How TWST Characters Would Play KanJam
→ What is “KanJam”?: Kan Jam (sometimes spelled kanjam, KanJam, or Kan-Jam) is a flying disc game, played with a flying disc and two cans into which players deflect the disc. Teams of two players take turns tossing a disc between two plastic cans, scoring points if the disc hits or is deflected into one of the cans. The game is played to a target score of exactly 21, but a team can also win if a player throws the disc through the slot or top of a can without the help of their teammate. (taken from Wikipedia).
→ Points in KanJam: “Dinger” when the disc hits the side of the can with assistance from the deflector (one point), “Deuce” when the disc hits the side of the can without assistance from the deflector (two points), “Bucket” when the disc is deflected into the top or slot of the can, “Chog” when the disc goes through the top or slot of the can without assistance from the deflector.
Warnings: swearing, mentions of non-descriptive violence
Characters: all NRC students
Word Count: 1.2k
(A/N: We used a spinner wheel to decide these teams, so if they seem odd choices, that's the whole point! - 🪞)
Cater and Rook
It’s scary how fast Rook can throw a frisbee.
He is also very precise! He’s a motherfucking hunter, afterall. GREAT. IMPECCABLE. AIM.
Cater doesn’t do his job of deflecting half of the time because he’s too busy taking pics to post on Magicam. It doesn’t matter since Rook can score really well without his assistance.
But if Cater gave it a shot, he wouldn’t be half bad at it!
You would think there is only one way to throw a frisbee. You would be wrong, as proven by Rook's unique way(s) of throwing a frisbee.
They aren’t really good at teamwork, more good individually, and would probably complain to their friends when the whole thing is over.
Rook carries the team 100% of the time.
Ace and Riddle
Riddle is so fucking petty because Ace is so much better at KanJam than he is.
The frisbee just kind of flops weirdly in the air. Riddle just gets really frustrated, and Ace laughs his ass off. Ace is also weirdly precise with how he aims?? How is he this OP??
Horrible teammates, though quite entertaining to watch. You can bet their interactions will be posted all over Magicam (courtesy of Cater) and Ace will be spending the next few days with a collar, regretting his life decisions up to that point.
Epel and Kalim
Epel needs to learn a bit of self restraint or else he may hit Kalim in the head a little too hard.
Epel thinks of this tournament as a chance to show others how manly he is. It fails, due to how bad he is at the game.
They both suck, Kalim can’t throw the frisbee far enough and Epel can only throw it too far.
Both really try their best, I will give them that. They are a joy to watch! Eventually, with enough practice, they will improve but for now, it is what it is.
Floyd and Sebek
Things get violent, and they get violent quickly.
Floyd does purposely hit people with the discs, including Sebek (especially Sebek).
Floyd would get them kicked out. Sent to the headmaster. And imminently, restricted from playing this game ever again. But… this is Coach Vargas we are talking about. He admires the spunk and ‘effort’ that these two give this game! But eventually, it gets to the point where the other staff have to intervene and the two get kicked out of the premises.
Chances are Floyd managed to convince his brother to give him his spot, only to immediately be kicked out again after throwing a frisbee at his opponent and breaking their nose.
Sebek is just mad he didn’t get paired up with Malleus.
Silver and Jamil
Silver falls asleep once or twice, and that just so happens to be when Jamil gets a chog.
Jamil is the one getting hit with the frisbee a LOT. He got the bad end of the stick when it came to this one (as usual…). Kalim has labeled him ‘The Frisbee Magnet.’
They work well together, mainly due to their natural chemistry. They both manage to keep a level head, even if it’s more due to mutual exhaustion than focus.
Jamil is always the one to initiate practice sessions, and essentially coaches Silver as he betters himself. He’s also got a bit of a competitive streak.
Vil and Idia
Neither of them are really trying?? Vil is kind of trying (too busy filing his nails to be doing this shit) and Idia lacks the skill and stamina. But both would be good at it if they actually gave a shit.
Let’s be honest, the only time Vil is trying is when they’re going up against Neige.
Idia has played KanJam before…online, and he was very good at it. Apparently those skills don’t apply to real life.
“Watching them play is positively boring,” says Headmaster Crowley. (Not enjoyable at all, would not recommend.)
Idia fears the frisbee.
The closest they get to teamwork is Vil bossing Idia around. Not that Idia listens on most occasions, but he does sometimes do what Vil says if only to shut him up.
Vil will be giving Idia quite a few “tips'' on bettering his appearance. The more time he spends around Idia, however, the more passive aggressive said tips will become.
Idia gives Vil a few tips of his own - mostly about gaming, which Vil doesn’t do - but both tip-givers and receivers go in one ear and out the other.
Jack and Ortho
These guys are so cute and wholesome, definitely gonna be practicing and doing their best and lifting each other up.
Once it is announced they will be competitively playing KanJam, Jack dedicates his entire life (workout) to the sport.
Ortho is going to be hit by a fast-flying frisbee, he will malfunction, and it will (most likely) be Epel or Floyd's fault.
