#//hope this is okay!

[sillymuses]

@bxtonpxss

"Uh..."

Welp. Here she was caught in the act of stealing all these cookies. What can she say? She enjoys the softness of the baked texture. Plus, a few extra were being saved for her friends once she got back to the school.

"I'll give you one if you don't rat me out."

[fatalframez-arch]

@resplendentdare

Miserable. That was the only way to describe how he felt right now - how he felt ever since the Mind Flayer had taken him. How he survived it all is beyond him, but there Billy was, in the worst shape he's ever been in in his life. No longer in the hospital, however, he's still dealing with an insane amount of recovery both mentally and physically. This on top of the fact he's stuck living in a tiny trailer with what was his step mother and his step sister made things difficult; His father having up and left while Billy was in critical condition, abandoning him as though he'd died already rather than sticking around. Surprise, surprise. He'd been abandoned again.

Billy hasn't talked much since everything. Getting used to being in the front of his own mind again rather than pushed into the background as the Mind Flayer had forced him to allow them to take control. There are a number of things he's having to try and get used to again as a result of that. Something that's difficult when you don't want to let anyone in. Even now, he constantly pushes others away. The only person Billy interacts with most of the time is Saskia; Someone he talked to and flirted with quite a bit before it all. There's definitely less flirting because all he has going on, but she's just about the only one allowed to visit him without him giving them the silent treatment. Mostly because he doesn't know what to say, but still.

"Thought you said you couldn't stop by today.?" Billy speaks up, questioning her as he notes her in the doorway, spotting her from his bed since it's one of those days. Where everything is annoyingly hard and hurts like hell; Not accustomed to having to take it easy even though he's been recovering for nearly a month now. This shit better not last forever. "They let you out early?" From work, he means.

[continuingthefamilyname]

@queenpinoftheeast

Jason was a young alpha walking around his college campus to get to the library. Right when he opened the door, the most delicious smell hit his nose. An omega in heat. This was not the best place for that. He took a breath for a moment to calm his thoughts. Whoever it was would probably need help. He followed the scent, and that's when he saw her. He had seen her around campus before. She was normally surrounded by a group of people, so he was surprised to see her alone. "Are you okay?" He asked softly, staying a bit away from her for now.

[sanniewrites]

closed starter for: @rpwiththelilflower muse: tanaka kenji, 28, software developer

"I seem to see you here often. You must really like your coffee." Kenji couldn't help but joke a bit as smiled at the woman. "I hope I'm not bothering you at all though. Just thought you could use a little company. If not, I can leave." He didn't wanna force anything and just looked at her as he waited for an answer.

[cloudyfenrir]

💓 Heart of a SOLDIER 💓 || ACCEPTING || @warofthebeasts

Cloud wasn't sure how he ended up like this, sat on a bed with Sephiroth tucked into his chest.

It was a quiet night in Costa del Sol, the party stopping by after dealing with monsters in the area that could threaten the beachside town. It had been a long day for all of them and needed their rest. Cloud woke up in the middle of the night, needing a drink of water and midway down a bottle did he hear groaning...

It was Sephiroth.

While privy to the fact that he didn't sleep well, he didn't realise to what extent and now he was watching his former hero deep in the throes of a night terror. Stepping closer and before he could even think did the older man awaken with a terrified yell, as he begun to thrash did Cloud intervene.

Perhaps Sephiroth was still dreaming when he woke up as Cloud never thought in a million years that the other would grab onto him like a lifeline. His heart was quick but not from fear for once, it was shock and... concern? He didn't know what that underlying emotion was but Cloud didn't push away or demand answers, he let Sephiroth do what he needed to. Only looking down when his breathing seemed to be evening out.

"...Back with us?"

[bestiadentro]

{ @silver-blooded-synthetics liked for a birthday starter }

This would be the second time he's celebrating his birthday with Errol. The second time should have been last year, but unfortunately, he'd been missing during that time. Locked away in that horrid lab - but he's not going to think about that. Alaire is free now; Has been for months and is steadily recovering from the trauma caused.

He has, by now, reunited with his family in the sense that he's seen them and spends time with them, but he does still remain a resident of Errol's home. It just made sense at this point. His age made him able to live on his own anyhow and the Byers household was.. crowded. Not that he didn't love them! Because he does! It's just.. Errol provided him a sense of comfort that they didn't and he needed that comfort.

