not what was in the show. But sure, let's all ignore the fact that Storm has a personality that isn't making fun at the expense of her friends. Let's ignore that she has interests beyond her girlfriend, has a family to speak of, has a collection of knowledge, fears specific to her, and reacts to problems completely differently. if its a grey lion, then it's fuckin Hover. Sorry, everyone who has a grey lion OC post-2020. Why you just copying Hover?

All Storm was was a repurposed Lion King adoptable. RJ added a mane when she repurposed her into a MP OC. And then later when we made IHS I changed her hairstyle to a fauxhawk cuz 1) I already had a character with a fauxhawk and I just took their hair and put it on Storm's head? 2) Maned lionesses are cool. Hover is not a maned lioness, unless you count those three growths sprouting from her cranium (all the other lions get real hair, so i dont get it, why wouldn't she?). Whatever those are, they're not a fauxhawk, that's for sure lol Plus Hover goes through like 7 different color palettes all throughout the show. If I had made Storm brown, they would just say she looks like Hover anyway cuz Hover's been all the colors of the rainbow. I can't win.

I won't mention that no one complained about Storm being a Hover clone when she was a MP character, and I don't hear too many complaints about how much closer Storm looks to Kasi from The Lion Guard soooooooooooooooo make of that what you will. - Cat

The Heavenly Idol (2023) - 성스러운 아이돌 - Whump List

List by StayDandy Synopsis : In the supernatural Other World, the Pontifex Rembrary and his troops battle against dark forces in a campaign to thwart the Evil One's return to power after a hundred years. Just as he takes the upper hand in a tough duel against the Evil One, an inexplicable force foils Rembrary's victory and transports him to the present world. He finds himself in the body of a K-pop idol named Woo Yeon Woo, a member of the boy group Wild Animal. The true Yeon-woo has been transported to the Other World in Rembrary's body. Naive of the workings of the present world, Rembrary struggles to live as a K-pop idol while finding a way to return to the Other World in order to restore himself and Yeon Woo to their original bodies and save the two worlds from the Evil One. (MDL) AKA : Pontifex Rembrary | Pontifex Maximus Rembrary | The High Priest Rembrary | Holy Idol

Whumpee : Rembrary / Woo Yeon Woo played by Kim Min Gue • Kasy played by Choi Jae Hyun (bonus, 1 ep)

Country : 🇰🇷 South Korea Genres : Comedy, Romance, Drama, Fantasy, Supernatural

Notes : This is a Full Whump List • Adapted from the web novel "Holy Idol" (성스러운 아이돌) by Sin Hwa Jin (신화진).

Episodes on List : 12 Total Episodes : 12

*Spoilers below*

01 : [in Other World] Rembrary is knocked off his horse, hurt in a fight … unsteady, dizzy, head pain … [in Modern World] wakes as Woo Yeon Woo (I will continue to refer to him as Rembrary though), collapsed on the floor … cuts his own hand with glass, magically heals (boo)

02 : Pain, trouble breathing, passes out … overuses his powers, exhausted, collapses, passes out.. wakes briefly, passes out again

03 : … continued from previous ep. ... Slapped several times to wake him up, barely conscious … Kasy has a panic attack, throws up, hospitalized

04 : Rembrary overusing his power, dizzy

05 : Burns his hand when using his own powers

06 : Attacked, stops a knife by the blade, cutting his hand.. stabbed in the shoulder, passes out … treated in a hospital (distracted like a child so they can stitch him up .. aww! lol) … hits his wounded shoulder on a bookcase

07 : (near end) Drunk, pushed against a car, slides to the ground

08 : Stabbed in the leg, bleeding heavily, heals himself

09 : Falls down the stairs (comedic) … (at end) pushed into a wall, panic attack, trouble breathing, passes out

10 : [quick flashback] Unconscious … [present] chest pain, trouble breathing … panic attack, trouble breathing … panic attack, trouble breathing … overuses his power, passes out

11 : Attacked, stabbed, falls down stairs, passes out … [in Other world] wakes in chains (I'm sorry, I can't with the mullet 😂) … [in Modern world] Yeon Woo is found at the bottom of the stairs, unconscious, bleeding.. hospitalized, ventilator … [in Other world] Rembrary is attacked with magic, pain, collapses … falls to his knees in grief