Other than Ortho malfunctioning, he is actually pretty decent at the game and the both of them work great together. An absolute ideal team!
Trey and Jade
Jade is very calculative on how he aims and the position of the can. When another team is aiming, he ‘subtly’ nudges the can over so they can win.
Trey isn’t really competitive at this, nor really good at aiming the frisbee, but he’s decent at it and tries his best. 10/10 work ethic.
Great teammates, despite many of their differences, they work really well together. Aka Jade is good at throwing and Trey is good (enough) at deflecting.
Azul and Lilia
Given the fact that Azul very much sucks at all things PE related, he wouldn’t be very good at KanJam. As soon as Coach Vargas uttered the word KanJam, he was already shaking in his timmies. Much like Deuce, but very much worse. Also accidentally hits people. Lilia at least tries to help him up and encourage him…
Lilia doesn't know where that frisbee is going and neither do I. Probably ends up on the ceiling and he refuses to get it back because it’s too funny.
Not great teammates, simply because they both function independently. After all, Azul would never ask for Lilia's help, and Lilia is too busy trying to find that frisbee he threw a few hours ago to bother with teamwork.
Ruggie and Deuce
Ruggie is oddly amazing at KanJam, but Deuce significantly sucks ass. He trips. He falls. And he always ends up planted face down on the floor. Ruggie makes fun of him.
Deuce does have a strong arm though, maybe a bit too strong, and oh if only he could aim.
They work surprisingly well together once they get past their differences and Deuce starts taking them out to lunch after practice (his treat).
Deuce gets thrown off guard whenever someone yells “deuce!” in reference to the points they just got. Poor guy sharing his name with a KanJam move.
Malleus and Leona
Would bicker the whole time. Show off, and would definitely gain a crowd of people.
If it were a competition with a single team as the winner, they would’ve won that spot if they didn’t work so horrible together.
Leona's gonna think it’s stupid until he loses his first match, then there’s hell to pay.
No matter how well they do, you can bet Leona will be chewing Malleus out for the littlest of things. In return, Malleus will point out every little thing Leona could have done better, and the end result may potentially be them getting kicked out (right behind Floyd and Sebek).
4 notes
·
View notes
Inconvenient Circumstances {IV/???}
{ Disclaimer: Evonie Apfel does not belong to me. She is an oc created by @phoenix-manga . }
♜______________________________________♜
As the family walked to their rooms in the palace grounds, all Evonie could hear out of her uncle Florian was constant nagging about Malleus.
"My daughter whom I love unconditionally and would vehemently die for, it is incredibly incomprehensible for you to agree to dance with that pretentious little prince." He nagged, making his daughter sigh heavily.
Vivian gently patted his back."Darling you and I both know that prince Allen was the one who selected the two of them to dance…" She argued.
Florian hummed."My darling, it is unseemly! It is preposterous, IT IS UTTER MADNESS!" He complained.
"Florian!-"
Epel hummed."Father I'm sure Victoria will fulfill her promise by not associating herself with the Draconian royal family. It just happens that they somehow encounter one another…" Epel added, crossing his arms.
Victoria hums in amusement and nods in agreement with Epel's words, making Neige and Evonie chuckle a bit.
"Epel has a point father. I promise to not associate myself with that family so as to not upset you." Victoria vowed, sending her parents an affectionate but arguably intimidating smile.
A bead of sweat fell down Evonie's face. Sure seems like uncle Florian and aunt Vivian are protective of their children when it comes to the Draconia family…
Having arrived at their personal suites, Vil clapped in order to catch the attention of his family members.
"Unless there aren't enough rooms for all of us individually, we will be sleeping separately. If there is a case in which the rooms are limitedly numbered, you can share a room with any of us since there are usually two beds in a single suite anyway." enunciated Vil.
His siblings, Neige, and Evonie nod in agreement and in sync.
Thankfully for the family, there were a good number of rooms. Meaning they didn't need to share a bedroom.
Conveniently enough, Evonie's suite was somewhat close to the area she was standing in.
She smiled as she walked to her room, marveling in all of the spectacular decorations surrounding the palace halls. It felt almost intimidating to her that there was so much gold.
Unaware that someone was in front of her, Evonie ended up bumping into them. And to her surprise, the impact was strong enough for her lower body to hit the ground.
The Addams are a family of immense wealth…. But I don't know if we can top something like this
As well as make the person drop their books.
"I-I'm so sorry!" Evonie exclaimed, immediately picking up the many books in an almost frantic way.
The person chuckled as they placed a hand over her hand."It's fine. Accidents can happen no matter the circumstance." They stated, a gentle smile on their face.
Blonde hair… Blue eyes… I'm sure he's Prince Allen's brother. If I didn't know any better, I would've assumed he was Briar's brother. Evonie thought, remembering her golden haired friend from the slumbering willows.
After a moment of silence, they extended their hand. Knowing that they were trying to help her up, Evonie cautiously took their hand.
"I apologize for bumping into you…" she repeated, feeling anxious.
They smiled slightly brighter."It's nothing to fret, it was accidental after all. In any case…" they trailed off, piquing Evonie's interest as she rose an eyebrow at them.