Today, he's waking up to hair being gently brushed out of his face and fingers combing through his hair. Before he's even awake the softest of trills escapes him, the sound being what actually wakes him up. Even with his eyes closed, he can tell it's Errol touching him. His scent is enough to give it away. Eyes open slowly, soft purrs already rumbling in his throat as he attempts to move so that he's nuzzling his cheek against the hand rather than allowing them to continue to pet his hair.

Happy Birthday, Alaire

That's what he hears Errol say. It brings him to realize that it is, in fact, his birthday. Because of last year he'd already seemed to have forgotten about it. His expression likely reads as such, but the realization isn't bad. No, it's nice to be woken up this way, to give him such information when he's already feeling a sense of calm. "It is my birthday, isn't it?" Alaire questions softly, finally shifting in order to sit upright on their bed. "I forgot all about it."

[venisontransmission]

@electriccapitalist

Something is amiss in Pentagram City.

It is not Alastor's territory - if he recalls correctly, Rosie had informed him that a recent turf war had gone down, leaving it without an Overlord. The radio demon had considered taking the space for himself but decided against it - he already had enough territory to keep track of as it was. He was not looking to expand just yet.

He's passing by the battle-worn district. Upturned asphalt and holes in the ground. Crumbling buildings - why, it looks like an Extermination had started here! Were he not close enough to see this damage, another thing was off - a radio signal.

Recently, Alastor had begun to share his radio signal with an... interesting young sinner. A demon with a picture box for a head and calling himself Vox. The media demon had quickly grown quite fond of Alastor, who had, in a sense, taken him under his wing. Among the living, these 'televisions' were all the rage, taking quite a bit from the radios that came before. Naturally, Alastor was curious about it, hence his interest in the sinner.

Vox was allowed to use his radio signal, seeing as how the television demon wasn't powerful enough to create his own. The side effect of this is that at all times, the deer demon had a good idea where his troublemaking picture box might be.

The signal tugs Alastor into the rubble and destruction. As he steps over small puddles of blood, he notes the weak, buzzing whine of radio waves trying to latch onto a frequency.

Ah, it seems his new friend was in a bit of trouble.

He follows the sounds of struggle, more blood gathering under his shoes with each step.

[isolatednights]

𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐟𝐨𝐫 ⸻ @wexarethewalkingxdead

squatting beside the little brook babbling through the otherwise quiet forest, aiyla squinted up through the leafy tree tops in hopes of gauging how late in the day it might be as she filled one of her empty water bottles ( knowing the amount of daylight would determine how long she had until she had to find somewhere safe for the night ). releasing a soft huff at the discovery that it was still mid-morning ( that it would be hours yet until she could reasonably crack open one of the cans within her pack or boil the freshly retrieved water ), the woman capped the bottle and carefully pushed herself up once more to continue onward.

she isn't certain how long she continues on before the familiar groans of the undead reach her ears. she's preparing to change her course ( avoidance, she's learned, is often easier than wasting her energy on taking down one or two ) ⸻ but the shuffling of feet amongst the deadfall and undergrowth gives her pause ( distinctly rushed and likely human ). whatever plan may have been coming to mind halts immediately when a girl stumbles into view ( it takes a moment to blink back her shock before aiyla is moving forward ⸻ hunting knife finding its way into her hands to dispose of the two undead that are trailing in her wake ).

when its done ( once her knife is slickened with blackened blood and a sheen of sweat trickles at her brow from a combination of the heat and the effort ), blue hues turn to take in the girl. "hey ⸻ hey it's okay. you're okay ⸻ shh," the words are crooned softly ( her gaze sympathetic because she too knows what its like to be terrified and alone ).