12 : Rembrary beats Yeon Woo with a slipper (comedic) … Rembrary is knocked to his knees, kidnapped … his powers are slowly, painfully, stripped from him, passes out … stabbed, passes out (technically he dies, but really he just visits the old lady in he after life for a hot minute before being sent back)

More Whump Lists for this show: simply-whump

life lately 🌸

manifested a good change in my career and it came true hehe lilipat na ko ng work into something na mas gusto ko and mas fit sa capabilities ko~

tamang pacute lang here and there dahil bakit hindi!

my best friends surprised me with homemade brownies (the best i've ever tasted huhu unbiased opinion ko yan pramis) dahil lang namiss nila ako ???? may kasama pang sobrang heartwarming na letter. medyo naging MIA din kasi ako sa dami ng pinagdaanan lately pero grabe sila 🥺 can't wait to see them next week forda chismis and tea ahaha. kokonti lang friends ko pero lahat sila, sobrang totoo at for life talaga. tipong di pa ko nagsasalita, naiintindihan na nila agad ako. hay i'm so blessed.

wala na tapos na ang mga araw ng pagiging passenger princess ko jusko ahahahaha magaling na ko magdrive so ako na ang sunod na designated driver pero oks lang naman kahit nakakatamad minsan lalo na pag laging iisipin ang parking sa pupuntahan

preggers ang bebe gurl namin na si kitchi 🥺💞 ang lambing lambing at clingy niya lately laging puppy eyes nakakagigil huhu. nakakaexcite tuloy siguro by november siya manganganak kaya starting to prepare na kami dito 🌷💐

i'm really proud of myself for accomplishing so much lately. felt so stuck and was drowning in grief but i chose to use my energy to pull myself out of a dark place. i hope i'm doing my dad & my little angel kitty kikiam proud! 🤍

Haaaa it's been a long day. Started the morning doing routine admin work and social media management for my brother's business. Midmorning we started cleaning up our place which took almost the whole day to finish (a wedding reception was held here last Wednesday, then the bride's relatives stayed until yesterday). After we finished cleaning up at around 3 PM I got ready and left for Imus to pick up some orders for my business.

I had to meet with my sister along the way so I decided to hang out at Robinson's Imus while waiting for her. If I remember correctly, high school pa yung huli kong punta dun. Nanood ako mag-isa ng Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets kasi yun na yung pinakamalapit na mall sa Silang na may cinema – wala pang Robinson's Dasma at SM Pala Pala nun. Byahe pa lang papunta masama na pakiramdam ko, tapos lalong sumama pagpasok kong cinema kasi sobrang lakas at lamig ng aircon sa loob. Tulog lang ako buong byahe pauwi tapos pagdating ng Silang Bayan ginising lang ako ng driver kasi nasa last stop na (I do realize that was a pretty dangerous situation to be in). Anyways ang haba na ng kwento ko, ang gusto ko lang naman sabihin eh natawa ako kasi pagpasok ko kanina ang liwanag sa loob Rob Imus – I've always had this impression of Robinson's malls in the province being dark and depressing.

Going back to my main purpose sa pagpunta ko sa Imus.. Grabe ang traffic sa looban ng Imus di ko kinaya. First time ko makapasok dun nang rush hour sobrang kipot pala ng mga daan sa loob tapos andaming sasakyan na dumadaan. I spent more than an hour sitting in the traffic eh 4 kms lang naman from Aguinaldo Highway yung destination ko. Wtf. After picking up our orders, we headed to SM Pala Pala naman to run another errand.

Got home around 9:30 PM. It's been more than 2 hours since I got home. My body's tired but my brain's still pretty active at this hour. I'm thinking about going for a ride tomorrow morning if the weather permits. If not, I'll just do strength training at home. Bike ride or no bike ride, I still have a lot of things left to do tomorrow. Then on Monday and probably until Friday. Or Saturday. Or Sunday. Who knows.

Haaaa it's been a long week. And it's gonna be another long week next week.