"My name is prince Erez, Allen's younger brother and the second prince of the kingdom of dawn." Erez greeted Evonie with a polite bow.
Evonie hummed as her awkward smile remained on her face."Evonie Apfel. It's a pleasure to meet you, your highness." She curtsied, perfectly maintaining her composure.
Erez chuckled yet again."I see. So you are the cousin of Lady Shard that I've been hearing about recently?" He asked as he tilted his head, curiosity seemingly filling his aura.
"Eh…. Yeah, actually." Evonie answered cautiously, scratching the back of her neck. In response, Erez grinned.
…. After a long moment of silence, Evonie sent Erez a nervous grin as she walked past him.
"Well uh… I gotta go to my room now. Can't exactly stand in this hallway forever, right?" Evonie said, attempting to crack a joke.
Unfortunately, she immediately regretted making that joke out of pure embarrassment-
Upon that realization, Erez turned red with embarrassment and laughed nervously."O-Oh! Right, I see…. I-I'll see you around, Lady Apfel!" He promised, making random hand gestures that made Evonie giggle.
"B-But before you go…"
"Hm?"
Before Evonie turned around to face Erez, waiting for his question to escape his lips.
He looked at her sinisterly."Don't trust Allen, behind that facade…. Lies a no-good little…" He mumbled the last parts of his sentence before sending Evonie a reassuring smile. A complete opposite to his words moments earlier.
Evonie gripped her suite's doorknob tightly before humming softly."O-Okay…" she murmured, before entering her suite.
_________________________________________
Erez was in the palace library, calmly reading books without a care. He hummed softly as he picked up his next book, "To kill a mockingbird".
After reading a couple pages, he heard the library doors slam open as Allen marched into the room. Fury within his aura that it would've been enough to make Erez laugh.
"EREZ!" Allen shrieked,"WHAT KIND OF BULLSHIT DID YOU SPEW TO OUR GUESTS?!" He grabbed him by the collar.
Erez gasped as his energy feigned "innocence" and "confusion".
"Oh my dearest brother… Whatever are you talking about? I simply do not know what you could possibly mean.." Erez held back his laughter as Allen's face increased in his fumes of anger.
"YOU ASSHAT, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" He yelled while his voice echoed throughout the large halls of the library.
Sending him a sweet little smile, Erez placed his pointer finger over his lips."Easy there brother, inside voices only." He mocked, whispering so quietly that Allen could barely hear his voice.
Grunting, Allen shoved Erez away from him as he crossed his arms.
"Whatever you're doing, it won't work. I am the eldest, therefore that makes me the heir." Allen proclaimed, looking down at his significantly shorter younger brother.
Erez rolled his eyes."You may be older, but you are no match for me in terms of popularity in high society. Now, you are beloved by the commoners and deemed 'relatable' for your rowdiness…" he continued.
"But remember brother…. The nobility is the class of mortality that actually matters."
Allen pursed his lips, unable to find any words for a response. As for Erez, he merely smirked as his blue eyes glowed with insanity..
"Besides… You and I both know that once you come of age, father will simply discard you to marry a foreign princess and make me ascend the throne."
"Just because he favors you over me does not mean jack shit, Erez."
Erez hummed softly, slamming his book shut."To you at least. You and I know damn well that mother and father simply act like they care for you so their social standing increases. After all, I'm simply playing a role. Just like you, like our mother… And like our father." He concluded, crossing his legs and looking up at his older brother.
"Face it, Allen… You're never going to get what you want. And what you want… Is love."
Allen couldn't think of a response, and merely sighed heavily."I don't have time for this…" he muttered before turning around to leave.
Before he did, he turned back to face his brother.
"You and I both know that I will be the one to win this chess game, brother."
Allen marched out of the library, slamming the doors so hard that it echoed throughout the library for a couple minutes.
Erez smiled sweetly as he continued his book."Oh my darling older brother…" he trailed off.
"... A pawn will always be brought down first."
♜______________________________________♜
6 notes
·
View notes
Vows - Part 4 (Final Part)
cw: nightmares, consentual blood drinking, oral sex, vaginal sex, polyamory, self-destructive tendencies
male vampire x afab reader
Word count: 6k
Vows Masterlist
You had another nightmare that night.
It wasn’t exactly what you were used to, although you supposed it was still about vampires.
Rook was on the floor. A jagged piece of wood had been thrust through his chest.
The splinters from it were embedded in your hand, drawing out your own blood, it seeping down your arm.
Images flashed through your mind as you saw it.
Vivian in his lap, blood soaking into her dress.
Oliver begging for more, pulling Rook closer as some of his precious blood escaped the vampire’s mouth.
Rook didn’t bleed. He’d been completely impaled and yet he lay, dry. The only blood on him was yours, dripping down your arm.
You felt a wetness on your face, tears making their way down your cheeks. As you moved to wipe them you found that they ran red.
You fell to your knees, shaking the man in front of you, pleading with him.