[elisethetraveller]

Continued from; knightfeared

( … ) Careful, but honest all in a way that piques at his continued intrigue as he slows his walk to a few dying steps. Coming to a complete halt, he allows the quiet to seep in just a little longer before he turns, meeting her gaze, studying the girl who’d mistaken him for just another passerby. Far from the truth — he was anything but. Keeping himself still, his gaze thins, expression shifting only minutely as chartreuse hues linger on bright eyes, noting the odd paleness of her hair, before he brushes it off, stashing the observational note away for a later date should the need arise. Within the area he’d chosen to wander through, there had been odd happenings occurring. A larger spurring of both wild beasts, night creatures, an increase in the numbers of those long gone missing. Curiosity drove Olrox to investigate, something both simply sown, yet more unnerved, to seek out the sources of the low rumbling felt in the earth below of something potentially more interesting soon to bloom. There’s something about how @elisethetraveller carries herself, something unknown he can’t quite place, only noting the tinge of something ‘other’ about her. Not quite arcane, mystic-tinged, but close that makes him hum audibly in some form of testing greeting. Within the simple snap of a finger, his lips tug into an easy going, almost warm facade of a smile. He had the potential to be a gentleman when needed. For the time being, she’d done no harm to lure his ire or raise his guard. With a soft but distant thunder-rumble, he chuckles, slow, amicably aimed, turning to face her more fully. Would she run? Note the odd gleam in his inhuman eyes, the way they caught in the light. Catch the way his ears pointed over rounded, feel the urge to run &&. retreat? Or would the friendly demeanour shift to something more hostile upon connecting all the peppered oddities. With a carefully spun bit of mirth, gaze crinkling along their sharpened edges, he asks who she’d been searching for.

Be careful. There are dangers in the night.

The pale mage was not one to believe in fairy tales and folk myths. Not because the more-than-human was implausible, but because, like ill-faith rumours and village gossip, very little truth could be rung from them. Still, one would have to be wilfully blind not to realize there was something other about this place, perhaps even this entire world.

At first, she assumed the hushed warnings of people going missing were the marks of disease. This era was on the cusp of science and proper medicine, but for the layman, sickness was still as fantastical as the rainbow or far-away continents. So the healer did as she always did: settled in a house and began her work. And as expected, there was illness. But not enough. On her way home one warm summer night, the mage stumbled upon the real culprit.

Whatever the creature was, it had surely been as surprised as her, albeit for different reasons. Four-legged and with an animal head, it reminded her of one of the gargoyles which decorated church spaces. A musing that was cut short when it lunged at her like a cat discovering a second canary. Ugly, mismatched teeth tore through skin and almost crushed bone before it could regret its assault. It was flesh as much as any creature, and the blood mage had no intention of losing her arm. Maw full of her blood, it had been easy to stop its raging heart, and by the confused shrieks it let out as it died, Elise suspected that this was the first time it had encountered prey that fought back.

There are dangers in the night.

Not all who came to her could do so in the bright hours, but she was not about to let them wander the night alone.

"I–" Not human, not human, not human, are you human? The realization reels in her mind as the man she had mistaken for a friend and patient turns towards her. Had she been younger, the brief, instinctual panic would have shown itself like a human of old staring down a lion. Instead, she mentally curses her stutter and smiles amiably. Prey runs, and she will not be prey.

"I was looking for a friend of mine. With all the odd disappearances, we thought it would be better to walk together, but I seem to have arrived early." There was a childish urge to let crimson bleed through the silver and flash her eyes at him, a show of aposematism, but no, she would wait to see if he was as hostile as the other creatures she had encountered. "I don't think I have seen you in the village before. What brings you out this fine evening?"

( @knightfeared )

[nekrotisch]

Cassandra looked at Rook before looking down at the elvish artifact. They had found it, could be nothing, could be stripped for parts to help another relic, who knows.

"You know, Elvish relics can destroy the fabric of reality, Nevarran relics may just bring a new roommate into your house."

@atlasveiled || x

[sillymuses]

@rayheroism

"Is your body like magnetic or something? How is it...?" She's so curious about this one. I mean, how could she not be? An intrigued poke is given. "You feel very real."

[fatalframez-arch]

@resplendentdare liked for a starter

"Shh." The sound escapes him quietly after he has, yes, put himself in quite the awkward position, but there's a valid reason. He noted Saskia, a friend of his half brother, was being followed. It's only because he hadn't been noticed yet that he manages to slip in unnoticed, taking the moment the possible assailant looks away to step in and maneuver her into a nearby ally and behind some boxes.

He hated having to cover her mouth the way he did, but it's the only way he knew to keep her from yelling out and, at the very least, the two have met before. He's a familiar face. What he was shushing her for becomes quickly evident too; Her stalker walking past the ally in what looks to be confusion. There's a moment where they look around, get close to them, even, but thank the Gods the stranger moves on.