“Wake up, please wake up,” you cried and yet there he lay. He looked like he’d been dead for weeks. His eyes hadn’t looked dead before, not really, you realized with a jolt.
They may have been foggy and distant but they were full of life.
Now they were dead, empty and boring into you, unblinking.
Something jostled you, the room swaying under your feet.
You grabbed onto Rook, his lifeless form. Your hand drew back immediately, sickened by the thought that you’d reached for him for comfort after being the reason he lay there, lifeless.
A distant voice echoed through your head.
“Wake up. Come on, wake up, you’re alright.”
Your eyes shot open.
Rook was sitting over you, concern written across his face. His hands were cold and his eyes were as distant as ever but there he was, alive.
You wrapped your arms around him without a second thought, holding on as tight as you could, like you were afraid he might slip away.
He pulled you into his chest, his hand holding the back of your head as he whispered comforting words.
You could barely hear them. Guilt was eating you alive. He was sitting here comforting you and he had no idea what you were, what you’d come here to do.
He had no idea what you’d dreamed of.
This was all fake. No matter how much pretend you played, you were enemies.
You couldn’t keep doing this.
You needed to find something. He couldn’t be fully good, your family couldn’t be composed of people who would hurt… what? Creatures who were just trying their best.
If they’d told you to come here and kill him you would’ve done it. He’d be lying on the floor, just like in your dream.
He couldn’t be this good. You needed him to not be this good.
“I think you should drink from me.”
You blurted it out without really thinking. You weren’t certain why you said it. Maybe you wanted to sink back into that trust, that feeling of being not in control but still safe. Maybe you wanted him to attack you, to dispel this awful realization that had been slowly sinking in.
You watched him shift the second the words left your mouth, the slow comfort he’d been giving you fade away as his body went stiff.
“Why?”
The word was strained. He pulled away from you, looking like he’d been slapped.
“Do I need a reason?”
“I think you need to go.”
Oliver was waking on the other side of the bed and you noticed Vivian was snuggled into his side. As Rook got more agitated they started to stir.
“I don’t understand what I did.” You winced at how unsteady your voice sounded.
“I never should have let you in here. This has gone too far.” He ran his hands frantically through his hair, refusing to look you in the eye.
He was practically shouting and Vivian and Oliver snapped into action.
Vivian started to pull you out of the room, although the last thing you wanted to do right now was leave. Your thoughts were racing, desperately attempting to find what you’d done.
He’d been fine. You couldn’t imagine what could’ve made him react like this. Oliver and Vivian knew him better than you did and even they seemed thrown.
Vivian rested a reassuring hand on your arm. “I’m sorry I pulled you out of there, it just seemed like a bad situation.”
“It’s fine.” You knew she could tell that your mind was elsewhere.
She tried her best to reassure you. “I’m sure it’s nothing about you, something is up with him.”
Oliver practically threw the door to the room open, it crashing against the wall.
“What the fuck is wrong with him? He’s been weird and dodgy lately and now this? Unacceptable. He won’t even agree to talk to you. You didn’t even do anything, let alone something that would merit this tantrum! No, hold on, I’m gonna go argue with him again, I can’t fucking believe this shit.”
The images from your dream flashed through your mind and you shook your head. “Maybe he’s right.”
“Bullshit! Come on, we are going to set this straight.”
Oliver pulled you up and back towards Rook’s room and you didn’t have the heart to stop him.
When you’d first come here, you would’ve killed him in a heartbeat. If you’d had the chance, if you’d felt cornered, there was a real chance he would be dead right now.
He’d welcomed you in and what had you given him in return. The kindest thing you’d given him were lies.
You’d played pretend. For what? For a chance to feel safe? And after all you’d done, he’d given you that. Given you safety and comfort and his trust.
This had gone too far. You had to tell him. He deserved to know he had a monster living under his roof.
His head was buried in his hands when Oliver pulled you back into the room, a frantic energy entering his eyes the second he saw you.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he snapped.
He was right.
You spoke quietly, knowing what you needed to do. “Oliver, I think you should go.”
He made a noise in protest but you gave him what you hoped was a reassuring smile and with a final squeeze of your hand, he left the two of you alone.
You didn’t even get the chance to speak before he snapped at you again. “I think I was wrong, I think you should leave.”
“Rook, please, I-”
“Was I not clear? You should leave.”
“No, I have to tell you something,” you pleaded with him, needing to get this off your chest, although you weren’t sure if it was for his sake or for yours.
He rolled his eyes. “What, are you finally going to come clean, tell me that you’re a vampire hunter?”
He knew.
Everything here, it had been a lie. From you, from him, it was all fake. He’d probably been trying to get you under his spell, thought he could control you.
Could you blame him? You certainly weren’t guilt-free in this mess.
He started to pace the room, the calm, in control Rook you were used to nowhere to be seen.
“I had you pegged every step of the way and somehow you still fucked it all up! How did you…”
As he shouted, moving closer to you as he screamed you pulled out your knife, the adrenaline flooding through your body leaving you to fall back on years and years of training.
“You think I won’t do it?” you asked, knowing the second you did that you never could.
“You’re not running. You know I won’t hurt you, you’re not an idiot. Are you going to hurt me? God, you probably are. This was so fucking stupid.”
He really thought you’d do it.
A few days earlier and he would’ve been right.
He got even closer, finally standing with the edge of the knife pressed against his neck. He could probably feel how much you were shaking.
“Do it,” he said. “If you’re so convinced I’m evil, if you really hate me that much.”
“Stop it. Please, just stop it,” you cried as you tried to pull the knife away but he reached out and held it there.
He refused to draw back, keeping the knife pressed firmly to his throat.
You did the only thing you could do. You turned on your heels, dropped the knife, and ran.
You sprinted, out to the front door, out through his gardens, just away.
You didn’t know where you were going, you just needed to get out of there. To stop yourself from causing any more damage. To never have to see their faces again
You ran and you ran. You refused to let your legs stop moving. You needed to be far from here, farther than you could ever carry yourself.
You didn’t even feel the cold of the night digging into your skin, eating away at you.
At some point you may have gotten turned around, you weren’t sure. It was hard to know anything anymore, your mind sending you into a blind panic
Eventually, your legs could carry you no further, giving out underneath you.
You just stared up at the sky, roots digging into your back where you’d collapsed but unable to find the will to move yourself.
With a teary smile, you watched a bat swoop overhead. You’d never had the chance to see him like that.
You knew why now, why he’d never trusted you with that. Why he’d never trusted you at all.
Everything made a little more sense now, the way he’d treated you, the way you’d won him over almost as slowly as he’d won you.
You couldn’t help but wonder how much of that was real and how much of it was a show.
You heard some high-pitched chirping in the distance, the noise piercing right through your thoughts.
Maybe it wasn’t even there, maybe your brain was just desperately attempting to conjure something to stop your spiraling thoughts.
It didn’t really matter anyways.
You had a feeling you might die out here. Better that than returning home. You could never face those people again, the people you’d called your family.
Now you’d met the monsters they killed, you’d never be able to look them in the eye and see anything but what you now knew was there.
You wondered how many of the monsters they’d slayed had been afraid, how many had begged for mercy, how many had just longed for friendship and intimacy.
How many people had they executed for the crime of being hungry and afraid?
And even when they weren’t, with willing sacrifices living happily with them, even then they were deemed heretics and condemned to a house in the woods with a handful of companions they managed to save from the world you’d held in such high regard for so long.
The bat returned to you, settling upside down on a nearby branch.
You gave it a weak smile, blinking tears out of your eyes.
“Hello,” you said, your voice faint after the cold and exhaustion had been eating away at you for what was probably hours. “Sweet little thing, are you the one making those noises?”
It chirped at you, almost as if it was answering you.
“I’d fly away if I were you,” you cautioned the creature. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you to stay away from monsters in the woods?”
Its little head cocked to the side, as if it was desperately trying to understand your words.
The sound of sticks cracking drew both of your attention. Maybe it was a wolf or some other creature, here to finish you off. It had to happen sooner or later because at this point, you were determined not to get up.
A familiar voice banished that thought from your mind.
Vivian was at your side before you had time to make sense of what was happening. She was dragging you to your feet, fighting to pull you along.
“I don’t know if I can do this alone,” she called out. “They're in a bad way, they're going to be dead weight before long.
It took you a moment to realize who she was speaking to.
Your eyes shifted to find the little bat, moving down from his perch until, before you could ever register the change, another familiar face was at your side.
You realized with a foggy mind that he left the grounds to come find you. Your family had been tracking his home for decades and not once had he left but there he was. You’d heard him leading her to you, you could see him in front of you, the light of the moon reflecting off his face.
You passed out before they managed to coax you to your feet, the realization that they’d come for you the last thing you could manage before the world faded away.
You woke up in front of a roaring fireplace with a blanket wrapped around you and two pairs of eyes staring at you.
You focused in on Rook, remembering his part in your rescue. “I didn’t realize you left the grounds. My family is going to be really upset I’m not reporting back anymore, that is exactly the sort of thing they would want to know.”
“I don’t,” he said. “That was my first time leaving in 300 years.”
“Oh.” Your voice sounded small, even to you.
As you gathered your bearings, a door slammed somewhere in the house and you flinched at the sudden noise.
Rook looked back and a quiet sigh escaped him.
“Oliver isn’t handling the news well,” he explained. “He’s mad at both of us if that makes you feel any better.”
It didn’t
“Why?” you asked, your voice much stronger now in the safety of his home.
“Well, he’s mad at you for wanting to hurt me.”
You managed a smile, although you weren’t really in the mood for one. “I’d gathered that much.”
“He’s mad at me for lying, for not telling him who you were. If I’m being honest, I think he’s angriest that I let him care for you.”
Viv chimed in, saying, “He’s just slamming doors so you remember he’s upset. He’ll be alright, just give him some time to cool down.”
“And you’re not mad?” you asked her.
She shook her head and it felt like a minor miracle, that any of them could not hate you after finding out.
“I might have,” she said. “If you’d actually done anything. How long did it take you, before you switched sides? Did it even take a day before you started to doubt?”