His hand is removed from covering her mouth once he's sure they're safe. Still, Miles chooses to speak in a whisper just in case. "Sorry if I scared you -" He begins to explain after his apology "I saw that guy following you and didn't know what else to do."

[macchinablue]

{ @resplendentdare }

One would think things would be so much better for androids now that humans were willing to listen, but as there were homeless humans, there were also homeless androids. New Jericho could only hold and tend to so many androids with limited supplies and truth be told, aside from going to get thirium when desperately needed, Isaac tended to stay away so someone less fortunate than him may be helped instead. Even though he could easily be considered as severely less fortunate just by the look of him.

A night such as this is one where he definitely should have gone. Caved and gotten himself some good, proper help if there was room. But he didn't. He's across town, further away than he would like due to having to change squatting locations - abandoned homes often being what humans and androids alike fled to in their homelessness. If they managed to find one, of course. Isaac had and the fact it was so far during winter made things quite.. difficult. More so than usual.

Part of him wonders when exactly he shut down when his eyes open again. There's a fog of sorts. A great deal of confusion as his body processes consciousness once again. Where is he? It's warm, but his body is running a bit cold. Not as cold as it had been. The thought brings him to recollect what had happened; The memory of a girl calling to him in a panic as his system threatened shut down in response to the cold surrounding him. It snowed and he couldn't make it back to where he was holing up in time to get out of it. He'd collapsed.. he'd.. been saved?

This is the realization that hits him upon noting he's clearly someplace else, upon hearing that girl's voice against as she notes him beginning to 'awaken'. There's a moment where he can't make out what she says, but he understands enough to know that she saved him from the cold by essentially hauling him back to her place and warming him up again. She looks to be on the phone too. Someone is talking with her, apparently guiding her through the process of how to deal with him. Likely someone from Jericho as they had a help line one could call for aid these days.

She seems to be hanging up the phone now, however, then being when Isaac finally manages to speak. At least a word, anyway. "..where?" His voice is normal for him, but likely not for her with how it sounds slightly distorted. Something he's been forced to deal with since Zlatko's tampering. "Who..?"

[diverse-hearts-ocs]

@plicatum asked for a Starter

After the discovering of Robins 'death', he'd been somewhat expecting to be summoned by either his father or Sunday for a while now, having been helping Gallagher in the background. It really wouldn't take that much effort for either of them to guess that he might be aware of at least some of the truth that was going on, but Garth was rather skilled at keeping things to himself - he'd had plenty of years to master the skill. Still, he couldn't help but feel slightly nervous as he made his way towards Sunday's office. Everything was going as planned - what if he went and said something that suddenly made everything fail? He sighed lightly, a deep breath taken as he knocked on the doors.

[7rabbi7s]

Swapped Freedom- A Planned Plot With @mmm4r1ass3cr3ts

Flicking over the final ask he'd sent, Hab frowned at the answer he'd been given. 'Dear' could be used platonically? That didn't really track to him, especially since he was essentially swapping her Habit out for himself.

That, coupled with everything on Maria's blog?

Shaking his head, Hab shoved his phone in his pocket. He's got better things to do right now, like actually making good on his promise.

---

No knocking, this Habit didn't deserve even that. Crushing the shield like a rock on glass and grinding his metaphorical paw underneath it to drive the broken shards of energy and pride into the bastard's back. He was surprised how weak the other was, but maybe that was because Hab's spirit burned brighter than any protective layer.

"MARIIIIIAAAAA! COME GET YOUR COAT!" Hab howled, his plan on stealth now forgotten with just how easily this Habit was crushed. It was really just natural selection at this point.

@mmm4r1ass3cr3ts

[kingcenred]

@magikborn liked [x] for a starter: For Arthur Pendragon.

It had taken much persuasion to get Cenred this far, and as he dismounted his horse in the courtyard of the Camelot citadel, he had to swallow down his disgust. How many magical beings had been executed here?

The temptation to immediately return to his own kingdom was great, but a peace treaty with the new Pendragon King would be - according to his advisors - exceedingly beneficial to Essetir. Particularly now, as they rebuilt the army after the damage Morgause had caused. It was Uther that Cenred held so much disdain for, and there was talk across the whole of Albion that his son took a different approach to leading; perhaps the discussions could be fruitful.

"Arthur," he reluctantly greeted the younger monarch.