You didn’t answer.
You saw in her eyes that you didn’t need to.
“I should let you two talk,” she said, glancing between you and Rook. “But for the record, I’m glad that we got the chance to start caring about you.”
She left the room and it was just the two of you.
Once again you were afraid. Not of him any longer, that had long since passed, but of how he might feel.
“How long have you known?” you asked, your voice weak once more but no longer because of the strain and the cold.
“Since the beginning. I wasn’t planning on letting all this happen but then… do you know how irritating you are? I thought, feed the hunters some bad information, figure out what they might be planning. And then, despite everything you were so bizarrely receptive to all this, and Oliver and Vivian took to you so fast and, I don’t know, this all spiraled out of control so quickly.”
You didn’t say anything. You weren’t sure what you even could say. The word sorry didn’t even come close to cutting it.
He spoke once more, his voice shaky. “Of all the things I thought you might do, putting a wedge between me and them was the last thing I expected.”
“I didn’t want to do that.”
“Sure you didn’t.”
“Rook, you freaked out on me. I didn’t expect them to side with me, I don’t think I even wanted them to side with me.”
“It was going too far, that was too far. Why aren’t you scared of me anymore? I’m not so self-centered as to really believe I turned a vampire hunter, so why are you still here? What are you doing that I’m not seeing? Are you trying to turn them against me, make them hate me too? Just please, leave them out of it. Take me if you must, but leave them out of it.”
You couldn’t help it. You laughed.
“What’s so funny,” he asked, his eyes frantically searching yours for the secret plan he seemed convinced you must have.
“I just… I was going to ask you the same thing.”
“What?”
“I thought all of this, everything I was feeling might be some secret, insane plan you’d made. I think we may have both deeply overestimated each other.”
He inspected your face, searching for something like he’d done so many times before. You wondered if he’d ever found it.
Finally he asked, “What’s vampire hunting like?”
“You really want to know?”
“Can’t imagine I’m going to get many other chances to learn so yeah, why not.”
“I guess I’m not really sure. This was my first real case. It was mostly scary stories when I was little and then a lot of training. I can actually fight pretty well, not that it ever came up here. All of my training was done at home, talking to anyone who wasn’t a hunter was too dangerous so I never really left much, just short little trips.”
“If it makes you feel any better, I wasn’t let outside much as a kid either. Not that that ever stopped me.”
“I don’t think that’s the same, you can’t go out in the sun.”
“Can’t is a strong word. More like really really shouldn’t.”
You laughed. “You sound like you were a real handful.”
“I’m sure you were too.”
“Not really. I was a model student, couldn’t wait to go out and kill my first vampire, make everybody proud.”
“And now?”
“And now even the thought of leaving makes my heart hurt.”
“Does it really?”
He asked it like it was a joke but you knew better than that.
“It does,” you confirmed. “I’ll go though, if you still want me to. I won’t stay where I’m not wanted.”
He shook his head. “I’m sorry about before. I told you I’m not kicking you out and I intend to stand by that. You’re always welcome here. Although I would prefer if you kept the vampire hunting to a minimum.”
“I’ll try my best,” you promised with a half-hearted smile. “Hey Rook?”
“Yes?”
“I’m never going to see my family again, am I?”
“I don’t know, that’s up to you. If you need one, there’s always a family here for you. But it’s a big decision. You should think on it, be sure you want to stay, that you understand what that would mean. Until then, get some rest. You really scared me out there, I thought you might not make it home.”
He grabbed another blanket from the end of the couch, making sure you were more than warm enough. With them and the fire, you were certain you’d have to shed at least one of the blankets to keep from overheating but you let him cover you in it anyways, a desperate ploy to get him to stay just a little bit longer.
You woke up to the feeling of being watched.
Your eyes opened to the sight of pale blue ones staring right back at you, half obscured by curly locks of hair.
“You were going to hurt him,” Oliver huffed at you, barely giving you time to gather your bearings.
“Technically, I wasn’t. I was just gathering intel.”
“You were going to help them hurt him.” The semantics of the situation didn’t seem to soothe his anger.
“I was.”
“What changed?”
You shrugged. “Just got to know him, I guess. Harder to imagine him as a big faceless monster when you’ve seen his face and its smile lines and you know him. It’s also hard to imagine you all as brainwashed victims when… well, when you’ve seen the way you interact.”
He smiled at you incredulously. “Me? Brainwashed?”
You nodded. That idea had left you pretty fast. God help the man who tried to brainwash Oliver.
“I don’t want you to go,” he blurted out. He said it like it was the worst confession he was capable of. “I can’t believe Rook didn’t tell me. He could’ve prevented this but now I care about you and I want you to stay here with us.”
“I think I want to stay too.”
He didn’t seem able to hide his glee, trying his best to force a frown and failing. “Alright. I haven’t forgiven you yet but I’m glad you’ll be here. I would’ve missed you if you’d left.”
“I would’ve missed you too. Can you go tell Viv? I want to tell Rook myself.”
He nodded eagerly, darting towards the door. Before he bolted out he looked back and gave you a firm, “I’m trusting you. Please don’t make me regret it.”
You couldn’t even fathom it. Even apart from Rook and everything you’d learned about the monster you’d come here to fight, you could never hurt them like that.
Before going to see anyone you walked back up to your room. Your pigeon was waiting by the window, confused as to why you hadn’t come to give him a message yet.
If you were honest, he was probably the only thing you’d miss, the only thing this experience hadn’t sullied. Your sweet little bird.
You reached into your pockets to see if your notebook was still in there. It was, as was your dagger, having apparently been returned to you while you slept. You’d have to get rid of that wretched thing soon.
You quickly scribbled out note after note, the words never quite seeming right. How does one convince their family that the thing they’ve been doing all their lives is wrong?
You didn’t.
You tied the note to his leg and sent your loyal little bird off for the last time with the last message he’d ever deliver for you.
The message felt like it was as much for him as for them.
It just read Goodbye.
You wandered up to Rook’s bedroom. You knew where it was by now. The house might still feel confusing but this room you could find.
You knocked on the door, the sound echoing in your ears.
A distant “come in” sounded from behind the black and white painted wood of his door.
He was waiting there for you, his eyes trained on the door as you entered.
“You feeling alright?” he asked, his voice low and measured.
You nodded. “I think I just needed some rest. I’m sorry you had to come and rescue me.”
“No need to apologize. I’m just glad you’re okay. Why did you run?”
“I don’t know. I just didn’t want to hurt you any more than I already had.”
“You didn’t hurt us. Look,” he said, holding out his arms for you to see. “Limbs all still attached. It got a little stressful there but we’re all alright. Better than we were before.”
You hoped that was true.
“You’re staying, aren’t you?” As he asked the question, you began to understand why the thing Rook was scared of the most was people being afraid of him. Because with every word, you could tell he was afraid of your answer and it felt like a punch to the gut.
“If you’ll have me.”
“Of course I will.”
You had both been standing very still, avoiding any sudden movements, trying your best not to break the calm.
That did it. At his words you were moving towards him, his arms wrapping around you the second you were within reach.
“I’m sorry,” you whispered into his chest, beyond happy that this time, he was listening. This time, he believed you.
When you finally pulled away you stood there, looking at each other, a silence falling over you that one of you needed to break.
You wanted to be the one to do it.
It felt like a risk. Last time you’d asked everything had been destroyed. But it felt like the only way to finalize it, to make yourself one of them and shed your past.
Finally you asked, “Can you drink from me?”
You waited for the mistrust but it never came. Instead, he just cocked his head to the side and asked, “Why?”
“Because I trust you.”
“You’re still a little scared.”
“I’ve got years of stories in my head, they’re hard to shake. But I do trust you.”
“You really want this?”
You nodded, reaching out hesitantly for him.
He came to you, his hand intertwining with yours.
“Alright, but we’re going to work up to it. I’m not throwing you in the deep end, okay?”
You nodded, already trusting that he’d make sure you felt safe.
He walked you back to his bed, laying you down gently on the soft sheets you’d been too afraid to indulge in when you first came here. The thought felt silly now.
He moved over you, capturing your mouth in a kiss.
You pushed up against him, wanting to be as close to him as you could.
He seemed to sense your urge and pushed you back down into the sheets, his body trapping you against their warmth.
And then the kissing ended as he sat you up with an urgency that made you think twice about whining about the newfound lack of contact.
He reached up to start undoing your dress, getting both of your clothes off as fast as he could.
“Need to feel you,” he said and you helped him along, removing your final garments as he struggled to pull off his pants.
You smiled, helping him where his pants had gotten caught around his ankled in the rush.
He just stared down at you, wide-eyed.
“Come here,” he said pulling you back up to the bed and pressing you against him. His skin was colder than you were used to and you were sure you must have felt burning hot against him.
His hands ran up and down your sides as he held you against him, feeling every bit of you he could.
Finally, you sunk back against the mattress and were trapped under him once again.
His hand slid down your front and two fingers pushed inside you.
You felt his sharp intake of breath as they pushed inside and saw that incessant smugness return, the worship on his face falling behind it.
“You’re so wet, is this all for me?” he asked.
You nodded, hoping that was the answer that would get you more.
You felt yourself clench around him and he moaned at the sensation.
“Please,” he asked, “I need to be inside you. I’ll go so slow, make sure you’re alright, just need to feel you.”
You didn’t need any convincing.
He was so thick, pausing with every little push inside to let you accommodate the stretch before pushing impossibly further into you.
Finally, he bottomed out, pressing kisses all over your face to distract you from the burn.
“You’re doing so good,” he murmured into your skin, refusing to pull away even to speak.
Finally the burn settled, although the stretch never really went away.
You rocked up against him experimentally and his cock rubbed perfectly against your walls.
You tried once more but he pushed your hips down, leaving you unable to move.
You looked up at him with big, questioning eyes.
He smiled down at you like you were the sweetest thing he’d ever seen. “Ask nicely,” he insisted and you were too far gone to do anything but comply.
“Please, I need you,” you cried.
“You have me. What do you need.”
He was going to make you say it. “I need you to fuck me.”
Those seemed to be the magic words. As soon as they left your mouth he started to move.
His head was buried in your neck as he thrusted into you and there was no more fear, it had all dissipated, even the little slivers hiding in the corners of the old stories you’d been told.
Every nightmare and monster under your bed had been replaced with his face and you didn’t have it in you to be afraid of him any longer.
He moved gently, like he didn’t want to break you.
You weren’t so sure you didn’t want to be broken.
“More, harder,” you pleaded.
He hesitated and so you kept begging. “Please, I want to feel it in the morning
That did the trick, his hips snapping into you with a punishing force.
“Yeah? I can do that. You’ll be so sore tomorrow but it’ll be alright because I’m going to take such good care of you. Anything you want you’ll have. I take care of my humans, I’m gonna take such good care of you.”
The phrase did something to you. You were his human now. It didn’t feel possessive it just felt right because you knew you had given a piece of yourself to him.
The faster pace was sending you both hurtling toward your climaxes.
His hand snaked down to rub your clit as he pounded into you, your hips rising to meet his.
Finally something inside you snapped and you clung to him as waves of pleasure overtook you completely.
His pace didn’t slow as your orgasm calmed. You were sensitive and a little sore but still the last thing you wanted was for him to stop.
With one final punishing snap of his hips, you felt him come inside of you, a strangled moan sounding from him as he left sloppy kisses across your neck and slowly rolled his hips into you until the waves of his orgasm subsided.
For a while he just lay there, half on top of you, doing his best to keep from crushing you as he panted.
“How’re you feeling?” He finally asked, rising up a little to look at you. “You nice and relaxed for me?”
If you’d been any less exhausted you would’ve rolled your eyes at him and found some retort. As it stood, you just nodded, your arms still wrapped around him, keeping him close.
“Alright,” he said, looking down at you with a soft gaze. “Human instinct means that the second I break skin, for one moment you will struggle. You’ll lash out at me so I’m going to have to pin you down, okay? Anytime after that first moment you’re free to back out but just for at the start I have to hold you still.”
You nodded. “You’ll hold me down but I say red and you’ll stop.”
“Exactly.”
He pinned your legs firmly below him, wrapping one hand around your wrists to hold them in place. The other hand drifted to your chin, gently tilting your head to the side.
His fingertips brushed over your neck, ghosting over your pulse. You could feel it pounding and you’re sure he could too. If he could smell your fear all those days ago you couldn’t even imagine what he must be smelling now.
His breathing was unsteady as he stared at you with naked hunger.
He licked over the spot on your neck first, like he was marking you before slowly resting his fangs over top of your skin.
You pulled your head even further to the side, begging him to break skin.
He finally did and for a moment, you lashed out, the pain inciting some buried instinct in you.
And then the fight faded and all you were left with was a sense of peace.
You were powerless beneath him. He could bleed you dry right now, pinned under him. You knew he wouldn’t.
There was something calming about being completely at someone’s mercy. He lapped your blood up, his body warming as he fed from you, and you felt more relaxed than you ever had before, as you gave this piece of yourself to him.
The pain had faded so far away. The only way you could recognize it was by seeing it as another thing you’d feel in the morning, another thing you knew Rook would diligently take care of.
And he’d do it with the energy and life you were giving him now, the bit of you that you were allowing him to take.
He tried to pull away from your neck but your fingers knotted into his hair, trying to keep him close. He rejected your attempt, pulling away to send his lips crashing into yours. The metallic taste of blood seeped into your mouth as you returned his kiss, desperate and pleading.
You felt just as hungry as he was.
The kiss finally ended as he went to bandage to wound you’d half forgotten about, settling back against your neck as soon as he cleaned the remaining blood dripping down you.
The sheets, on the other hand, did not look like they could be saved.
He snorted into your neck and you pulled back to get a good look at him.
“What’s so funny?” you asked.
“I won,” he said with a smile.
“What?”
“Our game. I think I won.”
“Are you trying to piss me off?” you asked with a laugh.
“Maybe.”
You just laid there for a few minutes, lounging against him before he moved to get up.
You whined at him but he made no move to stop. He walked across the room and returned with a glass of water and a plate of cookies.
“I told you I’d take care of you,” he said as he handed them off.
“My hero.”
He settled back in next to you as you started in on one of the cookies.
“So you really want to stay?”
You nodded, barely even processing the question. “I already said yes,” you mumbled.
He shook his head. “No, I need you to listen. Do you want to stay, to join everyone here, to become mine?”
Your brows furrowed. “I’d be yours?”
He nodded. “They’re all mine, just as much as I belong to all of them. To all of you. Don’t you remember, all those promises you made before you came? I made them too, you know. To care for you all, to always have your best interests at heart, to give a piece of yourself away. All the vows, you have to mean it this time.”
“I already mean them. You want to be mine?” you asked, wiping a stray drop of your blood off of his chin.
“I do.”
540 notes
·
View notes